Blog – Page 36 – ReSolutions – The link to your organized future

Thinking ahead: Planning for the Summer

Posted on May 13, 2015 by

Dawn Link Posted in Children — No Comments ↓

Attention New England parents. In about a month, school will be out for the summer! On one hand, it will be nice to spend quality time with your kids. On the other hand, most parents find that when the kids are home, they often lose their personal time and space. The key to providing your kids with the summer of their dreams, while ensuring you have the personal space you need rests in planning!

Make sure to start scheduling in day camps, sleep-away camps, sport clinics and other commitments. Then, once all of the big items are scheduled, you can start thinking about how you’ll spend your normal, summer days. Below are three tips to consider as you’re planning for the summer.

Give your kids structure. Summer isn’t the time to allow your kids to wake up or go to bed whenever they want. To set expectations with your family, create a daily schedule so they know what to expect and what activities will occur on each day. Schedule a time at the beginning of the week to gather as a family to go over the weekly calendar. If everyone is aware of the schedule, you will be less likely to hear complaining and rants about boredom, or have your kids’ faces buried in their electronic devices.

Make reading a part of the day. Summertime doesn’t mean that your child should be void of all educational experiences. It is important for your children to read during the summer, and keep their brains active. Make reading a part of the beginning or end of the day, and while your kids are reading, you will in turn have time for yourself. Additionally, you could also schedule a time once a week to discuss the book with your kids. This will provide more structure for your kids, and another great opportunity to connect with your children.

Include your kids in your activities. One of the best ways to make time for you, while also providing entertainment for your kids, is to include your kids in your hobbies. Gardening is a great example. This is a great family activity and teaches the kids how to grow flowers and/or vegetables. This can be a household chore that is shared among the family, and when it is your turn, you can be alone with your thoughts and nurture not only the garden but also your mind.

Personally, I couldn’t be more thrilled for summer. It was a long winter, and it’s certainly something we all will enjoy. To sign off, I want to leave you with this quote from a great book by the brilliant John Steinbeck – Travels with Charley: In Search of America:

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?”

Photo: Boston Parents Paper

6 Mudroom Essentials for Staying Organized

Posted on May 1, 2015 by

Dawn Link Posted in Family, Mudroom, Products, Storage — No Comments ↓

The mudroom is often the first point of entry into a home, and can quickly go from tidy to turbulent. Family members will take their shoes off, throw their backpacks on the floor, leave trash lying around…you get the drill. In order to maintain some level of sanity, there are some essential products you should consider to help tame the clutter.

Pegs – These are essential to giving every hanging object a home. Hang handbags, backpacks, and shopping bags. By installing pegs or hooks, your floor will be clear of all of those bags (accidents waiting to happen) and easier to find. Hanging two sets of pegs at different heights may accommodate the backpacks on one level and handbags and shopping bags on the higher level.

Charging station – How many times have you been wandering around the house, wondering…where did I put my iPad? Where is my iPhone? Most families I work with have multiple devices that need to be charged. The mudroom is a great place to have a charging station for your cell phone and tablets. Your electronic devices will always be by the door when you leave, fully charged, so there is less of a chance you’ll forget them.

Shoe racks or cubbies – One of the best parts of a mudroom is that you can ditch those dirty shoes that typically track mud and gravel into the home. However, oftentimes these shoes can be strewn about the mudroom floor, and in complete disarray. The great news is that you can build in designated shelves or cubbies for each member of your family. Shoe racks can be tucked in the bottom of a closet or underneath an entry bench. Be sure to trim down the existing collection of shoes to avoid all the shoes in the entire house being stored in this area.

Baskets and bins – Using baskets or bins that match your décor can really transform your mudroom, and provide much needed organizational space. Make sure to label them so it is easy to retrieve items, and most importantly, easy to put away.

Message board – The mudroom is a central hub in the home, and a great spot to communicate with the rest of the family. You can install a bulletin board and/or white board as a “message center” for major announcements or even daily inspiration. If used appropriately, these boards are also a great location for notes and schedules.

Trash & recycling bin – I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, I am a true believer that every room should have a garbage can. Additionally, you can add a recycling bin right where you enter the home to easily get rid of junk mail and anything you don’t want before it enters your home. Add a shredder to the mix and eliminate the potential threat of releasing personal information into the world.

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

5 Things to Change TODAY to Become more Eco-Friendly

Posted on April 22, 2015 by

Dawn Link Posted in Eco-friendly, Family, Goals — No Comments ↓

Each year, it gets easier to live a greener life at home. There are emerging, eco-friendly products, rebate incentives, and a wealth of information online to learn from. There are also small things you can do at home that really make an impact on your environmental footprint. Today is Earth Day, and as we observe the beauty of our planet, I encourage you to make just one change from the list below to help preserve our environment for future generations. If you set a realistic “green” goal each year, then overtime you will have a greater environmental impact, and also save money, too.

Don’t run the water as you brush your teeth. Something as simple as turning off the water while brushing your teeth can make a difference. Turn the water on to wet your toothbrush and shut it off as you brush. Only turn the water back on to rinse the toothbrush. It’s amazing how much water that can save.

Install occupancy and vacancy sensor light switches. There’s always one member of the household who neglects turning lights off. To help mitigate this situation, you can install occupancy and vacancy sensor light switches. They can be programmed to suit your needs and lifestyle. Install them in rooms where lights are frequently left on after someone exits the room.

Use smart power strips. This technology is simple yet brilliant and shuts off electronic devices when not in use. Devices like your television, cable box, DVD player, and printer are great examples of electronics that can be shut off when in standby mode. It saves money and reduces your carbon output.

Think fabric versus paper. Cloth napkins are nicer, but they’re also better for the environment. Ditch the paper napkins and invest in napkins that can be washed and do not require ironing. You can also take this one step further and start using cleaning clothes in the kitchen instead of always using paper towels.

Ditch the plastic. We all know that plastic has a significant impact on the environment, but time and time again, because of convenience, we choose to buy plastic bottles of water at the store. Instead, invest in a few glass portable bottles to use along with a water filtration system. Not only will you be minimizing your carbon footprint, but you will also save money.

I hope you join me in adopting greener practices at home. As a professional organizer in Boston, I’m going to encourage my clients to make one or more of these changes. By working together, we can collectively make a difference.

Photo: Green Living Online

Taming the Tupperware – Tip Tuesday

Posted on April 16, 2015 by

Dawn Link Posted in Kitchen, Storage — No Comments ↓

Today we’re digging deeper into the one area of the kitchen that most people simply can’t manage – Tupperware™ containers. As a professional organizer in Boston, I’ve seen this scenario time and time again: you have a drawer or a cabinet space overflowing with tops and bottoms to various containers. Take, for example, the photo above. When it comes time to piece a lid and bottom together, tragedy ensues. My friends, as much as you may think this is unavoidable, you can actually organize that Tupperware™.

To start organizing your Tupperware™, follow these three tips that I always share with my professional organizing clients:

Only buy and use square Tupperware™. By sticking to one shape, you can rest assured that the containers will fit together. Square containers also fit into cabinets and/or drawers better without wasting space. Think of a grid of containers that can directly fit next to one another, versus circular containers where there is wasted space in between.
Nest, nest nest – Make sure to separate your container bottoms and lids. Set your container bottoms inside of each other. Use a basket or another square container to corral the lids.
Ask yourself how many containers do you actually need? A lot of times we accumulate these containers, and we only use a fraction of them, thereby wasting precious kitchen space. Take a quick analysis one week and see how many of these you actually use. If you don’t use half of these containers, donate them or store them in the basement to use during the holidays or to handout leftovers after large parties.
Edit what is worn or cracked. When a lid or bottom gets too yucky to use or it is cracked, throw out or recycle it and it’s mate. There’s no sense in hanging onto a container that is unusable.

Take these professional organizing tips into consideration, and in the future, packing lunches and putting away leftovers will be a lot easier!

Photo: Remarkably Domestic

How to Recycle Large Electronics

Posted on April 6, 2015 by

Dawn Link Posted in Recyling — No Comments ↓

Walk into any New England basement, and you’ll likely see an old super-sized television sitting collecting dust. As a society, whenever we upgrade our television or other large electronics, we have a hard time letting go of these older, outdated electronics, and we typically migrate them to another part of the house “just in case” we need it again. Here’s the thing: you won’t need them again. Trust me. What will instead happen is you’ll walk into your basement 10 years later and realize you have to somehow get that large eyesore out of sight. Instead of waiting years to discard these items, get rid of them as soon as you upgrade your electronics.

Depending on the town you live in, it can be somewhat of a challenge to recycle large electronics, but there are several other solutions. One of my favorite places to recycle electronics is Best Buy. Check out their website to determine what you are able to recycle at the store and if there are size restrictions. If you are buying a new large flat screen television, ask the store if they recycle your old one. The store may charge a fee for something of that size, but it is definitely worth it in my opinion – out of sight out of mind, right?

Additionally, if your electronics are still functioning, keep in mind that there are several non-profit groups that would love your donation! For example, Big Brother Big Sister is one organization that picks up large electronic devices.

The other thing you can do is call your town’s Department of Public Works. Sometimes towns have a designated day or time of year when they collect large electronics. My town charges for a yearly dump pass, and then depending on what I am trying to recycle, there is an additional fee. I have also seen ads notifying the public of a town-wide electronics recycling day. With Earth Day in a few weeks, now is a great time to investigate.

Photo: The Green Guide

Green Technology for Your Home

Posted on April 1, 2015 by

Dawn Link Posted in Green Technology, Products — No Comments ↓

Thanks to our guest blogger, Tom Matthews from Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty. Tom and his team mate Joanne Taranto assist a wide selection of home buyers and sellers in the Lincoln, Carlisle, Acton and Concord real estate markets.

Green power and efficiency have never been as affordable and obtainable as they are currently.

We demand more gas mileage and less pollution from our cars. We drive across town to save 20 cents on a fuel fill up. But when it comes to our biggest energy user, our homes, what are we doing about them?

Most energy companies will do a free or low cost energy audit. Concord Massachusetts Municipal Light even offers debate programs that reward energy efficiency in both homes and our local businesses.

These energy audits are your first step in determining where you need to focus your energy saving budget. According to Energy.gov the largest usage of your homes energy is in heating and cooling followed closely by water heating.

With that in mind here are a few green choices for making your home more energy efficient and potentially increase the perceived value that future buyers may have when previewing your property.

Programmable and smart thermostats like the Nest are one of the fastest and easiest ways to go green with your energy usage. The Nest programmable thermostat will remember the temperatures you like and automatically program itself. The device is also smart and knows when you are home and when you aren’t and ensures that you are never heating or cooling an empty house and wasting energy. Fear not, with your smartphone you can control the thermostat at anytime and sure that your home is toasty on a cold night or nice and cool on the hottest day before you come home.

Of course the best way to ensure you use less energy heating and cooling your home is to let less energy in and out, but without major construction how do you do that?

Enter the Automatic Shade System. Automatic shades can reduce the amount of energy you use by automatically opening and closing blinds and shades in your home when the sun is shining in your windows based on the settings you choose or temperature sensors to ensure an even and consistent feel throughout your home.

Now that you have your home energy usage down to the minimum via smart appliances, thermostats and HVAC systems, its time to look into how you power your new energy efficient home.

Solar energy is abundant, clean, free, renewable and you can get paid to convert!

According to IRS.gov you can claim a 30% credit of the cost of installing solar panels on your home. These include solar electric equipment, and solar water heaters. There is no limit to the amount of credit available to you, and if the credit is more than the taxes you owe you can even carry that credit forward to your next years tax return. But you had better act fast, these credits are only available through 2016.

If you’re worried about efficiency in cloudy or foggy conditions fear not, solar panels work just fine. These tax credits a

Finally, one of the easiest changes to make can be seen instantly, lighting. By replacing your home’s traditional incandescent bulbs with CCFL and LED bulbs you can save as much as 30% on your home’s energy costs.

Combining smart appliances, smart power and efficient electronics makes you a smart homeowner.

Life Lesson: Why everyone in New England needs a vacation in March

Posted on March 25, 2015 by

Dawn Link Posted in Family, Travel — No Comments ↓

At this point, New Englanders are clawing at the opportunity to hop on a plane and fly away to a warmer land. Florida. Mexico. Anywhere warm. Anywhere with a beach. Anywhere without snow! If you don’t live in New England, you likely heard that we have had a record breaking cold, snowy winter. We deserve some warmth.

Now, you’re probably looking at the headline thinking, “Yes, of course I need a vacation RIGHT NOW.” But this post isn’t about planning a vacation for this March (after all, the month is almost over!). It’s about planning a family vacation for next year. That way, when next March arrives, you’ll be packing your suitcase en route to Punta Cana with the kids.

First, think about budget. If you’re trying to be frugal, there are ways to save. Use airline miles on flights, or book an affordable house on AirBnB or another home exchange site. Most of the time, these places tend to be more affordable, and provide more space for the kids. Also, if you book early enough, you can secure better deals, especially during busy spring break periods in March. By planning ahead and saving money now, you’ll be comfortable with spending the money while you’re on vacation.

The second step to planning the perfect family trip is getting the family involved. If you want to avoid hearing ‘are we there yet’, ask them for ideas. I recently came across a great online tool to help with finding the perfect family destination. The website, MiniTime, is like the Trip Advisor of planning family vacations. If the destination has already been determined, have the kids do research on the location and get involved in planning fun things to do together. Look to see if there is a book or movie that ties into the destination. This will keep everyone engaged and a fun family activity to do in preparation for your trip.

Next, make sure you’re securing the appropriate time off from work, and planning in accordance with school vacation weeks. If planning a vacation during a school vacation week, make sure you’re booking early to avoid the rising costs of airfare and accommodations.

Lastly, have fun leading up to the trip. Put milestones on the family calendar – Two months until Punta Cana! This will keep everyone engaged, and on their best behavior.

Photo: SheKnows.com

Clutter Awareness Week: 5-Day Challenge

Posted on March 19, 2015 by

Dawn Link Posted in Bathroom, Closet, Clothes, Kitchen, Paper Management — No Comments ↓

There are so many awareness weeks devoted to topics of all different varieties, but my favorite (surprise, surprise!) is Clutter Awareness Week, which starts next week. This occasion is devoted to helping you see the light – or the bottom of your closet floor – when it comes to organizing and purging. Instead of just writing about this topic, I wanted to issue a challenge to my Boston professional organizing clients and the readers of this blog. Each day next week, I’ve listed different areas of the house along with a simple task that will help you tremendously reduce clutter. Are you ready to get organized in 2015? Let’s get started…

Monday – The kitchen is a communal space where people like to hang out, but sometimes clutter can start to pile high. To make more room and clear the counters, I challenge you to remove one appliance that is taking up precious counter space. A toaster and a blender are two great examples of items that can be stored in a cabinet. Your kitchen will look less cluttered and since you only use these appliances once in awhile, why are they front and center?

Tuesday – For most, the bathroom is a room where clutter can be neglected. For example, do you need that old makeup from ten years ago? Likely, the answer is no, but most of the time old personal care items sit in drawers or medicine cabinets. This week, I challenge you to go through your medicine cabinet and take out anything that has expired. Do not throw them in the trash or garbage; rather take them to drugstores or police stations that accept expired prescriptions or over-the-counter medications. Then, of course, move on to your older personal care items.

Wednesday – We’re halfway through the week, and you’re doing great! Now, let’s dive into your wardrobe closet. Open your closet and examine your hanging clothes. I am sure you can easily spot one to three pieces of clothing that you never wear. If your clothes are in good condition, donate these items. You will have more space in your closet when you bring home an article of clothing that looks fabulous on you.

Thursday – We are all guilty of hanging on to old magazines or catalogs. For today’s challenge, I want you to go through the collection of catalogs and/or magazines. Go through the pile and purge anything that is over a month old. If you haven’t read it yet, it is likely out of date and there’s a good chance you have a newer issue waiting in your mailbox. Additionally, if you’re getting mail you don’t want, remember to use the PaperKarma app we discussed in last week’s blog post.

Friday – Today I want you to open your linen closet. Take a peek at each shelf. You’ll likely realize that there are towels or sheets you rarely use. I recently donated a sheet set to an animal shelter that started to fringe at the hem. Those sheets were creating a mess of string. Also, ask yourself if any of these linens are too scratchy, too thin or too unattractive for the home. Keep in mind that animal shelters are always looking for linens to keep their little animals cozy and warm.

Now that you’re finished with the five-day Clutter Awareness Week Challenge, take some time to reflect and ask yourself if you feel and see a difference. For most of you, the answer will be a resounding ‘yes’. Remember, you should challenge yourself to do this quarterly, so that you can maintain a clutter-free home throughout the year!

Photos: Glas Bergen

Tip Tuesday: 8 Products You Need to Organize Your Home

Posted on March 10, 2015 by

Dawn Link Posted in Products — No Comments ↓

If you can believe it, we are 10 days into March. I know, I know. It doesn’t feel like March because of the mounds of snow that have refused to melt. But folks, trust me, spring is around the corner, which means my favorite cleaning season is here! It’s time to think about spring cleaning your home. After this rather rough winter, all New Englanders can stand to reenergize and organize their homes. It will feel so good. I’ve shared several cleaning and organizing tips in the past, and today I’m going to focus on what you need to get started on cleaning and organizing your home. Below are eight must-have professional organizing products, selected by yours truly.

Label maker – This handy tool is not only great for folders and hanging files, but you can use the label maker for so much more! One great use for a label maker is for the chargers of those new electronic devices. By labeling the charger with what device it should be paired with, you’ll never have to waste your time plugging in and figuring it out. The label will also help you easily determine when and if you are able to purge the item. Hey, we all upgrade our phones every couple of years, meaning those old chargers can be properly disposed.
Paper shredder – With identity theft on the rise, we all need to make sure we’re protecting our identity and personal information. Every household and office needs a crosscut shredder with a removal bin. The removal bin makes it so much easier to empty without have to lift the heavy shredding mechanism. Another great tip is to keep a clear garbage bag in the bin so that clean up is a snap. What should you shred? Shred anything with account numbers or other private, personal information. I take it one step further and shred anything with my address on it.
Calendar – Whether you choose an electronic or paper calendar, every household needs a calendar. If you need a few tips on selecting the right calendar, check out this blog post all about the different calendar systems available to you. I also wrote how to keep your family activity calendar organized. Calendars keep you sane and organized.
Storage bags – These are simple, yet effective organizing tools. Ziploc® makes my favorite storage bags. I can’t tell you how excited I was when they came out with the snack size bag. These bags are so handy when you’re looking to corral and organize drawers, cabinets and other small spaces.
Over-the-door shoe organizer – You can use this home organizing accessory for more than shoes! You can use them in your entry hall closet to keep seasonal items in easy-to-see and easy-to-access pouches. In the winter, you can use the shoe organizer to store your gloves, scarves and mittens. In the summer, you can store sunscreen, sunglasses, bug spray and other seasonal items. In a girl’s playroom, the shoe organizer is a great spot to place Barbie® dolls and accessories separated so playtime is a cinch.
Clear bins– Clear bins are an essential part of organizing. You can see what’s inside and how much remaining space you have for other items. You can also opt to use labeled baskets or opaque bins. You should still use your label maker to give each bin a label so you can identify what’s inside at quick glance.
PaperKarma app – There’s an app for reducing the amount of unwanted junk mail that seems to add clutter around the house. Download the app, and then use your smartphone to snap a photo of the company’s address alongside your name and address. Submit the information and voila! Your information will be removed from future mailing lists. You’ll also be helping the environment a bit.
Garbage bins – As a professional organizer in Boston, I’ve seen many rooms without garbage bins. A room without a trash big can lead to unwanted trash in a room. A decorative garbage bin can add to your decor and cut down on the clutter and trash. This will make cleaning so much easier.

Stay tuned for my next post where I challenge you to purge and organize during Clutter Awareness Week!

Photo: Good Housekeeping

Downsizing? Five Questions to Ask Before You Move

Posted on February 24, 2015 by

Dawn Link Posted in Children, Estate Planning, Family, Moving — No Comments ↓

We’re about to enter March, which means graduation season is around the corner. We’ll see another wave of kids enter adulthood and head off to college, leaving some with an empty home and too much space. With fewer bodies living in a home, some empty nesters are selling furniture, donating clothes and passing down assets to prep for a smaller home. But before you put the house on the market, and start selling off your valuables, ask yourself these five questions:

Will you be happy living in a smaller footprint? Think about this from a physical space perspective – will I truly be able to live in this space? – and emotional perspective. Some people identify with the idea that you are judged by the size of your home. There is nothing wrong with this, so you shouldn’t neglect this thought in the decision-making process.
What will you miss about the larger living space? Think through your and your partner’s living habits. Do you have a craft room? Does your significant other have an office? Do you have different sleeping habits? Do you need a quiet room while your partner is watching TV? You really need to think about what you are willing to give up in terms of the number of rooms you need for your lifestyle.
Are you willing to sell your stuff? When you go through the process of downsizing, this also means living with fewer physical assets. Will you be happy living with less? For example, if you have a large kitchen, and like to cook, will you be able to cook comfortably with fewer kitchen appliances in a new, smaller kitchen? If you have a lot of antique and sentimental furniture, or you okay with leaving them behind? Or, you may have to switch from a California king size bed to a queen-size bed due to the size of the master bedroom. Additionally, consider the cost associated with buying smaller furniture.
How will you dispose of the unwanted items? After you’ve decided your comfort level with shrinking the number of household assets, you’ll need to think through how you’ll go about disposing of these items. There are many ways to go about this including donating items to charity, having a yard sale/estate sale, and giving items to relatives.
What do you want your lifestyle to be when you downsize? We’re seeing more couples downsize from their suburban homes and buying a condo in the city. Even though you are going to less space, think about the other costs associated with this kind of a move. For example, living in the city you’ll likely need to pay for parking and condo fees, and you may incur higher living taxes. Also consider your comfort level with taking public transportation and living alongside a younger demographic.

Downsizing is a big choice for you and your partner, and these are just a fraction of the questions you need to ask yourselves. Are you thinking about downsizing? If so, share your questions and concerns in the comments below!

Photos: Sixty and Me