Maternity Leave

Spring is {hopefully} arriving soon for us here is the Chicagoland area and so is the next addition to my family.  My husband and I are expecting and due very soon!  We are very excited to become parents of two small boys.  I can't wait for their friendship and brotherhood to begin.

Obviously, I have become quite large around the midsection and am not able to do the things I once could...like tie my own shoes.  So I am officially on maternity leave from ORGANIZING abc's and anticipate being exclusively "Mom" until sometime in May.  I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, but I hope that you'll think of me when your desire to get organized for all your summer activities kicks into high gear!

I'll be answering emails and phone calls as I'm able to over the next couple of months, so please contact me if you have an urgent question.  I wish you the best that Spring has to offer!  Please wish me luck, sleep, and sanity as we adjust to becoming a family of 4!

Thirty-One August News

Here is the updates for Thirty-One in August:

The August special says that when you spend $35, you can get a new Girl On The Go Collection purse for 50% off!  Awesome deal.

The new Fall catalog is set to come out in September, so that means the retirement list has rolled around again.  Do you love the Lotsa Dots print?  What about the Easy Breezy Tote or Skirt Purse?  They are retiring, along with many other prints and styles!  If you've been meaning to add to your collection, NOW is the time!  Check out the retirement list HERE.

If you and a friend(s) have an order that totals $200 or more, I can call it a party and you can get some hostess rewards!  Win win.  Check it out and place an order with me today!

I still have spots open for parties in the next couple of months.  The hostess exclusive products that are set to come out with the Fall catalog are AMAZING.  You'll definitely want to browse the new Fall catalog as soon as it comes out and plan when you're next party will be!

Everyone's Favorite Weekend Project...Closet Organization!

On Monday, I had a client who was in need of some closet organization.  She just moved into a new home and her previous methods weren't working out for her, so what better time to start with a clean slate?  We figured out some new organizing products that fit into her budget and got to work!

If you're on a tight budget and looking for some organizing products that are going to make your closet organizing product a snap, here are the basics I'd recommend to get your started:

• A set of nice, new hangers.  They can be plastic, nice felted ones (my favorite because your clothes won't fall off!), or top of the line cedar...whichever you choose, go monochromatic.  It gives your closet a much neater look.
• Shoe organizers.  Count up your shoes and find an organizer that fits your closet, budget, and style.  Digging through shoe piles in the middle of your closet floor can really ruin a morning.
• Hanging sweater organizer.  You shouldn't hang your nice knits because it will stretch them out.  Get a hanging organizer (seen above) to nicely fold your knits and keep them in plain sight for easy retrieval.
• Plastic garment bags for rarely worn items.  Isn't it the worst when you pull out a dress or suit the morning of the big event to find it covered in dust and lint?  Eliminate that problem with a cheap solution.  Buy some garment bags that hold several items and hang them in the back of your closet.  They will be fresh and ready whenever you need them!
• A laundry sorter.  An absolute must in my house, these handy 3 bin organizers allow you and your family to sort the laundry as you throw it in the bin.  Voila!  No more tedious sorting on laundry day!  

What are your favorite closet organizing products??

Thirty-One Mystery Hostess Catalog Party!

Do you love Thirty-One products?  Then please...read on!

Today through July16th, I'm hosting an online catalog party where you have the opportunity to win free and discounted Thirty-One products.  All you need to do is visit the SHOPPING SITE, browse through the catalog, and place your order!  You'll be entered to win the hostess benefits the party earns. The higher the party total, the more hostess benefits there will be for the taking so tell all your friends and family to place their order too!

Don't forget that the July Special is 31% off for every $31 you spend!  This is a great sale to make the most of your money!  Order by the 16th to take advantage of both of these amazing offers!

July Thirty-One Special

In July, get 31% off all styles and prints when you spend $31!  Ends July 31st.

Take Charge of Change

Someone, somewhere, at one point in time decided that the first week in July was going to be “Take Charge of Change Week”.  I tried to do a little digging into it’s origin and history and came up short.  Regardless, just the title is inspiring, isn’t it?  So I thought I would try to inspire you a little more and challenge you to take on an organizing dilemma in your home.

What drawer, closet, or nook of your home haunts you as you lie in your bed at night?  What bookshelf, cabinet, or wall in your garage nags at the back of your mind as you go through your day?  This is the week to tackle it head on.  It is the week of our Independence Day, after all.  Our forefathers tackled their oppression head on and so can you.  Granted, your clutter may seem like pebbles compared to the huge boulders they moved, but pebbles still make it hard to walk through your day.  Why not take the plunge and take charge of change in your life.

 Start small.  No matter the task, figuring out where to start can be daunting.  Pick a spot in your house and start by de-cluttering.  Get rid of trash, donate things you no longer use, and set aside things that can be repurposed or need to be saved.  I promise that as you clear up the space, a whole new vision of what it can be will motivate you to continue. 

If you still need help, I’m here!  Only a phone call away.  And to give you a little more incentive, I’m offering a special take-charge promotion.  This week only, I’m offering 3 organizing hours for only $75!  That’s 50% off.  That should motivate you to get going…nothing stands in your way now.  Take charge of change!

Who Needs a Large Utility Tote?

YOU DO!  This month, Thirty-One is offering their very popular Large Utility Tote for only $10 when you spend $35 during the month of June.  This is HUGE savings...think 70% off savings.  Who can pass that up - especially when you're saving on such a versatile, helpful organizational tool?!  Oh, and it comes in 23 prints...icing on the cake.

I have a few of these myself and I am continually finding new ways to use them.  I have one for grocery shopping - the cashiers are always amazed at how much it holds!  I use one for summer activity stuff for my son and myself.  It's super easy to throw anything you need for a picnic, get together, road trip, etc. into this handy bag.  It also doubles as a great closet organizer because it holds a lot of your off-season items and still looks cute on the shelf!

A perfect and almost necessary pairing with the L.U.T. is the organizers that fit right in.  It divides the space so you can separate items (you can get them in thermal material for the grocery store, picnics, etc.) and it also helps them hold their shape very well.  Here's a couple more ideas!

Take advantage of this sale while it lasts!  You might think it couldn't get any better than this, but wait.  ORGANIZING abc's is having a promotion that doubles your benefits!  Schedule a Thirty-One party with me in June or July and get 2 organizing hours with me for FREE!  That's right...you host a party (super easy), get free and discounted items (you could get your L.U.T. for FREE!), and get professional help with your organizing project just for having all that fun with your friends.  Take a look at the website for all the details about the promotion and my organizing services.

I can't wait to help you get organized with these totes.  You will wonder why you didn't buy this thing sooner.  If you're already a fan, share how you use your tote!  I'd love to discover all the uses I haven't thought of yet!