A Killer Strategy for a Tidy Home When You’re Time-Squished!

October 27, 2017

By: Lisa Rogack

Here’s a surprisingly functional way to achieve a forever-organized home.

You don’t need tons of time to achieve the uncluttered, tidy home of your dreams. You just need a strategy to get there — a really simple one that fits into your life without sucking up hours you can’t spare.

What’s pleasantly surprising about having a strategy is that it can turn daily mundane (and often aggravating) moments into opportunities for organization. Having a strategy is about making every moment count. Everyday moments like…

When you’re waiting for a pot of eggs to boil…

Take those moments of downtime in the kitchen to do a little organizing. Do you really need that melon baller or — heaven forbid — the banana slicer gag gift you received in last year’s Secret Santa exchange?

Jamie Novak, a professional organizer and author of “Keep This Toss That,” says tackling organization incrementally is the way to go. “Seriously small tasks can make a big difference,” she says, keeping you from having to tackle larger, more daunting jobs later.

When you grab that plastic container with no lid (for the umpteenth time)…

Admit it: That $*(#ing lid is never, ever coming back. Instead of tossing that lid-less tub back into your quagmire of plastic parts, permanently banish it, then vow to continue removing every lid or bottom with no mate each time you encounter one (that’s the strategy part). Soon you’ll have a nice tidy cabinet full of matched-up pairs — and it will stay that way if you keep the strategy going.

When you’re brushing your teeth…

Rummage through the medicine cabinet for prescriptions and medications that have expired. And don’t forget that many cosmetics and toiletries also have use-by dates. As for that $20 lipstick you bought that made you look like Cruella de Vil but is still hanging around? Either toss it or move it to the box of stuff where you keep your Halloween costumes.

When you’re breaking down yet another Amazon box…

Don’t do it. Instead, use it as a donation box. As you encounter things you need to toss that are donate-able during your other organizing and decluttering moments, just put them in the box instead. Amazon is working with Give Back Box to allow consumers to use their boxes to donate and ship (for free!) unwanted clothing and household goods to charity.

When your laundry is clean, but there’s that one lone sock…

Toss it. If not in this laundry round, the next one if its mate never arrives. Thank it for its service, and then say goodbye. Same goes for falling-apart-but-matching socks, holey underwear, torn shirts, etc.

When you’re waiting for your hair to soak up conditioner…

Thin the herd of shampoos, body wash, and other products that you used maybe once or twice — 6 months ago! — that are still hogging space in your shower. (Bonus: This will also help keep nasty, yucky mold at bay.)

When you’re watching your sports team play on TV…

Sort through that ginormous stack of junk mail, catalogs, and circulars. Bring a recycling bin with you to the sofa and go through it during commercials or lulls in the game. Toss anything that’s outdated or unnecessary into the recycling bin.

When you’re leaving your house to run errands…

Ask yourself, “What can I take to the car/trash/donate bin/library/give back to a friend?” Professional organizer Laura Bostrom who runs Everyday Order says that also extends to rooms inside the house. “Always carry something with you that belongs in another room.”

When you’re putting fresh sheets on the bed…

Grab a set of sheets from the far reaches of your closet and ask yourself why you’re not putting those on your bed today. Be honest. If the answer is something that won’t ever change — it’s scratchy or worn or you just hate those stupid flowers — then donate or toss.

When you’re deciding what to wear…

Switch out hangers on the clothes you choose to wear. Toss the old hangers, and put new ones (we recommend the thin, felt ones because they take up less room and clothes don’t fall off easily) on the rod to use when the clothes you’re wearing are ready to be hung back up. After a few months, donate everything that’s still on old hangers (and not seasonal must-haves).

When you wake up tomorrow…

Remain tuned to other moments that may offer you a chance to finally rid yourself of an organizational mess that’s been bugging you for some time. It’s a strategy, not a to-do list, that’ll make for perpetually well-organized spaces that will make your home even more enjoyable.

7 ‘Wow-oh-Wow!’ Fall Yard Tips from the Smithsonian’s Gardener!

October 26, 2017

By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon

What to do NOW to help your lawn survive Winter’s worst.

Everybody thinks spring is the time to work on lawns. In fact, fall is the primo time to give your lawn some TLC.

That’s the overarching advice from Jeff Schneider, the horticulturist in charge of maintaining the gorgeous Smithsonian Gardens in Washington, D.C. So gorgeous, in fact, they’re actually considered ”outdoor museums.”

So he knows what he’s talking about. And he can’t emphasize enough that we’ve been fooled into thinking that spring is when we need to be feeding and nurturing our lawns.

“Fall is the biggest missed opportunity,” Schneider says. “All the money you spend on your lawn, you should spend in the fall.”

His advice on what to do in the fall? These seven things:

#1 Resuscitate Your Grass:

Running barefoot across the cool grass in summer might feel amazing to you — but not to your lawn.

From your lawn’s perspective, “It’s like someone sitting on your chest,” Schneider says, because the pressure of running and walking on your lawn causes it to compact. “It’s hard to breathe.”

The solution is to aerate.

Aerating your lawn punches holes in the turf — you’ve probably seen those weird-looking dirt plugs sitting on grass — which relieves compaction and gives new seeds a safe place to germinate.

You can rent an aeration machine, which is kind of like pushing a mower, and do the job yourself for $40 to $80. But if you’ve got better things to do, you can pay a lawn service to do it for you for about $110 per 5,000 square feet.

#2 Fertilize and Reseed:

Lawns love fall’s coolish weather for stretching out their roots. Help yours do so by filling in its bare spots and spreading around some fertilizer.

“The turf will continue to grow roots through much of December and develop a deep root system before you go into the hard winter months,” Schneider says.

The best part? Come spring, your lawn will be lush and lovely from the get-go. You probably won’t have to do a thing, except start mowing.

BTW: Home-grown fertilizer from your compost pile is a great, almost-free way to fertilize. Spread it lightly over your lawn, so that it can soak into the turf and feed it throughout winter.

#3 Plant a Tree — or Three:

Planting trees in your yard is a great way to boost the value of your home.

Again, fall’s the time to put in the work. The cool nights and warm days in autumn give newly planted trees enough time to send out roots to become established before winter.

If you plant in the spring, you risk heat waves that can seriously stress out your trees before they have the chance to set roots. The exception is broad-leaf evergreens — like hollies — which are vulnerable to winter winds.

#4 Stop Raking Leaves:

NEVER RAKE LEAVES AGAIN. Yes, we did just say that.

Instead of raking and bagging leaves, just mow and shred ‘em. They’ll decompose over winter and feed the lawn.

“If they’re not too thick, I run them over with the mower and leave them in place,” says Schneider. How thick is too thick? “If you still can’t see at least 50% of your turf after you chop them up, rake up the rest.” (OK, so we meant almost never.)

If you do need to rake, run them through a shredder and add to your compost pile. Or just leave them in a corner of the yard and let them decompose over winter into leaf mold, which is a great spring meal for your garden.

#5 Give Tree Branches an Exam:

In fall, when your leaves are all gold and crimson, it’s easy to spot sick or dead branches — they’re the ones with no leaves.

Dead limbs stress trees and can fall on your head (ouch!) or your roof ($!) in a stiff wind.

Mark those branches with ribbons or spray paint so that when all the branches are undressed in winter, you’ll know which ones to hack off to promote regrowth in spring.

BTW: To keep branches in their best shape, spread a ½-inch layer of compost around the trunk out to the canopy line — “The farther the better,” Schneider says — which feeds the tree during winter and helps it leaf out in spring.

#6 Plant Some Stunners:

Just because your trees are barren in fall, doesn’t mean your yard has to look like crap, which wrecks curb appeal.

After the last heat spell of summer, plant cold-weather annuals — pansies, mums, and violas — in the front along the foundation to provide some color and interest throughout fall (and even in winter, if it doesn’t get too cold).

Some will even re-bloom in spring, meaning less work for you.

#7 Set Your Garden Goals:

Fall is a great time to scroll through all the shots of your yard on your Instagram feed and think about what needs work.

Where are the bald spots?

Which plants look great together?

Which plants should be separated at rebirth next spring?

While the successes and failures are fresh in your mind, jot down a to-do list for when the weather warms up. Then look forward to an easier spring than last year because you’ve done most of the prep now. Sweet.