Tip of the Day 10/31/11

To transform a dated coat try sprucing it up with new buttons. This is an easy way to transform that "old" coat into something fun and fashionable. I once bought a beautiful classic style wool coat at a thrift store and totally updated the look with new buttons. Another update for a tired looking coat is a pretty pin or flower for the lapel. Before you run out and spend $$$ on a new coat, try these simple updates. (You could buy some new shoes instead. :) )

Tip of the Day 10/27/11

Easy Gift Wrapping Solutions.

We have a huge family and it was always a mess digging around under the tree to find the right gifts to take to each home as we visited during the holidays. So, a few years ago I came up with an easy solution. I have a color scheme or pattern for each family every year. I use green, red, and gold as my main colors for decorating and wrapping. Each year I purchase paper that has that as the color theme. Some years I use solid paper, some years prints, but always those colors. To distinguish each family or group of gifts I add bows in matching colors, all red for daughter #1, all green for daughter # 2, and so on, or all Santa Clause print for one, all sleigh ride print for another, etc.. I might do all gift bags for friends and neighbors instead of gift wrap. I like the look of the matching gifts under my living room tree that is decorated in red, gold, and green, and I place all of the out going gifts under it.

I have a second tree in the family room that is decorated with my collection of ornaments from over the years and is so special to me. I call it my "Family and Friends Tree." As I hang the ornaments each year I reminisce and pray for the person that gifted me with that ornament because the majority of them were gifts. Under this tree I place all incoming gifts and treasure the thought behind each one. After the gifts are opened we leave them under the tree until we use the item or take the tree down for the year. It is nice to be able to look at the special remembrances our friends and family have blessed us with.

So choose a theme and go with it this year. It should make for a pretty display and easy gift giving.

Tip of the Day 10/26/11

Now that you have compiled your Christmas list I would like to share a few ideas for homemade gifts that will please anyone that receives them. These gifts are perfect for stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, token gift for neighbors, party favors, group project for an event, etc. Anyone can make these items and they require no sewing. All items needed for these projects can be purchased at Michael's or Jo-ann Fabrics.

1) Painted or Potpourri-filled Glass Ornaments

Needed--Clear glass ornaments-any shape or size, Iridescent acrylic paint, potpourri, ribbon

Painted--remove ornament hanger, squirt a small amount paint into ornament and swirl, add

paint to reach desired affect.

Potpourri Filled--remove ornament hanger, fill with potpourri, crushing potpourri if needed.

Replace hanger and add ribbon or other embellishment if desired i.e. pearls, flowers, lace...

2) Burlap or Counted Cross Stitch Fabric Potpourri or Goody Bag

Needed--6 in. x 18 in. piece of burlap or counted cross stitch fabric (any color),

embellishments of choice, i.e. poinsettias, small ornaments, etc., handle of choice-rope is nice

for the burlap or ribbon, hot glue or craft glue

Fray the 4 sides of the fabric about 3/4 inch. in from edge by pulling threads out.

Fold fabric in half to create a 6 in. x 9 in. pocket. Hot glue the 2 long edges together, leaving top short edge open.

Decorate one side of pocket with embellishments of choice. If using glue to attach

embellishments place parchment paper inside pocket to prevent glue from soaking through to

back of pocket.

Attach handle of choice.

Fill with potpourri, home baked goodies, gift card, etc.

3) Wooden Thread Spool Candle Holder

Needed--Wooden thread spools (sold by the bag full of various sizes or use an old family

collection), ribbon and/or small stickers, hot glue or craft glue, small candles such as

Hanukkah candles sold by the box. These candles come in a variety of colors in one

box, are inexpensive and the perfect size.

Decorate the spool with ribbon or stickers of choice. Place candle in spool. You can make a set of

varying sizes. A tiny ribbon tied around the candle is a nice touch as well.

4) Fleece Neck Scarves

Needed--60 in. by 8 - 10 in. fleece. Fleece is sold on 60 in. wide bolts and can be purchased in

any amount you desire. The fleece comes in a huge variety of patterns from sport

team logos to holiday patterns. Your width of scarf can be determined by the

pattern. If a team logo or pattern is 8 inches wide then your scarf will be 8 inches

wide. You will also need sharp scissors.

Have the store clerk cut the width you need to make the number of scarves you plan to make

from that piece of fleece. For instance, 28 inches of a team logo pattern made 3 scarves that I

was able to cut along a distinct pattern line.

If you have purchased fleece for more than one scarf from the same piece, place on a flat surface

and carefully cut along the printed line of the logo to the width desired. If there is not a printed

line to follow, use a yard stick or ruler and a very light pencil to make a line to follow. Cut fabric

the full 60 in. length.

On each narrow end of the fabric cut 1 inch strips approximately 4 inches long for fringe. These

cuts do not have to be precise.

5) Pre-cut No-Sew Fleece Blankets

These come in a variety of sizes and designs and require nothing more than tying knots.

So simple and a great gift.

I hope you are inspired to try some of these simple gifts and to try your hand at more

homemade items. Please share any simple no-sew gifts ideas you have.

Tip of the Day 10/25/11

Hopefully some of you started your lists we talked about yesterday and are ready to make some decisions about what to give to people in your life you would like to honor during the Holiday Season. I have always considered it a privilege to bless the ones I love and hold dear with a gift just like God gave me the gift of His Son. Our gifts to others can never equal that ultimate gift, but they can be given in love and touch others.

Here are a few ideas to help spark some thought on what to give this year. Take time to really think about each person you have listed and go to the heart of that person. I like to work with a theme each year and then gear the gift to the individual. Over the years I have learned it is not about the amount you spend on the gift, but if the gift is from your heart it is a blessing. There have been times when I could not afford to give more than something small and homemade and those are often the gifts that mean the most to the receiver, as well as to the giver.

Gifts of Actions:

Coupon Books of offers to mow the lawn, clean the house, babysit children, do the grocery shopping, etc. mean a lot to young Mom's and Dad's.

Gifts of Practicality:

A box of Birthday or mixed occasion cards along with stamps for an older person that cannot get to the store easily. Packages of their favorite snacks or personal grooming items. A magazine subscription.

Gifts to the Needy:

Consider packing an Operation Christmas Child shoebox in a loved ones name. Purchase chickens or a cow for a needy family in a foreign country. Volunteer hours in the name of a loved one at a local shelter or ministry. If you have a loved one in a nursing facility in another city, visit a local facility in their honor. Present your loved one with a certificate stating you have done this in their name.

Gifts of Nutrition and Taste:

Homemade Baked goods are always a welcome treat for someone who doesn't have the time or resources.

Theme Ideas: Shopping is simplified by only having to go to one department in each store. You can easily shop online or through QVC or HSN.

Watches--everyone needs one and even small children love having one. You can find one for every taste.

Reading--A great pillow, Snuggie, and a book or books make a great gift for anyone of any age.

Video Collection and Popcorn Set--Pick a set for each Family on the list. If you know each persons favorite candy this would be a great individualized addition.

Aprons and Cookbooks or Tools--Even the youngest child that can walk will have fun receiving an apron and a toy cookset. I have found science experiment cookbooks for boys to go with an apron, or Cook with Mom books for younger children, Grill tools are great with an apron for a man. A set of BBQ sauces would be great for a man as well. Be creative with what you add to the apron to individualize the gift.

Hats, Scarves, and Gloves

Slippers and PJ's

Bathrobes and Slippers

Favorite Team Hats, Sweatshirts, etc. for the whole family

Board Games and Snack Foods

Beach Toys and Chairs

Let's get busy creating wonderful memories for those we love. Please share some of your ideas for great Themes or other gift giving ideas.

Tip of the Day 10/24/11

Two months from today is Christmas Eve. I love the Holiday's and all the activities that go with making a wonderful setting in my home and sharing enjoyable times with family and friends. By implementing at least a few of tips I have shared during this year, you should be able to have a very calm and enjoyable holiday season this year.

This week I will share some more practical ideas so that by the time Thanksgiving Day arrives you can find yourself sitting on the sofa watching the Macy's Parade while the turkey is baking instead of working in the kitchen while the rest of the family enjoys the festivities.

As I have stressed on many occasions, lists are your friend. If you have not made your shopping or to-do lists yet, take the time to do so today.

Food Shopping Lists:

Using your calendar start by planning the meals and occasions you will need to prepare food for during the season.

Include occasions like the night before Thanksgiving, when you will have guests overnight, or will be busy preparing for the following day.

Don't forget to include New Year's Eve and Day.

Include special events you will be a part of and need to take a dish to share.

Decide on all of the baking you would like to do during this time.

Once you have completed a menu for the season, you can put together a shopping list.

Purchase as much as you can in advance to save the little trips to the store that will rob you of time for other activities.

To-Do Lists:

Using your calendar plan all of the "things" you need and want to accomplish in the coming weeks. By actually putting the "to-do" on the calendar you are more likely to accomplish it.

Include everything you can think of, baking, shopping, cleaning, decorating, events to attend, events to host, addressing Christmas cards, purchasing stamps, wrapping gifts, mailing gifts.

Gift Shopping List:

If you have already started shopping, which I hope you have, start by listing all of the gifts you have already purchased. By marking these off the list it will help you not to be tempted to purchase more for those people. This is a big budget blower.

If you have not started shopping yet, PLEASE do so now.

List every person you would like to give a gift to including hostess gifts for events you will attend.

Divide by groups, each family, all children, etc. whichever grouping will help you most as you shop.

Think of a theme for gift purchasing and look for something in that theme for everyone on the list.

I will be sharing gift themes tomorrow.

Assign a day on you calendar to shop for each family or group.

Additional lists could include acts of kindness you would like to perform, people you would like to see, movies to watch, activities to participate in, to name a few.

Remember those lists are your friends and you will feel much more in control if you follow the lists and can check off each thing you accomplish.

Let's get started today making a great Holiday Season.

Tip of the Day 10/21/11

Now that most of the country has experienced at least one cool night, it is a great time to take a look at some furnace maintenance.

I am not giving advice on how to mechanically maintain your furnace, consult an expert if you need advice.

Our vents build up dust and dirt just like other areas of our house and most of us don't think about it until we turn on the furnace for the first time each year. Suddenly we experience an awful smell, (several of you have mentioned that smell over the past few days). Well, that smell is most likely dust and dirt build up. You can easily take care of a lot of the build up.

First, remove the vent covers and wash them. If you have never done this before, you may need to soak them for a while to remove the build up.

Second, vacuum the vent hole.

Third, place a single piece of cheese cloth across the vent opening and then replace the cover. this allows the heat to come through but will filter some of the dust particles.

You should have much cleaner air warming your house now. If you continue to have a funny smell each time the unit comes on, call a service man.

Snuggle up and enjoy the Fall weather.

Tip of the Day 10/20/11

Winter and Windows, the two can bring so much pleasure when you have a view of the weather, but can also bring higher heating bills if not dealt with properly.

Here are a few ideas to get your windows ready for the upcoming winter weather.

1) Close the storm windows. If you are not in the habit of opening your regular windows during the warmer months you may not have noticed the storm windows are up. Check to make sure they are all down.

2) Consider changing out summer weight curtains for thermal backed ones. Having a thermal weight curtain over a shear is a great way to keep out the heat in the summer and keep in the warmth in the winter. When the sun is bearing down on the west side of the house in the summer I can close the thermals to help keep the house cooler. In the winter I can close the thermals on the side of the house a storm is blowing in from and at night close them to keep in the warmth.

3) If you have older windows check around the edges to see if air is leaking through. If it is, consider clear window tape for the winter. Curtains can hide it and it will be worth it to save on the heating bill.

4) If your heating vents are in the floor and positioned under a window purchase the redirection vent covers to keep the heat from blowing straight up into the window.

5) One last thing, if you haven't taken down the curtains and blinds to wash out the summer dust, do it it soon.

Stay warm.

Tip of the Day 10/19/11

The weather isn't cooperating for what I set out to do today, pick up "Summer" from the yard, but I will share some thoughts on how to go about it with you anyway. Hopefully I will be able to get to it tomorrow.

Most of us put things out in our yard for the warm Spring, Summer, and Fall months. But they need to be stored away for the Winter to protect and preserve them for the next year. These items often include yard decorations, furniture, flower pots, bird baths, wind chimes, etc. While some people live in climates where some or all of these items can be left outside all year round, most of us live where we need to store away "Summer."

The key to putting these items away for the winter months is to clean them before hand. Putting away items that have not been cleaned will cause the fabric on furniture to rot, metal items to begin to erode, damp items to mildew, etc. By taking just a few minutes to clean the items as you store them away you will avoid these incidences as well as the smells that will develop from them being put away dirty.

If you have removable furniture cushions, wash and dry them. They will last for years if your care for them properly. Open your table umbrella and allow it to sit in the sun for several hours, wipe off all of the dirt and grim before storing away. Wipe down the surfaces of all the furniture, you don't want to store away a spider web full of eggs that is hiding under the seat of a chair. Be sure to clean your yard tools before storing them away as well. All of these actions will make Spring a pleasant experience when you take the items out to use.

Lastly, this is the time to make sure your snow shovels and snow blowers are ready for use. Don't wait until the snow is falling to check them out. It is much easier to take care of them now while the weather is cooperating. Lay in a supply of ice thaw if needed and don't be a part of the crowd running to the Hardware store during a storm because it took you by surprise. Act like a Boy Scout this year, and "Be Prepared."

Tip of the Day 10/18/11

With Fall weather here and cold winter nights soon to follow, now is the perfect time to clean out the dark hole called "The Linen Closet." It is probably full of blankets you haven't looked at since last winter and sets of sheets or mismatched pillow cases that you have been hanging onto for years. Well, now is the time to take action and get that closet organized.

Empty the closet completely and sort the items into categories: blankets, sheet sets including pillow cases, odd pillow cases, any other miscellaneous items stored in the closet including table clothes and napkins, etc. Evaluate each of the items to determine when the last time was you used it. If it has been more than a year, then they need to be gotten rid of. Seasonal items that you use once a year need to be evaluated to determine if you used them during the last appropriate season. If you are hanging on to a Spring tablecloth and napkin set that you have never used, let it go. If the item does not serve a specific purpose in YOUR home do not keep it.

If you still have children living at home you will want 2 sets of sheets per bed. With only adults at home now we have a set of Spring/Summer sheets and a set of Fall/Winter sheets. I also have a set for each of the guest beds. A great way to keep your linen closet uncluttered and make sheet washing day easier is to never fold the sheets, just wash and return them to the bed. (I was thrilled when I heard Martha Stewart say this is her method as well.) A good thread count sheet should last you about 2 years.

The goal with the closet is to wash all of the blankets that you will be placing on the beds, eliminate all unused or unwanted items including extra pillow cases, sheets with bad elastic or extreme wear, etc., place all extra items back in the closet sorted by category. If you have items that are only used when guests are visiting and your closet is not very large consider "Space Bags" and store the extras under the bed of the guest room.

Remember, more is not always good when everything in the closet falls out on you when trying to retrieve one item. You will use what you have if you can see it and retrieve it easily.

Tip of the Day 10/17/11

When was the last time you cleaned out your jewelry box? It could be filled with all kinds of treasures you have forgotten about. Maybe there are some pieces you would like to cash in at the local"Cash for Gold" business or you might find just the right earrings to go with the new outfit you got for the Fall. There might be an impossible tangled bunch of necklaces that you could use to enhance a Halloween costume (saw that idea on Martha Stewart last week) or it might be full of junk you just need to throw away.

Once you have sorted the items clean the box and clean the jewelry before returning it to the box. A great way to clean your jewelry is to soak it in Dawn dishwashing liquid and then gently scrub with a soft toothbrush. Be sure to check all the pieces for loose stones before soaking.

Enjoy the NEW jewelry you will now be able to wear.

Tip of the Day 10/15/11

The weekend is here and we are another week closer to Christmas. How many of you have made your Christmas list? How many of you have actually begun purchasing Christmas gifts? Well, why not start this weekend.

At least two department stores are now offering lay-a-way plans. This is a great way to keep the budget under control and not pay interest like you would with a credit card. Please do not under any circumstances purchase gifts on credit. This may satisfy a need you feel to give gifts, but will only cause undue hardship later. Okay, so much for my sermon. :)

Make a plan for purchasing gifts over the next several weeks. Watch the ads and purchase a few each week. Making a list and a plan will help you keep the spending and desire to purchase more under control.

Be purposeful in your purchases and you will enjoy the Holidays without regrets or dread of the bills to come.

Tip of the Day 10/14/11

A few more tips to bring together an awesome Holiday Event:

1) Use Plasticware instead of the good stuff you would have to wash.

There are so many pretty ones to choose from and I recommend using them unless you are

doing a small sit-down dinner party.

2) Prepare as many of the dishes in advance and freeze them.

If you plan to do most of the cooking this will save you a lot of time on the day of the event.

3) Accept all offers "to bring something" to the party.

If someone asks, even if you had planned to cook everything choose something that is not

integral to your menu, but is needed to complete the meal.

4) Consider hiring a couple of teenagers to clean for you before and after the event.

It won't cost that much and will save you a lot of work. Check with your church youth

group for kids looking to raise money for mission trips.

5) Plan an afternoon or morning event so as not to conflict with all the obligations people have

during this season.

Brunch is a great meal to plan for and host.

As I have encouraged all week, just go for it this year. Step out and do something you have always wanted to do.

Enjoy the weeks to come.

Tip of the Day 10/13/11

Where to begin with the planning of the event you are going to host this year: As I have pointed out several time Lists are your friends.

Start by listing everything you would like to have happen revolving around the event. Do not limit yourself by thinking you could never accomplish a particular aspect of the event. The only way you will know is if you try. After you have listed everything you would like the event to be, break it down into smaller segments and determine how to best accomplish each item.

If you are doing a formal dinner, decide if you will cook everything yourself and then form a time line for accomplishing all the parts. You might decide to cater the dinner or possible purchase the entree from a caterer and prepare the side dishes yourself. You can have a formal dinner with you supplying the entree and having guests bring the side dishes.

Maybe a dessert event would be better for your household. Don't feel like if you are not doing the entire meal people won't come.

Plan, plan, plan. It is only October and if you start now you can host an awesome holiday event this year. Magazines are filled with ideas and they print them so that you will "borrow" the ideas. You can do it if you try.

Tip of the Day 10/11/11

Yay, you have made a decision about what event you would like to host over the next few months. As we talked about last week, lists are your friend. Make a list of everything, no matter how trivial it seems. You will feel much more relaxed and not have to think as much as you prepare for the fun.

Plan the food, the entertainment, the decorations, the guest list, the things to attend to around your house. Do I need to borrow or rent chairs, paper or real china, buffet or sit down, pot luck-cater-cook, a combination? Look through magazines for ideas for a signature dish to prepare, center pieces, decorations, or fun activities to do together with your guests.

The more you plan now and begin preparing the more fun you will have on the day of the event. Don't be afraid to do something out of the ordinary or out of your normal comfort zone. Just go for it and if something doesn't work laugh it off and trust that no one is going to notice because they are having too much fun at a party they didn't have to host.

Tip of the Day 10/10/11

Holiday Prep Week:

This is the perfect week to take advantage of the nice Fall weather to finish up some Fall house cleaning to prepare for the fun filled months ahead and all of the Holiday events you want to host and enjoy.

Determine what events you would like to host throughout the holiday season. Maybe you would like to have a Harvest Party because you love Fall, or this year you would like to host Thanksgiving Dinner, how about a Christmas Tea and gift making or collecting event for an organization.

Once you decide what type of event/events you would like to host make lists of ALL of the supplies you will need including food prep, serving ware, guest tokens, table decorations, etc. By focusing and pre-planning you could host a wonderful event like you have always dreamed of.

Do not be afraid to consider a "pot-luck" type event. When I host a holiday tea, I ask the guests to bring their favorite tea and cookies or finger food. I have asked guests to bring their own teapots and cups and as part of our "entertainment" everyone told the story behind the item they brought with.

Other "event" ideas have included a Fall Kick-Off Chili party where everyone included a secret ingredient in their chili and we guessed what they were. The person that guessed the most received a "Best Taste Buds" Certificate.

An annual event is filling "Operation Christmas Child" shoe boxes for Franklin Graham's ministry. Instead of everyone bringing a filled box to contribute, we all purchase items to fill the boxes and come to the party with pre-wrapped empty shoe boxes. All of the items that have been pre-purchased are put out on tables and everyone "shops" for the items to fill the shoe box they have brought. Children and adults love this event. An additional aspect of this event is our food for the evening. Because rice is a staple of so many countries, each family chooses a country to bring a typical meal a family would eat with rice as an ingredient. This helps us to understand and have a better vision of who we are packing those shoe boxes for.

When planning a Holiday dinner at your home plan some specific activities that every age group will enjoy. Some families make an event of watching "It's a Wonderful Life" together. Some other ideas are a craft the children can do while dinner is being prepared like making placemats or place cards or centerpieces for the table. Choose a game everyone can play together every year. We have a game that my grandkids call "The Pickle Jar Game." It is a large jar filled with cards that suggest everything from acting out a part of the Christmas Story, playing telephone around the room with a phrase, everyone singing a Christmas Carol together, etc. We all look forward to playing it together every year. On Thanksgiving our tradition is to head to the opening session of the season at the outdoor ice skating rink after dinner, then return home for dessert.

We all want to make memories and hopefully these ideas will spur you to undertake some"events" of your own this year. With just a little planning, you really can make it happen. Be creative, thinking outside the box. Everyone will enjoy someone stepping up to host the event.

I would love to hear some ideas of holiday events you have hosted or been a part of.

Tip of the Day 10/6/11

Hopefully you have spent the week compiling some lists. In this part of the world, Southwest Michigan, Garage Sales run from Thursday - Saturday, so I am taking my lists and heading out to see what bargains I can find. My lists consists of items I would like to add to my holiday decorating (more gold beads for the living room tree), small toys and things for the Operation Christmas Child Shoe Boxes we will be packing at church, fabric and trims from old collections that I can use in fun projects (love finding a box full of a Grandma's old sewing items for $5). The key to successful shopping at garage and rummage sales is to have purpose. My lists keep me focused and prevent coming home with a lot of stuff I don't need. These sales are a great place to find bargains, but shop there with a purpose just like you would in the grocery store.

Tip of the Day 10/5/11

Notes are a tool that can be used for many aspects of our life to help keep a sense of order. It always feels great to be able to cross things off the list as you accomplish them as well. Whether you use a note card, notebook, your computer, IPad, or Smartphone, it is great to know where to see what you need to do written down.

With the Holiday Season before us a great list to create is all of things you would like to accomplish to enjoy the time. The key to this list is to not OVER schedule yourself with unrealistic expectations. That will lead to disappointment. By writing down simple goals that you know you can accomplish you will feel very satisfied and more relaxed when they are crossed off. Maybe you will decide to only bake 2 kinds of cookies this year instead of 6. Decide which months you will make the other kinds your family enjoys throughout the winter. Decide who to ask to bring which dishes to your Holiday gatherings at your house instead of cooking it all yourself. Or find a store that cooks the meal and just add your specialty side dishes. We do this for Thanksgiving and Christmas and have plenty of time to relax with the family instead of spending all day cooking and cleaning. Now we are able to go the annual opening of the outdoor ice skating rink on Thanksgiving afternoon instead of cleaning up dishes, sleeping, or watching football.

By keeping your goals simple you will rejoice in the season.

Tip of the Day 10/4/11

Yes, it is early Fall, but Christmas is less than 3 months away. This is the time of year our minds start contemplating all we will need to do and purchase to make the Holiday Season the "perfect" one this year. Well, no matter what you do or how well you plan, it will never be the perfect one you are dreaming of. But there are things you can do that will help to bring less chaos and hopefully more enjoyment through the next few months.

Lists are your friend. If you didn't start your gift list back in January when I first suggested it and you haven't been purchasing gifts throughout the year, you have some catching up to do. I marked my last purchase off my list last week and am now ready to spend the next couple of months creating.

Make 3 lists of ALL the things you need to purchase for the Holiday Season, Gifts, Food, Decorating items, place these in your purse and use them to keep you on track. Remember a "Theme" for gifts will help in your shopping, many ingredients for baking including flour freeze well, so buy a little each week, choose a neutral paper-red, green, gold, that is sold year round and start wrapping gifts as you purchase them. Use the lay-a-way plan several stores are offering and AVOID ALL credit purchases.

Set a goal to be finished by Thanksgiving and just enjoy the next 6 weeks without the stress. It really can be done with a little planning.

Tip of the Day 10/3/11

Well, the past couple of weeks have been very busy around my home and in my life and as I looked around at my schedule I realized taking a break from my daily missive was the right thing to eliminate for that period. However, I am back this week with some tips that I hope will help you all to be on track for the the busy season ahead.

One of the tasks I accomplished last week was sorting, washing, and mending all of our Fall and Winter clothing. By going over all of the pieces I was able to envision outfits to put together and recognize what pieces were missing to complete the looks for the upcoming season that we would like to wear.

As I went through the items I created a list of the items I would like to add to my closet and put that list in my purse. Now whenever I am shopping, whether it is a garage sale or I happen to be in a regular retail store, I will not have to try to remember what it is I need. This method also prevents buying unnecessary items.

Remember to start the new season with your hangers facing backwards and as you wear the item turn the hanger around to identify what should be eliminated from you closet. If you wear an item and really don't like it, do not hang it back up, put it immediately into the give-away bag as soon as it is laundered. No one should be wearing clothes that are uncomfortable, don't fit, or that you just don't like. You will feel much better about yourself and life in clothing that is right for you. And remember a stuffed closet is not a healthy closet.