Cool way to display your photos

I subscribe to the awesome service, Groupon, where you can purchase coupons that are usually pretty insane deals (there is a minimum amount of coupons that must be sold; it's group purchasing power on the Web!).

Anyway, today's deal really caught my eye because it's for this cool service called CanvasPop -- you can have any digital photo turned into one or multiple canvas art displays. You upload the photo from anywhere and alter it how you want it (you can also use digital art you've created instead of a photo). The Groupon is for 50% off ($80 for $40)!

I'm considering this for our bedroom revamp (yes, still a work in progress!) and using some great photos from our hiking and backpacking trips. Eye-catching art that's very personal. I love the idea. Check it out!

Thanks for reading,
-amy

Inspiration for your closet

I regularly read other blogs about organizing and sometimes I get so inspired I just have to share. This tip from "The Organizing Junkie" is fantastic. She just did a major purge of her clothing as she switched from winter to summer and now I can't wait to tackle my own closet...again! I purge several times a year based on space issues and seasonal changes, but I like her statement that just because you have space doesn't mean you should fill it. If you haven't worn something in a year, consider parting with it -- donate to Goodwill or sell it at a consignment shop. (For my Portland peeps, a friend of mine owns a consignment shop you should check out sometime, for clothing, household items, furniture, etc. -- Reviva!)

With the money you make selling your clothes you rarely or never wear, you can purchase items you really love and fit you right! :) Any excuse to go shopping...

Happy purging,
-amy

Cut back on paper piles

In preparation for a client appointment later this week, I came across this great info on how long to keep certain paperwork, bills, receipts, etc. I found it very helpful! I know I'm guilty of keeping things much longer than I need to...

What are the time limits for keeping old paperwork and files?

Here are some broad and fairly conservative guidelines that you may find helpful in managing your bills and financial records. Before making any decision on paperwork, however, you should definitely check with an accountant or financial advisor in your state to verify that this information is accurate, as sometimes legislation varies from state to state.

Toss out EACH MONTH:

• ATM, bank-deposit slips and credit card receipts after you have checked them against your bank or credit card statements.
• Receipts for minor purchases - unless there is a warranty or refund involved.

Toss out after ONE YEAR:

• Your monthly bank and credit-card statements (unless you require proof of deductions for taxation purposes).
• Monthly mortgage statements provided you receive a year-end summary of your account.
• Pay stubs after they are checked against your W-2 or 1099.
  

Toss out after SEVEN YEARS:

• Your W-2 and 1099 forms
• Cancelled checks and receipts or statements for mortgage interest, property taxes, deductible business expenses or other tax-deductible expenses.
  

Keep indefinitely:

• Annual tax returns
• Year-end summary statements from financial institutions.
• Receipts for the purchase of any investments you own.
• Receipts for home-improvement costs or major purchases that may be needed for insurance claims or similar.

It may be helpful to download one of the publications of the IRS about what paperwork to keep. Go to www.irs.gov and search for Publication No. 552 - that has much of the information you are seeking.

Good luck taming your piles and files!
-amy

A Place for Everything...

And everything in its place! That is one of my favorite organizing-related cliches. It has a nice ring to it, and serves as a great reminder every time I set something down where it doesn't belong. (Apparently the voices in my head are also obsessed with organizing!)

But we all have those things that don't have "a place" -- look around at your clutter and you will find that this is the majority of the problem. A magazine someone gave you to read, the cap to a pen you can't find, a screw you found while vacuuming...and the list goes on.

What do you do with this random stuff? This stuff is the inspiration of the "junk drawer" which can certainly serve it's purpose. But beyond that, I encourage you to look at your random clutter and group it by similar items. You may just find a new category and a new "place" you need to create to house these items.

For example, I am always admiring pictures in magazines for ideas. And then the magazine and/or ripped out pages would clutter my desk, the dining table, the kitchen counter, the coffee table... To remedy my paper explosion, I have set up a file folder on my desk labeled "Home Renovation Ideas." Every time I see something inspirational, I rip it out and put it in the folder. The magazine then gets recycled (or filed; I do have back issues of certain ones in date order on my bookshelves) and I can quickly and easily find the inspiration photo/article by opening my folder. And I have now set up additional folders for my design and organizing business, and for our rental houses. It's working great so far!

Do you have a fun or unique way you handle the random clutter in your house?

Keeping it together in the kitchen

So I think we all know of the "chip clips" you can buy at kitchen stores, to help keep already-opened bags of chips, crackers, flour, etc. from going stale. They are overpriced in my opinion and most of the time don't do the job. They're either not tight enough to keep the bag closed all the way, or they break.

Instead of using chip clips, my hubsand and I have started using "binder clips" you can find at office supply stores. Not only are they cheaper, they're usually made of metal and stand up longer to use in the kitchen (or office, for that matter). I like having multi-purpose gadgets as that means I need fewer of them!

In a quick online search, it's $2.99 for a 6-pack of Large binder clips or a 12-pack of Medium binder clips (at Staples) vs. $6.99 for a set of 10 assorted plastic chip clips (at Bed, Bath, and Beyond). In other words, I can get 18 binder clips for the price of 10 chip clips, and I can use the binder clips for more things, including their actual purpose of holding papers together!

And speaking of, I also use binder clips to hold my coupons together, organized in date order of when they expire, soonest on top. You can even super glue a magnet to the back of the binder clip, if you like the idea of mounting to the refrigerator (which is what some chip clips have, but the magnets are never strong enough).

While there are some really cool kitchen gadgets out there, always think through other options before splurging. There are often other ways you can accomplish the same task without having to purchase yet another gadget that you then have to find a home for in your home. Less stuff = less clutter!

Happy clipping,
-amy