July 28, 2011

A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That

Filed under: How To — Tags: , , , — Miss Moxie @ 3:43 am

 

It's time to check off that to-do list!

I have been out and about a lot lately and everywhere I turn, I see to-do lists!

 

I can’t help but feel like I too should be carrying around a scroll of items to do each day. I’ve seen people frantically search through a hodge podge of sticky notes at the grocery store, I’ve seen people carrying lined paper as if they were in college again, I’ve seen lists written on napkins, cell phones, iPads, day planners, even on the outline of a newspaper!

 

People are getting very creative these days and I say- do what works best for you, but change what you are doing! If you have only ever used sticky notes, try lined paper. If you’ve only ever used a napkin, this is your excuse to buy that iPad you’ve always wanted. :+)

 

I personally have a to-do list for different categories of my day. I have a to-do list of reminders that pop up on my phone periodically throughout the day and week. I have a giant planner to hold all of my to-do’s for work and I have scratches of paper I grab here and there to jot down thoughts. I like to be able to cross off the item once completed- it gives me a sense of achievement.

 

But if I could, I would have a to-do calendar like one I’ve seen before. One of my old friends has a giant wall that is completely dry-erase and magnetic. Turn it into a giant calendar and you could do wonders! Not only could I mark a to-do item off, but I could erase it! I could place business cards of people to contact, and get all of my items in each category done every single day planned for an entire month.

 

Now I don’t advise you to go bulldoze down one of your functioning walls to turn it into a giant art and craft, but I do want to challenge you to switch it up for a week and see if your approach is what truly works best for you!

 

iPad… here I come!                               I wish.  Add it to the to-do list.

 

Moxie Girl Household Assistants organize homes in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Ahwatukee, Peoria, Glendale an Surprise.

 

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July 26, 2011

For Purpose or For Pleasure

Filed under: How To — Tags: , , , , , — Miss Moxie @ 10:34 pm

Either way, I think you can always have a little bit of both. A lot of organizing and keeping your home a functioning place boils down to honesty and knowing what you want versus what you need.

 

This is beautiful and functioning. Make the room have a nautical feel and vuala! You've got the best of both worlds!

The other day, I was in a Target doing some plain old grocery shopping, but decided to spice up my life by looking in their living areas- they honestly have some of the cutest decorative items I have seen in a while AND yes, I did buy a whole new set of plates because they were on sale and I loved them. But back to the point, when I was passing through the storage aisle to get over there, I saw a mom and daughter who looked like she was off to college, checking out some of my favorite Rubbermaid bins!

 

Normally, I would encourage such a thing, but their conversation consisted of denial. They were well aware that those bins were not going to be functional in her living space (a.k.a. the dorm), but were proceeding to stack them up to purchase anyway!

 

I was flabbergasted! There comes a time when you have to take the hammer to the nail and let purpose override pleasure! All storage bins like that, as pretty as they may be, must serve a purpose. And of course, you can have pleasure by it being aesthetically pleasing, but make sure it is going to work for certain! Otherwise, you have wasted your time and money.

Now try adding that beautiful hamper in here? NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! We need to be realistic!

 

Can I get an amen? Don’t fall in to the trap of pretty things! Like a fly sticking to a zapper, you will have wished you didn’t fall a prey to it! Keep the balance!

 

 

 

Moxie Girl Household Assistants organize homes in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Ahwatukee, Peoria, Glendale an Surprise.

 

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July 23, 2011

What’s Yours Is Mine?

Filed under: How To — Tags: , , , , — Miss Moxie @ 12:24 am

Want to prevent this from happening? Believe it or not, labels will do the trick!

Having kids around the house can make you second-guess which items are yours and theirs and by the time you figure out it’s yours, the child has already claimed it their territory. And if we think it’s bad between us and them, think of in between the kids!

 

No need to fear though. I am always preaching the necessity of labeling. And kid’s items are no different! Of course, you can use any sort of label, but I like to get fancy and creative and that is why I like these little Name Bubbles.

 

They can be used for just about anything and everything! If you are packing a lunch, label each lunchbox for the kids so they know whose is whose. If you are going on a trip and you need to differentiate someone’s game from another, throw on the label!

 

It’s a simple as that! I know these have been featured on major networks before. Has anyone been using them? Let us know how effective it is and it could be added to our manual!

 

Moxie Girl Household Assistants organize homes in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Ahwatukee, Peoria, Glendale an Surprise.

 

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July 20, 2011

A Few of Our Favorite Things: Clear Shoe Boxes

Filed under: Home Organizing,How To — Tags: — OMG - The Original Moxie Girl @ 2:38 pm

I often get asked what my favorite organizing products are. There is one product I get to work with every week at a client’s house and have grown to adore: Neat Containers.

Before Moxie Girl reorganized this client’s closet, she was keeping most of her shoes in their original shoe boxes. This kept them free of dust, but it could be tough to remember which shoes were in each box. Plus, heaven forbid she wanted to wear a pair from a dreaded Middle Box. You know the box; the one that if you pull it out, ALL the other boxes around it have to be moved to prevent an avalanche.

Neat Containers in action

When we started organizing her closet, I searched for “clear shoe boxes” online and found these. After watching the demonstration video, I was hooked. They really did seem too good to be true! They are clear, so she can see which shoes are in each box. They come in 5 different sizes, so every pair of shoes (except her knee-high, stiff leather boots) fit into a box. And best of all, the boxes interlock, so when one is pulled out, the rest stay right where they are.

I have been working with this client, helping her keep her shoes (and closet) organized for 4 years now. I am there on a weekly basis making sure every shoe is back in its home, and every time I pull out one of the Neat Containers, I still smile. I really do like them THAT much!

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July 19, 2011

Rubbermaid is my best friend…

Filed under: How To — Tags: , , , , , — Miss Moxie @ 4:59 am

…And obsession.  The other day, when I got to thinking about all of the unique and secretive places I have in my home for storage and for sharing space, I then started to think about all of the other spaces in my home that are crystal clear, open and direct.

I personally think it is so much easier to find everything in my room if it is placed in a Tupperware of some sort. For example, all of the rooms in my home are decorated thematically.

 

My room is an ocean-painted mural, tropical paradise. But when it comes time to get into my winter snow boots (yes, I still wear them in the Arizona weather), or find the best matching clutch, I turn to my tupperwares.

The best of organization comes to the most prepared...

I have quite a few places to store these Rubbermaid carriers- in the closet; underneath the grass-skirt of my bed, in the nautical television stand and chest of drawers. I just think it’s such a great way to organize.

 

Like a box within a box, have a plan in the rooms in your home and make it easier by allowing yourself the ability to see inside!

 

Or if you want them out on display, they have fancy colored and patterned ones now. I have an entire chest of drawers that are completely see-through and

The options are limitless!

Rubbermaid brand. When I’m running out the door to a work out, I know which drawer to slide into on the go.

 

They have amazing organizers for the closet, tupperwares for the kitchen, the bathroom, the laundry room and the list goes on and on. Who is your right hand man?

 

Moxie Girl Household Assistants organize homes in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Ahwatukee, Peoria, Glendale an Surprise.

 

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July 14, 2011

Don’t forget about your Otto-man!

Filed under: How To — Tags: , , , , — Miss Moxie @ 7:58 pm

Looks like a cute, themed room right? WRONG! For the untrained eyes, there is something hiding in this picture. What's creating the secret space?

I have always been fascinated by castles and secret trap doors or secret entrances in a building that lead you into a room no one would have imagined was there!

 

I have yet to install some of those into my own home (and trust me, I will!), but until then, I try to find creative outlets of those “secret” spaces.

 

I was looking in my living room today and smiled to myself thinking back to Christmas- when it is slightly cold in our AZ heat. I remember that we were getting ready to go out in the backyard for a boat ride when someone asked for an additional blanket to keep them warm. Side note: now I would have grabbed the Snuggie, either a pink, a zebra, or a college one. BUT even still, this thought made me smile because when I opened one of the decorative baskets in our fishing theme room to hand out blankets, no one expected it.

 

Might not be as fancy as the mission impossible bookcase that rotates when you pull on the right book, but it’s the same concept.

 

So, for my friends out there who want to get a kick out of how to share space and store everything you will need with flair, don’t forget about an ottoman!

 

I swear, people completely forget when they are putting their feet up on the leather ottomans that match my couch, there is space inside and no limitation to what they can hold!

 

Make sure when it comes to being organized and sharing space, you look at all of your areas and think of a creative way to make it all work.

 

We never forget to go to the auto man when our cars need something, so let’s not forget to go to our ottoman when our guests need something. It’s a no-brainer! :+)

 

Thought of the day: Ottomans are the triple threat: decorative, functional and unexpected!

 

Moxie Girl Household Assistants organize homes in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Ahwatukee, Peoria, Glendale an Surprise.

 

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July 10, 2011

Tame the Beast… the bathroom!

Filed under: Home Organizing,How To — Tags: , , , , , — Miss Moxie @ 1:48 am

Yesterday, I talked about the monster… the bunk beds. But today, I’m realizing that there are quite a few untamed beasts in our households, and one that might need a shield to defeat is the dreaded bathroom!

Need the conquer the bathroom beast? Your knight and shining armor should be able to help!

So, bunk beds definitely initiate the theme of sharing space and let me tell you- I don’t have to preach it to all the women out there for us to know that sharing a bathroom with a husband, or even another person in general, is a whole different ball game!

 

My parents had two separate bathrooms when I was growing up. Mom and I could toss anything and everything we needed in our bathroom and most likely share all that was in the drawers.

 

My dad and my brothers all shared a bathroom so it worked out well. BUT relating back to college days even… sharing one bathroom with 4 women is a hard task to master.

 

So how do I effectively share space?   I don’t. :+)

 

I establish space territory. I am sort of a control freak, so I keep it plain and simple. If we are sharing something, we keep it on even grounds, and if not, you get one side of the sink and I will get the other. You get one ledge of the shower to place your stuff on and I will get the other- again, unless we use mutual shampoos and conditioners. You get the idea.

 

It’s different for everyone though. Sharing a bathroom is like creating a relationship all over again. You establish boundaries, respect each others things and find a way of making a routine compatible for the three of you- three, including the bathroom. But don’t let the beast overtake you and your partner.

 

I would never wish a battle of this beast on anyone, but if you find a way to make sharing space work for you, it will keep you from ending up like these two when they first moved in together.

 

So, prepare a plan of action with your partner. With a damsel, a man with a shield and a beast of a bathroom ready to be conquered, you should be just fine!

Don't distress damsel! You can help your knight conquer it!

 

I have a silly sense of humor and find awkward stories to be some of my favorites. Anyone have any awkward bathroom encounters or stories they would like to share?!? I’m all ears.

 

Moxie Girl Household Assistants organize homes in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Ahwatukee, Peoria, Glendale an Surprise.

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July 8, 2011

To Bunk or Not to Bunk?

Filed under: How To — Tags: — OMG - The Original Moxie Girl @ 3:03 pm

Growing up, I was the youngest of three girls. My sisters were 9 and 11 years older than me, so I was always guaranteed my own room in our house. When I was little, I always wondered what it would be like to share a room and thought it would be so cool to have bunk beds. For a couple weeks each summer, I went to camp and got to share a bunk with another girl. Being able to lean over the mattress (I always got to camp early to ensure I got a top bunk) and talk to my bunkmate was one of my favorite things to do. I thought these bunks were the coolest things ever.

How would YOU change the top sheet of this monster?

Now that I am a few years (or decades) older, I see bunk beds in a different light. Now, whenever I am changing the sheets or making bunk beds at a client’s house, all I can think of are those redneck guys who wrestle alligators in Florida. If you have ever changed the sheets on a top bunk, you know what I am talking about. There is NO graceful way to do it.

I have found two techniques:

  • The Belly Flop: This involves hooking the sheet on the first two corners, then holding the other two corners while knealing on the portion of the sheet that is already tucked in, and flopping to the other side of the bed and PRAYING that the sheet was pulled tight enough that the corners can fit over the mattress.
  • The Dog Turning in Circles: This technique starts off the same as the Belly Flop, but instead of flopping to get the last two corners in place, the bedmaker begins pulling the sheet down and “turns in circles” while remaining on the top bunk in an effort to get the sheet completely spread across the mattress.

If you are over 6′ tall, or have the muscle and motivation to pull the bunk beds away from the wall each time, you may not know what I’m talking about, and I don’t want to hear about how you can simply “reach over and tuck in the sheet.” If you are a shorty like I am, I would love to hear if you have any other techniques that work. Specifically ones that don’t cause you to fear the bunks are going to collapse, or that someone is going to walk in and see the circus act of changing the top bunk sheet.

Any suggestions???

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July 6, 2011

4th of July Inspired Party Tips!

Filed under: Party Hosting — Tags: , , , , , — Miss Moxie @ 11:53 pm

Leave your guests "Oo-ing and aww-ing" at your party!

I hope everyone had a fantastic 4th of July! I sure did. I promised that a blog would be on its way on how to keep guests entertained and you are probably thinking, “Great! Now that the party is over…”

 

But, trust me, there are many more to come and with summer being a hot time to have people over by the pool, you are going to want to hear this.

 

I didn’t think of some of these things until after my party this past Monday. There are a few tips on the list that I naturally do and a few new things I tried and I figured you would like to hear!

 

So, our 4th of July was originally going to have a group of fifteen-ish since that is how many can fit on the boat at one time to watch the fireworks on the lake.

 

Well, that ended up turning into 7 people total. Some people might think that would be easier to entertain, but let me tell you… it can actually be even harder!

 

So, I, of course, naturally go above and beyond the call of duty for themed parties, but you can use any of the tips I did for any kind of party you plan to have. Just vary it to work for you.

 

From start to finish, I:

-Bought and prepared all of the food for the guests according to their favorite types of food, in addition to holiday traditions and some new recipes.

-One theme example is that we bake a sugar cookie, frost it with our own cream cheese frosting and place strawberries and blueberries on it to look like a giant red, white and blue sunflower.

-Having all of the favorite snacky foods out while preparing the main dish is a great idea to keep people entertained.

-In order to set a nice environment when they initially come over, have all of your preparation done and stress gone. Turn on some festive music, and welcome them at the door. Maybe even through some red, white and blue leis on them to get them feeling even more spirited!

-In addition to snacks, have fun and festive drinks out as well.

-Bring out what has been new with you. We recently got back from New York so I had videos and pictures to show them. Sharing important parts of you is another form of entertainment!

-We ended up turning on the New York fireworks show- having that, music and all their favorite snacks was a winner!

-From there, have your own little photo shoot. I absolutely love to scrapbook and I take pictures constantly. Setting everyone up to be in a high mood as soon as they walk through the door makes taking pictures that much more fun.

-Move the party around. You do not want to remain stagnant. Even if it is warm outside, have things set up to do out there like volleyball, help grill, sit at a table or a large lawn swing, relax by the pool or play games.

-Have cold and festive drinks that can be served outside in addition to little cold snacks. Make a little parfait or put some frosted cookies or brownies in the fridge so when you bring them outdoors in the heat, they are nice and refreshing.

-Keep extras of everything handy- even blow-ups for the pool. You never know where the party will migrate so as a hostess, you’ve got to be fluid and willing to have a party wherever it ends up. Even if the party makes its way outside to the street for a block party.

-Make little gift bags for everyone to take. It’s your duty to make everyone feel special. We, for example, give everyone glow necklaces to wear out on the lake. They love it!

-And share your leftovers. If people are ranting and raving about your food, give them some to take home. And if it’s a potluck setting, take some of theirs. Doing so, reaffirms that people a.) appreciate your hard work b.) love your cooking c.) want to come back!

 

Now these are just some simple things that I think most of us do, but some we might not think about or might have had a realization about while reading!

 

More blogs to come on themed parties! Let me know if you want me to break it down into different types of parties because I would love to go there OR if you have any special requests.

 

I hope your holiday weekend was special and that you celebrated for all the right reasons! Let freedom ring!

 

Tomorrow: bunk beds… yikes!

 

Moxie Girl Household Assistants organize homes in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Ahwatukee, Peoria, Glendale an Surprise.

 

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July 1, 2011

AND THE MESSY CLOSET WINNER IS…..

Filed under: Home Organizing,How To — Tags: — Miss Moxie @ 9:31 pm

CLOSET #4!

 

Congratulations Closet #4! After deep deliberation, we reached a final consensus that we all feel passionately driven to help your closet look its best! We will be in contact with you, but as a fresh reminder of what it looks like before….

Messy Closet #4 BEFORE its makeover!

We will be looking forward to the “AFTER” shot of this closet.

Christmas takes up half of my garage, so I can’t imagine living in that intermixed with two other people. We are excited to take on the challenge!

Thanks to everyone for participating! We will be hosting more of these little contests soon! Keep an eye out!

 

Plus, another post about how to keep people entertained at a party is on its way- just in time for the 4th of July!

 

Until we meet again, celebrate Closet #4! Congratulations! :+) And for the rest of you, sadly, it’s time to clean the closet!

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