Cleaning for Thanksgiving!

All:

I am posting early since it's a short week. Here is how I clean for big events without feeling pressured or overwhelmed: I set a timer.

I create a list of rooms in the house and check each off as I clean. I spend 5 minutes in each room. When the alarm goes off, it is time to move on. This means that I can only hit the big stuff and not waste any time on teensy details. 

According to my schedule, I can get my house in super presentable order in 45 minutes. While the turkey is roasting, I will put on some great music and get little exercise by cleaning! The rooms in order:

• Jason's secret hideout (aka the Cozy Bear's Den)
• Laundry zone/entry
• Kitchen
• Dining area
• Living room
• Master bedroom
• The girls' bedroom
• The guest bedroom
• Bathrooms (5 mins split between 2)

Two little mess makers: Basset hound Trudy Trueheart and cat Trixie Belden

Early Fraternity decorating

All:

I coined a phase to refer to a certain style of decorating/doing things around the home. I call it Early Fraternity.

Here is just one example. One of the light bulbs burned out in the hall. My husband Jason replaced the burned out with another that we had on hand.

The result? You can see for yourself two different color temperatures. One is cool (background), the other is warm (foreground). I find it visually distracting to have two color temperatures in the same space.

Jason thought that the cooler light provided more light. The amount of light provided depends on light output, which is measured in lumens. When purchasing bulbs, read the package to see how may lumens are proved and the color temperature.

I prefer warm color temperature, so I'll purchase some new bulbs this weekend.

Warm and cool color temperature ... in the same space1

Coping with cold weather: Tips and techniques

All:

Do you know the suggested cold weather thermostat setting? PLEASE consider setting the thermostat to the recommended temperatures to save energy and money.

• 68 degrees while you are awake
• Lower while you are away or asleep

To compensate for cooler temperature, consider changing behaviors. Dress in layers. Identify areas that need extra attention. For me, my hands get cold easily. Here is one of my solutions. Arm warmers! They have two layers: (1) Cotton liner and (2) Wool exterior glove.

Wool/cotton arm warmers that I purchased

I purchased these arm warmers. My colleague Adriana Petrova also has arm warmers that she created by cutting the toes off of socks. She also wears thick headbands around her neck, instead of a scarf. This way, she can work around the house and stay warm without a scarf getting in the way!

Adriana's repurposed sock arm warmers

Adriana is very creative! She keeps her socks on her arms and her headbands around her neck.

BTW: A good book and a cup of coffee works wonders, as well.

Let's talk about ... Laundry

How do you conquer laundry?

• Pile it on the counter
• Store it in the dryer
• Leave it on the bathroom floor

At my house, we've embarked on a journey to minimalism. My daughter Jenkins and I are participating in Project 333. 

Although we've always been careful about stuff, Project 333 has helped us define our personal styles. We don't make clothing mistakes. Surprisingly, I have more choice and variety than before because my wardrobe has been edited to the garments that I love. Everything in my closet is perfect for me.

We have just the right amount of clothing, which helps CONTROL laundry! There are 4 people in my home. We wash and put away one load of laundry per day. That's it.