What are you thankful for? I sure am thankful for many things this year of 2015. When we think about Thanksgiving, we think about a special meal and gathering with friends and family. Whether you are hosting a thanksgiving dinner or not, how about getting some things organized for that evening? Since Thanksgiving is around the corner, this week's post is about helping you get ready. • Cleaning & Tidying Up • There are many things you need to get done around the house if you are having people over. Cleaning, tidying up, decorating, setting the table... It doesn't matter how many guests are coming, you will want them to feel welcome in your home {even if it's just your parents or a couple of friends, am I wrong?}. Cleaning is a big task, and if you are not hiring professional help for that {or even if you are}, you should give extra attention to windows, corners, doors, mirrors and tables with glass tops, and ceilings. Make sure the bathroom is clean, change the towels, refill the toilet paper and soap dispensers, and organize the cabinets {you never know who's going to open them}. It is smart to have a feminine emergency kit, and also a first aid kit just in case - better safe than sorry, right? ;) Tidy up! If you take some time to declutter, you can add it to your list of what you are thankful for. The kitchen is a great place to start. Come on! You still have a few days to make it happen. Speaking of the kitchen... Take out those pots and pans, dishes and glasses, and the silverware you are going to use for the special night, and make sure they are clean and ready. Don't forget to make the beds on Thanksgiving morning! A to-do list would help you? Ask for yours HERE. • Decoration & Table • This year I will host a small dinner at home with my husband and a few friends. My decorations will be simple but festive: orange and brown dishes, flowers, and special napkins with fall colors. The way you set the table makes a huge difference, even if it's a simple meal. Here are some links to give you more ideas:
• Special Dishes • Thanksgiving is about being thankful and... Eating! Celebrate the harvest! Besides the turkey and the traditional pumpkin pie, what else could you serve for the Thanksgiving dinner?
might need some ingredients you don't have at home... • Tips & More • - To-do Lists: They are your friends that help you to get things done. If you are estimating time, always budget for more than you think you will need. Remember sometimes we spend more time than planned with certain tasks, and even traffic or the phone can get us behind schedule. If you complete the task before, it's a bonus. Have one list for the household tasks, and another for groceries and meals preparation. And if you want a complete Checklist, get it here. - Beverages: You will want to have an assortment of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. Think about which of your guests drink alcohol and which guests don't. Often guests bring wine or beer, but don't count on it - some guests might bring dessert or nothing at all. Whatever you serve, make sure to have enough to serve before, during, and after dinner {because people don't only drink during dinner}. Calculate the number of guests + the hours you think the party might last. I found this chart from Chickabug blog very useful {it has both drinks and food}. - Entertainment: how are you going to entertain your guests? If it's just family, the old stories will probably last the night, but if there are friends and/or coworkers coming, you should think about options... Besides the chatting, games are a great way to make the night. You could also consider a movie. Remember to think about something for the kids and teenagers too! And if there are babies coming, maybe a quiet place for them to take a nap... - Black Friday: of course I had to mention that here! Who isn't waiting for the Black Friday deals? But before you swipe your card, ask yourself: do I really need this? I am sure you don't want more stuff cluttering your home, so think twice before buying things just to be proud of a good deal. I hope you got some relevant information to help you get ready for the holiday - or for any party/dinner/gathering you are hosting! Don't forget to ask for your checklist here! ;) There are soooo many good things I wanna share with you here! Sign up
so you won't miss it! For daily tips about organizing, home decor and more, join me here: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Did you know I'm on Periscope and Snapchat? You can find me as iamaneataholic To contact me drop a line to neataholic@gmail.com I am Izabelle Azevedo, the Professional Organizer behind Neat-a-Holic Solutions
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Dollar stores have a lot to offer for as low as $1. So I made a trip to one {Dollar Tree} near me to check out what they have. Clearly, you shouldn't buy their steak {if you do buy it, please, let us know}, but they have a great amount of items you can use around the kitchen, baskets and bins for organizing, toys and games {great to take the kids and let them pick something - why not? It's only 1 buck!}, and many others. Here are some useful products you may buy with no regrets: Kitchen: Plates, bowls, mugs and glasses {including wine and cocktail}; Plastic containers {different sizes and shapes}; silverware organizer; all kinds of utensils {the garlic press might not be a good idea though}; Ziplock {different sizes and brands}; Ice cube trays {2 for $1!}; Clips and measuring spoons; Place mats and coasters; Kitchen towels, oven mitts and pot holders - also with holiday themes and I love it! Laundry and Closet: Hangers; Laundry baskets and bags; Clips; Hooks; Storage Bags; Vacuum storage bags. Organizing: a sort of bins and baskets, different sizes, shapes and styles for you to get organized. Bathroom: shower curtains, sponges, soap holders, soaps, and more. Random stuff: candles, candle holders, frames, pill organizers, cards, mailing supplies, and many more! Always something new... Cleaning: A good variety of hand soaps and bar soaps, sponges, brushes, towels, clothes, scrubs, dusters, and some other cleaning products that are safe to use.
The store is packed with ornaments, gifts and arts and crafts supplies, dishes, glasses... Things you need to light up the season and get your home prepared for Christmas!
The products I haven't tried, and I am not sure if I would are on the food and beauty sections. I may be wrong, and there may be exceptions, but I don't feel safe using their makeup or eating cheap food. There are still many items I could add to this guide, but I want to encourage you to give this dollar store a chance. Even if it's to buy office or school supplies {here is what I almost forgot}, or toys for your kids. There are soooo many good things I wanna share with you here! Sign up so you won't miss it! For daily tips about organizing, home decor and more, join me here: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Did you know I'm on Periscope and Snapchat? You can find me as iamaneataholic To contact me drop a line to neataholic@gmail.com I am Izabelle Azevedo, the Professional Organizer behind Neat-a-Holic Solutions Two weeks ago I posted the results of my home office project - see it here. Today I am sharing with you how to make it possible. When I first thought about setting up a home office, I also thought how expensive it would be. Well, I was wrong! All you need is a spare space in your home {it doesn't even need to be a room actually}, and some money - the budget is up to you! ;) I am using a room in the basement, and I needed to paint it {especially after this}, but this may not apply to you {which means one less thing to spend money with}. I got the furniture from Craigslist* and Walmart. I already had some supplies {from my mobile office}, but I needed to get a few more, and also accessories and decoration items. For that, I made a trip to Target {and Dollar Tree of course}.
More options of stores to find supplies that I like are Marshalls, Homegoods, The Container Store, and IKEA. It all depends of your budget and style. I showed you that it is possible to set up a home office on a small budget, but not everyone has a spare room... Before "finding" this space downstairs, I also thought about adapting something in my living room. Just a small desk, and a shelving system to store files, books, etc. Check out these inspiring ideas to use the space you have: You can check more on Mom Fabulous. Got inspired? Start you project and don't forget to let us know about it!
There are soooo many good things I wanna share with you here! Sign up so you won't miss it! For daily tips about organizing, home decor and more, join me here: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Did you know I'm on Periscope and Snapchat? You can find me as iamaneataholic To contact me drop a line to neataholic@gmail.com I am Izabelle Azevedo, the Professional Organizer behind Neat-a-Holic Solutions |
About the authorIzabelle is an entrepreneur, Professional Organizer, Coach, and Marketing / Small Businesses Consultant. Posts
September 2016
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