Organize!

It's a new year!  It's time for goal setting and new adventures!   I love this time of year!

I thought it would be fun to do a few organizing posts for those of your with goals to organize in the new year.  Organizing can be overwhelming, but if you have the right supplies and a little time it can be a lot of fun!  It doesn't have to be expensive either!

For you the first post I am showing you the inside of my kitchen, how I organized it and where I bought all of my organizing helpers.

The most important thing to me is organized my utensils, cups and plates...if they aren't organized it takes forever to unload the dishwasher, but with a few quick fixes putting dishes away never was easier.

My utensil drawer.  I have a lot of measuring cups because I bake so much.  I keep the 3 separate sets stacked and in little white baskets I found at Walmart I believe it was $2 for 3 baskets.  The basket on the right also has my measuring spoons.  I have a hard time keeping them super organized so i just stack them nicely in no real order.  

The baskets I have my whisks and spatulas in I got at Walmart as well in the kitchen section.  Then I place a few things I rarely use behind all the baskets.

The one thing to keep in mind when using baskets is to get the no slip drawer inserts.  This is a roll I got at Walmart and it has done all of my drawers in my kitchen and bathroom and was under $5.  (You can see it under my spatula it is a brown non stick that I just cut to fit the drawer. 

My silverware drawer I have 3 separate baskets.  They were all from the same line at the container store.  A little pricey but I love how clean I can keep the mesh.  I made sure to put some more non slip surface below it.   I always try to have a little space for all of my clips for the tops of bags or anything I need to close.  If they just float around the drawer they are hard to find and you always need them at the weirdest times!  

Cups and plates...everyone has their own method on this one.  I only buy white plates and cups (or glass) because they are easier to see if they are clean or not (the germ-a-phobe in me) but I always put my glasses facing down, they don't tip as easily and they stay much cleaner.  Just make sure you find a system that works for you.  It may take a few times of rearranging to find a way that makes sense and is easy to use!  Don't be afraid to re-organize something you already have organized I do it ALL the time!  That is how you find a good system!! 

Here is my food cupboard.  Our breakfast shelf is on the bottom...I know we are almost out of oatmeal I need to get to the store!  The container for the oatmeal is amazing but pricey.  I found it here at the container store.  I also store my flour and sugar in similar containers, they are air tight and easy to open.

The top shelf is where we keep all of our treats.  The plastic thin containers I found here at ikea (they have the two sizes the tall and the shorter ones) and the glass ones on the left I found at Ross (some of my best finds are in the kitchen section at Ross!)

I call this my drink cupboard.  The bottom shelf is mostly herbal coffee and tea and hot chocolate packets.  The containers on the left are flower vases I use when we have a party...I thought why not just use them all of the time!  I got them at Walmart in the kitchen section.  I LOVE the salt grinders you can buy at Walmart on the baking isle.  I have the pepper one behind the salt you just cant see it.

The baskets above the drink shelf are all of my spices.  It is easy to line them up on their sides.  One basket is mainly baking spices the other is cooking spices.  So when I need spices I just pull the baskets down and can see them all at one.  Better yet I am not constantly trying to make them stand up right or loosing any of them.  

These two areas are where I store all of our throw away stuff.  I send a lunch with Ted ever day and so I always include a fork or spoon and a few napkins.  The black baskets I found for those were in the kitchen tupperware isle at Walmart.  I love them!  I have now used them in several other places in our house!

On Sundays Ted and I try not to cook and we try to use throw away things to make it more of a easy day for us.  (my day off!!  ha ha!) So I always have silverware, cups, plates and bowls.  It makes it so much easier!  I am not going to lie we use them a lot of other days too!  ha ha!  

Well that is most of my kitchen!  Let me know if you have any questions!  I know you can do it!  Next week we will tackle the bathroom...which is the hardest one for me to find a good system!

Have a great week!!

Money, more than just numbers.

One of my biggest goals this past year was to fine tune our budget.  I am a total math nerd so it sounded fun to me.  It was about half way through the year when I realized that money and budgets aren't just about the actual numbers...the money you spend can go further than just simply saving money or spending money.

I first understood the basics of this idea when I married Ted 9 years ago.  I watched his dad and every time he wanted to buy something or needed his car serviced or anything where he was spending money, if he knew someone who had a shop that sold it, or his brothers friends cousin sold that type of bike he would always buy from a place where his money would make a difference, and not only giving the shop money but supporting their cause and showing your trust in them.

As I worked on our budget this year I realized that you can budget your money fairly easy, but how was I to maximize the money that I was spending to not only fulfill my needs but help those people around me.

I love buying from friends and family.  This Christmas Ted and I made a goal to buy as many gifts from our friends with businesses as possible or choose locally run stores to buy from.  In a way it felt like our money was going further than just simply buying a present, it was helping a small business owner out as well.  (We do the same thing when we eat out but that is for a later post :)

So I thought I would share a few of the places I bought stuff from this year.  They are friends and family that have great businesses that I am excited to share with you! (The names of the stores are linked to each individual websites)

Please share any businesses that you or your friends or family own or use!  I am always looking for more business to support!

Rae Revival on Etsy

Beautiful hand made jewelry with a little sas!  

PrettiLilThings on Etsy

Honestly the cutest hand crocheted bows around!  She makes them for all ages! 

Bebecha

Bow ties and suspenders for men and kiddos and cute hair bows!  

This is my nephew wearing a set from Bebecha we got him for Christmas, he is so cute!

Treasure Box Trio on Etsy

You probably have seen a few posts here and on facebook about these shirts

Honestly the most comfy cute shirts!  This one I am wearing above even has a hood!

If you are here in Arizona a great new place opened up at the Biltmore Mall.  It is called The Union.  It is a seciton of small stores that are all locally built and operated and it is so fun to browse through all their cute stuff!  There are several local clothing stores, Smeeks a local candy store, a retro bike store.  Trust me you need to try it out!

Myth busting Pinterest and a nail polish trick!

So this time I am really back to the blogging world.  After my last update I got so sick!  I am feeling better finally!  Yea for feeling healthy!

I have the best mother-in-law!  She has kept me well stocked on cute nail polish for years and recently I have started finding some cute ones all by myself!  (pre-cross family I had no style or no fashion experience....it is a constant learning curve being an in-law in a hip family...)

But recentlyI have found the perfect combination of two nail polishes from Essie.  I am in LOVE!  I always hate using the sparkling nail polishes because you can always seen under them a little bit.  I used a mat grey color called Chinchilly for the bottom coat and then added the sparkle coat of Beyond Cozy...and I always use their amazing fast drying top coat called Good To Go.  The combination of the two colors ends up looking like solid sparkles!

I am excited about this one for the holidays and New Years!!

I did my toes too....but my legs and feet are still very swollen so no way I am taking a picture of those!! Ha ha!

The colors (don't you love how much I use my top coat...)

Yesterday out of desperation while getting ready I was forced to try a myth busting pin out....I was putting on my makeup and my mascara was all clumpy and dry.  I tried this pin (seen below) and it was amazing!  I think my mascara was actually better than it was when I first bought it!  It went on so easily and was so smooth!  I am always doing this trick!

Original Pin Link

Minimize Moving

I have noticed a big problem with this new minimalist living lifestyle I have embraced...We move in about 2 weeks and since it is our 15th move in 9 years we are pretty good at knowing what needs to be packed and when.  Well I have been trying to pack what I don't need...but that has opened a whole bunch of problems.

I realized that if I can live without this stuff for 2 weeks...why do I have it!?  Ted has been so annoyed with me!  I don't know why he is the reason I finally embraced minimalism...and when I do something I do it 110%....so I have been getting rid of EVERYTHING!  Just ask my friends....

I feel like this is what our house has looked

 like as I have been purging....I hate clutter!!  

Today Ted had to organize his tools...I wanted them all gone!  Well after kicking screaming and pulling teeth he finally got the hang of it and just kept one of everything...he is a bit of a hoarder when it comes to tools.  Ted finally did convince me we should at least keep our year books and a few things from our childhood....he almost DIED when he saw them in the trash bin...

Now on to a juicing update.  We love it, well I should say I love it, Ted loves how healthy it is but it having a hard time getting use to the taste.  The biggest problem I see is how much work it is!  No one told me how much work it would be!!!  To grocery shop, plan, prep, juice, and clean is tons of work.  I really feel like it is paying off especially now that I am getting a system about it.

One week of fruits and veggies for Ted and I.  Wow.

(for juicing and eating)

In the morning we wake up Ted starts getting ready and I start juicing, I make 2 juices so I have to do everything twice (check out the recipe in my original juice post).  While I juice I also make us steel cut oatmeal then we are able to eat breakfast together.  Ted says it makes his stomach a little uneasy eating all of that first thing in the morning.

I have noticed a big difference in my energy level and also surprisingly my skin is getting so nice and soft!  It has been one week of juicing in the morning and making a fruit smoothy at night (only got about a half week of smoothies in) and it is going great!  

Budget Friendly

Something a lot of people don't know about Ted and I is that we are budget freaks.  We know where exactly each penny of our incomes goes each month and are crazy about staying within those budgets.

Last year we got rid of our second car, Ted's baby, because we realized how much cheaper it would be to only have one car (no insurance, no upkeep, no gas, no depreciation).  It was a little easier for us to do it because it was when I was being treated for my disease and I couldn't drive for serval months anyway (being bed ridden is the worst!).  So we sold Ted's '66 Karmann Ghia and kept our truck.  

This past year Ted has had about a 20-25 minute commute, not too bad....but our gas bills were adding up!  Every month we spent about $425 just on gas alone...it was driving me nuts!  The past few weeks we have decided to live even more of the simplified life I preach about on here, so we got rid of my baby, our truck yesterday....and got ourselves a Prius!  

Not only is this a fiscally responsible move for our little family, it is also going to use up less of the worlds resources, yes I might be a bit of a tree hugger, and that is something I love as a secondary to our gas solution :)

We were able to sell our truck and buy a year newer Prius with less miles and still get money back!  Thanks to me negotiating the heck out of the salesmen....yep that is right I might look unassuming but I can convince a lot of people to give me a better deal somehow.... ;)

I am not trying to say we always make the best financial decisions....but the more mistakes we have made the more we have learned what is important for our family.  A budget is all about priorities.  So you have to figure out what your families priorities are and budget around that, there are always sacrifices in every budget no matter how much you make....you just have to figure out what is most important to you and what is less important.  I would rather go out to eat more...than pay $450 a month in gas....so I gave up my truck so we can spend the money in different ways.....

So here is the newest member to the Cross Family!   

I am such a negstalic person....so here is a walk down memory lane with our two cars.  I literally cried walking away from my truck yesterday in the car lot...but I know we made the right decision...that car has just been through so much with us.

Our 2 cars in LA together.  We bought our tuck in 2007 and since then it has lived in Arizona, then in Philadelphia, then back in Arizona, then it lived in LA and came back with us to Arizona again.  It was good to us!

Our amazing friends the Abney's came and visited us in LA and their little girls loved playing with Ted's Ghia....I don't think anyone could look cuter in that car...

Well now that I am done walking down memory lane, I hope you have a great weekend and that you party it up on Labor Day!  

Organize Makeup Style!

As you can tell from my Less is More Posts....I love to organize.  This past month I finally found a organization system that works for my makeup...this has been a long time coming.  No matter how I organized my makeup in the past, within a few weeks it was a mess again!  The trick to organization is to find a system that works for you.

Of course I used The Container Store to help!  Love that store!

I had to find something that was easy to lift since I store it in a higher cupboard and also something that would organize my makeup in the order I put it on....yes I am really THAT anal about how organized it is!  But it helps make getting ready so so much faster and makes me have to think less when I am getting ready.

So here is my new system!

It stacks which makes it much easier to store

It is acrylic which the germ-a-phobe in me loves since it is so easy to see if it is dirty and even easier to wipe down really fast.  

And there is still space left!  The minimalist in me LOVES that!  

However you decide to organize it has to work for you.  Don't be afraid to get rid of all that crap that you never use...It took me years to get to a place where I could throw my old makeup away..but boy did it feel good! And guess what I haven't missed any of that old stuff I have hoarded for years...not once!  You can do it!

Prada for a dollar!

Ok I am so excited!  My husband and I go to the most amazing designer consignment store called My Sisters Closet (the men's is called Well Suited).  It is designer stuff that is used but in great condition and some items even still have tags on them!  You can sell your used designer clothes there and get credit or cash once it sells.  Ted and I are always selling things there so we always have a running credit.

This past weekend Ted found these amazing Prada shoes for me, they were priced at $72, but everything in the store was 20% off this weekend and with Ted's credit from selling clothes we ended up paying $1.37!  Can you believe that!  These shoes were at least $600-$700 regularly and I got them for $1.37!  The have barely been worn and I am in love already!  I might have worn them around the house the night I bought them...just might have.....

Ted and I are suckers for luxury goods/services/hotels/anything so lately we have been finding ways to get high end stuff for less than you would pay for a non-luxury item or service.  For example here in Phoenix we have this store called Last Chance.  It is where all the Nordstrom Racks from different regions send the stuff they don't sell.  I got a pair of Uggs a few years back for $30!  

Our most recent find was Ted's new Hugo Boss Suit.  It was priced at $100 regularly $800+.....Ted LOVES a fitted suit so when I found out that if you have a Nordstrom credit card every year you get $100 of free altering at Nordstrom and a $100 at Nordstrom Rack we had to buy the suit. The suit cost $100, we took it to the Nordstrom tailer and only had to pay $8 extra on top of the free $100 of free tailoring to get the suit completely remade to fit Ted perfectly.  

So for $108 Ted got a tailored Hugo Boss suit.  Can't beat that!  

(notice how happy he is to be taking this picture :)

It is almost a game to us now to see what high end restaurant we can eat at or what luxury brand we can buy for less than most people spend on normal things.What are your tricks to find great deals?

Myth Busting Pinterest!!!

Happy Friday! I am so glad it is Friday!  Mostly because I have been doing a ton of hot yoga...and my husband has finally succumbed to my pleading and is going to try it tomorrow!  ha ha!  This is a day for the history books.  I use to teach Yoga (not hot) and he has never come to a class.....so I am excited to show him my new obsession....and see if he can take the heat!

I love myth busting pinterest.  I started it because I was extremely skeptical of all the tricks and cleaning advice I saw.  No way could it be true!  Well so far only a few have been wrong and I am definitely excited to keep testing new pins!  Let me know if you have any you have tried or want me to try!  Check out the old Myth Busting posts here.

_______________________________________________________________________

Pin #1

I have been wanting to try this one for a long time!  

Original Pin Link

"Crisco Emergency Candle.  Just put a wick in it and it will last for about 45 days"

Now I didn't want a candle burning for 45 days in my house...but I tried it for a few hours and low and behold it worked!  I just didn't think it would even burn...I was wrong!  I bought a wick from the craft store and pushed it to the bottom of the small crisco I bought (I didn't want to buy a huge one since I didn't want it to burn for days.)  I covered the wik back up and lit it!  Pretty amazing!  The best part for me is that crisco is a great item for food storage...but now it has another use if need be it can double as a light!  Pretty awesome!

My Crisco candle.  

Result: Worked for the few hours I tried it.  Need to put in my emergency kit and in my food storage!

_______________________________________________________________________

Pin #2 

Pin #2 and #3 I used together to give myself a little pedicure :)

Original Pin Link

"The power of vinegar...soaking feet in vinegar (apple cider being best) is a great remedy for many problems like toenail fungus, dry feet, tired feet, etc. ..here are some vinegar foot soaks that will help feet be soft and supple."

I was really excited to try this one.  I have such dry feet (thanks mom for the dry feet genes...) so I was hoping this would work! 

Wishing I had pretty feet like the original pin ha ha!  

Ok so I will never do this again.  The thing they don't tell you is you have to sit there for 45 minutes to make it work.  My feet do feel smoother...but sitting there for 45 minutes with my feet in warm water that turned cold and made my feet super wrinkly wasn't much fun.  So this is a no go for me.

Result:  Kinda worked, won't try it again

_______________________________________________________________________

Pin #3

Since I painted my nails the night before and not only did they look horrible but I went to hot yoga and got them all messed up....I was excited to try this new pin and hoped it would help me....I have no feeling in my hands, from my disease, so when I paint my nails the sides are always a mess....

Original Pin Link

I really liked this trick.  It worked really well.  I am not going to show you an after picture because my nails since are nothing great...but it helped clean up around the edges of my nails and made it a lot faster and didn't pull up the paint on my nails when I rubbed off the extra polish.

Results:  Worked, will always use this trick!

_______________________________________________________________________

Let me know if you try any pins or have any

 pins you want me to myth bust!  

Have a great weekend!!

Opportunity Cost

Since the last Less is More post, I have thought a lot about why I do what I do (in terms of organization, healthy eating, simplifying life).  It reminded me of a principle my husband shared with me a few years ago, something I had learned in one of my undergrad ecomonics classes: opportunity cost.

Ted, my husband, went to a class at Columbia University that was taught by a mentor of his.  In the class the professor of business explained more about opportunity cost.  Ted had to explain the basics of the principle to me before he could go into depth about the class.  Opportunity cost is a way to measure the cost of any given activity against another activity.  The professor in the class used this example:

Let's say your mother's birthday party is tonight, but you have to do your laundry and there is no way you can put either off.  How much would you pay someone to do your laundry in order for you to go to your mom's birthday party?  $20? Yes. $20? Yes. $30? Yes $40? Yes $50? Probably $60 No way.  There you have your opportunity cost of going to the birthday party, about $50.  Each person would have their own opportunity cost depending on their own individual circumstances.

I have had several people ask me why I have to have a cleaning lady come once a month.  Isn't my job as a real estate agent flexible?  Aren't I home most the days?  Then why pay someone to do something i could do myself?  My answer is opportunity cost.  For me to scrub the tub, clean the rest of the bathroom, vacuum and deep clean the house, there is a high opportunity cost.  I would be willing to pay for this.  Because of my disease, if I did all the previously mentioned things on my own, I would have to rest for an entire week to regain my normal strength and stamina, so for me the opportunity cost is a lot higher than someone else.  My time is better spent doing my real estate to earn money to have someone clean (since it is mostly computer work) or doing our laundry since it is a start the machine and leave it for awhile activity that I can manage with my health.  

Everyone has different things that they can use to figure this principle out.  

Another example in my life is seen how some people think Ted and I are crazy for how strict our diet is and how much more we spend on our groceries since we eat healthy.  We count every calorie, not only that but due to medical conditions we have to eat mostly sugar free and fat free (ugh), which makes food more expensive.  Since we have both been eating healthy we have had to increase our months grocery bill. (Although with a few tricks of the trade we still only spend $250 every month on groceries, eating very healthy...stay tuned later this week for some ideas.)  Some people wouldn't think this is worth it, but to us it is.  We know that if we spend the money up front now on our food and get healthy and stay healthy, it will prolong us from getting sick when we are older and actually end up saving us a lot of money in medical and pharmacy bills in the coming years.  For for us we are willing to pay the price now for a future goal. 

The truth is we can all use the principle of opportunity cost to better our lives.  What can you cut out?  What can you pay someone else to do that will free up time or energy to do what you hold as higher priorities?  What do you want to do that you have never done before?  Figure out what the opportunity cost is for each thing you just listed and make it happen!  No time to change like the present!  

Quick and Easy Summer Do

Hello!  I am really excited to share with you today a tutorial for a quick and easy wet summer do.  We all want to look great but in the summer you want something quick and easy without having to blow dry your hair.

Katrina, from Roots Salon is here to show us a hairdo that only takes a few minutes and is now one of my go to dos.  Katrina is an amazing hair stylist here in Arizona.  She has a studio salon that is gorgeous, but the best part is how amazing she is with hair.  I call her the Mozart of hair, she is incredible with color and cuts that fit each individual person.  When I was treated for my disease this past year I lost more than half my hair.  Because of her hair cuts and tricks to style my hair, no one could tell, and I didn't have to shave off my hair.  She really is THAT amazing!  Go visit her!!

Katrina at Roots Salon

602-957-8400

32nd and Camelback in Phoenix, AZ

The finished product.  So quick and easy!

Katrina's Roots Salon.  So hip and modern.
Best hair boutique in Arizona!

ENJOY!

\

Myth Busting Pinterest!

Hello!  I have had a crazy week getting back in the swing of things from being gone last weekend to Malibu...not that I am complaining!  My cousin and I met the USA Olympic Water Polo team in the Pepperdine Hot Tub...and some are now following The Forward Home Twitter!  Ha ha!  You should too!  Look to the right widget bar and like me on Facebook and  follow me on Twitter and instagram! 

Well we had a great trip and the good news is that my husband Ted is done with his classes at Pepperdine for his doctorate...now only the dissertation to write...only......well only 1 year left then he will be Dr Ted with more degrees than most families have put together (bachelors, 2 maters, HR cert and a Doctorate)...guess he makes up for me only have my one :)  That man sure loves school!  

Myth Busting #1:

Original Pin Link 

Shave off pills to make an old sweater look like new!

I was most skeptical of this one...but this is my new favorite trick!  I tried it on one of my favorite sweaters and it is like new!  It is a black sweater so you can't see the pills in the pictures...but trust me you should try this trick!  Amazing!  And yes, even people in Arizona wear sweaters....but not for another 5-6 months :)

I honestly started this weekly myth busting because I thought so many of these "helpful" tricks couldn't be true...well pinterest has been proving me wrong!  

Myth Busting #2 & #3
Last week on Myth Busting Pinterest I had some great feed back from Deetz over at Cookies and Kiddos (amazing blog with great recipes and bits about life, you will love her!) she tried two pins, here are her findings :)

Original Pin Link

Magic Eraser uses... did you know you can cut a piece off and float it in your toilet overnight and voila! no more toilet ring! Crazy list.

Verdict?  It clean the bowl underneath the water but the line around and above the water still remained....so not as magic as the pin makes it sound!  

Original Pin Link 

1/2 cup vinegar (heated in microwave for 90 seconds) with 1/2 cup dishwashing liquid. Mix together in spray bottle then spray in bathtub let sit for 1 to 2 hours then wipe away with cloth and rinse. 

This actually worked nicely in her kids bathtub. She said she did not have to scrub at the "ring around the tub" it just wiped away.  So this worked!  Good to know!  Can't wait to try it for my bath tub now!  

Have you tried a pin that you can prove right or wrong!?  

Let me know!  Respond to this pin or email me stefaniecross2@gmail.com!

Myth Busting Pinterest!

Hope you are all having a great week!  It is so so hot here!  I usually love Arziona summers but the last few days have killed me!  My husband and I are off to Malibu tomorrow( I need the cool break) for his last weekend classes for his Doctorate at Pepperdine!  I am so proud of him!  Only the big dissertation left!

Last week my husband and I were sitting in bed each surfing the internet, he was on some manly site like Art of Manliness and I of course was on Pinterest.  I think he got tired of me saying over and over, that is so cool, or there is no way that is true!  He finally said why don't you find out....why don't you see if any of these pins are even accurate!  And there was born my new weekly posts: Myth Busting Pinterest!  

Every week I will myth bust some of the pins I have seen or you have asked me to myth bust!  Here are the first 2 pin myths that I got to the bottom of!

Pin #1

This pin claims that if you put an ice cube on a furniture indent on your carpet and it (them) melt, the indent will go away.  Original Pin 

Before

During

 Ice Cub Stealer...

After, it worked!  I just had to fluff the carpet a little.  Amazing!

Pin #2:

This pin claims to be "a skinny oreo shake with 118 calories.  Original Pin

Here are the listed contents of the shake.  I have looked up the calories of each item and put it next to them.  This shake is low calorie...but not 118 calories!

1 cup 1% milk = 103 calories

2.5 reduced fat oreos = 116.6 calories

1 tablespoon instant vanilla pudding mix = 18 calories

1 pkg splenda or equal = 0 calories

1.5 cups ice

__________________

Total calories = 237.6

However this makes 2 servings so that is 118.6 calories!  I was extremely surprised to see this was true!  Don't know how it tastes...I can't buy a bag of oreos without eating all of them so I will have to see if any of you try it!  

2 for 2 this week!  I am surprised and impressed!

Have any pins you want myth busted?  Email or leave a comment below and we will figure it out!

Less is More!

I am making chocolate lava cupcakes with cream cheese frosting this weekend for a close friends birthday!  Will post the recipe next week!  Can't wait!

Less is More!  My Less is More post have been my highest viewed posts.  I was trying to figure out why the other day and my husband and I were talking about it, he asked why I like such a clean organized home.  And then it hit me.  Control.  With my auto immune disease, I don't get to control how I feel from one day to the next or what medications I have to take.  So I have to control what I can, my house, my diet, my things.  That is the way I stay sane.  I think people who are following these posts are feeling the same way they just don't know it.  Having things organized no matter what it is from your home, schedule to meals is a way to control the things you have control over.  We all have things in our lives we can't control, so let's take some of that control back and organize the heck out of our lives!!

This week I want to show you my cleaning supplies.  A few weeks ago I went through them all and thought what do I really use.  Being a germ a-phobic (most people with a chronic illness are) I always have to have bleach on hand.  But what else do I HAVE to keep?  I got rid of a sack full of cleaning supplies I hadn't touched in months!  We all have our go to items so just get rid of what you don't need!

This is under my kitchen sink.  Nothing to fancy, but oh so spacious!  I buy multiples of some of the items so I line them up right behind the other one.  The items I HAVE to have are (from left to right):

- Dishwasher soap with bleach

- Dish soap

- My scrubber brush for dishes (nothing sits on my counters or in my sink)

- My new favorite product Pledge Multi Surface (if you haven't tried this you must! cleans granite,  wood, metal, glass, and electronics!  I get the 99.9 antibacterial)

- My go to bleach water mix in a spray bottle

- Air freshener

- Leather cleaner

- Paper towel

- Trash bags  

In the first picture you can see that I keep my dishtowel below the sink, I hate anything on the counter or in the sink.  I just put a little hook down there and then I could hang the towel below the sink but still have fast and easy access to it.  

So just remember that less is more!  Some times the hardest thing is to throw things out you know cost you money, but less stress and less time trying to find the things you need is worth more than money! Some times what I do is find people who would like the things I am discarding or are in need of those items, that way I don't feel like it has gone to waste but I still can free up that space for myself!  

Have a great weekend!

Less is More!

My friend Catherine over at FEST who guest posted for The Forward Home a few weeks ago has issued a challenge to her readers.  I am going to issue the same challenge to you in my Less is More post this week.

She has challenged her readers to join her on her journey to not buy any new clothes.  Catherine is the woman and is doing it for 1 year!  But she has given different timing options to choose from.  I thought The Forward Home could support her and not buy any new clothing for 1 month.  I do not count trading in clothes at consignment stores and buying with credit since that is not money but other than that NO NEW CLOTHES!

I have started to revamp my closet this summer just like I have been doing in every other room in my house.  I have come to the perfect minimalist closet but still have a few items I need to make it perfect.

For me I only have this in my closet:

2 pairs of Jeans - one causal one dressier
3 pairs of dress pants for work: tan, white, grey
4 skirts: a pencil strip black, plain black, white skirt, and black and white
3 dresses: black, yellow and grey
I don't know how many exact shirts I have but if I don't wear them at least every 2 weeks I got rid of them.  This was the hardest part and had to go in stages.  But I paired it down to a minimum and I got rid of all but 1 casual shirt since I like to be mostly dressy
Shoes (my weak link):  2 pair black high heels (one sparkly), 1 gold pair high heels, 1 brown pair high heels, 2 flip flop flats (1 casual, 1 dressy), and 2 pairs of flats (one black, one brown), workout shoes.

Here is my closet.  There are some baskets I am not showing with my socks, underwear and workout clothes but this is all I have other than those baskets and it works out great!

Shirts, sweaters and dresses in the back

My shoes minus two pair of sandals that are on the ground

I still am having a hard time getting rid of this I got rid of some but most of it people have given me...Guess I am too sentimental!  

And now you have seen ALL of my clothes! I hope you join me on the FEST challenge!  Comment below if you are going to join!  Here is to not being prisoner of your things :)