my favorite laundry gimmick

Do you have a guilty pleasure that you use that you're too afraid to admit? Like something you purchased from QVC or those As Seen on TV ads? A gimmick that makes your life easier? While yours may be The Bumpit or The Magic Brownie Pan, mine is the Flip Fold.

Go ahead, snicker.

A year ago, while I was still working fulltime, I desperately needed my kids to help with the folding of their own laundry. When I stumbled upon this at the Container Store, I somehow knew this was the answer. It seems silly (and potentially lazy), a tool that folds your laundry for you. But to them it was a fun toy. To me it was a means to an endless pile. Did I mention that it creates perfect folds, like the shirt shown above? I must admit, I use it more than they do and I'm not about to kick my habit.

What gimmick makes your housekeeping easier?

coloring fun

My friend from college has created a site with some sweet coloring pages for his daughter. Thank goodness John has decided to share the love. Below is one of my favorites, On The Plains. Don't you think his illustration style is pretty fabulous?

january week one: clothing control

Gyms love it. Weight-loss centers love it. The Container Store loves it. January: the month of resolutions and new beginnings. And I love it too. As I shared on my last post, 2012 is dedicated to simplifying my life through having less.

Elfa storage solutionA few months ago while I was researching concrete countertops, Fu-Tung Cheng discussed green solutions in countertops. He kept it simple: The greenest countertop you could possibly own is the one you already own. The second greenest countertop you could own is the one someone else already owned. You follow? This caused me some serious reflection on my current inventory of stuff.

After installing our closet systems last week, I found that I fell back in love with many pieces of clothing that didn't look so appealing when they were wadded up in a drawer. Other pieces I promptly gave away to a girlfriend who would do them better justice than I did. The same for my daughters' clothes. For all the clothes that we decided needed to go, we are planning a clothing swap with friends. Anything that does not swap from this will go to Goodwill. If we don't use it, love it, or miss it, then it needs to go to someone who will. 

My focus for this week is clothing control. Love it or leave it. This goes for jewelry and accessories too. If they are hanging idlely in our closets, then they are wasting time and space. Someone else will love them more and I'm determined to get them into their hands.

What small (or big) change will you enact this week that will simplify your life?

2012 resolution

Simplify.

Barcelona chair by Mies van der Rohe

A life less complicated. Is that an unrealistic resolution? Less full of "stuff." Less busy. Less spending. Less consuming. Didn't architect Mies van der Rohe have it right when he said "Less is more?"

Now for the mores. I want more time. More quality experiences with my family. More health. More meaningful relationships. More saving. More frugality. More growth.

To keep me on track, each month will have a different focus.

January: organize & declutter

February: budgeting

March: spring cleaning

April: uplifting influences

May: diet & healthy habits

June: self-evaluation & goal setting

July: family

August: education

September: schedule & time management

October: creativity

November: gratitude

December: giving

I've jumped-started my January by installing three closet systems over Winter Break. Boy, has this forced me to purge and organize! I will make sure to blog about our journey to simplicity by documenting our process along the way. Here's to a life less complicated!

inchmark holiday cards

My friend Brooke has designed a series of tasteful cards for Tiny Prints. True to her roots as a designer and art director at Martha Stewart, Brooke's style is uncomplicated and straightforward. Don't you love the simplicity of her work? It's very refreshing amidst the sea of overstimulated cards that come pouring in this time of year.

In addition to being a designer, Brooke is a mom, blogger and crafter. Visit her blog, inchmark, to see many of her projects, past and present.