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3 quick & easy tips on how to effectively clean up after the holidays

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Okay so lets be honest, cleaning up after any event yet alone the holidays is probably the least fun thing to do. Oh the dreaded CLEAN UP . The worst part about all of this is you will probably end up doing it alone. DUN DUN DUUUUUUN!!! Well no need to worry any longer, Judi is here to help you combat this issue and end the New Year on a positive note.  

Below are 3 Tips that will help you master this process:

  1. Rock your Body — Adding music (your favorite tune) while you clean up really helps with your mood. According to many studies music actually triggers the releases of the ‘pleasure chemical’ dopamine. This is the same chemical that gets released when you eat your favorite food like pasta, French fries, or my old favorite vanilla bean cheesecake. I’m hungry now. By the time you finish, you’d be in such a great mood you’ll probably end up cleaning up the whole house.
  2. Ready set GOOO!!! — Using a timer to time yourself both keeps your attention and also makes the process fun. Yes the "F" word again. Here are three reasons why timers are beneficial to use.
    1. It helps you transition from an un-preferred activity to a preferred one. For example, put your timer at 30 minutes. Now you have 30 minutes to finish cleaning up. When those 30 minutes passes, you will be done and now you can move on to doing something you enjoy doing.
    2. It makes it easier to stay on task. When cleaning it’s easy to lose focus and get distracted but when a timer is included your likelihood of going off course is less likely.
    3. It helps make cleaning feel like a game. Who doesn’t like playing games? I do!
  3. Give it a Home — If you didn’t listen to the previous suggestions this one is the most important. In order for your space to remain clean after cleaning up it is important to put everything back in its place. Put your faux tree back in its box, put the decorations (in 1 box) back where it goes and don’t forget to remove those holiday lights outside and put them back in their home.

P.S., a quick way to put away Christmas Light is to first unplug them, then fold them in a V-shape motion, next scrunch them together, then wrap the remaining wire around the center then you’re done! Click here for detailed instructions

Be Wonderful!

Top 10 2016 New Years resolutions for the HOME

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Lets get right to it ...  

1. Arrange your furniture to increase positive energy (Feng Shui) — It’s believed that everything and everyone possess a certain energy (chi), and how we arrange objects in our spaces can affect all aspects of our lives. The belief is that there’s a prime place for every object (bed, books, couch, desk even for small things like books) and by moving it to its proper location, we can benefit. Check out this article for further explanation on the benefits of arranging your furniture to gain a happier life. Click here

2. Schedule your Cleaning  Creating a weekly cleaning list allows you to clean your home faster, in a more effective way, and guarantees that all important areas and items that need to be cleaned are not overlooked. In my experience my cleaning list has helped me tackle every corner in my house in less time than without the list. Definitely a game changer! Check out this free printable

3. Appreciate your Home — it may sound funny but the best thing you can do for your home is to show your appreciation. What I mean by that is talking to your house more. For example, every time you walk through the front door say “Hi House” or when you leave tell it “Bye House and thank you for protecting me” If you are like me and believe that the things around us hold on to energy and that energy reflects on to us then this tip is for you.

4. Get rid of unnecessary stuff — I know this tip may be a difficult one to stick to but it’s the most important of all the tips to date. The saying ” the less stuff we have, the better life is” is actually true. What this means to me is the less baggage/items we have to worry or thing about, the more we are able to focus on important things. The easiest way to get rid of your stuff is to use the 1-in-2-out method. This means if you bring home one item, you have to get rid of two items. Though this process works well, the most effective process is to in one day get rid of all items in your home that don’t ignite happiness. What I’m saying is when you put an item in your hand and it doesn’t spark joy then that item needs to go. Remember less is more.

5. Become a Minimalist — When transitioning to a minimalist lifestyle you will first need to remove all things you don’t need in order to focus on what you do need. Instead of indulging our lives with material possessions therefore creating stress, we should create spaces that fill up our lives with meaning rather than stuff.

Minimalistic Living Space

6. Fix all items that need repairing (annual inspections) — because our home is our sacred place, it is crucial we treat it that way. From fixing the A/C to the tiny hole on your bedroom wall, our homes deserve to be cared for at all times.

7. Downsize to one television in the home — this concept was a challenge for me in the beginning because the TV in my bedroom had always been comforting at night. I grew up with a TV in the bedroom yet alone all rooms and thought this was the norm. It wasn’t until one Monday morning I was brave enough to take the plunge and haven’t look back since. According to statistics, we are more likely to sleep longer hours and connect better when the TV is out of the bedroom. The reason I suggest downsizing to one TV in the house is because it just better to do so. The less TVs in the home the better everything else.

8. Change all air filters monthly — this unfortunately is a task many of us don’t do as often. It’s usually put on the back burner because we don’t see the dirt in the air so that means it doesn’t exist. Right? Well that’s wrong of course. Once you make the habit of changing your filters often at least once a month, you’ll reap the benefits.

9. Start Gardening and Grow your own produce — as we all know most of the produce bought in the stores are doused with pesticides which are bad for us. Sure you can buy organic which is a better alternative than conventional but can be very expensive. The best option is to grow them your self. You not only skip the middle man you get to monitor what happens to your produce and of course see it GROW.

10. Add beautiful things around your home — this goes hand in hand with appreciating your house. A great way is to add beautiful items, flowers and/or plants around it. For example, adding a bamboo plant to your home is used to achieve harmony in your home. The Areca Palm plant can remove all indoor air toxins, which if you didn’t know is a thing. Who knew! While the Snake Plant converts CO2 into oxygen at night. The great advantage of having these plants is that they are easy to maintain especially for those who lack a “green thumb”. Check out these plants! They're beautiful.

Be Wonderful!

3 ways cleaning out your refrigerator can save you MONEY$$$

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Let me not waste your time talking about my experience and how cleaning out my fridge saved me money. In order for you to understand how, it’s best you read the below.

Step #1 – Clean it Out — This is the most important step out of all of them because a dirty and cluttered fridge will not only cause you to buy items you already have but also it is not good hygiene. With that said, empty out your entire fridge (freezer included) and place every single item on a flat service.

Next, only keep the items that you actually use and that have not expired. Finally, put the items back in the fridge but make sure all like items are together and that the most used items are in the front of the fridge. Great job, Step #1 is complete.

Step #2 – List it — Because writing things down allows us to focus on what’s at hand, creating a grocery list makes it much easier for us to remember what needs to be purchased.

Step #3 – Put them in the right place — The importance of putting items in its correct location makes a big difference when saving money. Removing these items from your fridge can also free up space and improve the taste and quality of your food. If you click here you will see what I mean. It really makes a difference.

The only challenging aspect of the three strategies is that you have to do it. The moment you create a process for yourself, in no time the money will be rolling in.

HAPPY SAVING $$$

Gifts for him — yes another one of these (organizing inspired)

So this is a topic most people search for when looking for a gift for their significant other especially during the Holidays. The truth is all you really have to do and see what he’s in to. at least at the moment. Is he an electronics guy who loves everything technological or is he a fashion guy who is on top of the new trends. Whatever type of man you are with, the most important part is that you care enough about him to give. Who are we kiddin’ give him what he wants!

Here are 11 gift ideas to give that special man in your life:

Front Pocket Wallet

From the words of a man’s mouth” This wallet is a lifesaver. My pockets are no longer fat and protruding out and my buns are sore no more. I’m also able to find my credit cards faster and due to its small size I don’t have to worry about junk in my wallet”.

Watch Organizer with brand new watch inside

Other than a brand new watch being the front-runner, a watch station is an added bonus because it allows him to see his beautiful watches each time he passes by them. It reminds him how much thought his significant other put into his gift.

Leather Camera Bag #1

Leather Camera Bag #2

For photography lovers both options are amazing gifts. Whether you are a top photographer at an event or just an amateur photographer stepping into the industry, these bags will set him apart from the others.

All Expense paid NIGHT OUT

First of all I will like to THANK all men who always pick up the check and never let their woman pay, this gift is especially for you. This gift lets him know how appreciated he is and that we can be spontaneous. They wont see it coming!!!!

New Shoes on a Shoe Storage Rack

You may be thinking why would I give my man a shoe rack but you should be thinking why wouldn’t I give my man shoe rack. Giving him shoes along with a shoe rack keeps all of his shoes in one place so you can claim back the space that was once yours.

New Video Games on a Game Center Storage Rack 

Gaming is probably my least favorite thing to participate in but he loves it. So in order to create a happy median, pairing games with a game storage makes him excited while giving him a place to put all his games and stuff when he’s done (And it looks pretty).

A Storage Shed for his Lawn Equipment

If you’re like me and consider the garage as being a place that needs to be organized and clutter free as the rest of the house then a storage shed is ideal. It not only hides the unsightly equipment your man loves, it plays the role as an additional storage for other items that don’t necessarily have a place in the garage or in the house. He wouldn’t even know that you secretly bought it for yourself.

Robe with house slippers

This gift is usually the norm when it comes to gifts for men but it never fails. It’s a gift that lasts for many years plus it’s a good reminder for him each time he gets out of the shower;)

Sport Tickets

No brainer. Should I say more? Just make sure you wrap it up in a box so he doesn’t see it coming. No need to spoil the surprise!

Noise Cancelling Headphones

This is ideal for the times you want him in the same room with you even though you are making noise in the kitchen or talking to that best friend of yours. He can just pop these on and watch his favorite show or game on his phone or laptop without hearing a single thing.

Groupon Package of Different Adventures

Because there are so many choices to choose on Groupon from the possibilities are endless. You can pick from 3 to 10 different adventures you and him can do together. He will love it because all of the choices will be things he loves to do and not to mention it is thoughtful. Just be sure you are aware of when they expire.

Be Wonderful!