Designing Your Back-to-School Plan

Time management is of the essence when back-to-school is on the brain.  With multiple kids going in multiple directions, keeping track of schedules, activities, homework, and meals needs more than planning; it needs some designing. 

To keep over-scheduling at bay, have a realistic plan for how much your family can truly take on at once.  That may mean cutting back on extracurricular activities if last year left you feeling overextended.  Keep a master calendar and write in everything that takes up blocks of time: travel, parties, events, meetings, practices, games, and so on.  If it helps, schedule downtime so there is unstructured time to just let everyone “be,” like free weekends or a cleared weeknight.  Have a definite plan for how paperwork moves through your home office area to ensure notices from school come to you and not just the bottom of book bags and birthday party invitations make their way to both the calendar and the shopping list.    

Think ahead to keep last-minute rushing from wrecking your mornings.  After afternoon homework, have the kids pack their backpacks for the next day and store them in their appointed spot so there is no hunting post-breakfast.  If they play sports or participate in other activities, get all that gear together the night before and pre-load the car.  Pick out outfits the night before just before bath and bedtime routines are fully in motion.  That includes laying out everything – belts, jewelry, socks, shoes, and hair accessories.  Those last minute decisions can eat up precious time during busy mornings. 

Type out a master grocery list with columns of your regular household food items and products, print several copies, and highlight things as you run low or run out.  That way, you always have a consistent running list that makes trips to the store organized and thorough.  Pack as much of the lunchboxes as you can after dinner before you clean up the kitchen.  Keep a drawer or part of a shelf in the refrigerator designated for your prepped lunchbox containers.  

Designing a plan to keep your family on track and on time as school gets back in gear will make this fall-to-summer swing so much smoother.  Stay organized and prepared to keep last minute, late-making tasks off your to-list altogether.          

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star August 26th.

  

SIDEswiped

With the sofa taking the main stage in your living room seating, your side tables can take a back seat.  And yet, end tables play important roles in furniture arrangements.  They turn the corners between couches, loveseats, and occasional chairs, are home to lamps, and keep your coasters close.  What types of side tables are best with your furniture and for your style?

Style choices go on and on.  Big and blocky?  Light and feminine?  Wood tones or painted finishes?  Consider your overall furniture style, room orientation, and end table needs.  A curvy, full sofa can accompany a more substantial square table alongside.  A slim, sleek, modern couch with clean lines can cozy up to a round end table with a pedestal style base. 

Side tables can go in various directions with their finishes.  You can match or blend with other wood tones in your flooring, entertainment center, or other furniture.  You can select a piece with a metallic finish to add a different dimension and some formality to the space.  You can add a pop of color that stands out from your other furnishings.  Or you can really branch out with the use of a contemporary butler’s tray, tall lidded basket, or clear acrylic cube.    

End tables’ size should also stay within the depth in inches of your largest piece of furniture.  If your sofa is three feet from front to back, the table beside it should not be larger than three feet across the top.  It’s all about proportion.  For that reason, smaller side tables that are a bit shorter than the standard pieces make great connectors between two occasional chairs.  Whether round, square, or rectangular, tables between side chairs in your seating arrangement can be made to house a couple of coasters and a smaller-scale lamp.  Save any magazines or framed photos over a 4”x6” size for your coffee table, sofa table, or larger end table.  Additionally, larger lamps can take their place on the table between the couch and loveseat. 

For the best position, situate your end tables between furniture pieces to allow for the best traffic flow in and out of the space.  You want it unified and cozy while being easily accessible.  Also, consider the proximity to electrical outlets for lamp chords to best hide them and avoid any tripping accidents.

Ultimately, select pieces you love that really take their place among your furniture and do not just sit idly by.  Maybe you’re in the market for an update or are considering refinishing or adding a new coat of paint to your current end tables.  Because though they are smaller, side tables can be mighty stylish.            

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star August 19th.

10 Things: What You Can Do to Love Your Home More

Your summer vacation may have allowed a night’s stay in “the cutest little place you’ve ever seen.”  Or afternoon heat may be keeping you indoors in front of a home renovation show marathon on TV.  Whatever the cause, we can all get a “case of the blahs” when it comes to our satisfaction level with the state of our place.  Here are 10 simple steps to make a satisfactory comeback before trading in flip flops for closed-toe shoes is even on your radar screen.

1.  Reclaim a Space.  Pick one spot – a kitchen counter, desk, nightstand, dresser, or bathroom counter that you used to be able to see to the bottom of, and clear it.  Sort, throw away, and reorder to get that cluttered surface gleaming.  You never know what that one crystal clear spot might inspire you to work on next.

2.  Do the Shuffle.  Move the furniture around in one room, like your living room or bedroom or other stifled area.  A new look and orientation breathes new energy into a space, and it doesn’t cost a dime. 

3.  Replace Some Bulbs.  Letting burned out bulbs just sit is dreary.  And some old bulbs are still casting a yellow, dated light.  Update to bright white compact florescent bulbs (twisty bulbs, I call them) in key areas, and enjoy the renewed glow. 

4.  Updates Your Photo Frames.  If you display family photos in frames scattered here and there, make it a project to make them current and look for more candid shots in your digital collections to print.  Instead of what the kids looked like six years ago, display moments from your recent trip, the last wedding, or random action shots from this year.           

5.  Turn Knick-Knacks into Collections.  A random display of small decorative items leaves something to be desired.  Focus on groupings – on your end tables, nightstands, coffee table, and shelving – and arrange little collections.  A neat stack of books can be topped off with a candlestick and small figurine.  Put things together purposefully so you have something more artful and less erratic. 

6.  Spruce Your Bathroom.  Store every product and styling gadget out of sight in a drawer, cabinet, or lidded basket.  Hang a fresh hand towel daily.  Set out the “nice” hand soap for everyday use.  Essentially, treat yourself like a hotel guest.   

7.  Be a Pantry Detective.  Go through every staple item in your pantry and fridge in search of expiration dates.  Throw out all the late-date culprits.  Then admire the space you opened up and tidy as you leave.

8.  Make a Small Change.  Buy something small and trivial . . . and love the update.  Seriously, a new paper towel holder, set of salt and pepper shakers, or even a package of bright cocktail napkins can provide a little boost of that happy “I got something new” feeling, and you appreciate it all over again.

9.  Clean Your Windows and Mirrors.  A lot of elbow grease?  Yes.  A better outlook?  Yes. 

10.  Remake the Beds.  A littler fancier turndown service with the covers pulled back and the pillows professionally arranged can make going to bed in your home, sweet home that much sweeter. 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star August 12th. 

Going For Gold

As the Olympics captivate our TV screens, the focus on gold, silver, and bronze is ever-present for these few weeks this summer.  As our star athletes are shining across the pond, it makes me think of all things bright and shiny right here at home.

Metallics can have their place in a variety of décor themes.  You do not have to go all out in order to see some glistening accents in different rooms in your home.  You just have to know how to add little pops in all the right places.  Unless glitz and glam is your main home décor of choice, think small touches.  Framed mirrors in the hallway, over a foyer table, or mounted over the bathroom sink can go beyond wooden edges and take on jeweled or stone pieces, silver or mirrored accents, or other finishes that show off a metallic finish.  Furniture like sofas, occasional chairs, and headboards with a nailhead trim offer a subtle but still standout look of metal work. 

Fabrics can spotlight shining elements as well.  Bed linens and area rugs with woven threading in gold or silver can add a sophisticated touch, just as throw pillows with metal or jewel embellishments can dress up a casual couch.  Fancier touches can also be found in polished candlesticks, metal-framed photos, modern cabinetry hardware, lamps, and other decorations that you pepper across entertainment center shelving, end tables, buffets, hutches, or nightstands. 

Reinforce the word “formal” in your dining room with metallic chargers at each place setting with coordinating napkin rings and a centerpiece worthy of an Olympic podium.  If you have a light fixture overhead with something that sparkles or dangles, chandelier-style, even better.

Bring home your favorite version of the gold and consider your space the winner in every decorating event when you design with Olympic efforts in mind.          

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star August 5th.