7-Day Plan: Get a Spotless, Beautifully Organized Home Office

Hello Friends,

7-Day Plan: Get a Spotless, Beautifully Organized Home Office

Start your workday with a smile in a home office that’s neat, clean and special to you

Laura Gaskill (May 21, 2014)

Why spend time getting your home office in order just as summer is about to begin, and the last thing you want to think of is work? Because a messy home office only gets in the way of summer plans, that’s why!

Piles of work papers and to-dos are visual reminders of things you don’t want to be doing — putting in a little extra effort to button up your home office will help streamline your home for summer, so you can move on to the fun stuff.

This plan will help you clear the clutter and put systems in place to make it easier to keep things looking good all year.

Make a plan of attack

How big your home office is, and just how packed full of stuff it is will make a huge difference in how much time you’ll need to devote to get it in shape.
If you use your home office regularly, or if your home office is large or has accumulated a lot of clutter, plan to spend a few longer stretches of time on a weekend and follow up with shorter tasks during the week.

If it’s a small space or not too cluttered, you may be able to compress the plan into a single weekend — read it over before beginning and tailor it to work for you.

Day 1: Deal with paper.

Decluttering tasks: What is all of that clutter? Do you even need to keep this stuff? This is the day to find out. At the end of today’s tasks, your home office may very well look worse than when you began — consider yourself warned!

o    Do some research. Sometimes we keep things simply because we are not sure if it’s OK to throw them out. Go on a fact-finding mission (call your tax preparer or search online) and figure out what you need to keep and for how long.

o    Sort and stack. Work your way through your home office, pulling every loose paper out of drawers, shelves, cupboards etc. As you go, sort your stuff into categories as best you can, shredding and tossing what is no longer needed.

o    Make quick temporary labels for your category piles with a marker on plain paper — it’s amazing how quickly you can lose track of what goes where.

o    Set aside anything that does not belong in your home office and make a point of returning it to where it belongs (or to whom it belongs to) today.

Cleaning tasks: Keep a shredder, recycling bin and trash can nearby for obvious junk mail and garbage.

Day 2: Make some space.

Decluttering tasks: Pour yourself a big cup of coffee or tea, because you’ll need the boost to get through today’s task — but when you’re done, your workspace should be feeling significantly better.

o    Pull every (nonpaper) item out of your desk and office storage and sort it into piles, placing like with like —for instance, all letter writing supplies in one pile; everything computer related in another.

o    Now take a closer look at those piles, removing unneeded duplicates (do you really need three staplers?) and anything that doesn’t belong in your office.

o    Armed with the knowledge gained on your fact-finding mission on Day 1, dip into your files and see if there are papers you can safely get rid of. 

o    If you want to move toward a paperless home office, go online today and set up paperless statements and billing.

Day 3: Get organized.

Decluttering tasks: Think outside the file box to find an organizational system that works for you. Rather than going to an organizing store first, see what you can use around your home. It’s more important to give everything that has been sitting out in piles a permanent home than it is to buy new containers. Here are a few ideas for organizing your home office:

o    A grid of clipboards on the wall can make for a handy place to keep papers organized.

o    Wall-mounted cups keep frequently used supplies neat and within reach.

o    Cups and bowls borrowed from the kitchen make great desktop and drawer organizers.

o    Labeled, open-top baskets on shelves are great for people who like piles.

o    Traditional files are still useful for important documents.

See more wall organizers

Day 4: Freshen up.

Cleaning tasks: Give yourself a big pat on the back, because the hardest work is now behind you! Today is all about making your home workspace fresh and clean, so it will be a healthier, more pleasant place to spend time in.

o    Vacuum your home office from top to bottom. Use an attachment to clean window treatments, high corners and fabric lamp shades.

o    Wipe down shelves and surfaces with a damp microfiber cloth.

o    Use monitor wipes to clean your screens.

o    Use a keyboard cleaner to blow dust from between the keys or gently clean them with cotton swabs.

o    Bring in some fresh plants to help clean the air.

Day 5: Consider comfort.

Decluttering tasks: How comfortable is your home office? If you use your workspace often, it’s important to have an adjustable chair with proper support, good lighting and perhaps a small stool to put your feet up on. See what you can do today to make your home office more comfortable.

Day 6: Add a personal touch.

Decluttering tasks: The beauty of a home office is that you can emphasize the home part as much as you like. Bring in family photos that make your smile or treasures from your travels; drape a beautiful textile over your chair; or store your office supplies in pretty fabric or woven baskets and china teacups. Cut a few fresh flowers from the garden and place them in a vase on your desk. Light a scented candle while you work. Do whatever makes your office feel more like you.

Day 7 and beyond: Do daily maintenance.

Decluttering tasks: 

o    Aim to handle paper as soon as you get it, rather than letting it pile up. If you don’t have time to do this daily, set up an inbox with slots for a few broad categories (bills, work, school etc.) so papers will be easier to handle later.

o    Post a note detailing what you should save and for how long.

o    Schedule a weekly time to empty your inbox.

Cleaning tasks: 

o    Straighten up your home office before you are done working each day. Bring the coffee cups back to the kitchen and completely clear your desktop.

Tell us: What is the biggest cleaning or decluttering problem you face in your home office?

11 New Kitchen Cabinet Ideas You'll See More of This Year

Hello Friends,

11 New Kitchen Cabinet Ideas You’ll See More of This Year

Black, high-gloss, embossed and other new cabinet looks are popping up in homes

Yanic Simard           January 22, 2018

If you’re looking to update your kitchen style for the new year with something different, you might consider reworking your cabinets. These new cabinet ideas will likely be showing up more in 2018, but I’m betting you’ll be seeing them around for years to come.

1.        Embossed fronts. While we might think of modern style cabinets as having minimalist flat-front doors and drawers, many companies now are producing fun versions with embossed patterns, adding a sense of texture and personality while still maintaining a modern sensibility. You can opt for simple linear grooves, like the previous example, or a fun geometric shape like this charming fish scale pattern. Embossed cabinet doors look especially great in a dark, glossy finish, with reflected light catching the pattern and making it pop.

2.        Jewel tones. Speaking of dark colors, after so many years of white kitchens being the dominant look, we’re definitely finding that more and more people are now choosing to use rich, deep hues, with jewel tones being particularly popular.
Classic jewel tones like amethyst, sapphire and emerald introduce an unmissable dose of color to shake up the all-white mold. They feel sophisticated and timelessly luxurious, making them a safer long-term choice than, say, bright orange or trendy pink.

3.        Blue. For those who want a little color in the kitchen but not such a radiant tone as jewel purples, a soft, friendly blue is another timeless choice. But lately, we’ve had more clients looking for this hue than ever before.

4.        4. Mesh inserts. Glass door cabinets and open shelves continue to be popular ways to make a kitchen seem more open and airy, but many homeowners prefer to keep their storage a bit more discrete behind closed doors.

Metal mesh inserts are a great middle ground, giving a slight peek at what’s inside the cabinet but without putting your stored goods on full display. I’ve used mesh inserts instead of glass on many recent projects. It works beautifully in both traditional homes and contemporary designs with some transitional flair, bringing a slight sense of old-world charm.Consider using mesh inserts on the “upper-upper” cabinets in a tall space on a full pantry wall … or on a single cabinet at a specific station like a mixing center or coffee bar.

5.        Metallics. For those homeowners who love the crisp, industrial appeal of steel, why stop at the appliances? Consider bringing that “chef’s kitchen” vibe to your entire set of cabinets.

Stainless steel door and drawer fronts give a cool, ready-to-work look to your cabinets, for serious home chefs or just fans. For those who find that steel looks a bit too cold, there are also many effects inspired by gold, brass or bronze. These can be created with foil finishes and other techniques that provide a metallic gleam for a Midas touch kitchen look. You can opt for a more matte foil finish, like the previous example, or a highly reflective metallic version like this glam modern kitchen.

Either way, your cabinets will definitely stand out and bring a warm glow to your kitchen from sunrise to sunset. Keep in mind, of course, that glossier finishes will show fingerprints more readily, so you’ll have to decide whether the look is worth the extra upkeep.

6.        High gloss in dark tones. Metal isn’t the only finish that can bring a glossy sheen to a kitchen. Lacquered or lacquer-look cabinets are a powerful option, and many suppliers at every level now offer high-sheen cabinets. In a murky tone like a charcoal gray, the deep, mirror-like appearance becomes all the more noticeable.

7.        Gray. Is gray the new white? It’s hard to say for sure, but for those who like a light and airy look but are tired of white, a sumptuous gray or gray-beige is the next best thing.
At first thought, you might expect gray to seem cold and off-putting. However, as you can see in these examples, a wide range of tones, from charcoal to clay to just-off-white, make an excellent complement to wood floors or shelves for a welcoming palette that feels anything but chilly.

8.        Sliding doors. Barn-style doors on a sliding track have become a very popular choice for interior doors, both as a functional solution in tight spaces and as a style statement. Now they’re starting to pop up more and more in kitchen cabinets as a fun way to create a gallery-case look.

A sliding door on a set of uppers combines the appeal of open shelves with the tidiness of a classic door cabinet, and it works in farmhouse style kitchens and modern spaces alike. Plus, not having to swing a door open and shut will make your kitchen feel just a bit bigger, and it makes a world of difference when two cooks are in the kitchen.

9.        Two-tone cabinets. Throughout this article you can find many examples of two-tone cabinets, which feature upper and lower cabinets in different colors. Here’s a twist that takes the idea to another level: using two-tone doors on individual cabinets. For example, this breezy kitchen uses a single row of wood drawer fronts on otherwise white cabinets to get just a little touch of natural interest and a fun personality.

This idea is a great one to consider for people who want to give cabinets a little update but not a complete overhaul. You can swap out a few drawers or doors and leave the remaining ones as is to get a unique mix.
Alternately, if you have wood cabinets and want to freshen up the look without completely removing the wood, consider having some of the door or drawer fronts painted while leaving some wood elements remaining, to get the best of both worlds.

10.     Mixing modern and traditional styles. Speaking of not wanting to choose, many homeowners and renovators are deciding not to choose only modern or only traditional cabinets. Instead they’re using a mix of both to create spaces that are rich with inviting character while looking current and interesting.

This kitchen, for example, uses crisp white traditional drawer and door fronts on the lower cabinets and flat, glossy upper doors in a coordinating taupe-hued off-white for a disparate style that comes together beautifully.

11.     Black. Finally, let’s end on bold black: the ultimate punctuation mark in interior design. While black can seem gothic and harsh, when used to dress a wall of kitchen cabinets, and balanced with a few elements of crisp white, stark black makes for a sophisticated statement.

While black is hardly new, we do find more and more clients being bold and asking to include some elements of black to bring a stately appeal to their kitchen, especially when used as part of a two-tone look.

Using black on the lower cabinets, or a pantry area, paired with black entry doors and even some modern black fixtures gives a room an effortless, fashionable look.

ERA Skyline Real Estate

3376 Harrison Blvd. 

Ogden, UT 84403

(801)627-6500

To-Dos: Your May Home Checklist

Hello Friends,

To-Dos: Your May Home Checklist
Laura Gaskill May 1, 2018

Get your house and yard in order now, and you’ll be ready to enjoy the summer days ahead.

With Mother’s Day and Memorial Day coming up this month, there is plenty of incentive to get those outdoor spaces ready for entertaining. From scheduling house painting to organizing your outdoor cooking tools, tick these 13 items off your to-do list so you can get to the good stuff: hanging out around the grill, kicking back on the porch and savoring the season. Let the countdown to summer begin!

Things to Check Off Your List in an Hour or Less

1. Check outdoor lighting. Make sure all outdoor lights are in working order, including porch lights, landscape lighting and motion-sensing security lights. Replace bulbs or schedule repairs as needed.

2. Give potted plants some TLC. If you have potted plants that stay indoors over winter, bring them out once the danger of frost has passed. To help your plants acclimatize, find a protected spot out of direct sun for the first several weeks outdoors.

3. Inspect kitchen and bath fixtures. Keeping an eye on these areas can help prevent costly water damage and repairs later on. Make a plan to re-grout or re-caulk around counters and tile as needed. If you come across any slow leaks, have these repaired as well.

4. Check safety devices. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, smoke alarms should be tested at least once a month and replaced every 10 years — even if they still appear to be in working order. Test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors; replace batteries as needed. Check the expiration date on your fire extinguisher and replace it if necessary.

Tackle These Tasks Over a Weekend

5. Get ready for grilling season. Giving your grill a deep cleaning before the start of the season will help it work more efficiently and prevent flare-ups. Clean the grates and interior with a grill brush and wash the exterior with warm, soapy water. Clean and organize your grilling tools (tongs, spatula, skewers) and pick up charcoal or propane if needed.
    If you have a gas grill, be sure to check the fuel line for cracks and clean out any clogged burner holes.

6. Maintain and repair garden paths. Create neat edges, pull weeds, fill in gravel paths with fresh gravel and replace or reposition broken steppingstones.

7. Clean walls and touch up paint. Use a dusting attachment on your vacuum or an electrostatic duster to remove dust from walls, paying special attention to corners and baseboards. For a deeper clean, wipe down walls with warm, soapy water after dusting. Rinse with clean water, using a lint-free cloth. Touch up paint as needed on interior walls and trim.

8. Clean items on open shelves. Infrequently used items stored on open shelves can get pretty grimy over time. For items with a thin layer of dust, swipe with an electrostatic duster. If there is a thicker layer of dust, of if the items are in the kitchen (where cooking grease can be an issue), wash each piece in a tub of warm, soapy water. Rinse and allow everything to dry before replacing.

9. Refresh bedrooms. Rotate the mattresses on all beds and flip over if possible. Dust nightstands, lamps, headboards, blinds and decor. Swap heavy duvets for lighter-weight bedding for the warmer months.

10. Thoroughly clean the laundry room. Run the washing machine with a specialty tub cleaner (or with vinegar for a natural solution) on a hot water cycle. Wipe the rubber rim inside the washer and dryer doors and remove lint from the dryer vent with a vent brush or vacuum attachment. Clean counter tops, mop floors and restock supplies.

Maintenance and Extras to Budget for This Month

11. Paint or stain your home’s exterior. Longer days and generally milder weather make May a good month to schedule house painting. If your home has a wood-shingled exterior, replace any damaged shingles and have a fresh coat of stain applied if needed.

12. Put together a picnic kit. This is the season for alfresco feasts. Be ready for impromptu picnics by sorting through your outdoor dining supplies at the start of the season and keeping a basket of essentials within easy reach.
    Your kit doesn’t need to be extensive to get the job done: a cheese knife, small cutting board, bottle opener and blanket, plus a few outdoor dishes and cups, should see you through many a picnic. Note any supplies you’re missing and restock your basket as needed.

13. Add a relaxing porch feature. Make your porch an inviting place to relax and hang out with the addition of a porch swing, rocking chairs or a glider. Too much sun? Crisp white outdoor curtains can provide shade and look chic. Just add a tall glass of iced tea or lemonade, and you’ll be ready to savor the season in style.

ERA Skyline Real Estate

3376 Harrison Blvd. 

Ogden, UT 84403

(801)627-6500

12 Indoor Gardening Hacks for Spring, No Yard Required

Hello Friends,

12 Indoor Gardening Hacks for Spring, No Yard Required

Adrienne Leonard · Mar 20, 2015

Springtime is at our fingertips, and that means it’s time for us to start training those green thumbs. But if you don’t have a lot of space for an outdoor patio or garden, you’ve gotta be creative and take it indoors. Believe it or not, you actually can have a greener space with or without a yard. Whether you are looking to start your very own herb garden or maybe even grown your own sprouts, we’ve got 12 indoor gardening projects and crazy hacks that’ll have you growing your way to a fresh and flowery spring. We’re sure these budget-friendly tips and tricks will have you digging into some dirt in no time.

1.Go Vertical: Lacking lots of counter space in your tiny kitchen or dining room?DIY your way to a bright and colorful herb garden like this one. 

2. Regrow Green Onions: There’s not much to this project. Just take the scraps left from your green onions, place them in a jar with some water and you’ll have green onions forever. The best part? They only take a week to mature — no watering and no green thumb necessary. (Sweet Disasters)

3. Regrow Celery: Speaking of scraps, here’s another project you can make with your leftovers. All you need is a tin, a celery stalk and some soil, and before you know it you’ll have a full-grown celery plant.

4. Grow Seedlings: Learn the perfect way to crack an egg… to plant something in, that is. You’ll never look at your omelets the same after reading this tutorial on how to use calcium-loaded eggshells to nourish and nurture your budding garden. It’s a great place to start seedlings before

you transfer them to a bigger pot (indoors or out). 

5. Vintage Tin Garden: This space-saving kitchen project is the best thing since sliced bread. Just a quick trip to the thrift store to scour for vintage tins, a few herbs (or whatever) and a windowsill are all you’re going to need to start this gorgeous project.

6. Bottle Gardens: Self-watering plants in this gorgeous design will for sure make your kitchen a happier place. This project may be a little more work up front, but you’ll definitely make up the time and effort with this no-watering technique. Oh, and you can sub the bottles for dixie cups too.

7. Herb Garden Planter: Small space? No biggie. Get this rustic look by planting all of your favorite herbs in one container. This project will definitely save you a last-minute trip to the grocery store for cilantro.

8. Grow Your Own Tree: Feeling ambitious? We can’t think of a more impressive gardening feat than an acorn tree setting its roots in a glass container. Get in touch with your inner horticulturist while you watch this plant take off. 

9. Succulent Planters: Aren’t these just egg-cellent? With the brightly colored succulents and brown recycled eggshells, it’s an adorable project. We’re also thinking this would be a fun place to bring in some more color with a little dyed-egg action.

10. Grow Basil Year-Round: We know basil can be a little finicky to grow at home, but with this tutorial all you’ll need is a little bit of water and some counter space. This also means homemade pesto all year

11. Bring on the Tulips: You’ll have an extra reason to smile while growing these indoor tulips. With just a tiny bit of water, some pebbles and an elegant glass, you can grow your bulbs inside. We didn’t even know how badly we needed this in our lives. 

12. Grow Your Own Sprouts: It’s kinda crazy how much sprouts cost these days. You can start your very own sprout garden in jars for a fraction of the cost. Just make sure they’re close to the window and get plenty of light during the day.

Which project are you going to tackle this weekend? Any indoor gardening hacks we missed?