A little organization goes a long way

Getting Your Bathroom in Order...

* By Heather J. Paper

Everyone has a morning bathroom routine, and with some strategic space planning, it can be streamlined to make you even more efficient each a.m. (and let you sleep a few extra minutes, too)...consider creating specific task zones that can you save some steps and help get you out the door on time.

THE BIG PICTURE
(A few great tools)
Magnetic canisters keep bathroom essentials in one spot.
A small cabinet is perfect for organizing everyday items.
Decorative storage containers organize and add style.
Exhaust all storage options with a clever shower door organizer.

...good space planning is paramount. Like a kitchen with an efficient work triangle, a well-planned bath relies on the smart placement of fixtures — an area for grooming (the vanity), an area for bathing (the shower and/or tub), as well as the toilet...(each vanity should be equidistant from the tub and toilet). Don't presume, either, that all the essentials need to line the perimeter of the room. "Bathrooms that have 'dance floors' in the middle of them are a waste of space," adds Quinn. "Float the vanities or a gorgeous tub in the middle of the room rather than sticking everything against the walls."

FINE-TUNING TASK ZONES
...It's important to have everything you need for each task close at hand. At the vanity, for instance, "I like to put everything I use on a daily basis in one place: the medicine cabinet," says Seattle designer Rick Baye. "That way, there's never any question where anything is." Quinn adds that, beyond organization, there's a "neatness" factor to be considered as well. "A space will always look larger when the clutter on countertops is removed. I like to put old wooden boxes, or decorative mirrored and metal boxes, on the countertop. They're a great way to conveniently hide the clutter, especially if a client doesn't have a medicine cabinet or ample drawer space."

Instead of keeping towels and washcloths down the hall in a linen closet, add storage right in the bathing zone. Even a sliver of space can be devoted to built-in floor-to-ceiling shelves, allowing easy access to linens. But furniture is moving into the bathroom, too, so look for a handsome cabinet or, says Quinn, use an old armoire. Behind the closed doors of these storage pieces you can organize not only thick, thirsty towels, but also all kinds of soaps, bath salts and sponges...

DETAILS THAT WORK
Even if your bathroom isn't arranged into the ideal task zones, there are ways you can make it work more efficiently:

Use a two-tiered mobile cart, putting your favorite oils and soaps on the top level and towels down below. Then, at bath time, simply roll it over next to the tub. "There are many mobile pieces that can provide that little bit of extra storage in a bathroom and not take up too much space," says Quinn.

In a shared or family bath, boxes and bins are a great way to give each person his or her own space and keep them organized as well. Put the family member's name of the front of the basket or bin and there's never a question as to whose stuff is where. Most importantly, though, keep them close to the task at hand.

Another way to use containers, says Baye, is to devote each one to a specific purpose. "I like to use plastic, hinged-top boxes that you can see through," he says. "One box might be devoted to 'cutting,' including things like bandages, gauze, nail clippers and cuticle scissors, while another might be for 'dental care,' including floss, extra toothpaste and things like that."

Quinn also has a smart solution for small appliances. "I like to install plugs at the back of lined drawers," he says, "so curling irons and blow dryers can be plugged in, used and stored again without ever messing with the cords."

Source: http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/getting-your-bathroom-in-order/index.html, accessed August 1, 2010

Prepare your home for rolling into Fall

Fall Home Preparation

by Mary Ann Romans

Once you get through with all of the back to school work, it is time to start thinking about how you can prepare your home in the fall to make it more efficient and a lot more green. Typically, in most areas, when winter comes, we use more energy to keep our home comfortable. Let us reduce that dependence with some savvy, but easy, home preparation.

One of the best things that you can do for your home in the fall is to eliminate as many drafts as possible. Of course, there are the walls, especially those of the foundation to address, the attic and around windows and doors. But there are also some other hidden draft spots, such as your fireplace or chimney, around electrical outlets and light fixtures and the entrance for your dryer vent hose. Also make sure to take down window air conditioners and close the fireplace flue when not in use.

Speaking of fireplaces, they can actually rob your home of a good deal of heat. You can change this by fitting in a wood burning stove, use an electric fireplace insert or a direct vent natural gas insert.

Another spot that can use some insulation is your hot water heater. If you insulate the hot water pipes, then your heater will not have to work as hard at maintaining the hot temperature, and therefore, it will use less energy. Use pipe insulation and cover the first nine feet of the pipe leading from the hot water heater, as well as any exposed pipe.

There are plenty of other things you can improve or replace for the fall. Why not replace your toilet with a low flush model or at least add a brick or other weight to the tank to reduce your water usage. Low-flow shower heads can also reduce your water usage.

If you don't already have one, install a programmable thermostat
. This will keep your energy usage down while you are away from the home or, or while you are sleeping.

Source: http://green-living.families.com/blog/fall-home-preparation, accessed August 1, 2010 @ 10:30a.m.