It is amazing how spring-cleaning your home gives you peace of mind. There is no time like the spring to have a good clear out. We all have a wonderful opportunity to make a fresh start and renew our commitment to our priorities before the hot summer comes and we have less energy. In order to move forward and get things done it is important to start from an organized and efficient base. Studies show that de-cluttering is not only good for your home but it is also good for you on an emotional level.
Too much paraphernalia can create confusion leading to lack of decision. Keeping hold of old papers, magazines, electronics and old clothes you no longer need can hold you back from moving on to the future. Being disorganized means you are unready to take the opportunities that life offers: While being organized in your own personal space means you are ready for whatever the future holds.
It is all too easy to collect lots of possessions that take up time and space because they need organizing, keeping clean and looking after. The more possessions you have the more time you spend tidying them up.
Clear you mind by
clearing clutter
Too much clutter can make it difficult to be organized and if you are not organized in your personal space or home it probably means too that you are not organized in your mind. The best way to de-clutter is to start with your bedroom and bathroom and have a good clear out. If you cannot find a place for everything then you have too much stuff. This makes it so much easier to keep the home clean and tidy.
Possessions can be anchors to the past and too many can cause us to look back rather than forward. I must admit to keeping a chest full of family mementoes from my childhood. If it is a family heirloom, keep it. It is an important memory to your family! Other things that don't mean much to you, you could throw out. If you really have too much clutter in your house and you cannot part with it then think about putting some of it in storage.
Teaching the young
to be organized
The world order is changing and where there was a time when we could spend, spend, spend and have everything new. We now need to look at our spending habits. We also need to teach our children to think before they spend. “Do I really need this?” Teenagers feel pressure to consume and keep up with their friends. Children do tend to spend a lot of time in their rooms and can feel overwhelmed by all the clutter; and it can all too easily end up in a mess. It is hard then to expect them to be organized and efficient in their studying if they are living in chaos. Children and teens often need a hand to get it all organized and to de-clutter and find a space for everything. Teaching them how to get organized and stay organized is a habit that will help them when they live on their own.
Separate clothes into four piles: Keep, mend, donate, and throw away. It may be easier and quicker for them to keep clothes stored by outfit. For example, store shirts and blouses with matching trousers, blazers with skirts, rather than by type. It makes life quicker in the mornings as you do not have to think what goes with which.
Benefits of living clutter free:
You will feel relaxed.
You'll have more time for yourself.
Less time looking for things means quicker decisions.
Less dust.
You save money because you will know what you have before you buy.
You will achieve more because you will have fewer barriers to success.
Low Fat Recipe of the Week
Irish Soda Bread
Soda Bread is best served hot.
Ingredients: 2lb of plain flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and 1 pint of buttermilk. If you cannot get fresh buttermilk you can easily make an equally good substitute by adding 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to 1 pint of fresh whole milk.
Method: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Mix ingredients into a bowl adding enough buttermilk to soften the dough. Turn out the dough on a lightly floured cutting board, knead lightly and shape into a round loaf. Lightly butter a baking tray and place the shaped dough onto the tray careful using a knife to create a cross shape on top. Bake the soda bread between 20-30 minutes and serve warm by cutting the bread into slices. As suggested, serve Soda Bread as part your morning breakfast.
Ask Alva
I am worried about my hair as it is very dry and I am losing hair every time I wash it. I am in good health and eat a healthy diet. Is my hair loss connected with the water? — Jane
There are many causes of hair loss:
Desalinated water can damage your hair causing it to break off.
Exposure to the sun can make hair very dry.
Stress can lead to unusual hair loss.
For a fact sheet on desalinated water e-mail me: [email protected] or visit the website www.desalinatedwater.info. — Alva
