Make Your Bed & Get Ahead!: Spring Cleaning 101

You can't keep sweeping your messes under the rug!
Our cleaning tips are hardcore so take off those silly stilettos and get to work!

Yes, it's true that Punxsutawney Phil has decided that there will be six more weeks of winter but we believe that its time to check-in with ourselves and see how those resolutions are going, especially if it means we can get some spring cleaning out of the way! 

We know that the last thing you're looking forward to doing is sorting your junk drawer but think of all the spare change (and other helpful odds and ends) you might discover! (Surprise shopping fund anyone?!)

It might still be February, but if that urge to pull out some spring-y accessories is cramming your closet, here are some strategies that might help minimize the stress!

If you're the type of nester that tends to get sentimental with lots of "things", the key thing to remember is that less is more when it comes to being organized. It might be hard to part with sticky notes that evoke a memory from a funny office conversation but if it's really necessary to keep, hide stacks of "things" under or behind wire curtain panels so that they're (prettily) out of the way and you can re-visit them later.

Brighten up your home workspace with colorful organizational tools like boxes and file containers that are the same shade. The uniformity will add some method to your madness and will brighten the room and your disposition when you can easily access important items.

A place for everything and everything in its place!

Start small. The mission of "clutter control" might just mean that you learn to eliminate the unnecessary paper build-up by the phone or the stack of receipts on your desk. Take baby steps to eliminate the clutter in the first place by finding ways that prevent you from getting lost in a mess in the first place!

Adding a feminine touch to your organization can be fun and creative! We loved Martha Stewart's lattice shed board for hanging tools. For the more advanced organizer, painting the lattice to match your door (or staining it so that it stands out) makes a cleaning project a fun, hands-on art project!

Lastly, find a system for yourself. If you know that doing something a certain way actually helps you to stay organized, then don't change it! The worst thing is re-learning where you put everything so stay simple and stress-free!

Matching your organization tools to already established color schemes
helps you keep the things you love while ditching the mess!


Other links to love: Good Housekeeping, INeedMoreTime.com & Don't Get Bit by the Clutterbug

Are you a fan of 'the closet hanger challenge'? Got tips for keeping clean without spending green? Comment below or 'like' us on Facebook.

We'd love to hear your tips and share them!

How To: Make New Year's Resolutions Stick

It's what we're all thinking...

Drink less alcohol. Eat healthy food. Get a better job. Get fit. 

How long is your list of resolutions for the year ahead?

If you're anything like the statistics we found, you're more than likely to give up on your ambitious goals anytime after your first month. We're not saying that to discourage you. In fact, we're hoping you're up for the challenge and, if so, we have a few pointers that just might give you the confidence you need to finally make those resolutions stick!

1. Make your goals realistic and attainable: If your plan is to lose weight, plan a realistic goal for yourself. You can always add more to a task later but by starting out small you can aim for big, overall success.
2. Work with a friend: Sometimes its easier to work in a team. This is an effective way to reach goals on a timeline when you are part of an encouraging group. (It's like having you're own built-in cheerleaders or personal trainers!) Your successes will be their successes and you can work collaboratively on the parts of your goal that might prove to be more difficult.
3. Rewarding yourself is okay: Every so often, a little compensation for a job well done is in order. But, be careful! Stay away from "days off" and instead do less. In lieu of completely giving up for a day, allow yourself to take a mini-vacation and do something that makes you happy but maybe temporarily takes the focus off the one task you're trying to accomplish. You might even feel better about being able to get back on track once you've taken a short break!
4. Give yourself credit: Some goals (like quitting cigarettes) are harder to achieve than basic and simple adjustments to a lifestyle. When dealing with goals that encourage the breaking of habits, sometimes its better to set intervals of scaling back bad behavior or adverse habits and also more manageable. You'll feel more accomplished if you can accomplish pieces of your plan instead of building up anxiety when you don't meet your mark.
5. Don't give up!: Stay focused. Even if you slip, don't beat yourself up about it. Twelve months is a long time to set and accomplish any given task so while there's room for error, there's also room for success!

Whether you are trying to save money or you just to want to plan a trip, we're rooting for you! Send us suggestions you have for meeting your new goals in 2012 by commenting below, on our Facebook page or on Twitter by following @COSMOpolitique!

Here's to a happy and healthy 2012 & may all of your resolutions be successful!