get it together.

so, as you can gather from my lack of blogging last week we were away. we went up-north to visit family and celebrate the 4th-a fave holiday of mine. while it was fabulous to get away, i couldn't help but feel restless and ready to get back home. i think that our recent world travels have left me exhausted and a little out of sorts. there's something to be said for having a routine. i thrive on organization and cleanliness and being away for so long has left me feeling a little frazzled. i wanted to share a few tips that always seem to help me get back into the swing of things. they are simple, painless but result in big returns to my piece of mind. i hope they have the same effect for you loves. happy organizing!

it's just so true. making your bed is really the easiest way to make your entire room look neat. i know it can be a pain-especially if you have a mountain of throw pillows like we do. but i promise, if you get into the habit you'll be ready to have people over any time, have a clean oasis to come home to, and most importantly one less thing to do after a long day at work. 

if you're like us and lucky enough to have a washer/dryer on your main level it makes doing laundry (especially dish rags and other kitchen cloths that get dirty really fast) a breeze. i simply drop in cloths and items as i go. when it's full i just drop in a pod (which works for both colors and whites-even together) and hit start. i know it's a little elementary but for me-who is constantly wiping up it's a huge time-saver.

the same can be said for hand-washing the dishes you use on a daily basis. because it's just the two of us we don't typically have enough dishes to run the washer every night- good for the environment-can be a pain on occasion when the item you need is dirty and sitting on the washer racks. because i have coffee every morning and make oatmeal on the stove i simply rinse off the dishes after i cook and leave them on the towel to dry. that way i always know they're ready-to-go and it saves me a few precious minutes in the hectic am rush.

whenever i embark on a health-kick i always like to go buy a few books to help motivate and educate me. it helps for me to identify goals and learn how to achieve them. both these new books are great. jessica alba gives tons of easy tips on how to live a more honest life-using less, doing more and doing it in a more gentle way. while it's geared towards new moms and  young families, i found it extremely interesting and plan on integrating a lot of her advice into my own life. and gwyneth's newest cookbook is full of yummy and clean recipes. they are quick, they are filling and they are easy. what could be better?

i also have a ton of organizational tools around my house which really help me. i can be a bit frazzled and scatter-brained so having all my sewing supplies, grocery lists and weekly calendar all where i can see them and update is a huge help. i really love the market list by rifle paper. it has a magnet on the back and we add to it as the week goes by and i can quickly grab it and do my sunday shopping without having to track down the beau and see what he needs-it's all there. the calendar is also a magnet and dry erase board. super easy, super cute and a super find from rouge and co on etsy. 

and of course, flowers. i try to buy or pick fresh flowers every week. they only cost about $5 a bunch and they make me so happy. i think we ladies should always be flanked in flowers. no need to wait for a boy to buy them-grab a handful for yourself, and while your at it, buy one for the boy too. everyone loves to get flowers!

hope these tips come in handy for you too and give you a few extra minutes each day to hang. loves!