The Teen-Girl Zone - Tools to Organize Teenage Girls' Rooms

!±8± The Teen-Girl Zone - Tools to Organize Teenage Girls' Rooms

So, you have bravely decided to roam where more faint-hearted mothers dare not: The Teen-Girl Zone, a.k.a. your daughter's room! You want to help your teenage girls get organized, but you're not sure where to start. Well, as a professional organizer and mother of four teenage girls, I have a few tools to help you get your teenage girls get organized.

Let me encourage you by reminding you that learning any skill takes repetition, reward and coaching. I also have a small word of warning-if you have a rocky relationship with your teenage girl, this could become a bit of a power struggle. You don't want to come between her clutter and emotions. May I suggest that you do a little research and determine what "organizational type" your daughter is. Organizing for Your Brain Type, by Lana Nakone is a valuable resource that will help you decide whether your teenage girl is a people person, innovator, maintainer or prioritizer. Knowing how she needs to organize may reduce your struggles in the Teen-Girl Zone! What is the most fun schedule to get organized? Get in the Zone!

In the Zone

When you help a teenage girl organize her space, start with a few questions:

1. What do you love about your room?
2. What do you dislike about your room?
3. What things are in the right place that you definitely don't want to move?
4. What do you do in your room? (Sleep, dress, read, homework, etc.)
5. Do you like the color and general arrangement of your room?

Knowing the answers to these questions helps get you in the zone and guides the organizational process, helping you see how you can avoid struggle. These questions also give you an opportunity to uncover possible areas for incentive. Would your daughter enjoy new bedding or painting her room? Perhaps you can offer those as rewards to her when she has organized her room and maintained it for one month.

Prepared with the right information, you will have success in the zone.

Zoning

To a local government, zoning means determining how an area is to be used or developed-that's the kind of zoning you are going to help your teenage girl with. You know what zoning means to the average teenager! It's your job to help your teenage girl use these organizing tools to transform teenage zoning to space-use zoning.

Zone One-The Sleep Zone

It may seem obvious, but your daughter will be sleeping in the sleep zone, which includes the area immediately around your daughter's bed. You should ask her what she needs to get a good night's sleep. Make a list of those items and make sure that those items are in her sleep zone.

Some items to consider in the sleep zone are: the bed, pillows, blankets, an alarm clock, and nightstand. Depending on your daughter's habits, she may need a good lamp on her nightstand for reading; reading material; tissues; a water glass; paper and pencil; and chap stick. If there is no room for a nightstand, consider providing your daughter with a basket that can hold the things she needs that can be stowed under the bed or on a nearby shelf. A floor lamp or a lamp that can be clamped to her headboard may be good alternatives for lighting.

Here's a tip that can instantly make your daughter's room look orderly: have her make her bed every day. If this is a habit she has never developed, you could offer to buy her new bedding if she consistently makes it every day for a set period of them - one month is usually long enough to establish a new habit.

The last area to work on in the sleep zone is the space under the bed. Pull every thing out that may be lurking there. Sort through what needs to be kept in the sleep zone, what needs to be stored elsewhere, and what can be thrown away. My girls store bulky items like sleeping bags, overnight bags, and folding chairs under the bed.

Zone Two-The Clothes Zone

The Clothes Zone will probably take the most time of any zone in your teen girl's room to organize. Make sure you have time to complete this project in one session; it could take up to three hours to organize, depending on how many clothes your teen has. You will need storage boxes or bags and cleaning supplies.

I have created a process to help you get your teenage girl's clothes organized. Here are my seven steps to Clothes Zone Heaven!

Step One: Take all of her clothes out of her closet and dresser drawers and create categorized piles.

Pile 1-This season's clothes, shoes and accessories that you are wearing now. Keep only clothes that fit and that you like and use.

Pile 2-Out-of-season clothes, shoes and accessories that you are sure will fit next year and that you like and will continue to use/wear.

Pile 3-All clothes, shoes and accessories that are too small, you don't like, are stained or are beyond repair. (Bag up items to pass on to a sibling or friend. Or, you may want to take usable items to a consignment store or charity. Throw away everything that's in unusable condition!)

Step Two: Take out all games, memorabilia, toys and stuff. Decide what you will keep and what can be given away. Anything in poor repair or missing pieces should be thrown away.

Step Three: Clean the closets and drawers thoroughly while they are empty. Wipe down walls and shelves, and then vacuum the floor and cobwebs along the ceiling.

Step Four: Place this season's clothes, shoes and accessories back into the closet or dresser drawers. Hang or fold all clothes neatly. Make sure that jackets are buttoned or zipped. Group clothes by category: pants; shirts; skirts; and dresses together. Hang belts on hooks or hangers. Consider a shoe organizer, if your teen-girl has lots of shoes.

Step Five: Place off-season clothes, shoes and accessories in a clear plastic bin and store under the bed or in the attic. If your closet is big enough, you may store your office season clothes and other items in the back of your closet.

Step Six: Place all games, toys and memorabilia back in your closet on a shelf or easy to see place. If memorabilia is worth keeping, it is worth keeping well, so make sure that your teen has an appropriately sized box to store all items neatly. You will also want to take this time to help your daughter consider what items are truly worth saving and which things she might let go.

Step Seven: Now that all of your teen-girl's clothing and other belongings are neatly organized you can easily see what items she may need. Make a list and plan to purchase and replace needed items.

Now that you have completed the seven steps to Clothes Zone Heaven all your teen girl needs to do is maintain the new order. I have found that it goes well when my daughters take a few moments each week to make sure that they are keeping things stored properly. Remind your daughter to give you items that they try on and no longer fit or that become stained or otherwise un-wearable. Dealing with items as they fall out of use is easier than working through an entire closet. Also, encourage her to immediately put clothes away that she decides not to wear. It takes seconds to hang up one outfit. It can take 15 minutes or more to sort through and put away a pile of clothes!

Finally, you will want to make plans to revisit the Clothes Zone each season to repeat all seven steps.

Zone Three-The Study Zone

Zone Three is really a matter of preference. You need to consider where your daughter usually does her homework. If she most often does her homework in her room, not the kitchen table or sitting in the bonus room, then she needs a homework zone established in her room.

If she prefers sitting at desk, then have her sit down at her desk and think through all the supplies that she needs while she is working there. Ask her what she uses every day or weekly. When I am working with a client, I give items that receive regular use what I call prime real estate. Anything not related to the tasks your daughter does sitting at the desk, do not get to stay there. Keepsakes and memorabilia must be "containerized" and stored elsewhere. If your daughter prefers to work sitting on her bed or the floor, maybe all she needs is a basket of supplies that she can pull out when she is working. Next, make sure her Homework Zone is well lighted and that she has a comfortable chair.

You will also want to make sure that this zone is well supplied, include: a calendar, clear sheet protectors, notebooks, note pads, as well as pencils and pens with a carrying case.

Zoned Out

Now that you have worked through the three main zones of your daughter's room, you will almost always have items that don't fit into any of the zones. You may place these in a bin and go through them to consider whether you will keep them. Here's the test. Ask whether the item is used daily or weekly. If it is used that often, then it can stay.

With memorabilia and other items left, ask:

- Do you want to display the item-- Should the item be stored or placed in a container to keep it in good condition-- Do you want to place the item in a scrapbook or photo album-- Is there someone with whom you can share the item-

With collections ask:

- On a scale from one to ten, how much do you love this collection-- Do you need the entire collection or just a few favorites-- If the collection is important to you, are you keeping it well and where it can be enjoyed-If you both decide that a collection will be kept, assign it a shelf or container. When the space is full, attempt to purge the collection to make room for new items.

A final word of encouragement-if your daughter (or you!) struggle to let things go, try storing an item for six months. Agree that the item will be given or thrown away, if your daughter has not asked for it during that time. Remember this is a life skill! If your daughter learns to manage her possessions now, she will have less stress and be equipped to manage her own home some day.

The Teen-Girl Zone - Tools to Organize Teenage Girls' Rooms

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Coffee Tables Add Pizazz to Your Decor

!±8± Coffee Tables Add Pizazz to Your Decor

Coffee tables add pizazz to your decor by making a room feel complete. When you add these tables to your living room or family room, you can create a distinct coziness to your seating areas. Some living or family rooms can be overwhelming in size. By adding a couple coffee tables near a sofa or a chair combination, they create mini seating areas which, in turn, foster a more comfortable and cozy atmosphere. Coffee tables are also known as accent tables because they can accentuate a room's decor. If the living room's theme is, for example, wild flowers, accent tables can hold some well placed vases full of fresh cut or dried wild flowers. They can also display home decor and art pieces that are part of the wild flower theme. In this way, these accent tables pull a room together - decor-wise.

Coffee tables are also used as end tables in some homes. Such homes may not have the space to have a coffee table a foot or two in front of the sofa or group of chairs. Placing them as end tables is a good solution, and they can still act as accent tables. End tables are also good for the placement of reading lamps when you need a little extra light for reading or hobbies, such as knitting, quilting, or needlepoint.

Coffee tables come in such a wide variety of styles that it may be hard to choose just one for your living room or family room. A good rule of thumb is to match it with the rest of your room's decor. Is your room more streamlined, where bold colors and hard lines rule? Then choose a sleek and boldly colored coffee table to complete the look.

If is your room softer in hues and filled with natural materials, such boldness in style and color will not do. Instead, look to a simple, lightly colored wooden coffee table to match your decor.

Looks aren't the only thing coffee tables add to your room. They can also serve as storage or organizational areas. While coffee tables sit low to the ground, they often have a drawer or two underneath them for storage. Some look like a shelving unit, with smaller shelves on each side for you to place items. If you need more storage area, consider an old style trunk to stow away seasonally used blankets, linens, and the like.

Since coffee tables are such a staple of the average home, an industry of sorts has risen around it: the coffee table book. The coffee table book is much larger in size than the average book, with covers that are almost works of art in themselves. You may have seen a coffee table book that you wanted just because the cover was so beautiful. These books are pictorial in nature and are meant to be visually enjoyed and quickly perused.

And let's not forget the comfort coffee tables can bring to a room. After a hard day at work or school, it's nice to be able to sink into a soft chair or sofa and prop your feet up. With a coffee table, you can do that. Just be careful not to knock over the accent items or the coffee table book! Maybe you can have a trunk style coffee table for just such foot propping.

Coffee tables are an important part of a living room's or family room's decor. They offer style and can be quite functional. Consider the theme of your room before deciding on the coffee tables of your choice. If you want them to serve as storage units or hold reading lamps, coffee tables will fit the bill. When you give thought and consideration to this decision, your coffee tables will enhance the comfort level and style of your room.

Coffee Tables Add Pizazz to Your Decor

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Decorate Your Home With Posters And Prints - 10 Ideas To Get You Started

!±8± Decorate Your Home With Posters And Prints - 10 Ideas To Get You Started

Are you bored with your home or office space? Did you know that hanging prints or posters can completely change the feel of your room? Using wall art in your home is a great way to accessorize! A bright flower poster, or a moody print can add a touch of romance to your bedroom. Place a motivating poster in your work area, or a classic movie poster in your TV room. If you want to quickly update the mood of a wall or room, and painting isn't an option, a poster will do the trick. The options are limitless! I've given you 10 ideas below, but this is only the beginning. Use your imagination in deciding which posters or prints to use, and you'll design a room that is perfect for you!

Create an Asian flair with a Hokusai print. Katsushika Hokusai was a Japanese artist who lived from 1760 to 1849. "Thirty-six Views Of Mount Fuji", a woodblock print series, which includes the famous "The Great Wave off Kanagawa", is his most best know work. "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" is calming and powerful. A great choice in an Asian themed room, it would work equally well in a nautical theme, or in any space you desire a bit more character. Any Hokusai print is a wonderful addition to your Far East decor, or a perfect accent in a modern space. Complement your new theme with a bamboo plant or a paper lamp.
If you love the ocean, why not decorate with a lighthouse poster? Lighthouse pictures convey so many emotions - freedom, power, safety - to name just three. Hanging a lighthouse poster in your work space can inspire you to do great things. Look for one with a motivational saying for even more inspiration.
Are you looking for a ski chalet feeling? Do you dream of living in the mountains? Is mountaineering or skiing a favorite pastime? Capture your passion with a vintage ski poster. The bold graphics and nostalgic mountain scenes are a perfect addition to your home. Look for pieces crafted out of wooden planks for even more alpine flair!
If you love the glamor and dazzle of old Hollywood, then a Marilyn Monroe poster is perfect for you. Not many things capture old Hollywood glamor better than a print of Marilyn Monroe. Add a poster to your entertainment room for a touch of style and sexiness. Try using a black and white image if you already have a lot of color in your room.
Or maybe you prefer the classy, flirtatious style of Audrey Hepburn. She is the ultimate symbol of style, sophistication, and playfulness. An Audrey Hepburn print is a natural addition to an entertainment area, even right alongside a Marilyn Monroe poster. Ladies, add an Audrey Hepburn poster to your dressing space, to help you feel a little more glamorous as you prepare for the day.
A Casablanca poster is another great way to capture the golden age of film. If you love classic movies, you've got to hang a Casablanca print in your home. Hang one in your dining room or bar to remind you of Rick's Cafe Americain. You'll be reminded of your favorite scenes from the movie every time you pass by!
Take a step back in time with a Gone With The Wind poster. Adding a Gone With The Wind poster to your home will transport you to an older, more dignified time. It's an excellent accent, whether you're into old movies, or you enjoy the historic Southern decor. Frame it with a decorative, vintage frame for even more impact.
Add a piece of classic Americana with a Norman Rockwell print. Norman Rockwell captured Americana at its best. Place one of his classic images in your library or reading area. It will remind you of a time when family values, strong community and hope were every day occurrences.
If you have a Western theme, then a cowboy or horse poster is the perfect decorating statement. Capture the freedom of the open range, the power of a herd of horses, or the adventurous spirit of the old West in your space! Add a rustic, wooden frame, and a few Western accents, like a cow hide rug, to complete the look.
Try decorating with a Pablo Picasso poster. If your style is modern, artsy or eclectic, then a Picasso poster is perfect for you. It will be a great addition to any room where you want a splash of color, or a bit of whimsey. Keep the framing minimal, or go for a frameless canvas print for the most impact.

I hope these ideas get your imagination flowing! Using your creativity and a few well planned prints, you can easily transform your space.

Happy decorating!

Decorate Your Home With Posters And Prints - 10 Ideas To Get You Started

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Interior Design Tips For Small Bedroom

!±8± Interior Design Tips For Small Bedroom

The bedroom is the one place where you can be truly yourself. You can rest, relax and remove the daily mask without worry that anyone can see your true self. You can unwind and move into a peaceful state following a stressful day where you had to always have your mask in place, to be the one that everyone wants you to be. All of us have a mask to wear during the day (whether we realize it or not) and this invariably builds up a level of stress in each of us. This stress needs somehow to be eliminated from our system and one of the best places to do that is the bedroom.

This room should be always a calm and inviting place which is clean and peaceful looking. When you want to renovate your bedroom, you will find these few ideas quite useful to achieve that serene atmosphere that you so crave to have.

First of all you need to select the proper colors. Depending on which color you decide on, you can turn your sanctuary either into a bleak and dull one or into a vivid and fresh one. If your bedroom is rather small, you can safely go with grey, beige, pastel, all colors and shades that are muted and natural looking. They offer your room a more subtle look that suits any small place perfectly.

The furniture is very important in this sleep oasis. You can get it very crowded pretty soon if you choose too big and many pieces of furniture based on the room size. Go instead for something smaller that will make it look bigger than it actually is. Avoid having huge dressing tables, huge wooden wardrobes and kind size beds and go instead for queen size beds with no headboard. The main idea is to have the furniture fit the size of your space perfectly without looking out of place.

Another way to make a smaller bedroom seem bigger is by using a wall bed. This is basically one that allows folding it up in the day which gives you plenty of extra space. This is a very comfortable bed type that many people with small apartments and flats approve of. Also many times people prefer custom made furniture than buying ready made ones as they can be sized to fit exactly the size you need and nothing larger. If you plan everything carefully you can get the desk, bed and shelves all sized up to exactly what you need and in the materials you need.

However you need to add the essential pieces to it, such as the needed mirror, two table lamps at each side of the bed, a few paintings on the bare wall. However don't overdo it. Make it more an accent than anything else.

Interior Design Tips For Small Bedroom

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Headboard Lamp

!±8± Headboard Lamp

Nothing is more relaxing than snuggling up in bed with a good book and reading. But if you don't have the right lighting it can turn your reading time into a time of twisting, turning, squinting and all sorts of makeshift positions to get some properly placed lighting. Too low and the light doesn't shine on the page, too high and the light shines in your eyes. Having the proper lighting is essential to having that cozy night in bed reading that newly released novel.

This Brushed Steel Double Arm Lamp is perfect for two people who enjoy reading to help put them to sleep. It is covered with a beautiful brushed steel finish. It comes with several features that give each reader the perfect light. 1) It has dimmers on each lamp so you can set it to your ideal brightness. 2) It has 2 35-watt halogen bulbs that will supply plenty of light for years. 3) Each arm is adjustable so that it can be moved as needed. Simply attach the lamp within 6 feet of a standard wall outlet and you have perfect reading light for years to come.

If you would like a headboard clip lamp that requires no installation, then take a look at this Brushed Steel Gooseneck Lamp that is offered at a very reasonable price. It uses a 50-60 watt bulb and has a 9 ½" adjustable arm that can be turned to just about any angle. A sturdy clip allows it to be attached to any headboard, but it can be removed simply without leaving any traces. And don't let its name confuse you - this light can be used to clip onto workbenches, artist easels, desks, or just about anywhere else that you need a little extra lighting.

Now this is quite an interesting twist to reading lamps. It is a lamp from the Vermont Country Store that provides great lighting and also adds to the décor of your room. It simply hooks over your headboard. It has no clips so it won't damage your headboard in any way. It has a cream shade that makes it blend in with your room just like a table lamp would. A slight pull on the hanging light chain is all that is needed to turn this lamp on or off. I have never really seen anything like this type of portable reading lamp, but is an excellent idea!

If you don't have an electric outlet close to your bed and you don't want to deal with extension cords, then take a look at this battery-powered Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 light. This is an extremely light reading lamp (only 5.8 ounces) that can be attached to the headboard or even the book itself.

Its batteries can last up to 40 hours and provide perfect page lighting without the light shining in your eyes. It has two LED lights, but you can choose to have only one or both of them on depending on how much light you need. The flexible beck gives you complete control of your reading experience - without bothering anyone else in the room.

If you just think that a light is a light is a light, then you will be interested in the basic headboard light. It has a simple clip that will attach to any headboard. It uses a basic 60-watt light bulb and it has a screw that allows you to adjust the tilting angle. A dimmer is about the only extra feature on this light. Otherwise it is just a basic reading lamp. Some users warn you that it can get hot after being on for some time, so take that into consideration.

Headboard lamps have come a long way since the 80's when we think of those flower shapes lamp commonly found on waterbed headboards. Amazingly enough waterbeds are still popular although the lighting has switched from the flower shades to recessed lighting. Recessed lights are not always good for reading because more light gets into your eyes than on the page you are reading.

Do you remember your Mom getting on to you when you were young for reading with too little light? It was thought that reading with insufficient lights would hurt your eyes. But recent studies have proved inconclusive when trying to connect poor vision with insufficient reading light. Of course, this type of reading can cause headaches, dizziness, and temporary blurred vision because you will be straining your eye muscles.

Proper light for reading is about 600 lux. What does this mean? It means that a table lamp about 2-3 feet away will give you the proper amount of light needed. But I like to use adjustable reading lamps that can provide light no matter what position I am reading in. If I am reading in bed and want to turn my back to the lamp, I know that I am not getting the light that I need.

Headboard Lamp

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