Guest Blogger: Getting and STAYING Organized in the New Year

I am so excited to feature my first ever guest blogger, Stacy Thomes of Strive to Organize. Stacy is a professional organizer and Super Mom with lots of great ideas to help keep our homes and lives more organized. I'm thrilled she's written this post exclusively for Please Use Your Words.

As we approach 2012 (yes, 2012) we likely have New Year’s resolutions on our mind. We all have behaviors we would like to change and traditionally the New Year is the time to make the declaration “out loud” and commit to making those changes. But, how do we really make them stick? Whether it’s cooking more, eating less, spending more time with family, helping others in need or never being late again, staying organized is the core factor behind all of these behavioral changes.

But how, you ask, do I stay organized? To tell you the truth, it’s a mindset. You have to make the decision to simply stay on top of things, plan ahead and believe that you can do it. And you can. Really.

If you really want to make a change, you have to do some research, on yourself. Take a few moments to ask yourself why you are disorganized, let’s take a look and analyze our behaviors step by step. Try this exercise;

• Write down the main obstacles you come across on a daily basis on piece of paper. Be totally honest with yourself. Too much clutter in your home? Can’t keep up with the kid’s obligations? Always late? Constantly feeling stressed and rushed?
• Now, dissect those behaviors by writing down the reasons you think that is your reality. Why are you always late? Why is there too much clutter? Be totally honest with yourself-no one has to see this. Just do it for you.
• Now write down HOW you can change it. Do you need to hire a professional organizer to come and help do a clean sweep in your home? Do you need to work on your time management and start keeping lists? Do you need to stop over committing to too many events, volunteering and work?  Asking for help and saying NO are often very difficult, but sometimes we just need to. Respect yourself and know your boundaries and ONLY do things you really want to.

Are you done? Great job! This exercise should be enlightening and reveal patterns in your behavior that can easily be tweaked to help you be more productive and less stressed. Just believe you can do ANYTHING you want BUT it is up to YOU to make those changes. Anyone can do this, but like I said, it is all in your mindset. Empower yourself. Make a decision to make those changes, even in tiny baby steps, one thing at a time, and you will achieve your ultimate goal.

Once you’ve gone through this process and highlighted the areas you want to work on, then look for the specific tools that will make this easier. Uppercase Living has a variety of products that work well in an organized home. Their line of Erasable Vinyl (chalk or dry erase) can go anywhere from the garage to the kitchen to the kids’ rooms. You can cut a plain piece to any shape, or use the predesigned items that fit your needs, such as a chore chart to help keep the kids on track, a weekly menu (planning meals ahead means no more last minute pizza delivery), or a family calendar.

With Uppercase Living custom lettering, you can add your kids’ names to bins or tubs so they have one place for their things to go. For a child who is too young to read, a little face is also available. There are also images such as trains, cars, planes, etc. that can help you label boxes or tubs for specific toys. Again, no reading required!

We often spend so much time helping others that we tend to put ourselves last. When we have families that depend on us, taking care of ourselves is of number one importance because if we don’t, our whole family can crumble (and we can succumb to the desire of wine, pills and overall exhaustion!). This year, make a resolution to be kind to yourself. Consider adding an uplifting UL expression somewhere where it will be a daily reminder to go easy on you! If your child were suffering from chronic disorganization how would you help him or her? Treat yourself, you really do deserve it. Cheers to a New Year and a new and improved you.

For all of your organizing needs, contact Stacy Thomes, owner and operator of Strive to Organize located in Woodland Hills, California - http://strivetoorganize.com

For daily organizing tips, visit her on Facebook.

Tackling Kids' Chores With Chalk Wall

  

When is a kitchen cabinet more than just a kitchen cabinet? When it does double duty to help a family stay on top of homework, chores and kids' behavior. 

Let me back up a little. At the beginning of the summer I happened a upon a scheme to reward my kids with stars for playing nicely, doing their chores, making good choices, and all those things I was constantly nagging them to do. Each morning, I posted a handwritten list of tasks on the refrigerator and they crossed each task off as it was completed. For this they received a star or two on my scribbled "star chart," also stuck to the fridge. 

All of a sudden, my nagging stopped. If they wanted to do something and their chores weren't finished, I pointed to the "Jobs List" with a sad look. They knew what they needed to do. And if they decided to misbehave, or fight or hit, or do one of the other things that erodes my patience, they might find their hard-earned stars disappearing with a flick of my eraser. The kids know that when they fill up their stars, they'll get a new toy or a special outing, and they can also use stars to "buy" certain privileges. Things like a special treat, extra screen time and sleep overs with each other can all be purchased with stars. Of course, if they wait too long to start their homework, they might also have to purchase a "Finish Homework After Dinner" pass.

Over the next few months, the star chart became a regular part of our days. I made sure not to overwhelm them with too many tasks or ones that were too difficult or time-consuming, keeping in mind each one's age, ability and attention span. They enjoyed crossing things off their list and watching the stars accumulate, and I realized that I had stumbled into a good tool. So I decided to make the "Star Chart" and the "Job List" a more prominent fixture in the kitchen, and get the scribbled lists off my refrigerator at the same time.

I turned, of course, to Uppercase Living Chalk Walls. Because my kitchen doesn't have a lot of wall space, I decided to use the unused space inside a cabinet door. This particular cabinet is large, and low enough to be accessible to my kids. I used one of our plain Chalk Wall Rectangles (a fantastic value at just $14.95, it's also available in Dry Erase) and cut it in half to get two narrow rectangles. Then I took on the fun task of jazzing up the plain chalkboard with fun lettering and embellishments. Using our MyDesign Suite, I chose a playful font and bright colors for the kids' names and the words "Do this....Now Go Play!" With our Chalk Pens, I can keep track of each child's stars (and easily erase them when unfortunate choices are made) and change out my list of tasks as often as I like. The ugly list is off my refrigerator and has been replaced by a fun and attractive addition to our kitchen (that hides as soon as I close the cabinet). Best of all, I've been able to significantly decrease the amount of nagging I had to do to get my kids to help out with chores. They've realized how quickly these tasks get done and love the feeling of accomplishment that comes from a fully crossed-off list. Of course, they're kids and no system can change that. All of us have good days and bad days. But I'm happy to report that the good seem to outnumber the bad in this instance. Chalk one up for Mom!

Customer Photos: Sophia's Holiday Home

My friend Sophia is an elegant hostess with a talented eye for decorating. Small wonder she is a successful consultant for Willow House (formerly Southern Living At Home). Today I had the pleasure of helping Sophia with some Uppercase Living products as she decorates for her upcoming customer Open House. With a professional floral artist on hand, as well as contractors working elsewhere on her property, her home was bustling with preparations for her big event. I arrived with my 4-year old in tow, got him settled with a toy and got to work. (I love that I can take my son to "work" with me!)

The pine trees are the perfect accent for this arched doorway

Sophia had ordered the Merry Christmas Holiday Decor Set and decided to use it in her large kitchen. It turned out to be the perfect choice. With 48 pieces, we were able to decorate two doorways, a large arch, and her French doors. Everything coordinated beautifully without looking overly cute. There were even extra holly leaves left over to add to some of the kitchen cabinets.

Despite all that, by far the best part of today's installation was when Sophia realized, after living in her home for 7 years, that she could finally decorate her range hood. Situated in a stone surround, it has been quite impossible for Sophia to hang, stick, screw in or otherwise decorate for Christmas in this part of her kitchen. Watching her delight when she realized that her problem was solved reminds me again why I love my job so much. You can bet I got a big hug when I stepped off the stool to admire the expression! The "Merry Christmas" looks fantastic decorating the focal point of Sophia's beautiful kitchen. As a removable, reusable Decorative Print, Sophia will be able to use it for years to come.

If you'd like to visit Sophia's home and see her beautiful decor for yourself, you're in luck. Her Willow House event is Friday evening in the Westlake Village Trails neighborhood. You can email Sophia for directions. If you'd like to place a Willow House order, you can visit her website (lots of great items just got marked down 40%!). I highly suggest you try to drop by, as our friend Rosalie from Tastefully Simple will be there with delicious treats to sample.You'll  also find more Uppercase Living products scattered through Sophia's home. You'll love her great ideas for holiday and everyday decor and entertaining. 

Decorative Print Tip: The adhesive on our Decorative and Photo Prints is quite strong and might make it difficult to remove the Print, especially from non-porous surfaces. You can "dirty up" the back of the Print by adhering it to a tablecloth, rug or fuzzy sweater before you apply it to your wall or other surface. The lint will make it easier for you to remove the Print but will not interfere with the adhesive.

The Gratitude Tree: A Beautiful Reminder for Thanksgiving and Year-Round

 By far my favorite item in our Holiday Mini Celebrations Catalog is our Gratitude Tree with dry-erase leaves. I do love everything in the catalog, and the holiday products in our main catalogs, but I find this one particularly meaningful, and so does my family.

The Gratitude Tree entered our home in late September when I got my first shipment from the Holiday Mini. My (thankfully tall) husband helped me put it up and my daughter started putting the dry erase pieces on the leaves. We decorated our tree exactly the way we wanted, with several leaves falling as if a strong wind had shaken them loose. I pulled out my set of dry-erase pens and immediately wrote all 3 kids' names on some leaves. Then I told my family it was their turn to start filling more leaves with things they're thankful for.

I was instantly touched and surprised at their responses. I expected answers like "M&Ms" and "ice cream." But I loved hearing them come up with "my family," "school," and even "God."

I loved the insights I got into my kids' minds, and knowing that they don't take for granted some of the things that are so important in our family. Even my husband, who's not always the biggest fan of "stickers on the wall," is really enjoying this special item.


One of the best things about Uppercase Living is the ability to completely personalize your home. The Gratitude Tree not only adds personalization to your home, I think it also adds meaning. I can definitely see this item being a year-round addition to a kitchen or family room. Of course, it's just the thing for the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. If you're hosting Thanksgiving this year, I suggest displaying this tree prominently either in your entry, kitchen or dining room and having the dry-erase pens handy for your guests to write down what they are thankful for. And if you're going to be a guest for Thanksgiving, consider taking this for your hostess. For the price of a nice bottle of wine, you can take a meaningful gift that will be a conversation starter this year and a reminder of your thoughtfulness for years to come. Don't wait to order this exceptional Uppercase Living product. It's only available for a limited time, and you'll want to start enjoying it as soon as possible.

Uppercase Living Tip: After you complete filling out your Gratitude Tree, take a photo. You'll love going back after a few years and watching how your family's thoughts and the things they are thankful for will change.

As Seen On Today's Jen's List

One of our brand new items, this adorable chore chart was featured today on Jen's List. Yes that's DRY ERASE vinyl, right on the wall, with no nails, pins, or damage to the surface underneath. You can choose the color of the lettering to match your decor and customize it in so many ways to fit your family's needs. For example, you can remove the days of the week and make it a daily chore chart. You could also remove the word "Chores" to make it a reward chart. Or remove all the lettering and use it for potty training! The chore chart, like all of our Erasables products, comes in a chalkboard finish as well as dry erase. How will you use it in your home?

For You Lovers of Pottery Barn: Everything Is Coming Up Roosters!

Earlier this year, when Uppercase Living introduced our brand new Decorative Prints, I kind of scratched my head and wondered about them including a rooster set among the first few designs. Of all the possible choices, I thought, why start with something as random as roosters? Imagine my surprise when I opened my latest Pottery Barn catalog and saw a number of different items using, you guessed it, roosters! Once again, it seems that the UL designers were ahead of a trend by including those and all the other roosters in our catalog.

As it turns out, roosters are a symbol of luck and good fortune, and who doesn't want some of that good fortune represented in their home decor? Tuscan legend has it that one rooster's crow once saved an entire village from danger.

The tremendous variety in Pottery Barn's roosters lends them to lots of different decorating uses. From bright and whimsical, to understated folk art; from small details to large pieces, there's a way for everyone to include this cheerful trend in their decorating.

Whether you're ahead of the trends, have always loved roosters, or you'd like to add a little French Country flair to your home for the first time, Uppercase Living also has a choice for everyone.  Of course, the most vivid are those original Rooster Decorative Prints. The artwork on these is beautiful and the feathers are so lifelike. The touches of red would tie in beautifully with any other red items in a room. You can use these guys as a set or scatter them throughout your kitchen, living room or entry. I think they would look really cute on a back splash or just hanging out right above the baseboard. They come in 3 sizes to give you lots of options.

The rooster motif is also available in our matte vinyl. This choice gives you almost unlimited versatility for not only are these two rooster styles available in all of our 40+ colors, but they also come in sizes ranging from 3 to 18 inches. The smaller sizes can be applied to individual tiles in a back splash, used to create a border or applied to our coasters to create a decorative accessory or gift for a rooster lover. 

The larger size can be applied alone or in a grouping right to the wall.  It can also go on a tile or board to create a decorative accent. Here, a rooster in Whipped Creme is shown on our new Punched Metal Tile in Berry. You can continue the French Country theme by looping a ribbon through the holes and hanging it from our new Fleur de Lis medallion.

A more subtle effect is achieved by applying the rooster embellishments in Etched Glass on a glass kitchen door or cabinet front. Another idea is to use the Welcome Rooster in the black square Frameworks, as shown here. This is another idea of a great piece for your own home or for a sweet gift. The red vinyl picks up the tones in the cabinetry without being a perfect match.

For something completely different, try our brand new Barnyard pack, part of the Erasables line. Also available in dry erase vinyl, this set lends true country charm and whimsy to a kitchen. But it's just as cute in a child's farm themed bedroom, playroom, or even a classroom.

I have to admit that even I've been surprised at the versatility of roosters in decorating. With a few accessories and a vinyl piece or two you can play with this fun trend without making any permanent changes or major investments. Sure, you could buy a $400 ceramic rooster, but you can spend much less on Uppercase Living roosters and have a lot left over to decorate the rest of your home too!

Get Organized on the Cheap with Chalk Walls

So, it's mid-March, which means that you're probably beating yourself up about not keeping your New Year's resolutions. Or is that just me? If you're one of the gazillion people who has promised themselves that this is the year you will get organized once and for all, you are definitely not alone. I struggle with this, too, along with many of my friends. And judging by just how popular our Chalk Walls are, so do many of my customers. One of my most popular products, Chalk Walls are most commonly ordered for kids' rooms and kitchens. Not surprisingly, these are two of the rooms in the home that are most in need of organization.

Let's start with the kitchen. This is most families' gathering place and a prime location for an organizational tool to make everyone's lives a little easier. Whether it's a master calendar for the week's activities, a perpetual shopping list (like the one in the kitchen on the Brady Bunch!) or a central place to write down phone messages (no more lost Post-It notes!), a Chalk Walk in the kitchen just makes sense. Many kitchens simply do not have the wall space for artwork. But Chalk Walls come in a variety of sizes that are even narrow enough to go on a refrigerator. They can even be cut down to fit cabinet doors. A small piece on a dishwasher will eliminate the eternal question, "Are these dishes clean or dirty?" And a Chalk Wall on a lower cabinet gives a little one the perfect safe spot to be creative while Mommy is in the kitchen.


Chalk Walls are also the coolest way to keep kids organized and on track, while giving them a blank canvas to express their own creativity at the same time. Changing their minds is as easy as wiping a Chalk Wall clean and starting again. Create a Homework Command Center where your kids can keep track of assignments. Assign weekly chores with the Calendar Kit. Whether you're working on Potty Training, chores or remembering to brush teeth, a Chalk Wall makes a perfect reward chart. My favorite use for Chalk Walls is to surprise kids with funny and encouraging notes; anything that helps us communicate with our children gets an A+ from this mom!

Not only are Chalk Walls a smart organizational tool, you can be a smart shopper and save now using our Buy 2 Get 1 FREE promotion. A friend of mine purchased 3 Chalk Wall Rectangle Panels today: 2 are for her sons' rooms to help them stay organized and the third is for her kitchen. It will either hold her to-do list or her grocery list. The best part of her purchase is that she got the third one FREE! Knowing this particular friend, it won't be long before she orders a Chalk Wall for her daughter's room, another for the playroom and one more for her home office.

How are Chalk Walls helping you to stay organized? Send me a photo and you might just find your home featured right here!

Chalk Wall Tip #1: Use chalk markers, found in craft stores, for a fun addition of color on your Chalk Wall. Clean with a damp cloth or baby wipe.

Chalk Wall Tip #2: On my web site and in my catalog, chalkboard vinyl is designated with black and gray stripes.

Photo A Day - Welcome #2 on Day 7

Where I am, it's still Day 7, so this counts as the photo of the day. I thought that most of you would be celebrating with family and friends today, so I am posting today's picture tonight and will leave it up through tomorrow.

Since so many of you are dealing with severe cold, ice and/or snow, I thought posting this photo of a bright, cheerful pineapple might make you think of somewhere warm and welcoming. In fact, pineapples are a traditional symbol of hospitality (have you ever noticed the one in Williams-Sonoma's logo?) I think one of the reasons this pineapple expression has been so popular with my customers is that it comes in sizes small enough to fit on our smallest punched tile and large enough to make a charming statement on a wall. With 40% off and free shipping on orders of $50 or more, this is a great item to stock up on for gifts.

There are 2 more photos to go before I post the sneak peek of our Spring/Summer 2010 catalog. I'm hoping to get my copy tomorrow and am already excited about some of the new items we'll be featuring inside. I can't wait to share them with you.

A Little Holiday Treat: A Photo A Day

For today and the next 8 days, my treat for you will be a photo of a new SALE expression each today. Each of the expressions you'll see are included in the over 200 that are currently 40% off and qualify for FREE SHIPPING when your order reaches $50.

Today's' expression is done in two parts and looks lovely when you add your own family name to it. It would look great in a living room, study, entry or family room.

Check back tomorrow for a new photo...and more decorating ideas. After I've posted the last photo, you'll get an exclusive Sneak Peek of our next catalog!

Oooh La La - Heather's Kitchen

When I decided to become an Uppercase Living demonstrator, I knew there would be lots of things about my new job that I would love. What I didn't think about was how many interesting people I would meet and how many lovely homes I'd be invited into.

Earlier this month I did a party at the home of one of the busiest women I've met yet. Heather is an active mom who is passionate about her involvement in her child's school; she teaches, travels, is an avid decorator and a competitive baker. She is a devoted friend and amazing hostess. Now that I've tasted her creations, I'm not surprised that she has has won numerous ribbons for her baking and shot two Food Network pilots . This woman knows her stuff: just check out this gorgeous table she set for her Uppercase Living party. Aren't her guests lucky?

I met Heather about 9 months ago when she was a guest at her friend's Uppercase Living party. Drawing upon her expertise in contracting and decorating, she quickly sized up my catalog and declared that she's seen similar products in showcase homes. She chose a few expressions for her home, but wasn't satisfied with our standard offerings for her kitchen. So she chose our expression, "Eat Well, Laugh Often, Love Much" and decided to translate it to fit her French theme kitchen. The translating part was easy for Heather, because, of course, she's fluent in French. Together we worked on a design that incorporated Fluers des Lis in two sizes. Mind you, this was before the upgraded MyDesign Suite was available so creating a design of this size was not easy. Nevertheless, Heather had a vision and she was undeterred.

What a thrill it was when I visited Heather's home to see that vision beautifully executed in the perfect spot in her kitchen. I don't know how many times I heard her guests say, "Have you seen the lettering in her kitchen?"

When I joined Uppercase Living, I knew that I would love seeing our products used in unique applications to express my clients' personality and individuality. Heather's kitchen is the perfect fit of product, client and design. My only challenge now was to create a hostess gift for Heather that would fit in with her ooh la la decor. Luckily, UL made that easy: Fluers des Lis coasters, of course!