5 Step Party Prep

Even if we know we're hosting a party, we don't always set aside the proper amount of time to make our space as presentable or comfortable as we imagined we would. So, what can you do in, say, 30 minutes to make your home party-ready?

1) Coats. Remove your family's coats from hooks on the wall or the majority of the coat closet space. Obviously, no need to worry about this in warm weather. But, when it's still chilly out, your family will likely utilize all the space you've got to hang your wares. Take coats to the wearer's bedroom for temporary or permanent storage. Sometimes you'll find something has been hanging out there so long you don't even use it regularly anymore!

2) Bags. Use the same method of bag removal as you did with coats. Check all the bag hiding places - chairs, counters, hooks, closet floors. Take them to the owner's bedroom for party storage.

3) Shoes. Run the shoes to the owner's bedrooms as well. Instead of plopping them onto the floor next to the backpacks and gym bags, take the time to put them away in the closet (assuming shoes are normally kept in the bedroom). You'll find the starting fresh with shoes where they were assigned to live may make dressing easier and your hallways feel bigger.

4) Paper. Gather all the paperwork from all the hiding nooks and crannies all over the house. Mail, receipts, homework. If you've done steps 1) - 3) already, you've got about 15 minutes left until party time. You're not going to tackle all that paperwork now. Or, even tomorrow, probably. Stack it all into one neat pile. If the home desk area will be out of site during the party, take the papers to the desk. If it will be seen, take the papers to an area that will not be seen by guests. Do NOT stash the stack in a bag of any kind and hid it anywhere in the house. You'll never look at it again. Ever.

5) Counters. Last, but not least, clear off counters in kitchens and bathrooms. Make room in the kitchen for snacks and drinks and serving items. Put away clean dishes that were drying; wash and dry anything that can't be put in the dishwasher. Run the dishwasher so you can empty it immediately following the party and load in the dirty dishes. Try to put away anything that's not a large appliance, decorative item or functional item (like a tea kettle on the stove or crock of utensils near the oven). In bathrooms, clear off personal items and stow them in cabinets and drawers. Keep out minimal items: a decorative candle, soap and maybe a toothbrush cup. Wipe down the counters and go get dressed for the party!

Secrets for Staging a Home

It sometimes take a long while to sell your home or find a new one you love. It always seems easier to imagine yourself in a new space when it's clean, sleek and simply decorated. Here are my favorite tips for making your home show-ready:

1) Clear the counters (and fridge door). Removing these small piles makes a huge difference. Kitchen counters should have minimal appliances, fruit bowls and gadgets. Bathroom counters should be limited to soap pump/dish, cup, hand towel and perhaps a decorative item or two, if the bathroom is large enough.

2) Remove the family photos and kid's drawings. It's harder for a stranger to imagine himself living in your home if there are photos of your family and your kid's drawings on the walls. The goal is to have your home look as close to a department store as possible. You know, because someone is shopping around... for a home.

3) Get rid of stacks of paper. Not by stashing it all in a drawer or box in the closet. NOT that. Toss out the trash. Shred the things that have personal info on it, but you no longer need. File the rest. In files. Not a random box on the closet floor.

4) Streamline closets. You don't have to sort and purge the whole thing if you don't have time. Hang clothes on hangers neatly. Color coding or hung by item type is a plus. Linen closets get the same treatment. Fold clothes on shelves or built-in drawers so they are stacked nicely. If you have them readily available, matching hangers are a bonus.

5) Pack up knick-knacks and keepsakes. Keep book shelves as open and uncovered as possible. Pack up items that are personal, but not aesthetically beautiful, with the photos and artwork. If you have an appropriate collection to keep out, do so. If not, pack up collections, as well. Label the boxes and move them to storage area on or off site.

6) Hide those toys. Utilize baskets, bins and storage ottomans to hold toys. If there are items that are not current favorites, pack them up and put in to storage with the knick-knacks. Depending on how long you anticipate your home to be on the market, you may want to pack up more than you think. If it may be awhile, keep some in a bin tucked away to make it easy to bring out between showings, but tuck away before potential buyers stop by.

Organizing Your Wallet

Almost everyone has a wallet. Almost all of us use it daily. However, we tend not to spend much time at all, if ever, being concerned about how it's organized. Today, we put an end to that!

Here's a picture of my own wallet.

I only carry the essentials. Most store reward cards can be looked up at the register by your phone number or email address, so there's no need to carry those. My wallet holds what I need, any given day, at any register around town.

Let's walk through it pocket by pocket. On the card holding side, there are six pockets. From top to bottom, I have:

1. Movies. Two movie theater discount cards and a free pass for a third theater. I never know when a movie will strike!
2. Random Places. My voter ID card, my library card and a punch card for an ice cream shop. This pocket alone says a lot about me, I think.
3. Reward cards. For store that don't seem to ever have my number in their system. Two clothing stores, an electronics store and a housewares store.
4. My health insurance card.
5. Driving. My AAA and car insurance cards.
6. Money. The two credit cards I use regularly and my debit card.

Flip to the other side. There are two pockets here, one visible, one hidden. In the visible pocket I have my photo ID. Tucked behind that is my Ventra card (for those outside Chicago, this is my pass for riding all public transit in the city). You swipe it across the turnstiles to enter. By having it near the outside of my wallet, I'm able to grab my wallet out of my bag, swipe it, enter the train station with ease and toss it back in my bag. No fumbling around and holding up the line looking for a single card.

In the hidden pocket, I carry any gift cards I may have. Since it's just a month or so past the winter holidays, I have a handful currently. One was emailed to me, so I printed it up and stuck it in there. Otherwise, I know I'd forget I even had it.

The zipper pocket holds any cash I may have on hand, change included.

Not too bulky. Easy to find what I need. Just the essentials. Including the ice cream card.