A Mouse Hoarder Story

I ran across this photo I took a couple years ago....

It made me laugh and I decided to share it.

One day, I was cleaning at one of my weekly clients.  I went to move his shoes in the closet and there was a pile of "something".  Unsure of what it was, I examined it closer.  Well, my first instinct was that it was mouse poop, but it really looked like chocolate chips.  I just wasn't sure what to think of this small pile under the shoes...but I was pretty sure it was chocolate chips...by why under the shoes?

I decided to look in the pantry down the hall and see if I noticed any evidence.  Sure enough, a bag of chocolate chips sat on top of a basket with a large hole chewed in it.

I laughed...and suddenly a mouse came running out of the pantry at me!  I screamed!
I sent the wife a text saying..."You may want to talk to your husband about his midnight snacking!"  haha...we both had a good laugh over it.

The mouse was a hoarder!

Think outside the box!

Before

Many people get stuck in where things should go.  Once they move in, their decorating stays the same and certain items are just always used in the same way.  But what if you look at things in a different light...think outside the box!

Here are a few examples of how some simple changes made a world of difference!

Room 1: The front porch.

After

This front porch was used as a storage area.  Blah and not much fun to sit out on, but moving some pillows and cushions out here went a long way!  I added some candles, books, a basket to hold blankets and a couple plants and this room is a delightful place to lounge and enjoy!
Tip: Add ambiance to any porch by placing small tealight candles in each window and light in the evening.
Too hot?  Hang shear curtains with spring-rods in each window to block out some of the sunlight.


Room 2: Attic Closet
My Client worked at a bath shop and had TONS of products crammed in every possible place but never could find anything.  I decided to take a cube shelf she wasn't using and turn it sideways since the wall slanted in this attic closet.  Then I sorted the products by lotions, body wash and so on.  Now she can go shopping in her beautiful bath closet!
Tip:  Her rule is...if you take something out...put something that is in the bathroom back into the closet so that there aren't too many products out at once.

Room 3: Cluttered Bedroom

This room was getting taken over by stuff...lots of stuff!  But once we found a place for everything this room came together quite quickly!  And now it is a clean, simple space and much easier to take care of.

Before

After

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Making A Bed

Making a bed is a great way to start the day!  It shows you are ready to get up... Get Moving...And be productive!

When you are rushed in the morning it sets the tone of your day.  If have enough time in the morning and you are not rushed, the rest of your day goes smoothly.  If you are rushed you feel frantic and hurried, you make mistakes and get stressed.  Take just 5 minutes in your morning to make your bed and it shows you have More than enough time!  

Plus...
When you crawl into bed at night it feels so good to have a straightened, neat bed!




Did you know?

~ When you make your bed every morning, it take about 3 minutes less to make it because the sheets don't get as messed up and pulled out.  

Treat your bed as if it 

were your sanctuary!

Here is the difference between a messy bed and a bed all made up!

My special touches...

1.  Make sure the sheet is tucked deep under the mattress at the bottom of the bed.  It will stay tucked even through the most restless sleeper...like me.
2.  Fluff all pillows.
3.  Openings on pillow cases always face to the outside of the bed.
4.  If the pillow cases are too long, tuck into itself.
5.  Fold down top sheet over the comforter to create a finished look.
6.  Add a contrast pillow or something fun...like a cherry on top!

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