Today's PixieTip!

Keep Clearing the Clutter or Transform It

Katie McMenamin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:00:35 +0000

Step Seven in Real Simple's Article for Dealing with Sentimental Clutter is another great one. Fact is, time changes everything. What once was paramount to keeping forever, like tons of Playbills from all the Broadway shows you've ever seen, might one day kind of annoy you. And that baby's blankie that's falling apart? Might be a cute idea to put in a shadow box with you husband's favorite stuffed animal and give it to him as a great present.

Give It a New Home or Just Keep One

Katie McMenamin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:51 +0000

Steps Five and Six in Real Simple's article on Getting Rid of Sentimental Clutter is, again, sound advice. Two principles that work equally well. One uses that old adage, your junk might be someone else's treasure and the other is to just keep one thing to represent a collection, and then give the rest to someone else as it might be a treasure to them as well!

The Magic of Photographs and Clutter

Katie McMenamin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:25 +0000

Our uncle did this one when he had to clear out his childhood bedroom of all of his football trophies and we thought it was ingenious. He lives in San Francisco now so space is limited, but tucked away on his computer or in a picture book is a great photo of him in his parent's back yard surrounded by his former athletic glory. Sure you can't hold them or touch them, but they can still remind and invoke memory and better yet, they take up virtually no physical space at all.

Clutter and the Gift of Help

Katie McMenamin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:48 +0000

Real Simple's January 2012 article on Sentimental Clutter gives people seven clear steps to dealing with the stuff that we have the hardest time letting go of. Yesterday's tip was boxing it up to save for later. Today's two are to enlist help and to work in short intervals. How does this match up with your personality type? Please read more to find out!

Clutter is Emotional and Real

Katie McMenamin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:27 +0000

This week we're celebrating what is awesome about Real Simple with a personality type break down of their January 2012 article dealing with clutter and grief. So often when we're hired to help someone deal with the crazy cluttered mess their home has become, something catastrophic or life changing has usually happened to precipitate the clutter. The number one life changer, of course, is when someone dies.

Ladies Who Lunch Can Also Wear Neon

Katie McMenamin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:57 +0000

Real Simple's Ladylike style is also a Classic (SJ) style. Note the boxy Chanel-like jacket? My husband gave me a jacket like this for Christmas and I was like, um, "who do you think you married?" He is a Smart (NT) who eschews all funky style save black, and mostly because black is slimming! Talk about logical style, but anyway, I digress like a good Organic Freedom (NFP). The point is that today's bright color trend is the perfect way to bring the ladies who lunch into the new millennium.

Fun Vintage Style with Today's Accessories

Katie McMenamin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:07 +0000

I wasn't sold on Funs (SPs) having the "Vintage" style, but that's because secretly I want to BE a Fun, so I'm truly just jealous. I love vintage style but don't have the wherewithal or the style sense to sniff out the true bargains, find the good thrift stores and pull off the look. So I love when I can see a vintage outfit updated like this. But the problem with any retro look is if you go TOO completely back in time.

Play Some Funky Music with a Classic Style

Katie McMenamin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:54 +0000

There's a reason Smarts (NT) also gravitate towards the Classic's (SJ) preppy and traditional style and that's because it's well-accepted and easy to pull off because there are so many rules. But it also means your wardrobe can quickly begin to look dated and tired. The best way to combat this is to go against your natural preferences and quietly try some of the funky new trends out there today.

Smart Style Just Needs a Few Trends

Katie McMenamin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:38 +0000

When it comes to Smarts (NTs) and fashion, they usually gravitate towards Classic (SJ) style. They will rely on quality sweater sets and suits, pumps and driving mocs, preppy and basic. We wager that often it's hard to tell the Smarts from the Classics when it comes to style. Logically, why would you bother spending too much time thinking about what to wear when it's been done before by others and so much better than you could do on your own?

Turn Hippy Dippy into Hip and Trendy

Katie McMenamin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:12 +0000

After two weeks of bashing Real Simple, it's time to celebrate why I'm actually such an adoring fan. First off, I don't know if they figured something out, but February's edition doesn't have any new uses for old things! But if you missed last month's they had a great section on Restyling Your Style. It's basically a quick primer on personality type, style and pushing your preferences. First up is what they call "Bohemian" and we call, Organic (NF).