The house is spotless. We are ready. At this time tomorrow, the first wave of family will be arriving, filling our home with extra hugs and love and company. We have been preparing for weeks, with a final big push this weekend to scrub and polish and make cozy. If there’s anything other than the excitement of having house guests, it’s their arrival that forces you to deep clean the house like never before.
We should have house guests every week!
As we anticipate my mother in law’s arrival, followed by my sister and brother in law, the reality that the holidays are upon us are finally sinking in. The garland draping the shops and the holiday commercials all of a sudden feels right. Even my husband got a head start and the house is ready with lights hung. I may even start listening to Christmas music.
With a steady flow of visitors, these are the days when effortless meals mean the most. I may be spending extra time in the kitchen, but that doesn’t mean I need to tackle the most challenging of recipes. A toasty bowl of soup will do.
Today I’m sharing this incredible (if I say so myself) Toasted Almond Butternut Squash Soup on Wayfair.com. Can you taste the slivers of almonds I toasted in a peppery blend of spices, their nutty undertone mingled into each creamy spoonful of silky butternut squash? Whether you serve it for lunch or as the prelude to your Thanksgiving feast, it is sure to warm your tastebuds. And like all dishes I love, it is so easy, it leaves you more time for the ones you love.
Toasted Almond Butternut Squash Soup | www.kitchenconfidante.com Original article and pictures take kitchenconfidante.com site
This post is sponsored by Wayfair.com. Wayfair is an online store with a zillion options and the place to go for all your storage and organizing needs. Thank you for being supportive of our sponsors.
In a different life, I would have been a professional organizer. I adore the process. I physically feel better when things are cleaned and set just right. Also, I collect storage bins and baskets. That alone is telling. :) But I love it. Even though I joke that I am and I’m certain my husband thinks I am, I’m not actually obsessive about it. Things get messy and out of place (every single day) and I continue to reset daily it to ease the functioning of our family. Since I’m fairly practiced and because it’s January, the annual observance of ‘get yourself together’, I’m here with a few tips to help you along.
Every item should have a place to live.
This is the biggest step. If it is in your house, it should have a designated place to be. (If it doesn’t have a place, get rid of it!) It is time consuming to figure out and might require a couple of rounds to get it just right but it is so worth it. It’s more challenging in the beginning, when you are new to a house or space but new furniture, children and even a new season might require adjustments and reorganizing. As our children grow and outgrow things and to keep up with the constant influx of junk, we are regularly on the lookout for ways to make our space function better. After Christmas (okay, a little before), we went through the toy room again to adjust the layout. I sewed new vinyl bags, one for each child, to enclose all those little things that now live with us. We organize in such a way that they have access to their things so they are able to do things for themselves. I love these corded baskets with handles.
There are those pieces that don’t fit in your house right now because of space or season or relevance. If they are essential to keep, just store them. Make good choices about what you are packing away and work to pack similar things together, pack them close and tight and label well.
Make things work for you
When you do find a place for everything to live, make sure it makes life better/easier for you. Put a basket near the couch to hold the remotes, facial tissues, pen and paper, anything else you use when you sit on the couch. Hang key hooks by the door leading to the car or set up a bowl to create a place where those keys belong. Store cleaning products together, get all the cooking utensils in one good-looking crock, put guest towels in or near the guest bathroom and put all those miscellaneous cords in one place because then when you are looking for that one cord for that one thing, you’ll know where it is. If you must keep old issues of magazines, drop them in a lidded box and a messy stack now looks sharp. I am from the camp where I don’t really want to see much of what I own. :) I like it to be put away; out of sight, out of mind. I am especially keen on these kitchen canisters.
If you have little ones, try putting their cups and dishes in a drawer or on a shelf they can reach. It will enable them to do things for themselves. Employ a low set of drawers, even plastic ones can work and look good, so they can be involved in getting dressed or putting away clothes. Set up a spot where children can shed outwear. We actually shifted our ‘staging area’ because the spot we wanted it to happen wasn’t working. We made the coat hooks low enough the children can hang their own coats and there is a place for gloves and hats and all those shoes. With children, the idea is not perfection but more containment.
Go through things often.
Take time to go through your belongings and get rid of outgrown, worn, broken, unused items. Spring and fall are good times to reevaluate, especially if you live in areas where the seasonal weather requires a different wardrobe. But any old time works in my book. Children are constantly growing so weeding out the nonessential will make great use of your space. Tear meaningful pages from magazines and toss the rest. Donate unread books. Reevaluate all those t-shirts from high school (MJ). We are constantly battling paper, including mail and school sheets. Toss junk mail and excess paper immediately; don’t let it pile up. The idea I like to keep in mind is streamline. Less stuff is less work.
Set a day during the week to recheck.
Like most good things, being organized requires maintenance. If you set a time to do it, it’s harder to forget. Put a reminder in your phone, write it in big letters on the calendar and circle it in red. It takes time and diligence. And if you need me, call me.
Like I said, I just kind of collect storage containers. I love all these woven baskets, storage for dishware and stemware and don’t get my started on trunks. I had the hardest time choosing just a few. However, if you are on the look out, here are some ideal pieces from Wayfair.
Have fun!
Original article and pictures take www.thisheartofmineblog.com site
A throw pillow can be so much more than just an “extra” pillow in your home. It can be what ties your space together, what brings in a soft texture to a space, or what brightens up a dark room. It is amazing how something as simple as a few decorative throw pillows can change the look of furniture or an entire room. The arrangement of throw pillows will vary by your space and the size of your furniture. Whether you want couch pillows or accent pillows for a king sized bed, there are so many different options for arranging pillows to compliment your space.
A throw pillow can be so much more than just an “extra” pillow in your home. It can be what ties your space together, what brings in a soft texture to a space, or what brightens up a dark room. It is amazing how something as simple as a few decorative throw pillows can change the look of furniture or an entire room. The arrangement of throw pillows will vary by your space and the size of your furniture. Whether you want couch pillows or accent pillows for a king sized bed, there are so many different options for arranging pillows to compliment your space.
Original article and pictures take secure.img1-ag.wfcdn.com site
Born and raised in New York City, Thomas Paul got his start in the fashion business working as an intern at DKNY in the mid-nineties after graduating from New York's Fashion Institute of Technology with a degree in textile design. While working as a colorist and designer for a silk mill specializing in neckwear and scarves, he worked on neckwear collections for such designers as Bill Blass, Calvin Klein, and DKNY. This eventually led to the creation of his own neckwear collection, the short-lived digities in the late 90's. From this was born the start of the thomaspaul pillow collection, launched in 2001, which was originally conceived of as an idea of utilizing the silk printing mill's capabilities for home accessories instead of personal accessories. Since then the line has steadily expanded into other categories apart from silk pillows to include tabletop, stationery, and lamp shades. The ultimate goal being to have products covering every aspect of the home, all with thomaspaul patterns gracing them.
Original article and pictures take secure.img1-fg.wfcdn.com site
Healthy Eating Recipes & Essentials 15 Days to a Healthier You Weeknight Dinner: Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Cookie Baking Essentials Weeknight Dinners: Chicken Enchiladas Our Guide to Planning a Weekly Menu End of Summer Harvest Essentials Pickling and Canning for Beginners Birthday Cake Ice Cream Recipe Individual Berry Crisps Spicy Sriracha Popcorn Guide to Summer Produce Stop by your local farmers market with our essential info about the season's best fruits and veggies! Baked Funfetti Donuts Gluten-Free S'mores Bars Learn how to make some simple, summer-ready gluten free s'mores bars. Citrus Granita Recipe Get this citrus granita recipe for a perfectly cool and refreshing summer treat that everyone will love! Gluten-Free Enchilada Casserole Grilled Peach, Brie, and Mint Crostini Easy Lemon Bars Recipe Upgrade Your S'mores Refreshing Peach Berry Punch Blue Curacao Margarita Recipe Beef Tamale Pie with Cornbread Crust Pork Tenderloin with Spice Rub Creme Brulee with Fresh Berries Breville Recipe: Grilled Pizza Even if you don't have an outdoor grill, you can make this family-friendly meal tonight. Breville Recipe: Cookie Latte Breville Recipe: Orange Zing Juice Pear and Brie Pastry Recipe Deconstructed Matzah Pizza for Passover Falafel Waffle Recipe April Fools Day Pranks for Kids Delicious Lemon Curd Recipe Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
Recipes
Chipotle Chicken Salad Recipe Lemon Blueberry Cornmeal Bundt Cake Raspberry Baked Donuts Healthy Blackberry Smoothie Pomegranate and Chestnut Salad Recipe Inside-Out Apple Cheesecake Our Favorite Pear Recipes Celebrate one of fall's classic flavors (and satisfy your craving!) with these scrumptious recipes. Stuffed Apple Cups Olive Thyme Dinner Rolls Brown Butter Sage Sweet Potatoes Apple Juice Muffin Recipe Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Homemade Pizza Knots Spiced Apple and Granola Parfait Watermelon Caprese Salad Kiwi Salsa Recipe Simple Watermelon Sorbet Cherry Scone Recipe Asian Cucumber and Carrot Slaw Grapefruit and Thyme Lemonade Quinoa Mixed Fruit Salad Recipe Strawberry and Asparagus Orzo Salad Mixed Berry Dutch Baby Pancake Make your weekend a little bit more special with these delicious and totally easy pancakes. Pineapple Coconut Energy Bites Recipe Our Favorite Spring Baking Recipes Healthy Recipe Roundup Cranberry Curd Parfait Raspberry, Coconut, and Nutella Crostini Make this sweet, tasty, and oh-so-easy dessert for your next holiday party. Toasted Almond Butternut Squash Soup Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup How to Make Caramel Apples Stuffed Pear Crisp
Banana Bread French Toast Rhubarb Blueberry Lemonade Father's Day Breakfast Melon Cucumber Mint Salad Avocado Salad Tofu Tacos Macadamia Nut Dukkah Hazlenut-Studded Cinnamon Ricotta Scones Kumquat Lemongrass Rum Punch Springtime Smoothie Roasted Brussel Sprouts Creamy Cauliflower & Potato Soup Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes 5 Twists on a Traditional Mint Julep Celebrate the Kentucky Derby in style with one of these tea-infused mint julep variations. Cranberry Almond Swirl Ice Cream Crunchy Maple Granola Soy-Sesame Grilled Fish Berry Crisp Parfaits These red, white, and blue desserts are perfect for the 4th of July! Irresistible Apple Blossoms Our Favorite Ways to Celebrate Hanukkah What to do With Leftover Halloween Candy Romantic Raspberry Champagne Cocktail Tempting No-Bake Thanksgiving Desserts Halloween Milkshake with Gummy Worms Hanukkah Donut Decorating Party Easter Nest Cupcakes Our Ultimate Guide to Hosting Easter Brunch St. Patrick's Day Thin Mint Parfait Oatmeal Scotchies Cookie Recipe Cinnamon, vanilla, and butterscotch give this oatmeal cookie the right amount of seasonal sweetness. Pear Cocktail Recipe
Recipes
Pumpkin Pie Custards Butternut Squash and Kale Frittata Irish Soda Bread Recipe Sweet and Tangy Brisket Mexican Chocolate Latkes Recipe Matzo Ball Soup with Chicken Butternut Squash Cupcakes
