An Affordable Way to Keep Your Boots In Shape

Now that the weather has gotten a little more chilly, I have actually sported a couple of my tall boots.  I wear my boots frequently in the fall/winter season and understand the importance of taking care of them so they last.  One way to ensure longevity is to make sure they keep their shape.  Up until recently, I either rolled up old issues of the Now magazine and stuffed them into each boot or I would use the cardboard inserts that came in them when I purchased them.  That was until I discovered a nicer, more wallet-friendly alternative because let's face it, buying the really nice boot shapers can be expensive!

While strolling the aisles of the Dollarama the other day I stumbled upon these boot "shapers" or inserts as the package says.  They are made of a hard plastic that are easy to "mold" to fit into your boots and if you have shorter boots, you can cut them to fit.  They work like a charm and at $2 a pack,  you can afford to buy a pair for all of your boots without breaking the bank!  

For more info on how to store and care for your footwear, send me an email at info@theurbanorganizer.ca

Minutes To A Clean Fridge

It's a place we visit daily but unfortunately doesn't get cleaned as often as it should.

This is an article that was forwarded to me by sister that will hopefully inspire you to take action.

There are plenty of reasons to clean a fridge (unidentifiable leftovers, funky odors) and one big excuse not to — namely, lack of time. But you don’t need to set aside several hours to complete a basic cleanout and scrub down. Get it done in 30 minutes when you follow this guide.

Before you start

There’s no reason to clean out your fridge the day after a big supermarket trip. Pick a day just before you go shopping, when your fridge is relatively empty.

For safety reasons, it’s a good idea to unplug your fridge before you start cleaning it.

Gather your supplies:

• small bucket
• small cleaning brush
• terrycloth towel
• large sponge
• new box of baking soda

Get to it

Take food from the fridge and place it on the table or counter. As you do this, check expiration dates and toss anything that’s no longer edible.

Fill the bucket with warm water, and add a half cup of baking soda. (Save the rest of the baking soda — you can put the box in the fridge later to neutralize odors.) Use this solution to wipe down the empty shelves and interior with a sponge, starting from the top and working your way down.

Use a brush to clean around brackets and gaskets and to dislodge any dried food. Wipe the interior dry with a terrycloth towel.

Rearrange, reseal, restock

Before you put the food back in the fridge, take a moment to group similar foods together. This will help you find items easier. Separate ethylene-sensitive produce (e.g., apples, broccoli) from produce that releases ethylene gas (e.g., bananas, pears) to prevent premature decay. Make sure that all containers are sealed properly and that anything wrapped is covered completely. Airtight storage will help prevent spills and spoilage.

As you begin to put items back in the fridge, be careful to space food out to allow a free flow of air. Keep eggs, poultry, meat and seafood separate from all other items to help limit the spread of bacteria. For more food safety tips, visit foodsafety.gov. And if you’ve unplugged your fridge, don’t forget to plug it back in!

A final note: A basic cleanout like this is no substitute for a thorough cleaning, which your fridge and freezer require periodically. To do that, you’ll need to remove and clean shelves, vacuum coils and wipe down the exterior. Consult manufacturer’s instructions for details.

When was the last time you cleaned your fridge?

The Urban Organizer

Check Out The Newest Bar In Toronto!

Ok, so it's not your typical bar but it is one that you can go to for a little pampering when you need to get away from the stresses of life.  Last week I attended the grand opening of The Urban Beauty Bar owned by Skin Care Therapist, Nina Borges.   It's located in a funky loft space in the trendy Queen West hood and is a wonderful place to relax and treat yourself.  The Urban Beauty Bar offers a variety of services for ladies, men and teens and prices are very affordable.  An added bonus is that Nina is mobile so if you can't make it to her studio, she and her lovely team can come to your home or office to provide the same great treatments.

But wait... there's more! This is a one stop shop.  In the same location, you will also find a great team of girls that specialize in nail art, you can have body art done by Robynn and you can even get your hair did with one of the hair stylists on site.

All your beauty needs fulfilled under one roof!  I'm looking forward to checking out the Calming Facial!

For more information about Nina, visit her website. www.theurbanbeautybar.com  or to schedule an appointment call 647-232-6826.

What's your favourite type of spa treatment?

Marie

This Kitchen Ingredient Will Unclog Your Shower Head

A long time ago I changed out the faucets in my kitchen to one that includes a spray nozzle.  Over time half the holes have become clogged and has become not as useful. Recently, I noticed that the water in my shower has not been coming out properly.  A couple of the sprays are going in two completely different directions which is really annoying when I have to turn off the shower as I always get sprayed on the side of my face.  Every time I get out of the shower I remind myself that I have to figure out a way unclog it and then another week goes by.
The other day I finally remembered to research a way to solve the problem which led me to an article online that recommended using regular white vinegar.   Now, I've heard of people using vinegar as an eco-friendly cleaning solution but to unclog a shower head?
Curiosity got the best of me and since I had some in my cupboard, I decided to give it a whirl.
I filled half a glass with vinegar and submersed the kitchen sprayer in it and because I have a hand held shower, I poured a good amount in a bowl, just enough to cover the shower head and let it work its magic. If you don't have a hand held, you can secure a ziploc bag around it with some elastics.
The article recommended letting it soak for 8 hours but I checked mine after 3 and voila! They were working just like new. All clogs were gone!

If you're looking for a chemical free option to clear the build up in your shower head or kitchen sprayer, try  some good old white vinegar!  It's a cheap and cheerful solution that really works!

Organizing My Linen Closet

So last week was a week of paring down.  I decided to go through my linen closet and re-organize it.  It's a small closet with 4 shelves but since it's only me in my apartment, it's sufficient.
On the top shelf I keep 2 down blankets.  One is brand new and was a steal of a deal.  The other I've had for a while.  I'm thinking the latter may make a good picnic blanket! I make use of the packaging that bedding comes in to store my beach towels and other soft accessories that I don't use on often but still want to keep.

The second shelf is for my bath linens.  To keep the towel clutter down, just have 3 sets per person.  That's one in the bathroom, one in the laundry and one set in the closet.  I also keep my tub mats here along with some linen/room sprays.

On the third shelf is where I keep my beloved wax pot.  Yes, I do my own waxing and the amount of money I have saved has paid for it countless times over.  I think I bought it for $20 at Cosmetics Plus in NYC when they were going out of business many moons ago.  The cost of one tub of wax costs less than getting your lower legs done ONE TIME!  I also keep all of my nail stuff in a mesh condiment basket on the same shelf.  I like the basket for it's different compartments and since I don't have a lot of nail polish (2 colours, plus base and top coat) it's perfect.  It's also where I store the stuff to do my waxing.  A friend gave me a compact sewing kit years ago and I still use it because every woman should know how to so on a button!

The fourth shelf is home to 2 small baskets of beauty goodness.  One is for the slight overstock of products I have.  Don't get it twisted, I'm not hoarder!  I just have a few extra Bath and Bodywork's products along with some samples I've been gifted.  The other basket has hair tools and some miscellaneous items i.e. an extra box of Lola by Marc Jacobs, band aids.

On the bottom of the closet is where I keep my bed linens They are all in a plastic bag that a comforter once came in.  To keep things fresh, I simply throw in a dryer sheet and zip up the bag. My rule of thumb is similar to the bath one.  You really only need 2 duvet covers per bed.  One for spring and one for fall.  As far as sheets go, 2-3 sets for each season should suffice.

Last but not least, on the inside of the closet door, all of my necklaces and earrings are hung on a corkboard using clear push pins.  This way I can see exactly what I have and put them to good use while making use of space that a lot of people don't think about.

If you have a linen closet, is it organized?

What are some things that you do to keep your linen closet organized?

Marie

The Shoe Switcheroo

First of all, I can't believe how long it's been since my last post.  Well... actually I can.  Still trying to get a handle on this whole blogging thing, as silly as it sounds.

For someone who is a creative head, I should have no problem finding things to write about, right?  Easier said than done when writing is not something you're used to so I'll try again.

Having a background in Fashion, Beauty and Design, I thought instead of creating multiple blogs, I would just use this one site to share information and let you know what I'm up to with regards to the aforementioned.

So with the weather being a little warmer these days, I decided to do the shoe flip!  I love the summer, which would probably explain why I have way more high heel sandals than I do closed toe shoes.  They are much prettier and there are more options.  In the fall/winter, I pretty much just wear boots.  In fact, I don't think I wore any of my closed toe heels at all last season with the exception of a pair of black platform pumps I wore on New Years Eve and for a date I had recently.  Let me tell you, those shoes are NOT made for walking but I got a few compliments so it was worth the agony of de-feet!

Since I have the standard reach-in closet, I don't have the room to display all of my shoes so I only keep out the ones for the current season.  The off season shoes are kept in clear shoe boxes that are labelled.  One end has the description of a fall shoe and the other end a summer shoe.  Whenever I do the switch, I know exactly which shoes go in which box.

This time around, I decided to display them differently.  Usually, I have 2 pairs of shoes on each shelf both facing forward, despite the fact it's a bit of a tight squeeze.  For the first time in probably 8 years (that's how long I've had my closet organizing system), I have conformed to the one shoe facing front and the other facing back ( see below).  I was never a fan of that look for some reason but I thought...hey, let's try something new.  I must admit, my shoes do fit better on the shelves but I still have to get used to putting them back the new way.

As I was putting out my summer shoes, I was thinking about the story behind each pair.  How much I paid (my best bargain are my gold Halston Heritage shoes that were regular $355 which I got $35 taxes in!), where I bought them, which ones are super comfortable because not all of them are! I guess that's where fashion before comfort comes into play.

Though I can't compete with the likes of Carey Bradshaw when it comes to the number of shoes I own, one things for sure... just like her, I loooove my shoes!

To the shoe lovers out there, I'm curious to know, which shoes are your favourite and why and how do you display them?