Don’t forget to check out the new BLOG! This week we are taking a look at what a simplified life looks like and discussing how excess can paralyze us. And here is an old school approach to memory keeping I shared with my readers! Don’t miss a thing, subscribe today!

I will keep this short and sweet. I am changing things up a bit around here. My business site will stay here but the blog is moving. Well, it will still be floating around out there, kind of, but I will now be writing here…. Please come check it out and subscribe so you don’t miss out.

Last week my dear son spilled his sister’s juice all over Candy Land and it got gooey and soppy beyond all repair. I tossed the board game with a promise to replace it and then I got a flier in the newspaper later that week announcing a Game Exchange! On February 27 & 28 you can bring in any old board game to a participating Kmart and you will get 50% off of a new Hasbro game! (You must take the old board game to the Customer Service Desk to redeem for an in-store coupon. Limit on game per customer)

Great deal, but I wish I would have known earlier! I wonder if they will exchange my Candy Land gingerbread men for a new game, because that is all I have left!

Take advantage of this great opportunity! Go clean out those game closets and cabinets! Out with an old one and in with a new one!

Do you have any games that are worn out and run down?

My kids are really starting to get into games now, what are some of your family favorites?

]]> http://completeorganizingsolutions.com/2010/02/trade-in-your-old-board-games.html/feed 2 http://completeorganizingsolutions.com/2010/02/getting-ready-for-spring-gardening.html http://completeorganizingsolutions.com/2010/02/getting-ready-for-spring-gardening.html#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:00:31 +0000 Dave Townsend http://completeorganizingsolutions.com/?p=3522

I know what you’re thinking, “He’s talking about gardening in spring? It’s still February!” Well with me that’s a given but if you have any interest in getting a good organized start to your 2010 gardening season you will start thinking about it too! Winter isn’t just a time to hole up in our homes staying close to the fire with a cup of tea and waiting for the relief that comes with the spring sun. Winter is the perfect time to plan ahead and get an idea of what you want to accomplish in the garden. What exactly do you need to do to get ready? Here are a few ideas that I tackle during this time of the year:

1. Figure out what I want to grow whether vegetables, flowers, or both – everything works better when you plan it out.
2. Once I know what I’m going to grow I have to figure out what to buy. Do you buy seeds or do you buy plants? Should you order through a catalog or buy from a local store? Figuring out what to buy can be tricky because when I peruse the 15 or more plant and seed catalogs I receive every year I end up with a list of more seeds to buy than I have money in the bank! The catalogs can entice you with their pictures but it’s important to take everything in the catalog with a grain of salt.  Some companies Photoshop their flowers and vegetables to make them look much better than they should. Which brings me to my next point…
3. Do some research! If you don’t know the details about a seed or a plant figure out a few things before you buy. What growing conditions does it need? Is it determinate or indeterminate? (especially important when you are determining to buy indeterminate tomatoes! To put it simply, determinate are bush types and indeterminate keep growing like a vine, it’s a little more technical than that but that’s a good guideline to use.) What kind of yield can be expected? How do they taste? What kind of soil conditions will help the vegetable thrive?  Some of the best resources are the heads of fellow gardeners so don’t be afraid to ask those who garden their opinions (or check out their blogs – sorry, shameless plug). Trust me, they are always happy to talk gardening!
4. Find out when to plant the plants.  There are a couple things you need to know to determine when to put your plants out. If you are planting seeds find out your last frost date and could back the recommended days to start a plant (the package usually says something like “sow seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost.” The last frost date is different depending on where you live and is never a guarantee but just a guideline.
5. Some plants such as spinach, sugar snap peas, chard, lettuce, radishes, and others can withstand some frost and planting can begin much earlier than the last frost date. Here in Tennessee many of those vegetables I just listed can be planted this month! Just keep in mind that germination rates will improve as the soil warms.
6. Get your supplies and your budget ready.  Figure in allowances for mulches, watering, compost, fertilizers (I like the organic stuff), pest deterrents and anything else you might need.
7. Build your raised beds. Raised beds are an essential element of my garden. There are all kinds of benefits to gardening in raised beds that range from improved soil to easier access for elderly or handicap gardeners.

There you have a short list of things to think about before gardening this spring. How do you plan out your spring gardening?

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you have all enjoyed some quality family time. I know I have. During the holidays I tend to let things be and just enjoy watching the kids play and spending time with the family. My house is definitely in need of a little organizational love. What about yours?

Here are a few things coming up here at Complete Organizing Solutions…

1. This weekend we will be taking down Christmas and I will share a few tips with you on how we do that. I know for you uber-organized, it may be a bit late for that but I know a few of you have yet to take down that tree! :) We keep ours up until the New Year, I just hate to see the Christmas decor go but it is time to get this house back in order!

2. During the coming weeks we will be getting back to the basics with a little Organizing 101. We will get down to the nitty gritty of all things organizing from start to finish. I’ll cover how to get started, the organizing process as a whole and most importantly, how to keep it that way.

3. While we are going through the organizing process I will share a few organizing projects that are in the works around my house. We will be giving our little storage closet a much needed overhaul, and I will be incorporating office space for myself in my kitchen.  I will use these projects to illustrate my points during our Organizing 101 series.

4. I am very excited to tell you that I finally found a planner that works for me! I searched high and low for the perfect planner and after many trials I decided to make my own. I will share it with you soon and if you don’t want to make it yourself I have created a few printables for you to try. Stay tuned to read all about it!

I think that is enough information for now! As you can tell things are busy around here and I am excited to start getting my house back to normal after the holiday commotion. There are many more things to come so keep your eyes open for more news in the future.

It is time to start setting goals for the new year. What projects are you wanting to tackle?

[photo: Sally M on Flickr]