Since creating my blog book from www.blog2print.com...I have remembered several posts that I never included and wish I would have; thus, this space is now territory for those posts. :)
* Ian's first flying a kite
* Garage Sale Find: Dr. Seuss Books
* Running my 10k @ almost 6 months pregnant
* Zoo Visit
* Helmet evening &Dinosaur voice evening
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
What I Need to Remember a couple years from Now: If I train for my 5th Marathon
Wrapping My Head Around Marathon Training
On Monday, marathon fun fires up once again. I’ve known this day was coming since, oh since that winter day I sat watching my computer lock up when the Marine Corps Marathon registration opened…and closed.
I
am no stranger to this distance. Maybe that’s precisely why I’m
anxious. Because I know what I’m in for. My head has been swirling with
plans. Should I Run Less Run Faster again? Even though I vowed to change
it up this time? Run More Run Slower? Train Like a Mother? Take Walk
Breaks the GalloWAY? What do Pfitz and Hal and Mr. McMillan have to say?
Maybe a hybrid plan. Even though I’ve done it before countless times,
my head is in that ominous place where running more than 13 miles does
not compute.To help me (and you) along with the mental aspects of training I’ve devised some tips:
- Pick a race you REALLY want to do. Check. Marine Corps tops my bucket list.
- Pick a desirable time of year. Check. No guarantees but odds are somewhat good (knock wood) that it won’t be a billion degrees in Wash. DC on 10/28.
- Reflect on past success (even if they’re not running related) and build confidence
I paid a visit to my running shrine,
which resides deep in the catacombs of my…um…basement…to help jog my
memory of running well.
- Learn from past failures and let them go. Hello not one but 2 marathon DNS’s last fall due to injury. Plus profound fatigue from the Vitamin D fiasco.
- Break it down. Break your plan into months, then weeks, days, workouts, miles, intervals, steps to the next telephone pole, whatever it takes.
- Focus on one workout at a time. Break an intimidating long run into digestible parts: two 10-milers, four 5-milers, a 10 and two 5′s, a half marathon then a couple of 5ks or so.
- Review your workout in advance. I look at what’s coming up at the beginning of the week and mentally get my head around doing runs/paces that I may not think I am capable of.
- When you feel like you can’t, try anyway. You may be amazed at what lives inside you. I think I felt this way every. single. time. 8x800m was on tap. I’d tell myself I could quit after 4 intervals if I was dying. But I never did. For the record, this does not apply to injury.
- Join a group. Nothing like a little camaraderie and peer pressure to keep you going.
- Chart your progress. You may not feel like you’re making progress but numbers don’t lie.
- Visualize success. Every day, before, during and after every workout, visualize crossing that finish line. Smiling, upright, triumphant, feeling strong! What are you wearing? Seeing? Hearing? Smelling? See all of it in your mind’s eye. Imagine achieving a huge goal, no matter how far fetched it may seem. The more you do this, the less far fetched it will become in your mind. Where the mind leads, the body goes.
- Reward and celebrate your accomplishments. Remember those Lulu capris with the irresistibly tiny ruffle I was obsessing over? In my closet. Persistence pays off–in running and in shopping! Now I’d better get my behind in gear and go accomplish something.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Pregnancy & Exercise: Someone to Contact
Krista Edwards--I am a USAT level one coach and personal trainer, and i know how hard it is to find information on pregnant athletes, so feel free to email me at lifeguardkw@hotmail.com and I will do my best to answer any questions you may have.
recommendations there. as for the core conditioning, there are just a few guidelines to follow
As for the back injury, i would suspect at this point in the pregnancy that it may be partially related to a previous injury, but it may also just be that time when the weight of the baby combined with the structural instability of the sacroilliac joint starts to rear its ugly head. there are several exercises such as the quadruped, a standing swimmer, and the low back extension machine that will help that. perhaps the one exercise that has helped me personally the most is ab holds where you draw your lower abdominals in, hold for ten seconds (remembering to breath) and release. I try to do twenty of those at least every other day. This keeps my Transverse Abs strong, which is the muscle group responsible for holding the belly up and still. just some food for thought. y address should be correct now if you have any other questions 
recommendations there. as for the core conditioning, there are just a few guidelines to follow
- due to all of the relaxin that is being released in your body, your joints are pretty loose and therefore less stable. Because of this it is wise to limit your range of motion on some exercises, such as squats and leg extensions, as it is to much pressure on an unstable knee and hip joint.
- because of the instability, DO work the smaller core muscles of the hips by doing things such as single leg squats and single leg deadlifts. another easy way to incorporate this is to stand on one foot or in tree pose while doing upper body exercises such as lateral raises, curls, etc.
- Try to keep your weight load to thirty pounds or less. again, this is due to the instability of the joints. won't hurt the baby if you lift more, but there is a big risk to your structural integrity.
- Don't do exercises lying on your back after the first trimester. instead do them at a slight incline or tip your hips slightly to one side or the other, as the uterus compresses blood flow from the aorta
- DON'T do lunges, step ups etc. these exercises place to much opposing force on opposite sides of the pelvic girdle which is very lose. this may cause the symphisis pubis or the cartilage disc between the pubic bone to slip.
- as for planks, there is a lot of conflicting information about the safety of isometric holds, as they have been shown to spike blood pressure. i tend to steer clear of those with my clients, at least until they can prove more conclusively as to their safety.
- avoid overhead movements after the seventh month. same as above, haven't conclusively been found acceptable.
The Do's and Don'ts of Prenatal Nutrition
FitPregnancy from Active.com
Scientific research increasingly shows that a prenatal diet rich in nutrient-dense foods is key in preventing heart disease, diabetes, obesity and many types of cancer. Here’s expert advice on what to eat—and what to avoid—for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy child:
DO choose foods that perform double duty.
“Nutrient-dense foods, such as yogurt, peanut butter, chicken, beef, eggs and dairy products, are higher in protein, calcium and iron, all nutrients your baby needs to grow and develop,” says Rose Ann Hudson, R.D., L.D., co-author of 2003’s Eating for Pregnancy: An Essential Guide to Nutrition With Recipes for the Whole Family.
Some other examples of nutrient-dense foods: Lean pork, like beef, contains protein, along with B vitamins, iron and zinc. Orange juice offers folate (a B vitamin that helps prevent neural tube defects) plus vitamin C, which helps you absorb iron from foods such as fiber-rich black beans and spinach. Whole grains are filled with fiber, B vitamins, magnesium and zinc.
DON’T eat empty calories.
Sweet treats are OK during pregnancy, but in moderation, Hudson says. “One of the ways we enjoy life is to eat foods that aren’t high in nutrition, like desserts. But limit them to one portion a day (read labels); you won’t feel deprived and you also won’t be as tempted to overeat.”
DO remember that you’re not really eating for two.
“Eat until you are not hungry rather than until you are full,” advises OB-GYN Karen Nordahl, M.D., a clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. “Excess weight gain is associated with longer labor, pregnancy-induced hypertension and gestational diabetes,” Nordahl adds. Indeed, many women don’t realize they need only 300 extra calories a day—and only in the second and third trimesters.
DON’T forget your vitamins.
A daily prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement acts as a safeguard. “In a perfect world, you’d get all your nutrients from foods,” says Suki Hertz, M.S., R.D., a nutritionist and chef in New York. “But since our lives are often a little less than perfect, you should take a supplemental prenatal vitamin that contains 100 to 200 percent of the recommended dietary intakes for vitamins and minerals.”
DO strive for variety.
Along with taking your prenatal supplement, the best way to make sure that you’ll get all the proper nutrients is to eat the following daily (see page 2 for serving size information):
Drink at least eight glasses of water daily to help prevent dehydration. This can also can help prevent constipation, as can eating high-fiber foods such as whole-wheat and whole-grain breads and pastas, and lots of fruits and vegetables. Fiber also helps you feel full, so you may be less likely to overeat. Aim for at least 25 to 35 grams of fiber every day (3⁄4 cup of bran cereal, for example, contains an average of 5 grams of fiber).
DO avoid risky foods.
Unpasteurized soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, feta, blue-veined and Mexican-style cheeses, can harbor listeria, a bacterium that causes listeriosis, a serious infection that can lead to miscarriage, premature delivery or stillbirth. Deli meats also may pose a risk, so buy prepackaged cold cuts rather than those from the deli counter, or heat deli-counter meats thoroughly before eating them. “To minimize the risk of listeriosis, cook all leftovers and deli foods to at least 140˚ F,” Hertz says. For the same reason, never eat raw or undercooked meat, seafood (that includes sushi!) or eggs.
DON’T eat high-mercury fish.
These include shark, king mackerel, tilefish and swordfish. Federal guidelines recommend limiting low-mercury fish to 12 ounces a week. Safe choices include canned light tuna (limit albacore tuna, which is higher in mercury, to 6 ounces a week, maximum), catfish, pollock, salmon and shellfish. For more on seafood consumption during pregnancy, including the best sources of brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids, go to fitpregnancy.com/mercuryrising.
Dairy: 1 cup milk, soy milk or yogurt; 1 1⁄2 ounces natural cheese; or 2 ounces processed cheese
Scientific research increasingly shows that a prenatal diet rich in nutrient-dense foods is key in preventing heart disease, diabetes, obesity and many types of cancer. Here’s expert advice on what to eat—and what to avoid—for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy child:
DO choose foods that perform double duty.
“Nutrient-dense foods, such as yogurt, peanut butter, chicken, beef, eggs and dairy products, are higher in protein, calcium and iron, all nutrients your baby needs to grow and develop,” says Rose Ann Hudson, R.D., L.D., co-author of 2003’s Eating for Pregnancy: An Essential Guide to Nutrition With Recipes for the Whole Family.
Some other examples of nutrient-dense foods: Lean pork, like beef, contains protein, along with B vitamins, iron and zinc. Orange juice offers folate (a B vitamin that helps prevent neural tube defects) plus vitamin C, which helps you absorb iron from foods such as fiber-rich black beans and spinach. Whole grains are filled with fiber, B vitamins, magnesium and zinc.
DON’T eat empty calories.
Sweet treats are OK during pregnancy, but in moderation, Hudson says. “One of the ways we enjoy life is to eat foods that aren’t high in nutrition, like desserts. But limit them to one portion a day (read labels); you won’t feel deprived and you also won’t be as tempted to overeat.”
DO remember that you’re not really eating for two.
“Eat until you are not hungry rather than until you are full,” advises OB-GYN Karen Nordahl, M.D., a clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. “Excess weight gain is associated with longer labor, pregnancy-induced hypertension and gestational diabetes,” Nordahl adds. Indeed, many women don’t realize they need only 300 extra calories a day—and only in the second and third trimesters.
DON’T forget your vitamins.
A daily prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement acts as a safeguard. “In a perfect world, you’d get all your nutrients from foods,” says Suki Hertz, M.S., R.D., a nutritionist and chef in New York. “But since our lives are often a little less than perfect, you should take a supplemental prenatal vitamin that contains 100 to 200 percent of the recommended dietary intakes for vitamins and minerals.”
DO strive for variety.
Along with taking your prenatal supplement, the best way to make sure that you’ll get all the proper nutrients is to eat the following daily (see page 2 for serving size information):
- 9 servings from the whole-grains group--bread, cereal, rice and pasta
- 2–3 servings of protein-rich foods from the meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts group
- 4 servings of vegetables
- 3 servings from the fruit group
- 3 servings from the milk, yogurt and cheese group.
Drink at least eight glasses of water daily to help prevent dehydration. This can also can help prevent constipation, as can eating high-fiber foods such as whole-wheat and whole-grain breads and pastas, and lots of fruits and vegetables. Fiber also helps you feel full, so you may be less likely to overeat. Aim for at least 25 to 35 grams of fiber every day (3⁄4 cup of bran cereal, for example, contains an average of 5 grams of fiber).
DO avoid risky foods.
Unpasteurized soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, feta, blue-veined and Mexican-style cheeses, can harbor listeria, a bacterium that causes listeriosis, a serious infection that can lead to miscarriage, premature delivery or stillbirth. Deli meats also may pose a risk, so buy prepackaged cold cuts rather than those from the deli counter, or heat deli-counter meats thoroughly before eating them. “To minimize the risk of listeriosis, cook all leftovers and deli foods to at least 140˚ F,” Hertz says. For the same reason, never eat raw or undercooked meat, seafood (that includes sushi!) or eggs.
DON’T eat high-mercury fish.
These include shark, king mackerel, tilefish and swordfish. Federal guidelines recommend limiting low-mercury fish to 12 ounces a week. Safe choices include canned light tuna (limit albacore tuna, which is higher in mercury, to 6 ounces a week, maximum), catfish, pollock, salmon and shellfish. For more on seafood consumption during pregnancy, including the best sources of brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids, go to fitpregnancy.com/mercuryrising.
How Much is a Serving?
Dairy: 1 cup milk, soy milk or yogurt; 1 1⁄2 ounces natural cheese; or 2 ounces processed cheese
Protein: 2-3 ounces cooked lean meat, poultry or fish; 1⁄2 cup tofu; 2 eggs; or 2 tablespoons peanut butter
Fruits: 1 medium-size piece (such as an apple or banana); 1⁄2 cup chopped fruit; 1⁄2 cup cooked fruit (such as applesauce); or 3⁄4 cup fruit juice
Vegetables: 1 cup raw leafy vegetables; 1⁄2 cup raw or cooked vegetables; or 3⁄4 cup vegetable juice
Whole Grains: 1 slice bread; 1⁄2 cup cooked cereal (such as oatmeal); or 1⁄2 cup pasta or brown rice
My Goal: Pregnancy & Sports Participation
Pregnancy and Sports Participation
Recently, there has been much controversy about the role of pregnant women in sports. Experts in the fields of medicine, law, insurance and ethics presented current research, statistics and information relating to this topic at the National Forum on Pregnancy and Sport conducted in Sydney, Australia, in 2001. The following is a brief summary of the key points made by the medical presenters (SMA 2001):- Medical evidence suggests that healthy pregnant women (with normal pregnancies) can participate in sports without affecting the course or outcome of the pregnancy. (The panel did make some provisos in terms of type, intensity, duration and frequency of exercise.)
- Pregnant athletes should avoid maximal-intensity exercise, have a thorough cool-down period of gentle exercise, avoid excessive stretching and jerky ballistic movements, ensure adequate fluid intake, and pay attention to core body temperature.
- The fetus is extremely well protected from blows to the abdomen during the first trimester (first three months) of pregnancy.
- The risk of abdominal injuries during sports (for both men and women) is extremely low. Current research indicates that fewer than two percent of all injuries, including those that occur during contact sports, involve the abdomen or chest area.
- The pregnant woman, herself, is best placed to know (generally from discomfort and lack of coordination) when to stop participating.
- Pregnant women should seek advice from medical professionals and, if appropriate, seek a second opinion.
- No medical evidence has linked adverse outcomes for the fetus (including miscarriage) to sporting injuries. Statistics and research on adverse outcomes following severe or catastrophic trauma to pregnant women relate almost exclusively to road trauma and domestic violence.
A Safe Delivery
It's true that pregnancy can detract from an athlete's ability to attain peak performance levels in elite competition. But that doesn't mean pregnant athletes need to lower their activity to negligible levels. As long as they listen to their bodies, it should be safe for them to exercise at pre-pregnancy training levels throughout their pregnancies.As for returning to training after delivery, this is up to each individual and her physician. The conservative approach is to refrain from vigorous exercise for at least six weeks--longer for those with special needs--but many athletes start training earlier than that, provided they have medical clearance to do so.
Although experts have not established an upper level of safe activity for pregnant athletes, the benefits of continuing to be active during pregnancy appear to outweigh any potential risks. Unfortunately, no exact limits for frequency, duration and intensity are available. It is ultimately up to each woman--with the help and advice of her physician and fitness professionals-- to decide the fitness path to take during pregnancy.
Finally, no matter how fit a client is, she should not be exercising if she has any of the following contraindications:
- Pregnancy-induced hypertension
- Preterm rupture of placenta membranes
- Preterm labor during the current pregnancy or previous pregnancies
- Incompetent cervix
- Persistent bleeding during the second or third trimester
- Intrauterine growth retardation
Warning Signs
If a pregnant client exhibits any of the following signs, she should immediately discontinue exercising and receive medical attention:- Pain
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Faintness
- Vaginal bleeding
- Difficulty walking
- Contractions
- Unusual absence of fetal movements (but note that the baby is often most quiet when the mother is exercising)
Ian's First Swimming Lesson
Thursday, June 14, 2012
A Different Perspective in a Different Area
Here in Troy, my perspective on motherhood and my ambition and God's plan seem changed. Maybe it is because it is mostly just us together as we get to know other people or Ian is at an age where his discovery is so fun I can't but help to want to be around him all the time.
Time is precious, priorities are different - ambitions are very different. A goal was there in Jasper and once it was not attained (licensure)...perspective changed and having to face God's plan versus my own made me do an about-face.
I'm working in a great environment with a great team of coworkers who get it and are there, not just one more person but 10-13 other people. My boss is an advocate for us fully and I feel so blessed. I belong and somehow amongst all these strangers I know I'm home. I'm not sure about God's timing or season for this employment but I do feel blessed and know that for right now I am to be here.
Mark's opportunity as a leader and a servant is something that I've been waiting to see and wondering how God would use him. It is quite cool. It's like going from one roller coaster in Jasper...to a different one in Troy. It's picture is different...numbers aren't up front as much but spiritual-fervor amongst the small # seems here and present. This roller coaster requires more sacrifice of us as servants. It's different, not better but different. I wish I could know what is future, I wish I could know length of this season and I wish I could know whether I will endure postpartum depression again after this next precious little one.
We just don't know....
Time is precious, priorities are different - ambitions are very different. A goal was there in Jasper and once it was not attained (licensure)...perspective changed and having to face God's plan versus my own made me do an about-face.
I'm working in a great environment with a great team of coworkers who get it and are there, not just one more person but 10-13 other people. My boss is an advocate for us fully and I feel so blessed. I belong and somehow amongst all these strangers I know I'm home. I'm not sure about God's timing or season for this employment but I do feel blessed and know that for right now I am to be here.
Mark's opportunity as a leader and a servant is something that I've been waiting to see and wondering how God would use him. It is quite cool. It's like going from one roller coaster in Jasper...to a different one in Troy. It's picture is different...numbers aren't up front as much but spiritual-fervor amongst the small # seems here and present. This roller coaster requires more sacrifice of us as servants. It's different, not better but different. I wish I could know what is future, I wish I could know length of this season and I wish I could know whether I will endure postpartum depression again after this next precious little one.
We just don't know....
Monday, June 4, 2012
little boyhood & motherhood
an excerpt from marta writes:: {explains some of my thoughts right now}
i decide three is a pretty perfect age. everything is exciting; he's big enough to do so many big boy things, tossing his two year old fears to the wayside. and still he is small enough to curl up for a nap, beg for more stories and sing songs. though old enough to have long conversations, run an afternoon of errands with me, get dressed unassisted, play by himself for long periods of time and do small favors for me. he strives to be good and do what is right. he talks about loving Jesus and trying to be like Him. no wonder we're commanded to be like little children; their hearts are of pure gold. in so many ways it's the best of both worlds. there is still some baby in his face and yet big boy feet filling out his shoes.
it's true–i know–i am pulling at our moments and greedily pocketing them. every day there is something worthy of writing down and i try to nip it into memory. but then, swiftly it is taken by another toddler sweet-ism and the second makes me forget the first. these moments are like clean clothes pinned to a line in the breezy backyard. such a breathtaking scene, even in its ordinary-ness. though we are too busy playing beneath the waving material that i can rarely breathe in the pure beauty of it. and before i know it, suddenly a strong wind comes and we create a new game of picking the loose clothing up. a new and happy memory is already in the works.
i am trying so hard to remember every single thing about us right now. i fear having a new baby will rock me so much that my memories (and mind!) will fade. of course i know in my heart that the baby will multiply our happiness and joy and love, but right now i imagine the baby's entrance will take over my mind; not unlike the rowdy pre-teens taking over the twisty slides at the park. i do not know what to expect, therefore i am soaking up our errands, our handholding, our duets.... like a starving sponge. it's a bit silly, i know. but i can't seem to help it. i am secretly (or not-so-secretly) taking it all in. it's ironic how i am simultaneously preparing benji to be the big brother, teaching him new skills i know he'll need when the baby comes, and still babying him in the quiet moments. scooping him up for longer hugs. giving in to a pile of mini marshmallows for dessert. letting him climb into the covers every morning to cuddle. oh how good it is to be a mom. i am realizing the rewards of a long hard day's work are right within my reach. i look down as we all cross the street together and feel his little hand hold tight and familiar to mine and dan's in the other; i have everything i could ever want. and growing inside me is yet another miracle, waiting to be discovered. i have so much to be thankful for.
i decide three is a pretty perfect age. everything is exciting; he's big enough to do so many big boy things, tossing his two year old fears to the wayside. and still he is small enough to curl up for a nap, beg for more stories and sing songs. though old enough to have long conversations, run an afternoon of errands with me, get dressed unassisted, play by himself for long periods of time and do small favors for me. he strives to be good and do what is right. he talks about loving Jesus and trying to be like Him. no wonder we're commanded to be like little children; their hearts are of pure gold. in so many ways it's the best of both worlds. there is still some baby in his face and yet big boy feet filling out his shoes.
it's true–i know–i am pulling at our moments and greedily pocketing them. every day there is something worthy of writing down and i try to nip it into memory. but then, swiftly it is taken by another toddler sweet-ism and the second makes me forget the first. these moments are like clean clothes pinned to a line in the breezy backyard. such a breathtaking scene, even in its ordinary-ness. though we are too busy playing beneath the waving material that i can rarely breathe in the pure beauty of it. and before i know it, suddenly a strong wind comes and we create a new game of picking the loose clothing up. a new and happy memory is already in the works.
i am trying so hard to remember every single thing about us right now. i fear having a new baby will rock me so much that my memories (and mind!) will fade. of course i know in my heart that the baby will multiply our happiness and joy and love, but right now i imagine the baby's entrance will take over my mind; not unlike the rowdy pre-teens taking over the twisty slides at the park. i do not know what to expect, therefore i am soaking up our errands, our handholding, our duets.... like a starving sponge. it's a bit silly, i know. but i can't seem to help it. i am secretly (or not-so-secretly) taking it all in. it's ironic how i am simultaneously preparing benji to be the big brother, teaching him new skills i know he'll need when the baby comes, and still babying him in the quiet moments. scooping him up for longer hugs. giving in to a pile of mini marshmallows for dessert. letting him climb into the covers every morning to cuddle. oh how good it is to be a mom. i am realizing the rewards of a long hard day's work are right within my reach. i look down as we all cross the street together and feel his little hand hold tight and familiar to mine and dan's in the other; i have everything i could ever want. and growing inside me is yet another miracle, waiting to be discovered. i have so much to be thankful for.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Organization
It is a subject I love and yet my natural tendency wages war against it. I categorize but seem to create piles that lead to other piles. The 15 minute break seems to work best for me but it's remembering to do it that gets me.
Here are some ideas from Simplify101.com's blog. Thinking of my own situation of moving and then knowing that we will be (Lordwilling) moving again. Thinking of my mom's situation with retiring and reorganizing her home after leaving her classroom for 17 years.
Declutter. One of the simplest, fastest and least expensive ways to freshen up any space (and boost your feelings about it) is to clear out some clutter. Let go of tools and supplies you no longer love and are unlikely to use. Create some breathing room in your file cabinets by clearing out paperwork from completed projects and tasks. Reevaluate the items on your desk, and eliminate anything that isn’t either a daily essential or inspiring to your eye. Getting rid of even 15 minutes worth of clutter will breathe new energy into your space and make you feel happier when you’re there.
Use creative storage solutions. Freshen up your work space with some creative storage solutions. Stock up on brightly colored flower pots or metal buckets and use them to corral basic office supplies such as pens, pencils and scissors. Use a ceramic egg crate or votive holders for small office essentials such as paper clips, rubber bands and extra staples. Repurpose favorite ceramic bowls for Post-it notes, small notepads and index cards.
How to Create a Command Center Folder
Organize your Creative Space Online Workshop
Just thought I'd share....love it.
Here are some ideas from Simplify101.com's blog. Thinking of my own situation of moving and then knowing that we will be (Lordwilling) moving again. Thinking of my mom's situation with retiring and reorganizing her home after leaving her classroom for 17 years.
Declutter. One of the simplest, fastest and least expensive ways to freshen up any space (and boost your feelings about it) is to clear out some clutter. Let go of tools and supplies you no longer love and are unlikely to use. Create some breathing room in your file cabinets by clearing out paperwork from completed projects and tasks. Reevaluate the items on your desk, and eliminate anything that isn’t either a daily essential or inspiring to your eye. Getting rid of even 15 minutes worth of clutter will breathe new energy into your space and make you feel happier when you’re there.
Use creative storage solutions. Freshen up your work space with some creative storage solutions. Stock up on brightly colored flower pots or metal buckets and use them to corral basic office supplies such as pens, pencils and scissors. Use a ceramic egg crate or votive holders for small office essentials such as paper clips, rubber bands and extra staples. Repurpose favorite ceramic bowls for Post-it notes, small notepads and index cards.
How to Create a Command Center Folder
Organize your Creative Space Online Workshop
Just thought I'd share....love it.
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