Get Organized: Tap the Power of Planners

Posted by Cynthia Ewer on January 23, 2015

Imagine a genie, a butler, a secret servant at your fingertips.

Someone who remembers everything: when your kindergartner got his last round of immunizations, the name and number of that other Mom in the soccer carpool, what your second cousin named her latest baby.

Every home manager needs this informational paragon, but no one has to scour deserted beaches for a jeweled bottle.

This secret servant is called a planner--and every home manager worth her gym socks needs to have one.

Speed Cleaning Tips From Professional Cleaners

Posted by Cynthia Ewer on January 13, 2015

Paid cleaning help can be a wonderful short-cut to a clean and organized home--if the household budget can stand the cost.

But what do you do if the Prize Patrol bypassed your door this year?

Take a speed-cleaning lesson from the pros!

Paid cleaning services are masters of the art of speedy, efficient cleaning. Watch professional cleaners at work: they don't waste time, cut corners or dawdle over the job--and they know how to clean fast, clean right.

My Child, My Home, My Country: A Marine Mom Speaks

Posted by Cynthia Ewer on September 11, 2014

The following essay, written shortly after the collapse of the Twin Towers, has been this writer's most-read piece of work.

Written on September 14, 2001, it was the cry of my heart as the mother of a United States Marine, a son who had been called to alert in response to the attacks on our country.

Each year on September 11, I re-read this essay. And remember ...

Make A Price Book For Supermarket Savings

Posted by Cynthia Ewer on August 27, 2014

Looking to save money at the supermarket? It's hard to do in this age of shifting prices and computer-generated "sales".

How do you know whether an advertised special is a bargain--or a bust? Is the warehouse mega-pack a better buy? How about those "buy one, get one free" offers--are they worth the extra price?

Supermarket pricing can be confusing. Fight back with a powerful weapon from the frugal arsenal: the price book.

A price book is a power tool for tracking prices, products and sales, so you'll always know when a bargain is truly a bargain.

Household Notebook: Planner for an Organized Home

Posted by Cynthia Ewer on July 17, 2014

So you think businesspeople are the only folks who need a personal planner? Think again: families need an organizer, too, to keep life moving smoothly on the home front!

Whether it's called a household notebook, a home management binder or family organizer, this simple idea saves time, cuts stress, and enhances communication in any-sized family or household.

A standard-sized binder stocked with calendars and schedules, planner forms and inventories, a Household Notebook creates a one-stop information center for busy families. Whether it's a carpool schedule or a co-worker's phone number, the Household Notebook holds the information you need to check each day.

Conquer Chaos in the Laundry Room

Posted by Cynthia Ewer on July 15, 2014

Nothing can streamline an organized home like a well-crafted set of household systems, and today, we focus on laundry and clothing systems.

What do they do? How do you develop them? What benefits will establishing laundry and clothing systems give to you and your family?

Chances are, you already have these systems in place. After all, a system is just a set of organized items, decisions or actions, designed to work together to achieve a common end.