The Best DIY Body Butter

Written By: Denise Leduc

When it comes to having the best moisturizer, you don't have to spend a lot of money, or buy products full of ingredients you can't pronounce. Sometimes, the simplest is the best.

While at the gym, I have actually had a woman reach out, rub my arm and say, "Oh my gosh, your skin is so soft." It was a little strange, but I was only too happy to share my skin care secret - coconut oil.

Day 20 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our twentieth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
Update catalogs.

Let go of some of your many catalogs. Pick the ones you like the best and call the rest to have yourself removed from their mailing lists.

When requesting a catalog, specify you don't want them to share or sell your name.

Keep all catalogs in one basket, and it will be easy to find the outdated one to recycle when the new one arrives.

Day 19 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our nineteenth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
Tripped up by time traps?

Identify where you repeatedly lose little bits of time. If you search for your keys each morning, hang a nail inside the front and back doors. Deposit your keys there each time you come home so when you're ready to leave, you'll know exactly where they are.

Always dashing to the drugstore for a birthday, anniversary or get-well card? Buy a dozen blank greeting cards and write your own wishes for any occasion.

Day 18 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our eighteenth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
Be a movie star.

Unlabeled videotapes and DVD's are often lost and hardly ever enjoyed. Sit down with a glass of hot cocoa, and pop your home movies into the player. Once identified, affix a label to each of them, listing the subject, place and year.

Store videotapes and DVD's vertically, like books on a shelf, and the one you want will easily be easy to locate. A stack of blank labels nearby insures your library will always be up to date.

Three Bedtime Yoga Poses

Written By: Denise Leduc

Despite the best intentions life gets busy, we get distracted and sometimes we just don't find (or make) the time to do the things we know we should. The best way to move forward is to start slow and start simple.

No matter how busy we are, we all have time at the end of the day to take a few minutes and do these three yoga poses. Lay your yoga mat out near your bed (or even do these poses right on your bed).

Child's Pose

This pose is excellent for stretching out the spine after a long day.

Starting on your hands and knees, touch your big toes together, then sit your hips back at your feet. Open your knees so they are hip width apart. Reach forward so your arms are straight, palms facing down. Bring your forehead to rest on the floor. Become conscious of your breathing as you slowly inhale and exhale. Stay in the post for 30 seconds.

Day 17 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our seventeenth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
Make a home.

Help children find a place where each toy lives. At day's end, when little ones are off to bed, their toys can go home to bed too.

Adults can adopt that thinking as well: Return everything to its home before retiring at night, from dinner dishes to the TV remote.

Day 16 to 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our sixteenth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge:

Major in addition and subtraction.

Base new purchases on this simple equation: Will "adding" this "subtract" from my life? Will it be more work to store it, clean it, repair it than it's worth?

Plastic "money" can really add weight to a wallet. Streamline by the canceling of credit cards you never use.

Day 15 to 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our fifteenth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge:
Money matters.

As each bill arrives, open it, note the "pay by" date and write it on the outside of the envelope. Stack chronologically, with the next to be paid always on top. Each morning, glance at the top bill to see if anything needs to go out that day.

Or purchase a pre-labeled 1 to 31 sorter, available at office supply stores. When bills arrive, slip into the slot that corresponds to their chosen pay-by date. A bonus: You can also file theater tickets and greeting cards by the date you'll need them.

Day 14 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our fourteenth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
Chill out.

Clear out leftovers from the back of the freezer. Wipe out the compartments and run ice cube trays through the dishwasher.

From now on, use masking tape and a permanent marker to label containers before freezing. Don't forget to write down the date!

Day 13 to 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our thirteenth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
Ready, set, go!

Create and eye-catching spot for outgoing items: packages to mail, clothes headed for the dry cleaners, a stack of coupons for the grocery store.

A plastic milk crate in the trunk of your car can hold everything headed back home. It's lightweight and easy to transport into the house.

Day 12 to 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our twelfth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
Wash and save.

Tack a small bag to the wall above the washer to hold found items such as buttons and coins.

Clean socks and underwear can wait to be folded. But hang up shirts immediately out of the dryer. They'll remain relatively wrinkle free and be quicker to iron.

Day 11 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our eleventh day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge:
Fashion a workable wardrobe.

Close the door on clothes you don't wear. Resolve to buy wardrobe basics that mix-and-match easily. Avoid trendy garments, employing fashionable accessories to keep an outfit current.

Be honest with yourself. If an outfit no longer fits right, get rid of it. Note the colors that look best on you - if your eyes sparkle when you put it on, it's right for you.

Enroll in boot camp! Give infrequently worn shoes their "marching orders." They belong in the donation box.

Day 10 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our tenth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge:

Contain yourself.

Junk drawer runneth over? Don't get caught in the undertow. Dump out the contents, pitch broken items, and sort the rest, putting like items together.

If you tend to pile things, consider using storage with lids, such as drawers or shoe boxes. This will encourage you to weed stuff out when you can't fit any more in.

Day 9 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our nineth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge:

Give yourself time.

Starting today, turn off the television one extra hour per day. Use the found time to attack the stacks, incorporating papers into your new filing system.

Begin going to bed half an hour earlier. The day's end is usually nonproductive, and the extra energy you'll gain means you can accomplish twice as much tomorrow.

Day 8 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our eighth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
Shop smart.

Brainstorm one main list of groceries you typically buy. Synchronize the order of the items with the layout of store aisles. Photocopy, post on the fridge, and circle items as you run out.

Gather clipped coupons and pitch expired ones. Organize the rest in a purse-size accordion envelope.

Staple necessary coupons to your list. If their order mimics that of items on the list, you'll avoid riffling through while shopping to see what brand you need.

Day 7 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our seventh day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
It's a date.

Get a grip on the everyday challenge of who-what-where-when with a purse-size calendar. Note phone calls you need to make, tasks that need to be completed and, of course, appointments.

Date all papers. Be sure to include the year! You'll save time later when you're trying to figure out if information is recent enough to be useful.

Day 6 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our sixth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
Repeat after me: "Yes" and "No."

We really can't do it all. Focus on giving 100 percent effort to your real interests and priorities, instead of partial effort to everything.

When your participation is requested and it just doesn't fit with your life style, say "no" graciously. Try saying this: "I'm flattered you thought of me. But my schedule is full at the moment, and I can't give the project the attention it deserves. Thanks for thinking of me."

Of course, you also need to practice saying "yes." Feel awkward about accepting assistance? Try, "Thanks, I'm sure that would make it easier on me. And I hope you'll let me return the favor."

Day 5 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our fifth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
Practice this "first place" principle.

Store items at the first place you use them. Don't put something where you have an empty spot - put it where you'll need it. Gift wrap may fit perfectly in the upstairs bedroom closet. But if you prepare presents on the dining room table, a closer storage spot is a much better choice.

Think, Where is the first place I would look for this? when deciding where to file a paper. Relying on this initial instinct means you can find it again later.

Day 4 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our fourth day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
Less is more.

Less clutter means more time saved by not having to take care of it. Circle quickly through the house and grab items you obviously neither need nor want. Stow in a cardboard box in the closet. You'll add to the collection during the next 26 days.

Streamline shelves, mantels and other display areas. Too many knickknacks can stress out your psyche.

Day 2 of 30 to a More Organized You

Today is our second day to having a more organized month.

Let's do this!

Challenge
Plan to succeed.

Make a list of roadblocks you might encounter along the way. Then think of ways to overcome each obstacle.

Gain support and interest from your family. Ask, "If one thing could be different about your life, what would it be?" They may dream up their own 30-day plans!