Magic Modifications

Sometime shelving systems work.
Then after awhile, you start thinking of using the space differently.
Time for a change.



Now, I did not install these shelves.
However, my client wanted me to make room for a garage freezer that was to be delivered.


I moved the three lower shelves to fit the freezer into the corner.
Adjusting the height of the shelves to accommodate my client's needs. I also added two folding bike racks.

Now, the garage is ready for the freezer to be delivered, and it will fit neatly into the corner. The bike racks hold two bikes each and fold flat against the wall when not being used.

My client had a friend over to meet me.
She said, "Angie I have seen your magic. Can you please come to my house? I need your help."

I'll be meeting with the friend about her basement next week.

My services are "Magic."
Thank you, I'll take that compliment.

What ONE word describes you?

Back to School Tips

Back to school can be a stressful time of year. Families must change from the laid-back summer schedule to the non-stop school and activity calendars that keep you jumping from one activity to the next without a moment's rest.

Here are some tips:

Plan Ahead - The only way you can command your time is to consciously map it. When you monitor your family schedule, you can then plan how and when to accomplish important back-to-school tasks, such as replacing clothes, purchasing school supplies, and attending back-to-school night. Stock your kids' homework stations with pencil and paper basics while purchasing classroom items.

Plan for Paper - Before you start stacking all those important school papers in a long forgotten corner of your kitchen, or on top of last month's bills, put your paper trail in place beginning with in/out boxes for each family member. Show everyone where to place their papers and then sort them daily with your planner at hand to note important deadlines and tasks.

Plan to Purge - We all do better with a clean, organized environment. If you haven't yet gone through everyone's closets, dressers, and bedrooms while evaluating wardrobes for school, do it as soon as you have your routine in motion. Make room for the year ahead by rounding up all outgrown items, discarding everything that can't be repaired, both in the toy and clothing departments. For items in good condition, arrange for a charitable donation or enlist your kids' help and plan a yard sale in late September.

School starts September 4th for my boys here in Michigan.
I'm working on our family schedule for the Fall.
I've got the paper plan down.
I need to dump out my boys dressers and see what fits.

Guess I better get to work......Ah, but it is a beautiful sunny day.
Back to school stuff can wait one more day.

Are you ready for the school year?

I Miss My Boys!

I have not seen my boys since August 11th, the day I left for Guatemala.

The plan was I would be picking them up after a week with their father on August 21st. I had an agreement with their father that they would stay a couple extra nights with him.

That was until......he changed his mind.

Knowing my former's history, Matthew, Jacob and I had a discussion prior to leaving that this may happen. What is sad is that their father drove the boys 45 minutes to our usual half-way point, knowing I would not be there. My Boys even told him that mommy would not be there, yet he went anyway?? Only to drive another 45 minutes back to his home.

Now I could easily remedy this situation by driving an hour and half to get my boys and bring them home. However, before I left I explained to Matthew and Jacob why I would not drive up to their dad's to pick them up. When I do get to talk to them, they understand.

It is a stand-off. I am not happy about it.
Perhaps it is childish.
I feel, "Enough is enough."
I will not be pushed around or controlled
any longer.
My boys are paying the price for all of this. That is sad.

Have you ever felt so strongly about taking a stand?
Did it make a difference?

Jack Surprises his Wife

Jack is a sweetheart of a man.
His love for his wife is obvious.
And he wants me to help surprise his wife
by organizing her closet.

I am so excited!!

Jack read about me in the Sylvania Advantage and asked me to get his wife's closet organized while she is away at work. (YEAH!!)

This is my second client that wanted me surprise his wife.
(Where are more of these guys? I'm a fun, adventurous, single chick)


The closet was not in bad shape. Jack had purchases some new hangers for me to use, along with some shoe storage boxes.


"Just make it look neat and tidy. I want to do something really special for my wife."

I started by removing all the shoes, bags and boxes on the floor. Then began switching the clothes onto the new hangers. Jack had purchased some shoe storage boxes which worked really well. They are clear so you can see inside and each one slides out independently. Pretty cool system, way better than fumbling through stacks of shoe boxes.

Jack was completely thrilled with the closet organization.

Now the big test is: What will his wife think?

I'm thinking Jack's gift to his wife is going to score HUGE
brownie points for him. But I also have the feeling Jack doesn't really need them. He truly loves his wife.

Jack, Thank you for having me help you with your surprise.
It is men like you that make me smile.

What person has surprised you with kindness?

Life is an Adventure

What a crazy fun adventure!!
So many things happened on my Habitat Build in Guatemala. The team was amazingly fun.

Random thoughts from this trip....

1. I appreciate cool drinking water!

2. When in Guatemala, drink Gallo beer. Chicken beer rocks! Not made from chickens, just chicken on the logo.

3. I do not want to eat rice or beans for at least one month.

4. No cell phone for 10 days is AWESOME!!!

5. Do not touch the shower heads in Guatemala. You can get an electric shock. (I found out the hard way)

6. Being nearly impaled by horns of a cow is a little scary. (and I didn't do anything to provoke the beast)

7. Glop is fun to make.

8. Land to build a home in Guatemala = $250
Cost to home owner to build a Habitat home = $2000(this is a third to fourth of the price to rent a single room home)

9. Kids in Guatemala look so happy, healthy and active. And they have nothing compared to the kids in the US.

10. Howler monkeys are crazy creatures.

11. Machetes are fun to use. Yeah, I had to buy one, let me know if you have something for me to chop.

12. "I am going to kill that damn rooster."

13. Letting the wound "bleed out" is better than cleaning it up ... when in Guatemala. (OK, I twisted my ankle and gouge my shin hauling dirt out of a house. I'm not a clutz, just an aggressive worker.)

14. Moving blocks, mixing glop, hauling "crack", shoveling dirt, tying rebar and sweating my butt off with an amazing group of people = I would do it all again in a flash!

There are so many more thoughts I have, perhaps some of my Guatemala "Hollas" will comment.

I'm sad today. I miss all you crazy Howlas from Guatemala!!!

What adventures has your life involved?

Going to Guatemala!

Yep, That is were I will be from August 11-21, building homes in the village of El Estor, a small village on Lago de Izabal.

CRAZY!!

I will be participating in a Global Village Trip with Habitat For Humanity. I went to Alaska last year for a build, and am honored to be invited to help out with this one.

Bedford Now wrote a little article about the trip. (click here)
Thank you Bridget Meade for writing a great article!

I truly believe in giving back.
I love the quote on the back of our Global Village t-shirts:

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
-Ghandi
Please wish us a safe adventure and me mucho luck with my minimal, at best, knowledge of the spanish language.

What change would you like to see in this world?
What are you doing about it?

Achieve Your Goals

It's already past the midpoint of 2007.

Have you accomplish what you wanted to during the first half of the year?


If not, there's still plenty of time to make some headway before the year is up. Here are 5 tips to help you start getting things done.

1) Set a goal a week. Rather than trying to get a million things done, which usually ends up in getting nothing done at all, set just one goal a week. Work on that goal a little bit each day until you've reached it, even if you're only able to work on it for 15 minutes each day.

2) Make it concrete. If you wait until you have time to work on your goals, that time may never come. You may have to schedule time in your calendar or planner. If you want to organize the garage a little bit each day, set aside the hour directly before dinner.

3) Don't keep it a secret. When you set goals, tell at least three people about them. Let these people know that these goals are very important to you and you'd appreciate any motivation they could send your way. Telling others about your plans may give you the incentive to work towards reaching them. (see my Vision Board)

4) Don't beat yourself up. If you haven't reached your goal by the end of the week, no problem. Just continue working on that one goal the following week. As long as you're working on it a little bit each day, and progressing, you're a lot further than you were when you first set your goal. Once your goal is met, congratulate yourself and set another goal for the following week.

5) Reward yourself! For every goal you set, also come up with a pending reward--something you enjoy only when your goal has been met. For small goals you've accomplished, your rewards may be sipping a cool drink in your backyard, listening to your favorite CD or spending 10 minutes on the telephone talking to your good friend. For larger goals accomplished, your rewards may be buying yourself a new outfit, going to the movies, or even taking a vacation!

What have you achieved in 2007?
What are you working on this week?

It could have been worse

Pouring rain. I mean POURING rain.
Windows up.
A/C going.
Radio on.
Green light to pass through the intersection.

UH OH... Firetruck, lights flashing, in same intersection.

I slam on my brakes, not really wanting to hit the nice Firetruck.
My Car is hydroplaning.
"Car stop. Car Stop. CAR STOP!"
Just missed the firetruck, slowly hit the curb.
Back up, continue on to my client.

Mmmm, something is wrong.
Pull over.
Still pouring rain.
I have a flat. (bummer!)
At least it is just a flat tire.
I call my client, gonna be a little late.

As I am changing my tire, I stop and look around at all the cars going by as I am in the Home Depot parking lot. And, I start to laugh. Rain is coming down like crazy, I narrowly escaped smashing into a firetruck, now jacking up my car, wondering "Wow, good thing I took a shower this morning." I just started laughing.


20 minutes later.
Yeah, only 20 minutes to change my tire.
Tire is changed, call my client, back on the road.

I don't know. Crazy, but I did have a great day today.
And changing my tire was part of it.


Thought I would share this story.

NO, I am NOT adding tire changing to my services.

When was the last time you played in the rain?

Teaching a Class

That is what I will be doing in September at the Whitman Center, Monroe Community College. This is the class listing in their catalog:


Enough is Enough…Get Organized!
Do you dread walking past an area of your home due to the clutter?
If so, end your frustration and begin to imagine how fantastic you will
feel when that area is finally organized. Whether you need to declutter
a room, organize a closet or prepare for a move, this class can help.
Bring pictures of a project you wish to organize and walk away with
a plan of action to tackle your problem area by the conclusion of the
class.
Your instructor, Angie Weid, is the owner of Organized Solutions
and has a degree in engineering with years of expertise helping people
reduce stress as well as saving time and money with organizational strategies.
HOME 723-91 Smart #12062
$19
Monday Sept. 24 1 day
5:30 - 7 p.m. WC – 6 Weid
--------------------------------
I am really looking forward to this experience.
It will be a lot of fun.

What classes have you taught?

I'm a Beaver

OK, I just busted out laughing when I took this quiz.

Partly because......well, I'm a beaver?!

Also, since there is this story about me, my mom, my brother and grandma at the dinner table and a discussion about beaver. (ask me about it and I will share.)

You're a Beaver!
Leave it to you. You're resourceful and clever and would probably
make an excellent engineer of some sort. While you always have your wits about you, it's your teeth that might be your strongest attribute. If looking for a place to move, you should know that you will be revered in Oregon. In the meantime, be careful of the devastating flooding you might encounter. Dam the man!

Take the Animal Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

What animal are you?

Unpacking from a Move

Seems recently, many of my new clients are in need of help during a move.
From the preparation, purging of "stuff," or packing before they move.
To helping with the daunting task of unpacking and getting "stuff" put in its place.

My client, "Andrea," was in need of unpacking from a move her move that was about 1 year ago. She had this great spare bedroom in her awesome downtown loft condo (if I didn't have my boys, that is where I would live).


You can see this room was filled with boxes and bags of Andrea's items. She was feeling a little anxious about started and didn't think what we would accomplish.

"I don't even know how to begin," she said.


"We start with this box. See what is inside, you decide what you want to do with it, and we move on to the next one."

It is very easy to become overwhelmed when working on any task. Our job in this project was to work our way through all these boxes and find out what was inside each of them. Getting everything put away in 4 hours was not going to happen. Andrea knew this before we began.

What we ended up with was all Andrea's collectible dolls in the closet, an area of books to sort through, an area of papers to sort through, and Andrea had her desk and chair available to use. (Yeah, I see I need to clean my camera lens)

I will be back in a 4 weeks to see the progress Andrea has made and help her continue to get her home sorted out.

What area of your home is in need of "unpacking?"

Kitty Kat Bikers

My sides are sore today from laughing my butt off during a summer outing with the William Vaughan Company.

A group of about 40 business women were invited to go to Put-N-Bay for a day of networking, socializing and FUN!!

Some of us decided to rent mopeds and cruise/terrorize this little Ohio island. Kitty Kat Bikers is what we ended up deciding to call our bike pack based on a story from one of the women.


The fun began from the time we got on the bus, onto the boat ride to the island, during the tour, lunch, networking games, riding the mopeds, having a few drinks, dancing at the bar, the returning boat ride, and the bus trip home.

WOW!! What a day!

I find it hard to believe that guys could have as much fun as we did today.

So who has more fun? A pack of men or women??