Simplicity for Mom

Why not ask your Mom to make a list of the annoying minor house repairs that have piled up and complete for her for Mother's Day?

SPARK EVENT

SPARK

is an Experiential Event I am hosting and would be a great MOTHERS DAY gift
.....that will

• ignite and nourish your 5 senses
• help you connect the dots between your own space + your emotions
• and provide you with practical plans to get beyond looking pretty but getting your space also functioning optimally
  
  Hosted by Lisa Ferguson Interior Design, Organization & Color Coach
  at the dkb wellness studio ( see www.dkbwellness.com ) Upper Beaches
  
  Space is VERY limited
  
  Sunday May 28st 1:30-4pm 75$ + gst

Flying Bed

Flying Bed has some interesting dual function beds. Check them out

Retail Therapy

Tips:

• Try for one week the NO BUY IT DIET. Instead rent, swap and borrow!
• Each week committ to giving away 5 things that you don't use ( that are not old and tattered ) to someone or a cause that would appreciate it ( like Dress for Success which takes work appropriate clothing for low income women )
• Start the one item in/one item out policy in your house
• Ask yourself if you need the function of item before you purchase ( most of us have the "looks thing figured out )
• Don't open a magazine or look at a commercial for one month
• Commit to being more in control of your needs and less of the keeping up with the Joneses
• Garage sale season is here--why not do all of your shopping for the summer at garage sales and make a fun saturday morning adventure of it?!

Neat Receipts

Simplicity and Organization are key elements to improving quality of life and eliminating stress.

I LOVE my mini receipts ( and Business card ) scanner from Neat Receipts! It scans my receipts and immediately recognizes the vendor, the price, the tax and puts in a suggested category folder! I especially love that I can export all of the info from the Neat Receipts program into my Quicken program.

Tiger Direct offers for 250$C and had mine at my door within 2 days!

Mail Sort & Bill Payer

Simplicity, Systems and Organization are 3 of the 30 elements I use to make a home a HAVEN. This product covers all three elements.

I am in LOVE with this 200$ Mail Sorter/ Bill Payer Cabinet from Ballard Designs
or this 75$US mail sorter/clutter comptroller from Levenger

Domino Registry

My Favorite magazine DOMINO's new online registry is up an running! This isn't a bridal or mommy registry, but one for everyone who might like to hint a little for the next birthday, holiday or special occasion!

BOOK Shelf

Cool book shelf from Twenty Twenty One...yes----the shelf is a book! It makes a stack of books look like they are floating on the wall. ( The BOTTOM book is THE SHELF! )

Tip: Always be thinking about combining form + function....and DUAL function whenever possible!

Dot Lighting

Most everyone I meet, leaves lighting as an after thought and by then the budget is in the red. You should have minimum 5 sources of lights for each room ( expect for maybe the bathroom ) keeping in mind the 5 types of lighting

• natural sunlight
• general ( usually center of ceiling trying to do all things but failing miserably )
• accent ( track or downlights showing off art or objects )
• task ( specific lighting on a task area )
• mood/ambient ( mood creators like candles, uplighting, lights dimmed low )

There is no excuse when you can just stick lights up!

I LOVE these LED DOT lights from Sylvania ( 10$ at Canadian Tire )

They would be really great for task lighting

They will give you 100 hours of light on provided battery and you just push off and on. They are really very tiny compared to the big old push lights of yesterday and have a very crisp light---great for closets, undercabinet in kitchens, cupboards, garages etc........

Garage Enhancer

Premier Garage may just inspire you to organize your garage for spring! Check out their photo gallery for ideas. ( Keep in mind to always set up your space in zones, by tasks )

Dimmers

Dimmers! Other than color, little can change a space so dramatically. Give yourself the flexibility to create a working or ambient mood or anywhere in between. LUTRON shows on their website how dramatic the change can be. Click on the demo here and here.

Harry

This home accessory has won a major design award for innovation. I really had to do a double take. Its called Harry from Formila and is bendible to hold anything. Check out their site to really grasp the coolness!

Storage Stools

How can you make yous space more dual functioning?

I love innovative storage solutions that are also cool. This bubble light stool with a base that screws open is from a British Company, In Order

Photo Inspiration

Create a revolving photo shelf. Print off a photo from Flickr that intrigues, motivates or calms you! This one is from Carf

Melamine Plates

Melamine plates are hip! Love these Melamine Plates from French Paper Co with Flock design but you dont have to look any further than Zellers to find nice melamine these days.

Flexible Sink

This flexible sink from de Giulio no doubt is worth a few bucks, but one can dream. Options are cutting boards, knife rack, colander etc

Under Sink Shelf

Brilliant shelf system to work around the plumbing under your sink! From Duck Products