"Organizing your home just got easier"

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

'Bright' Ideas: The benefits of accent and task lighting!

Accent lighting creates a mood, and highlights the paintings, photos, furniture, walls, cabinetry and the decorative items you have inside. Task lighting directs light to a designated area to illuminate work spaces or aid in making appropriate color choices with clothing and accessories. Explore your style from the list below to help you chose the lighting appropriate for your needs:

Track Fixtures are offered in a wide range of styles and finishes and are ideal for spotlighting apparel or illuminating those hard-to-light areas.

Monorail Systems are a flexible alternative to track lights as they can easily be shaped during installation to meet your needs.

Wall Sconces are an ideal way to use an empty wall to achieve a flattering and decorative lighting solution.

Recessed Fixtures have been upgraded from the large lenses with a strong glare to smaller lamps that come with a directional feature for precise task lighting.

Tape Lights are ideal for those small cove, accent or toe space areas and are available in a variety of colors.

Button Lights can be recessed or surface mounted to highlight cabinets or shelves.

Light Bars can be easily installed under cabinets and come in a variety of lengths.

Surface Mount Fixtures are a simple lighting solution and are available in a variety of colors, styles and finishes and are now available in a broad range of styles.

Many of these solutions feature long life and low energy use.  For a complete selection of colors and options, please visit your local home improvement store.

April Spotlight: Deb Keirce Fine Artist

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany


Debra Keirce is a fine artist living and working in Northern Virginia. She is a member of several art societies, and has exhibited and sold her work throughout the nation. Her signature style is realism that uses intense color and detail, and her passion is miniature art, which is created using magnifying lenses. In fact, she is featured as one of the Piedmont region's most successful miniature artists in the winter 2010 issue of The Piedmont Virginian magazine.


Debra has been creating commissioned artwork for the last three decades. Her regular clients include a custom puzzle company in New England, realtors, and collectors of miniature art. Currently, she is focused on entering juried art exhibitions and shows throughout the United States.

Are you are looking for a one-of-a-kind gift? A portrait of a loved one or pet, a painting of a special house, church, or building? These are all wonderful keepsakes to celebrate special occasions. All of Debra's materials are archival quality, and will last for generations. Consider commissioning a painting or drawing in acrylic, oil, watercolor, pen and ink, or pencil. Most pieces can be completed within 2 to 3 weeks.

For more information please visit Deb's website at http://www.debkart.com/.
You may email her at DebraKeirceArt@Yahoo.com, or call her at 571-236-0047

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Spring Clean and "Go Green"

Many of us avoid "Going Green" because we're afraid of adjusting to HUGE changes. We help make it simple by providing you with ways to "Go Green" while you Spring Clean!

Home Office:
Stop unsolicitated mail like coupons, sales papers and catalogs. "Shred all unwanted paper": This not only reduces bulkiness of paper which makes it easier to dispose of, but also helps prevent identity theft!

Closets:
Remove everything from your closets and seperate into two categories. 1) What you've used in the past year and, 2) what you haven't used in 2 years. "Donate items not used in 2 years to a local charity or offer to members on Freecycle": Recycling is at the top of the "Going Green" list.  Visit our website for a complete listing of charities that will pick-up your stuff and information on joining Freecycle.

Kitchen:
Go through your refridgerator and pantry and dispose of expired and unwanted foods. "Reuse jars for leftovers or donate food you don't want to a local food bank"
Get rid of the multitude of disposable plastic bags. "Recycle them and move on to reuseable bags": Many retailers sell reusable bags for under a dollar!

Garage:
In most cases our garages are used as graveyards for the things we can't part with, and many times we have no idea what's actaully out there!  Be honest with yourself and realize that if it has been sitting unused for 2 years or more, then you obviously don't need it. "Have a garage sale!": You can enjoy watching others tote away your junk for you and make money at the same time.

March Spotlight: Gold Canyon Candles

Gold Canyon’s natural cleaning product line, Homeology™, includes an infusion of pure essential oils from eucalyptus, citrus, lavender, rosemary and mint– some of the most effective essential oils for green cleaning. These synergistic blend combinations provide a pleasant and natural scent – aromatherapy for your home. Pure essential oils are light-sensitive and love the cool blue bottles that protect them from harm.


Homeology™ is aromatherapy for the home. Our plant-based, environmentally friendly cleaning products contain fragrant essential oils for a pure and natural scent that soothes you while wiping out dirt and germs. Our Homeology line of products includes all-natural cleaning supplies that are effective, biodegradable and safe to breathe. Homeology has been featured in the Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, and is a proud recipient of the “Greenie Award” in Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine.

Essential oils clean as wonderfully as they smell. If you press on the peel of any citrus fruit, out comes a substance that not only smells heavenly, but in itself has an impressive ability to cleanse, disinfect and deodorize your home. From ancient Greece and Rome to the world of Shakespeare, essential oils have been used for ages and known for their cleaning, health and aromatherapy qualities. Listed below are some of the essential oils that are used in our products and the benefits of each…

Cinnamon – Used by the ancient Chinese for uplifting and healing qualities, cinnamon contains antifungal and antimicrobial properties and is thought to be anti-allergenic.

Clove – Used widely in the dental industry for its antiseptic and disinfectant qualities. Keeps insects away and kills mold.

Eucalyptus – Known for its stimulating and healing qualities as an antifungal and antiviral agent. Also known to deodorize.

Lavender – Thought to be an antifungal, antiviral floral used since Shakespeare’s time to calm, relax and deodorize.

Lemon – Known for its natural cleaning properties and excellent health benefits as a source of vitamin C and an energizer to the body with its antifungal and antiviral qualities.

Mandarin – A member of the orange family whose aroma is believed to uplift and promote a feeling of cleanliness.

Peppermint – Greeks and Romans crowned their heads with this mint as it was known to calm and stimulate, relieve pain, eliminate nausea and calm nervousness. Known for its anesthetic properties and cold remedy as a chest decongestant.

Rosemary – Has a reputation of energizing, stimulating and strengthening memory.

Spearmint – In ancient Greece, this mint was used as body perfume. It was thought to stimulate and strengthen while bringing comfort to one’s mind.

Sweet Orange – Used in fine fragrances for many years, historically as bridal decorations for the last century, it is also known to uplift and invigorate the senses.

To view the Homeology line from Gold Canyon, log on to http://www.wix-n-stix.com/ and click on Home Scents then HOME CLEANING.

To get a free sample of Homeology, contact Jennifer Allen at http://www.wix-n-stix.com/ and mention the Closets Galore and More Newsletter for a special discount on your first order. Give your home an aromatherapy treatment with Homeology today!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Tips to get organized for the New Year

Go through your home and write down the areas that need organizing. Don't try to take on the entire house! Sometimes a room, or an area of a room will make a world of difference. For whichever you choose, ask yourself these questions:

1. What is my vision for this room/area?This is the most important question to answer! Take your time thinking about how you want to utilize this room, or how it should serve your family. Do you want it to serve more than one purpose like an office or a guestroom? Will you need to also use it as storage space?

2. What items do I need to accomplish this goal? Closets Galore and More can provide you with a custom office unit that will give you the workspace you need, without overwhelming your space. We can also provide you with a sensible filing or storage solution that can be installed in a closet to keep things neat and out of view. A custom bench under a bay window can not only provide a place to tuck things away, but additional seating for parties and family dinners.

3. What can I get rid of?Keep only items that relate to how you plan to use your room. We all have something we're holding onto that we think is too good to throw out, or insist we'll use one day. Be realistic! If it hasn't served a purpose in over a year, chances are it never will. Consider using it in another area of the house, or donate it to someone who really needs it. There are many great charities out there that will gladly come to pick up your donations!

4. What are the problems preventing me from keeping this space organized?At our house, our foyer was always filled with shoes, and coats were piling up on the coat rack! Unfortunately our real problem was that our foyer closet was not designed to accommodate all our stuff. Shoes were piled on top of each other on the floor, and the coats were so bunched, it was difficult to get them in and out. We resolved this by reconfiguring the closet into three separate entities. We created one double hanging area for jackets and sweaters, and one single hanging area on the opposite end for longer coats. This allowed for an entire section in the middle for shoe shelving and storage for hats, gloves and other accessories.

5. What tools do I need to help alleviate that problem or what habits do I need to change?Closets Galore and More can provide you with an organizational system that can double and possibly triple your space! Shoe shelving can be customized to accommodate the number and type of shoes you need to store. We also provide decorative baskets that can help keep things more organized, versus throwing them on a shelf. We can provide you with drawers of different sizes, allowing you to keep things separate and better organized, thus utilizing your space better. But even the best system won't solve the problem 100% if you have bad habits. If your family is like mine, and in the habit of tossing their shoes in a pile as soon as they walk in, using a shoe organizer will have to be learned. Write down the habits that need to be changed in your room to make your plan a success.

6. How much time can I commit to this project?Decide based on your work schedule and other activities how much time you can afford to commit to this project. Even 15 minutes a day will make a world of difference by the end of the week. Be realistic that this will take time, and don't let frustration win. Remember, if you give up on this project today, the mess will still be there to frustrate you tomorrow.

Take the answers from the questions above and develop a plan of action! If professional help is needed, don't hesitate to call Closets Galore and More!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

February Spotlight: Sunny Day Sites

Four Tips to Follow when Choosing a Web Site Designer!

Contract - a written, signed contract ensures that you and the designer both understand the work that will be done, how much it costs, when payment is due, and time frame. The contract should also address any additional fees that may be required for extra web pages, extra photos, and photo editing. Copyright to the web site should be assigned to you at completion of the work. Find out if the contract specifies a 'review' period, for any changes you find after the site goes 'live'.

References - check the designer's web site for a portfolio or ask for a list of recent sites; talk to at least two current customers - are they satisfied with the work? When looking at the sites, do the pages, pictures, and graphics load quickly?

Maintenance Agreement - once the site is completed, how will changes be made? Designers usually offer both an hourly rate and annual maintenance agreement. Understand the time frame that changes will be completed and what happens when changes are not completed as agreed upon.

Questions? - Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions. A good designer will take time to address any concerns you have and make you feel comfortable with the design and implementation process.

Joyce Cimbalista, owner of Sunny Day Sites LLC, a web design company for small businesses.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Home improvement adds value to your home

We offer...

♦ Painting
♦ Crown molding
♦ Trim work
♦ Drywall installation and repair
♦ Door/Window repair or upgrade
♦ Ceiling fan/lighting installation
♦ Concrete epoxy floor coating for garages or basements
♦ ...and many other small to medium size projects.

Call us to discuss your home improvement needs and to schedule your FREE consultation!