SPRING GARAGE SALE? TIME TO GET BUSY!

If you're thinking about having a garage or yard sale this spring, it's time to get busy and start gathering your items. Start in one room and work your way through the house until you have sorted through every area.  My best advice is to price as you go!  Don't wait until the week before the sale (unless you've carved out a solid couple of days before the sale to price it all at once!)  Every item should be priced individually, especially if you're partnering with a friend or neighbor - add your initials to each price tag if this is the case.  I always use masking tape and permanent markers to price my items -  it's inexpensive and it sticks to almost anything, unlike some more expensive adhesive labels.  My only caveat to using tape would be if you plan to set things out in direct sunlight - the heat will melt the adhesive off the back of the tape. For those items in direct sunlight, switch to paper tags that are attached with string. 

For a guideline to pricing garage sale items, check out http://www.garagesaletracker.com/.

ORGANIZING TIP - FISHING TACKLE BOXES

Here is an inexpensive but effective organizing tool that I use all over my house - fishing tackle boxes! Go to your local discount store - be sure to skip the craft area that has similar boxes for 4 times the price - and go all the way back to the sporting goods area to the fishing aisle. There you will find all shapes and sizes of clear plastic boxes with dividers that can be moved around to fit whatever it is you are trying to organize. The snap locks insure that it won't burst open even if you drop it. They can be stored flat or on their side without items shifting from one compartment to the next, and the clear plastic allows you to view everything in the box.

I use tackle boxes to organize office supplies (pencil lead, erasers, paper clips, staples, coin wrappers, post-its, push pins, letter opener), the 'junk' drawer (super glue, batteries, spare keys, picture hangers, nails and fasteners, ball inflation needle, shoestrings), my scrapbooking area (ribbon, colored pens, brads, buttons, other notions), and my jewelry collection (great for storing lots of earrings in a small space, and you can always find the ones you want!) Since I work out in the morning before I go to work, I pack my jewelry for the day in a little 4 x 6 inch tackle box that fits nicely in my gym bag and keeps everything from getting tangled.

These containers can also be used in your makeup area (pencils, lipsticks, mascara, eyelash curler, small jars or tubes), auto (Shout wipes, hand sanitizer, spare sunglasses, pen and paper, registration and insurance papers, change, tire pressure gauge), or suitcase (toiletries, power cords and chargers, reading glasses.)

Tackle boxes are cheap, versatile, and durable - and they're not just for fishing lures any more!

Valentine's Day Party Ideas

Familyfun.go.com has a ton of Valentine's day crafts, recipes, cards and party ideas for families and kids - if you're involved in planning a Valentine's Day party, this is the place to go!