MY DECO FILE

If you are like me you have dozens of folders on your C drive or your desktop labeled "inspiration" or "pretty things" and they are chock full of images that move or inspire you. But how do you access them or stay organized in any way when they are scattered EVERYWHERE?

Domino put some thought to it and just launched My Deco File. It's a one-stop-shop for storing all your images, no matter where they come from, with a simple way to organize them into whatever makes sense for you. I wanted to sample the tool and created a folder containing some of my favorite images from the Domino gallery. Check it out here.

A MONTH OF OUTFITS

I would absolutely love to have this kind of plan in place for the next 30 days. You know how much quicker I could be ready in the morning if I had it all mapped out? Most mornings I'm okay. And then there is the occasional shit morning where I spend 45 minutes locked in my little walk in closet trying on and ripping off every item that once hung there.
I'm gonna spend a little bit of time the next few days; outfitting myself with some much needed new shoes and a few other essential items. Maybe this can be a weekend project; I think it would look really great to have 30 polas hanging in a row. And what a great place to turn when the morning blues hit.
Featured: Day 7, 13, 20, 26.

FOR THOSE WHO FORGET

You know how sick you feel when you realize you forgot someone's birthday; someone you love? I use Birthday Alarm to help me remember all important dates. If you are on email most days this is the tool for you. And it's free. You'll receive two reminder emails {one a week before, one a few days before} perfectly timed to get a card and get it in the mail before the special day.

CHARGING STATION WANTED

Okay, so Nate and I have a slew of cords and devices in need of charging. Between the two of us we have two cell phones, two iPods, one bluetooth headset and a digital camera.

I've been trying to keep the cords and devices in one corner of our kitchen where I can put things in drawers...but inevitably it becomes a tangled mess and I can think of better ways to use that drawer space. I think it's time I get a charging station. The problem is, I have heard they can start fires unless they are properly ventilated.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good fire-safe charging station? I don't like the plastic versions out there but I do like this one from Pottery Barn, and I like that it has a little storage drawer. If you have a good one or know of one, I'd love to hear from you.

FIVE THINGS

Photo from Ebby's photostream

My sister-in-Laws Dayna, Emma, and Tegan all tagged me to answer these questions. I found the first one particularly hard. I mean...ten years is a long time to recall.

Five Things I was doing 10 years ago:

• Living in Chicago (Lincoln Park) and loving it
• Packing up to move to Montana all in the name of love
• Hobbling around in a walking cast with a broken foot
• Working at my first job in advertising
• Getting engaged to someone who I never married

Five things on my To-Do List today:

• Go to the gym
• I’ve got five meetings at work
• Watch new episodes of The Office and 30 Rock
• Laundry
• Go to bed early

Five things I would do if I were a millionaire:

• Quit my job and become a much respected philanthropist
• Furnish my home and pay outstanding bills
• Take six months with Nate and travel the world
• Take my family to Europe on a lavish vacation
• Get weekly facials and do pilates with a personal trainer

Five things I'll never wear again:

• Overalls
• An “A” or “B” cup bra
• Never say never
• Never say never
• Never say never

Five favorite toys:

• Laptop
• iPod
• My brain
• Beauty products and makeup
• Rice cooker and my steamer

Five people to tag:

• I don't know anyone who likes to be tagged. I'm scared of hate mail.

AN ORGANIZED CLOSET

I'd love to have one of those organized closets Martha Stewart is always talking about. But I don't. Though my closet is a walk-in, it's a tiny walk in and I'm struggling to get all my clothes, shoes and handbags to fit. I could hang things in the closets upstairs, but I really don't want my belongings spread throughout the house. And what happens when those closets suddenly belong to someone else {our kids} and I don't have the luxury of taking their space.
Right now I have one of those hanging shoe racks, the kind that take up valuable closet space, while the floors of my closet are left untouched. I typically avoid putting a lot of things on the floor because what's on the floor gets hidden behind the hanging clothes. And the shoes just become an disorganized, mismatched pile.
I think I'm going to get try one of these from Ikea. It holds up to 16 pairs of shoes, making good use of otherwise wasted space in my closet. I'll place it under my skirts so all shoes are in plain view. Does anyone else have ideas for closet organization? Particularly shoes?