4 years full time and 6+ years part time

I had a brief conversation with the head of Interior Design at Winthrop University yesterday and it did not go as well as planned. Although I'm unsure he fully understood the point I wanted to get across, he did say that they have students who have been trying to get their Interior Design degree on a part time basis for over 6 years. 6 years??? I can't afford to work part time for 6 years at this point in my life. My ability to try to get my point across to him was limited because I was in the hallway at work. I realized half way through the conversation that a fellow employee was walking down the hall and I couldn't verbalize exactly what I wanted. My hope is that Winthrop will accept credits from my first semester at Virginia Tech and I can start second semester. If I am only taking design courses I basically will be attending on a part time basis. At least that's what it seems to me.

So after not making much progress, I will be moving forward with the application process. I'm taking this a step at a time and keeping my hopes high that, if accepted, I will be able to work with admissions to get through the program in 4 years.

I have to keep this for how long?

If you're anything like me, I always get confused as to how long I should be keeping statements and bills for my records. I mean, what am I keeping them for anyway? A quick Google search can find you the answers. Shocker!

I chose to follow what Bankrate.com had to say, but most sites had very similar information. Before I go any further I would like to express my strong opinion that if you can go paperless DO IT. Statements can be saved much longer online than anyone would want to store the paper copies in their homes. It reduces clutter, saves companies money used to transport these statements from them to your door, and saves a ton of paper. Electronic bill pay is also a great way to automate the mundane task of paying bills.
But, if you can't opt out of paper bills and/or statements you are still left with the question of how long to keep them on file. I've highlighted a few main records listed on Bankrate.com, but they share a lot more.

• Tax Returns: 7 Years. The IRS has 3 years from your filing date to audit your return if it suspects good faith errors.
• Retirement/Savings Plan Statements: 1 year to permanently. Keep quarterly statements until you receive the annual summary; if everything matches up, then shred the quarterlies. Keep the annual statements until you retire or close the account.
• Bills: 1 year to permanently. Go through your bills once a year. In most cases, when cancelled checks from paid bills have been returned, you can shred the bill. However, bills for big purchases -- such as jewelry, cars, etc. -- should be kept in an insurance file for proof of their value in the event of loss or damage.

In general, I was surprised how long most of the records are supposed to be kept on file. I hate filing, I do it enough at work, so I plan to choose paperless communication in every case that I can.

Over the Hills and Through the Woods

I'm off to Dalton, GA next weekend to visit my family: mom, step dad, and little sister, Emily (9 years old). I've been looking forward to this trip ever since I booked the flight a few months ago. It not only will be a great time to relax and enjoy some family time, but it will also be a chance for me to present some ideas to them for a new and improved FROG (that's finished room over the garage). I've asked if I can act as if my family are clients who have presented me with a problem area in their home. It will be up to me to combine the needs of everyone in the family, as it is a place of gathering, and create an asthetic and useful space for them to enjoy.

I've started with some very rough sketches that I will clean up and place on a presentation board. I also am going to do some preliminary pricing of pre-fab items as well as building materials we can use to build some of the products ourselves. I hope to stop in to Modern Fabrics for some swatches to keep in mind for accents throughout the space. A main component to this room will be creating the feeling of built-in shelving. They currently have shelves, but they do not match. I will consider, once I'm back in the space, resurfacing their existing items to see if they can be grouped effectively. I want the room to come across as a unit, not piece-meal.

Another major factor to consider when designing this room will be my little sister. She is a lot like I was at her age: playful, energetic, and basically inseperable from her best friend, Tyson. My best friend was Ryan McRoberts. They have 'fort time' everyday, which consists of stuffing extra sheets into couch creavises, tieing corners to chairs, and draping them over whatever else is nearby to create a fort. I am working on a few ideas that can hopefully take her fort building options to the next level while also making it moveable so the adults can also use the space. Emily is not too far away from her pre-teen and teen years and if she continues to be somewhat like me, I know she'll enjoy a nicely designed room to share with her friends.

I will be taking measurements and pictures on this visit and will share with you all the stages we'll go through as a group to, HOPEFULLY, get to a point where we can use my designs in the space.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Familiar Elegance

The first green mantra most of us learned was the 3 R's of Waste Management: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. These 3 R's can be applied to many aspects of our daily lives. Not only should we apply this when choosing what to put in the trash can, but also when considering buying new items from stores. Do you really need a new dress for the party? Do you really need a new dining room table? Many options are available to those who may not be able to afford new things and those who want to create less of an impact on our planet.

Whether she intends it or not, Marjorie Scooler of Familiar Elegance in Charleston, South Carolina is helping to lessen the damaging effect of unnecessary waste that may come out of interior design all while saving her clients money. Marjorie comes to your home and uses the skills of an accomplished interior arranger with your existing furnishings and accessories to give you a new look with a professionals touch. You only pay for her expertise. Another advantage to this approach is time. There is no waiting for new materials to arrive at your home, so this could be a great help before an in home event or open house.

As you can see in her above before and after shot, the final look is something that could be seen in a magazine. And remember, this was done using all of the homeowners existing materials! Throw in some paint, with low VOC of course, and you're in business. Marjorie has even been featured on the popular HGTV show Decorating Cents!

I, personally, love this approach to design. I've moved quite often, but my budget doesn't allow me to buy many new materials. I have reinvented my bedroom and common rooms look each of the 10 times I've moved over the past 9 years. When I'd get bored on a rainy day in high school, my mom would let me re-do the guest bedroom using items we had around the house. If you're looking for a new look and don't want to spend the money give this a try... or better yet let me do it! I won't charge you much!

The Green Consultant

During my usual intra-day google searches, I stumbled across the Green Consultant equivalent to Mary Kay Cosmetics. Green Irene certified consultants spend between 60 and 90 minutes evaluating your home and help transform it into a healthier, more economical, greener living environment. The whole family can be involved in their Family Action Plan so it's not all on the head of the household to make the upgrades.

What's great is you are also able to contact them with questions after your visit as you begin to experience your new green lifestyle. They focus on everything from water conservation to waste reduction to toxic free living. Their expertiese doesn't stop in the home either, be sure to utilize their skills in the office as well.

You might be thinking, "Helen, why wouldn't you sign up to be certified?" Well... I definitely did think that when I was first learning about the company, but, just like Mary Kay, you have to pay to play. To become a consultant you must order the training kit, business start up kit, and demo for $450.00. A Green Home Makeover is $99 and consultants receive 80% commission for consultations/workshops and 20% on products sold. So, basically, you'd have to host around 6 $99 appointments to break even. That doesn't sound too bad, but be aware that other consultants may already be scoring business in your area. With most sales jobs, you must be dedicated and committed to get yourself and your business in front of as many prospective clients as you can. At least going through the training can benefit individuals personally. And, who knows, you could break even a lot faster if you implement what you will be 'selling' in your own home through utility bill savings. In addition, I'd need to have over 7 appointments per week to make as much money as I am currently. Maybe I should start testing the waters and see how many appointments I could tentatively book in the next few months and if I can land at least 6 on the weekends I could go for it to break even. Hmmm.

If nothing at all, this site and company do a great job of building an appealing brand. I mean, I want to be Green Irene! Just look at her!

Sucker for Packaging

As a good friend of mine once said, "If it weren't for chicks no one would buy any of this crap." There is certainly an amount of truth to that statement. I often fall victim to that all too familiar warm fuzzy feeling when I see something pretty and shiny that I just must have. As bizarre as it may sound, everyday common household items, when packaged in an interesting way, do the exact same thing that it does to other women when they see Prada shoes. It's an, "I want that!"



As my interest in organization and design has grown, along side my desire to become more green, I've developed an interest in cleaning products. Yes, cleaning products. It started a few months ago when I realized that I didn't really know how to do my laundry. I did some online searching and found an adorable little book, Betty's Book of Laundry Secrets,that told me all I needed to know in a few short pages. It's a simple book, something from afar that may resemble something you'd find on a 4 year old's shelf.



Next I moved on to a more elegant book produced by my favorite, Real Simple Magazine. Real Simple Cleaning goes into detail about each room in your house and even provides an easy to use cleaning schedule that helps you stay on track. This book follows the Real Simple design theme found in the magazines and is something you can display.



Now I'd like to begin exploring Green cleaning products. Domino Magazine has created the 2008 green list: easy ways to green your home and devoted a section to green cleaning. These products don't only look great in their packaging, but also are easier on our environment. They have some economical options on the list that I plan to try in the very near future. I'll surely have a mess to clean up after my roomies and I throw an Eggs and Beer party on Saturday morning before rushing off to our annual St. Patty's Day Pub Crawl. I'll let you know if they do the job as well as bleach and Lysol.

Modern Fabrics

Just across the street from me at work there is a fantastic business that sells reclaimed fabrics at a discount. Not only is Modern Fabrics saving hundreds of yards of usable, attractive fabric from the landfill, but it also offers fabrics that may only be available to wholesalers and designers. They have also gone the extra mile by becoming LEED certified, something I've learned is an important accreditation to those designers and contractors who put our environment first. I feel very strongly about using sustainable, environmentally friendly materials in all designs. If it's available, why not?! Well, usually because it makes things more expensive, but hopefully with time these environmentally friendly options will become more main stream and wallet friendly.

My buddy, Mack Knight, gives an incredible example of how far you can take Green Design in his post: Acqua Liana: The Eco-Mansion. No expense was spared in this project, but it's fun to Ewww and Ahhhh over!

As I continue on my journey you'll find that I'll be looking for ways to incorporate Green Living in my design and the designs of others. I strive to personally leave a smaller foot print behind and hope I, someday, will be able to help others do the same by designing living conditions that do it for us.