Posted by Larimer Associates on 9:57 AM
Do you want ways to decorate and organize your work space? Cork is the
new way to make something new in your work space. Keep reading to learn
about how you can incorporate cork into your office.
Cork in an office space is not a new idea; you've probably got a
bulletin
board up in your workspace right now. But using this flexible,
functional material in other neat ways around your workspace means every
surface becomes a memo board. Better stock up on push pins.
A Cork Pencil Holder
IKEA cork trivets become a cool desk command station in this DIY project from Design for Mankind.
Cork Vases and Cups
Another clever DIY, these
vases and knick-knack cups are crafted from aluminum cans and a roll of
thin cork. Check out the full isntructions from papernstitch.
Cork Planter Bookends
This bookend set from Canoe is a triple threat, offering to give your books order, your plants a home, and your notes a pinboard. Grab the set here for $48.
A Cork Tray
A cute tray is a great way to visually anchor desktop neccessities, and this one from Ferm Living can pull double duty as a memo space (€31, $42).
A Corkboard (duh!)
It's the most common use for cork in the office, but it doesn't have to be predictable. Go nuts with different sizes and shapes, or give your bulletin board a new look with some paint, like Belinda of The Happy Home Blog.
For more information see
Apartment Therapy.
Posted by Larimer Associates on 9:57 AM
Congratulations Albuquerque! They have been ranked in the top 25 places to go in
2013. This city is known for it’s
great events and affordable nature.
It has something for all ages and families. The city has also been boosted because of the filming of the
show Breaking Bad.
The experts at Fodor’s
Travel announced today that Albuquerque has been named among the Top 25 Places to Go in 2013. Fodor’s editors have
chosen Albuquerque as a hot travel destination because of our excellent value
for visitors, calling the city an affordable getaway for nature lovers and
families. Albuquerque’s visibility on the AMC show “Breaking Bad” has also
helped elevate the destination’s profile for travelers.
"The places on our Go List are our ‘must-dos’ for the coming year.
Travelers should add these far flung and domestic destinations to their 2013
itinerary," said Arabella Bowen, Executive Editorial Director at Fodor's
Travel. The cities were selected by Fodor’s senior editorial team who began with
an initial list of 75 global travel spots, narrowing them down to the final 25
locales on the Go List after heated internal debate.
The story highlights a slower pace of life and calls out the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta,
the ABQ BioPark and Gruet Winery as highlights. Two local
lodging boutique properties were called out by the editor – Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm
and the Hotel Andaluz - and
appropriate for this time of year, Fodor’s mentions the Luminaria Tour at the
holidays as a special time to visit Albuquerque. The complete story is
available here: http://www.fodors.com/go-list/2013/.
Albuquerque has also been highlighted as one of 20
Awesome Winter Foodie Destinations by Zagat.com again focusing
on Los Poblanos. The story, which is available here: http://blog.zagat.com/2012/12/20-awesome-winter-foodie-destinations.html,
says “If you haven’t experienced the great Southwest, now is the time and
Albuquerque the place to start.”
Just west of Albuquerque, the Acoma Pueblo was also named one of “12 most extreme places in America worth visiting”
by BudgetTravel.com and showcased on FoxNews.com. The list is a compilation of
longest, coldest, hottest, biggest and oldest. That’s where Acoma “Sky City”
Pueblo comes in; it is said to be one of the oldest sites in North America.
For more information see
It’s
a Trip
Posted by Larimer Associates on 9:52 AM
Posted by Larimer Associates on 9:10 AM
It has been about a week since the start of the year. This is the time
that New Year's Resolutions start to be put on the back burner. Do not
lose your New Year's Resolution this year! If your resolution was to
clean out your house and closet here are some great tips on how to get
started. Make sure to start at a good time, and you should have a plan
before you start the project.
1.
Choose your time wisely. I tend to come alive around 8pm and want to do
all of my home projects right at that moment. That's a bad idea —
especially if you live in an apartment building with a 9pm noise curfew.
I tend to start a project and then have to stop, leaving an even
messier issue to deal with the next day. Start at a reasonable time to
complete the project on a day where you have lots of time to work.
2.
Use a hanger system to identify which clothes you wear the most. After
sorting KEEP, DONATE and THROW AWAY piles, hang all of your "keep"
clothing on the hanger rod with the hanger hooks pointing toward you. As
you wear the clothes, hang them the regular way: pointing towards the
back of the closet. In three months, donate or sell any clothing that is
still pointing towards you. Do this for each season of clothing.
3.
On that note, store different seasons of clothing. Divide your "keep"
clothing into two sections: warm weather and cold weather. Whichever
season you're not wearing at the moment, store in airtight bins or
garment bags to free up more room for the clothes you're wearing right
now.
4. If there are things that you love that have holes or
tears, fix them. Make it a priority to either take clothing in to a
tailor for repair, or sit down with your own needle and thread and do it
yourself. You'll be relieved after you do, and you'll have more
clothing to wear! That goes for that pile of dry cleaning you have
waiting too!
5. Don't be a shoe collector unless it's your
passion. If you're anything like me, you like to buy cheap shoes, wear
them for a bit and then hide them in the back of your closet to be
forgotten. Have you ever had this moment when rummaging through your
shoes: "what the...oh YEAHHHH!" If you're forgetting about certain pairs
of shoes because you never wear them, it's time to donate.
For more information see
Apartment Therapy.
Posted by Larimer Associates on 9:58 AM
We hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year!
Posted by Larimer Associates on 9:56 AM
We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday!
Posted by Larimer Associates on 9:55 AM
Do you want a way to rewind and de-stress? "Mindfulness" is the new way
to do that. Here are some great tips on how to embrace this philosophy
in your home.
Mindfulness is being embraced everywhere these days, from the
Kindergarten classroom to the company retreat. What is mindfulness,
exactly? Susan Smalley, Ph.D., and Diana Winston, co-authors of Fully Present,
say that mindfulness is "an accepting and kind attitude toward yourself
and your present moment experience." One that will change your
relationship to life.
Sounds enticing, huh? Here are a few tips on how to integrate the practice of mindfulness into your home.
1.
Set an intention when you wake up. Before you get out of bed, take a
few deep breaths and a minute to give thanks for the day. What do you
want to accomplish today beyond your to-do list? What do you want to
appreciate, acknowledge, and communicate in your life?
2. Make your bed. Making your bed is a productivity-enhancing and mood-boosting habit that can promote the adoption of other healthy habits. Take three minutes (yep, I timed it) and start your day off right.
3.
Do your laundry. Karen Maezen Miller, a Zen Buddhist priest and author
of Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life, says, "A full
hamper reminds us that running away from the things we would rather
avoid makes our lives feel like an endless chore. Face it. Taking
responsibility for your own well-being is the first step in
transformation."
4. Practice mindful eating. Eat when you are
hungry, not when you are tired, sad, anxious or bored. Take a minute to
appreciate your food: Where did it come from? How did it make its way to
you? What people might have been involved in getting the food to your
plate? How will this food nourish you? (Studies show that when we
practice mindful eating, we take in only what is necessary.)
5.
Turn off the TV, the computer and any other stimulating devices at least
two hours before bed every evening. Our brains need time to build
melatonin, which is critical for deep rest. Personally, I find that this
technology curfew is one of the best House Rules I have.
6.
Slow down; Literally. When we race around at a frenetic pace, our minds
operate at the same speed. And who can sleep at night when your head is
spinning like a Nutcracker ballerina after too many Red Bulls? When you
slow down your physical actions, even just the smallest bit, your
shoulders relax, your jaw un-clenches, and your mind can be a bit more
at ease.
7. Pause to think about your consumption. Give
gratitude to all of the people behind each purchase: The person who
delivered your Amazon package, the person who packed it and shipped it,
the person who assembled your new book, the person who wrote it, edited
it, the list goes on and on. Think also about how your consumption
affects the greater world. Do you really need to order another pair of
shoes from Zappos? Think of everything that this purchase means; it's
not just a new pair of shoes. It's a pair of shoes that requires a box,
packaging materials, time and energy to ship, time and energy to store
and maintain, time and energy to pass it along once it is no longer
serving you. Sometimes the greatest gift you can give yourself is
deciding NOT to purchase something.
8. Take a ten minute "mind
re-set" break in the middle of the day. We live in a world that is
turned on at full-speed, full-blast, full time. The body craves balance
and one great way to achieve it is by doing nothing for ten minutes a
day. Mindfulness is sometimes called the "seat belt of mental health."
The body cultivates what we practice and practice changes the breath. By
practicing becoming relaxed and aware, we can actually become more so
in our daily life.
Fasten your seat belts, because the holidays
are here. This holiday season, consider taking a few minutes each day to
cultivate a home that is more mindful, a mind that is more peaceful,
and an attitude that keeps you happier at home.
For more information see
Apartment Therapy.
