I was painting a porch several years ago for my friend Cate, and to keep me company she put on some amazing Irish music. The artist was Sharon Shannon and the CD was entitled Blackbird. Sharon, it turns out, is known for her talents on the button accordion and fiddle. It made me wonder if…
DetailsI love answering your questions! Below are some questions I frequently receive about labels, with my answers. Please send me more questions! Just reply to this email to ask. Dear Bettina, How important are labels, really? Isn’t it enough I organize my stuff and make sure it has a permanent home, I need to take the…
DetailsToday it’s about time. Downtime, vacation, PTO (paid time off), whatever you call it, it’s an essential ingredient to enjoying life. We all have the same number of hours in a day and days in a week. How we use them is up to us. Is it obvious what is most important to you, by where you…
DetailsIn my opinion, there is no virtue to “being organized.” I don’t think of being organized itself as something to become. I think of it more as a practice: something I do. And if practiced consistently, being organized becomes second nature. I have a habit of picking up our small house every morning. I…
DetailsI was probably 10 when my brother nicknamed me the “White Tornado”. When he needed help finding the floor in his bedroom, I would hear “Sis, can you help me clean my room?” As the younger sister, I relished the opportunity to be in charge. Even then, this was my strong suit and we both…
DetailsIf I had an evil twin, her name would be Lucy. That’s right, Last Minute Lucy, and while she claimed to be highly motived, extremely efficient, and a team player, in truth she was my nemesis. I’ll admit, Lucy and I both love a deadline. I love the motivation and energy of getting things done. I think Lucy was just…
DetailsHave the words “Are you stuck?” really appeared multiple times in the subject line of my email over the past month, or does that just describe what I‘ve been feeling lately? Maybe it’s similar to noticing Ford Transit Connects driving around when I was considering a new ride. Awareness attracts. You see, I have a…
DetailsEditor’s note: I received a lovely email recently from blogger & content writer Ella Andrews who shares a passion for writing about all sorts of home remodeling, house removals and interior design related projects. Ella has some great suggestions to make packing for your next vacation a breeze. Thanks Ella! Packing is very important to starting…
DetailsKathleen and I were out to dinner one night with my Mom and my son. Mom was nearly 87 and still driving, and dear son only weeks away from his learner’s permit. Something about their 72-year age difference gave me the idea that it’s not too soon to think about my legacy. If I could…
DetailsHosts Bettina Blanchard and Ross Goldberg talk with retired home inspector Jack LeClair, who shares his wealth of knowledge and experience inspecting homes in New England. Whether you are staying in your home or preparing to move, ready or not, it’s time to unfurl that checklist of spring chores. Jack guides you to the key…
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