Nightstands are often magnets for clutter and they take up a good deal of space in a small room. We recently removed the two nightstands that flanked our bed and donated them to charity because I didn't like waking up and looking at clutter first thing each morning.

Since bedrooms are your sanctuary and retreat from the responsibilities of the world, clutter is a no-no in your bedroom. If your nightstand is also a home for forgotten things, consider getting rid of it or giving it a much-needed decluttering session.

It seems like the most consistent advice I've gotten when trying to figure out how to make my window air conditioners more effective is to invest in ceiling fans. It makes sense: they help cool in the summer, warm in the winter (with just a flip of a switch). And they help prevent stale air (one of my biggest pet peeves about not having a central heating/cooling system).

So, now the problem is finding the right fans for my apartment—and finding someone to install them. (I'm now accepting applications.)

Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan is the founder of Apartment Therapy, a popular network of blogs that reaches millions monthly -- all that grew from his passion for decorating and his interior design business. He is also an author with several books under his belt, his most recent happens to be my favorite one from his batch and it's called Apartment Therapy’s Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces published by Potter.

You may or may not have heard, but I'm writing a book for Chronicle Books (to also be published in the UK by Jacqui Small) about decorating. My job was to scout and book locations, conduct interviews, write portions of the book, choose a photographer, travel to locations, style homes and build out the resource section in the book as well. No small feat for a first time author! Along with my work...

Being resourceful is a trait that goes well with someone pursuing a more simple, uncluttered, and organized lifestyle. If you are great at seeing all the many ways one object can be used, the one object can keep you from having to buy many single-use items.

Some of my favorite features in Real Simple magazine are the new uses for old things articles.

Sara Hogren is a mixed media artist in Illinois who has a very intriguing bio that I think you will find intriguing, "My work is often a reflection of my current life difficulties, triumphs, and questions with a childhood influence. I guess you could say I have a strong existential philosophy and I am using my art to figure out what life means to me. I often take conversations and experiences from my every day life and incorporate them into my work...expressed in the subject matter of a collage but also can be hidden in the imagery and titles of the work as well."

I don't buy and own many things. It's not because I think simple living is for everyone, it's just that I know it's best for me. I dislike cleaning, and I know that the fewer things I have, the less I have to clean -- the smaller my place, the less space I have to maintain.

An unfortunate side effect of not owning many things is I spend more time thinking about my purchases than the average person. If something is going to come into my home, I want it to be the "right" thing, the "best" thing. It's ironic: I think more about my stuff before I buy it, with the hope that I can think less about it once I own it.

My grandmother, who turns 101 next month, has eight great-grandchildren and a ninth on the way. Her oldest great-grandchild is just seven years old, and most of the rest were born in the last two years. There is close to a century between her and all of her great-grandchildren, which makes my mind spin.

I know what you're thinking--I'm an apartment dweller, what do I know about painting the outside of a house. But I will actually be traveling home next week, for a little working vacation to help my dad paint the house I grew up in, and where my parents still live. This will be the second time I've helped paint the house, but I'm guessing I'll be more useful this time since I'm an adult. 

My one-year-old son's favorite toys, in order of preference, are a plastic food storage container, a water pitcher, a colander, and a set of standard wooden blocks. He has toys that light up, toys that play music, and toys generous people spent hundreds of dollars buying -- and he wants nothing to do with any toy that prescribes how he should play with it. In fact, the toys my son doesn't play with take up a large amount of space in our home and he would rather have that room to run in circles.

So far in the northeast it has been a hot summer--and we've still got a couple of months to go before cooler weather sets in and we can uninstall our window air conditioners. Having grown up with central air (and never being allowed to mess with the thermostat) I never gave much thought to how to most effectively use air conditioning--both to stay comfortable and not waste money or electricity.

I am so super addicted to Jo Malone candles that it's not even funny. And now that I'm here in New York finding them in lots of the homes I'm visiting of friends, I see I am not alone in this Jo Malone obsession. Are you a fan too? They are just heavenly, right?

I've been in New York since Saturday melting in 100+ degree temps, but I would rather melt here than anywhere else on earth (okay, outside of a tropical island) because there are so many cafes and lovely shops to duck into for cooling off and browsing. Yesterday I hit John Derian for the first time, by accident, and it was a treat because John happened to be there and so I met him -- a real pleasure to meet someone whom I've followed for so long now.

One thing that bugs me about handheld electronic devices is that there is no such thing as a universal charger. My Nintendo DS Lite, cell phone, point and shoot digital camera, and video camera all have different charging connection requirements. One is a mini USB, another is a regular USB, and two are proprietary configurations.

Of course, my husband has different charging needs for his equipment, and then there are car chargers to go along with the chargers in the house.

My senior reporting project in journalism school covered the Kansas vs. Leroy Hendricks court case that went in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. A man had molested many children, served his time in prison, and upon release was sent to a state mental hospital to be "cured" of his mental disorder. (I'm using quotation marks around the word cured because the effectiveness of psychological treatment for sexual disorders is highly debated.) The state of Kansas said it was in the public's interest that the man be treated for his mental illness, and the child molester said the state was violating his Constitutional rights by sentencing him twice for the same crime (double jeopardy) and denying his release because of laws that were not in place at the time of his conviction (ex post facto). All of the lawyers, on both sides of the case, either were professors at The University of Kansas Law School or held law degrees from there.

A few months ago, while cleaning out my basement, I came across a number of black Rubbermaid bins that were filled with my former teaching supplies. My first thoughts after noticing what was in the boxes were, "I kept this crap? Why did I keep all this stuff?!!"

I like to think of myself as being an uncluttered person, yet there were more than four large bins full of things I didn't even know were in my house. At some point over the years, my eyes stopped noticing the bins in the basement and my mind forgot what was stored in them.

I spotted these beautiful calligraphic return address stamps on Oh Joy! last week, and I'm completely in love with them. I don't yet have return address stickers (maybe due to budget cuts at the various charities that normally send them out to entice you to donate), so this is going on my wishlist. 

From the side they look so unassuming, just like any other old return address stamp.

 

But when you see what is actually printed when you stamp:

The work of Molly Hatch, an American ceramicist living and working in Northampton, Massachusetts, has me quite inspired lately which is why I'd like to share her work with you today. You will love this introduction!

Summer vacation starts here today for area school children, which means more time in the car for many moms and dads. Between day camps, swimming lessons, play dates, and family vacations, you might feel like a taxi before July even begins.

Get your car ready for its increased usage by taking a few simple steps now to get things organized:

I was catching up on my blog reading over lunch today and I came across a post on Shelterrific about Squibnocket Cards. The bloggers over there have finally unearthed an online retailer for these hilarious and quirky cards written and designed by Lane Walker Foard.

I've only come across these cards in person in one store in the town of Lawrence, Kansas back when I was in high school. And I've kept an eye out for them in stationery stores and online ever since. I actually have a stockpile of them that I never planned on sending because I just couldn't give them up. That might change now that I have an online source for them.

So now that I've gushed about how great these cards are, click through to see some examples.

Dwell just announced their collaboration with Heath Ceramics called Dwell Patterns which is a modular tile system soon that will debut at the upcoming Dwell on Design 2010, the West Coast’s largest design show, in Los Angeles from June 25-27, 2010...

Week before last my parents and I visited my sister on the West coast. It was nice to take a break and see my family, and it was extra special because we were celebrating my sister's graduation.

All three of us stayed at my sister's house which she shares with two other students--effectively doubling the number of people in residence. I know we all tried to be good houseguests, but I'm sure that by the time we left my sister's roommates (and maybe even my sister) were glad to see us go.

Do you love color? Do you love to craft? Are you obsessed with pattern? Well then I hope you don't mind, but I have to blow a very large horn today (no, not a vuvuzela!). I'm blowing the horn of fellow blogger and friend Leslie Shewring from A Creative Mint. Leslie is a blog author, photographer and all around creative lady who lives in the Los Angeles area. Here is a sampling of her photographs that you can find on her beautiful blog space.

I just might be the queen of distraction. Not only am I easily distracted, but I have an amazing ability of distracting other people.

Let me give you an example: Have you ever seen the comic in the paper Pearls Before Swine? Back on May 23, the entire 18-panel cartoon was about distraction. You should check it out now, it's really funny. I'll be here when you come back.

Yes, this is a home & organizing blog but just for a moment I'm transforming it into a foodie blog with delicious bites brought to you today from Whimsy & Spice in Brooklyn. I love this family business and when I lived in the states, I frequently ordered goodies from them for my husband since he is in love with their delicious baked treats. In fact, we will be in New York next month and he has already requested that a care package be ordered as soon as possible and delivered to our room so he can have his W&S fix! ha!

German designer Helene Steiner has created a visually appealing, incredibly organized, and functional laundry hamper system I wanted to share with you. The Polyp is a series of three hampers (lights, darks, delicates) that hang on the wall, pop out when full of clothes, and then transform into baskets to carry your laundry in to your laundry room.

My friend and professional organizer Lorie Marrero recently wrote the article "The Organized Mindset: 7 Fundamental Beliefs That Can Change Everything" for her website, and I wanted to share some of it with you:

I love aprons. They have the perfect mix of functionality and style, and there's something very 1950s about the ones with full skirts. And whenever I'm doing more than just making pasta or heating up leftovers I make sure to wear one. I don't think I'm that messy, but I prefer not to take the risk when it comes to staining my clothes.

Here are a few of my faves available right now:

Baker's Delight Apron from Anthropologie, $32

Do you feel inspired when you see (or create) interior moodboards? Are you interested in creating your own for your next decorating project or simply to have fun and connect with others online? Olioboard may just be the site for you. This interior design focused moodboard web-app is an interactive tool that you can use to experiment with the style and mood of a space. You can also connect with others and share your boards and see where products are from online so you can shop for something that you see. Sounds like fun, right?

Earlier in 2010, I was hurt in an accident and ended up in a wheelchair, then crutches, then a special orthopedic shoe, and now I've finally made it to store-bought comfortable shoes. I like telling people that my accident involved ninjas, a cliff, and an extreme sport -- which would be true if you replace ninjas with "my son's stroller," a cliff with "a curb," and the extreme sport with "crossing the street."

One of the unfortunate side effects of my injury is that I can no longer wear snug shoes or any heels. There may come a point in the future when I can wear these types of shoes again, but that future will be at least a few years from now. I don't own a lot of shoes (fewer than 20 pairs), but post-accident I can't wear the majority of those I have.

Even though it's not quite summer according to the calendar, this weekend it sure felt like it. So in my estimation it is now officially picnic and grilling season. I'm lucky that the apartment I moved into in April has access to a massive roof deck, which we share with our downstairs neighbors.

I'm excited to be able to have people over and have the option of expanding the party outside. But since I'm new at this (I haven't had outdoor space since college), I'm looking to you all for your best tips for outdoor entertaining.

I just arrived home from Copenhagen where I spent a week and from there I traveled around Denmark and also over to Sweden by ferry which was absolutely beautiful. Being in Scandinavia for a week was such an inspiration to me and I came home with loads of decorating ideas! If you ever have a chance to travel to Denmark I highly recommend it. You will come home refreshed and inspired for sure!

Before starting or when in the weeds of an uncluttering project, it can feel overwhelming and difficult to achieve a final product. We know we'd like things to be finished and our homes to work better, but "better" might be a vague concept that seems impossible to accomplish.

One way to gain momentum and help yourself achieve the final results you desire is to map out exactly what you want before you get started. Draw an image of your well-organized and clutter-free space. Find pictures in a magazine similar to what you want and use them as a guide. If these visual elements aren't your style, write a detailed description of how you want the space to function when it's finished. You could also call a friend on the phone and simply talk through the exact details of your final project.

I may be moving in a few months (yay!) to a brand new flat and if I do, I will need many new things -- especially lighting because my new space will be much larger than my current one so I have to invest in several lamps and pendants so that I can see my way around! I've been researching lighting all week to see what I like, what I can afford (often a very different list!), and what I can live with long term that is not going to date my place in a year because it's a "hot new trend" that will be old news next season. It can be a tricky balance!

I've been traveling some this year, and have started noticing more soap and shampoo dispensers in hotel room bathrooms. The explanation is that individual bottles of these items create environmental waste and an unjustified expense for hotels. I agree, but it still surprises me each time I see them.

I love a good D.I.Y. project. So when I find a blog that consistently has inventive and inspiring projects, I subscribe to their RSS feed ASAP. I've found two new favorites recently, Dollar Store Crafts and P.S. I Made This. They both have projects that are easy to do no matter your skill level and inexpensive to make (double bonus!).

Here are two recent projects that caught my eye:

My friend Michelle sent me a link to Watermark Wallcoverings that she saw on D*S recently and I thought I'd share them here. California artist and designer Taylor John Kincaid hand paints each panel treating each sheet of wallpaper as an individual piece of art. His meticulous work is inspiring and beautiful.

Each Tuesday in May we will have a guest post from Jessie Atchison, brand manager for Burpee Home Gardens, about how to start your own vegetable garden.

Today's home and neighborhood gardens are growing more than just vegetables; they're also fostering a sense of community, as new and veteran gardeners share their experiences with others. And those gardens are nourishing our communities in a variety of other ways:

Industrial designer Marianne van Ooij told me about her new collection of silkscreened pillows recently and I thought I'd share them since they're a bit different from the more trendy items on the market today. It's fun to see what independent designers come up with and often it's refreshing to see something less mainstream, isn't it?

Let's start off the week with a quick poll: What do you use to wash dishes: a sponge, a dish rag (or microfiber cloth), paper towels, or something else?

Place cards aren't something you see everyday. I would venture a guess that most people only come across place cards at weddings or other more formal events, and even then they aren't always a given. But I do love place cards.

I aspire to someday have enough people over for a dinner party so I can use name cards without feeling silly. And when I do have that dinner party, these are the place cards I will use.

For most of my adult life, I've worn my hair long down to the middle of my back. When it's that long, my hair is a nest of curly in the front, wavy on the sides, and stick straight in the back. Oh, and I should add frizzy, my hair is a whole mess of frizzy. I have to do my hair (blow dry and straighten) or wear it in a ponytail for it to look nice.

As those of you who read the magazine know, we launch a new column as part of our redesign—the Decorating with... series. So far, we've covered purple, red, blue, brown, green, yellow, and florals. I love the series, and I've used it as inspiration for decorating my kitchen.

Polymorphia is a shop on etsy that I've recently fallen in love with because the art prints of Crystal Jackson are so soft and dreamy that I imagine having one framed would be stunning in any home. Please view some of her most recent works below along with her lovely styling which, to me, really makes each piece come to life.

Each Tuesday in May we will have a guest post from Jessie Atchison, brand manager for Burpee Home Gardens, about how to start your own vegetable garden.

If you’ve ever flipped through a seed catalog or shopped garden center benches filled with potted plants, you’ve found that there are several varieties of herbs and vegetables (especially tomatoes). Which ones should you choose for your garden? The answer lies in asking yourself a few questions before you dig in:

No one is ever truly prepared for an emergency -- hence, what makes it an emergency. However, we can all take steps now so that we can be organized and better respond to emergency situations when they happen.

CB2 has some great new products for spring - fresh, fresh, fresh! Would you like to see 8 of my picks for outside and in? I can guess that you'll find at least one that fits your taste and budget.