I walked into a friend’s home recently and was shocked to find how stark it was. Now I know I have a bit too much clutter in our home and trying to tackle it is a bit of a lifetime challenge. I heartily give the children much of the blame since they can’t seem to part with even the smallest trinket they took home from a birthday party or get rid of any of the puzzle books and magazines when they’re finished reading them. But I have to take part of the blame too since I keep a lot of books and magazines around myself. However I’m pretty good at organizing items into baskets and shelves and we even have a couple of rooms that remain quite neat yet comfortable. My friend though has taken de-cluttering to the next level where it seems there isn’t even a nice family photograph to be found or a small vase of flowers on the table. I guess to each their own? I could use a few decorating tips myself though and found some great ideas on iVillage.

They have loads of common-sense, low cost ideas for keeping a family home neat and fun at the same time. I’ve gotten great ideas for our kids rooms as well as ways to add colors and artwork to our family areas without breaking the bank. Staying organized is another ongoing battle, and iVillage has advice from others in the same boat that I’ve found very helpful. There’s also tips for things like planning a family game night, time-saving tips for moms, planting a vegetable garden, money-saving tips, and much more.