A desk muddled with papers, bric-a-brac, and random clutter makes clearing your mind difficult. Forget actually getting to work.Whether you work from home or just need a systematic spot to pay bills and check email, decluttering your home office can save you from unnecessary stress. Get ready to mark off the to-do lists and complete those everyday tasks; these five tips to an organized home office will leave you with one slick, efficient workstation.

Preparedness requires that you imagine and rehearse those first 72 hours after a natural disaster or emergency. How can you best prepare for a situation that keeps you out of your house, or if you have to leave on short notice? Having a plan and supply kit is essential to your safety in case of a disaster. Pre-assembled emergency kits are a convenient start, but getting re-usable, eco-friendly supplies of your own might be a wiser investment. Here are some health-conscious and environmentally friendly options for the five basics of a home emergency kit.

OK, ladies. Are you bored with the reading selection in your doctor’s office? Tired of clicking on apparent women’s interest news stories only to get an eye-full of some young starlet who’s fallen off the wagon again? Fume no more. We’ve compiled a “smart woman’s reading list” just for you covering everything from blogs to magazines, to smart websites and a podcast.

If you are like many people, your “To-Do” list tends to be a jumble of actions, contexts and priorities: Clean the bathroom, write novel, Suzy’s birthday, car – new tires. Obviously, those are four very different things that take differing amounts of brainpower and must occur in unique places – so why are they all jumbled together on your “To-Do” list?

A rushed lifestyle seems to be the norm today, and even you organic foodies might shove off good quality homemade food once in a while in favor of fast no-fuss microwaved meals. (Even if you feel bad about it.)

Based purely on taste, the microwave loses every time. Cooking fresh meals on your stovetop, oven or grill creates scrumptious, healthful meals—and unlike the microwave, your oven certainly doesn't have a bad rap for unhealthy cooking. Tossing that microwave for good might not be as difficult as you think. As you transition, try these tips for easy microwave-free living.

Saving money doesn’t have to be painful. You can save $1000 in one year without even trying if you use the following plan, which combines an old trick (coin jar) with new methods (online banking) to make it easy and fun to save. Several strategies combine to save you money that you won’t even miss!

When chilly winter weather arrives, we tend to go into semi-hibernation, avoiding the outdoors and sticking to the warmth of our homes. What's the bright side to not being able to do your favorite outdoor activities? Winter offers up plenty of time to snuggle in and read a good book.

Before you dig into that latest bestseller or a read-it-20-times classic, you need to craft the perfect space to cozy up with your new book. Create the ultimate reading escape with these five easy steps.

Perhaps you own a serving tray that, except for the occasional party or breakfast in bed appearance, usually sees the inside of a cabinet most of the year. When not using that cute item on those one or two occasions, don’t shove it out of sight. You can easily vamp up your home décor with those pretty platters.

Serving trays often come in fun patterns, and in every shape and size. Whether you use quirky vintage versions or sustainable modern designs, you eco devotees, these four repurposing ideas using serving trays will have you wanting to serve up new décor all over your home.

A new year means out with the old and in with the new… calendar. For those of you who still prefer hard copy calendars to digital versions, what do you do with your favorite calendars when a new year rolls around? Do they get tossed in the recycling bin? Or maybe, like me, you stash them in a drawer somewhere—not willing to throw them away, but also not exactly sure what to do with them?

This year, try a new tactic you calendar hoarders. You can easily convert those out-of-date calendars into creative envelopes and cards to use for birthday cards, invitations and thank you notes throughout the year. Discover how to revamp your old calendars in four easy steps.

Okay, who’s willing to admit you asked for an iPhone 4S for the holidays even though there’s a perfectly fine iPhone 4 residing in your tote? We’re all guilty of coveting new technology this time of year... but make sure you recycle your old stuff. While recycling or finding homes for old iPods, phones and computers used to be a drag, it’s no longer so difficult, at all. A myriad of organizations, businesses and companies can help you find a place to recycle or re-purpose your electronic lifeline of yesteryear.