Enjoy the imPERFECTly emPOwERed Journal March 2022 issue full of spring organization, spring decor, and spring recipe ideas.

From the Editor’s Desk

Ahna Fulmer, Editor in Chief

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Alison Kelley, Executive Editor

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5 Delicious & Easy Weeknight Stir Fry Recipes

8 Tips for Growing Your Own Vegetables

1. Make a plan. – Decide where exactly you would like your garden beds to go. Consider the size and shape of your space and figure out the best set-up for you and your yard. (Also, this can always be changed in the future!)
2. Choose a sunny spot. – Most vegetables grow the best in about 6-8 hours of full sun, so make sure your seedlings will have plenty of vitamin D throughout the day.
3. Use raised beds. – Building up your soil is the single most important factor when growing your own vegetables, and the easiest way to do that is with raised garden beds.
4. Choose your vegetables wisely. – Different vegetables have different growing seasons in different regions. Consult a growing guide to determine which vegetables are best to plant for your current season and location. 
5. Plant your crops in triangles. – Most people tend to plant their vegetables in rows, or even squares, but the best formation is triangles. This gives you more space in each garden bed for your plants to grow.
6. Add compost to your soil. – Compost contains all of the good stuff like fungi, bacteria, and minerals that are beneficial to your veggies’ growth.
7. Take time to weed. – Make weeding a part of your routine by checking your garden daily and removing them as soon as you spot them. Your hands are the best tools for the job, so forget the weed cutter, and enjoy getting a little dirty!
8. Consider using a natural or organic pesticide. – Bugs are inevitable, but a quality, natural pesticide can really help. You can also plant rosemary throughout the garden beds to repel some insects, as well as dill and parsley.

Ask Ahna any questions, and she will answer them on an exclusive Q&A episode of the imPERFECTly emPOWERed Podcast.

Send Ahna an email, DM, or click on the green discussion emoji below, and drop your questions here!

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5 Easy DIY Spring Wreaths For Your Front Door

Organize Your Closet With This Simple Hack

Written by Elizabeth Shields

If a tidal wave of scarves, sweaters, and stilettos greet you every time you enter your closet, or if you need to wade through hats, handbags, and hot pants just to find your favorite t-shirt, then it’s time for a quick closet organization.  An overflowing closet doesn’t mean you won’t be successful, or indeed generally smashing life.  Yet, there is something to be said for a tidy house making for a tidy mind.  Having clutter can even cause you more stress. So, get your closet in order with this simple hack to make a messy closet a thing of the past.  

How Grocery Store Hacks Inspire a Clean, Tidy Closet

Consider the grocery store.  Big businesses invest many thousands of dollars in making sure the grocery store is organized and laid out in such as way as to optimize profits and user experience.  The items with the highest profit margin are placed at eye level so shoppers can easily see and access these products.  Fruit, vegetables, and fresh flowers are all located close to the store entrance, to create a positive and welcoming feeling as you enter.  And the items that are everyday essentials, such as milk and bread are placed further away from the entrance, so that customers need to walk through the store and, hopefully, be tempted into adding extras into their basket as they go.  

So, what do grocery stores and organized closets have in common?  The answer is simple:  thought and attention have gone into location and layout.  And the simple hack for your organized closet?  Make use of shelves, baskets, and labels to layout your closet items in such as way that is optimal for the way you live your life.  Clearly labeled baskets on shelves will transform your closet so that, rather than looking like an explosion in a clothing factory, your closet exudes calm serenity.  You’ll have items close to hand that you use regularly and can “stock rotate” boxes according to the current seasonal needs.  Winter sweaters can be placed high up, or low down in the height of summer so you can better access those short-sleeved tops and floaty skirts.  

Shelving:  The Backbone of Closet Organization 

Let’s start with shelves.  Shelves allow for the stacking and grouping of items.  The moment you introduce shelving into a space, you have the potential for an organizational system.  Shelving in your closet space can be basic, or more elaborate, there are a plethora of ideas available. You can spend a fortune on bespoke-made fitted closet shelving, but it’s also straightforward enough to fit shelves yourself with some simple DIY techniques.  You are aiming for shelving that is deep and high enough to store baskets but not so generous that there is empty space.  It makes sense, before you get the saw, drill, and screwdriver out, to work out what baskets you are going to be using for your closet organizational hack.  Knowing what dimensions the baskets are will help you in determining how many shelves and of what size you are looking to fit.  You’ll need to maintain some hanging space in your closet for items that don’t take well to folding.  However, any remaining space can be put to use as shelving.  

Baskets for Closet Organization  

The key here is having a range of baskets that allow you to sort and group items, and to keep them stored in a way that is accessible and functional.  You are going to be rotating the baskets according to the season and weather – there’s no point in having lightweight summer tops at easy-to-access eye level in the depths of winter.  This means you’ll want sturdy baskets, that can be labeled, and which are sized appropriately to accommodate the various categories of items.  My suggestion for baskets includes: 

• Summer tops
• Everyday tees
• Jeans
• Shorts
• Leggings
• Springtime and fall sweaters
• Winter sweaters
• Swimwear
• Gym wear
• Panties and bras
• Hosiery
• Slips and vests
• Belts
• Handbags
• Gloves
• Hats
• Scarves
• Jewelry

So, as you can see from that long list, you’ll be looking for a range of baskets in different sizes.  You may like to opt for some baskets with lids to help keep seldom-used items dust-free.  Think about the aesthetic you are looking to create, as well as your lifestyle, to help inform what type of basket you opt for.  For example, you might like to consider wicker or bamboo baskets as a sustainable eco-friendly option.  

Label like a Pro

When it comes to labeling baskets, you want to be able to easily read what is in the basket.  Consider your options.  It could be that you handcraft simple wooden labels painted with chalkboard paint that you attach to the basket with raffia or twine.  A chalk pen will allow you to write elegant descriptions of the basket contents, giving you a rustic, shabby chic look.  Sharpie pens are a simple option if you have plastic baskets, you’ll be able to write directly onto the plastic.  The key is to label the basket or container itself so that you can move the baskets around according to the seasons.  If you label the shelf, rather than the basket, you limit your options.  

Sort and Place

Once you have a selection of baskets, it’s time to begin the process of placing items in them to get a sense of whether you have enough baskets in appropriate sizes.  This is a golden opportunity to have a ruthless declutter as you sort through items.  If you find you are still holding onto damaged, ill-fitting items or even garments that you don’t like, now is the time to get rid.  Recycle and donate as needed, but don’t allow unwanted items to make it into your basket system!  

Consider using the Marie Kondo method for placing clothing items in baskets.  In other words, rather than piling up t-shirts and tops in a top to bottom pile, fold and then stack from front to back.  This will allow you, when you remove a basket from the shelf, to quickly see the different items, choose one without toppling a whole pile of clothes, and then replace the basket.  This method can also reduce the need for ironing clothes, however, if you do need to iron, there are some great ironing hacks out there. The Marie Kondo method also works with hosiery and even panties.  

It’s Time to Create the Shelving  

Now that you have baskets, filled with items grouped according to type, and clearly labeled, you can begin to assemble and create shelving.  Aim for shelving as high as you can manage so you maximize space.  Those higher shelves can be reserved for seldom worn items or clothing that is not needed for the current season.  With a bit of creative DIYing, you’ll soon have a shelving system that’s ready to accommodate your boxes in all their glory.   

Closet chaos can easily be a thing of the past.  Get yourself and your closet clean and tidy by making use of the shelving and basket hack.  You’ll never look back.  

6 Ways To Optimize Well-Being In Your Home

Written by Ahna Fulmer, MSN, ACNP-AG, FNP-BC

1. Declutter. Research has shown that decluttering and organizing a space can reduce stress and improve mood. Decluttering involves removing unnecessary items completely.

Pro Tip: Take a trash bag and bag anything that doesn’t get used or played with on a regular basis. Schedule a porch pick up with the Salvation Army at https://satruck.org/donate/choose.

2. Organize. Take what remains and organize it in such a way as to optimize the visual appeal and practical utility.

Pro Tip: Consider creative storage solutions like under sofa/bed slide out boxes, mounting baskets on the wall for vertical storage, or investing in custom cabinets and shelving like Closet Maid from Amazon.

3. Bring nature inside.  C.S. Lewis, a legendary British theologian, once said “We do not want merely to see beauty . . . we want something else which can hardly be put into words — to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it.”

I believe we were divinely designed to be inspired by and to aspire to the beautiful, and what better example exists than our organic response to nature — the breath-taking colors of a glorious sunrise, the calming trickle of a babbling brook, or the awe-inspiring grandeur of a soaring mountain top.

Pro Tip: Keep one or two indoor potted plants throughout your house.  Plant an indoor herb garden.  Hang a calming wall fountain.  

4. Invite people into your home. We were Divinely designed to be in relationship with others. Not social media friends but real-life people. In fact, research has demonstrated that hugging another person reduces blood pressure. I have yet to see a study demonstrate the same outcome with virtual relationships.

Pro Tip: Be intentional about being routinely and physically present with others. Prioritize in-person gatherings and conversations.

5. Increase sunlight exposure. It is believed that sunlight helps to release a chemical in the brain called serotonin that stimulates energy and can elevate mood and outlook.

Pro Tip: Replace standard curtains with sheers or convert full-length curtains to valances.

6. Paint walls a lighter, brighter shade. Psychology has demonstrated that color subconsciously affects our mood.

Pro Tip: Repaint your walls in a shade of white, light gray, green, or yellow.

20 Spring Break Essentials for Your Next Trip

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