I love writing this blog. It is truly one major highlight of my work week. I love interacting with our clients, trade partners, friends and family on a more personal level than I usually get to do during a work day. I love the fact that our readers welcome me into their inbox and take the time to read what I have to say and, amazingly enough, some of you even like it! All that being said, I certainly have the best job in the Burgin Blogging project. Poor Rhonda however, isn’t so lucky. Every time I write a new blog or upload a new project photo she has to spend the next hour or more updating all of our Social Media profiles.

These days Social Media is as much a part of business as it is personal life. It’s a wonderful way to interact with clients and trade partners and let them know what your company is up to. In the Construction and Remodeling business we don’t get to talk with our past clients all that often and this is an easy and fun way to keep up with them. So, below is a list of links to our current Social Media profiles. We ask that you please add us as a friend, contact, etc. and allow us to keep up with you and what’s happening in your life. For many of you, it’s been a while since we’ve talked and we can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to!

• Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1488708412&ref=profile
• Linked In – http://www.linkedin.com/myprofile?trk=hb_side_pro
• Flickr – http://www.flickr.com/people/burginco/
• Twitter – http://twitter.com/BurginCo
• Google – http://www.google.com/profiles/BurginConstruction
• My Space – http://www.myspace.com/burginco
• Burgin Blog – http://www.burginconstructioninc.com/blog

What a busy week it’s been. Yesterday was Take Your Child to Work Day and I brought along my 8 year old daughter. When I told her that one of our tasks for the day was to write a blog she was filled with ideas. In honor of Earth Day she thought it would be a wonderful idea to make a list of some things that kids (and adults too!) can do to help the environment. In keeping with that spirit, Brad and Rhonda’s son, Sean wanted to contribute as well and provided the illustrations for this week’s blog. So, I now turn the blog over to our contributing author Nikki Sharesky and contributing illustrator Sean Burgin!

10 Things Kids (And Adults) Can Do To Help The Environment:

1. Turn off all the lights when they are not needed.
2. Turn off the water when brushing your teeth.
3. Never throw things on the ground (that’s called littering).
4. Always recycle by putting stuff in recycling bins.
5. Recycle cans, bottles, plastic bags and newspapers.
6. Planting trees is fun and they provide oxygen.
7. Save energy by walking, biking or taking the bus.
8. Pick up trash that you find lying around when you are taking a walk.
9. Take shorter showers to save water.
10. Turn off computers and other electronics when you aren’t using them.

As you can see, there are many small ways that we can make an impact on the Earth in our homes and communities. If you have any other tips that you’d like to share please feel free to leave them in the comments section!

If so, could you please send some my way? I never seem to have enough! No matter what I do or how fast I go, I am always running out of time. I spend my days with endless task lists, both personal and business, and feel like I spend more time adding to them than I do marking them off. So, I have devoted this blog to helping our readers (and myself) find a few timesaving tricks around the house so that you’ll have more time to focus on the important things in life like family, friends, and that slice of cheesecake and bottle of wine you have hidden in the back of the fridge for the rare quiet moment!

• Most every place you visit has a lost and found. Why not create one for  your home as well? Designate a basket, tote or other container in the house as a lost and found box and anytime a family member finds something left lying around the house they can simply place it in the box. This will save not only cleaning time but also searching time when the kids can’t find their favorite toy or their library book!

• Stop spending 30 minutes scrubbing out your microwave. Place a cup of water in the center of the microwave and bring it to a boil. The steam from the water will loosen dried on food and make it easy to wipe off.

• Plastic caddies aren’t just for makeup anymore! Purchase 4 or 5 of these caddies and personalize them for your needs. Fill one with stamps, envelopes, a checkbook, etc and leave space to store the bills and mail that must be replied to. When you’re ready, everything will be at your fingertips. Use another for house cleaning and fill with cleaning products, gloves, etc. Other caddy ideas include a pet caddy (nail trimmers, brushes, shampoos), a card caddy (fill with different birthday, anniversary, etc. cards and a small calendar with important dates).

• Create long-term goals for home organization. Don’t expect to declutter and organize all in one weekend, or even one month! Create a room-by-room list of what you want to accomplish for example: Kitchen – organize pantry, cabinets, clean refrigerator, etc. Family Room – organize dvd’s, clean upholstery, shampoo carpet, etc. Set a large time frame of 2-3 months to complete the goals, do a few each week and mark them off as you go.

• Begin organization in the rooms you use the most often. Start with the smallest of these, such as a bathroom, and once it is complete move on to the next room. Having the more lived-in areas of your home organized and decluttered will help with finding a place for everything from the less lived in areas and it gets the worst of the work done up front.

While these tips won’t solve all of your time issues they have definitely helped to improve my day-to-day life by making everything a bit more manageable. If you have any timesaving tips you’d like to share please leave them in the comments section. Like most people, I’m always looking for new ideas!

I’m an avid watcher of Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Having spent most of my adult life in some form of Real Estate work, the last 5 with Burgin Construction, I am a sucker for shows that have anything to do with building, remodeling, etc. Like many homeowners, I watch these shows in awe and wonder at the designers who take what is essentially an empty box, and, in no time at all, create a beautiful and inviting room. I like to think that I have a basic sense of style, however when I begin doing any form of interior decorating in my home it is abundantly clear that I do not. I can’t match shapes, colors or textures and I certainly have no clue when it comes to utilizing space and storage appropriately. These are the times when I truly love my job. Having that “inside source” is a wonderful thing and I often call up Joni, one of our wonderful designers, and ask for her expert advice.

Having done a couple of remodeling projects in my own home, and pretty much winging those, I’ve definitely learned the value of having a designer’s help. While, for some, it may seem a luxury or extravagance to hire a designer for a remodel; it is certainly the norm more often than not these days. Yes, there are costs involved but the time and headaches you can save by having that expert opinion close at hand can be invaluable. No more wasted space, mismatched colors or tasteless decor. A designer can help create an area with taste and personality as well as provide tips for getting the most from a room.

Another huge plus to having a designer is you can get in on many “To The Trade Only” sales and shows. These are sales that are open only to designers and not the general public. Through these, your designer can often get great deals on items for your home. This May however, homeowners can get a taste of designer deals. Laguna Design Center, located on the corner of Alicia Parkway and Aliso Creek Road, is having a Designer Sample Sale which will be open to the public May 15-16 from 10am to 4pm. Their designer showrooms will be offering savings of 40-70% on high-end items such as furniture, lighting, accessories and art.

If you’re still interested in seeing what’s inside those “To The Trade Only” showrooms give me a call. I’ll be happy to set up a meeting for you with Joni or one of our other designers and they can help you get a peek as well as create a fantastic space to spruce up your home for spring!

Ok, it’s official, spring is here. I’ve spent the past few weeks working on my spring cleaning and getting rid of clutter. I’ve done fairly well on the inside of the house by using creative storage ideas and deciding to just get rid of a lot of junk. Here are few ideas I took to hear and put to good use in my house this year:

• Many homes in warmer climates have unused or even non-functioning fireplaces. Such is the case with my home, so I placed a decorative screen in front of the fireplace and viola – instant storage space! I have hidden magazines, dog toys, board games and a few other items behind the screen to keep them out of the way but close at hand.
• While rearranging my Kitchen cabinets in an attempt to make more space, I ended up stuck with a section of counter full of things that I had no space for but didn’t want to get rid of. These are items that are used only a couple of times a year for special occasions and a few sentimental items that I can’t bear to part with. While standing there wracking my brain I remembered those two lonely cabinets above my refrigerator that I never bother thinking about, let alone put things in. Being only 5 feet tall, these aren’t a viable option for everyday use. I now have those special items stored away there and know that they are safe yet out of the way.
• My most favorite linens in the house are bedskirts. These are a fantastic invention! It is truly amazing how something so simple can add a touch of elegance and personality to a room while at the same time providing a perfect hiding place for all that bedroom clutter that I can’t stand looking at. I am able to fit 6 Rubbermaid totes under my bed and 3 under each of the kids’ beds. I use these to store extra bedding that is only used when guests come into town, out of season clothing and shoes, photo boxes, un-hung pictures and unused frames, tax records, etc.
• Wall units, bench seats with hidden storage and other hideaway furniture pieces are also a great way to get things out of sight and out of mind.

The next project on my list is the garage. Yes, I know – it seems impossible. Trust me, each time I walk in there and look around I sigh, tell myself there’s nothing I can do and I need professional help, then turn out the light and go back inside. After some time discussing the garage issue my husband and I have decided that it is time to bite the bullet and call in some pros. We need someone to create some semblance of organization in there and we can’t manage it ourselves. The plan now is to install a garage organization system complete with  wall and rafter hangers for bikes, hoses, gardening items, ladders and light boxes. Storage Cabinets and Shelving will also be installed to provide a place for all those odds and ends that get stuck in the garage.

Brad has created a simple plan for us that will cover all our storage and organization needs while staying within our recently reduced budget. While the economy may have its ups and downs and we may not be doing any major home remodels this year; we are still able to fit this into our budget and get something done that will save us enough time searching for things to pay for itself. If you’re looking to get some ideas for a garage or closet organization project give me a call at 714-558-1094 ext. 707. I know from experience that Brad can take care of you on this and would be more than happy to come out and put together a plan to get you your garage back!