As our family grows I feel like my home becomes less and less organized. I would not consider myself a neat freak by any means, but I do like for things to be organized and easy to find. Moving into our home, we were thrilled with all of the closets and places to keep things. The only downside was our small kitchen. There are plenty of cabinets, but overall...I often feel like it still feels very cluttered. The fridge is probably our biggest challenge. With growing kids we find that we are needing more and more food, but how do we fit it all in the refrigerator? As hard as I've tried, it seems there is never enough room...especially with items like cakes, pies and casseroles that can't always be stacked and take up a lot of space. Always on the lookout for ways to stay better organized, we were introduced to a product...the solution I've been looking for!

The Fridge Mate is a kitchen storage product which helps solve a problem everyone has at some point...no room in the fridge! It isn't about Mega Storage, but about making the most of the space you already have. It's there to have an extra spot or two for something when you need it. Just learning that there was a product out there to help me keep my fridge more organized and make room for everything was very intriguing. And, when I saw this picture..I knew I had to try it out!

When the Fridge Mate arrived, I was impressed with the quality right away. It's smaller, but well-made and has held up great to our using it so far. I found it to be very easy to assemble which is something I appreciate. In no time I had it ready for my fridge. I rearranged some things and found that the size fit perfectly on one of my lower shelves...a shelf that two of my kids can reach too.

Since receiving it, I have been using it for several different things and appreciate how easy it is to arrange the shelves in ways that suit my ever-changing needs. We were still celebrating several family Christmas get-togethers when I began using it, and it came in handy for those baked goods and meals that needed a safe place in the fridge where something else won't get stacked on top of them.

We also often cool our kids' meals in the fridge if they're too hot and I love having somewhere to set their plates and bowls (rather than stacking them and having them balance on other things). It has really seemed to save space in the fridge and is something I wish I had had with all of my refrigerators in the past as well! It's a simple and great solution to making space in the fridge and getting things more organized.

I have definitely found that it's useful with having kids especially. I usually stack the things I need to get to on the top shelves and have the items they are often reaching for (fruit, cheeses, snacks, etc) on the bottom where it is easy to reach. We love it and would definitely recommend it to others!

Afterall, there are large platforms making it easy to store around...

..to stack...

..and to simply make better use of the space....all while using just 13" square of shelf space!

The Fridge Mate is going to make its "debut" at the International Housewares Association (IHA) show in Chicago in March! It will be released through Viatek Products, found here Viatekproducts.com. Fore more information about this product in the meantime, you can contact Glenn at gerckert@helpinghandproducts.com.

I'd love to hear your thoughts! Is this something you could use in your fridge?!

**I received a product sample to facilitate my review, however all opinions are 100% my own.

I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for ways to become better organized. With three little ones and the demands of daily life...I am still learning to balance it all. In the midst of our busy schedules, I find that our house becomes cluttered rather easily. That's why I try to find ways to make staying organized easier. For instance, the built-in locker/cubbies my hubby made for the kids this past summer. It is the perfect place for their jackets, shoes, school bags, etc. I have been telling him we need something like that for all of our things, especially when it comes to my accessories like scarves and purses!

Just as I began thinking how I could better organize my things, I was introduced to a great new product called the Pursenal Butler.

Pursenal Butler is a chic adjustable purse stand that organizes and holds up to 12 purses/100lbs! It is made out of wrought iron and steel and comes in 5 different colors!

Wow, why didn't I think of something like this?! Having a stylish piece that can sit out in a room (or even in a closet) and organize all of my purses...a must-have for any woman in my opinion! That's why I was thrilled when asked if I'd like to review one.

As I said, it is offered in a variety of great colors including: Brown, Silver, Pink, Black and Antique. Given the decor of our bedroom (which is where I wanted it to be), I decided to go with the Antique white color and am really happy I did!

When the Pursenal Butler arrived, I was really happy with the Antique color. It goes perfectly with our room and the decor in there. I also was immediately impressed with the high quality! Made of wrought iron and steel, it is very durable and something I can tell will hold up well.

I love that it's adjustable so you can have it at a height that works for you. I also appreciate that there are three different "arms" to hold several bags at once. It works great for holding my purses, but is definitely more than just a purse hook! It can easily be used to hang scarves, hats, or just about anything else! It keeps everything very well organized, germ free and off the floors, counters and other work spaces.

Whether I'm using it in the bedroom, mud room, or by the front doorway...at only 6 lbs it's easy to move when I need to.

Having used it, I can see why any home would benefit from having one. Not only that, but businesses too! Places like spas, salons, restaurants, offices and even restrooms would be great places for a Pursenal Butler in my opinion.

The Pursenal Butler has been great for storing, displaying and organizing purses, but it's also been a wonderful way to keep my purses off of the countertop too. Something I knew, but learned more about on the Pursenal Butler website are the following statistics:

• 5% of purses tested positive for E-coli, Salmonella and bacteria that can cause hepatitis
• 50% of purses tested positive for fecal contamination and coliform bacteria which indicates the presence of human or animal waste
• 100% of purses tested positive for some form of germs/bacteria and some purses were saturated with tens of thousands of bacteria
• Purses are becoming subways for the transfer of micro-organisms and germs from one location to another

I know how important it is to keep germs at bay to keep my family healthy (especially this time of year which is why I love solutions that this that make that easier since I don't have to keep my purses right on our kitchen counter anymore. Not only that, but it's just another reason why this product would be so useful in business settings as well!


I have been very happy with the Pursenal Butler. The quality is fantastic and it makes organizing my handbags and scarves easy! I would definitely recommend checking out their site at PursenalButler.com. Also be sure to connect with them on Facebook.

 

Buy It: You can purchase the Pursenal Butler for $69.99 at PursenalButler.com. 

*I was provided the product mentioned to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

When it comes to raising a family, communication is vital. You want to be able to share everything and talk about any issues that arise so that your relationship gets stronger.

But sometimes, it can be hard to know exactly how to communicate with your kids in an effective manner – they may refuse to talk to you, or it may just be difficult to understand where the other person is coming from. If you want to establish better communication with your kids, there is no magical remedy; however, there are a few things you can do to try and sow the seeds for better communication in your relationship.

Spend time together

Families that play together stay together – isn’t that how the saying goes? Regardless of what it is, the more time your family spends together, the more opportunity there is for your children to connect with you and the more chance they have to share any problems or concerns with you. Spending time with your children is vital to establish a better bond with them and connect with them; take walks together or play in the park together, and watch as the communication floodgates open.

Make it clear that you’re always there to talk to

Sometimes kids want to talk to you, but they’re scared you’re going to punish them or reprimand them for saying something bad. If you feel like your child is holding back information from you, it’s vital to tell them that they won’t be judged and you won’t stop loving them no matter what information they say to you. The more they trust that you will always love them, the easier it will be for them to communicate with you.

Honesty is definitely the best policy

Children hate being treated like children – they hate being told clichés like “you’ll understand when you’re older” or “you’re just a child”. When you say this to your children, you immediately establish a barrier between you and your little one. Treat them like they’re your equal, and try to explain things as well as possible. Regardless of whether you’re moving houses or you are discussing child custody arrangements with your partner, it’s important to be transparent and open with your family. Be as honest as you possibly can be, and you’ll see your relationship grow.

Don’t invade their privacy

Kids – and especially teenagers – are incredibly protective of their own space. If you feel like something is going on, it’s better to let them tell you in their own time as opposed to snooping around their room or reading their diary to try and gain more information. If you’re incredibly worried about them, talk to their teacher or some of their friends, but don’t invade their personal space – they’ll feel like a certain level of trust has been breached, and they’ll be even more reluctant to share with you.

Tara Waters is a writer who is constantly striving to have a better relationship with her children. She loves them to bits and pieces and tries to spend every waking second with them

**This guest post was brought to you by Watts McCray who are family lawyers.

Have you 'liked' the Febreze Facebook Page? If so, you may have seen that on December 24th they announced the winner of their holiday contest, making one lucky family's dream come true! Watch Febreze Deliver The Holiday to a dad getting a surprise he'll never forget! It is very sweet! You can watch the video here as well as below. Make sure to visit the Facebook page and leave your response on the post too.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Febreze. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating