Create an inspiration board Edit wardrobe Make a wish list Experiment Check seams, hems, and stitches Test zippers and buttons Look at lining Set a clothing budget: • Know my income. After taxes. • Find your clothing budget. Now divide my 10. This is the amount you don’t want to go beyond when shopping. • Halve the amount. This is what you’ve got to work with for fall/winter and spring/summer. • Figure in the big items, like accessories and big-ticket items. • Do the midpriced items. • Compute your total. Figure out what you still need and what you can get for less. • Keep a shopping journal. Sort your lingerie: • Toss and sort. • Choose your drawers. • Fold it right. • Keep neat. Shoe checklist: • Black pumps • Two metallic heels • Knee-high boots • All-weather boots • Ankle boots • Wedges • Flats • Dressy sneaks • Two kitten heel pumps • Two casual sandals • Open-toe pumps • Strappy heels Face mask: • You need anti-inflammatory ingredients like salicylic acid (which exfoliates and cleans out pores) and formulas with benzoyl peroxide and sulfur, which kill bacteria. Use once a week to avoid drying out skin, and apply to wherever you usually break out- whether that’s the T-zone or all over (but avoid eye and mouth areas). Brushes needed: • POWEDER: large with soft, natural bristles. Dip into loose or pressed powder, shake off excess, and dist over skin to set foundation. • FOUNDATION: use this flat, firm brush with (preferably) synthetic bristles to apply foundation, using short downward strokes from forehead to chin. • CONCEALER: to deposit cover-up just where youwant it, use a small, flat, blunt-edge version with synthetic bristles. • EYE SHADDOW: sweep shadow on lids and highlighter on brow bones with brush’s flat sides; use the tip to define creases. • HIGHLIGHTER: the fine, feather-light design works to dist subtle, glittery highlights on cheekbones for evenings out. • LIQUID EYELINER: better than other applicators for applying fast-setting liquid or cream liners along the lash line. • LIP: you want it firm but flexible to place color precisely. Choose a rounded or flat-tip version – your choice. • SHADOW EYELINER: this is small and firm, with bristles and a slightly rounded tip for smudging the line once you draw it. • BLUSH: look for a size as big as the apple of your cheek. The rounded shape and fluffy bristles make for easy blending. • BROW: you want a stiff, angled version to fill in sparse brows with dots of eye shadow. Staples for entertaining: • Pasta- two or three types • Rice- one long grain, one short grain, Arborio for risotto • Stocks (for soup)- beef, chicken, vegetable • Spreadables- grainy mustard, Dijon mustard, olive tapenade, sun-dried-tomato tapenade, artichoke spread • Charcuterie- cured salami • Cheese- a chunk of parmigiano-reggiano • Snacks- breadsticks or cheese sticks, crackers, nuts, popcorn, olives • Desserts- sorbets, ice creams, pound cake, frozen fruit or cocktail blends • Beverages- red wine, white wine, champagne, beer, soda, sparkling water • Seasonings- canned Italian tomatoes and paste for pasta sauce, extra virgin olive oil Checklist for a basic bar: • Alcohol- rum, vodka, whiskey, tequila, gin, beer, others… • Juices- orange, cranberry, pineapple • Sodas- cola, ginger ale, club soda, 7up • Other mixers- tonic water, seltzer, Tabasco sauce, sour mix • Wine- red and white • Ice • Garnishes- lemons, limes, oranges, green olives • Equipment- bar spoon, bar towels, bottle opener, bowls and glasses to hold garnishes, cocktail napkins, cocktail and boston shaker, corkscrew, cutting board, ice-filled coolers, ice tongs or scoop, mixing glasses, paring knife, straws, trash container, tub or tray to hold used glassware, tub to hold extra ice Arrange a living room: • SOFA- a sear height of 15 to 18 inches and depth of 24 to 32 inches is standard. If the sofa will be for napping, look for one at least seven feet long. But aim to have your sofa occupy no more than 25% of your total floor space. • ARTWORK- if its hanging above the sofa, it should generally be about half the sofa’s length so as not to seem to overpowering. • END TABLE- you want to be able to rest your drink there with ease. It should be about the same height and depth as the arms of the sofa or chair beside it. • COFFEE TABLE- make it around the same height as the sofa seat. You don’t want to have to reach too far down to get a magazine or glass. Low heights ina sofa or coffee table feel modern and can help to make a space seem taller. Conquer your closet: • Think eye level- the less frequently something is worn, the higher up in your closet it should go (placed in a box or folded up between clip-on dividers). • Lift shoes- cubbies are neat and east to scan, but if you don’t have space for built-ins, simple shoe racks or hanging bags will keep your footwear off the floor. • Stash boots- store upright with opposite ends placed together to save space. Stuff them with shoe inserts or old T-shirts so they’ll retain their shape. • Fold knits- sweaters and delicate clothes need to be kept folded (never hung on hangers) so they don’t stretch out and lose their shape. • Pair like with like- organize skirts with skirts, pants with pants (hanging them vertically, without folding, preventing unwanted creases), then sort by color and fabric. • Maximize space- the best closets have horizontal bars hung at a combination of heights; placing the top bar high up in the closet helps use otherwise space. • Clear the decks- now that you’ve moved the mess of shoes, store boxes with rarely used items (label accordingly) at the bottom of the closet. • Keep shelves spare- don’t overstuff them; a stack of three to four sweaters or tops is about all you can keep neat at one time. • Rotate clothes- there should be only one seasons worth of clothes in your main closet. Store your off season threads in canvas garment bags elsewhere. • Buy better hangers- whether you choose plastic and tubular or sleek and metal, just keep them uniform for neatness’ sake.