Plan and Budget for a Successful Party

You want to plan a great party, but you don't want to break the bank to do it. Don't worry. The most successful parties are well planned, not the most expensive.

You probably remember a great party you attended at one time or another. Though they are great place to glean ideas, don't try to duplicate a party you've already attended. You want your party to be remembered for the fun and the festivities, not because it was just like someone else's.

First, set a reasonable budget and stick to it. Ask your friends to help in the planning process. Perhaps your friend who's a great artist can help you design some affordable and creative invitations. Maybe another friend has an incredible music collection or karaoke system. Borrow and barter with your friends and family members as much as possible to keep your costs down.

Another good tip when you plan a birthday party on a budget is to limit the amount you will have to spend on food. This is easily accomplished with careful planning and thought. Choose to have your party at a time of day when people have already eaten, such as shortly after lunchtime. That way you'll only have to provide simple snacks. Plan on making most of the food yourself to keep the costs down.

To create a good mix, and keep a birthday party on budget, use your imagination and make substitutions where possible. Choose a theme for your party, but don't spend your entire budget on decorating. Focus on a couple of key elements and accent with simple items such as balloons and streamers.

The most important part is to have fun. With some fresh ideas and careful planning and organization, you can stay within your budget yet throw a party that all the attendees will enjoy and remember for a long time to come.

Organize your Closet on a Tight Budget

You don't have to spend a fortune on fancy closet organizing systems to organize your own closet, but it does require taking an honest look at your belongings and your habits. With some creativity and some planning, you can create a closet that's organized and easy to maintain.

First of all, it's imperative that you take a look at what's currently in your closet before you can begin to organize it. If there is clothes that haven't been worn in six months or more, worn out shoes, outdated handbags and accessories that you no longer use, get rid of them. They are only taking up your valuable space. You'll be pleasantly surprised just how much space you can free up by purging beforehand, and it also means less to contend with during the organization process.

Next, take a look at what you're left with. Try to organize your clothes based on what groups together well as outfits. Try to group like colors together, and organize shoes and accessories into casual, sport, professional and formal/dressy categories.

Now that you know what you're left with, it's time to place it back into your closet in a neat and organized fashion. Look around your home for unused baskets and bins. Consider installing a couple of extra shelves if the need warrants. Affordable shelving units and brackets can be found in more home organization sections of your favorite hardware or discount store.

You can also make great use of your space simply by using lengths of chain to hang items on in your closet. You can purchase plastic or metal chain in different lengths depending on your needs. Links should be large enough to accommodate your style of hanger - whether metal or plastic. Hardware or do-it yourself stores will cut the chain the length that you request. Attach the chain to your closet rod with a hook; these can also be found at the hardware or do-it-yourself store. Or you can simply loop the chain over the hook of a sturdy coat hanger. Hang clothing items, one hanger per link. This simple, inexpensive method can help you store several items in the space of just one.

With a little discipline, some creativity, and a free afternoon, your closet will soon be organized, easy to use, and simple to maintain.