June is Rebuild Your Life Month. Take the time to add space, make change and recreate your life!

Dear Kathi,

I am four months pregnant and no longer fit into my largest clothes. I need to buy new clothes but I don’t really know the best items to buy. I am a size 14 when I’m not pregnant. I would like to feel pretty, sexy and not simply “big as a house” while I am pregnant. What can you suggest?

Dawn, Cardiff by the Sea

Dawn,

Shirts and dresses with empire seams just below the breast are very feminine. They are snug on top with extra room for growth below.

Try an A-line style dress. A-lines generally fit snug around the breast and flare out at the bottom. You don’t necessarily need to buy a maternity cut, simply buy it longer than usual so that the front hemline doesn’t become too short as your belly expands.
There are currently many India inspired tunic tops on the market that will expand as you grow. Pair these long tunic blouses with wide leg slacks or pencil skirts with elastic waistbands. Buy these separates in sizes 16, 18 or XXL and you should be able to wear them throughout your pregnancy.

You can also combine a long snug fitting T-shirt or tank top with the popular gauze tiered skirts for a romantic and relaxed style.
A good style for work is a long jersey tunic over a matching long skirt. It’s easy to wear, not too restrictive and fine for formal and informal offices. Add strappy sandals and glitzy earrings and you have a comfortable evening outfit.

If you can’t find decent maternity slacks, simply step up a size as you grow. Cropped pants look nice for the summer months and are more forgiving than shorts during pregnancy.

Speaking of the summer, when you need to go swimming, you can combine your bikini bottoms with a large but snug T-shirt. Don’t be afraid to show a little belly. The pregnant belly has made a comeback in fashion catalog’s.
Pregnant bellies are now considered sexy. This is a time in your life where you can gain weight and be proud of it. Have fun sporting a big round belly and enjoy feeling feminine and sexy!

Dear Kathi,

I am a housewife but my partner is the organizer in the family. I can’t seem to function in the pre-imposed systems. When I try to follow my partner’s systems in the kitchen everything becomes awry. I am constantly wondering where things are when they get relocated. Should I be using labels each time the drawer contents change? How can I cope?

Mia, San Marcos

Mia,

You and your partner need to come to terms with who is using the kitchen. Ideally, the person that creates a system should be the one who uses the system. If you are organizationally challenged and your partner isn’t, perhaps you can spend an afternoon together creating order with a method that makes sense for both of you.

Realize that there is no perfect system. There is, however, a system that will function well for all parties involved. Try to store objects closest to where they will be used. Use the triangular kitchen grid that I discussed in my column published last January. You can read this column by visiting http://www.addspacetoyourlife.com/advice01_27_05.html.

If you cannot agree on a system during your organizational meeting, it might be best to hire an outside professional. A Professional Organizer will be able to create a system and organizational strategy that works for both of you.

An outside expert is invaluable when family members cannot agree on strategy. As a professional, they are not involved with dramas or past history. They will focus solely on optimum organizational solutions for your space and what will best serve the household.

labeling your drawers is certainly an easy way to define what is stored in each drawer. I use this method when client reorganization is dramatic. Clients can remove the labels when they learn the new system or keep them permanently.

If your partner insists on creating new systems frequently, ask if you can receive a descriptive tour of the change as it occurs. If you have an explanation of why things are moved, it might help you to understand the concept behind the reorganization. This will, in turn, help you to remember where things are stored.

Organization is never an accident. If you have difficulty staying organized, keep practicing and devising new methods. With trial and error practice, you might find yourself developing the perfect systems for your household. Perhaps your partner will never feel the need to reorganize the kitchen again!

Please submit your questions to: advice@addspacetoyourlife.com

San Diego Professional Organizer