We've been doing a lot of decorating lately and I came up with a handy system that I wanted to share with you. We gathered samples of our wall paint colors from our paint supplier, swatches of our carpeting, samples of our countertops, flooring and drapes, etc.

Then, we measured areas that we're currently looking to decorate, such as the dimensions of a particular wall space for a painting and the size of our tables for lamps.

I found a small plastic photo book -- small enough to fit inside my purse. In each photo slot, I included a fabric swatch, or a carpet remnant or a floor sample or a list of dimensions.

I keep that photo book in my purse, so when we're out on the weekends searching for new things for the house, we have all of the information we need readily available.

It's much easier to choose a shower curtain when you have the color of the walls in your hands, and it's a cinch to choose a tablecloth when you are certain of your table dimensions!

by Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now! http://www.getorganizednow.com FREE Get Organized Now! Idea-Pak and E-zine, filled with tips and ideas to help you organize your home, your office and your life, at the Get Organized Now! Web site.