In this week’s installment of the home organization series, let’s tackle the disorder and chaos of towels, toothbrushes, tanning lotion, and everything else in your bathroom. Of course, I’ve got plenty of easy fixes for my fellow non-crafty friends, as well as a few advanced ideas. Get those organizing gears turning, my friends. It’s on.

Step 1 – Toss

I know what’s taking up space in my bathroom – all those pesky hair products that Cosmopolitan tells me I MUST have: leave-in conditioner, mousse, hairspray, heat-protecting spray, smoothing crème, shine serum, moisturizing masque, curling gel, straightening pomade. It’s ironic that I have all this nonsense overloading my cupboard when I’m only capable of styling my hair two ways: bland or lifeless. Take a hint from me and get rid of (and quit buying) the stuff that’s not essential to your grooming routine. Guys, how many different scents of Axe spray do you need? Any variety assures me I can smell you from at least 50 yards away, giving me ample time to avoid you. Once you’ve thrown out what you don’t need, go through the stuff you’ve put in the “keep” pile. More than likely, you’ll have a few things that may be out of date. Use the following handy expiration guidelines to be safe:

Cream and gel cleansers – 1 year

Sponges – wash weekly and discard monthly

Perfume or cologne – 2 years

Hairstyling products – 3–5 years

Bar soap – 3 years

Shaving cream – 2 years

Deodorant – 2 years (do we need to have a talk about why it’s taken you over 700 days to knock out a stick of deodorant?)

Acne treatments – 1 year

Body lotion – 2–3 years

Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel – 3 years

Sunscreen – 3 years

Step 2 – Arrange

The only good thing I have to say for my bathroom is that my products are designated by purpose or use and all kept in the same place. Categories you’re likely to have on hand and would benefit from a wee bit of corralling include:

Skincare (moisturizers, creams, acne treatments, etc.)

Remedies for less frequent ailments (allergies, indigestion, insect bites, etc.)

Hair products/Hair accessories (pony tail holders, combs, brushes, etc.)

Makeup (eye shadows, powders, lipsticks, etc.)

Tools (tweezers, razor, cotton balls, etc.)

Electric tools (blow dryer, electric razor, clippers, etc.)

Towels

Step 3 – Organize

What to do with everything now? Heaven forbid we let it sit on the counter! Since we’ve already gotten it grouped, the hardest parts are figuring out what to keep it in, and where to store it. Here are a few ideas to get you going:

For electric tools, try these mind-bendingly good concepts from the craftsters on Pinterest. Have you ever thought about making use of the inside of your cupboard doors? Neither have I, until now. With a bit of Velcro, attach 2- to 4-inch diameter pieces of PVC pipe to hold curling irons, clippers, and razors. For larger items, like hair dryers, try a standing file folder. This is an idea I’m dying to try!

You know what I hate? When my toothbrush falls into the sink. I loathe even more when my toothbrush is lying out on the vanity, prey to my cat that thinks the bathroom sink is a hot tub. It’s a wonder I didn’t search for these storage gems a long time ago! To keep electric toothbrushes secure, mount a broom clip on your medicine cabinet (or somewhere on the wall that frees up needed space on your counter). Genius! What about the regular toothbrush folks? If you’ve got a medicine cabinet, cut notches in the shelves to ensure it’s nice and clean for your next use!

Shelves, shelves, shelves. They can be functional under the sink, yet fashionable if you adorn them with pretty bottles or neatly stacked towels. For around $20, you can pick up a set of small, mountable cubes that look mighty stylish holding an apothecary jar full of Q-Tips, a set of washcloths, or your cologne bottles. If you’re into installing your own shelving but are running out of ideas for space, try the area above your showerhead, door or toilet.

What to do with towels? If you don’t have a linen closet (or use it for other needless junk, like I do), make a pretty display of your bath towels in a basket somewhere you won’t trip over on the floor. If the back of your door is home to a towel rack, why not add extras above and below?

My supply of Q-Tips, bobby pins, blister packets of allergy medication, and body lotions gives me a headache. Why? Because it’s all stuffed in my cabinet below my sink, and often when I reach down to grab something, I inevitably whack my head in the process of milling around. Here are a few ideas to reduce the clutter, many of which I’m going to try (when I manage to conjure up a crafty mood):

Baskets – Keep larger products organized within a cabinet or on the floor next to a pedestal sink.

Hanging organizers – You’ll see a lot of these at home goods stores around the back-to-school season for kids to use in their dorms. With ample pockets for deodorant, shaving cream, medicine bottles, and more, you can simply hang one of these from a towel rack or over a door.

Sliding trays – These are another great option for your larger products. Put these inside your cabinet to prevent the neck pain that’s associated with craning your neck under the sink!

Plastic containers – These are probably the cheapest and easiest route for getting a grip on your bathroom’s mess. Throw bobby pins and ponytail holders into a latch-close plastic pencil box, corral medications in another container with a cover (perhaps consider keeping it on a shelf above the door if you’ve got little ones), stand hair products and lotions into a milk crate-style box, and use a silverware caddy to hold small items like Q-Tips or Band-Aids. In the shower, you can use a plastic bin with a handle to keep all your shampoo, conditioner and body washes. Just be sure it’s slotted with holes to prevent it from filling up with icky water. For makeup, grab a small 3-drawer organizer to store your makeup atop the counter. It’s much easier to find eye makeup, lip glosses, and powders when they’re sorted by category and not tossed in a bag together!

Magnetic strips – attach a magnetic strip that has adhesive backing on the inside of a medicine cabinet or drawer. Now you’ll be able to find those tweezers and nail clippers when you need them!

I get a sense that you’ve got your sleeves rolled up and are ready to dig into a sea of towels, tweezers, and toothbrushes.  With these tips, you’ll be sailing to more organized shores in no time. Ahoy mateys! Yeah, not funny, I know.

Looking for additional hands-on projects or bathroom decorating inspiration? Check your local listings for “I Hate My Bath” on cable’s DIY Network or browse TheContainerStore.com for all of your bathroom organization needs.

Next week, we’ll tackle the messiness in your closet! Yeesh, could be tough!

Brace yourself, guys: big things are coming to the Motor City. I’m not talking about the Tigers’ own Fresh Prince of Detroit, first baseman Prince Fielder. Here at Quicken Loans we’re recruiting all-stars of our own, and you could be next!

If you haven’t thought about Detroit, Michigan as a growing city full of promising job opportunities and mind-expanding culture, it’s time to open your eyes. Right here in Motown, there’s a goldmine of cutting-edge technology careers that are constantly pushing the limits and revolutionizing the IT world. College students and recent graduates can experience a life-changing (and super-duper fun!) summer internship that provides invaluable preparation for the real world.

Why not cultivate your tech talent into a rewarding IT career with Quicken Loans, a trailblazer in the online mortgage industry? We’re looking to expand our already well-rounded Technology team by over 300 data wizards! Join our team of more than 400 brilliant developers, programmers, project managers, data warehouse engineers, and technical support specialists. With our MyQL mobile app and industry-leading online tools, Quicken Loans is revolutionizing the way Americans finance their homes. Who knew the Motor City’s IT rockstars could rival Silicon Valley’s finest?

And for our college students and recent graduates, we’d love for you to be a part of our exciting and career-building summer internship program! Take my word for it: as an intern last summer, I capitalized on my marketing knowledge I learned in school and eventually expanded my 3-month long experience into a career at QL that I love. Not only will you have the chance to grow from an internship that will be more than just a few lines on your resume, you’ll have the time of your life working and playing in the D! Luncheons with some of Detroit’s out-of-the-box thinkers (including our very own Jay Farner), Tigers games, Ford Field tours… and the opportunity to contribute to a company that’s among the top ten in FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies To Work For” list for 2012.

Ready to be the next name on our all-star lineup here at Quicken Loans? Call us today at 800-411-JOBS or click on QuickenLoansCareers.com!

Another loud day of fun and learning.

The little boy I worked with read the entire book There’s a Wocket in My Pocket by Dr. Seuss.

On each page, I would pick a word and he would write it out on his paper. All uppercase letters.

“Let’s write the word ceiling. C-E-I-L-I-N-G. Do you know what  a ceiling is?”

“YES I KNOW WHAT A CEILING IS. IT’S THE TOP OF THE ROOM. WHERE THE AIR COMES OUT FROM!,” he said.

“Let’s lower our indoor voice please,” I said.

And like I already said, he got through the entire book and spelled every word perfectly.

I gave him a A+ and he was proud.

He ran back to kindergarten class yelling.

“I GOT AN A+. I GOT AN A+. I GOT AN A+!!!!!,” he said.

“Please quiet down,” his teacher said.

Another great week. Helping these kids is a really great experience.

I think it’s as good for me as it is for the kids.

You should try it sometime, if you never have.

As the snowfall accumulates and temperatures continue to fall this winter, it’s important to remember those who are less fortunate and can’t afford to combat the winter chill by bundling up in an adequately heated home during the coldest months of the year.

For over 26 years, The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) has assisted Michigan residents in danger of having their gas or electric service shut off during the long winter months.

Today, Quicken Loans teams up with THAW to sponsor a radiothon on WWJ Newsradio 950. The radiothon gives participants the chance to get friends and family involved in the “neighbors helping neighbors in need” campaign, by sponsoring a half (or full) hour treadmill marathon of participants:

• Walking
• Jogging
• Running

Potential participants who are not fans of treadmills can opt to get their half (or full) hour of exercise on the elliptical or stationary bikes.

The radiothon is being held in the Compuware Wellness Center (2^nd floor Compuware building) from 7 AM to 6 PM Friday, January 27.  Registration packets can be picked up at the front desk of the Wellness Center.

All money raised from this event will help THAW keep residents struggling to stay current on their heating bill warm this winter.

There is also a special cycling class (for a $5 donation) to raise money for THAW, today from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM.

As a formerly very poor college student, I frequently braved the elements of winter sleeping in my car (in a parking structure) afraid to shut my eyes to sleep fearing my vital organs would fail due to the frigid temperatures.

Through my donation to THAW, I’m confident that my contribution may help someone avoid those cold winter nights with no heat that I know all to well.

Help someone in need today and donate to THAW!  For further information, contact the Compuware Wellness Center at 1-313-227-8999.

Because of the increase in rental demands, some hard-hit neighborhoods may see some stabilization in their homes’ values and also be able to turn abandoned houses into family homes.

However, there are some that argue that this may hurt the market instead.

Can rental programs help the housing market?

 According to a paper written by Kenneth Rosen, a housing economist at the University of California at Berkeley, rental programs could help by:

• Reducing the foreclosed homes inventory and turning them into occupied homes again.
• By helping tenants that want to own a home re-build their credit in order to be able to buy a home again.
• A program like this would also decrease the bank-owned inventory. It’s estimated that if we include the shadow inventory (i.e. homes that are not listed yet, but will soon go on the market as REOs), the total number of foreclosed properties is actually four times as big as it is now.

Arguments against rental programs

On the other hand, the possibility of this program going live has become controversial. Some arguments are:

• Newer neighborhoods will be more affected by the increase in rentals, because the housing bust hit these harder.
• Some lenders will not lend to homebuyers if the condo they’re interested in is located in a subdivision with too many rentals. Affecting both private sellers and potential buyers.
• Investors will buy these properties at a deep discount, only to flip them and make an easy profit out of it.
• Only large investors will be able to afford to buy in bulk, giving them an advantage over smaller investors.

What do you think? Do you think that a rental program will help or hurt the housing market?

Treasuries fell this morning as a precursor to the release of the GDP Price Index Report at 8:30 a.m.  The data in the report showed an acceleration increase of 2.8 percent annually.  There was also an increase of 4 basic points on the yields of 30-year bonds.  Also, Mortgage  Backed Securities prices are going up.  Other releases to come include the Personal Consumption and U of M Confidence reports.

What’s Up on Wall Street?

On the heels of a weaker-than-expected economic growth report, all the markets showed a decline.  The Dow Jones Industrial average fell 49.0 points (-0.4 percent).  The S&P 500 slipped 3 points (-0.2 percent).  Also, the Nasdaq composite lost 1 point.

Sure, you know Michigan is the Great Lakes state. You know that we’re famous for our automobiles, cherries and music. You know that Michigan residents get a kick out of showing you where they live just by holding up the palm of their hand. But, I bet you didn’t know how Michigan got an Upper and Lower Peninsula…or that there was such a thing as the “Toledo War.” What? War with Toledo? It’s true.

In the spirit of learning more about our state, I checked on the Michigan.gov website and found this amazing bit of history.

How Michigan Became a State

After the United States became a country, Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which governed the designated land until the states (MI, OH, WI, IL and IN) were formed.

The Ordinance divided the land into sections, with one of the lines going east from the southern tip of Lake Michigan to Lake Erie. In 1803 Ohio became a state, and because the most prosperous cities seemed to be near water, its governor, Robert Lucas, drew the northern boundary of Ohio to include Toledo, the Maumee River and its mouth on Lake Erie.

Years passed, and in 1833 Michigan met the required population of 60,000 people and applied for statehood. A constitutional convention took place in 1835 to create the constitution for the state. Michigan drew its southern border based on the Northwest Ordinance, which was further south than the border drawn by Ohio. This posed a problem.

Michigan’s governor tried to strike a deal with Ohio, but to no avail. In fact, Michigan’s statehood request was denied because it included land that belonged to Ohio.

In December 1834, Michigan sent people to Ohio to settle the problem. In response, Ohio’s governor established Lucas County on the same land that held Michigan’s Port Lawrence County. Michigan passed a resolution that said anyone accepting office in the Toledo Strip would be fined or face prison time unless they were from Michigan or were a federal official. President Andrew Jackson then got involved and told Michigan’s governor, Stevens T. Mason, that he would remove him from office (a power only allowed at the time because Michigan was not yet a state). Mason wouldn’t back down.

He led his militia to arrest Ohio officials and surveyors who were in the process of remarking the land boundary. That triggered what was known as the Toledo War. While no one died, it was clear that both sides were angry and not backing down. Two years and a few small fights later, the matter was settled by a vote in Michigan. President Jackson removed Governor Mason, and the militia was disbanded.

Congress passed a bill that would admit Michigan as a state if it accepted a compromise: the Toledo Strip would go to Ohio, and the western three-quarters of the Upper Peninsula would go to Michigan. It took some time for residents to accept this compromise, but on January 26, 1837, Michigan was admitted as the 26^th state in the Union.

Pretty interesting, don’t you think?  Check out these historical photos of Michigan through the years. Maybe you’ll be inspired to think of what we can do to continue to make Michigan great for future generations. An easy way to support our state is by buying Michigan-made products when possible. Buy Michigan Now is a good place to start for tips and locations of businesses and restaurants you can support right here in the Mitten.

Happy Birthday, Michigan!

In honor of this coup for Detroit, here are some recipes a vegetarian might enjoy. (Editor’s note: Prince Fielder may even enjoy these, though breaking news tells us he is actually NOT a vegetarian.)

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has hundreds of free vegetarian recipes on their website to assist new vegetarian and vegan eaters who are running out of meal ideas.

However for the sake of brevity, I present you with five vegetarian meals sure to keep Prince Fielder under 300 pounds.

Better Than “Beef” Stroganoff

In 15 minutes or less, the aroma of the Franco-American mushroom gravy over the tender egg-free pasta will make Prince forget he ever tasted spaghetti and meatballs!

Falafel Sandwich

One bite into this flavor-packed sandwich with sweet corn, cooked rice, and chopped cucumber may be enough to convert even the most gluttonous eater into a vegetarian.

Blueberry and Wild Rice Salad

Part fruit, part salad, part rice, fully awesome!  If you have never combined the two fabulous worlds of grain and fruit, here is your chance.  With a smorgasbord of ingredients, Prince Fielder may never get the chance to combine chopped pecans, agave nectar, lime peel, and dried apricots in a better way.

“Meatball” Sub

Relax vegetarians; the only thing meaty about this sub is the name.  Also, the garlic salt, oregano, and chopped onion may lead you to forget the sandwich is actually made with ground beef “substitute.”

Macaroni Casserole

I consider myself a connoisseur of macaroni.  However, after learning that vegetarian macaroni casserole is made with soy sauce, garlic powder, paprika, and dried basil, I’m starting to wonder if I really know macaroni as well as I thought.  But, with a cook time of only 30 minutes, I’m sure I will fall in love with this macaroni in no time.

Federal releases can be kind of confusing and difficult to understand. Chock full of big words and borderline run-on sentences, they can be very intimidating for the average reader to peruse.

So, for your convenience and hopefully enjoyment, I decided to take a stab at breaking it down into common English for you. My commentary is bolded.

Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in December suggests that the economy has been expanding moderately, notwithstanding some slowing in global growth. While indicators point to some further improvement in overall labor market conditions, the unemployment rate remains elevated. Household spending has continued to advance, but growth in business fixed investment has slowed, and the housing sector remains depressed. Inflation has been subdued in recent months, and longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable.

Here, the Fed is more or less saying that our economy is, in fact, getting better, but only in a kinda-sorta way. Our unemployment rate still shows that too many people are out of work, and prices aren’t rising too much.

Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. The Committee expects economic growth over coming quarters to be modest and consequently anticipates that the unemployment rate will decline only gradually toward levels that the Committee judges to be consistent with its dual mandate. Strains in global financial markets continue to pose significant downside risks to the economic outlook. The Committee also anticipates that over coming quarters, inflation will run at levels at or below those consistent with the Committee’s dual mandate.

This is very similar language from the last release from the Federal Reserve.  Remember – the Fed is required BY LAW to balance inflation (prices) with employment (jobs). Since jobs are low, the Fed will continue to pump out money into the economy and worry less about inflation, which they say is a non-issue, in order to create jobs.

To support a stronger economic recovery and to help ensure that inflation, over time, is at levels consistent with the dual mandate, the Committee expects to maintain a highly accommodative stance for monetary policy.  In particular, the Committee decided today to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and currently anticipates that economic conditions–including low rates of resource utilization and a subdued outlook for inflation over the medium run–are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate at least through late 2014.

So, this is what people are talking about. The Fed announced that short-term rates will essentially remain at zero percent until 2014.  Investors in bonds jumped for joy and gobbled up more bonds, which led to a decrease in rates. Hooray!

The Committee also decided to continue its program to extend the average maturity of its holdings of securities as announced in September. The Committee is maintaining its existing policies of reinvesting principal payments from its holdings of agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities in agency mortgage-backed securities and of rolling over maturing Treasury securities at auction. The Committee will regularly review the size and composition of its securities holdings and is prepared to adjust those holdings as appropriate to promote a stronger economic recovery in a context of price stability.

The Fed will keep buying mortgage bonds, which, in turn, will try to keep mortgage rates low.  However, it can’t be guaranteed that we will enjoy these rates until 2014 because of the different variables that go into determining mortgage rates.

Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; William C. Dudley, Vice Chairman; Elizabeth A. Duke; Dennis P. Lockhart; Sandra Pianalto; Sarah Bloom Raskin; Daniel K. Tarullo; John C. Williams; and Janet L. Yellen.  Voting against the action was Jeffrey M. Lacker, who preferred to omit the description of the time period over which economic conditions are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate.

The board was in total agreement here, except for the lone ranger Jeffrey Lacker, who voted against it. His rationale for his opposition against keeping interest rates at zero percent was solely based upon the time frame of keeping rates so low.

So there you have it, people. Isn’t this easier to understand than the actual release?  Maybe I should apply to be the release writer guy for the Federal Reserve, that way 95 percent of the country will actually understand what they’re saying.

The Federal Reserve released plans to keep interest rates low until late 2014 yesterday.  This announcement caused mortgage backed securities to receive an intra-day reprice for the better.  Also, The Fed mentioned they are considering increasing their purchasing of bonds.

What’s Up On Wall Street?

The day range for the Dow was 198.14 yesterday meaning the Dow spanned 198.14 points from the lowest point of the day to the highest point of the day which may be attributed to the Fed’s announcement that they will keep interest rates low until 2014.  The Dow Jones Industrial average closed up 83.10 points (0.66 percent).  The S&P 500 closed up 11.41 points (0.87 percent).  The Nasdaq Composite closed up 31.67 points (1.14 percent).