Now that we’re entering the hottest part of summer, dressing for work is a real downer. (Well, for most people anyway—my commute involves walking from my bedroom to my home office. But trust me, I remember what it was like to try to look professional while avoiding a heatstroke on the way to the office. And that memory is not fond.)

If the mere thought of walking to your car, the train or subway cloaked in your typical office garb makes you long to call in sick and camp out in front of the air conditioner, you need an easy solution. Enter the lightweight blazer. With its flattering, structured look, a basic blazer can add polish to the light sundresses you live in during the weekends.

Of course, we’re talking work, so there are rules to be followed. Strapless and halter-style dresses are out. You’ll also want to stay away from anything too short or sheer, for obvious reasons. And you should never under any circumstances work the sundress-and-blazer look with flip flops or casual sandals. Pairing the look with a simple, subdued and sleek heel or flat in a neutral hue will elevate the look.

I’ve put together a few easy looks to get you started—all of which feature blazers that are less than $40! With these rules in mind, you’ll be on your way to a cooler summer work week, and you’ll get much more weekday wear out of your favorite weekend dresses than you ever thought possible.

A light, airy slipdress makes for an effortless pairing with a blazer—as long as the dress in no way resembles lingerie. This knee-length silk and linen cami dress has a floral print that is summery without channeling the full-out loud Hawaiian print. And this seersucker boyfriend blazer from Spiegel (now on sale for less than $40!) is just the fit you need for a blazer: It’s structured and single breasted. With its snug sleeves and high armholes, it’s tailored to perfection. To finish the look, these Cole Haan slingbacks are ideal. They not only dress up the look and give you legs for days, but they also boast concealed Nike AIR technology. Hello, comfortable heel—where have you been all of my life?

1. Classic Cami Dress, Tucker (piperlime.com).
2. Signature Stretch Seersucker Collection Boyfriend Blazer in Black Multi, Spiegel (spiegel.com).
3. Air Renfrow Sling, Maria Sharapova by Cole Haan (piperlime.com).

This retro-inspired silk dress from Banana Republic is the type of dress that you’ll want to wear every day this summer. Couple it with a pair of strappy flat sandals, and you’re ready for a garden party. Toss a structured, single-breasted linen blazer on top, and you’ve got a cool way to mellow out the grass-green print of this dress when you’re on the clock. And these shoes—oh, the shoes! These round-toe pumps breath like sandals but are dressy enough for work.

1. Silk Garden Party Dress in Amarijiwo Green, Banana Republic (bananarepublic.com).
2. Signature Washed Linen Collection Girlfriend Blazer in Neutral, Spiegel (spiegel.com).
3. Sachi Pump, Miz Mooz (piperlime.com).

With a dress that has a bit of billowy, retro-inspired poof, you need a blazer that will give your top some shape and balance out the swingy fluff of the dress. The mix of proportions in this look has an effortless appeal. Plus, the seersucker boyfriend blazer provides a nice menswear counterbalance to a dress that could otherwise be too girly for the office. And aren’t these oxfords just the perfect work flats? They’re not as expected as your go-to embellished flats, and they are a playful play on the men’s suiting standard.

1. Floral Empire Tank Dress, Gap (gap.com).
2. Signature Stretch Seersucker Collection Boyfriend Blazer in Neutral Multi, Spiegel (spiegel.com).
3. Cassi Oxford, Pour La Victoire (piperlime.com).

(Images: Elizabeth Ulrich)

When it comes to spring cleaning, you can scrub it, mop it, dust it and rearrange it. But if you don’t organize it, you might as well place a call to the crew of Hoarders. If you really want your nest to be in tip-top shape for spring, you won’t just clean it—you’ll develop a storage system to keep it that way.

“But I don’t have closet space,” you say. And let me guess: the shed is full, every drawer and shelf is otherwise occupied and you wouldn’t even dream of parking your car in the garage, lest you disrupt the delicate balance of piles. Trust me, I get it. But who says you have to be an “innie” when it comes to storage and organization? Why not be an “outie” instead?

If you’re armed with a slew of attractive storage solutions—if you get your pretty little hands on boxes, canisters and trays that you’re proud to show off—you won’t want to put all of your stuff away. (Not even if you did have room in your postage-stamp-sized closet).

Thanks to a bout of unseasonably sunny weather, I got a jump start on this year’s spring cleaning (with the help of my mister, who has a knack for closet makeovers—yes, I’ve stumbled upon a rare breed, indeed!). So, I’ve officially swiffered and scrubbed my home into submission. Now I’m on to phase two: the hunt for chic storage ideas.

Call me demanding, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect storage and organizational products to fit seamlessly into your decor. (Sorry, Tupperware.) But can a girl ask for more than that? Absolutely. And as these Target finds prove, storage can be stand-out sexy. (Well, at least to those of us who swoon over Mr. Clean—not for his muscular build, mind you, but for his stellar mop skills.)

1. Set of Two Decorative Storage Boxes by Two Lumps of Sugar: If a spoonful of sugar helps the organizing go down, these storage boxes by Two Lumps of Sugar must be the sweetest cure for multiple piles syndrome. Photos, documents, office supplies—if you can name it, you can stack it neatly inside these collapsible boxes in a gorgeous olive branch print.

2. Fretwork Tray: Every functional nest needs a landing strip, which is otherwise known as the place where you drop all of your random stuff upon entering your home. This glossy acrylic tray provides the perfect corral for your keys, mail, dog leash and other trappings that shouldn’t be strewn about your place. Add in something special—perhaps a small bud vase with a single, gorgeous bloom—and your utilitarian pieces become chic.

3. Magazine Stand by Eric Pfeiffer: The fastest way to a tranquil, pleasing place? Showing clutter who’s boss. Instead of piling magazines here and there, why not let them sleep soundly in this birch veneer statement piece? With its curvy, architectural lines and multiple spaces for magazines, books and stray paperwork, this magazine stand has plenty of style—and room—to spare.

4. Dot Folding Hamper by Household Essentials: Despite my most resolute efforts for wardrobe cleanliness, good intentions alone will not increase the square footage of my closet. You see, my clothes are organized by color. My shoes snuggle neatly on racks. But there is no way, no how, not ever that my hamper can join the party. That’s where a good-looking resting place for dirty laundry comes in handy. With its cheery green dots and retro feel, this hamper will do just fine outside of the closet.

5. Canister Set in Guacamole by Room Essentials: Kitchen storage is essential to countertop harmony. And when it comes to kitchen tidiness, canisters are key. Yes, I know that all of your flour, sugar, rice, coffee and so on come in their own containers. But is that packaging cute or appealing enough to display? Didn’t think so. Free up some room in overstuffed cabinets or pantries by placing bulk items in canisters on your counter. Bonus points for housing your cooking essentials in containers the color of fresh-cut grass.

6. Library-Style Storage in Walnut: What? You still own CDs? Well, fret not. This piece of furniture is an entertainment junky’s dream. It holds 456 CDs or 196 DVDs, all while posing as an antique library card catalog. Even if you ditched your college CD collection long ago, this beauty would work wonders for organizing art supplies, crafting goodies or your collection of miniature bottles of airline booze—you know, whatever needs arranging.

(Image: Elizabeth Ulrich for Extrabux)

We’ve all been a part of the dreaded secret Santa swap at work. If you’re anything like us, without fail, you’ve drawn the name of the one person in the office who you know nothing about. This year, we’ve scoured online shops for easy, foolproof gifts for all of your cubicle mates. The best part? Nothing is over $25.

Your Eco-Friendly Cubicle Mate: Have a coworker who is always munching on the best local, organic fare during lunch breaks? Then this stainless steel eco-lunchbox is sure to impress. Designed for two sandwich halves with room for chips, fruit, veggies and other snacks on the side, it reduces the need for plastic baggies that will be tossed and end up in the landfill. Plus, it not only fits inside a backpack or briefcase, but it also eliminates all worrying about plastic, lead or BPA. Stainless Steel Lunch Box, by ECOlunchbox.

The Jet-Setting Boss: A calculator? That’s useful for everyday office matters. But a calculator that doubles as a currency converter? Well, that’s impressive. And isn’t that the point with gifts for the person who signs your checks? Every time the man upstairs flies to Tokyo for a big meeting and whips out his trusty converter, he’ll be less confused about the foreign currency exchange—and he’ll have you to thank. At less than $20, this slim pocket device is certainly a sound investment. SmoothTrip ST-C2002 Currency Converter, by Talus.

Your Office BFF: Your on-the-clock bestie deserves something to brighten her day. So give her the gift of a cool gadget that begs people to buy her fresh flowers—or at least compels her to pick up a stem or two for herself on her trek to the office. Plus, this water clock is completely green. The LCD time and date display actually uses water as its energy source. Such an impressive gift! Amazing Water Clock, by Princess Int’l.

The Music Man: You know the guy who is rarely seen around the office without his iPod? The one who always rolls into the break room on Monday mornings and regales you with tales from the rock shows he enjoyed over the weekend? This book is perfect for him. Instead of trying to impress him with some album he either already owns or doesn’t want to own, get him the Music Listography Journal, which will beg him to makes lists of everything from his top 20 fave albums to concerts he wishes he could travel back in time to attend. Music Listography, by Lisa Nola.

Ms. Organized: Every office has one: a super-Type-A-never-late-always-organized perfectionist. She is the one whose perpetually spic-and-span desk is a true wonder. Chances are, if she fits this profile, she also appreciates the value of a good list. That’s where the Listography 2010 Engagement Calendar comes in handy. It provides a full year of list-making bliss with each week featuring a new list topic, including to-do lists, shopping lists and on and on. An organized lady’s dream come true! Listography 2010 Engagement Calendar, by Chronicle Books.

Your Boyfriend-Obsessed Coworker: You know the type. When you ask about her weekend, her vacation plans or her favorite restaurants, her answer always includes a reference to Mr. Right. Give her Love Listography: Your Love Life in Lists, and for less than $15, you’ll give her an outlet to write about (rather than blab endlessly about) her favorite love songs and things of a similar ilk. Love Listography: Your Love Life in Lists, by Lisa Nola.

Your Partner in Crime: Could you imagine a workday without the person whose cubicle offers refuge from the madness of corporate life and the idiosyncrasies of your coworkers? The one whose sarcasm has got you through many office catastrophes? Us either. Crap Jobs: 100 Tales of Workplace Hell provides plenty of fodder—think the most ridiculous, soul-crushing, horrible jobs around—to crack you both up and remind you both that things could always be much, much worse. Crap Jobs: 100 Tales of Workplace Hell, by Dan Kieran.

The Office Cat Lady: We’ve all worked with a woman whose dedication to furry friends rivals that of Angela from The Office. If pictures of her cats in costume line her cubicle walls, The Cutest Sneeze in the World postcard box will definitely win her over. With 30 different strips by the comic artist and author of Cat Getting Out of a Bag, this set will soon be plastered all over her cubicle walls—you know, if her own cat photos haven’t taken up all available space. The Cutest Sneeze in the World, by Jeffrey Brown.

Maybe you know Jonathan Adler as the genius judge on Bravo’s Top Design. Or perhaps you know him as the man who put pottery on the map. But did you know that he was once told by a pottery professor that he lacked talent and should find a career that better suited him? Um, yeah.

Luckily for us, Mr. Adler did not buy into that skills assessment. What he did do, however, was translate his obsession with throwing pots in the basement of his boyhood home into a design empire. We’re talking furniture, bedding, towels, stationary and on and on. The objects he creates for homes—and the way in which he puts them together to create truly unique interiors—are in a word, inspiring.

Now, he has partnered with Barnes & Noble to offer an affordable array of home and office goodies. (Yes, the same Barnes & Noble where you pick up books and a coffee and then dawdle on a comfy chair or two as you “browse” through magazines you have no intention of buying—yes, we do that too!) The collection oozes Adler’s signature style. Not to mention, it’s sure to brighten up your desk and make sitting at your workspace feel a little less like, well, work. Here are a few of our favorite pieces:

1) Buy the Book: Okay, so this book isn’t a part of his collection. And it isn’t exactly new. But Adler’s 2005 My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living is just that—an Rx for design bliss. Part designer bio, part décor guide, part picture book filled from cover to cover with gorgeous photographs sure to get your mind churning with dreams of room redesigns, consider this book as the muse that will motivate you to finally declutter your living room—or even revamp your office space. My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living, Jonathan Adler.

2) Dear Diary: The bold graphic patterns in this set of mini-notebooks—they’re just six inches tall and four inches wide—are just so very Jonathan Adler. With three in this bunch, you can use one as your journal, another for your many lists (to do, grocery and the like) and the other to keep notes at the office. Let’s face it—if you’re going to have to take notes (or at least pretend) in another never-ending Monday meeting, you should at least have a cheery notebook to collect your expert doodle drawings. Kensington Multi Color Mini Journal Set of 3, Jonathan Adler.

3) Flower Power: With its matter ivory glaze finish, this stoneware vase is so understatedly chic that all it will take is a single stem to top it off. Plus, it’s small enough to fit comfortably in even the tiniest of cubicles. Small Ivory Ceramic Vase, Jonathan Adler.

4) Write Off: Who needs boring number two pencils when you can scribble in style? These chocolate brown and blue beauties will certainly brighten up your boring coffee-cup-turned-pencil-holder. Kensington Blue & Lavender Pencil Set of 24, Jonathan Adler.

5) The Well-Read Puppy: Let’s face it, this Dachshund is darn cute. And all he wants in life is to keep your favorite books organized. Ready to give him a home on your bookshelf? Dachshund White Resin Bookends, Jonathan Adler.