Making Drawers Where There are None

Sometimes what we need are drawers. Sometimes all we have are shelves and hanging rods for our clothes.

Aside from demolishing a space and building drawers or buying a dresser, there are a couple ways to create the effect of drawers without them.

Of course, you can purchase items that are individual drawers, like these, available at The Container Store:
But not every space will fit such an item. Walls tend to get in the way. And, small items could get lost in something this size. True, many sizes, colors and materials available in similar products. However, creativity comes in handy, too!

In this closet, we needed to store a lady's undergarments - tops and bottoms. This was our only place to store her clothes, with no option for a dresser drawer elsewhere. Because I try not to purchase new items for my clients, we sorted through emptied and unused organizing products from elsewhere in the house. Fortunately, we found a couple baskets that could fit her collection well. The challenge was to make them move like drawers. Under a bathroom sink, we located an unused cupboard shelf that fit into the closet! Eureka! We could now place one basket under the shelf, one above, creating another level. Because of the smooth surface of the shelf, the metal cabinet shelf and the smooth baskets, they could slide back and forth to get at the items more easily.


Hooray! Who needs real drawers, anyway?

Lights, Camera, Action!

Earlier this week, I appeared on the local WGN morning news broadcast. (Check it out!) A colleague and I were representing our local chapter of the professional association we belong to, NAPO-Chicago. If you're in the organizing industry, hopefully at some point, doing segments like this will be part of your job. As such, I thought some might find it helpful or interesting having a better understanding of what that process is like.

First Contact: This particular segment began with a call from the segment producer. She introduced herself and her role, asking if I would be interested/available to appear in the segment on the given date. I checked that I could, and we chatted for a few minutes discussing possible topics or tips to share in the piece. Now, it's on the calendar!

Prepping: Because a colleague and I were appearing together to promote our chapter, we worked with the chapter's PR company to refine our tips, practice a couple times and make sure everything we wanted to say would make sense and fit in the time allotted. However, in the past, I've worked on this part alone. It's important to know how long the producers intend the segment to be so you can make sure the information you want to share fits, without rushing. It's also important to know if they'd like you to bring your own props or photos; and if so, how many. Practice a couple times at home. Get comfortable with what you're conveying, and get to a point where you don't need note cards. If you already have the props, know which order they will be laid out or shown, and use this as a tool to help remember what you want to say. Oh, and pick out what you'll wear at least the day before! Try it on to make sure it fits how you want it to.

Day Of: The producer will let you know when and where you need to be that day. Show up on time and in the right place! Have whatever supplies you'll need with you, or ready to be unloaded in their docking bay. Hopefully, they've scheduled enough time for you to come in, set up and relax for a few minutes before going on air. Earlier this week, we had enough time to place our props on set, go back to the green room and sit for about 15 minutes and touch up our hair and make-up. It was nice to just sit for a minute before nerves and excitement kick in! This was a live segment; in the past I've also participated in taped segments, which run on a bit of a different type of schedule. We went down to the set, the anchor and cameras came over to our set, and the lights went on!

It was over in about six minutes. It was fun and it went smoothly. We were able to promote a great group and chapter, and provide some interesting organizing ideas. In the past, when alone, I've felt that the tips given and the back-and-forth with the interviewers has always been helpful in promoting organization, myself and my industry.

And, for those of you who might remember WGN's broadcasting from years ago..... this was still around!



Clean-Up is Key

Last time, I wrote about reasons why a space might need to be tackled more than once. Yesterday, as  I worked with a client in her office, I was reminded of another important organizing lesson. Having time specifically for clean-up is key to staying organized.

If you have children, or even have ever taken care of a child for any extended period of time, I'm sure you can remember a time when play was over, and it was time to clean-up. Some may have made it into a game. My toddler nephew even has a clean-up song! This tells me we're trying to instill the idea of putting things away when we're done at a very early age. Mom and Dad don't want to trip over toys after Baby's gone to bed. Why then would we want to sift through piles of paper tomorrow when there's still time to file things today?

Probably, because we're busier than when we were at two or three. We also don't have parents looking over us to make sure we do it right away. But, we do have bosses or co-workers or a place to live where we share space with another person. And, these people care what their space looks like, just as you do. More importantly, they care about what their space feels like.
 

I suggest a simple practice to help overcome the "I'll leave it for later" attitude. When the clock is getting closer to quitting time, on whatever it is you're working on - actual work for a job, playing a game, trying to get to bed in the evening - reach for a timer. Anything you can set to warn you that you have 15 minutes or 10 or 20. When the timer goes off, finish your thought to finish what you were working on. Take these last 15 minutes of the work day to put away the files you're done with. Stack up or sort out tomorrow's tasks. Clear your desk so the first thing you see tomorrow isn't a pile of disheveled papers. Take this idea to any area of your life. Before going to bed, set that timer again for 15 minutes. Use these last few minutes to get dishes in the sink or dishwasher, put clothes into hampers and toys back into baskets. Tomorrow morning you'll be greeted with cleared surfaces and less on your to-do plate.

And, yes, 15 minutes is enough. It makes a difference, and it makes a dent. You can even sing a song while you do it!

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