Last Minute Holiday Organizing

We're counting down the hours until Santa fills our stockings with care. But, it feels like there's so much left to do! Here are five things to do right now that will make the next 48 hours go much more smoothly!

1) Set the table. Even if you're not hosting a large crowd, or even a small one, set the table for whatever meal you'll have at home on the holiday - assuming you don't need to use the table until then. This works in homes with both kitchen and dining tables. If you'll need the table, but not the buffet or sideboard, set out what you can. Assign dishes to platters and lay them out to figure out how much room you'll need.

2) Pack your bags. For the week, night or a day trip. If you're still doing laundry and can't fill the bags yet, then make a packing list for items you can stash last minute. Otherwise, make sure you have whatever gifts you'll want to take with you, food items that are ready to go and other sundries (phone charger, camera, etc.).

3) Superficial light cleaning. Now is probably not the time for a deep clean. Start by simply putting things away like backpacks, shoes and toys. Wipe off counter tops, sweep the floor, change hand towels. Light a candle to help dissipate the scent of any cleaners. These are easy, quick things kids can even help with. It will make a great difference.

4) Make any food that you can ahead of time. Desserts and appetizers are your best bet. Certainly, some side dishes can be made a day or two early, as well. Rolls, soups and sauces are great made ahead of time, too. In fact, many recipes will say if it will keep in the fridge or theater.

5) If all else fails, stick a bow on it! No time to wrap presents? That's fine! Stick a bow on it and call it a day. Even though ripping paper off a box may be more fun, at least you won't be wasting your time and the paper when you've got bigger fish to fry.

How I Stay Organized

I recently read this great article in the Huffington Post about the habits of organized people. A colleague from Pennsylvania discussed the actions organized people take on a regular basis to keep from sliding into chaos. I thought it might be interesting to see how I measure up.

1) Goal-oriented: Every year I attend a national conference for organizers I come home with pages of notes and ideas. I take the following week to sift through those papers to make a master to-do list. This list becomes my task sheet for the entirety of the next year.

2) Optimistic: Someone else is probably a better judge of my optimism than myself. But, I'd like to think I am. I will say that I've yet to enter a project that I didn't think was doable or manageable. That seems pretty optimistic!

3) Conscientious: Absolutely! I'm entering other's spaces and their comfort is paramount. Outside of work, I think this characteristic carries through. I plan outings with friends regularly and do my best to stay in touch with those closest to me.

4) Not always open to new ideas: A hard thing to admit, but it's true. The article states, "that working in a messier office environment sparks more creative ideas than working in a more orderly space." Maybe that's why when I'm making a craft or wrapping presents or anything slightly creative I do so on the floor!

5) Decision makers: Unless it's which restaurant to eat at, yes. I can make decisions. If something is working, it's working. We can move on to what's next. There's no reason to keep assessing it.

6) Let go of perfectionism: See above. Many people think organizers are perfect - at least in keeping their space. What's perfect is subjective. When I was younger, I went so far as to keep my socks lined in a particular order in my sock drawer. Now, my socks are all tossed in a basket in the closet. It's perfect for what I need.

7) Capture, calendar, contain: So much! Invitations and events immediately go on my calendar. Notes of who to follow up with and when go on my calendar. Files are orderly and properly labeled.

8) Check in with lists: There is a perpetual list on my desk. Even though my office is digital, for whatever reason I prefer a paper to-do list. There's more satisfaction in scratching something off than deleting a line.

9) Have a do-it-now attitude: At times a fault, I have a hard time relaxing if I know there's still something left to do. It can't get much more do-it-now than that.

10) Prepare: I don't forget deadlines (see #7) or events. I plan out menus a week or so ahead of time. If I have an important event coming up, I prep my outfit the evening before. I put out my lunch bag the night before I need to pack a meal and items leaving out the door with me are set by the door the night before.

11) Ask for help: I'm working on this one! Like many of us, I have a hard time asking for assistance sometimes simply because I want to be able to do something myself. But, the busier I get or the more outside my expertise a project becomes, the easier it is for me to reach out to others.

12) Unitask: Hmmm... I'm not terrific at this! I watch a lot of TV while I work at my desk because I like the background noise. But, it does become distracting at times. Every now and then I'll also have a couple tasks going simultaneously on my desk - one of the surface and one on the screen.

13) Know their best work: Sure do! Those are sometimes the projects I post pictures of on social media or this blog. The article says this also includes knowing when you do your best work - the time of day. I know if I don't work out first thing in the morning, chances are I won't exercise that day. My energy just isn't there.

14) De-stress: Of course - I hope we all do! As I just mentioned, I try to exercise regularly. I love yoga and baking, which relax and energize me respectively. Spending time with friends and family can also be relaxing, just as vegging out on the couch can be - all of which I do frequently!

On Giving

It's the time of year when there's suddenly an influx of just about everything into your home and office. Cookies, candy, trinkets, decorations, clothes, toys, the list goes on. For many of us, it's added on top of the piles of stuff that we already don't know what to do with or don't have a place to store.

The best way I can suggest to tackle this space issue is to give. Give away and gift all that you no longer want or use. I'll go back to the essential three questions I always ask:
- Do you need it?
- Do you use it?
- Do you love it?/Does it enhance your life?

If an item hasn't passed all three of these questions, it's time to let it go.

During the holidays, we are also reminded of those who have less than we do. It's the perfect time to give what we no longer want to those who are in need. Here are some great resources to get you started on your way to a more organized home and knowing your items are now being used by someone who loves them!

- La Casa Norte: Serving youth and families confronting homelessness

- Cornerstone Community Outreach: Finding shelter and homes for those at the most risk of being excluded from necessary services

- The Epilepsy Foundation: Offering counsel, advocacy and education for those with epilepsy and their families

- Howard Brown: Eliminating the disparities in health services for the LGBTQ community

- Open Books: Providing literacy experiences for thousands of readers

To find a resource near you, you can also visit Donation Town.

Gift Wrap Galore

It's right about this time of year that many people start to wrap a large amount of gifts. Wrapping gifts seems like an easy enough task, but really there's a lot of things that can come along with it: paper, tissue, bags, bows, ribbons, scissors, tape, tags, pens. And, that's just the supplies that most of us use. I don't even know what else is involved in making gifts look like they were in a Martha Stewart catalog. A lot more, I'm guessing.

There are just as many options on how to store gift wrap. It depends on how much you have and what kind of space you're storing it in. Studio apartment or 5 bedroom mansion or anything in between? The storage space you have available will be much different. Here are my most preferred three ways to store gift wrap:

1) Upright: This comes in a variety of solutions, but usually the most doable for most people and spaces. This can be a container specifically made for storing wrapping paper tubes, tissues and bows. It can be a couple unused trash cans, tall and narrow enough to hold a variety of tubes. Or, it can be a handful of those large 5 gallon popcorn tubs that you emptied out after Thanksgiving this year. These narrow, taller options are great for wrapping paper to stand upright in, as well as stashing tissue and bows. For bags, I tend to line them up like papers in a file in another bin or box, or even all inside the largest bag.

2) Hanging: There are a variety of hanging bag solutions to store just about anything these days. Some are specifically made for gift wrap. I like the kind that has specific pockets for tubes, flat tissue, bags and tools like scissors. It makes it that much easier to figure out where to keep everything. For both good and bad, it also limits the amount you can keep at any given time. 

3) In a Flat Bin: These are great for under beds, stacked in closets or under stairs. Really, anywhere that's longer than it is tall. Flat under-bed style bins come in variety of lengths now, some with trays inside for bows and the like. I prefer the hard plastic, opposed to soft plastic bags for storage, simply because they're easier to slide and stack.

5 Things to do Before Thanksgiving

Most places are already advertising winter holidays. But, let's just take it one event at a time, shall we? Here are some easy things to do before Thanksgiving that will make you, well... more thankful.

1) Decorate. Maybe that means simply throwing away your jack-o-lantern. Maybe that means making elaborate cornucopias. Or, maybe you don't decorate for any holidays. More power to you - less stuff to keep around the rest of the year!

2) Plan a menu. It doesn't matter if you're hosting or going to the home of someone else. You're going to eat a meal on Thanksgiving. Do you have to cook anything? What ingredients do you need? When will you need to cook it? If you're not doing any of those things, start thinking about where to order take out! (Have I mentioned how much I love food?)

3) Plan what you're going to wear. Again, this will depend on your plans. Maybe you need a formal outfit - a dress or sweater and slacks. Perhaps you're spending time with a t-shirt and jeans group of folks. Better yet, if you're ordering take-out, stay in your pajamas!

4) Get all those things you've been meaning to donate to your local charity. Finally. Help some other person or family have another reason to be thankful this season. It's not helping anyone if you're bags of old clothes are still in the hall closet come December.

5) Be thankful. That you have a home to decorate, food to put in your belly, clothes to wear and a way to help someone less fortunate than your self.

A Peak Inside an Organizer's Kitchen

I've organized a lot of kitchens. It's one of my favorite spots to tackle for a couple reasons: I love food and I I love cooking. I get excited finding new gadgets and seeing beautiful serving pieces. It's also an awesome bonus that getting rid of old food creates automatic open space! Let's take a look at how I set up my own kitchen:

Spices: For years now I've been setting up all my spices in drawers instead of the traditional tiered rack in a cabinet. Mostly, that has to do with what cabinet and drawer space I have available in my kitchen. Notice that I've lined the spices in alphabetical order. It's the quickest way I can find what I'm looking for, instead of say, baking vs. cooking. Oddly shaped spices (boxes and bags) are set to one side to streamline the jars as best as possible.

Food: This is one of my food cabinets; I don't have a pantry. On the top shelf are items I don't often grab.
One bin has sprinkles, and one bin has baking extras like extracts and baking chips. The middle shelf houses items I reach for from time to time: one bin of pasta, one bin of other grains and cereals to the side. Below are all my oils, vinegars and sauces - things I reach for almost every day.

Containers: Everyone asks. I personally stack like sized containers together with their lids inside. If I had the space I'd stack all the containers, lidded. But alas, I do not.

Utensils: In this drawer you'll notice that I've separated out plastic wear to the left, knives to the right and other sharps in the bin in the back. Within the utensil tray I also
separated different sizes of spoons and forks. It's easier for my tiny hands to grab the spoon I want this way!

Baking: If you know me, you know I love to bake! This drawer houses all my baking prep supplies. Measuring spoons and cups are nested together. Utensils like spatulas and scoops are tossed together in the tray on the right. Bowls are nested, while small tools are gathered in the front right bin. FYI, those silicone rings are used on the rolling pin to create different thicknesses of dough. Awesome, right?!

What's your organizing challenge in the kitchen?

5 Ways to Get it Done Now!

Bored? Procrastinating? Other things to do? We all have those excuses and reasons to not do something we should do. Here are five ideas to help get you on track:

1) Set a timer. For 15 or 20 minutes to start. Get as much done as you can before the timer dings. If you still have some gusto left, set it again. Do this daily until the project is complete.

2) Alternate with something more fun. Complete part A of the task, then read a chapter. Finish part B of the project, then watch a TV show. Finish the third part, then paint your nails.

3) Have someone help. Tell your friend/relative/neighbor/professional organizer that for the next 'x' minutes, you are to work on this task. Together. Then, you can make plans for whatever else you like to do together. The other person is there to help support you through the project - without judging - and keep you on task. You can also try delegating parts of the project to your helper.

4) Get rid of distractions. Shut the door. Silence the phone. Turn off the TV and radio. Concentrate.

5) Have a reward at the end. Ice cream. A movie. A dance party in your office. Anything your more-organized heart desires!

Why Kids Make You More Disorganized

A Top 5 List:

1) They need so much stuff! Bottles, diapers, toys, books, clothes, art supplies.... we could all go on forever.

2) They keep growing! Just when your kid has grown into one size, the seasons change and you need to buy a whole new wardrobe. Just so it all won't fit next year.

3) They're messy! (Usually). Kids don't know it's gross to eat off the floor. They also don't know that stepping on Legos is horribly painful.

4) TOYS. Toys = stature on the playground. The more toys you have, the more other kids want to play with you and said toys. And, then they get older and want new, different toys. But, they don't want to get rid of all the old toys, either.

5) You're sentimental! It's your baby. Of course you want to keep every single piece of genius artwork and paper written. Of course.

It's no wonder you feel overwhelmed. The good news is, the more organized you are, the easier it will be to tolerate all the changes that will continue to come your (and your child's) way!

Quick Tips You Always Forget

There are a handful of things professional organizers tend to keep in mind that always impress our clients... but, are really just common sense ideas we simply keep at the top of mind. Here are a few things that you likely don't consider, but can make a huge difference in your space:

1) Move the shelves! If you're having a hard time getting your items to fit in your kitchen cabinets, linen closet, book cases, etc. try moving the shelves. Sometimes that inch or two is all the solution you need. (Note: don't try to move the shelves if you do not, in fact, have adjustable shelves.)

2) Fold your sheets! I know, I know. Folding a fitted sheet is a pain for almost everyone. But, it can really increase the amount you can fit in a space, as well as look nicer. If you need some guidance, ask Martha, of course. This is how I fold fitted sheets.

3) Store shoes toe-to-heel! Simply put, it lets you keep more shoes in a row in any given space. I promise.

4) Media can stand and/or lay on your shelf! Traditionally, books, movies and music stand in a row on a shelf. However, sometimes it fits the space better if you stack the items on their side. This is especially handy for shorter items that you have in abundance.

5) Label things! I know I've said it a thousand times, and I'll say it at least once more. Even if you're setting up the space just for yourself, labels help remind you where things were moved, where to find them and where to put them away. It will help build your new habits. If it's a space that's all your own, once you've conquered your old habits and created new, you can always remove the labels.

Keeping Memories

Much of what I come across when working with clients is a memory. A report card, a piece of artwork, a gift, a prom dress, Mom's old cookbook. It comes in a variety of forms. It comes with a variety of feelings.

There are also memories associated with loss. Pictures from a wedding of a couple that is now divorced. Toys from a child who has passed away. Correspondence from a roommate that left on unhappy terms. Work from a job you were fired from.

Stacking memories into boxes and bins seems to be a very human thing to do. We want the memories. We want to remember who we are, who we were and where we came from. And, that makes sense. And, though I don't necessarily think we should try to edit or alter those things, we can also make the process easier on ourselves.

Why keep a gift from an aunt who was always mean to you? Why keep photos of a past partner that was less than nice? Why keep things that when we see them, make us feel sad or angry? We shouldn't.

Keep the memories that remind you of people and places that make you feel happy. Circumstances that make you laugh. Photos that make you feel good about who you are and where you come from.

Deep breath. Let that item go. Some of those memories can even be donated. Maybe the music box from your crazy ex-boyfriend will be just what someone was looking for. It can make them smile instead of making you frown.

It's in the Bag

Today, I thought we'd talk about organizing our everyday bags - whether that be a purse, carry-all or satchel. Really, it's all the same. It holds the things we need on a daily or almost daily basis. It usually goes with us wherever we may travel - work, gym, store and back home again. And, it can really get messy in there!

First thing's first, let's empty out that bag! Dump it completely out. Shake out the crumbs; wipe down the outsides or any sticky or smudged parts.

Take a look at what was in there. Items that make sense in this kind of bag: wallet, phone, keys, anything else you'd need daily - like a calendar or notebook. Set those aside. 

Then, let's look at all those little papers and receipts. Do you need them for any reason still? Toss it, if not. If you do put it in one of two places: the proper file or in a place where you'd need to access it. For example, if you need the receipt for a return, stick it (literally) to the item and get it in the car. Or, if you're not sure if you'll return it yet, keep a small ouch or envelope for those slips of paper. Keeping it in your bag or the car door might be a good place to store the pouch. Just remember to weed through it from time to time!

Lastly, take a gander at what's left. Make-up, toys, tissues, all those things. Whatever simply needs to be put away elsewhere should do just that. From whatever's left decide if it should live in this bag. Maybe carrying snacks and lip gloss makes sense for your daily or weekly routine. Maybe a map doesn't need to be in there now that you're home from vacation.

Finally, don't just toss it all in there! Most bags have compartments and zippered pockets. Use these! Keep like items with like - just like organizing any other area. If you really have a cavernous bag, consider getting an insert for separating things. There are purse organizers available, as well as good ol' fashioned zippered vanity bags. Now you'll have a reason for keeping all those free make-up bags from the department store counters!

Swapping Out Seasonal Wardrobes

Now that it's finally not so sweaty outside, it might actually turn to fall. School has started officially, and most likely we're starting to reach for pants, not shorts. For those of us who don't have ample closet space to keep our entire wardrobe in one spot all year, it's about time to swap out our summer things for our - dare I say it! - winter things. Let's make it as easy as possible.

1) Pull out any and all items that you know you wouldn't wear in colder months/that you will no longer reach for this season.

2) As you're doing this, pay attention to what you're grabbing. Did you wear it this summer at all? Yes? Pack it up. No? Toss it into a donation bag. Exceptions: drastic weight change you intend will not be permanent (due to pregnancy, medical condition, etc.), special occasion items (formal dress, etc.).

3) Start unpacking the cold weather items. Do so a category at a time, if possible. Sweaters, pants, dresses. As you're hanging and folding these items in your dresser and closet, ask yourself the following:
- Will this fit me comfortably this season? If you're not sure, try it on.
- Is it a style I will still want to wear? (Fashions change; jobs change, making work wear different sometimes)
No to these questions? Donation bag! 

When packing up your now out-of-season clothing for next summer, pack folded and clean, so unpacking next year is all the easier. If you have a lot to pack up, use plastic bins and label what's inside. Toss in a couple fabric softener sheets for a little freshness.

If you still don't have room for your season's worth of clothing, try assessing everything with these questions. Take a look at your year-round items like t-shirts, jeans and exercise clothes.

A Peak Inside an Organizer's Home

At one point or another, most of my clients ask me something about how my home looks. I usually say something along the lines of 'It's pretty organized, but I'm still human, so it's not perfect.' Well, I figured it would be even better to show you what my home looks like. Let's take a look at my closet/wardrobe.

I live in an urban apartment with two small closets, both about 2' wide x 3' deep. One is a utility closet in the hall with a cabinet in it; the other is in the bedroom. As you can expect, I cannot fit my entire wardrobe in a closet that size. So, I have two free-standing wardrobes in the bedroom. Let's take a look:

 The first wardrobe consists of all my hanging, short items. On the bottom rung, you'll find my sleeveless tops, long sleeved tops and cardigans/jackets. Above that are my 3/4 length sleeved tops, short sleeved tops and skirts. The top shelf has a couple different bins: out of season shoes, bags and mementos. Stacked above is my swimwear. Note that each category of clothing is color coded.

The second wardrobe has a little more going on. Below you'll see my hamper, seasonal and year-round shoes. The bottom shelf has stacks of exercise clothes, pajamas, shorts and t-shirts. Above is a bin with socks in it, another hiding behind with tights. Next to that my pants, all folded. Some folded toward, and some away from the viewer. I'm a pretty short girl, and thus have two different length pants - flat shoes and heels. Keeping
them folded in opposite directions is an easy way for me to differentiate pants when I'm looking for a certain style in a rush. I don't have to flip through them all or try a bunch on to figure out which is which. Next to the pants are a couple baskets above and below a stacking shelf. The bottom basket has underwear, the top has bras. Hanging above on an extra rod are fashion, not winter, scarves. The upper most shelf has linens of all kinds - beach towels, sheets, blankets. There is no other linen closet in the apartment!

And, finally the only real closet in the apartment. Here I have my dresses and winter coats (when out of season). Above are winter accessories and an umbrella (there's also no other coat closet in the apartment). The black bin are my past years' taxes and the handful of files next to the bin are the only papers I have left to keep from transitioning to a paperless office years ago. There's a hook on the wall where I hang belts. Below are two bags of clothes that I've been adding to that will go to donation or a clothes swap. If something doesn't fit quite right when I try it on, into the bags it goes!

(Okay, I admit it, I cleaned up a little bit before taking the pictures...but it usually looks pretty close to this on a daily basis, anyway! Human, not perfect!)

Giving Back to Teenage Moms

A couple months ago, I was looking to expand my horizons and find some new places to explore. I decided to do so through work. After searching out some new venues to share my organizing skills with others, I went to an orientation meeting for volunteers at New Moms, Inc. in the city's west side. Though I was going in the hopes of speaking to group participants at some point, the staff lit up a bit when I mentioned that I was a Certified Professional Organizer®. 

About a week or so after the meeting, a staff member reached out to me asking if I would be interested in helping to organize some areas of their facility. Of course!

New Moms, Inc. is an organization that offers housing, jobs training, emotional support and much more for young and teenage mothers and their children who are usually without a place to live. Though I personally can only imagine what it would have been like to have children when I was a teen, I feel confident that having some sense of organization in my life would only be the iceberg of what I would need. Nevertheless, it would make some parts of life that much easier. 

There are three storage areas that we tackled. The first was a storage closet that houses items that refill a space called The Boutique. Things like make-up, jewelry, clothes and personal care items. But, also kid's clothes, toys, small appliances and so many hand-made donated blankets! There had been some rhyme and reason to the shelves originally, but time had taken a toll. After only an afternoon, the storage closet was ready to be shopped and refilled easily:


I then tackled a basement storage area that housed shelves and shelves of overflow diapers, formula, clothes for moms and babies, toys and seasonal items. Again, a system had been in place at some point, but the amount of items had outgrown it's space (great for the organization!).

Yesterday, I finished with an area referred to as The Boutique. This is where moms go to shop for items they are in need of. Beauty products, clothes, school supplies, books, toys, diapers and so on. The facility had received a grant for some new furniture, so we were able to start from scratch with new cabinets, bins and chalkboard labels (my first time using them!). It turned out pretty great.

All in all, it was pretty great to know that instead of helping an individual or single family have an easier, more peaceful life in their space, I was able to help facilitate an entire group of women and their families feel a little more like themselves, a little more comfortable and a little less lost.

Junk in Your Trunk

We've all done it. Stuffed so much in the trunk of our car that we're not sure it will even latch shut. Why? Why would we do this? Vacation. Shopping. Returning the shopping. Groceries. Carpooling with too many people with too many bags.

No matter the reason, we generally live in an area where cars are our main means of transportation. Leaving us to fill these sometimes great big trunks with...stuff. How can we go about making some sense of it all?

- Take advantage of any built-in organizational items. Many trunks now come with trays or nets built-in. Use them! Whatever items you may regularly toss in the trunk could find cozy homes in these spots.

- Use Velcro®. I always have an emergency kit in my trunk. Thankfully, I've never had to pull it out. Because of that, I love that I can make it stick to one corner of my trunk, out of the way, with it's Velcro® covered bottom. No sliding, no rolling.

- Make sure you really want those things in your trunk. Do you really need roller skates in your trunk when you've never roller skated? All those bags of returns you keep meaning to take back to the department store? Actually take them back; if it's too late, donate or gift the items you don't want. Anything that was supposed to go back in the house, but never made it, finally get to go home again.

Packing to Move

A lot of people are moving this time of year. Here's a couple quick tips to make the packing process easier on everyone (because let's be honest - no one likes packing!):

1) Don't pack anything you wouldn't pay someone else to take to your new home for you. Whether you're hiring movers, using your friends truck or taking things yourself, someone is taking the time and effort to pack, move and unpack your belongings. If you wouldn't pay someone for their time to move that ugly sweater you've never worn, then donate it before it even gets a chance to get packed.

2) Pack like items together. Books with books, beauty products with beauty products, linens with linens. It's that simple. 


3) Have the right materials at hand. Boxes, packing paper, packing tape, garbage bags, marker. Don't assume everything needs packing in a box. Things like large blankets, stuffed animals and hanging clothes can easily be put in garbage bags for transportation.

4) Label boxes. On the top and on at least one side. If the boxes are stacked four high, you don't want to unstack them all just to see what's in the bottom box.

5) Don't make the boxes too heavy. Because you have to lift them. Or, I do. And, that's no fun!

Mama's After-Baby Clothes Blues

Today I worked with a woman who is soon to be a mom for the third time. She's also in the midst of packing for a move. She's a busy lady! As you can imagine, over the past few months her size and shape has changed, and it will continue to do so for at least another few months (or years). So, how do we pack clothes and separate pieces so she has things to wear now, and can easily find what she can fit comfortably in to when she's unpacking and baby is here?

First, we separate all the clothes she's wearing now and will anticipate wearing in the next six weeks before baby arrives. Thankfully, she's been a mom for quite some time already and has an idea of what her body will do. Those items will stay in the closet and dresser, as she prepares the rest of the home to move.

Next, we go through everything else and divide into three categories:
- Clothes she will likely fit into in a couple months (post-baby, but not exactly at her pre-baby size)
- Clothes she will fit into in about a year (using realistic expectations of what a woman's body will do)
- Clothes to donate (she'll never fit in to or want to wear again)

Now, the actual packing. Clothes that are a year or more away from being worn are packed and sealed into boxes labeled "[Name]'s Clothes." The clothes that will be worn sooner rather than later, are put in to vacuum bags and compressed as much as possible. We label these "Post Baby Clothes." The vacuum bags are useful for reducing space while still allowing the wardrobe to be accessible. Because, who knows how quickly or slowly her body will actually change.

The boxes can be put in out of the way storage after the move, while the sealed bags can be placed closer - the top or bottom of the closet, for example.

Now, the hard part - waiting for baby in a new home!

Summertime Fun

Now that the weather has finally started to feel like summer, let's talk about a few things to organize for the season:

1) Summer clothes: If you keep your seasonal clothes out of your regular dressing area, it's time to swap the sweaters for shorts and tanks. When you do this, try clothes on to make sure they still fit comfortably and are a style you still want to wear. You'll have a better idea of what items you may need to purchase for the season.

2) Check your beauty products: Not only should you check the expiration dates on your sunblock and bug spray, but you may also want to check your make-up (if you wear any). If your skin tone is anything like mine, you get a bit tan in the summer. That means my cover-up/foundation/powder changes. When I swap these out (once I've finally gotten some color on my face!), I check the consistency, smell and date on the package.

3) Clean and make accessible summer kitchen items: Items for picnics, eating on the patio, taking snacks to the park/pool/beach and so on may have been in storage for quite a few months. Rinse out any dust and set them near the front of your cabinet.

4) Check outdoor toys: Do you have bubbles, chalk, bike pump and basketball hoop at the ready? Peruse the garage or shed to dust off toys and tools for the yard. Check the air in balls and tires.

5) Enjoy yourself. In the Midwest, these summer months seem to rush by much more quickly than the snowy, wet months. Put on those shorts and sunblock, and hit the beach with your picnic basket!

When I Don't Have Any Motivation Left

Half of my job is keeping you motivated to continue or finish the project at hand. I keep us on track, pulling you back from whatever distraction has walked across our organized path. But, what happens when I'm not around? I often assign homework to be tackled in between appointments. How best to keep yourself from sitting down and watching more Netflix? Well, actually...just that.

Reward yourself, in small ways, for a job well done. Reinvigorate yourself and get a burst of energy, no matter how small it may be. Create a plan that includes increments of success: first, clear the bookshelf, then the desk top, then the desk drawers, then the pile of papers on the floor next to the desk, etc. After each step is tackled, you'd ideally move on to the next. But, if you're already fatigued and distracted, do one of these things:

1) Have a bathroom break. Seriously. Even if you don't need to use the facilities, brush your teeth. Wash your hands. Splash some water on your face. All will give you a quick little lift.

2) Have a small snack. My sister, a dietitian, would say something like grapes and almonds. That would be awesome. But, if it happens to be a couple cookies, I'm in no way going to judge. (Because cookies are the best).

3) Dance break! I'll be honest; I've never done this with a client. But, I do it at home, by myself far more often than I should probably admit. One or two songs is enough time to give you a break, dance out your frustration, and jump right back into organizing, without tiring yourself out. If dancing is not your thing, try walking around the block once or twice or some jumping jacks.

4) Watch a couple minutes of TV. As in, from one commercial break to the next. Watching something without commercials? Set a timer for no more than 7 minutes. Your reward to is to watch more after each step in your organizational plan.

5) Call a friend. Start the conversation by saying it's a quick call. You're just taking a break from organizing and need to not make decisions or move piles around for 5 minutes. Should you feel compelled, ask him/her to call back at a certain time to make sure you've finished the project.

Books!

A lot of people have a lot of books. It seems like an innocuous thing to have around the house: a small little thing that can sit on a shelf out of the way. A sign of knowledge or a good story. Or, both. The problem is, especially in the digital age we live in, those books tend to stack up and weigh down those shelves. They collect dust after months or years of never being picked up. So, let's reassess the situation.

1) Can you get this information somewhere else? The Internet is an endless supply of...well, everything. And, don't forget your local library and it's fabulous resources. Oh, and by the way, do you read everything on a tablet or e-reader now?

2) Does this book actually belong to someone else? People borrow and loan books all the time. Borrowed a book? Return it!

3) Did you like what the book had to say? Terrible story: donate it. Outdated information: donate it. Topic you no longer want to read about: donate it.

4) Is it awkward to store or ugly-ing up your room? Big books, misshapen books, books that are falling apart. These might not be worth the trouble of finding an appropriate spot to keep.

5) Is it more important to keep this book than the value of either storing something else there or enjoying the open space? That's the most important question to ask yourself.

Declutter Drive Thru!

As you may or may not know, I'm currently the president of the local chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), known as NAPO-Chicago.

Annually, we host a Declutter Drive Thru for the public. This free event is open to anyone and everyone this coming Saturday, May 2. You can simply drive through the MB Financial parking lot at the corner of Damen Avenue and Irving Park Road in Chicago and drop off donations, electronics, shredding, recycling and almost anything else you can think of!

I will be there the whole time and look forward to seeing you there!


Tax Day!!!

Today's the day - taxes are due! 


Well, that is, if you were prepared enough to get them in on time.

I've written about tax time prep in the past, so I don't want to repeat myself. Check it out - Prepping for Tax Time!

But, the short of it is this: If you didn't need that paperwork for taxes, you really don't need to keep it. If you did need it for taxes, keep a copy - whether digital or paper.

Now, go celebrate, taxes are done for a whole year!

On Multitasking

"In an attempt to keep up, doing two things at the same time became a popular strategy. People figured that if they could physically do it, they could mentally do it as well. This has proved to be false. We don't have two brains that work independently; we have two hemispheres of one brain that work in unison." - Harold Taylor

Multitasking sounds ideal, doesn't it? Get two or three things done in the time it takes to do one of them alone? What's not to like? Turns out, it's not that easy.

A study discussed on NPR, "Think You're Multitasking? Think Again," tells us what's really happening in your brain when you think you're doing tons of things at once. Instead of having multiple things going at the same time in your brain, different parts of your brain are actually switching from topic to topic - action to action. They are not, in fact, happening at the same time, but rather occurring in short bursts of one task, switching to another, and back again. In turn, that means we tend to be less successful at both tasks. The opposite of what our goal probably is.

Even more upsetting is a study found in Forbes, "Multitasking Damages Your Brain and Your Career, New Studies Suggest." Here we find that this constant switching from task to task lowers our IQ at that moment in time.

Wait, what?

Yep, multitasking makes us dumber. Literally. Because of the constant switching, researchers have shown that the average IQ drops to that of someone who has not slept all night or partaken in drug use - generally landing somewhere around the IQ of an eight year old. My guess is that none of us would feel particularly on our game in that case. Now, the study doesn't actually prove that multitasking damages the brain, but it can show that constant multitasking results in smaller brain density.

So, what's a busy person to do? Take a deep breath. Power through one thing before moving on to the next. Occasionally, we all multitask. Just try not to get too distracted and make a habit of it.

Magazines and Catalogs

There are a lot of magazines out there in the world. Lots of kinds; lots of issues. I would wager there are even more catalogs out there. It's easy to let them stack up, but it's easy to pare down, too.

First thing's first: gather them up from all over the house into one gigantic pile!

Second, like any other organizing project, separate into categories. If you have tons and tons, start with magazine vs. catalog. If it's just a medium sized stack, separate out by publication. For example, People Magazine in one pile, Better Homes & Gardens in another and Hammacher Schlemmer in a third.

Now, address a pile at a time. Let's start with catalogs. Decide if it's a catalog you'd actually want to order something from. If the answer is no, recycle all of it's issues. If you would order something, keep the most current and recycle the rest.

Do a similar sort for magazines: Keep the most current issues or two, at most, of a magazine you'd actually want to read. Recycle the rest; recycle all magazines you'd never read.

Try to keep the keepers in an area you will be able to see and remember to peruse them.

Most importantly, unsubscribe from the publications that you don't even want to enter your home. You can certainly contact the publisher directly, but that will take some time. Consider using a website like Catalog Choice to mass unsubscribe from many different publications.

I Want in Your Drawers!

(Not those drawers!)

Everyone has a junk drawer. The goal is to make sure every drawer you have isn't a junk drawer.

We store all kinds of things in drawers - silverware, utensils, pens, rubber bands, stamps, bookmarks, twist-ties, menus, straws, matches.....the list just keeps going. How can we make some sense of  it all?

First, take it all out of there! As you pull things out, set them on the counter in categories (all those things I just listed). Wipe out the drawer now that it's empty. Take a look at those categories. Do you want all the items in each pile? Pull things out for trash and donation. Now, ask yourself if any of these piles belong some place else. Do you have tons of office supplies from the drawer that belong in your home office? Have you found Legos that belong in the toy box? Beauty products that should go back to the bathroom? Set those items aside to deliver to their homes after you're done with the drawers (Don't risk the distraction of walking away in the middle of a project!).

From what you've got left, set the drawer up so categories stay separated and easy to grab. Dividers don't have to be fancy. This drawer perfectly fit some used Amazon boxes!

Sometimes, it's easier to contain all the items in the drawers and place the containers inside the drawer. Like here, with tube-shaped containers to hold markers, pencils and more supplies for crafts:






I also like this photo from Buzzfeed. It shows a deep drawer, popular in kitchens with newer construction. These deep drawers are great for casserole dishes and pots and pans, but can be a challenge for silverware. This a is a great solution: turn the silverware to stand tall, divide and conquer!



What solutions have you found for your drawers?

Improvising

Sometimes I walk in to a project that seems like it just can't be finished...yet.

For example, earlier this week, I was helping a new home owner unpack and settle in to her new place. We started with the kitchen, which was spacious and appeared to have more than enough room to store her dishes, pots and gadgets. The kitchen included a large pantry to house all the food items, as well.

However, a couple boxes in, we realized something. Some construction was still going on in the home - just little things. Knobs being added, switch plates screwed on and a couple doors to attach were still on the to-do list. Unfortunately, this included the shelving to go in the pantry.

Now, I don't know about you, but I love food. Eating it. Preparing it. And, I'd like to think my client would also enjoy having access to her food stuffs.

So, I improvised. We had plenty of packing boxes that would otherwise just be broken down and taken out to the alley to recycle. So, I made them into temporary storage cubes.

While unpacking, we also found a couple stacking shelves from the previous home that were no longer needed anywhere in the new home. They fit perfectly in between the stacked boxes. They also provided some support for the cardboard on the sides of the lower boxes, making the entire system a little more reliable.

No need to go out and purchase something for a temporary fix. No need to leave all the food just stacked on the floor or still packed away in boxes. And, in the long run, it allowed my client to get a better idea of what categories of food for which she will need permanent storage in the pantry. The good news is, she'll still have more than enough space to store what she wants.

Get Your Business Together

As tax time looms, most of us start to feel the stress of getting our papers and information together. If you're a business owner, like myself, you might feel double the stress as your prepare your business and personal taxes. Here are a few ideas to help get the business side of things ready for your tax preparer:

- Purge Your Files: Go through your paper filing system and shred/recycle anything that won't be needed for your 2014 taxes. If you're not sure what you'll need, contact your tax preparer or check out the IRS website. Now, these files should be relatively empty and available for whatever you collect during 2015.

- Clear Out the Office, in General: Are there stacks of things for shredding? Take them in to a shredding service. Broken electronics? Recycle them properly. (Ask me if you need a resource for these services!) Make sure the office is ready for work, not other tasks that are taking up your time.

- Tackle Those Receipts: Every business has expenses. (If yours doesn't, let me know how to do that!) The IRS will now accept scanned documents just as well as the original, should you need supporting documents. Consider scanning receipts in 2015, as they come in on a weekly or monthly basis. As for the receipts you have from 2014, look through them and jot down on the receipt what kind of expense it was (food, supplies, services, etc.).

- Look at the Numbers: Time to take out your checkbook and balance it! Or, at least, open up your computer program used for tracking expenses. Make sure you've noted all those receipts over the year, as well as all the income. Make sure the amounts in each category of expenses equals the same number of your yearly total expenses!

- Make Sense of Your Inbox: Sift through your electronic correspondences for proof of expenses, income and donations. Save a screen shot of these communications instead of printing them out. No need to waste paper, ink and space in your file. Save the screenshots to your 2014 Taxes digital file.

- Wait for Your Refund!

Organize Your Attitude

There's certainly some talent in organizing a space. Spacial recognition, making square boxes fit into round spaces and being able to make sense of categories are all necessities for making a space work. But, that's really only part of the battle.

We don't all live in harmonious, lovely magazine page homes. In fact, I don't know anyone who does. We make choices on a daily basis on how to continue to create or change the space we call home. We choose to wash dishes and put away laundry. Or not. We choose to color code filing cabinets or shred all paper in sight. We choose to alphabetize books on the shelf or to stack them decoratively. We choose to make the bed or leave a pile of blankets. We choose.


Choice is a huge part of the organizing process. Choose what to keep. Choose what to donate. Choose what your priorities are for your space. My job is never to make those decisions for you. I'm here to guide you through that process such that you come out on the other end confident in your choices. I'm here to remind you of your priorities.

Sometimes, however, we have a hard time seeing the benefit in making choices - one way or the other. We grow negative, angry even, that we live in a space we don't love. Feeling helpless or overwhelmed, we choose to do nothing. We stay angry. We get angrier. More helpless. More overwhelmed. It's a vicious cycle.

Sometimes, we share our space with someone who doesn't share our same goals. Someone who might want the space to stay status quo, even when it's making life more difficult and uncomfortable. Or, we share our space with someone who needs the space to change when we're not quite ready.

What all of this does is create chaos, anger, sadness. The peace and calm that our homes should be easily slips away.

The first step in an organizing project is to make the choice that this is the best option for you at this time. Make the choice to believe that you are proactively creating a space you love. Be confident that you can complete this task. Know that brighter days are ahead, just around the organized corner.


How to Pick the Right Kind of Container

Recently, I was asked how to find the right kind of bin for storage. There are a couple things to keep in mind:

- What are you going to store? If the items are large or oddly shaped, you'll want to measure as best you can to know what the smallest size container you can fit the item in to. If it's something heavy, get the smallest size bin possible, so it's not impossible to move. If it's something you don't want damaged by moisture, make sure your container can be sealed; you may also want archival quality for special items.

- Where are you going to store it? On the floor? A shelf? Should it be long and flat to fit under a bed? If there is a particular area you'd like to keep the item(s), then measure that space as well. How much height between shelves and how deep from front to back will help determine the size of container you can easily use.
- What shape should you use? Sometimes items call for a particular shaped container - a hat in a hat box, for example. For general purpose storage, try to use containers with squared corners. Rounded edges leave small, unused spaces on the shelf. Use as much of that area as you can!

- Do you want to see what's in there? If so, purchase clear containers. Otherwise, there are tons of options available for colors, fabrics, and so on for any and all storage needs.

Now, get storing!

5 Things To Do in 5 Minutes

I realize that I'm in the minority when I say that I love organizing....everything. For most of us, organizing is another chore. Much like paying taxes or sweeping the floor. So, here are a few things to get you started. Take five minutes while dinner's cooking or a single commercial break during your nightly show. Baby steps in the right direction are still steps in the right direction!

1) Fold the laundry. Put it back in the basket, take it to the bedroom. At least get the clothes out of the basket in the proper room(s) and return the empty basket back near the laundry. If there's time, actually put the clothes away.

2) Open the mail. I'm not saying you have to pay all the bills or take any other actions. Start with opening it all. Recycle all the ads and stuffers immediately. Set aside anything that needs shredding. The rest goes to your action area. Hopefully, your stack is smaller and easier to make progress on.

3) Put away the dishes, if the dishwasher is clean and dry. If it's still in need of a wash, make sure it's full with anything left sitting out, and push start. If you don't have a dishwasher, wash through as much as possible in your five minutes. Leave the hard stuff to soak.

4) Toss all the toys left on the floor back into their containers. Either have the kids help do this, or make sure they're already in bed for the night!

5) All those things you've been piling on the stairs or the entry table to take some place should go to that some place else. Walk the items upstairs or downstairs. Put the returns in the car. The important thing is to get the items in the right room. Again - baby steps in the right direction.

Ready...Set... Go!

Budgeting

I've had a few clients ask for assistance creating budgets lately. While I'm certainly not an accountant, CPA or really anything even close to that, I am able to provide some ideas about the basics of creating a budget.

The first thing to do is figure out what your expense will be that you have to pay - mortgage/rent, utilities, insurance. Make a list of all the types of costs you know you'll have monthly. Go through your files and wallet to help jog your memory of what you might have. If you pay something semi-annually, like car insurance, break it down into what the monthly cost would be (divide it by six).

Next, list out expenses that you anticipate to some degree. This includes public transit, prescriptions, gas, groceries, memberships and subscriptions. Do your best to estimate what the monthly break down of these items currently is. Take a look at a couple bank statements to get a better idea of what you're spending.

Third, list out anything you'd love to be able to afford - vacation, retirement savings, gifts. Don't fill in a cost of these items yet.

At the bottom you'll total the expenses you do have (from the first two parts of the list). Now, you'll also need to know how much money you have coming in each month. What's the difference between the total of costs so far and the income? If you're already over, it's time to reassess some of the costs from the second part of your list. If there's still some money leftover, divide it however it suits your goals best between the items in the third part. For example, there's a $1,500 difference between regular expenses and income each month. Decide how much of that $1,500 should be deposited into your retirement account, how much should go into savings for vacation and how much you can spend on going to the movies and getting birthday gifts.

Now, the hard part is to put it in to practice and actually follow the plan!

Little Tips for Little Places

Sometimes all we need is to shift or change in the slightest way to make our stuff fit! Here's some ideas to get you started:

1) Linen Closet: Try folding your linens into a different shape to make them better fit your shelves. Maybe you need them in halves or thirds. Or, try rolling them.

2) Book Shelves: Try laying sets of books of the same size on their sides instead of right side up. Depending on the amount of books in the stack, this can sometimes increase the amount you can store.

3) Shoes: Instead of storing them with the toes and heels lined up, try storing each pair toe-to-heel. This decreases the space needed from left to right.

4) Hanging Clothes: Try switching from bulky wood and plastic hangers to space saving thin hangers. They really do create room to hang more!

5) Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers: Store the lids of pots and storage containers with the bottoms. If you have the room, keep the top and bottom together and stacked. No searching for the matching piece and inevitably losing a lid at some point.

6) Toy Room: Use larger bins, even for the little pieces. Most kids aren't going to take the time sort all the Barbie shoes from Barbie's kitchen accessories. Or, the Lego men from the rest of the blocks. Having one place for all things Barbie and one for all things Lego is sufficient.

7) Crafts: Bust out the plastic baggies! Bag up small items like cotton balls or googley eyes. Bag up anything that could leak: glue, paint, ink. These baggies can be easily stashed in a drawer or bin. It's easier to squish a baggie into a space than a small box or bin.

8) Beauty Products: As you buy more, store the new items to the back of your cabinet. This way, you'll use what's in front, and oldest, first.

9) Entryway: This time of year, there are probably scarves and gloves all over the place! Have one place for everyone to drop these items. It can be a basket, a hook or a shelf. In the summer, switch to baseball caps, umbrellas and sunglasses.

10) Basement/Storage: More often than you'd imagine, the quickest solution to all those boxes and bins piling up is to get them onto shelves! Being able to grab the single item you're looking for instead of moving box after box off a small mountain to get to the one at the bottom can make a world of difference.

In Someone Else's Words

Over the years, I've collected quotes from movies, books, friends, posters, you name it. Thoughts that are verbalized better than I could say it at the time. Or, funnier. Or, truer. Even though I started writing them down years before I even knew organizing was a profession, it turns out I've got a few that apply. (It must have been in my bones already!)


"If it weren't for the last minute, a lot of things wouldn't get done." - Michael S. Taylor


"Everything happens to everybody sooner or later if there is time enough." - George Bernard Shaw
*You are not the only person struggling with disorganization!


"In order to seek one's own direction, one must simplify the mechanics of ordinary, everyday life." - Plato

"We cannot change anything unless we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses." - Carl Gustav Jung, Psychological Reflections

 "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." - William Morris

 "Don't confuse the love of an item with the love of a person." - Sue DeRoos


"Chaos is always an accessory to order and belongs to our world..." - Michael, Ajvaz, The Other City

Well, that last one was for me.


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