Happy Holidays!

Not Your Mother's Dish Drainer!

Okay - so no one ever shouted from the roof tops about their new dish drainer, but they've come a long way!  I've been looking at a lot of design blogs lately and have made some interesting finds, not the least of which are some really cool dish drainers!  Now you can dry your dishes in style, and perhaps even save some precious counter space.  Here are 3 dish drainers that caught my eye, for both their style and functionality.

From the AUREA collection Ernest Perera

Bamboo dish drainer  stacksandstacks.com

MODULAR Dish Drainer from yankodesign.com

Good for Goodwill!

After finally switching from PC to Mac (I love my mac!) it was time to get rid of my dinosaur desktop computer.  I was happy to find out that Goodwill takes computers and electronics!  I dropped off the desktop and 2 old telephones this afternoon.

Goodwill Industries has partnered with Dell, Inc. to responsibly recycle unwanted electronics. To date they have collected more than 96 million pounds of electronics.

Take your unwanted electronics (any brand, any condition) to a participating Goodwill store or donation drop-off site. Goodwill will refurbish or recycle the equipment!  

To find a participating center near you and a list of items accepted go to Goodwill's website.

One of My Favorite Things...

If you've worked with me, you've seen these!  Folding mesh bins from The Container Store.  They are one of my favorite things...they hold a LOT of whatever you put in them, are very light-weight, and when you're done, they fold up flat.  Many of my clients end up purchasing some for themselves... they're great for keeping at the bottom of the stairs for items that need go up, or in the playroom for quick clean up.

Daily Affirmation

As an organizer, I often stumble upon the failed attempts my clients have made to get organized.  I find books on "de-cluttering" or "organizing for dummies," usually somewhere in the pile of stuff that I've been hired to make sense of.   

Today I worked with a client to create a new filing system.  We sorted and purged the files she already had and found this:  an empty file labeled "Dealing with Clutter."   We both had a good laugh.

Schedule THIS!

How cool is this!?  I was visiting my friend Jessica and her 3 kids (6 year old twins and a 2-year-old) and noticed this amazing "calendar" on the wall.  It keeps track of the whole family's schedule (and trust me they have a heck of a schedule!)  Know what's even cooler?   She did it herself, and so can you!  All you need is painter's tape, chalkboard paint, and some wood molding for the border.  Simply tape off the area you want to use, paint with chalkboard paint, add the border, and voila!

THE BASICS

Can't find what you need when you need it?  Why not get organized?!  If you're planning to "get through it" on your own ( and you can, y'know), keep in mind these basic strategies for getting organized.

No matter what it is you're organizing, you first need to clear a workspace.  Even if that means pushing other things into another pile, you'll need the room to sort. 

Pick an area and get started.  That could be a corner of the room, a shelf in the closet, a desk drawer or a 12" square spot on the floor; there is no 'right' place to start, just make a decision and move forward! 

Bring a group of items to your work space and sort them into categories. Empty laundry baskets or cardboard boxes work great for sorting, be sure to label each box with a category and keep sorting items until the closet/shelf/corner is empty.  Move on to the next spot and keep going.  As your sorting, make sure to have a place to put trash and items to be donated.*

When you're done sorting and purging it's time to put away what you're keeping.  Have you thought about how you want to use the space/closet/surface?  Put items that are rarely used way up top, or way down below, or way in the back.  Frequently used items should be stored where they are used and you shouldn't have to move more than 1 item out of the way to retrieve them. 

Remember that things should be stored in a place that makes sense to YOU.  

*Take items to be donated now!  Get them out of the house, make it a priority. 

Should It Stay or Should It Go?

Do you have the urge to purge?  What happens when you get to an item and can't decide to toss or keep?  When you find yourself at an impasse, ask yourself the following 3 questions:

1. Have I used this item recently?

2. Does it have a specific use or purpose?

3. Would my life suffer without it?

If you answer "no" to 2 or more questions, get rid of it!

Shake, Rattle and Roll

Did you know that April is Earthquake Preparedness Month? Are you prepared?Well, I always think about this very thing right AFTER we have an earthquake (hence this blog post.) So before the next one, what can you do to be ready ?

Well, in addition to choosing a sturdy piece of furniture to get under (instead of standing in a doorway), you can make or buy an earthquake kit. The kit should include (at minimum) the following items recommended by the Red Cross:

* Water—one gallon per person, per day (3­ day supply for evacuation, 2­ week supply for home)
* Food—non­perishable, easy­ to­ prepare items (3 ­day supply for evacuation, 2 ­week supply for home)
* Flashlight
* Battery ­powered or hand-­crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
* Extra batteries
* First aid kit
* Medications (7 ­day supply) and medical items
* Multi­purpose tool
* Sanitation and personal hygiene items
* Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
* Cell phone with chargers
* Family and emergency contact information
* Extra cash
* Emergency blanket
* Map(s) of the area

And don't forget about your pet! A plan needs to be in place for him as well...where can he go in case of evacuation? Have the information for a shelter outside of your immediate area, as well as pet friendly hotels. Talk to friends who may be able to put you up in an emergency. And there are earthquake emergency kits for pets too, including food and first aid supplies. Little T (my feline friend) has his own kit, stored in the closet right next to mine.

Up, Up and Away!

Small spaces...tricky to keep organized and tidy. A small kitchen can be the toughest space to keep functional. Cabinets are full, drawers are full, counter tops covered. Seemingly there is no more room! But wait...there is...just look UP.

Often we don't realize that there is usable space on the walls and above our heads. Think vertically!

We hung these baskets to help keep the very limited counter space in this tiny NYC kitchen clear of clutter. They hold items used frequently and keep them accessible yet "contained" and "away."

Before you give up, look up.

Sweet Tee's

Find the tee-shirt you want every time you open the drawer!

If you're like most people who store tee's in a drawer, you can't find the shirt you're looking for when you want it. Why not? Because it's probably at the back of the drawer under a mixed up pile of all the other shirts.

The drawer probably started out with the tee's folded into neat little piles; until you wanted to wear one. Inevitably the one you wanted was on the bottom of the pile, and as soon as you pulled it out all the other shirts came out as well.

"But what can I do about it?" you ask. You can change the way you pile. First, fold the tee's the same way you would to pile them then just fold them over one more time. Then line up the tee's horizontally in the drawer. Arrange by color and your tee-shirt drawer will look like this one! You'll find the shirt you want and won't make a mess. Yay!

Yours, Mine, Ours

Combining households can be a difficult process. One area in particular that can quickly get out of control is the bathroom. I recently worked with a couple to merge and purge their toiletries. First we sorted everything into "his" and "hers." They both then sorted out expired medications, products no longer used, and empty containers.
Because the shelves are open I chose to contain the toiletries in bins...they keep things together and look good too!

Voila!!

junk drawer

Admit it – you’ve got one. And it’s full of…junk? Not necessarily! There are probably many useful items in your junk drawer but you’d never know because its a black hole. Things are put in and they never come out. But what if you could have a “junk drawer” and still find what you need? There’s nothing wrong with having a drawer for all those things that have no where else to go, but why not be able to find what you need?

Here's how: Take everything out of the drawer and sort. Get rid of the real junk and put the rest back in your new drawer organizer. Using small containers breaks up the larger space of the drawer so the contents aren’t just floating around. Whether it’s a tray or a set of small bins there are many styles to choose from to help you customize the junk drawer of your dreams!

Going Gray

Sometimes all it takes to change the feel of a room (not to mention your mood) is to paint the walls. It’s an inexpensive and fairly easy do-it-yourself fix to an uninspired space. I recently painted my master bathroom and love the results! It was the last “un-touched” room in my condo, with plain off white walls left by the previous owner. Now the walls are dark gray and the room feels like mine.

I am not a painter by trade, not even close – but with a little research and a small learning curve I was able to do a professional looking job, with minimal mess.

Before

After

Before

After

I was RECRUITed

About a year ago I was offered the opportunity to interview for the Japanese magazine, RECRUIT. Apparently professional organizing has become a popular career choice for young Japanese women. RECRUIT was looking to speak with a young American professional organizer in organizing school. Well, there is no such place as “organizing school,” but I am young (thank you) and a professional organizer, so I accepted. The interview took place in my home and I was photographed “working” in my office and “organizing” a (my) closet. If you look closely you’ll see my cat, Little T, in a few pictures as well.

Oh, just so happens that I don’t speak or read Japanese, so if anyone can translate let me know!

Pack with a Plan!

Ever forgotten to pack something for a trip? This usually happens because we pack at the last minute.

Next time pack with a plan. Leave at least a day or two for packing before you leave. Get your suitcase out and start thinking about what you need to bring. Make a list. Write down everything: clothing, toiletries, equipment, chargers (even socks and underwear – you’d be surprised how often such basic items are left at home!) This gives you time to put thought into what you’ll really need and may help prevent over-packing. It will also give you time to make last minute purchases for toiletries you’re out of. Check items off the list as you pack them. When the list is all checked, you’re done! Have a great trip!

organize your kids

Now that the kids are back in school it’s the perfect time to go into their rooms and assess. Is your child’s room “kid friendly?” Sure, there are toys to play with but are they safely accessible and easy to put away? Their rooms should not only function for sleep and play but for clean-up as well. For tips on setting up a safe and functional space for your kids go to SIMPLE STEPS TO ORGANIZING YOUR PRESCHOOLER’S SPACE. Teaching your kids good habits now will make life easier for everyone in the family as they grow.

Quick Clean-Up

*For quick clean-up around the house, keep a basket with handles in each room. At the end of that day, quickly go around the room and toss toys/items you were used during the day into the basket. The basket can stay for tomorrow’s use, or be emptied as you put items away. Place a basket in your child’s room as well; for toys that are played with all the time, you can get them out of the way and off the floor each night, but they’ll be readily accessible the next day.

Habits: To-Do/Grocery List

Ever been out running errands, drive by the dry cleaners and realize you left a whole bag of clothes waiting by the door at home? Ever get home from the grocery store and realize you’ve forgotten to get an important item? It happens to me and it happens when I don’t write things down!

When you run out of something, write it down. If you need to get stamps, write it down. If you need to make an appointment, write it down. Make a list. This list can serve as both a ‘to do’ list and a grocery list. Cross out items as you accomplish/purchase them, add new items as they come up.

Use a small pad of paper that you can take with you on your errands, and always put it back in the same place when you get home.

Habits: Keys

*MAKE IT A HABIT TO PUT YOUR KEYS IN THE SAME PLACE EVERY TIME YOU COME THROUGH THE DOOR.

Can’t find your keys? Join the club! Because of their size, keys can get lost just about anywhere. What if you had a special home just for your keys – where you knew they would be waiting when you needed them? All you need to do is pick a spot. Some place close to the door where they won’t be hidden under papers or “stuff”. A hook on the wall, or a small basket or bin work nicely, placed on a table, or on the kitchen counter. Pick 1 spot and put your keys there!

The Collector

The Collector

Are you a collector? It’s okay if you are, you’re not alone. We all know someone with a baseball card collection, or stamp collection, and that “little black book?” – a collection of phone numbers, of course. But a collection of chap-stick? Yup! It was a first for me but my client has been collecting them for years. Her collection, however, was buried under mountains of clutter in her bedroom. She was determined to find them, and find them we did. In all, we uncovered 72 sticks of chap-stick in 10 hours of sorting and purging. 72! I was inclined to see if she could purge some of them, but after talking to her about it I realized that this collection really meant a lot to her – it reminded her of her childhood and brought back happy memories.

A huge part of my philosophy as an organizer is that I want my clients to enjoy their belongings. Collections in particular can easily get out of control, and there’s no reason to display EVERY piece of EVERY collection you own all at once. Display (and perhaps only keep?) your favorite pieces, and rotate different collections in and out of storage a few times a year. This will allow you (and others) to truly appreciate and enjoy the things you love. My client and I decided to take a photo of her collection instead of displaying it, to keep all 72 chap-sticks standing would be more trouble than its worth. She is keeping the chap-stick collection, but we stored it away in a plastic shoe box. Happy Collector and happy Organizer!