Living in the Past

Our stuff defines us. When someone walks into your home - they know what your interests are. They can tell if you are an organized or an unorganized person.

By looking at your clothes they know what your style is like. By looking at the pictures that hang on your wall they know what type of art you like or who your favorite artist is. Your furniture tells them what decorating style you like. 

Your stuff defines you.......  or does it?

Does your stuff tell us the story of the "you" of today? Or does it tell us the story of the "you" of 20 years ago? 

Does your home reflect your current interests? Or your interests of the past? 

Do you still have furniture from when you were first starting out your adult life (makeshift furniture and fixings....)? Do you still have clothes in your closet from college - and you're now 50? It doesn't matter if it still fits (we all wish!) - sometimes it's not appropriate for where you are in the world today.

Do you still have arts and craft items from things that you were interested in 10 years ago - but haven't done since?

Do you still have dozens of cookbooks thinking that you were going to make gourmet meals - but you never cook?

It's time to stop living in the past.

Your home and your life should reflect the "you" of today. Your closet should reflect the present you - not the "I still think I'm a size 2" you. 

Your decor should reflect who you are today - not stuck in the past. 

As we age - our interests change. That's OK! But we need to let go of the clutter of the past - to make room for our new interests. By purging out the clutter of the past - we might actually be able to see and use all of the wonderful things we have now.

Let go of the your past interests that no longer serve you and start living the life you have today - without any guilt.

You deserve to be living in the present.

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

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A Clutter Free Closet - Tips for Changing Season

As the seasons change and you have to pull out your sweaters, heavier pants and coats, now is the perfect time to release some clothes you no longer want or need. Follow these tips for a clutter-free closet.

Before you dig out the winter clothes, think about what you want to keep from last season’s clothing. Be sure you have enough time to complete the task of cleaning and clearing out your closet before you get started. There is nothing more frustrating than starting a big project like this, having your clothes all over your bed and then having to stop for some reason. Not only do you have to put your clothes back into your closet quickly so you can sleep that night, but you also lose the momentum and desire to work on the task at all.

Get a couple of empty boxes. Mark each of the boxes with one of these “S” words – Swap, Sell, Store and Scrap.

* Swap – Items in the Swap box are those you will give or swap with a friend who wears your size. You can also donate them to the Salvation Army or Goodwill or another organization. These are clothes you do not wear any longer but are usable.

* Sell – Items in this box are those you will sell at a consignment store or online. These clothes are still in good repair but no longer fit.

* Store – Items in this box are those you will store for next year’s use or something that has sentimental value to it.

* Scrap – Items in this box are stained or torn and therefore no longer usable.

All of your clothes (cleaned and pressed) and accessories for this season should go into one of these boxes. Of course, depending upon the number of clothes you have, you may need more than one “store” box. Be sure to set the “store” boxes aside out of the way. Leave the remaining boxes open so you can place other items in them as you take out the clothes for this season.

Now that you have cleaned out your closet, it is time to start putting this season’s clothes and accessories into the closet. Pick out the things you know you will use most often and place them in a prominent place in your closet. Consider whether you want to keep the rest of the clothes that are not your favorites. Get rid of clothes you no longer like or you know will not fit any longer. Take the remaining boxes out to the car so they are not cluttering your room.

You may want to use this trick to help you learn which clothes you can purge once the season starts. As you place items into your closet, turn the hangers around backwards. At the end of the month, look through your closet and see how many hangers face the wrong way. Take those items out and re-evaluate whether you want to keep them or if they can find a new home with someone else.

Choose how you organize your closet. Some like to place clothes in the closet by colors, others by length and still others by whether you wear them together. You will know the best way to organize them based on your own personal needs. When you are done, you can step back with satisfaction and breathe a sigh of relief that you now have a clutter-free closet.

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

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Getting Your Closet Ready for Winter

I don't want to put my shorts away! And I will probably still wear them - but it might be time to pull out a pair of long pants! When the wind blows at 30 mph - it gets a bit nippy!

I love the fall and sweater weather!  So - I guess it's time to take a look at your closet and get ready for the fall and winter.

If you are lucky enough to have a big closet where you don't have to change out your clothes with the season - then you might not have to go to the lengths that a lot of people have to go through.

With closet space being at a premium - and people having a "lot" of clothes - the winter/summer shuffle happens every year.

Be honest - and be realistic. As you take out your clothes - look at each and every piece of clothing and make the "big" decision. 

# 1     Does it still fit ?
# 2     Do I still like it ?
# 3     Do I still wear it ?  If so - when was the last time I wore it ?
# 4     Is it in good shape ?

If you can't answer "yes" to all of the above questions - Get Rid of It!

This is especially true for kids - as they tend to outgrow their clothes at an alarming speed! If the kids summer clothes still fit now - you have to judge it you think they will fit by next spring. It all depends on the age of the kids and their growth pattern.

Once you have cleared out all of your summer clothes and put them into piles of keep, donate, mend....  then it's time to put your fall/winter clothes back into the closet.

You should go through the same procedure as above. Make sure the clothes still fit and you still like them and wear them.  If not - why have them take up valuable closet space?

Putting things back in your closet by color (yes, I do that....) makes it easier to find something when you are looking for a certain piece of clothing.

An organized closet makes getting dressed and out the door in the morning easier and stress free!

Happy Fall!



Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life 

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Winter Gear - Get Your Essentials in Order

As the weather turns colder it's time to start clearing out your closet of summer things and getting your winter gear in order.

Start by trying on last years coats, boots and gloves.

Do they fit? If not, you might consider donating them.

If they do still fit - are they in good condition?  Check for any rips or missing buttons.

If you need new ones, now is the time to buy them so that you are not caught unprepared when the weather turns colder and the snow starts coming down in buckets!

After you have figured out if you need to replace any items it's time to think about storing you summer items. But first, check to be sure that they are clean and in good condition.

Once you are done with your outerwear -  it's time to check your clothes closet for your winter sweaters.

Go through the same process as with your coats. Check to be sure they still fit and are in good condition. It not, donate them or repair them.

If you need to rotate your summer clothes out of your closet and into storage - be sure to only store things that you still like and will wear next year. If you haven't worn it all summer - are you really going to wear it next year?  Don't store things that you will never wear or use.

By getting your essentials in order now - before you really need them - will guarantee that you will be ready when the snow starts to fly!

Here's looking forward to a snowy winter!


Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life 

Organizational Consulting Services

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End of the Year - DeClutter for 2016

2015 is coming to a fast close.  The New Year will soon be here. Before the year ends take a realistic look at all of the new things that you acquired over the holidays. I'm sure that you probably have duplicates of things that you already have. Newer, of course - but duplicates.

Before year end - go through some of your gifts and decide if it's not time to "release" your old things. 

If you received some new clothes - go through your closet and decide what you can get rid of.  Anything that is too small, doesn't fit properly, you never actually wore....  

Be realistic - unless you have tons of extra closet space that you have never filled up - something has to give!

Get rid of your old sweaters or shirts that you rarely ever wear.

Get rid of books and movies that you have finished.

Get rid of anything that you have not used in the last six months.

Someone out there can probably use it - so - donate it!

By making more room in your closet  you are actually taking better care of your clothes. They are not so cramped. They will hang better and you will actually be able to see them - thus - you might actually wear them.

Start 2016 off by being ORGANIZED!

One small step at a time....



Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

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Cold Weather - Is Your Closet Ready ?

In some parts of the country it's starting to get cold and a lot of people pull out their "winter clothes" and put their "summer clothes" into storage.

If your lack of closet space makes this a necessity then there are a few important things that you should do before you just start randomly changing out your closet.

First - be realistic. I know that it's hard - but it you haven't worn something in a few years - why put it back into your closet???  Because you "might" wear it?  Someday?

It is taking up space. And if space is at a premium - let it go. Donate it. Give it to someone that will actually wear it - more than once every five years!

Second, does it fit? Correctly? Be honest with yourself. Wearing ill fitting clothes does nothing for your figure or your self esteem. If it doesn't fit - off to the donate pile it goes.

Third, is it in good shape? No loose buttons, holes, rips....???  If not - fix it before you put it back into your closet.

Fourth, please, please put things in some type of logical order. Again - logical is all relative. It means in an order that you can find it easily and that makes sense. Everyone organizes differently. That's important to remember. But you have to have some type of plan that will allow you to put together outfits in a relatively short amount of time and you have to be able to find the clothes that you are looking for.

For example - sort by color, by type (long sleeve, short sleeve), by style.... any way that makes sense to you. But it should make sense.

Put all of your pants in one spot. Your dresses/skirts in another spot. Your shirts in another spot.

Divide your closet by casual clothes & work clothes.

There are many different ways to go about this. The only "must" is that it "must" work for you.

But just randomly throwing your clothes in your closet does not work for anyone - sorry. It wastes time when you are trying to find things and that turns into frustration.

In the spring/summer - when your closets are reversed - do the same thing. Clean, fit, no holes....and only the clothes that you will actually wear.

Enjoy your clothes and your organized closet!




Organizational Consulting Services

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Organization Means Always Evolving

Being organized is an ever changing event. It's not a "one time" event. You have to change with how you and your family live. Kids grow up and you get rid of their baby toys and their outgrown clothes. You change jobs or gain / lose weight and you swap out your clothes for ones that fit your new life.

You make lists and constantly tweak them to better suit your needs  "at that moment".

We went camping about a month back and of course my husband decided that  "yes, we had everything "  so enough with my lists already.  Thank goodness for kind friends who had extra cooking gear to loan us for the weekend!  But, this past trip he admitted he was wrong and actually asked me to double check our list. The list wins out again!

When I get home from our trips I always "tweak" our lists and add / delete things that we wished we would have had or didn't use.

I am also always rearranging our closets. Living in a smaller house means being very creative with your space. Even though I like to see everything hung up, when you have so little space it means that plastic bins are a better option for clothes that are only worn occasionally (such as clothes used for working in the yard or certain activities).

For people that hire a Professional Organizer they should realize it's not always just a one time event. As your life changes so do your organizing needs.

There's always something that needs to be organized!



Organizational Consulting Services

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More Space - Less Clutter ?

A lot of people say "I don't have enough space - that's why my house is cluttered - if I had more closet space my house would be clean".

Well - I hate to burst anyones bubble - but space, clutter and clean have nothing to do with each other.

The amount of space that you have and the clutter all around you are two separate issues.  Just because you have a big house does not mean that you have an uncluttered house.  Or a clean house.  It just means that you have a big house.

The way that you use your space is the important issue. If you have things in a room that don't belong there - such as all of your bathroom products in your kitchen, brushes, makeup, hairdryer..... instead of in the bathroom where they belong... you will have clutter.

Oh - you don't have room in your bathroom?  Well - make some!  I know - sometimes it's not easy to find the space and sometimes you really don't have the space.  But more often than not I find that clients are not using their space effectively.  By adding some inexpensive shelving or bins you can contain all of your belongs where they belong and all of a sudden - you have space! 

"Like with like"  ..... that's an Organizers motto!  By keeping like products with like products you have solved one organizing issue.

By keeping all of the things that don't belong in a room out of the room - you have solved another organizing issue.

By neatly folding and putting things in a designated spot - instead of just shoving it in anywhere - you have solved another organizing issue.

It's not about space - it's about clutter.

And then there's "clean".   Having more space does not mean that you will have a clean house. It just means that you will have more space to mess up. Clean is a matter of degree - but that's a whole other topic.

If you can declutter your home or office first - then you can really see what needs to be cleaned and you can make all of the dust bunnies disappear. But if your home is so cluttered that you can't see the floor or any surfaces - chances are that you can't get to them to clean them.

So - the bottom line is - more space does not make a less cluttered or clean house.

So don't envy your neighbor with the big house.  They just have a lot more work to do!

Now - go and GET ORGANIZED !



Organizational Consulting Services

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Closets - Make Them Work For You

Being organized is a lot easier when you have a properly functioning space. That means that the space is suited for what you want to put into it. Whether it's a clothes closet, kitchen cabinets or any other space - the actual space and how it's laid out makes a huge difference.

My having the space work for you and how you live, not your neighbor, you will be much happier and better able to function. For example - let's say that you are a female executive and wear mostly suits and dressier clothes. Your closet should fit your clothes. That might mean multiple hanging bars for skirts, jackets and blouses.

Your neighbor might work in a very casual atmosphere and wear only pants and sweaters.  They might need more shelving for their folded sweaters and they never wear suits so they don't need a lot of hanging room.

Unfortunately most closest only have a single hanging bar. Pretty useless when it comes to an efficient closet.

By just putting in a second hanging bar you have doubled your closet space. By adding another shelf on top you have created a more manageable shelf space where your sweaters aren't falling over (they should never be stacked 8 high - it makes it hard to get them in and out).

These are just some basic examples of how you can make some minor changes in your closets and get a lot more room and make better use of your space.

There are some great closet companies out there that can really make your closets more efficient. There are also a number of  "do it yourself" closet systems that might work for you.

By just reorganizing your closet to fit your needs and not the previous home owners you will save yourself a lot of stress and time in the morning when you are looking for that perfect outfit to wear to work. Being able to find it easily in your closet will make a world of difference in starting your day.

Happy Organizing ! 

Organizational Consulting Services

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Spring Is Around The Corner - Is Your Closet Ready ?

I know that it's still February... but if you've been to the mall lately you will see a lot of spring and summer clothes out already. There are sales everywhere and I'm sure that some of you just can't resist. It's O.K. .... really.

But when you bring home new clothes you have to have somewhere to put them. Do you? Is there room in your closet?

Since the winter weather is winding down it might be time to take a look at your closet to see what you can put in the "donate or get rid of" pile. You might also re-examine your spring / summer clothes to see if they are in good condition and if they still fit.

Take some time and go through your closet with a new perspective. Do you really like the clothes in your closet? When was the last time you wore them? Are they in good condition?

Make a list of things that you might need to buy. That way you aren't just buying random items but things that you really need.

Remember the "one in - one out" rule. Unless you have unlimited closet space you will probably need to purge some things out of your closet to make room for your new clothes.

Organizing your closet is time consuming and very emotional. Break it down into smaller sections so that you are overwhelmed.

Keep the bigger picture in mind. Clean out and organize your closet first and then shop. That way you know what you have and what you need and aren't buying things that you already had hidden in the back of your closet.

Happy Organizing !



Organizational Consulting Services

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Organizing Your Closets For Christmas

The holiday season is upon us and as always it comes at the end of the year. To those of us that are extremely organized we are not only dreaming about the holidays, presents and snow, we are also thinking about all of the things that we have to do before the end of the year and the beginning of January.

Prior to Christmas is a great time to de-clutter and organize. It's the time to go through your closets and get rid of things that you have never or rarely worn, things that no longer fit, things that are worn out.

DONATE... DONATE... DONATE... >>>> read >>>>> TAX DEDUCTION !

Have the kids go through their clothes also. They outgrow things quickly and therefore a lot of their clothes are barely worn. Or, as kids, they tire of them very quickly and haven't worn them in forever and won't wear them anymore anyway. So donate them to someone that can use them.

Also, have the kids go through their toys and donate those that they have outgrown or don't play with anymore. Let it be their "idea" so that they feel empowered and are not upset with you for getting rid of their toys. This is a great learning experience for them.

Everyone knows that you will be getting new things for Christmas - so make room now!

You can only fit so many things into your closet so now is the time to take a realistic look at the room you have and what you have in your closet. Be honest with yourself. If you haven't worn it and it's taking up room that you don't have, get rid of it.

By getting a jump start on organizing your closet now you will be much happier after the holidays when you are trying to squish things into a crammed closet.

Remember, by de-cluttering and donating now you can get it into this years taxes.

Happy Organizing and Happy Holidays !

Organizational Consulting Services

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Kids, Clothes & Charity - How Are They Connected ?

I know that most people don't want to think about the summer coming to a close and everything that it entails, but being organized means thinking ahead.

The end of summer means the start of the next school year.

The start of the new school year means new clothes for the kids.

And that means that you will be taking their old clothes (and I mean clothes that don't fit, not tattered clothes) to Goodwill or another charity that could use them.

Kids outgrow things. Sometimes too quickly. You turn around and the next thing you know they are 4 inches taller than when they got out of school in June. It happens! So you have to buy them new clothes.

But before you just randomly go to the store and buy everything in sight you need to go through their closet and drawers and take an inventory of what they really need, not just want they want. BUT, you need to get them involved in the process.

This is not always fun for the kids and they will probably fight you on this, because they have better things to do than go through their clothes, things like playing outside or being with their friends. But as a parent this is a "teaching" moment. You are teaching them how to make decisions, how to organize their closet and drawers, how to recognize when clothes don't fit and the biggest lesson of all is why it's important to donate things that you no longer need to a worthwhile cause. And of course you know that you get a tax write-off.

Once you have gone through their closet and had them try on all of their clothes and put them into piles of "keep", "donate" or "trash" (because they were too worn out to donate) it's time to make a list of exactly what items they will need.

Making a list is very important because it will save you time and money at the store. You won't remember how many socks they had and they will try to get you to buy things that they don't really need.

Once you have the "needed items" (socks, underwear, pants...) you can look at "extras" but try and keep it in perspective. They don't need twenty pairs of jeans or twenty new pairs of shoes. Kids outgrow things very quickly.

By starting when they are young and helping them understand the concepts of "moderation", buying only what they really need and also buying only what they have room for, you are teaching them skills they will use their entire life.

Get into the habit of going through their closets at least once a season, especially when they are young and growing like weeds. And by the way, why don't you clear out your closet at the same time. You would be setting a great example!

Happy Closet Organizing!


Organizational Consulting Services

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More Efficient Use of Your Space

A lot of my clients say “I don’t have enough storage space”. And I say to them “yes, you do, you just aren’t utilitizing your space efficiently”.

Another problem is not the “space” but the “stuff”. “Too much stuff”.

How much stuff can one person or one family use ?

The first phase of “finding enough space” is de-cluttering. That means going through all of your stuff and getting rid of things that you no longer use, wear or need. Then there are the things that are broken or too small. Purge these things out of your life.

You have already created more “space” !!!

Now look at your closets. Most closets are designed with only one rod across the top. Very inefficient. By adding another rod you have doubled your space without doubling the size of the closet.

For your closets or pantries that have shelves you can add more space by adding shelf dividers. Again, you have just doubled your space.

If your closets have movable shelves you can change the height of the shelves depending on what you are storing on the shelves. This would also allow you to add more shelves for smaller items.

Under the bed storage is a great way to make use of seldom used space. There are great containers that have wheels that are easy to slide under the bed. You can store extra blankets, sweaters, shoes or any number of things.

Put shelves on walls and make use of wall space. A great idea for books or displaying collectibles so that they don’t take up floor or counter space.

Make use of those “nooks and crannies”. If you really looked you could find all types of small or thin shelving units that can be placed in between things.

Use decorative boxes that can sit out and double as storage.

There are lots of ways to add extra “space” to a small room.

You just have to let your imagination run wild and “think outside the box”.


Remember …… LESS CLUTTER = LESS STRESS SM


Organizational Consulting Services

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Getting Organized at Home Is Easier Than You Think

People today have more space, more stuff, and less time than ever before. But with the luxury of “more” can also come more clutter and more disorganization, making the need for professional organizers greater than ever before. So, it’s not surprising that, according to the industry authority, the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO®), the professional organizing industry is booming. More than 148,000 clients were served nationally by NAPO® members in 2008.

Many of NAPO®’s members specialize in niche areas — whether it’s the garage, kitchen, home office, closet, pantry, or any other residential space — great news for the ninety-six percent of people surveyed on behalf of NAPO® in 2008 who said they would save time every day by becoming more organized. Among those, fifteen percent felt they could save more than one hour of time daily if they were more organized at home, giving them an extra 15 days in a year. Many Americans just do not know what to keep and what to toss. With statistics such as these, it is more important than ever to consider ways to get organized and take that step to better living.

Here are a few tips to help you to save time and money and reduce stress:

• Make the garage work for you. Determine how you wish to use the space.

• Sort, purge, and then decide the proper storage containers or fixtures for the treasures that you must.
*** Clearly label both the tops and the sides of the containers.

• Consider floor-to-ceiling possibilities for shelving, racks, stackable drawers, hooks, and pegboards.

• Go through your closet today. Pull out everything you haven’t worn in the last year.
*** Hang like items together.

• In the kitchen:
*** Things that work together should be stored together.
*** Feel the flow of activity in your kitchen.
*** Place glasses near the sink or the refrigerator.
*** Put snacks in a convenient drawer or cupboard.

Member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO®).

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

DIFFERENT WAYS TO USE A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER

A professional organizer isn’t just great for helping you organize your closet.

They can help you in many ways that you probably never thought of.

They can help you with space management, showing you how to use your space more efficiently.

They can be a life coach, guiding you through the clutter of your life.

They can be a business coach, helping you organize your procedures and workflow.

They can help you with time management, showing you how to make better use of your time.

They can help you with paper management, dealing with all of the incoming paper and creating a filing system.

They can help you with project management, defining your goals and coming up with a game plan.

They can help you with organizing and planning meetings and events.


By becoming more "organized" you will also become "less stressed", "more efficient" and will "save time and money" .


Less Clutter = Less Stress ….. in your home, your business and your life.


Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

HOME INVENTORY ORGANIZING

Tragedy strikes – usually with no warning. Are you prepared? If a fire swept through your home would you be able to give your insurance company a complete and accurate listing of the contents of your home? And if so, does your homeowner’s policy cover all of the items listed?

Having a complete and accurate list, with all of the necessary information before you actually need it is crucial. Unfortunately, most people aren’t prepared (and don’t get prepared) until it’s too late.

A home inventory should be compromised of such things as:

Item Description, Brand Name, Model #, Original Cost, Serial # (if it has one), Where purchased, Date Purchased

The easiest and most efficient way to compile a household inventory is to simply go room by room. Make a complete list of all of the contents of each room. Don’t forget to go through all of the drawers and inside any cabinets. Each item needs to be logged.

If you can, take pictures of each item (or a grouping of items). Also, be sure to take a picture of the room itself. If you have a video camera it would also be helpful to take a video of the entire house.

Don’t forget the closets, laundry room, pantry, garage and all outside areas, such as the patio or a shed.

Once your have your list, review your home owners policy to be sure that you are covered for all of your items. This might also be a good time to sit down and review your policy with your agent to be sure that you are satisfactorily protected. You don’t want to be surprised that something you though was covered really wasn’t.

Another important point to remember is that you need to put a copy of your home inventory list in a safe spot outside of your home. This can be in a safety deposit box at a bank or you can give a copy to a relative to hold for safe keeping.

Making a home inventory list is very time consuming. But it is something that is definitely worth the investment of your time. Once you have made the initial list you should update it at least once a year. The yearly updating should only take a fraction of the time it took to create the original list.

Invest in yourself…… protect your home.



Organizational Consulting Services

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HOW TO BE MORE ORGANIZED FOR THE NEW YEAR

It’s a New Year and everyone makes “New Years Resolutions”. Why don’t you make one that says “I will be more Organized”.

I don’t mean that you need to run out and buy all types of “organizing gadgets”. Or that you drive your family crazy with your new found organizing obsession.

What I mean is that you should start with small steps, such as making a list of ways that you can “organize” your home, business or life. Just like your resolution to exercise more will probably go by the wayside, so will your resolution to be more organized... if you don’t fully commit to it.

It took years to develop your behaviors and it will take you weeks or months or longer to change them. It’s a lifestyle change.

Once you have made a list of what you want to change in your home, business or life (and this has to be your idea or it won’t work) then you need to start implementing the changes. One at a time, otherwise you will become overwhelmed and you won’t stick to anything.

I’m a list maker. I have a list or an Excel spreadsheet for everything. My family makes fun of me but my motto is “why re-invent the wheel”. If you have repetitive tasks they can be turned into lists. I have a “what to take on vacation” list. Every family member has their own column and they check off things as they pack them. Now things aren’t forgotten and I don’t hear “Mom, I forgot my bathing suit”.

I have a list for “what to pack for college”. And yes, my daughter refused to use it the first year. But the following year I heard “Mom, can I have the college list...”. Music to a mother’s ear. I’m not as useless as I thought!

I have lists for school supplies, list for groceries, lists for vacations, lists for medical information, lists for donated items, lists for events that I go to every year and equipment I need to take, lists for meetings…… and on and on. There is no end in sight.

If you do it more than once ... make a list. That way you won’t forget anything.

If you have a list of spaces to organize or projects to do, break them down into manageable pieces. For example, break down the “I’m going to organize my kitchen” project into smaller projects. Such as:

* I’m going to organize the kitchen drawers
* I’m going to organize the kitchen counters
* I’m going to organize the kitchen cabinets
* I’m going to organize the kitchen pantry

That way you can start and finish each project in one sitting and feel like you’ve accomplished something, instead of getting tired or frustrated and never finishing it and then never starting another project. Start a small project. Finish a project. Feel proud of yourself. Go on to the next project.

Not everyone can become organized on their own. That’s why there are “Professional Organizers” that are there to help you and to teach you how to become more organized (teaching should be part of the organizing project).

Since most people call a plumber or an electrician when they have a plumbing or electrical problem, why shouldn’t you call a Professional Organizer when you have an organizing problem?

By having a Professional Organizer help you with your organizing dilemma you can get more accomplished in less time. A Professional Organizer is there to guide you through the process.

How many people have bought workout tapes for use at home but never used them? Good intentions but people tend to work harder when they go to a gym and have someone watch over them than when they try to work out by themselves.

So call a Professional Organizer and let them help you become more Organized – Less Cluttered – and Less Stressed.


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

AN ORGANIZED CLOSET

An organized closet does more than just look good. It serves an important function. Yes, it holds all of your clothes. But it does more than that. It keeps you organized. Or it should.

If your closet is organized correctly it will save you time and money. Time – because you will be able to find things easily. And money – because you won’t be buying clothes that you don’t need because they are already in your closet and now you can find them.

But remember, a closet has to work for you. Not me. I designed my closet to fit my wardrobe. I wore only suits so I needed lots of space for skirts and jackets. I never wore pants or dresses to work so I didn’t need any space to hang long things. But that’s me.

In designing your closet space you have to look at what types of clothes you wear. Don’t just accept the closet space that you inherited when you moved into your house or apartment. It’s probably totally inefficient. So why do you think that you should be stuck with it? Even if you are in an apartment and are not allowed to “build out” your closet there are plenty of options that will work to make your space more efficient.

First, take everything out of your closet. Sort your clothes into piles. Don’t analyze each piece at this point. Right now you just want to put everything into the proper pile.

* Keep pile : wear regularly (at least in the last 6 months) and it fits
* Haven’t worn in the past year
* Doesn’t fit
* Needs to be repaired
* Donate
* Garbage

Next, go through each pile and make the next decision.

Keep pile : wear regularly (at least in the last 6 months) and it fits
* It’s still in style > keep
* It’s out of style > put into the Donate pile

Haven’t worn in the past year
* Haven’t worn it because you didn’t know you had it > put it back into the Keep pile
* Haven’t worn it because you don’t like it > put it into the Donate pile

Doesn’t fit
* If in good condition put it into the Donate pile
* If you have a tendency to go up and down in weight frequently you might want to keep a few basic items in another location should you have another weight change (but only a few items). Please do not torture yourself and think that you will go back down to a size 2 “one of these days” – donate the item – it’s been 10 years!

Needs to be repaired
* If it can be repaired and fits & you will wear it > fix it and then put it into the Keep pile
* If it can be repaired and doesn’t fit > fix it and then put it into the Donate pile
* If it can’t be repaired > put it into the Garbage pile

Donate
* Things that you will not wear or haven’t worn or are out of style
* Be sure to keep a list of donated items

Garbage
* Anything that can’t be fixed

This is the time that you will need to decide on the type of storage accessories that you need for your particular space. Do you need more hanging space? Do you need more shelf space? There are many options for shelf dividers. Do you need more space for shoes?

There are many inexpensive options available and this is where a professional organizer can help you make the right decision so that you can get the most use out of your closet.

After your closet has been re-designed to accommodate your lifestyle it’s time to put your clothes back into the closet. Neatly and folded ! You will be amazed at how much more room you will have.


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Professional Organizer 4 U

A Professional Organizer does more than "organize" your closets. Or your kitchen. Or the garage....

A Professional Organizer can help you organize almost every aspect of your life.

It isn't only "rooms" that need to be organized ....... but your entire life.

Stop and think about it. If you have a job you need to be organized. You need to know when you have to be at work. You need to know when projects are due. You need to get them done, in a timely manner, following certain steps, in a certain order.

If you have a family, you need to get the kids to school on time, get them to all of their doctors appointments, their after school activities... Plus, you have to make dinner and help them with their homework.

You then have to juggle your kids and your spouse and your job.

This can't happen if you aren't organized.

Well.... it can happen....badly....

But if you were organized things would run smoother....and you would be less stressed.

You would get to where you needed to be, when you needed to be there, with as little stress as possible.

Sounds like a fairy tale ?

No.... it really is possible.

BUT......it requires planning and organization.

School is going to be starting in a few weeks (believe it or not)...... Are you ready? Or are you going to wait until the last minute and be stressed out and fighting over the last of the school supplies with another parent that waited until the last minute?

That's just one example of how being organized can help you..... by keeping you on track and making your life run smoother.

Being organized in your job, having your office organized so that you can find things easily can help you save time and money.

Having an organized home to come home to will not only make your life less stressful but it can lead to downright happiness !

Sit back and think about walking into a cluttered mess where you can't find anything........ and then think about walking into a home where everything is in it's place and you feel a calm come over you and you can relax.

A Professional Organizer can help you organize your home so that you can feel calm and stress free in your sanctuary. They can show you how to make your home flow better and teach you how to keep your spaces organized.

A Professional Organizer can teach you how to de-clutter your home and your life. They can teach you structure and order.....in a way that works for "you".

And that's the important part..... it has to work for "you".

A Professional Organizer is non-judgemental and caring.

There is an entire psychology around being organized. So don't beat yourself up over not being organized. Maybe you were never taught to be organized.

An outsider.... a Professional Organizer.... can show you the way to a More Organized You !

Call us today....... and let us help you change your life !

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/