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Look around everywhere you turn is clothing
It’s everywhere that you go [look around] You try everything you can to escape
The pain of piles that you know [piles that you know]

When all else fails and you long to be
Something better than you are today
I know a place where you can get away
It’s called The Container Store, and here’s what it’s for, so…

Come on, vogue
Let your body shop to the muzak [shop to the muzak] Hey, hey, hey
Come on, vogue
Let your body go with the flow [go with the flow] You know you can do it!

-By Madonna, and slightly tweaked by me! ☺  

So…the holidays are over now. You’ve probably returned some clothes that you received (perhaps an ugly holiday sweater) but still kept some as well.  Problem though…your closet is packed and there’s no room for even one more thing!

No worries, let’s take it step by step, so you don’t get overwhelmed! Do one step a day if you need.

Step 1 – Grab a trash bag and skim through the shelves and rods, and look for any items you obviously know that you don’t like to wear anymore, even if they fit fine. Put all the items in the bag(s), which you can take to consign (if you have expensive pieces) or donate. Immediately put the bag(s) in the trunk of your car. If they stay nearby, the level of temptation to put things back will be high. That’s why many Professional Organizers will offer to take your bags for you! Well that, plus we are just nice people who like helping others!

Step 2 – Shelf by shelf and with sections of hanging, bring the clothes out and set them on your bed. You are now going to look for items that are stained or ripped and beyond cleaning or repair. Again, if you have some expensive pieces, try your hand at a dry cleaner and a tailor. Otherwise, break out another trash bag and let those items go. Temptation isn’t nearly as high for this bag, right?!

Step 3 – Aside from the clothes that you like to wear left in the closet, there are bound to be many that you still hold onto for nostalgia’s sake or because you want them for when you can fit into them again. Perhaps you’ve heard the statistic that people wear only 20% of their clothing 80% of the time.  Don’t worry…I’m not going to be too hard on you here! Purchase some clear bins (perhaps at The Container Store!) that can sit on the top shelves of your closet. Those clothes will be going in there for now. You’ll still be aware that those items are there, but they won’t be taking up your valuable space. Every few months, or at least in another year, pull the bins down to gauge your feelings about the clothing inside.

Step 4 – Now’s the time for some fun! Put those new clothes on and dance around (perhaps doing the Vogue!) as if it is your own small fashion show, and celebrate the fact that you now have room for these new pieces!

Step 5 – After regaining your composure and your breath (ha ha) you can put your clothing on the many empty hangers that you have made available.

Here’s to you and a happy and clutter-free New Year!

Happy New Year! Organizing ranks as the second most popular New Year’s resolution – second only to losing weight and getting in shape. Follow my simple suggestion to open up some space in your house for all the new items that came into your life during the holidays; organize your flower vases.

Start by deciding how many flower vases you actually need in your life and where you use them. It’s nice to have one casual vase for those bouquets you pick up at the grocery store (especially during the winter when we yearn for something bright). A beautiful crystal vase is wonderful on the dining room table and another in the family room where you spend so much time during the cold weather. A pretty vase for the guest bedroom is a lovely touch when you have company. And let’s use one in the master bedroom. A vase of flowers in your foyer is always a perk. Or, keep it simple and just put a vase in every room of your house. Sound extravagant? For a 4 bedroom house that’s probably about 7 or 8 vases.

Now gather all the vases you have all around your house (several of my clients found over 20!)Place them on the dining room table – now count. Surprised? Now sort them – beautiful crystal vase/s you received as wedding gifts, glass vases from florist shops you are holding on to, old vases that belonged to a relative, seasonal vases, etc. Select the best or favorite vase for each room you counted. Take a hard look at what’s left. I’m betting there are many more than you said you needed. There are so many ways you can use these other than having them take up valuable space in your storage areas where they go unloved and unused.

Arrange fresh flowers from the market or from your garden during the various seasons and give them to:
• a friend celebrating a birthday or anniversary
• a new neighbor
• a neighbor who has collected your mail while you were away
• someone who has just lost a loved one
• the host of the party you are attending
• someone who just had a baby
• someone whose feelings you (unintentionally, of course) bruised

The vases you’ve stored away, sometimes for years, could now bring people smiles and spread happiness. All it cost was a little time and a few flowers! Now you have a beautiful touch in each of your rooms and space to store things you really need to keep. Happy New Year!

Does the thought of organizing your desktop bring music to your ears for the anticipation of the neat and orderly results of this accomplishment or does it bring painful groans of displeasure wondering how you will accomplish this seemingly impossible task for your desk?

As is the case with many tasks and projects, if we break it down into smaller parts then it’s not so overwhelming. Of course, there is always the super easy way out and that’s the complete one swipe and into the box removal. Quick, easy, and painless but I don’t think that’s really what you want to do. Especially not on National Clean Off Your Desk Day! So let’s take a look at a more organized and orderly approach.

1. Assess
First, take stock of what is on your desk. Consider what items you need to address such as: paper, files, and office supplies — along with any random items on your desk.

2. Store
Next, decide how to store these items that are currently on top of your desk.

• For example: if you have piles of papers that need to be filed, it’s understandable you may not be able to file them all at this moment. However if you can, go for it right now and file them away! If not, consider a folder or letter tray labeled “TO FILE” so you can organize those papers into one designated area. Now remember, at some point you will need to actually file those papers.
• If you have mounds of files and are working on multiple files at one time, you may not want to put them all back in the filing drawer and that is ok. However, to store those files in a more orderly fashion, you may want to consider a file folder for keeping them upright or letter trays to keep them tidy and easily available to you without each and every single file stacked high on your desk.
•  How about supplies? Do you have notepads, pens, pencils, paperclips, etc, strewn about your desk? Consider a desk organizer to keep those items neat and contained yet easily accessible.

3. Remove
Finally, remove miscellaneous items that have no relevancy to your work area. You may even find some items that are trash which is a super quick removal.  Here is where the one swipe and into a box is a handy option. Make sure to return all of those random items such as books, magazines, empty coffee cups, etc. to their designated homes.

There you have it: 3 easy ways to tidy up your desktop! Optimize your productivity while at your desk by using 3 simple steps — Assess, Store, and Remove — to keep your desktop neat and organized.

Let me be the first to wish you Happy National Get Organized Month! I saw a sign hanging in Lowe’s that said “Resolve to Declutter” and it was surrounded by a colorful array of storage containers. It’s that time of year when many of us look around our homes and ask “Where did all this stuff come from?” Taking the first step and staying organized can be daunting, but if you think you are alone, you are not. Here are ten barriers that keep my clients from starting and staying organized. Let’s break it down:

1. Don’t have the time. Time won’t magically appear when you want to achieve something. Use a day planner or your smart phone to schedule the time to organize, have fun, or accomplish something great. When you do, there is suddenly time to be spontaneous!
2. Allowing others to dictate your schedule. I’m not talking about going out and having fun, but I am talking about setting boundaries so others don’t infringe upon your personal time to get your own life in order.
3. You aren’t good at organizing. Some people need more practice than others and developing a habit takes at least 30 days to make it stick. Use books and websites to help.
4. Staying focused. Our brains aren’t wired to stay on task so use cues, rewards, or a stop watch. Use whatever you deem necessary to stay focused on the project at hand.
5. Perfectionism. If it can’t be perfect why start at all? If that sounds familiar, start small and celebrate small accomplishments. Practice saying the words “good enough.”
6. Too much clutter or CRAP: Clutter that Robs Anyone of Pleasure. If your things do not bring you joy, pleasure, usefulness, or life to your home, it should leave your home.
7. Once and done should do it. All homes need maintenance to remain organized week after week, but if you have a home for everything, cleanup will be a breeze.
8. The voices around you. Don’t allow others to make you feel bad about not being able to get organized yourself. Ignore the naysayers and enlist a friend or call a professional.
9. House isn’t big enough. The size or layout of a home isn’t always the issue. Organization methods, storage tools, and less clutter will usually do the trick.
10. Health issues. Even if you have the desire, you may not have the ability or the energy to do what is needed to get organized. Enlist help.

If you or someone you love needs help moving forward in the New Year, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a professional: a cleaning service, a senior care agency, financial planner, insurance broker, senior move management company, or a professional organizer. Professionals are trained to listen and narrow in on your specific needs. They can give you a jump start or much needed tools to help you or someone you love live their best life.

Clutter Quote: “As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” Henry David Thoreau

I look at the last week of the year as a super productive week since I am not scheduled to work, and I can spend time getting myself ready for the new year. I want to be as organized as possible before January 5, 2015, which is my first day back to work! Below is a list of suggestions that may help you start your new year off a bit more organized.

Donations 
-If you want to maximize your donations for the 2014 tax year, take one more look through your closets, bookshelves, cabinets, attics, basements and garages to pull anything out that needs to be donated. Children’s toys and books are usually a gold mine for most donation establishments.
-After the holidays, as you integrate your new gifts, take stock of your duplicates, triplicates or otherwise unwanted things that can be better utilized by others.
-Keep in mind that you shouldn’t wait until December 31 to drop off your donations, because if the center hits their capacity level, they may stop accepting donations.
-Some donation centers will pick up your unwanted goods as long as you are on their schedule. Some donation center choices are GreenDrop, Vietnam Veterans of America, The Salvation Army, and Impact Thrift Stores.
-Make your final online cash donations as soon as possible since you don’t want to get stuck with slow or crashing websites at the last minute.

Files 
-Assuming that you have them, the end of the year is a great time to purge your old files and create new ones.  If you need help creating a filing system, a professional organizer can help. You can go to the ‘Find an Organizer’ tab at the top of this page.
-Go through your 2014 bills, pull them out of their files, and clip or band them together if you are going to need them for your taxes. If you don’t need them for your taxes, I would suggest shredding anything that has personal information or account numbers. Most of my clients shred their department store bills and hold onto some of their utility bills for another year (I think they just want the security of having them…just in case).
– A filing cabinet or file box are both great choices to keep your files organized and accessible.
-If you scan your bills and receipts, remember to create new files on your computer.

Hopefully, there is something here that will help you start 2015 off with a little more organization in your world.

Most of us remember this line from the movie “Mommy Dearest” along with the cruelty that accompanied it.

Most Professional Organizers cringe at the sight of a closet packed full of clothes and each piece on a wire hanger, twisting up, over and back. No wonder people say they have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear! You won’t wear what you don’t see. Most of us select clothes that reflect our personal style and if we’re appointing that task to our clothes, we need to respect them.

Proper care of your clothes will result in:
• longer wear
• neater appearance
• protection of your clothing investment
• easier outfit selection since you can clearly see what you have

The market is flush with many styles of hangers and it’s up to your priorities and budget to select what’s appropriate for your wardrobe. Here are some guidelines:

Padded hangers – Padded hangers are great for shirts, dresses, blouses, and of course, robes. Padded hangers with clips are a great choice for hanging outfits.  Amazon.com

Wooden hangers – If you can afford them, wooden hangers are the best choice for men’s and women’s suits.  The thick curved design provides support in your suits’ shoulders.  Some are made of cedar and protect precious fabrics and help maintain the shape of tailored pieces. It’s actually your most economic hanger purchase since they last for years and will most likely outlast your next 3 cars! HangerStore.com

Flock/Velvet hangers – These hangers work best for delicate tops, camisoles, and pashminas. Although they come in many colors, black is best, and can always be matched when you need to purchase more.   ContainerStore.com

Quality hangers are also available for belts and neckties. If space is tight, hang these on the back wall of your closet behind the clothing.

Below are some budget-wise choices:

Clear acrylic hangers — These hangers are the ones most likely seen in department stores. They’re inexpensive, available everywhere, sturdy, moisture-proof, don’t take up too much visual space. They can be used in the laundry room for hanging items right out of the dryer.

Plastic tubular hangers — These hangers last forever and are inexpensive. Also, they can be used in the laundry room for hanging drip dry items. Purchase the thicker versions which hold up better.

Suit hangers — These hangers can accommodate pants/slacks folded underneath the jacket skirt/pant hangers with clips at the waist avoid that mid-length crease.

Space-saving hangers — Typically hold 10 garments vertically and then fold down horizontally to save space. Tradeoffs are wrinkled clothes and hidden garments; remember — if you can’t see it, you won’t wear it. Use them for long term/out of season storage.

Speaking of out-of-season storage, it’s best to use canvas garment bags. Plastic garment bags trap moisture and the chemicals used in the dry cleaning process. Be sure to add some cedar chips or blocks before closing the bag(s). Another option is Cedar Fresh sachets which are cedar and lavender combined in one sachet on a string you can hang on a hanger. The fragrance is pleasant and not overwhelmingly strong.

Hopefully, these suggestions have inspired you to ‘take stock’ of your closet situation, and if need be, make the necessary changes. Remember, you can always ask a professional organizer for help.