Shed a Little in the Spring

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It was a good spring for purging around my house. The last of the appreciated-but-still-unused wedding gifts went to a charity auction to support a local community organization.  Yes, it was hard to let the crystal bowls and vases go, but after much angst I did it! And I haven’t looked back: the gifts had been sitting in our attic for 15 years, so I hope they are on to a better home.

Last month my daughter also set aside no-longer-used toys for her school tag sale (fortunately she didn’t buy back any of her own items at the sale!).

And I’ve been “weeding” our garden AND our closets…which has resulted in several bags of clothes for Goodwill or the Vietnam Veterans of America (they pick up!). It’s amazing how much we can find that no longer fits or that we just don’t wear.

Why this urge to purge in the spring? It could be that the annual school tag sales, book sales, and charity auctions make me take a hard look at items we aren’t using, but that could benefit others. It could also be that after a long winter, I am tired of everything and need to pare down our living spaces.

Whatever the reason, spring has become my family’s time to shed some unwanted excess. It helps us to live a little lighter and enjoy the summer even more.

Now I’m off to weed the garden instead of our closet!

For more inspiration, read my article on spring weeding for children’s clothes.

Product Review: Auto Trash Bag from The Mod Mobile

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Containing litter in my car is now a snap, thanks to the stylish Auto Trash Bag from The Mod Mobile!

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that I’ve been posting about car organization. It all started when I was interviewed by The Boston Globe for an article; the writer was getting his first new car, and wanted ideas for keeping it looking like new. My tips appeared in the second part of this Globe car organization article.

In the first part of the article the writer mentions cool, hand-made auto trash bags from The Mod Mobile. He picks out one for his new car.

I had heard about this trash bag a while ago, and at one point even thought I could make my own (researched sewing instructions online)…but since I don’t sew often, I finally decided to purchase one. I’ve upgraded from a plastic bag to a hand-made, beautiful-but-tough, piece of art.

After all, a trash bag is something that I use all the time, so why not get something fun?

And as a bonus, my daughter loves how it looks and is now eagerly looking for things to toss in. As I tell my clients, if you find an organizing tool that you love to look at, you’ll really use it.

That’s Neat! Organizing did not receive any compensation for this review. I just love the product!

Mom Likes a Clean Car

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Do you have a Mother’s Day tradition with your Mom or family?

I look forward to Mother’s Day every year…not only for the special meals and fun family outing we take, but for a clean and organized car.

After the long winter by May my car can really use a good cleaning. It’s finally time to replace the ice-scraper with the sunscreen and beach towels.

So what is my Mother’s Day gift each year? My husband gets my car detailed. It is by far my most favorite gift and has become our tradition.

It is also a reminder that the perfect gift doesn’t always have to mean buying more stuff.

So this Mother’s Day, get creative! What can you do to make your Mom’s life a little easier?

And for my tips on clearing clutter in your car, read my quotes in The Boston Globe article, “Cleaning, organizing tips to help prolong new car’s shine.”

That’s Neat! Organizing in The Boston Globe

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Recently I was interviewed by a writer for The Boston Globe about car organization.  The writer is trading in a well-used Chevy Tahoe for a new Chevy, and wanted strategies for keeping the new car better organized. He sent me a few pictures of his Tahoe’s back seat and console (which was huge!) and I did some phone consulting for how he could keep the new car, well, looking like new.

Read my suggestions in The Boston Globe article.  Here’s the first part of the article when the writer mentions a great car trash bag.

For tips to de-clutter your car, read my Spring Organizing Project #3.

Spring Organizing Project #3: Clear the Car Clutter

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April is car care month, and the right time to give your car a little TLC. Spend 15 minutes de-cluttering your car after the long winter.

  • Take a garbage bag out to your car and clean out any trash.
  • See what you’ve stashed in the trunk and back seat that really belongs elsewhere…or can be tossed/recycled.
  • Clean out the glove box. All you really need to keep in the glove box is the car registration, a small first aid kit, flashlight, the few maps you’ll use the most, and an extra car charger for your cell phone.
  • If you are feeling really industrious, vacuum out your car and then wash the outside - or take a quick trip to the local car wash.

That’s Neat! Organizing was interviewed for a Boston Globe article on car organization!

Time to Pause and Purge

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My house was built in the 1890s and offers endless opportunities for “home improvement” projects…painting, plastering, replacing wiring, squeaky doors and floors…there is always something to fix.

I’ve realized that an unexpected benefit of home projects is the opportunity to reflect on our things. When things get moved around, it’s the perfect time to pause and purge.

For example, last year we upgraded our wiring, which meant that everything in my attic had to move so that the floor boards could come up, and wires and cables could be dropped down through the walls to the second floor. All my semi-organized things moved from one side of the attic to the other, or got piled up in another room.

Finally the wiring was complete and it was time to put everything back. Yikes, what a project! As I started in I was surprised to discover an old bent bed frame that was tucked in the attic corner when we moved in. Hmm, why were we keeping that?

Then I started to to take a closer look and realized other things could go. The waffle iron box for the waffle iron that broke three years ago? Gone. Several other empty boxes for things we no longer had—gone. Broken fans and carpet remnants—gone. Yes, that is part of what was in my attic, and I’m a professional organizer!

My next step was to group and sort the things we were putting back. A big revelation was to keep outgrown baby/child equipment together to go through at another point. We set aside some boxes of books to pare down later, and started a box of small items to donate.

This project was a reminder of how easy it is to stuff our stuff into storage spaces, only to be forgotten! So the next time you are forced to move things around—whether it is a closet or your entire attic—be sure to take the time to pause and purge.

More attic posts:

Spring Organizing Project #2: The Medicine Cabinet

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Spring cleaning doesn’t have to mean huge projects. I find that getting a few small—but often used—spaces into shape can have a big impact.

This week was my second quick Spring organizing project: the medicine cabinet. Here’s my process:

  • First, I took everything out of the cabinet.
  • Then I sorted the items into categories: first aid, basic skin care, eye care, and pain relievers.
  • I purged a few items that had expired, and made a quick note of items we needed. (I keep a pad of sticky notes inside the cabinet – this makes it easy to jot down items as they run out.)
  • Since the shelves were clear I took the opportunity to clean each one.
  • Finally, I replaced the items keeping the categories together.

I was having trouble keeping small items together in the cabinet, so I tried a new product: a medicine cabinet shelf organizer. Usually I like to re-purpose items but in this case the container was made to fit on the narrow shelves. It worked perfectly and corralled all my skin care and nail care products…I might even get another one!

Follow these steps and in just 20 minutes your medicine cabinet can be clean and organized.

For another idea, check out my cousin Janna’s recent post that included how she organized her master bathroom cabinet.

Spring Organizing Project #1: The Laundry Room

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This week Spring finally was in the air! (Of course that was followed by snow flakes a day later, but that’s New England weather.)

The beginning of Spring makes me think about starting fresh in my home…which means quick organizing projects to get things in shape.

The first quick project is the laundry room. If you have my 12 Months of Organizing: A Quarter At a Time calendar, you know why! I won’t repeat all the steps from the calendar, but remember to clean the space, recycle empty detergent bottles, and put away all the things that have crept into the area that don’t belong!

I also want to mention a few of my favoritetools to organize the space:

  • A table. My laundry space isn’t big but having a flat space for sorting and folding clothes comes in handy.
  • Extra laundry baskets marked “cold” and “warm.” Again, I don’t have lots of space in my laundry area but it’s helpful to have baskets to sort out the loads. It brings some order to all the loads of laundry instead of leaving them in one heap on the floor.

Take 30 minutes today and organize your laundry room.

De-Clutter & Donate: Belle of the Ball 2011

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Anton’s Cleaners is once again sponsoring the Belle of the Ball, a  program to “clean and distribute prom dresses to high school junior and senior girls who would otherwise not have the opportunity to attend their school's prom.”

Donate gently used dresses before April 1st at Anton’s Cleaners  or Jordan’s Furniture locations.

ADD Resources

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Last week I attended an amazing seminar, sponsored by the National Association of Professional Organizers-New England, focused on successful organizing strategies for people with ADD. Led by ADD Coach Victoria Ball and a panel of experts, I learned even more tips and approaches to working with clients who have ADD/ADHD.

If you or someone you know has ADD, here are some helpful resources:

Two organizing books written in an ADD-friendly way:

  • Organizing Solutions for People with ADD, Susan Pinsky
  • ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life, Judith Kolberg & Kathleen Nadeau

Websites to check out:

De-Clutter & Donate: LexFUN Consignment Sale

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Have the urge to do some spring cleaning of your basement, attic or the back of the closet? Now is the time to de-clutter…and get cash for your items at the LexFUN Consignment Sale.

LexFUN is Lexington’s Five and Under Network, an organization that offers social and educational opportunities to families with children, birth to age five. Their one-day Consignment Sale is happening Saturday, May 7th at St. Brigid’s Parish in Lexington.

As a seller you can consign toys, games, books, clothes, high chairs and other baby gear. Register online, gather and tag your items (special barcode tags), and drop them off May 5th or 6th.

Like Toy Story 3, you will have de-cluttered, and given your toys new life in a new home! (And have some extra cash in your pocket.)

Kids Artwork: From Piles to Posters

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Ah, the piles of masterpieces that your child creates! Now give them a proper display with new posters from Juxio.

Simply take photos of your child’s creations and upload them to Juxio. Then arrange in a template, and print or share. What could be easier!

Thanks to Gabby from Claiming Space for finding this new resource.

An Organizer’s Magazine Mania

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Recently I was in my attic and noticed the tall skinny bookshelf filled with back issues of Real Simple magazine. Interesting…I had forgotten all about mystash of Real Simples.

As I flipped through the issues and looked at the dates, I realized that I had many of these when we moved several years ago. I had a few issues from as early as 2000 and 2001. Yes, I paid movers to move boxes of back issues.

I remember transferring most of this Real Simple magazine collection from the family room bookshelves to the attic, in order to make more room for books. So I was using the bookshelves in the attic for their intended purpose…but did I really need all these old magazines?

My answer this time was a resounding, “no.” Why?

  • I had forgotten that the magazines were up there.
  • I couldn’t recall a time when I had gone back to an issue to look at something.
  • I guessed that I could find much of what I needed online now.
  • I could use the shelves to store other things in the attic.

I couldn’t throw the magazines out cold, so I decided to take a quick look: I skimmed the front cover and table of contents to see if there was anything worth keeping.

I pulled out some articles and a few whole issues (focused on organizing ideas). I put the organizing-related articles/issues in my office. I also scanned other articles I wanted to keep into my computer; then I could recycle the paper.

Here’s a picture of my stack. The taller pile is the one I recycled. I should have had my tall first-grader stand next to the stack for perspective – I think the stack was higher!

In the end I recycled most of the magazines. Some editions were easy to get rid of, others were harder to part with. I was surprised at how much I was attached to the issue from the month my daughter was born, for example.

What are the lessons from my magazine mania?

1. Be ruthless in purging your reading material. You probably don’t need 5 years worth of back issues of your favorite magazine.

2. Use your storage space well. Can you store your favorite books on a shelf instead of old magazines or journals?

3. Use technology. Scan articles you want to keep to your computer. Use online indexes and websites for current information, not the back issues.

4. And most important: Look in your attic at least once a year; you may be surprised what you find.

Simple Solutions: Shelves

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Often a simple solution is the best. For this client using the vertical space with shelves made a huge impact in her home.

For this room, we first emptied the bags and drawers, and sorted all the items (the client gave a lot away!). She purchased the shelving unit and found good containers to use to store the different kinds of items. It’s important to know what you want to store BEFORE getting the containers.

Check out the before and after photos:

The client says:  “Since organizing the shelves, I have a quicker and easier time cleaning up.  Everything has a place so I know where to put things. I’m not buying the same thing over and over again because I can't find it, and I stopped impulse purchases because I don't have the space to store the extra items.”

Crib & Car Seat Trade-in Event at Babies“R”Us

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Babies”R”Us and Toys”R”Us are having a trade-in event  for cribs, car seats, strollers and more. From January 28 – February 21, 2011 they are giving “customers the opportunity to trade-in any used cribs, car seats, bassinets, strollers, travel systems, play yards, toddler beds or high chairs in exchange for a 25% savings on the purchase of any new baby item, in any of these product categories, from select manufacturers.”

The trade-in event “places an emphasis on specific baby products, such as cribs and car seats that, due to safety concerns, may not be the best candidates to be handed down or resold.”

This is a great opportunity to take a look at older equipment in your home and see if you can trade it in.

You Can Get and Stay Organized!

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Recently a client wrote to me…”Just wanted to tell you that, a couple years after your initial visit, we're still organized! I hate to remember how our house was before... Happy 2011!” 

This is the best thing that a client can say to me – it means I’ve done my job. It is possible to get organized and learn the habits, tricks, and tools to help you stay organized.

If you are ready to take the first step, give me a call at 617-905-7762 or email elizabeth@thatsneatorganizing.com

Help for Hoarders

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Recently I attended a lecture by Dr. Gail Steketee, Dean of Boston University’s School of Social Work. Dr. Steketee’s work has focused on the psychopathology of compulsive hoarding and her talk discussed the symptoms of hoarding and possible interventions. The information Dr. Steketee and her team have started to piece together about hoarding was fascinating, but there is still much to learn.

If you or someone you know may have a problem with hoarding, here are some resources.

Books:

Websites:

Ready, Set, Snow (Days)

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It’s Winter in New England and we’ve had our share of snow recently. With last week’s major storm came the snow days.

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It was joyful to watch and help my daughter create Lego towns for hours during the snow storm; of course these were scattered across the living and dining room.

After the storm it was my birthday and my family had an amazing weekend full of special activities. I enjoyed every minute of the fun and ignored the laundry, Legos and emails piling up.

Needless to say, we were off our regular routine.

But that is part of life, and we’ve got to take the unexpected (snow days) and expected (birthday fun) changes to our regular routine. After all, being organized is not a constant state and the special times are what we’ll remember!

Some people say that if you are organized you miss out on the fun. If you do spend hours alphabetizing your spices then yes, life may pass you by.

But I find that generally being organized helps me enjoy the special times…because I know I can get back on track when I have to.

How to bounce back?

  • Keep your systems simple and easy to use. 
  • Have a place for everything. If you don’t know where something goes, find a place or toss it out!
  • And the biggest tip, develop your re-set routines—routines for putting things away and taking care of regular maintenance (like laundry). For more on re-setting, read my January 2009 Neat Sheet article, Resolve to Reset.

So the next time your routine is upset, roll with it and be ready to reset.

Need Some Organizing Inspiration in 2011? Calendars Are Still Available!

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smallcalendarIf you’d like to tackle an organizing project each month and start to plan ahead, our desk calendar, 12 Months of Organizing: A Quarter At a Time, can help!

Co-created with my cousin, interior designer and stylist Janna Lufkin, the calendar offers inspiring photos and simple projects.

Only a few are left, and you can purchase here or contact me.