Sharing solutions to organize and transform your space.
Actual photo from a client’s basement!
The client and I had a good laugh about how she had labeled her box.
While we chucked at the “stuff” label, you should avoid using such a general term (“Misc” is not my favorite either). It will be hard to remember what is actually in the box later on. Be as descriptive as possible when labeling your containers.
Apparently there is another box called "Junk and Stuff" in the client’s basement closet that we haven't found yet.
When you open your closet in the morning, do you love getting dressed…or do you want to run away and hide? Or maybe you don’t even open your closet, but instead shift through the clothes piled on the chair or dresser.
Here’s some inspiration to refresh and re-organize your wardrobe:
First, watch how experts help a local mom with her questions about her wardrobe in the latest videos on This Mom Needs Help:
Next, use my top tips for closet organization and give your closet a makeover – even 15 minutes of purging can make a big difference!
And finally, here’s a fun article about how closet space in NYC apartments affect the real estate value. It may make you feel better about the space you have!
If you need help making your closet a wonderful space for you, contact me at elizabeth@thatsneatorganizing.com or 617-905-7762 today!
Ever wonder what happens to the clothes and toys that you donate? Last week my daughter and I found out what happens with donated items at Cradles to Crayons. A Boston-based non-profit organization, Cradles to Crayons provides the essentials through donated clothes, shoes, toys and school supplies to homeless and disadvantaged children.
My daughter and I were very excited to work at Cradles to Crayons “Giving Factory,” the very creative name for their warehouse of donated goods. We arrived and immediately found lots of helpful staff and volunteer workers. Once all the volunteer groups were assembled, we all had an introduction to the goals of Cradles to Crayons and saw the end product of the donations: a bag with a week’s worth of clothing, shoes, toys and school supplies for a child.
There are many steps that happen before that bag gets filled for a child. The first step is “Triage” – this is the first sort of donated items to be sure they meet Cradles to Crayons high standards. Toys and school supplies go to one area, while clothes are then sorted by gender.
Next the clothing is sorted. This is where my daughter and I worked. She loved sorting types of clothes – shirts, pants, dresses – into the appropriate size bins. We started with a large industrial-size laundry bin of a type of clothing. We looked to make sure each item met the quality standards and then sorted it by size. Working with other volunteers, over two hours we sorted at least for of the huge bins. Later we found out that our work at just the sorting station helped approximately 165 kids!
After the clothes are sorted by gender and size, they go to the Outfit area. Here volunteers put together clothing to make complete outfits. Cradles to Crayons strives to give a child a week’s worth of clothing.
Finally. other volunteers get to go “Shopping” where they pick out outfits, shoes, toys and school supplies from The Giving Factory shelves for a specific child. All they know is the child’s name, gender and age.
This was an extremely well-run volunteer experience, and I was so impressed with the work of this organization. My daughter and I can’t wait to go back.
Last weekend I worked with one of my toughest customers: my daughter! Believe me, I understand how hard it can be to get other family members to organize their stuff.
We tackled her most challenging area: her craft space.
My daughter is fortunate that she has a little room just for her crafts - with nearly 8 feet of table top space. When she outgrew her little kid table and chairs we took a trip to IKEA and got her two desks tops and a drawer unit. I thought that would be plenty of room for her to work and still have projects in process. But for the past few months things have just piled up, piled up, and piled up.
After asking her to “clean up” her craft space for several weeks to no avail, I just pulled the curtains across so I wouldn’t have to look at the clutter (no door in this space). My daughter wondered why the curtains were closed and I told her.
She finally said to me, “Mom, I want your help.” I decided to treat her as one of my clients and get to work.
My daughter got excited when she found things she had been missing, and was also ready to let go of some half-done projects.
A week in and she has been creating a lot more projects—and keeping the space clean!
Fascinated by the hoarding shows on TV? I was, and that's why I volunteered last summer to help out when the TLC show, "Hoarding: Buried Alive" came to Boston. Tune in to TLC on March 13th at 9pm and you might get a glimpse of me as part of the supporting crew of local organizers working to clean out the home. It was quite an experience, and I can’t wait to see how the episode turns out.
This month my favorite containers are a set of small boxes (sold individually) from Martha Stewart for Staples.
These small boxes solved a big problem: a jumble of junk in my desk drawer. (Sound familiar??) I have a beautiful home-made desk with a shallow drawer. Typical drawer organizers were too tall, but then I found these boxes and they fit perfectly.
First I bought one box to see if it would fit, and it did! Then I bought some more for the desk, then for the kitchen, then for my daughter’s desk.
I also like that these boxes are wider than cutlery-type holders and other drawer organizers. They can easily hold a certain type of item all together…but they aren’t too big that items get lost.
Watch the video of how I use these boxes at a client’s home from This Mom Needs Help! TV show.
For the past month I have been helping many of my clients get organized for their tax prep. We’ve found misplaced checkbooks, checked and cross-checked lists of charitable donations, organized bank statements, and made sure they had all the necessary documents.
If you haven’t started now is the time! IF you need help getting started, here are a few tips:
As I helped my clients with their tax prep I kept thinking that I had to get a start on my own. My goal was to have all my tax info to the accountant by the end of February (this week!). Finally after working on taxes this weekend, I think we are on track to get them done.
Next on the agenda, summer trip and camp planning!
Here in the Boston area we are still digging out from last weekend’s blizzard that dumped 2 to 3 feet of snow. With two snow days off from school, we ended up with a long weekend. In between shoveling and sledding we watched a lot of movies!
Watching movies is the inspiration for my Favorite Container for February: clear media storage boxes.
This great storage box comes from The Container Store. It’s clear, sturdy and stackable. It’s easy to look right through the top and find just the right movie. It also slides out of the cabinet, so I’m not shifting through lots of loose DVD boxes looking for what I want.
At first I was skeptical that I needed a box made for media, but it is the perfect size – with no wasted space. Once I had one box it worked so well, I had to get some more. We’ve now used these boxes to organize all our DVDs and games in our family TV room.
Your Turn: Can you find movies when you need them? If not, it may be time to get them organized. With all the on-demand options for watching movies now, be sure you are only keeping movies that you really watch and enjoy! And finally, don’t even think about keeping VCR tapes unless you still have a working VCR.
My clients often save the most tedious tasks for our sessions – filing, planning, preparing for taxes, cleaning out that junk drawer, putting things away in the attic, or facing that overstuffed closet. In this case I serve as a “buddy” for my clients, helping them get through those tasks that are unbearable alone. I make our sessions fun, keep them motivated, and ultimately they get done what they wanted to.
Why does this work? Judith Kolberg talks about the phenomenon of “body doubling” in her book, Conquering Chronic Disorganization. The body double anchors the client to the tasks, and mirrors back to them patience, persistence and success. I may be sorting or handing the client items to go through, but my job is to be a calm presence.
Once my Bookclub got together and instead of discussing a book, we each brought boxes of photos to organize (this wasn’t even my idea!). Another friend has an annual holiday gift wrapping party. It just shows that tasks can become fun when you don’t face them alone.
Even if you don’t hire a professional organizer, get a friend to help you with that one task you really dread. Trade time with the friend – work at your house, then at hers. Maybe a family member can help. My husband and I can be very productive when we are both in our office quietly working on separate tasks. He’ll remind me of what I want to accomplish if I try to give up on my task, and we keep each other accountable.
So if you are feeling stuck, don’t give up - try organizing with a buddy.
My first favorite container is: this drawer in my kitchen. Yes, a drawer! Drawers are often under-utilized containers in our homes. This organized drawer is one of the things I really and truly enjoy about the new kitchen.
I love that this drawer glides effortlessly open and close – unlike our old kitchen which had only two heavy old drawers that would fall out on your foot if you pulled them open too far.
I also love that this drawer is large enough and allows me to see everything at once. The flatware organizer is a good size, plus it expands on either side so it can fit various drawer sizes. It’s similar to this one from The Container Store.
On the left side of the drawer I added another white container that I had from my old kitchen. It holds the less-used tools, and keeps them from becoming a jumble when the drawer is opened.
If you are re-doing your kitchen, I strongly recommend that you incorporate drawers for storage. From flatware, to food storage containers, to pantry staples and cooking pots, drawers are a great container for the kitchen.
If you have old drawers that don’t work well, get them fixed! We learn to live with a lot but fixing a few of these nagging problems around the home can give you a whole new outlook on your space. And don’t overstuff the drawers with things you don’t use.
For more kitchen storage tips, purchase my 12 Months of Organizing: Kitchen Storage Solutions 2013 Desk Calendar today!
Happy New Year! Need inspiration to organize your kitchen?
Order my 12 Months of Organizing2013 Kitchen Storage Solutions Desk Calendar today.
This year’s calendar is filled with creative solutions for the most important room in your home: the kitchen! Co-created with my cousin, we share 12 of our favorite ideas to help you make your kitchen an efficient space. When your kitchen is simplified and organized, it’s easy to keep it looking good while working hard.
Hurry, supplies are limited. Order yours today!
When sorting papers or dealing with mail, my clients often put aside requests from non-profit organizations, arts groups, and schools to make an “end of the year gift.” The folder or pile grows and grows.
Well, the end of the year is around the corner! Now is the time to pull out that folder or get to that pile of requests, and make your decisions.
Here’s what to do:
With a few simple steps you’ll make your donations and be ready for tax time.
When my family set out on our drive to see relatives for Thanksgiving, we actually left on time! Exactly on time, not 10 or 30 or 60 minutes late, which is usually what happens. We sailed along traffic-free and had a great drive to grandma’s house.
What happened so that we got out of the door at the appointed hour?
What are your secrets for starting a car trip on time?
Good article in the New York Times about parents dealing with their teenager’s bedrooms. I’m taking notes for when my daughter enters this stage in a few years!
What are your tips for getting your kids to clean?
Here are some ideas from me that appeared in the Boston Parents Paper April 2012.
Last week I heard a great idea from a client. Once each month, on a weekend, her family has a scheduled Chore Day. On Chore Day the whole family is involved, working from a list of chores, including putting things away in the storage areas, cleaning out cabinets, and general tidying up. The client reported that “having a scheduled chore day each month means I don’t feel guilty the other three weekends about having lots of fun.” Brilliant! In my house I may schedule some time for myself to work on the basement or the attic, but it’s more haphazard…and it’s not usually a family event unless I rope my husband into it at the last minute or get my daughter to clean out her art supplies. And in between all my daughter’s weekend activities we do have a lot of fun…but the mess in the basement is still there. But now I’m very inspired by the idea of Chore Day, and will try it with my family: maybe just half a Saturday each month to get us going on that nagging list of To Do’s. Would a set Chore Day work for you?
This summer I helped a client organize her closet and entryway. Managing shoes was a huge issue, which we solved by paring down and using a shoe shelf or baskets.
Here's a great visual reminder of the new system the client created for her family. Shoes either go in the basket or on the new shelf – simple.
The sign is taped to the floor right in front of the closet. It’s easier for a routine to become a habit with some reminders in the beginning.
While my husband was in bed with a cold and my daughter fast asleep, I spent the evenings of a recent weekend watching Downton Abbey late into the night. Yes, I know I’m late to the game. I started watching season 1 of the series and was hooked immediately.
What does Downton Abbey have to do with organizing? In such a vast estate as Lord Grantham’s (OK, he lives in a castle), there has to be a large ensemble of household staff to keep everything in order.
How does the staff remember what they need to buy to keep the household running smoothly? In an episode near the end of season one, I saw a vintage organizing tool. In one of the scenes in the kitchen I noticed something intriguing hanging on the wall behind the cook. It passed out of sight quickly but I re-wound and paused it. It was what I thought I had glimpsed: a Household Wants Indicator.
The Household Wants Indicator is a metal board with a pre-written list of items in alphabetical order: from almonds and ammonia, to vinegar and wines. There are metal flags next to each item that you’d flip over as a reminder to purchase the item. The tag is red on the flipped side so it stands out in the list. It’s the original automated checklist!
And while searching online for photos of a Household Wants Indicator, of course I happened upon this app for the iPad. I might just have to toss my pre-printed paper grocery list for this cool one.
Try these tips to set up an effective homework spot for your child:
This article originally appeared in The Neat Sheet September/October 2012
Moving rooms around in your house is never an easy task…especially when it is the hottest week of summer.
I recently got a call from a busy working mom of four. She had started a big project of swapping her kids rooms. Thanks to a renovation, her oldest daughter was getting her own room for the first time. While most of the furniture was in the proper room, all four kids’ clothes and toys weren’t…and this client needed this project done quickly.
On a sweltering night, my client’s husband took all the kids out to a friend’s house, and we dove in to the project. Before I even arrived the client had started and made a ton of progress. Just knowing I was coming got her inspired to move ahead with the “overwhelming job.”
We moved around the furniture in the daughter’s new room to a more efficient layout, then started to sort and put away her clothes. Of course we found lots of clothes and things that belonged in other kids’ rooms, so along the way we switched some dressers and moved other furniture. Did I mention that we folded and put away a ton of clothes?
With some help from iced coffees, water, and fans we finally got all the “girls stuff” out of the son’s bedroom, and everyone was happy…especially mom. It’s amazing how much can be done in a few hours when you have the right motivation.
See below for the “before” and “after” photos.
I’ve written before about how much I like to use The Container Store’s clear shoe boxes. I don’t usually recommend just one product to clients, but these boxes are sturdy and tend to last.
One of my clients likes to use the shoeboxes for storage all over her house. We’ve used them to contain:
As you see in the photos we’ve also labeled the boxes to help everyone in her family know what goes where.
I’m not sure we’ve used the shoeboxes for actual shoes…yet. This container truly works all over the house.
That's Neat! Organizing Elizabeth Goodsell 617.905.7762
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