Thursday, July 25, 2013
Make the Most of Vertical Space
By
Susan Stewart
When working with small spaces, it is imperative to make use of
vertical space. If you can't go out, you've got to go up! Choose a
product that is attractive, and your organization is now doing double
duty as wall decor. Here are 3 tips for making the most of vertical
storage.
1. Pick the color intentionally, not spontaneously. Many people choose a product spontaneously because they like a color they see in the store. When they get home and realize it doesn't match the room they want to put it in, they become frustrated. A little planning can go a long way here. Think through where you will use it and choose your color accordingly.
2. Do not let pockets, baskets, or any container become a "catch all" or that is exactly what it will do. Containers that become "catch all's" are containers that gather dust. No one wants to sort through miscellaneous junk to find what they are looking for. Instead, give things a home and be consistent about placing that particular item (and only that particular item) in that spot. You can still use baskets or containers for these homes.
3. Too many sticky notes or things on a bulletin board or magnet board makes clutter. People tend to post notes as a reminder but when a board is covered with notes, the note doesn't get seen. Using a to do list for lists works better and easier to read. Use the board for morning reminders or motivating quotes.
1. Pick the color intentionally, not spontaneously. Many people choose a product spontaneously because they like a color they see in the store. When they get home and realize it doesn't match the room they want to put it in, they become frustrated. A little planning can go a long way here. Think through where you will use it and choose your color accordingly.
2. Do not let pockets, baskets, or any container become a "catch all" or that is exactly what it will do. Containers that become "catch all's" are containers that gather dust. No one wants to sort through miscellaneous junk to find what they are looking for. Instead, give things a home and be consistent about placing that particular item (and only that particular item) in that spot. You can still use baskets or containers for these homes.
3. Too many sticky notes or things on a bulletin board or magnet board makes clutter. People tend to post notes as a reminder but when a board is covered with notes, the note doesn't get seen. Using a to do list for lists works better and easier to read. Use the board for morning reminders or motivating quotes.
Susan Stewart is a professional organizer and the founder of
Perfectly Placed Professional Organization and Design in the Phoenix
area. Perfectly Placed specializes in bringing peace and order to busy
families through organization. You can find out more about Susan and
Perfectly Placed at her website: http://www.perfectlyplaced.org/
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Stewart
Organizing For College
By
Susan Stewart
It's back to school time and some of you will be sending a young
adult off to college this year. If you are in this position, it may seem
like an overwhelming task so here are a few tips to simplify it for
you. I'm calling it the 3 C's to an organized dorm room.
1. CATEGORIES: This works for ANY room by the way, and not just dorms. Set up the dorm room in zones and store things accordingly in that zone. In a dorm room, your categories may be grooming, dressing, studying, sleeping & eating. Putting things away is easier when you have decided what and where the zones are. Keep in mind that your space is small so bringing only seasonal clothing and making use of vertical space here is also going to help.
2. COMBINE: You will want to combine your efforts with your roommate. Check ahead of time with what they are bringing so you don't end up with duplicates. Some items to share are a mini fridge, microwave, TV, game system & furniture. You'll also want to choose items with multiple uses. For example: an iPhone can be a phone, calendar, iPod and map. Attractive message boards, hooks and shelves serve dual purposes combining utility needs with decoration.
3. COLOR COORDINATE: This is going to come more into play for the ladies than the men but it still stands true in both places. A dorm room is a small space and small spaces look less cluttered when things are containerized and are color coordinated. That's why photos in a catalog look so good. Pick 2 or 3 colors and stick with those throughout the room when picking storage pieces, decor, bedding, etc.
Happy packing and don't wait until the last minute!
1. CATEGORIES: This works for ANY room by the way, and not just dorms. Set up the dorm room in zones and store things accordingly in that zone. In a dorm room, your categories may be grooming, dressing, studying, sleeping & eating. Putting things away is easier when you have decided what and where the zones are. Keep in mind that your space is small so bringing only seasonal clothing and making use of vertical space here is also going to help.
2. COMBINE: You will want to combine your efforts with your roommate. Check ahead of time with what they are bringing so you don't end up with duplicates. Some items to share are a mini fridge, microwave, TV, game system & furniture. You'll also want to choose items with multiple uses. For example: an iPhone can be a phone, calendar, iPod and map. Attractive message boards, hooks and shelves serve dual purposes combining utility needs with decoration.
3. COLOR COORDINATE: This is going to come more into play for the ladies than the men but it still stands true in both places. A dorm room is a small space and small spaces look less cluttered when things are containerized and are color coordinated. That's why photos in a catalog look so good. Pick 2 or 3 colors and stick with those throughout the room when picking storage pieces, decor, bedding, etc.
Happy packing and don't wait until the last minute!
Susan Stewart is a professional organizer and the founder of
Perfectly Placed Professional Organization and Design in the Phoenix
area. Perfectly Placed specializes in bringing peace and order to busy
families through organization. You can find out more about Susan and
Perfectly Placed at her website: http://www.perfectlyplaced.org
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Stewart
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
What Cluttered Area in Your House Causes the Most Frustration?
- Is it your cluttered kitchen or bathroom cabinets?
- Could it be your desk with piles of papers?
- Maybe your family room is not being used for it's fullest potential because clutter is taking up a lot of space.
- Can you relax in your bedroom area, or do you have disorganization with clothes and books lying around?
- Do you have unfolded clothes in laundry baskets sitting in your family room on the couch?
- Is it taking you too long to cook and prepare family meals because you can't find what you need inside of your disorganized, cluttered kitchen cabinets?
- Do you get frustrated just thinking about cleaning and maintaining the bathroom every week because you haven't figured out the appropriate storage for that area?
- Do you dislike walking into your basement because you have been storing so much of what you have accumulated throughout the years in boxes downstairs?
- Can you park your cars in your garage, or do you use that area to store extra boxes of items that you need to sort through?
- Does it look nice around the entrance of your front or back door, or do you have shoes, mail, magazines, or pet supplies lying around?
After reading many of my examples, you any decide to start in the one area of your home that causes you the most frustration.
You will want to begin by planning your organizing or decluttering project.
Plan an appropriate amount of time for your individual projects. Four hours may be a great amount of time, but even if you have an hour or 30 minutes, you may accomplish a decent amount of work.
After you become accustomed to decluttering and organizing your house, you may easily find that even 15 minutes a day may be helpful if you are busy.
Get your supplies ready, such as: garbage bags, boxes for sorting, labels, etc. You will want to wait until you declutter to buy specific storage containers that you will need to use on a long-term basis.
It is helpful to decide in advance what you want to do with any items that you definitely decide to get rid of for sure. Some examples: local charity, local consignment store, junk removal service, or a future yard sale.
It is helpful to have items removed quickly after your organizing project is completed. It is always a good idea to completely finish one project before you begin another.
Remember to stick with one area that you are working on and do not jump into other rooms at the same time. Focus on one project at time to increase your efficiency.
Some people enjoy working with an accountable friend and they find that method to be motivating.
Others may have a need or desire to hire a Professional Organizer to help them develop specific organizing systems and storage solutions.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Learn How to Organize Your Home
Everyone seems to have a really busy schedule and time is very valuable. When you know how to organize your home and your life, you can focus more easily on achieving your goals. Disorganization can create unnecssary stress. The good news is “you can learn to be organized”. I recently purchased an excellent book for getting organized. It is a step-by-step guide to help you create and maintain order in your home.
You may want to check it out: Yes I Can Organize in 7 Simple Steps; An Empowering Guide To Home Organization. It is a great resource for helping you declutter and organize all areas of your home. Here are some benefits of the book:
- Easy to understand and enjoyable to read
- Contains outstanding information on home organization
- Helps you understand disorganization and the impact it can have on your life
- Teaches you how to take control of home organization and keep your house maintained and in order
- Contains worksheets specifically for home organization
Start today by creating a better and more organized tomorrow that will encourage you to relax and enjoy every moment of your life.
You can find out more about this book by clicking on this link: Yes I Can Organize in 7 Simple Steps; An Empowering Guide To Home Organization. The sooner you get started, the quicker you’ll see positive results.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Sunday, July 14, 2013
The Positive Benefits of Home Organization and Decluttering Your House
You will be able to focus on things that you enjoy, such as: exercise, hobbies, good nutrition, etc.
You may find that you have more time to spend with family and friends.
Hopefully, you won't have the need to purchase unnecessary items because you will have easy access to your items and be able to find everything when you need it. You will learn how to find "the right place for everything in your home."
You may really enjoy the big bonus of having more space in your home once you get rid of your clutter.
An organized house, free of clutter, may help you save time when you need to do your routine daily/weekly household chores.
I find that I focus and concentrate better and feel more productive and less stress with work when my house and office are organized.
You may increase your confidence to invite your friends over to your home again.
You may find that you have more time to spend with family and friends.
Hopefully, you won't have the need to purchase unnecessary items because you will have easy access to your items and be able to find everything when you need it. You will learn how to find "the right place for everything in your home."
You may really enjoy the big bonus of having more space in your home once you get rid of your clutter.
An organized house, free of clutter, may help you save time when you need to do your routine daily/weekly household chores.
I find that I focus and concentrate better and feel more productive and less stress with work when my house and office are organized.
You may increase your confidence to invite your friends over to your home again.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Friday, July 5, 2013
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
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