Spring Cleaning & Organization

Spring is such an inspiring season. Trees are blooming, new flowers are popping up, and the weather welcomes an afternoon walk or an evening stroll. But as with all things, we have to take the bad with the good. Not only is it a huge time for allergies and sinus pressure but its a reminder that your yard, flower bed, refrigerator, garage, and closets could all use some TLC to be ready for another year. In addition to the inspiration that Spring is giving you, I also wanted to pass on a little motivation to get your home singing with the birds. This checklist doesn't include every cleaning and organization product that you need, but a few that will make the biggest impact in each space of your home.

GENERAL CLEANING PRODUCTS:

1. New Sponges
2. Mop/Broom - Its a good idea to invest in a new mop and broom
on a yearly basis, its worth it for as much as you use it. Or should use it. : )
3. Bucket
4. Cleaning Caddy

BATHROOM:

1. New Toilet Brush

2. Sorted Laundry Hamper - By now you have a pattern for laundry. Find a hamper

that compliments your pattern. Ex: Lights/Darks, With wheels, Removable Liner to carry downstairs/upstair.s

3. Under Sink Organizer - Clean out those Q-tips and hair bands that never made it to the canister or trash, then organize what is left.

4. Drawer Organizer - Measure your drawers and make a list of what is inside them. Shop for an organizer or individual organizers that fit in the drawer perfectly and that divide what you own.

5. Vanity Compartments - If you use Q-tips and Cotton balls every day it would be a good idea to invest in some sort of jars/canisters that can sit on top of you vanity and still look nice.

CLOSET:

1. Closet Rod Doubler - Moving into spring and summer you might be packing away the winter pants, dresses and skirts that take up the long hanging space. Adding a closet rod doubler will increase the amount of short hanging space in your closet.

2. Boot Box/Hanging Device - If you have more shelf space a boot box would be your answer,but if you have some extra hanging space the boot shapers would be suitable. Check out this link to get an idea of the boot shapers that I am referring to. Boot Shapers

3. Bins for Scarfs/Hats/Winter Purses - Finding canvas or wicker bins with lids is suggested. A lidded bin will keep dust out until next winter comes around. These same bins can also be used for baseball caps, flip-flops, summer scarves etc. when winter comes back and its time to make the switch.

4. Wall Mounted Hooks for Necklaces - If you have a walk-in closet you probably have room for one of these. It keeps your necklaces untangled and out of a drawer.

KITCHEN:

1. Upper/Lower Cabinet Organizers - Although everything behind cabinets is hidden, it helps your sanity when "what's behind" is organized. Pull out drawers, lid organizers, and divider shelves make a world of difference in every kitchen.

2. Drawer Organizers - Even the junk drawer should be sorted and organized. Trust me, it can. happen. At most it will take you 15 minutes to go through all of your misc items.

3. Recycle Bins - If you have room in your pantry, place recycling bins labeled plastic/aluminum/paper. If you are grossed out by having it in your pantry, the garage would be the next suitable location.

4. Garbage Disposal Freshener - Every disposal needs some freshening up, go to your local food market and check the cleaning aisle. If you can't find it there check out this link. Garbage Disposal Freshener

OFFICE:

1. 2010 File Box - It's a good idea to have a box for each year.

2. File Folders - Color coordinate your files with red, green, blue, yellow, white etc. folders. Put all your personal files in green, place your taxes in red, medical documents in the blue etc.

3. Charging Station - Everyone has several ipods, MP3 players, cameras, and phones now, so why not have them all in one place?

4. Magazine Rack - On the wall, floor, or book shelf, a magazine rack is usually helpful. We all have a subscription or magazine that we like to keep.

5. Letter Sorter

6. Paper Trays

GARAGE:

1. Storage Containers - In order to hide the nasty paint cans and chemicals, buy a dark colored plastic bin and place it high on a shelf.

2. Bicycle Hooks - Whether you have vertical or horizontal space, get the bikes off the ground.

3. Tool Box - Do you have a decent tool box that allows you to find the tool you need every time? Or do you need to rummage through rusty bins and drawers to find the right one? It's nice to have a new and clean tool box that will sort the nails, screws, and large hand tools, so go out and buy yourself and/or your husband a handy tool box.

4. Sports Equipment Storage - A large basket or bin will do the trick just make sure its kid friendly and allows them access without damaging your vehicles or walls.

5. Auto Organizer - These aren't very common but let me tell you, they are AWESOME. Check out the links below to see a few ideas.

Organizer #1 - Multiple Options (Organize.com)

Organizer #2 - Mobile Office (Container Store)

Organizer #3 - Family Vehicle Organizer (Container Store)

6. Key Hook - Label your keys and hang them where they can be found.

The checklist seems a little overwhelming at first glance, but take it a day or week at a time. Honestly, you can do most of this in a weekend. It's just a matter of DOING it. Trust me, I am the same way with yard work. It takes some motivation to get it done but it ALWAYS feels so good when its finished.

As always feel free to email me with questions. There are several places to shop for all these products but I can give you an idea of where to start. Just let me know.

HAPPY CLEANING & ORGANIZING

Leah

Back in Business...

To: My fellow readers

From: A Busy Mom & Organizer

Please, Please, Please forgive me for neglecting you. I have been caught up with the daily tasks of cleaning, changing diapers and organizing an entire house that I abandoned my role as a "blogger". I promise to pick up the pace and get back to informing and inspiring you to be an organized individual. With that said, stay posted. A post will be coming shortly about Spring Cleaning & Organization.

Happy Organizing.

Leah

My Most Recent Organization Project

This past weekend I worked with a local client to transform and organize their master closet. They were in need of some serious professional help to prepare their home to be put on the housing market. My work was done on Friday and the home had its first showing on Saturday. By Sunday a contract was pending. Yay!

Here are a few interesting before and after pictures.

BEFORE:

1. 2.


3. 4.

1. Built In Drawers
2. His Side
3. Back Wall
4. Her Side

AFTER:

1. 2.

3. 4.

1. Built in Drawers
2. His Side
3. Back Wall
4. Her Side

Before I made this closet look organized I had to create chaos and pull out most items that were once on the floor and on the shelves. Clothes were sorted into "throw away","donate", and "keep" piles, while hanging clothes found a home with other like items. I like to sort shirts and skirts by color then organize from shortest to longest. The pre-existing space did not accomodate for his or her amount of shoes therefore a few products were bought to bring sanity to their shoe collection. These clients were on a budget, so for under $60 the entire closet was organized (2 shoes racks for each person and 2 dividers to sort her binder/portfolios.) In between his side and the built-in drawers was a bare wall where I decided to hang a full length mirror (slightly seen in "his side" pic) to add volume to the closet and really catch the eye of the female viewers. (Come on, what woman wouldn't want a full length mirror in THEIR CLOSET. I have to stand on a chair or the tub to see the bottom half of my outfit. : ) Summer clothes and less frequently worn items were hung on the 3rd level while purses were placed in previously owned containers. And like every closet that has it's odds and ends, each item eventually found a suitable home. What once was a cluttered catastrophe became a spacious haven for home buyers.

If you know of anyone needing some assistance in getting their home organized and sold, please let me know. The organization and tone of a home can make a huge impact on home buyers.

Please feel free to make comments! I always love hearing from you.

Leah

Getting an " Ooo-La, La" Closet for 30% off

If this closet above doesn't make you get the "warm and fuzzie's" inside then you are probably at the wrong site. Although my closet does not have the space for an area rug nor does it have beautiful wood floors, it has the same style and type of shelving as this dreamy Elfa closet above. I purchased my Elfa closet right after we moved into our new home and I can say that I absolutely LOVE my closet. It is the one place in the entire house that I get most excited to show to family and friends. 

Before we bought the home there was a typical shelf and rod that encompassed 3 out of the 4 walls, and although I am fortunate to have a spacious closet the shelf and the rod was not maximizing the space. I therefore proceeded to draw out a design that would accommodate mine and my husbands' shoes, boots, belts, purses, scarves, skirts, shirts, and pants. I can't tell you how excited I was to put it into The Container Stores designer tool and see it all come together. Within no time I was installing it myself and putting everything in its place. The point I want to make is that no matter if you have a gigantic closet or teeny-tiny closet, the Elfa shelving solution (which is now 30% off at The Container Store) can truly maximize every inch. What's even better is that you can do it all yourself. This is a wonderful product that I recommend to many of my clients. 

As you can see from the pictures below, Elfa can work in any space. Even if you don't want to tear out your existing closet you can always add shelves, shoe racks, and drawers to meet your organization needs for the stage of life and budget that you are currently in.

If you have any questions about this product or my organizational services please feel free to email me at LeahSMS@gmail.com. I would love to partner with you and The Container Store to create a closet or space that makes you get the "warm and fuzzie's". And at 30% off right now, it might be a deal that you can't pass up. 

For prices about the Elfa solutions shown, click this link.   ====>  The Container Store 

**All pictures shown were taken by The Container Store and can be seen on their website.

Time to Pack it Away

With Christmas over, it's time to start thinking about packing away the ornaments, wreaths, tree(s), dinnerware, and decor. It's never an easy process to start, but it always feels so good when the task is done. I want to share a few products that will make the storing, wrapping and packing a whole lot easier. And with most stores having GREAT steals on after holiday storage, you should be able to find a price that you can appreciate.

WREATHS: 

1.  JoAnns -  50% off and only costs 9.99. I recently just bought myself one and was able to store an  18" wreath along with a 12" wreath.        

 JoAnns Wreath Storage

2.  The Container Store - A cardboard version of this box is sold at The Container Store at the same price. They also provide wreath storage bags as well.

 The Container Store Wreath Storage

3. Organize.com - For those of you with large wreaths, here is a good option. Holds a 36" wreath and is on sale for $22.39

    Organize.com Wreath Storage

  

ORNAMENTS:

1.  JoAnns - Stores 75 ornaments and at 50% off costs $9.99.

  JoAnns Ornament Storage

2. The Container Store - Check out The Container Stores website for a large selection of ornament storage ranging from $18-$89 a box. Here is a link to my personal favorite.

  The Container Store Ornament Storage

3. Target - Stores 36 ornaments, costs $45 and is made of canvas.

     Target Ornament Storage

4. Organize.com - This website is jammed packed with holiday storage ideas and offers the best selection of boxes for storing away the ornaments. The link below will direct you to a storage solution for those of you with big trees and lots of ornaments

    Organize.com Ornament Storage

TREES:

1. The Container Store - This tree bag holds a tree up to 10 feet tall and only costs $15. 

    The Container Store Tree Bag

2.  Organize.com - The two options below are a personal choice, allowing less work and providing a better solution for the future of your tree. Storage #1 allows up to a 7.5 ft. tree and costs $55 while Storage #2 fits up to a 9 ft. tree and is on sale for $33.59

     Organize.com Tree Storage #1

     Organize.com Tree Storage #2

HOLIDAY DINNERWARE:

1.  The Container Store - This link will only be helpful in viewing the actual product. The Container Store website seems to be out of stock but contact your local store for a product check and in-store pickup.  I was recently in The Container Store and this product was still in stock. The price of these dinnerware storage containers range from $10-$20 a piece.

    The Container Store Dinnerware Storage

2.  Organize.com - Whether packing away holiday dinnerware or your fine china, organize.com 

is the best place to shop for dinnerware storage boxes. The link will connect you to dozens of options.

Organize.com Dinnerware Storage

DECOR:

For storing decor pieces I suggest stocking up on used/new tissue paper and a few large plastic storage boxes/bins. If you don't already have some large plastic bins I would consider investing in a few from your local Wal-Mart or Target. Although it may suit me best to have a red or green lid on ALL my Christmas storage bins, feel free to find the cheapest option and label the boxes with duck tape and a permanent marker. It works just as well. 

HINT: If you have a mice, moth, or rodent problem you may want to add cedar sticks or lavender to your storage boxes along with sealing the lid tightly with packing tape or "Press & Seal" Glad wrap.

If you have any questions or would like more suggestions on other storage options please feel free to contact me at LeahSMS@gmail.com. Have a safe and wonderful New Year. Talk to you in 2010.

Happy Holiday Shopping

Happy Thanksgiving! If you are like me, it's time to consume my body weight in food and pass out on the couch watching football or the Macy's day parade surrounded by cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. I love Thanksgiving! And what I love even more are the family traditions that happen during this holiday season. Come Friday morning every female in the house will roll out of bed around 4:30a, throw on whatever clothes are nearby, load up in a couple of cars, grab a morning coke from Sonic, and crash the "black friday" sales at the mall and surrounding retailers. For those of you that think I am crazy and would NEVER imagine waking up so early to fight the crowds, you will be glad to know that this post will be helpful to you as well. I am here to encourage you to be an organized Christmas shopper; whenever you choose to do so in the next 30 days. Here are some basics for successful holiday shopping this Christmas.

1. Make a list of gift recipients
2. Determine the appropriate amount for each recipient
3. Write down of few gift ideas for each person, allowing a back up plan if all the "Tickle-Me Elmos" are gone
4. By each gift idea, jot down where to shop for that item and go online to print off possible coupons
5. Map out your shopping destinations
6. Try and minimize your shopping to 3-4 days
7. Carry cash, if possible. This will help you keep track of your spending and allow maximum privacy.
8. Accept "Free" gift boxes and tissue whenever offered. Even if you dont use them all for Christmas, they might come in handy some other time.
9. Lastly, wrap the gifts as you buy them. This will keep you from stressing out Christmas Eve and allow you to really enjoy the joy of gift wrapping.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Please feel free to share your holiday experiences and ideas. I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next week....Happy Thanksgiving! Hope to see you Friday morning. ;)

Tip of the Month: November

Can you believe that there is approximately 6 weeks until Christmas? It seems that by the time that I recover from one Christmas season its a few months away from another one. It's the large retail stores like Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby, and Garden Ridge that introduce me every year, around the month of September, to the idea that Christmas is almost within reach. Now before you start assuming that I speak negatively about Christmas, I will have you know that I can sing just about every word to the White Christmas soundtrack and usually begin listening to Christmas music in October. For this year, my tree is already up and ready to be garnished with color. With all this talk about Christmas, have you started thinking about gifts ideas, your personal spending budget, holiday recipes, and Christmas cards? Now I know what you might be thinking..."Christmas!! I just want to enjoy Thanksgiving first." And you are right, but it doesn't mean that you can't prepare yourself for the time of the year that is the busiest for ALL retailers and can cause the most stress with family, cooking, parties, gifts and, for many this year, money! If you come prepared you will likely be able to actually enjoy your Christmas holiday. For this months' tip I want to propose that you put together a Holiday Planner. Last year I experimented with a Holiday Planner and found that it was ever so helpful. My Holiday Planner consists of a small 4"x 6" booklet that has 5 accordion pockets on the left side and a notepad/pencil on the right. In the accordion file I was able to keep track of all my receipts, holiday recipes that I might have found in magazines, coupons, purchased gift cards and even spare cash. I used the notepad to write down gift ideas, keep track of my spending budget, stocking stuffer ideas and even in comparing prices within similar department stores. Its a great item to keep by your bedside to jot-down gift ideas as they come into your head, especially when they are keeping you from sleep. For those of you that are a little OCD this might be old news to you because you couldn't have lived without something similar. But for those you that are wanting to try it out, here are a few ideas to get you started. These ideas range from most expensive to cheapest.

1. Purchase this Holiday Planner at Amazon.com - $16.50                           "Simplify Your Holiday" by Marcia Ramslan                                                                   Although I have not read this book, it appears to offer a long list of checklists and to-do's for a successful year-after-year experience.
2. Download and print similar templates that are found in the book to create a small and personal binder. Just purchase/find a 3-ring binder and follow this website to DIY (Do It Yourself).     http://christmas.organizedhome.com/printable/christmas-planner
3. Grab a small notepad from home and find an unused, enveloped-sized accordion file. You might even own a receipt organizer that can be temporarily emptied for a month or so.

For options 2 & 3 be sure to label the dividers specifically to your needs. Also, make it fun. Allow your creative side to come out by using modge podge to glue on Christmas pictures to the front or add red and green rhinestones. You want to be proud of what you have created.  If you take some personal interest in it, you are more likely to use it more and show it off to family, friends and coworkers. This might be a good way to encourage some family members to hop on the "organized" band wagon, making Christmas day even more enjoyable for everyone.

Lastly, be smart this year and really sit down and create a list of people that you need to buy for and how much you are looking to spend. Trust me, once you add up your list (and don't forget to include a decor budget and gifts for office exchange parties) you will be shocked by how much Christmas can cost.  Merry Organizing this Christmas!!!