Tag Archives: Home Organizing

Get Organized – Why hire a Professional Organizer?

Posted on January 4, 2009 by in Getting Started, Home Organizing, Office Organizing

Why hire a Professional Organizer?  What a great question, first you need to know what a Professional Organizer does…

What is a Professional Organizer?

A Professional Organizer is someone who can take an objective evaluation of your organizational need and make it into a high functioning area. We devise an action plan for your unique needs providing information and assistance. An organizer guides and educates a client by offering support, focus and direction. We want you to Take Control of your surroundings and your time.

Your next question might be….

Shouldn’t I be able to organize on my own?

Possibly! You may have the ability and resources yourself, however, do you have the time, the know-how and the will to get it done? Do you know where to start? Many times people put off organizing projects because it’s too time consuming, and it becomes too overwhelming they end up doing nothing. Many of us will go into a store to buy storage containers and then some how we end up with more clutter and the wrong containers. Hiring a professional guides you and your project with a plan, which is so important when tackling an organizing project. It will be a faster process and I can bring ideas and recommendations that you may not have considered.

Did you know….. (According to the Napo website)

  • The average American burns 55 minutes a day, roughly 12 weeks a year-looking for things they know they own but can’t find.
  • 80% of what we file, we never look at again!
  • 23% of adults say they pay bills late ( thus incur fees) because they lose them.
  • We wear 20% of clothes we own 80% of the time.  The rest hang there, just in case.
  • Getting rid of clutter eliminates 40% of housework in an average home.
  • 80% of the clutter in most homes is a result of disorganization, not lack of space.

In the next month, I will be posting several organizing tips and tricks on things you can start doing NOW!  Remember, don’t be afraid to ask for help, that is what I am here to do, without judgement, without any embarrassment, Let’s make a difference in 2009.  Take back your Time, your Space, and your Control.  Call for a Free Needs Assessment:  541-514-8573.

Declutter your Kitchen for the Holidays

Posted on November 30, 2008 by in Holiday Organizing, Home Organizing

Here are some tips in helping you declutter your kitchen, not only for the holidays but for the new year.. It’s a great time to get rid of those items that are no longer useful… 

  • Toss your old herbs and spices.  If they no longer smell and you have had them for some time, replace them.  Keep the jars and buy new spices in bulk, you will save a lot of money.  Any spices you do not use very often, buy in small amounts. 
  • Go through each of your cabinets and donate any old dishes, coffee cups, glasses, etc. that you no longer use, and anything broken get rid of.  
  • Go through your appliances, are you using the deep fryer or bread machine?  If not, it’s time to donate and free up your valuable space.  If you want to keep it, consider moving it somewhere else outside of the kitchen.  Make sure everything you keep is in good working order.
  • Go through drawers, and get rid of any duplicates or gadgets you no longer use.  Keep only your best measuring spoons, vegetable peeler and so on.  Throw out items that are broken or missing pieces.  
  • Go through your junk drawer.  This is a great thing to do at the end of the year… Get rid of menus you no longer like, or coupons that have expired.  Get rid of trash.  Whatever is left, figure out where it’s best home may be and move it out of the drawer.  Start fresh for the New Year.
  • Go through your pantry, get rid of anything expired.  Anything that has been on the shelve for awhile, donate it to a food shelter. 
When you declutter your space, you free up your space!  

CD / DVD Storage

Posted on November 12, 2008 by in Home Organizing

On the right, I have displayed a recommended product for Handstands 48 CD and DVD storage binder through Amazon.com.  This has been a great solution for our family in organizing our DVD’s and video games.  It eliminates having all of the cases spread around and instead of having a traditional CD/DVD storage system which can take a lot of room, this is something that can easily be put on a shelf or in a drawer.  You can either get rid of the extra cases, or if you want to save them, which we did, for resale or whatever purpose, I put the cases in a clear bin with a label, DVD Cases.  Then the box goes into storage.  It’s a very easy process and can save you a lot of space and time looking for a particular movie or game!

“The Sweep”

Posted on October 9, 2008 by in Home Organizing, Staying Organized

I received a great recommendation from a friend of mine, and I wanted to pass it along…  Anyone who has children understands the nightly battle we all experience on getting them to pick up their toys or other belongings… This family came up with a great solution that gets everyone involved including Mom and Dad!

It is called “The Sweep”!  Every night prior to bath time, they set the kitchen timer for 5 minutes.  They turn the stereo on for some fun music, and everyone in the family runs around the house putting away all of their belongings from the day.  When the timer goes off, they gather in the kitchen, and one person walks the house to check out the collective work.  If anything is left out, the owner has to go put it away.  It gets not only the kids into a nightly routine of cleaning up but also the parents!  At just 5 minutes a day, you can make a difference!

Getting Ready For Fall!

Posted on September 28, 2008 by in Holiday Organizing, Home Organizing

Fall is here and now is a great time to go through your closet!   As seasons change so does what you wear!

Helpful closet tips:

1.     Take inventory of your spring and summer clothes.  Before packing them away or storing in the back of the closet, go through them and decide what you want to keep for next year.  If you didn’t wear it this year, you most likely won’t wear it next year.  Donate!

2.     Need an idea on where to store out of season clothes?  Try under your bed, you can find terrific plastic containers with wheels that will slide right under a bed with no problem.

3.     Now go through the clothes you have for fall and winter and follow the same steps as above.

4.     And don’t forget about shoes, you want to follow the same steps; there is no need for 5 pairs of flip-flops to be in your closet during the winter months.  Clear the space, clear the clutter!

5.     Hang your clothes in categories with clothes you use most with the easiest access. 

6.     Use boxes and other baskets for storing scarves, handbags etc.  When they are placed in one container it makes the closet look and feel much more organized.

Does your closet need a remodel?  Would you like to come up with an organizational system in your closet that will keep you organized for the long term?  But not exactly sure where to place items or what product to buy?  I would be happy to help!  Email me at info@takecontrolorganizing.com and we can schedule a free needs assessment to get started!