More Time Indoors Means More Time to Clean!

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It’s freezing, it’s snowing and it’s dark out. Don’t look at this in a negative light, look at this as an opportunity! Use the time indoors to begin your clearout for a clean Spring!

 

Sit down with your family and make a plan. Go room by room and decide how you are going to clean, organize and declutter for the warmer months! The warmer months are very popular for renovations, remodels and moves. I encourage you to start small to get into the groove. Once you’re in it it becomes fun and easy to do! 

 

Whether it is an annual spring cleaning, moving or starting a home renovation, we can all start to plan with a little bit more confidence. Over the past week, I had two clients getting ready to start a major home renovation. One was adding an addition to the home and one was reconfiguring their current layout of their place. In both cases, my team and I had to pack up their belongings.  

 

That’s why if you are planning any type of renovation, always think about the end result. How you tackle it on the front end will determine how much you get to enjoy it on the back end. Not to mention how much easier and stress-free your life will be. Trust me. 

If you are remodeling it is very important to pack up and properly seal your clean items. Dust manages to find its way EVERYWHERE in a move or renovation and by taking extra precautions you can keep clothes, tablecloths and anything else fabric CLEAN.  

 

By taking these steps before you are saving yourself from a LOT of trouble in the coming months. Preventing added stress is very important when going through a remodel or move. 

 

I cannot stress enough how important clear, sealed, labeled bins are! Labeling your sealed containers makes setting everything back up when everything is done very easy! So easy you can get the kids involved. 

 

Unpacking can be very overwhelming. With proper labeling you will be able to empty boxes quickly and efficiently. One box in, one box out. Simple as that. So, let’s all get excited for the little things this upcoming spring! Cleaning, renovations, moving, the fresh air and warm temperatures… and hopefully a return to normalcy with social gatherings! 

 

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Jingle bells, clear labeled bins, organizing in the winter

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I must say, this time of year is always so cheery! The holidays put me in the best mood and give me extra energy for productivity. The holiday season is here and it’s time to bring out the decorations, declutter the house and prep the space for out of town visitors and holiday events. 

Did I overwhelm you? I hope not, this time should be enjoyable! If I did, let’s break down step by step how to get the house ready. 

To begin, let’s take a look at your day to day life around you. Is there clutter and things stacking up? First things first we need to take care of this! Ditch the junk mail, file any important bills and papers and put things back in their homes. By getting rid of the clutter you’re making space for decorations and who doesn’t love decorations! Like I discussed last month about creating a storage space in your garage for decor, before you even go to get it this step is important! Doing these cleanouts seasonally sets you up for success every time!

Once you’ve removed clutter, purged and organized it’s time to clean. Get the entire family involved and clean the space as a holiday event! Delegate tasks to different members of the family and set up a plan. Know what needs to happen before the next task. You can’t mop until you’ve vacuumed, those kinds of things! 

Now that you have a clean slate, get out the decor and start decorating! This is such a fun event for the family. The decoration process is super exciting especially in a clean space where creativity can run free! 

Make this a priority, now! Don’t wait. Make sure to give us a call, we would be more than happy to be there for you every step of the way. Enjoy the cooler seasons!! 

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From Lawn Mower to Snow Blower: Time to Clean Out your Garage for Winter!

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It’s about to get cold out and I just know you’re dreading it. Before the snow it’s important to get into your garage and clean it out! It’s time to swap the lawn mower for a snow blower and prepare for the holidays! 

The winter time requires more time in our garages than we’d like to admit. We have to pull the holiday decorations from there, the snow tools and a lot of times it’s where we undress from the snowy weather to prevent it from getting in our homes. 

Before we start breaking down the winter categories, it’s time to come up with a purge plan. 

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with a garage that contains years of keepsakes, old items, donations, and trash. However, it doesn’t have to be. Sort it out and begin thinking of ways to make the garage work for YOU.  

Holidays 

If you keep up with the blog then you already know I love clear bins for storage! It’s time to put back the Halloween costumes and decor and pull out the Thanksgiving bin. If you haven’t switched to clear bins with labels, this is your sign! If you have designated shelves for your clear bins with labels it makes seasonal transition go over very smoothly. This is a great time to donate old decor you no longer have a use for. 

Snow Station

It’s important to have a designated area, especially for the kids where boots and any other snowy pieces of clothing can go to prevent your house from getting messy! 

Weather Tools

Winter requires more tools like snow scrapers, something to melt snow, the correct insulation and so much more. This is a great time to take inventory of what you have, purge anything you don’t need and replace anything you do! 

This may seem incredibly overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! It’s a great time to get the family together. A lot of what is in your garage can usually be thrown away or donated, but make sure you run these past their owners. 10 years later and a family member of mine still won’t let go of the snowboard his father threw away.

Have questions on how you can organize your things? Feel free to reach out. And if you use any of these tips and want to show off your new  garage on Instagram, tag us at @organizedetroit. 

 

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Resetting Our Spaces for Back to School… How to Stay Organized All Year

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It’s that time of year where our lives get hectic again, the weather starts to cool off and our spaces become somewhere that is almost impossible to keep neat… ALMOST. 

 

With summer coming to an end, it’s extremely important to live in a clean organized space as we try to get back to our regular, scheduled lives. For the past year many of us spent all of our time in our homes, working, studying and just relaxing. Now, with the vaccine rolling out we’re finding that our lives are returning to somewhat of our old normal. There’s school, work, doctor’s appointments, sports, clubs, birthday parties and all the things that if you did not have a calendar you may miss. 

 

The most important back to school step is finding, creating, and managing a system that works for you and your family.  Children need structure and now is the time to set systems and routines in place to restore some order to your home. 

 

Around this time of year you can find us doing just that in many homes across the area. Once we leave, it is up to you and your family to be dedicated to keep the system in tact. We find that this is not too difficult because many get excited when they have a neat system that works perfectly for them! 

 

The number one area we like to start off creating systems in the exit area (the front door, or garage door). This area is incredibly important to keep a system. If you are running late this area needs to be able to help you, not make you later. 

 

Do you know that a certain part of your home is holding you back from successfully getting out the door?

 

I would love to take on this important time with you! Just give me a call today.

 

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Preparing for the Worst, But Hoping For the Best!

/ Garage, Home

As much as I love talking about the exciting and positive ways organizing can change your life, I have to bring up the more serious topics like protecting your precious memories safely.

Have you ever thought about where your most valuable papers, items and photos should be kept?

Unfortunately we’ve been dealing with basement flooding and even some devastating fires across the country. We cannot be in control of Mother Nature’s plan, but what we can be in control of is creating places for our memories to be safe in those moments of the unthinkable.  I know I learned this first hand years ago when so many basements in Huntington Woods were flooded with over 4 feet of water.  My friends lost all of their memories from childhood as well as their precious photos.

Let me start by saying, when it comes to organization of your memories… you need to have the correct systems in place.

Because of this, when I go into people’s spaces to create a more organized place, I like to keep everything off the ground, labeled and in clear boxes, well sealed bins. This makes it easy to grab in case of emergency, but also sealed and away from any potential water damage.

The clear, labeled bins make it so that everyone in the family can know the importance of these boxes in case of a disaster. After we come in and organize things like your keepsake items, family photos, the first family portrait and so much more it is important to keep these bins stored together and not scattered around.  They are not often touched and should be put in an area that you know where they are and can add items and bins to as the years go on.

To keep all items protected from water damage we create a system in clear, labeled boxes off of the ground.

I would love to take on this important time with you! Just give me a call today.

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Time for a Little Summer Cleanup!

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Happy July! As summer is in full pursuit, we are now faced with the ever daunting task of entertaining our kids and somehow managing to keep the house clean. If you’re a parent, you know how stressful and time-consuming this can be. 

Luckily, however, in this month’s blog, we’re addressing just how you can manage to keep the house organized, save yourself some time, and have a little fun while doing it!

And let me start by saying, when it comes to organization and your kids, clear bins are your new best friend. Not only is it easy to store and easy to access (even for little hands), but it is easy to locate items too. Meaning, no strewn about supplies and materials around the house…THAT’S  a gift in itself. 

Here’s Our Top 4 Ways to Keep Your Home In Order & Your Kids Happy: 

Arts & Activities 

As summertime activities, camps, and playdates begin it is time to gather all the needed art, craft, and school supplies together. Creating a space within your home (or garage) where you can single out the “supplies” from the rest of your professional or personal materials is vital to keeping the home organized. Label your box like “Kid-Friendly Supplies,” and place any paints, stickers, notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, etc that are available to your kids.

Not only does putting all the supplies in one place make it easier for you and your child, but it also teaches them a sense of responsibility to take care of their items and return them to their proper place. 

Summer Goodies

The rising temperatures mean…pool and beach time! Place all sunscreens, towels, goggles, and aquatic toys in one clear bin (labeled of course).

That way, not only is it easy to access, but your kids can grab the things they need for pool time or even for some front-yard hose action without having to ask you where they are, or which they can use. Dreams come true, right? By grouping items together, you’re automatically ready for any pool party, birthday party, summer trip, and/or camp that comes your way. 

Pantry & Food 

Our kids get hungry ALL the time, and it makes sense, their kids! They are constantly growing and constantly burning calories by running around, swimming, playing, etc. 

If most kids had a choice, they would rummage around in their pantry looking for any possible unhealthy snack they can find. Cut to a few hours later when you go to grab something you need, and find everything in chaos. No, thank you.

What’s the saying – too many hands in the pantry? 

Avoid the mess and provide your kids with healthier alternatives by clearing a space for them within the pantry. By doing so, you have a better oversight over what they are consuming throughout the day and get to spend less time being the “bad cop.” They are supplied with a choice in snack, but one that is better for them, and it is easy to know when to restock. Plus no mess! Stock your pantry box with dried fruits, nuts, yogurt bites, healthier versions of fruit rollups, or any and all of your child’s favorite snacks. 

Closets

Kids play and get dirty. What’s the best way to prevent your kid’s nice clothes from being thrown into the summer mess? Keep it organized. Providing delegated spaces for bathing suits, “play clothes,” and nice outfits keeps your child’s closet tidy and makes them feel like they have more choice over their daily outfits. 

Because let’s be real, kids are notorious for grabbing the first thing they see. Anyone else? By providing bins, sections of the closet, or drawers for their “free grab” clothes, they can dress themselves how they want, get as dirty as they please, and you get a little peace of mind. 

However, before you begin on your organizational journey, it is important to get rid of allllll the items you no longer need. Start by creating four boxes – keep, donate, trash, and recycle. Go through items such as closets, pantries, garages, even school supplies and get rid of anything you no longer use. A good rule of thumb is – if it hasn’t been used in the past year or two, it’s time to go! 

This can be overwhelming to do alone, so invite your kids! Play some music, dance around, teach them the value of cleaning out your space. And as always, I love a dance party (and organization) so I am here to help! Whether it be clearing your space, helping you reorganize, or a mixture of both- I would love to take on this important time with you! Just give me a call today.

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Let’s Get That Garage Packed!

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Are you moving or looking to move?

If so, then this article is perfect for you!

Through all my years of working within the home, in organizing and packing, I’ve come to realize one thing: 

Packing up your garage is by far the most difficult room “in the house.”

Many people believe it’s the kitchen- with all the glasses, dishes, and awkward pans and pots.

However, that is a piece of cake compared to the garage simply because our garage, for so many of us, seems to collect all the large, unruly items we own- landscaping and gardening supplies, tools, excess furniture, extra paint, keepsakes, coolers, grills, etc. 

That’s why in this month’s blog, I’m giving you access to all my favorite tips and tricks. 

Create Four Piles 

Before you do ANY packing, it is essential you first go through the items. For example, do you REALLY need that extra can of paint?

The four piles I suggest making are: Donate, Trash, Recycle, and Keep. 

Place Alike Items Together 

After you’ve cleaned out your garage and figured out which items you are keeping, it is time to group similar items together. For example, brooms or flower pots. 

Once you have similar items together, you can get a visual for any packaging supplies you may need. Remember: So many garage items can be oddly shaped which means speciality packing. 

P.S. Consider any safety measures, for example blades. Bubble wrap is a great way to protect them, or using old towels and linens. 

Do NOT pack these items

Some items are better placed in a cooled car instead of the air tight, hot truck. These items are: paint and paint thinners, pesticides, propane tanks, aerosol cans, car batteries, pool chemicals, and cleaning chemicals. 

Clean Off Items

Before packing your items, I suggest taking a damp cloth or towel to gently clean any outdoor, dirty, dusty, or spider webbed items. 

Label Boxes 

The biggest tip I can give for ANY packing is to label, label, label. 

Don’t just write ‘pots’ because this could be confusing, instead write ‘small-medium flower pots, garage.” The more clues the better! Even if it is a clear container, still label! 

Separate Essential Items

Since the order of significance in terms of unpacking typically favors inside the home, I suggest packing a box of essential garage items. That way if it takes you weeks to unpack the garage items, you don’t end up sifting through 10 boxes looking for a few things. 

As always, packing is best done with a team. I would love to be on yours! Give me a call today.

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Pack with Ease : Here’s How

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When you think of spring, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s bright yellow tulips, longer hours in the day, rainy weather, spring sports, new action-packed movie releases….and of course, ‘spring cleaning.’ 

Spring time and spring cleaning have long gone hand in hand. Whether it be cleaning out spaces within your home, ‘fixing up’ all the things we neglected over the winter, or possibly even making the big jump to moving. 

In a way, you can think of moving as the “big sister” to spring cleaning. Moving is naturally the larger project – containing bigger thoughts, fears, dreams, and preparation. When it comes to moving, there are really two sides: the excitement of moving and a new start in a home that better fits your location or needs; and the stress of getting your house on the market, sold, and begin packing! 

Packing can seem super overwhelming, especially after years of living within a single space – and all the acquired items that come with it. For so many of us, the fear of preparing for the move (and all that comes with it) is so strong that it will hold us back from achieving our dreams and actually starting on the needs in your new home – painting, unpacking, storage, etc. Especially if physical limitations come to play. Say, your move isn’t driven by a new job or better location, but rather, less steps or smaller square footage to clean. The fear of “getting started” heightens when physical limitations are present, and if you are not careful, that fear may actually be enough to squash homeowners needs and dreams of moving. 

In fact, most of our clients are actually referred to us by the client’s children. Oftentimes, they know what is in the best interest for their parents or loved ones and know that a new home will not happen without the helping hands of others. The years of accumulated “stuff” needs to be gone through and donated, trashed or passed on to other family members. Professionals like myself help our clients realize that a new home is possible for them. 

If you find yourself in a similar situation as an adult, looking to open up this conversation of a new home with your parents or loved ones, or even want to make the transition yourself, there are a few key components to consider: 

Starting with assessing what works for them in their house just as much as what doesn’t work.

What spaces in the current home have the most “stuff” to go through? Typically those are the scary spots 🙂 but also, the perfect place to start!

Who are the family members or friends that can help or will be involved with the purging/donating process?

Will a professional be needed and helpful?

Last but not least, provide a good rough idea of when the actual move is wanted or needed.

By answering these questions, you are actively transitioning an idea into an action plan. THAT is the real first step of moving. 

Now that this dialogue has occurred, it is time to get to the nitty gritty. Before packing, you want to declutter and purge your space (or home). Setting up a keep, trash, donate, and ‘not sure’ pile helps you narrow down your belongings and allows you to rid yourself of items not really needed. Once this stage is complete, it is time to get to the packing. Do not worry though, your friends/family or professional will handle getting out all of the donated items to their desired destinations, and therefore providing you one less thing to worry about.

Ready to get started on packing? 

Here’s how:

Always start the packing process with packing materials on hand. Such as: 

  • Small and medium boxes
  • A minimum of 4 rolls of tape
  • At least 4 boxes of packing paper
  • A large roll of bubble wrap
  • Large garbage bags

The small and medium boxes are so important. Of course, you can always acquire boxes for odd shaped items, or larger boxes if really needed, but on average small and medium boxes tend to be the most useful. I’ve found that having large boxes full of three different rooms prolongs the unpacking process. I always say how you pack on the front end dictates how you unpack on the backend. Keeping alike items, from the same room, together will ensure that you unpack a box in its entirety and can shift from room to room at your new location. Keeping your boxes full of items from the same area will speed up your unpacking process as well as make it a lot less stressful. Plus, let’s be real, large boxes take up a LOT of space, especially in the unpacking phase. 

I hope you find these tips and thoughts helpful. Springtime is full of excitement. Don’t let your space at home hold you back from moving forward with your dreams and needs. 

Happy packing!!

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It’s Time for Spring Cleaning (& Renovating!)

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Well… aren’t we all feeling a little bit more “normal”? 

The sun has been shining, the temperatures have been rising, and slowly but surely places are beginning to reopen. Saying it feels incredible is an understatement. I actually feel as if I can see a bright future waiting for us right around the corner.

I’ve been reflecting a lot on where we were a year ago today. For a lot of my clients, they were getting ready to move or had construction set to begin last spring. Obviously, it all got interrupted- pushed back by months and months. This spring, however, things are set to look and feel  a bit differently. 

Whether it is an annual spring cleaning, moving or starting a home renovation, we can all start to plan with a little bit more confidence. Over the past week, I had two clients getting ready to start a major home renovation. One was adding an addition to the home and one was reconfiguring their current layout of their place. In both cases, my team and I had to pack up their belongings.  

One client was remaining in the home while the other had to move out during renovations. However, there was a constant in our conversations about the experience, and that is, “dust seems to find its way everywhere.” Whether the direct area is being affected or not, dust travels throughout the home during renovations. That’s why it is important to pack up all areas within the home. Your aim: leave surfaces empty. 

For my team, when we started packing up the obvious areas within the home, we quickly realized there were even more areas that needed our assistance. Dust. Was. Everywhere. 

That’s why if you are planning any type of renovation, always think about the end result. How you tackle it on the front end will determine how much you get to enjoy it on the back end. Not to mention how much easier and stress-free your life will be. Trust me. 

And yes, chances are you will have a cleaning crew come in and clean surfaces… but, if you have a bunch of stuff that was left out, odds are they will become rusty and the cleaning crew will skip over these items. Their job is to primarily clean EMPTY surfaces. 

My suggestion is by packing up your clean items, you will inherently keep them clean during construction, and your newly renovated home will feel that much better. Here are some suggestions you may not have thought about…

  • If any closet is not being touched, you can keep your items hanging, BUT slip large garbage bags over your hanging clothes. Think of the cleaners as an inspiration. This way it keeps the dust clear and your items can stay in their home without having to  pack them up.
  • In terms of the kitchen, with any exposed shelves, or glass front cabinets, take the time to pack up those items. The glass will surely get dusty and you will need to empty the items anyway. This will ensure you have a clean space to enjoy when the construction is complete. 
  • If you are storing your boxes on site, ask your builder to drape the boxes with a plastic tarp. Undoing dusty boxes is not fun.  It should feel exciting to unpack your long lost friends and put them in your newly renovated space. Don’t make it more difficult (or dirty) than it needs to be. 
  • A super important tip is handling your countertops! No matter where the construction is, clear your countertops and either pack your items or store them in cabinets. 

By taking the time to complete these steps upfront, you are allowing yourself to really prepare for this renovation, and ultimately allow the entire experience to go beautifully (with as little stress as possible!) Because of this, you will enjoy the newness of your remodel that much more. One thing I can promise you is that you will be extremely happy that you planned ahead and didn’t just throw stuff in boxes, or not pack entirely. 

And finally, as you may have guessed, my last piece of advice when packing up, moving, or remodelling is….LABEL LABEL LABEL!  The more specific you are when you label your boxes, the more you can ensure that you are unpacking the right boxes in the right rooms, at the right time. And when you’ve got boxes EVERYWHERE this is an immediate time saver. Don’t just label “master bedroom”, “kitchen,” and “living room.” Instead, list some of the main items in the box. For example, “Kitchen: dishes, silverware, cups.” 

Unpacking can be very overwhelming. With proper labeling you will be able to empty boxes quickly and efficiently. One box in, one box out. Simple as that. So, let’s all get excited for the little things this spring! Cleaning, renovations, moving, the fresh air and warm temperatures… and hopefully a return to normalcy with social gatherings! 

Happy Spring and love to you all. 

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A Note on Organization…

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Welcome, Spring! 

For many of us, spring is a time for self-reflection, cleaning, and healing. I find that it also happens to be the time in which we turn that attitude externally to our homes. So as we prepare to clean out and organize our garages, attics, and homes…I want to share a little note with you.

If you haven’t had the chance to check out last month’s blog, then let’s take a minute to catch you up to speed… 

For starters, I am constantly asked the question, is your house super organized? 

I often think about organizing and what aspects of my life are organized and what parts are not. I obviously love to organize drawers, storage rooms, closets, kitchens and more…but I am super hard on myself when I forget an appointment, show up at the wrong time somewhere or wait until the last minute to do something. 

That would never happen to my husband. Because there are different types of people, different styles of doing things…and you might have guessed it different types of being (and staying) organized!

You can be organized in one way and unorganized in another area. Being organized does not mean you need to be organized in all areas of your life. The older I get the more I recognize my strengths and weaknesses and learn to ask for help when help is needed. This past week I had two clients tell me that their spouses didn’t understand why they needed me when this was something they could clearly do on their own. I’ve heard that a lot over the years. What seems so basic to some, is really tough for others. And when I mean tough, it’s tough! 

We all know how clutter can impact us. It can make us anxious, lower our self esteem, cause frustration and all over uneasy feelings. I do play part therapist, confidante and organizer to my clients. As well as them to me. Our commonality is that we all feel better when we’re organized. When we feel better, we do the stuff we are good at better. We can help others because we have helped ourselves. 

I often tell my client, ”I have been doing this for 15 years, clearly you are not alone,” when they tell me their spouse or friends can’t believe they hired an organizer to help purge an area.

If someone can help you tackle something you are not good at and give you the freedom to move on, worry or stress less, isn’t that in itself a gift? We all need to be kinder to ourselves and others. Less judgement and more patience. Not all of us can do what sometimes looks like a simple project without the help from others. Let’s all simplify our lives. Let’s look for the areas we can get help in and be proud of the areas of our lives we can tackle on our own.  

Here’s the simple truth: we can’t do it all.  

Rather than sit and stir, be proactive and ask for help. You will be so happy you did.

With that being said, I encourage you to check out last month’s blog on Organizing 101, and give us a call (if you need the help!)  

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