Tuesday, March 9, 2010, 10:21 AM
Yikes! This winter was tough. I love the snow, but I've never been more ready for spring and some pre-spring organizing.
My schedule is crazy, so a big, long spring cleaning/organizing day just seems too overwhelming right now. Instead, I'm opting for quick, "spot" organizing session. Here's what I've accomplished in a relatively short amount of time.
SPOT #1: I opened my "junk drawer" recently and realized it was REALLY living up to its name! All I did was separate the contents into two categories: the stuff that actually belongs in the drawer--pens, pencils, a ruler, some refrigerator magnets--and all the stuff that doesn't belong--loose change, art supplies, junky little plastic toys, etc. In no time my drawer had regained its original purpose: to be a "command central" for homework supplies.
SPOT #2: My daughter came home from the circus this weekend with a brand new Ringling Brothers plastic water bottle. Right away, I knew I was in for a purging session because the cabinet where I keep plastic bottles and cups was MAXED OUT! Again, a quick fix was all it took. I simply tossed all the babyish cups and freebie, useless water bottles into the recycling bin and suddenly I had room for the circus bottle and the few other bottles and cups we actually use.
SPOT #3: This morning I tackled the shelf in my office. Within 20 minutes I had removed 28 books which I will donate later today. I would have sworn to you I needed those books, but a quick look at them convinced me otherwise. I'm thrilled with my newfound shelf space!
Which SPOTS will you tackle before Spring? Write to me and let me know...
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Sunday, January 3, 2010, 09:36 PM
December was a good month for The Uncluttered Home! I was featured in two articles, one in The Star Ledger and one on Forbes.com.
The Star Ledger article featured business-oriented holiday gifts, including an office organizing package from The Uncluttered Home.
http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/20 ... ted_g.html
The Forbes article focused on strategies for getting out of the office on time, and I contributed organizing tips.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/12/15/holida ... email.html
Happy Reading!
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Monday, December 7, 2009, 11:22 PM
Many people I speak to are under the impression that buying and using containers is the route to organization. In fact, some people call me and ask if I'll come to their home and tell them which containers to buy!
It's easy to see why this myth exists. After all, there are entire stores devoted exclusively to containers, and many magazine layouts feature beautifully organized rooms filled with colorful, attractive, well-labeled containers!
So what's the problem?
A large majority of the time, I walk into a home and find container after container filled with STUFF. Often, if I ask a client what's inside any given container, they're not even sure.
Containers have become our way of housing lots and lots of items we don't need. We feel that if it lives in a beautiful wicker basket, or colorful plastic bucket, then it's got a purpose.
So running out and buying containers is what I consider "backwards thinking". Before you ever purchase a container, ask yourself what you're storing. Lots of times, people's possessions are placed in containers never to be seen again. What's the point?
Guess what happens (most times) when I visit a home?! By the end of the day you'll find a tower of EMPTY containers. When my clients take the time to review what's inside their containers, it's a great opportunity to purge.
Got lots of containers? Take the time to open them up, look at the stuff, and decide whether it's worth hanging on to or not.
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Thursday, October 29, 2009, 05:20 PM
There’s Still Time to Get Organized BEFORE the Holidays!!
As I write this, Halloween is days away, which means that Thanksgiving, Chanukah & Christmas are right around the corner!! It’s hard to believe, but it’s almost crunch time.
How can you feel in control this holiday season? Grab a pad and make a list of all of the undone tasks that are robbing you of the focus and energy you need to tackle the holidays. Here are a few to get you started:
Recycle unwanted electronics! (monitors, CPUs, TVs, VCRs, etc.). Staples, Best Buy & other retailers have recycling programs, and each county holds its own series of electronics recycling events as well.
Eliminate paper piles! Sort your paper into these piles: “RECYCLE”, “SHRED”, “FILE”, “ACT”, & “BILL”. Designate a place for bills, keep a bag for shredding, set up easy-to-use files and be sure to make time for all of those action items.
Switch over your clothing! The time for shorts and tank tops is over. Remove all of your warm weather clothing from closets and drawers and find your sweaters and corduroys! Use underbed boxes to store out-of-season clothing and even shoes.
Make way for holiday gifts! If you’re expecting lots of incoming gifts for the holidays, make sure there’s enough storage space. Purge your playroom, bookshelves, and other storage areas. For each area, set up 2 bags: one for “garbage”, another for “donations”. It’s amazing how many bags you can fill!
Create a holiday gift spreadsheet with FOUR HEADINGS: Name, Gift, Wrapped? and Mailed?/Delivered? Use it to track your progress throughout the season.
Call or e-mail me any time with your Organizing questions. And, if you’ve made it all the way to the bottom of this letter, you are entitled to $25 off your next organizing session of 3 or more hours 
Happy Organizing!
Julie
P.S.—Looking for a unique holiday gift? I offer gift certificates. Buy one for a friend or ask for one for yourself.
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Wednesday, October 21, 2009, 11:30 AM
Need to see some change NOW? Try organizing the kitchen. While other rooms can get complicated, the kitchen always seems to follow some very general, basic rules, making it (for the most part!) a faster, more gratifying organizing experience.
HOW TO GAIN SPACE & CREATE A MORE EFFICIENT KITCHEN...
Make sure you have a clear surface either on your counter or on a nearby table. Go through each cabinet and separate items into 2 piles: "Often Used" and "Rarely Used".
The "Often Used" items will find their way back into the cabinets. The "Rarely Used" items should either be TOSSED or placed in a farther away STORAGE AREA (often the basement in the homes in which I work).
How do you decide what to toss or donate? Be honest with yourself. Do you ever actually make bread in the bread machine? Do you like Belgian waffles? Kitchen items can be bulky and hog precious cabinet space, so really try to keep it to what you ACTUALLY USE.
"Rarely Used" items to be put in storage are often items only used for particular holidays or seasons. You need them, but they don't need to clog up your space 12 months a year.
Finally, decide where to put your "Often Used" items. You'll want to place items nearest to where they will be used. Pots and pans should be closer to the stove, appliances should be near plugs and counters where they'll be used, etc. As with most rooms, I suggest setting up "zones". Food should be together, as should kitchen tools, small appliances, pots & pans, mixing bowls, etc. These are very simple rules, but ones which are sometimes ignored and cause a lot of chaos.
One final note: paper can also cause a lot of chaos in kitchens! If this is true in your home, you need to tackle those piles, too. More on that another time...
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