My Clutter Is Costing Me What!?!?

Picture it...2003. My husband and I were celebrating our first wedding anniversary living in a 611 sq ft apartment for $611 a month in Texas. It was my anniversary gift, a tabby cat we named Harley, that made me look at every item in my home in a new light. We loved Harley, for the entire 3 weeks he was with us before our management office found out we had him. But his food dishes set something off in me.

It was a normal, everyday, plastic, double feeder. It wasn't large by any means and took up exactly 1 square foot of our kitchen floor. Then I noticed the litter box...3 square feet. Another 4 square feet for his kitty tower. I turned to my husband and said, "You mean to tell me that we are paying $8 a month just to have his stuff here!?" No, $8 a month isn't a large amount, but it was an amazing realization. Every item in your home is costing money to store. Your bed, couch, refrigerator, and yes, even the cat's water bowl. But that is what rent is for...to store the living essentials and niceties, not the clutter that can become strewn about your rooms taking up literally valuable space!

Look around your home. How much of your rent or mortgage are you spending housing your clutter? To figure the monthly cost, divide your mortgage or rent by the total square footage of your living space. That will tell you how much each square foot "costs" a month.

G.O. Month is quickly coming to a close. Remember that any progress is progress!! Be proud of your accomplishments and keep going! To find a professional organizer near you or for more organizing tips, visit NAPO, the National Association of Professional Organizers.

How To...

As week 2 of G.O. Month closed, I received so many emails asking about specific items to organize. Because of the frequency of the requests, I decided to cover the responses here for all to see!

The following items will answer the question "How To..." and hopefully give you ideas on how to organize your home!

"...Create a Baby Keepsake Box"
Definitely the #1 question! Since this task will require storing items for  many years to come, a larger tote bin or storage box is my recommendation. I always suggest a plastic bin with a locking lid. Your child's valuables will be preserved from dust, possible water damage and critters that develop a fetish for glue and glitter. Other items you will need are:

• An accordion file or pocket folders
• 1 smaller shoe sized bin with locking lid
• Permanent marker or label maker
• Paper clips 
• Acid-free tissue paper
• Pen & Paper

Wrap smaller items that may get lost or break in tissue paper and store in the smaller bin for safekeeping. Make sure to mark or label the child's name on every bin to prevent confusion if you have more than 1 child. Making a short note or list of the items as they are placed in the respective bins will be a wonderful way to ensure your child knows the importance of the items within the box. 

For artwork or other keepsake papers, paperclip related items together and place in either an accordion file folder or individually labeled pocket folders, one for each year. These files can easily be placed inside the larger bin for safe keeping. Make sure to annotate special information on the outside of each folder or on a piece of paper in each section of the accordion file such as; age, teacher's name, special friends and any special accomplishments. 

"...Keep My Car Clean"

Since many of us seem to spend just as much time in our cars as we do in our homes, keeping our vehicles organized is key. For those with small children, keep a bin of items such as; diapers, wipes, change of clothes, towel, bottled water and trash bags as a staple. Having a stash will end those emergency moments that children seem to be experts at creating. 

Keep a plastic grocery bag in the front of your car to catch trash that would otherwise end up on your floorboards. Toss the whole bag when it is full or every few days as needed. A medium sized bin will control the backseat clutter by corralling small toys, books and favorite items of other family members. The bin will allow you to easily return items to their homes in the house as well. 

There are several wonderful products that can be tailored to suit your needs. Most of these products can be found at your local Superstore or online in the automotive section fairly inexpensively. 

"...Fold Laundry Faster"

I can't make this stuff up! At least 17 of you actually emailed me asking how to fold laundry faster!! Aside from attaching 4 more arms, here's all I have for you...

If you are a "dumper" and tend to fold clothes from piles on your bed or couch, you're in luck! This post will be most beneficial to you as opposed to those who prefer to fold from the dryer.

First, remove larger items such as towels, jeans and items you know you will hang up. 

Next, quickly pick thorough and pull out the socks. DO NOT match socks or dig for more. You'll find them.

Then, fold items and place in to designated piles by DRAWER DESIGNATION. If jeans and shorts are in separate drawers, separate piles so that each pile will be directly transferred to a drawer space. 

All of the items left in the pile should have been "fold" items and you should be able to make quick work of it. Transfer piles into their home drawers and hang the remaining garments and voila! Done! It may take some practice, but you will get into a system in no time.

More organizing dilemmas? Contact me or visit the NAPO website to locate a professional organizer near you!

1 down, 3 to GO!

Week 1 of G.O. (Get Organized) month is coming to an end. How do you feel that your G.O. is going? If you still feel like you're not sure where to start, this post may help.

Think about your day. When you wake up, shower, dress and generally ready yourself for the day, does it seem to take longer than you would like? Do you fumble through drawers and make up bags looking for a specific item? If so, think about starting with where you start! First things first, as it goes!! People tend to lose quite a bit of time in their morning routine. Culling make up from your bag and clearing items that are infrequently used is not only a good organizing practice, but a must for safety and hygiene. There is a great article for the shelf life of make up here.

Next, consider streamlining your wardrobe. Toss any damaged items right away. Donate any items that haven't been worn in a year, 3-6 months for items like jeans and t-shirts. Typically theses items don't fit anymore. Having items in your closet and drawers that you don't and won't wear only slows you down in the morning.

In the next weeks, I'll be working through other possible speed bumps that slow you down through the day. Keep checking back in and sending your comments and questions to organizedstork@live.com