Putting Your Clutter On A Diet

Guaranteed to make your living space fit better by summer!

Happy spring, friends! (I say that with a little sarcasm for my friends here in Chicago, who are still wearing our heavy winter coats… wondering if we are going to get windburn on opening day at Wrigley.)

Summer really is coming.  Several people have promised me this. 

As anxious as I am to get back into skirts and flip flops, I also know no matter how many coats of sunless tanning lotion I apply, it’s not going to make my clothes fit any better.

The short list of diets I have been on consist of:

• The (in a wedding and my ex-boyfriend will be there) Cabbage Soup Diet
• The (haven’t seen these people since I was in high school) Master Cleanse
• The (refuse to wear something that looks like a prairie skirt over my bathing suit while on vacation) Cantaloupe Only Diet

All joking aside, none of the diets mentioned above were healthy, and rarely resulted in lasting weight loss. 

If you are smart enough to read this blog post, you are smart enough to know the reason for weight gain is consuming more calories in a day then you have burned. 

It’s also not rocket science to know the reason you have clutter is because you have brought more “things” into your living space than you have gotten rid of.

Let’s work together to eliminate some of those “things” and work on some target areas that need help before summer gets here!

Starting April 1^st, lasting for 30 days, I’m going to post here on my blog (and Facebook), an area I want you to concentrate on for that day.

Just like a weight loss diet, some days are going to be harder than others for certain people.  Some of you may want to give up on “SHOE” day… but on “Hair Product Day” – well, let’s just hope you are a wash and go kind of gal / guy.

In the meantime, I encourage you as my readers and clients to submit your problem areas so we can work on them as a team.  Before and after pictures posted to my Facebook page would be amazing! Success stories? I can’t wait to read them!

Let’s get excited to get your clutter on a diet!

(Hopefully you aren’t rolling your eyes at me like I always do at the Weight Watchers lady.)

I’m way cooler than she is.

Organization Motivation

I’m one to talk about motivation.  When was the last time I did a blog post? The only thing I am motivated to do in the dead of winter is to see how quickly I can get out of my snow boots and seven layers of clothing, and into sweat pants and a sweater that probably hasn’t been washed in a month. 

Now is the time to get organizing projects out of the way.  Why not? We’re home anyway.  The last thing we want to be doing when it’s beautiful outside is working on indoor projects.    

Whether it’s cleaning a closet, rearranging a room, or getting going on that filing project you have been avoiding, hopefully here are a few (mostly legal) forms of motivation.

1.)    Make a list of your goals.  What are you hoping to get done before summer? Re-number them by order of importance.  

2.)    Ask a friend to come over and help.  There is a few ways to go about this so they actually show up and don’t laugh at you when you ask.  NEVER use the word clean.  Always use the word wine.  And be honest in telling them you need some motivation and creative ideas.  A second opinion in organizing is always a good idea.  

3.)    Pick up some magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, Dwell, House Beautiful, Southern Living, and Real Simple.  I guarantee you are not only going to get some great ideas, but you are going to look around at your own living space and decide you need a change before summer gets here! 

4.)    Buy something.  It can be anything from a new shelving unit you’ve had your eyes on at the Container Store, or a new pack of funky colored file folders.  Pick up about three canvas storage bins, put them in the room you watch TV every night, and tell me they don’t eventually motivate you to organize some of the clutter you see laying around.  Unlike having an elliptical in the room, I swear this trick works.  

5.)    When it’s a little warmer out, plan a garage sale.  No, you never sell everything.  And figuring out where to put the things that don’t sell until you can make it to the donation bins is kind of a pain.  Something I have suggested (and have actually done) in the past is to call ahead to your local donation center and see if they do pick-ups.  If they do, have it set up for them to come right at the end of your sale.  The “I don’t feel like cleaning up after” problem is solved.  AND… you won’t be tempted to bring any of that "stuff" back inside the house! 

6.)    Tour a model home / open house.  No, it’s not illegal, but it’s certainly not the purpose of such an event.  (My Realtor friends are cringing)  Model homes / condos / apartments are lovely.  They are so clean and… uncluttered.  Of course, that’s because they aren’t lived in.  But the general idea of open living space and clean surfaces is what you should be going after. 

7.)    Music.  Not the TV, because you will sit down and watch it.  Music motivates a lot of us to do many things.  Why not organize.  A huge fan of soul, funk, blues, and jazz, I can honestly say I have a playlist designated for cleaning and organizing.  Find something that’s soothing, and doesn’t make you feel any more out of control than you already may be when it comes to the task at hand.  If you are playing music from your computer, I suggest Pandora.  It will ask you to create a new station.  Enter an artist or genre you like, and Pandora will take it from there.  Check out “Brazilian soul” for something upbeat, soothing, and a little jazzy.  One of my favorites.

8.)    Reward yourself.  When you have one of your projects done, whatever room it may be in, go ahead and buy yourself something nice to put in the area.  It’s a reward as well as motivation to keep the area looking fresh!

Happy organizing, my friends.  I hope you find your motivation! I’d love to hear feedback on my She’s So Organized Facebook page! Suggestions for my next blog entry would be great too! Your organizing issues are MY motivation!               

Don't Freak Out -- But It's Time To Pack Up Your Summer Clothes

When I moved back to the mid-west after living in Florida for nearly ten years, it was in the month of July. Although the small vintage apartment closet seemed fine at the time, once fall hit, and I started gathering warmer clothing and things got pretty tight. Once November and December came around, my closet was busting at the seams and I started to think I needed a two bedroom apartment to contain my growing wardrobe.

Thankfully, I have the gift of organization and look forward to the task of separating, folding, and packing clothing by season. For those of you who are frazzled at even the thought of separating winter from summer clothes, here are some guidelines to stop you from throwing everything in a lawn and leaf bag and throwing it in the back of your closet.

MAKE FOUR PILES

Pile 1. Keep - This is the pile that you will be hanging / folding back up. It's your winter clothes, but maybe some clothes that you will still wear in the winter to the gym or under a sweater. (I was taught the importance of layers very quickly my first winter back in Chicago).

Pile 2. Give Away - Yes, give away, meaning, if you didn't wear it last summer, chances are you won't next summer. We know 'those' clothes. Typically they are the ones you claim you will fit into next summer. Again, sorry... chances are you won't. Do you really want to take the time to fold it, store it, and schlep the box labeled, "Maybe Next Year"? Come on, this isn't a SpecialK cereal commercial. This is reality. Shed the clutter, and then by all means, shed the pounds.

Pile 3. Throw Away - This is along the same lines as the give away pile, only these are the clothes that have stains, rips, or haven't been in style since your senior prom. Nobody wants these clothes.

Pile 4. Pack - This is the pile of summer clothes and shoes that you know you will not need all winter. This is not the place where I go into fashion rules. That's a whole other blog.

USEFUL TIPS

* Wash and make sure everything is VERY dry when you pack them. For extra freshness, put a few fabric softener sheet in-between clothes so they stay smelling good and are ready to go next spring.

* Use clear plastic bins so you can see what is in them. These bins are great for storing under you bed. If your bed is generally low to the ground and they won't fit, invest in some of these bed risers to get a little lift.

* Take what you put in what storage bin a step further. Pack by location of where you will be putting your clothes away next season.
For example, your boxes should be labeled:

- Closet - Shirts

- Closet - Skirts / Pants

- Dresser - T-Shirts

- Dresser – Shorts

* Summer shoes are typically destroyed by the end of the season. By destroyed I mean they have fallen apart or... let's face it... smell. I'm talking about ballet flats, flip flops, and those suede soled sandals. Get rid of them and hit up the Old Navy $5 flip flop sale next summer. Otherwise, you are going to open that bin next spring and wonder what you were thinking.

* Summer purses are a wonderful thing. We change them out often, don't we? Take my advice and clean all of them out before you pack them. Get out the gum wrappers, loose change, receipts, lip gloss, and for you moms, the stray goldfish and 'puffys' floating around.

* When it comes to children’s clothing, chances are they aren’t going to fit into it next summer. Keep to you four piles above. But label the box you are going to save by size. For example: Blake – Summer – Size 12mo to 24mo.

* As long as you are packing up, why not throw some household seasonal items in a bin too. Clear some space out of cabinets and drawers to make way for holiday items (like your eggnog moose glasses). Some things that come to mind are: table cloths, bed spreads, and seasonal throw rugs.

As sad as we all are to see summer go, it’s time to get excited about the holiday’s, taking cover under our down comforters, and putting on our favorite sweater on a chilly night. The level of frustration that goes along with the task of packing up summer and breaking into winter is pretty high. Take your time, do a thorough job, and please, call or email me before you give up and start throwing things in a lawn and leaf bag!