Decorations!!!

Who doesn't LOVE decorations?? I know I do!!! I know I have had too many decorations in the past. I've also had sentimental items that weren't quite right for my decor but I still couldn't let go...so I kept them in the box and stored them year after year. 
And then I stopped. I gave myself a limit for each holiday. How many crates seem reasonable to you? And be reasonable. ; ) I then went through every single decoration one at a time and asked myself do I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it? AND would I buy it again? Downsizing was so easy to do with these two questions. 
If possible, have a friend join you in the process. My sister was right by my side, checking out every item. Did she just gasp at those skeleton tongs?? Here you go!!! So fun and easy to give away something when someone you love really wants it...She also snagged a very large, very funny chick candle. When she couldn't stop laughing, I couldn't hand it over fast enough!
Also, when you are checking out each piece one by one - you really see it. You see the chips, scratches, bad paint jobs, etc. Sometimes you find your not crazy about it anymore but it's what you've always hung on the door (without really thinking about it!). Let it go if it doesn't make you smile or make you feel great. Isn't that why we decorate? 
I had a ton of sentimental pieces that I photographed, scanned and then said goodbye to. You can put those pictures in an album that's displayed every holiday so that those sentimental pieces can be shared and enjoyed. Then tuck the album away with the decorations- it takes up a lot less space, doesn't it? 
I also think it's a lot more fun to decorate and un-decorate when there is less to do. It doesn't seem like such a chore and it's actually fun! Give it a whirl and let us know how you do!
Here, I'll start you off...Happy Holidays!!!

The Kid Gets It!

I thought I'd share one of my all time favorite pictures!! My nephew, Joey, (3-years-old when this picture was taken) was asked to help put the pool toys away. Notice his use of vertical space? I think he did a FANTASTIC job! : D

Greeting Cards

It's so great to receive a card, who doesn't love that? Always brings a smile to this gal. But if you've saved every card you ever received, it's time to think about letting them go. Grandma won't mind if you don't keep the card she sent you on your 5th birthday - I promise. I know, you think you're going to cozy up one rainy day with hot cocoa and a blanket and re-read those cards. Guess what? That's never going to happen! Too harsh? Ok, how about you go through that giant stack, box, chest of cards and pick out a couple that really are meaningful. Maybe somebody made it for you or wrote a really beautiful note. Then, sure, that might be a keeper. Now, where are you keeping it? If it's in a box in a closet, it's not going to make you smile. Put it in a frame or display it some place that you'll see it everyday...and smile. If it's special, treat it like it's special.  Now for the others...if you can't get rid of all the Number One Mom cards, how about scanning them? Now you can put them on your desk top in a slide show that can remind you all day long that you're a super mom! Oh, what's that, a smile? Make sure to recycle or find someone who'll use those old cards. During specific times of the year St. Jude's collects the front of greeting cards and the kids use them to make their own cards and earn some pocket money...try it, and pass along that smile. : )
www.stjude.org

Too Many CD's

Too many CD's? Transfer to your computer (be sure to back up ), lose the case, keep the jacket and get a nice carrying case to put them in. You'd be surprised how much space you can regain!

Check it Out!

Just when you think organize.com can't get any cooler...they open a Peter Walsh Store! That's right. Check it out for tons of great tips and solutions to your organizing dilemmas.
www.organize.com

Laundry and more...

This fantastic laundry room belongs to my clients, we'll call them Awesome Couple. Awesome Couple loves their bright laundry room but needs it to act as storage, garage and cat room as well. We set to work.  Awesome Couple just painted their hallway so emptying this room was not possible (sometimes it's just not) so we played with the space and were able to divide it into four sorting zones.  First things first, everything that did not belong here was sent to it's proper home (carefully!).  AC loved the idea of keeping the laundry part of the room bright and sparse and so they kept this in mind as they sorted through holiday decorations- anything chipped or simply not adored was sent on its way. The decorations where put into boxes for a sleeker look. Tools were sorted and duplicates were sent to AC's little brother for his new apartment.  All outdoor equipment was hung behind the door on a rack.  AC's awesome cat was given her own corner and careful consideration was given in case of an earthquake...nothing was to be hung over awesome cat's new pad. Done!  AC was then able to keep an entire side of the room for their pristine laundry room- it's all white and it IS amazing!! Awesome Couple needed a temporary storage spot for a lot of paint projects in progress.  They used the floor section for that with the vision that once the painting is done- the floor would stay clear. That will make it much easier to keep that room clean.  Everything was labeled so that both members of Awesome Couple (ahem) would remember where everything belongs and where things are to be returned.  Of special note: AC was ready to spend as much money as needed to organize this room. With the exception of the tool rack, we didn't buy a thing! Instead, we used boxes and "containers" they already had. A giant basket was turned into a hamper, an old ornament box now holds their nuts and bolts, and a smaller basket was perfect for holding all those extension cords and instead of buying crates, they used boxes they already had. You don't need to spend money to get organized. Use what you have and get creative- have fun with it!

-T

Everything but the kitchen sink!

Underneath the kitchen sink can definitely be a catchall. Sponges, cleansers, rags, vases, watering pots, plastic bags, gardening equipment. Be careful. This is a really sweet spot in your kitchen. You want to make sure it stays clear and usable.  You don't want to be fishing for what you need when you need it!! Make sure you can see everything you have under there!  

Keep the trunk empty!

Keeping the trunk of your car empty is crucial for gas mileage, safety and absolute convenience for shopping trips. As you can see, my client liked to keep a couple of things in the trunk. Just for kicks, I asked him to name 10 things without looking that were being stored in the trunk. He couldn't do it and so he was ready to kick this habit! First things first-yup, emptied the trunk.  Because it was in the driveway, it was easy to make quick decisions and piles for keep, garbage, and donate.  Finding many, many duplicates of each item made my client a little angry...that's a good thing!  Guess who has a completely empty trunk now except for the essentials?  Guess who doesn't worry so much if he gets a flat tire?  And guess who's not even a little bit angry anymore? That's right. 

It's in the Storage Closet so I can't get to it...

Okay, so we've all tucked something away for the long haul and cringed when we actually needed it.  How many times have you been so excited to pack for a vacation but waited for somebody to dig the suitcases out of the attic, garage, storage closet?  How about that punch bowl you would love to use but by the time you find it...?  Honestly, it happens to all of us at one point or another. My client, owner of the fantastic closet below was ready to break this routine, so she gave us a call.  She has this great closet but as you can see it was difficult, if not impossible, to  get to anything. Those are Christmas decorations tucked way back there...perfect for the rest of the year but absolute misery for the client when she was getting ready to decorate. By the time she dug those out, nobody was feeling super festive. We set to work emptying everything out of the closet and my awesome client decided what she really wanted to keep and what could be donated.  It's important to be ruthless with these choices because these items are taking up a lot of great space.  My client focused on how she wanted that closet to function. She wanted a path the whole length of the closet and she kept that path in her mind as she decided what was important to her and what could go.  I think she did a fantastic job! I know, if it's in a storage closet, what's the big deal?  Let's discuss that the next time you need that suitcase! ; )