Organizing Holiday Decorations

With Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s all within a three month period holiday decorations can over take a home. Having holiday décor organized by category can help lower the clutter and make decorating fun. Store holiday décor by type, each in their own plastic bins. This keeps all decorations dry and protected while not in use. It also makes it quick and easy to pull out a bin to decorate. Make sure to label bins well or buy bins by color category to go along with the holiday.

Getting Organized This Fall

It is officially fall and the changing of seasons is a good motivator to go through your closet! Here a few tips for closet organization…

Before just packing away all summer clothes, take a good look at what clothing you actually wore this summer. These is no point in storing clothes you don’t wear. If you did not wear certain summer items in the past three months, chances are you won’t wear them next year either.

Make sure all summer clothing you are saving is cleaned and pressed, this way next summer all clothing is ready to wear. Starting out organized will make your summer much better.

Also make sure you store your summer clothing in a place that is out of your way. If you do not need to use items they should not be in the way of your daily routine.

Taking the time to clean out ad organize your closet can help you feel refreshed and excited for the new season!

Pantry Clutter

I recent client told me" you would be proud of me at least in this one closet...." "I can be organized" she said. As I looked into this pantry there was actually a pretty organized space. She laughed and said "the reason I organized it, a can of pineapple blew up in here and I had to clean it up. My goodness, it was probably 28 years old!"

I can't tell you how much food we have thrown out in the past ten years of this business. Many of us buy things because they are on sale, or because we aren't quite sure if we have one at home while we are out shopping. So we end up with random cans of food or products that seem to get lost in the dark corners of our cabinets. It really doesn't take too long to realize what you will actually use and what you or your family will never eat or use. If it's not expired, donate what you won't use and toss anything that has a date that has long expired! Moldy bread CANNOT be used medicinally, and stale crackers are best used to feed the ducks. Think about your food like this.... if this was presented to me on a plate at my favorite restaurant, would I leave a tip for the chef or would I write a complaint to the health department? Call us to help with organizing your pantry so that it functions for your family and it isn't a scary place of exploding food!

~~Lori

Garage Clutter

Garages can be a legitimate storage area, but only if you are using them for items that truly deserve to be stored. Divide your garage into sections, such as seasonal decorations, sports equipment, garden or hobby tools, car supplies and tools. It has taken months or even years for your garage to become cluttered so don't expect to organize everything in a day. Commit to starting small one section at a time. Consider color coding different containers and label every box, bin and container, so that items can be easily located and put away. Use hooks and peg boards to get things up and off the floor. Summer is an ideal time to tackle cleaning out your garage. Call Consider it Done and we can help you get started.

Clothes Clutter

Clothing Clutter is one of the most common problems in our closets. We wear
20% of our clothes 80% of the time. If you stop and think about the things
you wear most often this is true! If you have unworn clothes with tags in
your closet that have not been worn in six months give them to charity or
sell them online. Get them out of your closet, so you have some space for
the things you do love and wear. Keep only the items that you love and fit
you right now.

Choose Your Life

Choose the life you want to live. Imagine it, dream about it, then achieve it through getting organized. When clutter occupies your home it blocks your vision. We can become so immersed with all of our clutter we begin not to even notice it. It will completely take over your life and home. Begin to picture your ideal home. Make notes or draw pictures of the way you would like to live. Do not let how much something cost, who gave it to you, how long you’ve had it or what emotion is attached be the deciding factor in what to keep. You only have so much space in your home. Take control of it by getting organized.

TOO MANY EXCUSES!

Throughout our lives we acquire things. Some we have inherited, some we find, some are gifts, but most of the things we own have been purchased. As the clutter fills our home and the disorganization grows we want to change, but may feel overwhelmed. Everyone has their own excuses, but here are a few that we hear the most.

“I MIGHT NEED IT” Many of us hold on to past items that have not been used in years! The money, space and time you spend storing these items are wasted.

“ITS PART OF MY FAMILY” If you cherish a family heirloom, photos or any other souvenir, display it in your home where you can enjoy it. If it’s boxed away or out in the garage covered with dust it needs to go. You either value something or you don’t. You either have space in your home or you don’t.

“I DON’T HAVE TIME” Everyone leads a busy life! No matter how far behind you are, start with 15 minutes at a time sorting through your clutter. Everyone is tired at the end of the day, but you won’t regret spending time on your home. It’s an investment in your life.

We can help you get started removing the clutter from your home. Sometimes getting help and sorting items into manageably categories is just what you need to get on the organizing track! Call Consider it Done for your free consultation on decorating and professionally organizing your home today!

Summer Flowers

Consider it Done can help with your floral arrangements from simple bouquets to large floral  designs for your home.  Summer is a great time of year to bring in some color and texture to your home by adding floral arrangements designed with  fresh, silk or a mixture of the two. Try to choose flowers that coincide with the season for a fresh up to date look.  If you need help coordinating all those colors and textures of flowers for your next party, event or just brightening up your home,  give us a call and we will be glad to help.

 

Tax Refund?

When considering how to spend your Tax Refund think about making a change in the organization of your home and life. Organizing and de-cluttering your home would have long lasting effects on your life and family. We can help you decide what to keep, donate or trash. Get a clean sweep on life by cleaning out your garage, closets, kitchens or your entire home today! Free estimates and consultations for all your organizing and decorating needs. Give Consider it Done a call today!

Spring Organization

With only a few more weeks left in the school year Spring is a great time to get your home organized and ready for the change of seasons.  There are some great products at organizational stores to spruce up your home and office space.  Bright colored letter boxes help keep school papers, bills, and receipts neatly out of sight, but never out of reach.  Small magnet containers attached to your filing cabinet or refrigerator help keep small items contained and conveniently  accessible. Canvas bins for closets make great storage for flip-flops and swimsuits that are easy to grab and go for those upcoming  summer days. Clear containers usually work best so you see through them and if you buy all the same brand they can be stacked for easy storage. Consider it Done can help you with your Spring organizing and decorating ideas this year.

Spring Cleaning

Now that winter has come and gone we become anxious for warm spring days.  The season of Spring and cleaning often go hand in hand with one right behind the other.   Is there really a way to get around hours and hours of massive Spring cleaning?  Here are some quick tips and short cuts that might fit your schedule to get you ready to let the sunshine in.
 
Carpeting and Rugs – Target all your high traffic areas treating stains and deep clean all other carpets.  Toss washable rugs in the washer and drag other rugs outside to shake out loose dirt then return and vacuum. 
 
Windows – Concentrate on the exterior, where most of the dirt accumulates.  Try and choose a wind free and overcast day. (Sunlight can leave streaks)
 
Curtains – You can steam most fabrics, from velvet to silk to revive them and leave them with a fresh scent. Vacuuming and spot cleaning are also a good alternative.
 
Mattresses – Wash your mattress cover and dry outside for a fresh air scent.  Sprinkle your mattress with baking soda. With a helper, flip your mattress and vacuum both sides.
 
Upholstery – Remove all cushions and vacuum up crumbs and dust.  Replace and run the lint roller and vacuum over the cushions.
 
Closets – Out with all the clutter and items that have not been used within the past year.  If you absolutely can’t part with them try to  find an alternative area of storage such as your attic.  This is a great time for new organization.
 
These are just some of the major areas that don’t always get our attention in our weekly or monthly cleaning agenda.  With a little extra time you and your home will have a clean fresh start into Spring!!

Are you hoarding or just unorganized?

Every home gets messy now and then but if your unorganized habits are affecting your life and family you might be a hoarder. Common clutter is one thing but if you are accumulating a large number of useless items, this could be your first red flag. If you plan to use all these things but have not followed through within a year it’s time to discard them. Do not keep an excessive amount of junk mail, newspapers, catalogs, magazines, boxes and old clothes. If you have a hard time giving these things up you might need to acquire some outside help. Extremely cluttered homes become dirty and unsanitary and can start to affect your health. Along with professional help we can help you get your home and life organized.

Office Organization

With the start of the new year now is a good time to get your home or business office organized. If you feel overwhelmed by so much paperwork we recommend starting by sorting all your bills, receipts, medical records, bank statements etc…by each year. Store each year in a container with a label , this should help you get your hands on documents you need to find that occurred during a certain time period. Now is also a good time to remove all of your 2010 records from your filing cabinets and prepare them for storage or for tax preparation. This will allow you to start the year off with only current 2011 records in your filing cabinet. Another way to help organize all those files would be to color code your records. All red files could be for bills or accounts payables, yellow files could be for income, banking or accounts receivables, purple files could be for personal records of family members or employees and so on. This is a way to help you resourcefully and quickly locate files. Whatever system you prefer is irrelevant, what matters is that you do have an organized plan in place to help keep your home or business office operating efficiently.

Winter Closet Organization!

All of your winter coats, jackets, gloves, scarves, mittens and other
accessories can be neatly organized and ready to go out the door with
a few of these closet organizing tips:

- Install plastic or metal hooks to hang light jackets, hats
or scarves on.

- Purchase a shoe organizer to use in the closet or over the
door to store gloves, mittens, hand warmers and any other small winter
accessories.

- Use the space above or below your coats if possible to
install a shelf for holding baskets of hats, gloves, ice scrapers and
anything else you might need for winter days.

- If your tight on space also try using thin hangers for your
coats and jackets instead of the big bulky hangers.

Keeping your winter coats and accessories organized will have you out
the door in a flash!.

Holiday Entertaining

We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas for 2010, but the holidays are still here! With New Year’s fast approaching many of you will be entertaining with family and friends. When preparing your favorite cookie dough or appetizer made a double batch and freeze one for another event. Using a mix of silver, china and glass for serving will give your table an original look. For larger groups plastic tableware is acceptable, but if your group is small make it special by using your best dishes. Find your best holiday dishes and serving items and enjoy them during the holidays. Consider it done can help you plan your holiday parties with decorating, menu suggestions, catering and getting your home organized for the big event.

Holiday Organizing

Trying to keep up during the month of December can become overwhelming if we let this time of year become our source of stress. Our daily routines still go on in addition to all the holiday activities. Things don’t always have to be or look flawless. Spending time with family and friends and relaxing in the moment of Christmas should be a priority. Try wrapping gifts the same day they are purchased, so they don’t accumulate and you will be up all night trying to catch up before Christmas. Bake your cookie dough, pie crust, casseroles ahead of time and freeze them until ready to use. This saves time and creates less stress during that big family day in the kitchen. Having your home organized where everything has a place and a home can also lead to a stress free holiday season. Organizing your Christmas décor as you put things away will also give you a head start when it all starts again next year.

Christmas Decorating with a Theme

Christmas decorating with a theme can become your inspiration for the holiday season.  What is your favorite Christmas song, movie, or book?  You can decorate a house inspired by the movie “It’s a wonderful life” with Jimmy Stewart.  One home we decorated embraced  the theme  “Dreaming of a White Christmas”   Snow,  Glitter and Glamour was encased in the décor.   The tree was a winter wonderland with white, silver and clear ornaments of various types.  Where do you dream?  Let your Christmas décor follow you around your home with subtle hints of your Christmas theme.   This can be a stressful season, only if you let it be. 

Christmas Tree Decorating

Decorating your Christmas tree can be done in stages.  First start with a garland, which could be beads, a crochet garland or whatever you like to decorate with. Garlands can be store bought or homemade.  Second if you are decorating your tree with ribbon weave the ribbon around the tree from top to bottom in a color complimenting your Christmas colors in your home. Third complete and fill in your tree with Christmas ornaments.  An average size tree will take approximately 36-50 ornaments for a complete look.  Larger ornaments can be placed inside the tree to add depth and color.  Fourth add some bows for a finished look and don't forget to  decorate the top of your tree.  Finally finish off your tree with a festive Christmas tree skirt and decorate all sides of your tree that will be in view during the Christmas season. If you need help with your Christmas tree décor call Consider it Done for your free consultation today!

Cozy Christmas Holidays

The Holidays have arrived and we are all busy with activities that the season brings! Let the professional organizers at Consider it Done help you with your Christmas Holiday Decorations this year. We can help organize you home and decorate your home to help simplify the wonderful celebration of Christmas. If you need help with tree decorations or your entire house decorated for Christmas we have a plan that will fit your needs and budget. Give us a call today for your free consultation. Merry Christmas!!

November 15, 2010 Kitchen Shelves and Cabinets

So many times our cabinets and shelves can seem completely full and our first thought might be that we need to purchase some additional storage or shelving to store more “stuff”.  This is usually not the solution to an overcrowded cabinet.  If you can take the time to clean out and organize the contents there is usually ample amount of space.  Evaluate what you use then donate or discard items you do not need.  Think about simplifying so you will have more time to enjoy the simple things in life.

November 08, 2010 Organizing The Pantry

Our pantries should help us plan our meals and keep basic cooking supplies on hand.  We need to know what is in our pantry to be able to make the most of our grocery money and meal planning for the week.  Buy only what you will use in a reasonable amount of time, which usually is within one to four weeks.  Discard any cans, packages or boxes of food that are far beyond the expiration date.  Purchase organizational tools such as lazy susans, shelves, stacking bins or baskets to help you see and locate items efficiently.  Taking a few minutes each week to evaluate our pantries will help us extend our grocery dollars!

October 22, 2010 Teenage Bathroom
Organizing Teenagers BathroomsOrganizing bathroom drawers for a teenager can seem overwhelming, but with a little time and patience you can have a fresh new look. First start by tossing out any old make-up, soaps, lotions that have not been used within the past 6 months. Keep only the hair appliances that are used on a daily basis. Nobody needs six blow dryers or curling irons. If the one you have breaks there are stores open 24 hours and items can easily be replaced. Consolidate things into categories and use lazy susans or drawer organizers to contain those items, such as all lotions, bath soaps, pony tail holders, hair clips and so on. Also when you are shopping for your organizers for bathroom drawers be sure and shop in the kitchen and office supply departments for unique storage options.

October 8, 2010 Fall Decorating
It's not too late to add Fall décor in your home or office. Fall DecorationsThese are Styrofoam pumpkins that have been painted and embellished with jewels, brads, tacks, ribbon or anything else you want to create. After the season store them in a container and display them year after year. If you need help getting started give us a call!
Cathy

 

 

October1, 2010 Organize your accesories!
Favorite costume jewelry can hang on hooks or in pocket jewelry organizers that you can purchase at local home organizing stores.  For your finer jewelry a velvet lined jewelry organizer can be placed in a  drawer or a small jewelry armoire is another option.  Sunglasses, headbands or other light weight items can be hung on a wide ribbon on the wall or placed in canvas bins for easy access on a shelf.  Hats, belts,  bathing suits, exercise clothes, winter accessories can also be placed in canvas bins to make room in drawers for other clothing items.  A full-length mirror makes a nice addition to any closet if space is available.
Cathy

September 25, 2010 Organize your closet-Clothes & Shoes!
Cleaning A Cluttered ClosetIf you have clothing that you have not worn in over a year it’s time to let it go.  Donate or garage sale those items.  Put all your clothing together by colors and type such as, all short sleeve white shirts and all long sleeve white shirts.  This will not only help you find what you are looking for it will also help decide on which shirts should be tossed out.  Organize your shoes in the same way.  Inexpensive clear shoe boxes can be purchased  for around $1.00 each.  This is a good way to store your out of season shoes on a  closet shelf or somewhere out of the way, since they won’t be needed for another 6 months.   If you are using your closet to store Christmas décor, crafts or other “non-closet” items, try to find other storage for those things and keep your closet only for those things you will use to help you get dressed and out the door! 
Cathy

September 18, 2010 Managing your Mail
Mail can easily pile up and take over space in your home if you let it.  Try to go through mail on a daily basis and immediately throw away any junk mail.  Then I like to separate my mail into three trays, files or baskets in an office area if possible.  The first would be labeled “Bills to Pay”  this would be any bill or expense that needs to be paid.  The second would be labeled “Filing” this would include any information or paid bills that need to be filed away in your filing cabinet.  The third would be labeled “ Follow Up” this would include anything that needs additional attention, research or phone calls that need to be made.  This seems to help keep track of appointments and important papers that otherwise can be overlooked in a stack of mail. 
Cathy

September 11, 2010 Old/New
We all have antique or vintage objects in our home whether we purchased them or they have been in our family a long time.  Those things can become new again by using them as décor or functional pieces in our home. I like to keep things in containers and labeled, but when that’s not possible a tray can hold things just as well.   If you have an old picture frame an 8 X 10 or 11 X 14 is a good size, you can spray paint it or add a colorful glaze, buy a pre-cut beveled mirror at your local craft store slip it in the frame and it becomes a beautiful tray for jewelry, perfumes, desk essentials, holiday décor  or anything you would like to display.  Empty wine bottles can be used to display bracelets, used as bookends or in home décor.  An antique high chair can be displayed in a corner as a piece of furniture with picture frames and other décor on it.  Look around your home you might be surprised by what you will find to make new again!
Cathy

September 4, 2010 Time and Time Again! 
Most people do not like to waste their time so make the most of every minute by using spare 10 to 15 minutes while you are waiting on the kids or for an appointment by some of the following suggestions.

• Make a grocery list
• Organize your coupons (discard the expired),
• Plan some dinner menus
• Balance your checkbook
• Start a “to do” list for the next day
• Clean out your purse
• Keep a few magazines in the car to cut out recipes and or coupons
• Make phone calls
• Address note cards/greeting cards
• Close your eyes, relax and be thankful for all the blessings in your life!
Cathy

August 28th, 2010 - Back To Routines!
With summer coming to an end and a new school year begins its back to some routines and a schedule for many households. Trying to make that transition can be a little hectic at first. Here are a few things that might help with a smooth start. Can’t find your keys in the morning? If a purse or briefcase doesn’t work try hanging a magnetic knife strip by your back door and place your key ring against it and you can find them when it’s time to go. Place a small basket or tray for keys close to the door for a quick fix to finding your keys in a flash. For each child a basket or bin that is labeled with their name is great to have by the door with all the necessities of the day such as books, homework, jackets, lunchboxes etc… so you can grab and go in the morning. To keep a tidy and neat pantry, as well as helping out with lunch boxes, try putting the last few crackers, cookies, chips etc…that are left in a package into a sandwich size baggie and they will be easy to grab for lunchboxes. This speeds up making lunches and clears out your pantry to make room for the next grocery trip!
Cathy

 

July 19th, 2010 - Really there is a Reason~
Skeptics may not really understand what the big deal is about being organized. There is a reason to color code your clothes, and have a home for everything. Summer is not a time when you want to worry about any of that, when you would much rather be out by the pool or the lake or Cancun. But lakeside or poolside, or vacation time is easier if you can find what you are looking for in your home or office in the shortest amount of time. How many times do we go on vacation totally stressed as we hit thr road? Keep your space, travel bags, or closets included well organized and you can be on your way to fun and have everything you need or want ready to go in no time at all.
Happy summer to you all
Lori

 

June 9th, 2010 - Make a plan and then go with the Flow:
With any project or event that we do there are often bumps or hiccoughs along the way. We know we can expect them, we just don’t always know when or where. We recently were able to decorate a home for a client that is on the Parade of Homes tour, and as with any of your projects we also experienced a few of our own hiccoughs. Why were we still successful in making a house ready to show and look beautiful? Being organized helps, and making the “to-do” list, checking it twice, and then not stopping until it is done. We can forever make lists and lists of good intentions, but making sure that everything is complete and done like you intended is key. That means for you also to be very organized with your time. I believe to have good time managing skills helps your skills at any thing else that you or I do. As I often tell our clients, set a timer and dedicate focused time to the task at hand. There are days, that we give it the best effort and say “It is what it is” and move forward, but having a pln in the beginning will be helpful with all of your successes.
Peace to you and yours,

Lori

 

May 31st, 2010 - BEING YOU:
Own it and make it work for you. We are all made different and unique and that sometimes helps us or hinders us to be who we want to be. We may want to be more organized but that is not what is in our nature. We may love a house that is decorated beautifully, but cant see the vision for our selves. What is your style of organizing? Do you throw papers in a basket, or do you file papers in a bag? We are typically stackers, or dumpers, and when we know how we naturally are, then we can create a system that works for how we are naturally. Make notes mentally or literally when we know that some thing works for you, or parts of a room that you see that you love. Then implement when and where you can. And if you have the vision ( or the notes) and not the ability to "implement" call us @ Consider It Done and we can bring your vision and a system to make it work for you.
Bringing Peace from Chaos,

Lori

 

April 29th, 2010 - What to do with the pieces?
Think of things that are broken or come in pieces, a puzzle, or a broken cup. What do you do with them? Most of the time we try to put them back together. Pieces are left from a little bit of granola, chips, or snacks. Pieces are little bits of clothes scattered through out the house or pieces of paper scattered on your desk. All of those "pieces" need to be back together. Spend a little time today to make a file of all things for a certain client or project. Make a family effort to gather all of the "pieces" that belong to you and put them away. And those little bits of cereal or snacks can be your own trail mix creation. Go ahead and individually bag remaining chips or snacks that can be used for a lunch bag and not have to keep up with the huge sacks or boxes that have just a few pieces left.

Bringing peace from Chaos,
Always,

Lori

January 13, 2010 - Time and Timing
As we put away Christmas décor and set new resolutions for our hopes and desires for the New Year, remember all of that begins with time management.  If all the plans in our heads are only thoughts, or even make it to a list on paper, it doesn’t actually make it happen, until we organize our day, or schedule to actually make an effort at becoming more organized.  I have told all of you, as clients to set a timer and make yourself focus for at least 15 minutes a day to accomplish your organizing goals, and before you know it, the job will be done.  If your day is too full for that to happen at least make a 2 minute call to me and I will schedule my calendar to get you organized.

My wishes for you, wherever you are in your life, are that good things are waiting for you in 2010.  Just look for them, and make them happen.  I wish you all the best, and many successes for what you do in your life.

Sincerely,

Lori

August 06, 2009 - Let It Go, and Smile
August finds me wanting clients to let go of the projects that they thought they would get done during the summer.  If you got them done, I am so proud of you. If not, let it go, literally.  Whether it's he clock that you keep thinking you will get repaired, or the chair with the broken back, or the pillow that the dog chewed, all of it needs to be tossed, repaired and kept, or given away. Intentions are only good if you implement them.  When we save so much of our lives for a “better time," we look back not with the memory of having the heirloom clock ticking on the mantle, but the constant nagging reminder in the back of our heads that says: “I need to get that done.” Remember, if you treasure something you will have it out to use and/or enjoy. Organize your time as well to do the little things that need to be done, and the peace and joy that you will feel will make you smile. So August’s goal is for you to repair it, use it, or let it go, then smile!

July 07, 2009 - Spontaneous Summer
Being organized means being ready to go spontaneously. Summer months can mean pop-in visitors or a quick lake trip. Keep the lake supplies ready to go in one location.  A cooler, beach towels, swim gear, sun block, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, and a disposable camera can be prepped before the thought of a trip can be conjured up.  Keep a list of items that you ALWAYS take and a shopping list handy for those last minute items you want to grab.

True neighbors stop by spontaneously as well.  The front room can be ready for guests in no time at all if everything has a "home."  Keep this room simple and remember: toys and mail are clutter unless they are being used. If not being used, those items should have a "home" of their own as well.

Happy Fourth of July to all and God Bless our soldiers everywhere.