Time to Wrap up

My presents are all wrapped and stacked in “giving piles” or already given.

Now it is time to put away the gift wrap and bows until next year. This year, try packing your holiday wraps and trims in a special storage box so that next year you are ready to go. Here are a few containers that work well for our clients:

The Jokari hanging gift-wrap organizer hangs in the closet and has storage on both sides.
The Spacesaver hanging storage organizer folds to standing position for easy access.
The Rubbermaid 48” low profile gift-wrapping organizer can fit under a bed for storage.
The Sterlite storage tube is an inexpensive choice for a limited amount of paper and trim.

You can find these items at the following sites:
www.target.com
www.walmart.com
www.thecontainerstore.com
www.amazon.com

That’s a wrap! Have a great holiday!

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organize Plastic Food Storage Containers

Even Vanna White has trouble keeping her Tupperware organized. In her wrap-up conversation with Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune, she lamented having to clean out kitchen cabinets to find a container top. She also smiled brightly as she expounded on how great it felt to have all her containers organized.

It certainly would have inspired me to tackle disorganized containers if I had any. A few years ago I came up with a solution that works for me. I store my containers with the lids on them in a ten-gallon plastic container on a shelf in my mudroom. Just off the kitchen, it is a convenient spot for these items and allows efficient use of my limited kitchen cabinet space. The one thing I have to do is make sure the containers are thoroughly dry before popping the lid on and storing. Otherwise the container will smell bad. There are a few other solutions that our clients have found helpful.

Store with the lids on, stacked in kitchen cabinets. This works for folks who have ample cabinet space or limited containers.

Separate round containers and lids from square containers and lids. Then stack the containers inside each other. Corral the round container lids in one large plastic bag or basket and the square lids in another.

If you want a more orderly arrangement you can find two kinds of plastic lid holders at www.stacksandstacks.com. One attaches to the cabinet door and one is freestanding.

In spaces where storage is on exposed shelves, a decorative rack for dishes or pot lids can hold the container lids. They can then be arranged by size for easy retrieval. Some examples can be found at www.taylorgifts.com and www.ballarddesigns.com. Ballard’s also has a seventeen-inch wide wooden caddy that could hold lids.

Whatever way you chose to store your plastic food storage containers, occasionally take time to discard cracked, abraded and discolored items that may leak or harbor bacteria.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Innovative Products for Organizing the Dorm Room

Starting College is an exciting time filled with first-time experiences and challenges. One of the first challenges freshmen face is how to turn a tiny dorm room into a comfortable haven for recreating, studying, sleeping and general living purposes.

Many colleges make creative use of space even more challenging by prohibiting fastening anything to the walls, doors, or furniture with hardware. Fortunately there are products out there that fasten in ways that provide additional organizing capability and do not break the campus rules.

Add some storage space around the sleeping area with the Sidekick SaddleBag Organizer or the Bedside Storage Caddy. Both of these products fit under the mattress and provide storage compartments for music player, remote, keys, glasses and more. They work well on loft beds and bunk beds. The Mini-mantle mounts on the bedpost and provides another solution for suspending a flat surface to hold small objects.

If there is a corner of the room that could hold shelving, try the Corner Smart Shelving that stays up with friction, no adhesive or hardware required. Perfect for an alarm clock or reading light for a top bunk. These items can be found at www.dormbuys.com.

Create additional space on the desk with the Furio Home Mission hutch from Target. It has adjustable shelving and enough middle space to accommodate a computer and other items. Another alternative is Clear Stacking Bins from The Container Store. They come in various sizes and provide visibility of what is stored inside. Even the desk chair can provide additional storage space with the use of the Dorm Chair Organizer available at www.dormbuys.com.

Use doors to create additional storage space. There are over-the-door full length mirrors and organizers for shoes, DVDs, and purses as well as hooks and hangers. The Hinge It Hanger, available at www.solutions.com, slips over the door hinges to create hanging space for towels or drying clothes. Four arms swivel independently for flexible use.

Bed risers are a good idea to provide additional underbed storage. The Rack Raiser at www.dormbuys.com raises the bed 20 or 25 inches providing more height than most of these products. A good vertical storage solution is the Mainstays Utility Stand that is 66 inches high and only 17 inches deep. It has room for a dorm fridge underneath three versatile shelve and can be found at Wal-Mart.

Two other products are worth consideration. Dry Erase Removable Wallpaper provides a disposable dry erase board that can be peeled off after use. It comes in two sizes: 24”x 36” and 36” x 48 inches. The other product is a set of Powerstrip Liberators. These handy extenders free up outlets normally blocked by bulky AC adapters, allowing better organization of technology.

Using these innovative products leaves a little more space to stretch out and enjoy the academic adventure.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organize Your Recipes

I love to share a good recipe. For me that is one with a limited number of ingredients, quick to fix and good to taste. If it is low calorie, that is a bonus. One of my good friends doesn’t care how long it takes to cook a recipe. She enjoys the process of combining the ingredients and putting the meal together. Another friend says, if you can't grill it, then isn’t interested. We are also different in the ways we chose to organize our recipes and cookbooks,

There are several methods that work, so pick the one that best suits your style:

Digital Program
There are several programs for organizing recipes on your computer. They offer a selection of categories and search functions for easy access. Some programs allow you to publish your own cookbook. Check out www.cookbookpeople.com and www.cookbooksoftware.com. Some online websites, such as www.recipezaar.com, allow you to enter your own recipes, access other recipes and keep them all together in your account.

Three-Ring Binder
Use magnetic photo sheets or plastic sleeves to protect and store recipes. This works for clipped recipes of various sizes and protects the recipes while being used in the kitchen. Use page dividers with labels to separate the recipes into categories. Some suggestions are appetizers (further divide into meat, fish, vegetable, cheese, other), main dish (further divide into beef, pork, poultry, vegetarian), desserts (further divide into pies, cakes, candy, cookies and bars, miscellaneous). The binder(s) can also be stored on a shelf with your cookbooks.

Recipe Box
Recipe boxes are never big enough for me, but if you have less than thirty recipes that you use routinely, this is a good solution. For more recipes, use a long index cord file box from the hardware or stationery store. Consider laminating the recipe cards to protect them form food stains and moisture. Use index file dividers to separate them into the categories suggested above.

Accordion Folders
Use an accordion pocket folder for each major category of recipe (appetizer, main dish, desert, beverages, etc) and separate into categories within the folder. Label each folder and store them in a convenient spot.

Whatever method you use to store recipes, keep a file folder handy to tuck away new recipes you want to try. After you have tried the recipe, you can decide if it is worth keeping in your recipe filing system.


Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organize Crafts

March is National Craft Month. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines craft as skill in planning, making and executing or the product derived from that activity. So you would think that all crafters were organized folks. In our experience, the crafters are organized but their space isn’t. Their creative minds see all kinds of possibilities for scraps of and discarded containers. And then there are the tools for accomplishing the craft. Whether the passion is scrapbooking, or sewing, woodworking or needlework, beading or collage, the challenge is where to keep all the stuff you need to get the job done?

Here are a few suggestions for organizing the crafting space:

Define a room, a closet, or a corner of a room as the crafting area. The whole house is not the craft workshop. (or so many spouses have told us)

Put like objects with like objects: tools together, ribbon together, pattern books together.

Work on one project at a time and put it away before you pull out another. If you switch up frequently ( for instance while glue is setting or paint is drying) have the drying station and work station side by side so tools and resources do not get scattered.

Create storage space in the craft area. This can be a cabinet, shelves or stackable boxes. Use discarded egg cartons or ice trays to organize beads, plastic margarine containers to store ribbon, a multi-tiered magazine rack for pattern books and scapbook paper. Clear plastic containers of varying sizes are available to store most items and they stack easily.

Take a look at innovative storage solutions. If you decide not to buy them, you can mimic their creative ideas through the use of materials you may have on hand. Two sites worth visiting are www.theoriginalscrapbox.com and www.twopweasinabasket.com

We hope you enjoy a month of organized crafting pleasure.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Plan for Easy Holiday Decorating

I just finished going through the weekend sales fliers, trying to decide if there was a bargain or two I needed to pursue. While none of the sales tempted me, I did notice that several department stores featured storage boxes for Christmas decorations.

It really is a smart idea to let consumers know that these convenient storage tools are available at the time that many of us are hauling out our decorations and finding that we did not do such a good job of putting them away last year. Lights are tangled, pretty tree ornaments are damaged and there is a piece missing from the nativity set (guess we will have to settle for we two kings of orient are)

In a few weeks, when it is time to put those ornaments away again, give yourself a break for next year. Try these simple hints:

Store decorations in see through boxes of uniform size or clearly labeled opaque boxes. Buy those custom decoration storage boxes while they are on sale and throw away the ratty cardboard boxes as you unpack

Roll strings of lights around coffees cans or similar sized cans with lids. Store the extra lights in the can with some paper towels or other batting to keep them from rolling around and breaking.

Store decorations according to the room in which they will be displayed. Next year you can choose to do one room at a time without lugging out all the decorations.

When you put the decorations in the storage place, go by the last in, first out rule. If you put the Christmas tree up first, put that closest to the entrance so you can remove it and get it set up as your first decorating step.

Next year decorating will be a snap!

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organize Your Attic

Autumn is a good time to think about organizing the attic. Cooler days help to keep the space at comfortable temperature. During the summer, the unventilated attic can reach temperatures up to forty degrees Fahrenheit hotter than the rest of the house. That is why it is not advisable to store, videos, photographs or combustible items in that space. If you have those items in the attic, think of another storage space for them to live

Before you even climb the attic stairs think about how you will ideally use the space. Is it for long term storage only or does it serve short-term storage needs for overflow. Does it hold only your treasures or are you holding items for grown children until they have the space to claim them? Do you store seasonal clothing, holiday decorations, or hobby supplies?

Many articles advise to clear out the attic and start from scratch. In our experience, this is a pretty big job and most folks do not have the time, energy and resources to tackle it in that manner. What we recommend is a project approach that tackles one phase of organization at a time.

You have already considered how you are going to use your attic space. This initial consideration is influenced by the space you have in the attic, whether it has stable flooring, the supports weight-bearing capacity and how easily you can access the space.
Sketch out a rough plan detailing what items will go where-long term storage in the least accessible spaces, short term or frequently used items in more accessible spaces

Clear out the trash. Remember that cardboard boxes and paper attract rodents and bugs, so retain only what you need and put the items in sealed plastic containers.

While you are clearing the trash, remove items from around the entrance and the center of the floor space and group them around the perimeter of the attic

Arrange remaining items in the categories you have decided on. They might be :

Holiday decorations
Seasonal clothing
Furniture and floor covering
China and other heirlooms
Craft supplies


Now that the items are sorted into groups of like items, tackle one category at a time. Decide what to keep, what to sell, what to give away and what to discard. Take the sell, give away and discard items out of the attic as soon as you have finished the category and dispose of them.

Make a list of supplies to purchase to appropriately store the items remaining. Hold off making the purchase until you have finished going through all the categories and have an opportunity to review the list in its entirety. Sometimes you will have to consider alternate plans because you have more or less items to store or you come across some forgotten surprises that require an alteration in your initial plan.

You should now have:
A trash free attic
The items you are going to keep sorted in like categories
A list of proposed purchases
A plan for where each group of items will be placed in the attic.

Review your plan and make any changes for placement of stored items. Consider using stationary or moveable shelving, clothing bags, ceiling hooks and rafter rods to maximize your storage space.

Review your purchase list. Keep these things in mind as you decide on storage options.
Clear storage boxes of uniform size allow a neat storage system and make contents visible.

Label all boxes with clear list of contents

Avoid placing fabrics in unsealed cedar or paper containers and wrap precious fabrics in acid free paper before storing

Store musical instruments in their cases with silicon gel packs and remove reeds and mouthpieces from the instruments.

When you have your storage equipment, remove all items from one corner of the attic and clean the space thoroughly. Place the items you intend to store in the space in their containers and put them in the clean space, beginning with ceiling and rafter storage and working you way down to the floor. Continue methodically around the room until all categories of items have been placed in their designated spots.

Stand back and survey your organized attic and make any adjustments that you decide will make it easier to access your storage.

Place your master plan at the attic entrance as a visual cue to where things are located.

Using this method you can take a day, a weekend or a month to get attic clutter organized. Just make your plan, give yourself a reasonable time frame to accomplish the task and stick to it. Ask for help from friends or consider using a professional organizer to help you with planning and keep you on track.


Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

ORGANIZE YOUR BOOKS

We love books. They are the hardest things for us to get rid of. The main motivator for ridding ourselves of our beloved books is so that we can buy more. So we understand that maintaining orderly bookshelves can be a challenge. We just have to keep telling ourselves that we can have no more books than we have space to store them. That means sharing some of our treasures with others before we add new ones to our shelves.

Here are some hints to help you get your books organized.

Clear out all the books and put them in one large space. The floor works fine. As you take them from the shelves remove any papers and bookmarks. Separate the books into five piles: keep, recycle (some paperbacks and pamphlets), throw away, give away, and sell. Immediately take all the books you are not going to keep to their final resting-places. Another alternative is to plan a book swapping party with friends. If you do this remember to dispose of enough books, so that you have space on your shelves for those you will claim for yourself.

Group the “keep” books into categories that are meaningful for you. We like fiction, nonfiction, do it yourself, cooking, children’s, and resource books (like dictionary) as main divisions. We like to sort the books alphabetically within these groups. You may decide to just group alphabetically by title or by author. You could even use the Dewey Decimal system like the libraries do. The Dewey Decimal Numbers are usually listed in the front of the book with the publication information. If you want to digitally catalogue your books by tags, Dewey Decimal Numbers or Library of Congress Categories, take a look at the website Library Thing which allows you to enter 200 titles free of charge. You might also opt to keep books in spaces close to where they are used - repair instructions with the tools, craft books in the craft basket, cookbooks in the kitchen.

Once you have the books off the shelves and grouped as you like them, clean the shelves thoroughly. Replace the books in the categories you have selected, dusting them as you go. You may have to be flexible and place oversized or heavy books on a bottom shelf regardless of category. Nothing can ruin a reading session like a bump on the head from a heavy book on a high shelf.

If the shelves are long, break up the book display with decorative items or use bookends to stabilize groups of books. If books still will not stay upright, take a look at the Shelf Shark Organizer available at Home Depot or http://www.shelfshark.com/. These handy little devices keep books standing straight.

Once you have your shelves filled with the books you love, remember to dispose of a book every time you bring a new one home. If that is more than you can bear, get a library card. It is good for your pocketbook and good for the planet.

Have fun and stay organized.


Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

WHEN IS A DOOR NOT A DOOR?

Question: When is a door not a door?
Answer: When it is a storage center.

It seems that, no matter how large the spaces we live in, there is never enough room to store everything we need to store. Someone must have been struggling with where to store their shoes one night and, while looking around every corner of the closet, noticed there was perfectly good unused space on the back of the door. Voila! The over-the-door shoe rack was born.

Now there are a variety of over-the door storage systems for myriad uses. Here are a few of our favorites that help maximize your space while keeping things tidy.

Check out http://www.whateverworks.com/ to find an over-the-door rack with a little fashion flair. It has four hooks topped with river pebbles. There is also a nice looking over-the-door shelf at this site.

At http://www.shopgetorganized.com/ you can find an over-the-door backpack rack that will hold up to four backpacks weighing three hundred pounds. If you want a place to organize your jewelry, an over-the-door armoire will give you a place to do that. You can even check how you look in the mirrored door on the armoire front. If you need the mirror but not the jewelry storage, an over-the-door tri-fold mirror is available. An over-the-door shoe rack at this site can be purchased in two sizes to hold twenty-four or thirty-six pairs of shoes.

Another style over-the-door shoe rack is available at http://www.harriettecarter.com/. This site also has a great over-the- door rack that has room to hang six coats or hats and a sturdy over-the-door shelf that could hold towels in a bathroom. Although it does not hang over the door, the back-of-the-door storage cage mounts on the door and has eight adjustable shelves that accommodate a variety of items.

There are also over-the-door systems for purses, ties, belts and scarves. So, when you are stumped for a place to organize your stuff, take a look at the doors. If they are going to hang around the house, they might as well do a little work.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransition.net

ORGANIZE YOUR COMPACT DISCS

We hear that compact discs are becoming obsolete. With the emergence of Bluetooth technology and the popularity of downloading only the singles you favor to your ipod, futurists predict that compact discs are going the way of the dinosaur. Some of us technophobes, however, still have vinyl long playing records stashed out of sight of our derisive younger family and friends. We will do the same with our CDs so we can anticipate the songs we love and criticize the ones we hate while admiring the cohesiveness of the theme that holds them all together as a collection. A CD collection needs to be stored somewhere and we have friends who argue the merits of organizing alphabetically by artist, or by year of release, or by genre (jazz v/s rock v/s classical). We think the simplest is by artist except for opera and classical. Those we like organized by title of the opera and the name of the composer. Whatever system you decide on should make sense to you. You are the one who most often has to lay your hands on a desired selection.

Once you decide how you will organize the collection, you need to find something to put them in. There are cd holders that look like modern sculptures, or good furniture, or just plain CD storage. You can store CDs in albums with protective sleeves and place the albums on bookshelves or in cabinets. Some Websites that can give you an idea of storage systems available are:
www.racksandstands.com
www.storeyourmedia.com
www.disk-store.com

Handy dividers that allow you to mark the beginning of each new letter in your alphabetized collection can be found at www.solutions.com. If you use binders, you can use paper or plastic dividers to mark the sections of your binder.

Now that you can find your favorite CD you can sit back and enjoy a few tunes.


Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

You Don’t Have to Be a Natural Born Organizer to Get Organized

Are you a natural born organizer? I am not one of those. I could always manage my time, plan strategically and organize events and projects. But when it came to organizing things and space it was another story.

I was the kid whose mother was always telling her to pick up her toys. I was the teenager who was grounded until her room was straight. I was the employee who was asked to clean up her desk when the big shots were taking a tour. I was the mother who frantically tried to get my home ready for company.

Then one day it hit me. I had learned how to organize my time and put together projects and events from my mother. She was really good at that. She was not so good at organizing spaces, so it is not a skill I absorbed through exposure. Maybe, I thought, it was not too late to gain that skill set.

I was lucky that I married a man who was awful at managing his time but very good at organizing his things. He taught me a lot. My daughter, who inherited her father’s propensity for order, taught me even more. Then I actually took classes and read some books. Amazing! I tried my hand at applying what I learned- and it worked!

It is comforting to know that organization is a thing that can be learned-that we can all attain order in our life if we are willing to adhere to a few easy rules:

• Identify a place to store things near where they are used and put them back after you use them
• Be creative in using space. Utilize wall space and space under furniture.
• Break every project down into manageable steps that lead to your goal.
• If you cannot cram everything into the space available, it is time to get rid of some stuff.
• If you cannot keep it looking tidy, hide in a drawer or behind doors. You will at least create the illusion of order.
• Organization means to arrange to suit one’s self. Adapt your system to who you are. If it works for you, that is all that matters.

If you need a little boost to get started, consider hiring a professional organizer. One of the most important things that a good professional organizer does is transfer knowledge about how to organize. We teach through instruction and example and gentle coaching. Many folks have not had the opportunity to gain the skills to organize various aspects of their lives and the opportunity to work with and observe someone who has the knowledge is all that is needed to get going and get organized for good.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

ORGANIZE YOUR GARDEN TOOLS

Gardening is a pleasure for many people. Whether you enjoy the beauty of a flower garden or the practicality of a vegetable garden, the right tools ease the effort of growing your crop. Organizing those tools so they are ready when you need them is well worthwhile. There are a host of products for organizing the smallest hand tools to the largest energy powered models. There are also many hooks and holders not designed specifically for garden tools that work well for both stationary and portable storage.

For stationary storage, mount a section of pegboard and select the hooks that fit your tool collection. Alligator Board has just come out with a section of metal pegboard on wheels that would serve very well as a garden tool storage center. Hooks designed to hold mops and brooms work well for light tools. For heavier tools like shovels take a look at the host of storage solutions at www.gemplers.com. They range from straight bar storage to specialty storage systems for weed trimmers and leaf blowers.

Portable storage for smaller items that you tote out to the garden should either be light enough for you to carry without strain or be on wheels. A simple solution is a five gallon bucket with a bucket cover to hold the tools. You can even make the cover yourself with a pattern available at www.bucketsgonewild.com. John Deere makes a portable garden cart on wheels that is available at most garden centers and a variety of garden tool totes are available at hardware and department stores.

When you have selected a storage system for your gardening tools, organize them by frequency of use. Place the ones you use everyday at the easiest place to reach, or store in a portable organizer for the duration of the gardening season.

For inspiration on more storage solutions check out the following websites:
www.gardeners.com
www.target.com
www.cedarcreek.com
www.carolwrightgifts.com
www.shopgetorganized.com
www.gemplers.com


Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

AVOID GARAGE CLUTTER

Do you keep your car in your garage? The U. S. Department of Energy reports that 25% of people with two car garages don’t park any cars in there and that 32% parked only one car, although they had at least two cars in the household. The National Association of Professional Organizers reports that 50% of homeowners rate the garage as the most disorganized space in the house. The report also states that the garage is a place the whole family uses regularly, a fact that adds to the challenge of keeping the space free of clutter.

The garage becomes the storage place for all the stuff that won’t fit in the house and all the stuff that is designated for outside use. It is a convenient place to drop off items that you need to haul elsewhere sometime in the future and messy projects that would create cleaning problems in the main living space. It is the place the kids drop of skateboards and bicycles and surfboards. So what can you do to reclaim the space for your car or at least bring some order to what you really use the garage for.

Here are a few simple tips for keeping garage clutter at bay.

1. Sort the garage contents into categories. Some examples are: sports equipment, wood working, yard maintenance, holiday storage. While sorting, discard any equipment that is broken or obsolete.

2. Create a zone for items in each category. Estimate the space you need for storage of each category and plan how to accommodate it in the space available. Consider systems that hang equipment on walls and overhead storage platforms. Shelves and cubbies can store cleaning products and instruction manuals as well as miscellaneous items. Also consider storage sheds and all-weather storage bins for storage of some items outside the garage.


3. When storing items used by children, make sure they are within reach of the users. Also review with the children and other family members the expectation that things are put back in designated spaces.

4. Create a drop off center at the point of entry to the garage from the house. Do not allow the number of items in that space to overflow before you deal with them.

5. Do a “garage check” once a month to make sure things are where they belong. Make it part of the regular housekeeping schedule.

6. Make sure the members of the household know the rules for maintaining the space and participate in the clean-ups when the clutter begins to pile up.

With a little planning and upkeep you will be able to open the garage bay without embarrassment when the neighbors are looking and maybe even park your car in there.


Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

AVOIDING FAMILY ROOM CLUTTER TRAPS

The greatest challenge in managing clutter in the family room is_____?

You guessed it-the family!

The family room is a wonderful concept- a place the family members can gather for entertainment, conversation and enjoying each other. The reality can be something a little short of the ideal. It is hard to watch TV or play games if all available seating is covered with clutter. Empty food wrappers, discarded clothing and piles of toys detract from the ambience of any space. Many friends tell me they clean the family room every week just to find it in the same deplorable condition the following week- or maybe the following day. It can be so frustrating that it becomes accepted as a room that looks bad all the time.

Is there a remedy? Yes there is, but it is not easy because it involves group effort. If you want a permanent solution to a cluttered family room we recommend the following:

The next time you clean the room record what you pick up on a piece of paper or a voice recorder.

Take a look at the list for patterns. Does Dad leave his shoes under the couch? Does Suzy leave Pepsi cans on the coffee table? Does Junior scatter Legos all over the floor? Does Mom throw magazines on the floor next to her chair?

Think about reasonable suggestions for managing the clutter. Would Dad put his shoes in a shoe storage bench next to the couch? Would Suzy discard cans in a handy receptacle? Does Junior have a storage space for his Legos that he can reach and manage? Would Mom lay her magazines in a conveniently placed rack?

Hold a family meeting and talk about the things you pick up every time you clean the room. Be open to other family members input. Tell them some of the suggestions you have for making it easier to put things away and let them suggest other solutions that appeal to them.

Set the rules. Assign tasks according to age and ability. Purchase or make the suggested systems to keep things organized and the next time you clean the room discard or give away any item that is not in its designated space. If trash is the problem, the clutterer has a penalty of the family’s choosing.

Stick to the rules and hold another family meeting to see how the system is working. Revise what you need to make the system work for everyone, but do not let any family member abdicate his responsibility for keeping the room organized

Hold a special celebration after one month of successful clutter management.


These steps work for families of all ages and all sizes. If you cannot figure out how to get started on the organizing project, a professional organizer can be a great help in developing and implementing a plan.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organizing the Bathroom

The bathroom is for _______________. Fill in the blank: bathing, elimination, relaxing, reading, drying hair, putting on make-up, storing necessary supplies, hanging laundry, draping towels, keeping dirty clothes until wash day and lots of other things. We have even known folks who used bathrooms for clothes storage, office space, libraries and junk rooms.

Garden baths, sunken baths and mega baths grace many newer homes. But those of us who live in older homes or small spaces face a challenging proposition when it comes time to organize the stuff we need in the bathroom. Fortunately there are organizing tips and available products that help keep the space uncluttered and the items we need accessible.

The first principle for small spaces is small quantities. Shampoo, soap, toothpaste, beauty products and other necessary items should be stored in modest amounts. In very limited space, one to use and a back up is a good principle to follow. Another principle for small spaces is stack if you can. Under sink space can be maximized by using wooden or metal stacking shelves. The under counter corner shelf from Get Organized fits most cabinets. If you have an old fashioned sink with no cabinet underneath, Home Trends sells a sink skirt that is easy to install and allows for hidden storage under the sink. The covered storage space can hold baskets, boxes or bins that will divide you necessities into accessible groupings. These same containers can help group items on counts tops.

There are a host of choices for creating shelving in tubs or showers. If you are faced with the added dilemma of living in a space where you cannot or would rather not permanently mount shelves, look at the standing metal shelf from Home Decorators or the corner bath and shower shelves from various vendors listed below. Very attractive teak and chrome shelves on a tension pole can be found at Hammacher Schlemmer. The shelves can hold the shampoo, soap, shower cap and other bathing necessities. Mirrors that hang on shower heads and have a space for razors and cream are available and provide a handy grouping for guys who shave in the shower.

Click in next time to explore ways to hang towels, store toilet paper and dry hand washables.

Check out the following sites for products:
Hammacher.com
HomeDecorators.com
ShopGetOrganized.com
Solutions.com
ShopHomeTrends.com


Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Finding Space in an Underneath Place

Small spaces are a real challenge. Even with creative use of floor space and wall space, there may not be enough room for the essentials. When the wall won’t hold another shelf and furniture has served as many multiple functions as you can think of, consider looking under things for potential storage.

In the bedroom, the bed is the largest piece of furniture that has potential for storage. Wooden drawers that stack and single wooden drawers on rollers are great places to store clothing that is looking for a home. Plastic rolling storage boxes with a low profile can hold children’s books and games, as well as art supplies or small toys. Several manufacturers make under-bed rolling trays and boxes designed specifically for shoes.

Another potential for storage is under a desk or work table. Rolling files are available that neatly fit into the unused space and an under-desk printer/fax stand can help free up flat surface space.

A decorative box or basket can be placed under a console or coffee table to hold books, magazines or a collection of shells or other memorabilia. Careful selection can create an interesting focal point

Some products to help stimulate ideas for storing underneath furniture may be found at the following web sites:
www.ultimatebed.com
www.abundantearth.com
www.homedepot.com
www.onlinesupplies.com
www.csnofficefurniture.com
www.lillianvernon.com
www.ballard.com
www.shopgetorganized.com


Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

The Old SOFT Shoe

I read recently that the average man owns five pair of shoes and the average woman owns fifteen pairs of shoes. In this instance, I am happy to report I am way above average. All the women in my family are above average and most of my friends are above average. Because of these associations, I have witnessed many struggles to organize shoes and have my own preferences for making it easy to find, retrieve and store those lovely little foot protectors.

When thinking about arranging shoes in an orderly fashion I recall the word SOFT (as in soft shoe - a dance step). That stands for Sort, Observe, Find, and Test.

The first step is to sort your shoes. Match up pairs and put them in categories. I prefer to use the categories of sandals, flats, heels, formal shoes and boots. Within these categories, you can continue to sort by colors or seasons if you like.

Once the shoes are sorted, observe their style, condition and fit. It is unwise to keep shoes that are terribly scuffed, broken or in disrepair. It is also uncomfortable to wear shoes that pinch, cause blisters or are ill-fitting. Also look for shoes that are out of style. Separate those shoes from the ones that look good, fit right and are stylish. Then discard or make arrangement to donate them.

The next step is to find out how many pairs of shoes you have left to store and find the organizing tool that fits your needs. I like cubbies for my flats and everyday shoes, bins for my athletic shoes, shelves for my boots and clear boxes for my heels and formal shoes. There are all kinds of solutions on the market from stackable shelves to free standing cabinets and shoe wheels that minimize use of closet space.

Once you have chosen your storage system arrange your shoes so that you can see them and you have access to them. If using boxes, you may want to take a picture of the shoe and place on the box so you can easily identify what is inside. If you have to seasonally switch shoes to more accessible places from less accessible places, you can use storage boxes that have a spring/summer picture on one end and a fall/winter picture on the other.

Finally, test the system. Are you able to easily find and retrieve shoes when you want them and easily return them to storage when you’re through wearing them? If not, tweak your system until you have a great fit.

Some sites with storage solutions for shoes are:
www.stacksandstacks.com
www.neatcontainers.com
www.clear-shoe-boxes.com
www.organize.com
www.homedecorators.com
www.lowes.com
www.homedepot.com

A professional organizer can help you choose the right systems for your organizing style and maximize the space you have available.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organizing Garden Tools

With summer here, we are spending more time outdoors. Not all of the time is spent playing or lolling in the sun. Home maintenance chores and hobbies, growing flowers, plants and vegetables require the use of tools that have seen little use during the winter months. Organizing tools and supplies is easier than ever with nifty products on the market.

If you have four hundred dollars to spend, Brookstone sells a prefabricated storage shed that stands 64” high. Deck storage boxes also proved convenient weather-proof storage. Some of them are configured as benches with a storage compartment under the seat.

Some storage boxes have matching containers for a garden hose. These boxes allow the hose to be fed to the outdoor spigot through a hole in the container.

There are many less expensive alternatives for storing garden tools and hoses. Hose storage alternatives range from a $7 hook that hangs over the spigot to decorative bronze and wrought iron holders that are works of art. Get Organized offers a sturdy wire garden tool organizer that has a hose hook attached. The same company also distributes a rolling garden tool cart with slots for large tools and six side pockets for smaller items. A sheet of pegboard can be used with hooks and clamps to organize equipment. Over door hanging baskets are good choices for gloves, seed packets and smaller items. Mulitbin organizers also provide a convenient way to store items within view.

Alternatives to storing garden tools can be found at the following websites:
http://www.brookstone.com/
http://www.countrydoor.com/
http://www.shopgetorganized.com/
http://www.grandinroad.com/
http://www.harrietcarter.com/
http://www.frontgate.com/

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Bedrooms

Bedrooms are for sleeping, right? You would think a room with such a specific purpose would be easy to keep organized and uncluttered. That is not the story for most of our clients. The truth is that a bedroom is a multipurpose room and sleeping is just one of the functions it supports. The functions of a bedroom depend on the frequency of use and the age(s) of the occupant(s). So-called spare bedrooms often become the repository for homeless objects and unfinished projects so we are not talking about them today. They are a whole different challenge. We are focusing on regular occupied bedrooms where folks sleep, share intimacies with spouses, partners and friends, get dressed, store clothes and jewelry, read, study, exercise, sometimes have home offices and hobby stations. It is a truly multi-functional space. Often it is the only private space for individuals sharing a home.

Because a bedroom is used for more than one thing, the first step in removing clutter and organizing the space is to list the things you do in the bedroom. Then determine the best place to accomplish that task, given the space available. We find it helpful to think of the bedroom in zones. The most often used categories include:

- Sleeping Zone
- Dressing Zone
- Play Zone
- Study Zone
- Relaxing/Socializing Zone

Once we have established the zones, we group the items that are needed for that activity together in that space as much as possible. While we are completing that activity we assist the client in arranging, storing and purging items that go in the space.

Some hints our clients have found helpful include:

- Create a reading station near the bed that includes adequate lighting, book mark, and a place for book and glasses
- Store children’s must have bed items in a bedside table or an underbed rolling storage box that is easy for them to access
- Use pegboard or cork board to hang jewelry near the dressing area

An organized uncluttered bedroom is a worthwhile investment. Getting dressed in the morning is less stressful and going to sleep at night is more peaceful.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Moving into a New Space

A professional organizer can provide valuable help to people who are getting ready to occupy new space. Whether that new space is a condominium, a dormitory room, a new office, a refinished attic or a brand new house, the perspective of a third party with training in organizing can give a head start to saving time and living comfortably.

Small spaces are particularly challenging and ways to optimize storage with limited space was handled in a previous blog entitled “Too Little Space”. Up front consultation with a professional organizer can save a lot of hassle.

When Jane moved from home into a dormitory room which she shared with a roommate, there was no space for some of the things she brought with her to college. Her parents loaded four boxes of stuff which could not be crammed into the space and hauled it back home with them. Jane brought still more home with her when she visited. They had wasted valuable time and money purchasing items that were inappropriate for the space available.

Most colleges give lists of suggested items for purchase and dimensions for necessities like computers and refrigerators, but they fall short at suggestions for storage for other must-have items. An organizer will offer suggestions that can make the trip to college more pleasant. The hard decisions about what to take on that first trip can be made before the hectic event of actually moving in. That can save money and make those move-in trips a lot less stressful. Jane and her parents consulted with a professional organizer prior to her sophomore year. She was moving to an Honors dorm with even less space than her previous room, but no roommate. The organizer listened to the problems encountered the prior year, and made suggestions for storage and placement of Jane’s belongings. Jane’s mother reports the items that returned home with them were the tools they brought for installation of storage systems and one stuffed animal that gave up his space for a decorative pillow.
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Even when there is plenty of space, a professional organizer can be of help.

Todd and Jean were moving their family to their dream house. Todd’s mother was joining them and looking forward to occupying the mother-in-law suite built especially for her. The family had moved twice in the past five years and both times had resulted in continuation of storage problems they had lived with in previous houses. Everyone agreed they wanted this time to be different.

The professional organizer met with the family and suggested storage systems for the garage and closets, as well as placement of some items for efficient living. She assisted them in organizing the move so that items were ready for unpacking and storage when they arrived at their new home. Todd says it is the smoothest move they have ever had and the garage looks terrific even with both cars parked inside.

Moving time requires thought, planning and execution, as well as plenty of patience and hard work. A professional organizer can be helpful in all phases of the process.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net