Ready for College?

As many kids are getting ready to go back to school, some parents are facing sending their kids off to college. I have to be honest, sending Belinda off to school wasn’t so bad – I mean I was a single mom and she had been in daycare/ preschool since she was 6 weeks old (no judgements, please).  I also knew that she would be home at the end of the school day. Sending her to college was a whole different ball game.

I thought it would be a piece of cake, of course being a workaholic I thought would make things easier – WRONG!  As we drove to what seemed like the end of the earth – western North Carolina – I tried to maintain my calm. Mom (grand mom) was struggling, Belinda was anxious (or maybe it was excitement) about being so far away from home. On a map, North Carolina didn’t seem so bad. Twelve hours didn’t seem so long. Then the reality sunk in as we made that trip for the first time.

The toughest part for me was driving away – leaving my baby girl.  Mom cried most of the 12 hours home and was furious that I left her there.  Belinda was ready to come home right away BUT momma stood tough.  I told her she made the decision so she had to stay for 1 semester – then if she wanted to change, she could.  Well, as they say the rest is history!  Belinda stayed at Western Carolina University for 4 years, graduated from Honors College, got a job in her field (Social Work), earned her Master’s degree, got married and is still living in Sylva, NC.

Okay, so why I am reminiscing about all of this? A blog written by The Joyful Organizer called “Dorm Room Ready” appeared in my “time hop”  Here are some of her suggestions for heading to college:

Cubes are a great way to organize just about anything; toys, clothes, accessories or even office supplies. Thirty One’s Your Way Cube has all the options you want in a cube; handles, a sturdy bottom and even a window so you can see the contents. It can also be embroidered so when you’re headed off to college, it’s already labeled for you! Fun patterns and colors mean you can match this to your dorm room style. The tote even has an optional lid to keep the contents protected, contained and dust free.

Thirty One’s Stand Tall Bin is perfect for laundry. It’s light weight and easy to carry back and forth from the laundry room. When it’s not in use you can fold it up and store it under the bed. The pattern is easy to distinguish from other’s bags and the flat bottom allows folded clothes to stay folded. This is a great bag to bring things back and forth to school as well; particularly linens, large winter coats or pillows. It’s also great for plush toys, linens and beach towels in the summer, you’ll find a thousand uses for this bag.

Need help getting organized at home? Is someone heading off to college?  Let me help you get organized and send them off in style.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Organize Your Craft Supplies

I don’t know about you but when Belinda was out of school for the summer, my normally neat and tidy craft supplies looked like “who did it and ran”.  She loved to do projects BUT hated to clean up.

So. whether you scrapbook or the kids’ have lots of paper and markers.  Craft supplies tend to clutter up a closet faster than you can complete a project. It seems that the bigger the closet, the more we collect – just can’t resist that sale at AC Moore‘s of Michael‘s and of course Hobby Lobby is deadly, right?

Maybe you have a walk-in closet with lots of room or a closet with just a few shelves – there can be still create order out of craft supply chaos.

Rolling carts: These can be tucked under a shelf or work surface for easy accessibility and are ideal for storing items you don’t use everyday.  I LOVE that the kids can roll this into whatever room they are working and then put things away in the drawers when they are done.

Magnetic spice racks: These small round containers come with clear lids so it’s easy to see what’s inside.

Baskets (or cubes): Small paint bottles, paintbrushes, crayons, markers and colored pencils are easily identifiable and moved about if you have an easel or separate area for drawing and painting.  These cubes also have a clear side so you can see what is in them.

Small compartment boxes: The compartments are great for keeping up with buttons, beads, shells and rubber stamps.

Expanding files: The individual files allow you to easily sort scrapbooking and decoupage supplies into categories, either by person, holiday or event.

If you’re lacking office space, use an armoire or a spare closet (with an electrical outlet nearby) to store your computer, important papers and office necessities.

     

Here’s how:

• Paint the inside of the closet a fun color.
• Add a shelf at chair height for the desktop and one or two shelves up high to store office supplies you don’t use on an everyday basis.
• Create a message board by attaching cork to the inside of the closet door.

• Use wall pockets for incoming mail. Be sure to assign action verbs to each pocket, like To Read, To Do and Trash.
• Place a rolling file cabinet under the desktop to store important papers. Use a color-coded filing system to distinguish between types of papers like bills, bank statements and work-related documents.

Who is ready to organize their craft/office space?  Share with us your best tips.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Organizing the Nursery

So, it has been about 27  years since I had to worry about setting up a nursery BUT I have been getting requests on how best to organize one.  Yes, that cutie is my “baby“….

When I set Belinda’s room up, there were lots of hangers and dresser drawers full of stuff.  This busy  mom struggled with remembering where things were especially when I needed to do a middle of the night change.  I wish someone had of shared these tips with me.

Isn’t this adorable?  Inexpensive and practical for small spaces.  Courtesy of Crafty Morning.

We can all agree that layette items should be in easy reach since there are frequent newborn changing.  I mean who wants to turn on the light and go digging for things in the middle of the night, right?

I love the idea of using baskets, bins or cubes that fit perfectly on the changing table. Keeping like items together will help to create a system that will make staying organized easier.

We love the friends and family who buy things in multiple sizes so “they can grow into them”, right?  These chalk cubes, allow you to organize by size and are easily changeable.

Current sizes can be stored for easy access while larger sizes are placed in cubes labeled with size and season.

Diaper changing essentials fit great in a caddy which also allows for it to be portable.  No running to the baby’s run to change a messy diaper.  A diaper caddy is a great way to keep diapers, wipes, lotions and creams together.

Bedding: Reserve a shelf or a container in the closet or under the crib for extra bedding.

Medicines: Keep medicine where you would administer it. If your child is teething you would want to have the teething gel both in the nursery, and in your diaper bag. A small lidded plastic container is a good place to store all necessary medicines (of course, out of reach of the baby or other children). Returning everything to its place will insure that you will have what you need when necessary.

How about baby furniture?  It is best to order furniture 12–15 weeks before the baby’s scheduled due date. This way you can be sure that the furniture arrives, can be assembled and the rest of the nursery can be put into place.  Be practical, making sure that the furniture will fit in with the overall decor of the house and the size of the room.

If these is your first child, consider the fact that the furniture may be used for more than one child? If so, gender-neutral and classic styling is important. You wouldn’t want to purchase furniture that is so trendy it will feel dated by the time your second or third child is born.

Will an older brother or sister need to room with the new baby?  Space planning really needs to be considered.  If an older siblings will be sharing the room, create something that will appeal to both children. Colors and patterns that both children will view as fun with functional furnishings that will keep them both happy.

What are some of your best tips for organizing a nursery or even a toddler’s room?  Share them with us…

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

National Get Organized Week

Did you know that this week was National Get Organized Week?  This week was originally created by The National Association of Professional Organizers to focus on the benefits of getting organized along with some techniques. They have since gone to January because most people have “get organized” as ONE of their New Year’s Resolutions.

I am old school and remember October as being “fall cleaning” when I was growing up.  In fact my mom still does this.  It was when we cleaned the house top to bottom, over furniture, stored away  summer clothes and brought the dreaded winter clothes out of storage.  So, if your goal at the beginning of the year was “to get organized” now is a great time to finish up the year reaching that goal (if you haven’t already).  Take this week to simplify your life and make it more manageable by getting organized.

I read a quote by a fellow blogger, Cheryl Richardson who is a spirituality and self-help author. Does this sound like your office (or house):

“Stuff has tentacles. Every pile of paper, cluttered counter, or disorganized closet is filled with items that have cords attached to them. These cords reach out and suck the energy from us whether we’re near the stuff or not.”

GO, right now. Grab a broom, a mop, and a dust bin (that’s old school talk for “trash can”). Roll up your sleeves, put on some rockin’ movin’ music and do this!

Here are some solutions to those organizational problems in your home or your office:

   

I love that you can label things to make it easy for kids (and hubby) to know where to put things away.  Like that is going to happen, right?  The cubes are solid on one side while the other side has a clear opening so you can actually see what is inside.  A great way to  hid things when company comes to visit!

As for your office (or even the home), my BEST tip is:

Touch each piece of paper (or email or mail) only ONCE!

I know, crazy right? The truth is it is possible. I used this system for years in my JOB. It made life so easy. I am not sure why I have such a problem in my home office.

What will help you get organized as we enter the last quarter of 2015?  I am not a professional organizer but I do have some great tips and products that will make your life just a little easier.

Wouldn’t it be nice to call someone and have them come in and just pull together that messy closet or counter space or maybe even your office?  Think of how much more energy you will have when you are not faced with the clutter every day.  Remember, clutter drains your energy. It zaps your creativity too. If there’s more to do, continue the process of decluttering and organizing. Twenty minutes a day is all it takes.

How about a “Product Experience“?  A NO obligation consultation.  I will come in and help you with suggestions for your “hot mess” using things you already have or sharing some of Thirty One’s awesome product.  If you are interested in our product and they meet your needs;   I will help you find the best deal for you. If not, it is okay – I will be grateful for the chance to meet some new people and share the gift of Thirty One.

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Tips On Organizing Your Closet

  

Would’t you like your closet to be neat and organized?  I can remember my mom always talking about “Fall Cleaning”.  This was when we cleaned out the closets and got organized.  They usually didn’t stay that way for long but that was the plan.

The Joyful Organizer is always sharing great tips on getting and staying organized.  I LOVE her goal for the closet – if only it was that easy, right?

The goal of closet organization is simple… Get your clothing, shoes, and accessories in order so that you can get dressed quickly and easily, wearing outfits that you love! 

Here are her top tips for Closet Organization:

1. Start by trying on everything in your closet. This is tedious, however, it is the only way you will really know what fits, what looks great, and is still in good condition.
2. Face all of the hangers in your closet in one direction. As you wear items, have them laundered, and return them to your closet, turn them and face them the other way. This is a great way to separate the clothes you wear from the one’s you don’t.  This is a GREAT idea because I always say “of course I wear everything in here”.
3. Ask yourself the following questions about a garment before deciding to keep it?
   Do I love it?  Is it in good condition?  Does it make me feel great about myself?
   It is in style?  It is comfortable?  Could someone else use it more than me?
4. Take a look to find any wasted space in your closet, and try to maximize it. Consider adding another hanging bar, or shelves close to the top or bottom of the closet. These changes are quick, inexpensive and can add a lot of space to your closet.  I did this when I moved into the condo because the closet space was small.  It really did help.
5. An easy way to make a big difference in your closet is to use hangers that are all the same type. This creates a uniform appearance in your closet. The goal is to have all of your garments hanging at one height, on a hanger that is uniform in width. This way you will never lose clothes by not being able to see them.
6. Use your door space. By adding an organizational tool, like an over the door shoe rack, you can add a significant amount or storage space to your closet. Keep in mind these are also great for scarves, belts, etc.
7. Just like you would sort through your clothes, its important to sort through your shoes. Shoes that are not worn frequently, such as occasion shoes, can be stored in a small plastic box on a shelf in the closet. This keeps them out of the way and also prevents them from getting dusty and beaten up. Again, ask yourself the questions above in Number 3, and make decisions about what shoes to keep.

Organize your closet how it works for you. Some organizers suggest grouping by genre, other suggest grouping by color, and some by outfit. It’s not important how to group items, just make sure it works for you.

If you need some organizational products for your closet (or any area of your home), check out the “For Your Home” by Thirty One.  Need some help in deciding what products work best for your home – try a Product Experience.  Contact me for more details:

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Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!