July 26, 2011

Organized Artistry's 9th Anniversary - 9 Organizing Tips for You

July 27, 2011 is the 9th anniversary of my first client. Thank you Mrs. Z for trusting me with your papers and your closet. Hopefully, you had no idea I was a 'newbie' when I walked through your door...

Since that time, I've worked with more than 50+ clients--all of them like snowflakes--no two were alike. But, the one trait they all shared was their desire to get organized. Over the years, my clients have asked for some key tips on how to become and stay organized. In honor of Organized Artistry's 9th anniversary, I am going to share 9 organizing tips to help you reach your goals and lead a less stressful life.

Use one, use some, or use them all...

1. Just Do It. Stop complaining/thinking/worrying about your clutter and instead draw out a written plan to tackle it.

2. Start small. Rooms full of clutter overwhelm most people. Start by sorting items one shelf, one drawer, or one corner of a room at a time. Feeling ambitious? Try one more and get back to sorting the next day.

3. Know Thyself. When do you work best? Mornings? Evenings? Organize when you are at your most energetic.

4. Give 'em a Good Home. Invest in a high-quality file cabinet for your papers. My father's file cabinet is almost as old as I am and still functions well. My favorite brand of file cabinet (and my dad's, too) is HON.

5. Save Money Where You Can. Don't spend a ton of money on organizing products until you know exactly what you need. Until then, use shoeboxes, Ziploc bags and other free or inexpensive organizers.

6. Wear Sturdy Footwear. You never know what might fall off a high (or low) shelf. You never know what you might step on. Protect your feet while organizing--no flip flops or bare feet!

7. One-In-One-Out. If you bring something into your home, something must go. Bought some new towels? Purge some old ones. Got a new pair of black shoes? Send another pair walking. One-in-one-out keeps the amount of 'stuff' in your home at an even level. To really de-clutter, live by the One-in-three-out rule.

8. Take Before and After Pictures. You don't have to show them to anybody. Just take the pictures and keep them for yourself. My prediction is that you'll make sure your home never reaches 'Before' status again!

9. Reward your Accomplishments. Whether you organized a large clothes closet or a small drawer of office supplies, note the accomplishment and reward yourself accordingly. Manicure? Double-chocolate cookie? An evening on the couch with a good book/funny movie/loving spouse? You've worked hard at reaching your organizing goals--you deserve it!

Nine years in business is quite a milestone. Thanks so much to my clients, colleagues, family, and friends for helping me to get to this day.

July 24, 2011

Got Post Its?

I don't know anyone who doesn't love Post-Its. Those somewhat sticky pieces of colored paper have become an everyday part of our lives. I have two or three packages of them on my desk and a ziploc baggie full of different sizes and colors in my work bag. I love Post Its so much, I even use the Classic Stickies program on my Mac--I'd be lost with out it.

We use them for reminders, to dos, shopping lists and a myriad of other uses. But I thought I'd share some great tips in the following article:

Creative Uses for 3M Post It Notes

I already use a few of the ideas offered by the experts but I plan on utilizing #18 next time my five year old is bored...

Get creative and have fun with your Post Its!

July 19, 2011

Cool Product - Jewelry Organizer

I just received The Container Store's Happy Organized Home Sale catalog. Lotsa great organizing products--and at affordable prices, too.

But, I HAD to share what I think is one of the most creative transformations of an already existing product...

Have you seen those jewelry organizers you hang in your closet? Some of them look like this:



Jewelry organizers like this one are functional and utilitarian. But look what else you could have hanging in your closet to organize your beads and baubles:



I took one look at this and thought, 'COOL!' Besides the fact that it holds a boat-load of jewelry, it looks like a dress in your closet! Made by Umbra exclusively for The Container Store, the 'Little Black Dress Hanging Jewelry Organizer' is made from cotton canvas and features 39 pockets and 24 hook and loop closures.

So if you need a new way to organize your jewels and have some room in your closet, check out The Little Black Dress. Umbra definitely knows style...

July 15, 2011

Organizing for Travel Tips on Facebook

I just posted the second of my four travel/organizing tips at my Organized Artistry Facebook page.

If you're going away for more than a night, you'll appreciate this week's tip. Hint: it has to do with footwear...

Wishing you safe and organized travel!

July 8, 2011

Facebook's Payvment Shopping Mall

A short while ago, I discovered an new app for Facebook--the Payvment Shopping Mall. It is a shopping cart system using 'Open Cart' technology that allow customers to shop from storefront to storefront--all without leaving Facebook.



Although I sell my book via Amazon and my website, I am always looking for other venues to list my book. When I saw the opportunity to launch a store while the app is still in public beta, I jumped at it.

What's also great about Payvment Shopping Mall is that it makes it easy for fans and shoppers to Tweet or Like a product which then enables it to appear in their various News Feeds. It spreads the word about a product with a single click!

Here's my listing for 7 Steps to an Organized Wedding Thank You Note. Why not check out the Payvment Shopping Mall? You never know what you'll find once you're done checking your friend's status...

July 3, 2011

Facebook Tip of the Week

People are always asking me for organizing tips. I enjoy being able to provide helpful advice and strategies so starting this week, I'm going to be offering a 'Tip of the Week' on my Facebook Fan Page.

Every month I will cover a different topic. July's tips will be all about Getting Organized for Travel. Are you going away this summer? Be sure to check my Facebook Fan Page for tips to help you get where you want to go in an organized fashion...