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Organizing Error

8/17/2014

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Look at these two photos. There is a "technical" organizing error in the one on the left, can you spot it?

When you organize a space, you select solutions that work now. Some time in the future, it is likely that the solutions you selected will no longer work. The spaces in our homes are not static. They are always changing as items are added, moved, or removed. You will need to go back after a period of time to tweak/edit what you had previously organized. With good maintenance and upkeep habits, your work will be minimal (and may even be fun!).
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Organizing Tiny Dolls & Accessories

5/28/2014

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Organize those Polly Pockets and other small dolls and accessories in a clear, snap-shut case. My favorite part of this project was watching my daughter devise her own system as to what goes where. If you empower your kids during the organizing process they will be more likely to maintain the system. 
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Organizing with mason jars

8/27/2013

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Fall is quickly approaching and if you have a garden, it's almost time to pull out those mason jars! 

Here are a few ideas for using mason jars for organizing small unruly items:

-In the bathroom for cotton balls, q-tips, make up sponges, and make up brushes
-For art supplies such as crayons, pom poms, and buttons
-In the kitchen for cooking utensils on the counter
-In the pantry for pasta, rice, oatmeal, and quinoa
-In the office as a pencil holder
-For cupcake wrappers
-In the bathroom as a toothbrush holder
-In the kitchen for spices
-In the workshop for screws, nails, and nuts/bolts
-For sewing supplies like spools of thread, needles, and ribbons
-As a match holder with a piece of sand paper secured above the lid for striking
-As a keepsake holder
-In the basement for leftover paint
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Got skis?  Need storage?

7/19/2013

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I saw this very clever and very easy-to-make ski rack at a client's house and couldn't resist taking a picture.  To re-create:  buy 2 long pieces of wood and some dowels, drill holes in each piece of wood (the size of the diameter of the dowels), and insert the dowels. I am inspired to do this in my garage!  See, you really do learn something everyday :)

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Scarf storage: out of the box ideas

6/5/2013

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Here are some out of the box scarf storage ideas:
  • Connect shower curtain rings on a hanger and insert one scarf per ring
  • Connect shower curtain rings directly to your closet rod and insert as above
  • Install a towel rod on your closet door and tie you scarves to it

If you are a visual person, like me, and want to see pictures, find me on Pinterest (search Elizabeth Bremer) and view my closet organizing "Board."  Good luck wrangling your scarves!
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Bangle Bracelet Storage

5/1/2013

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I just learned a creative way to store bangle bracelets.....with candlesticks, candle holders, or vases.  Functional and pretty!  What more could a girl ask for?  Thank you Pinterest.

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Holiday Decor: How to Store

1/2/2013

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The holidays are over and it's time to look forward to the new year.  How can you turn dread into ease and enjoyment next December when it is time to pull out your holiday decorations?  Before you just shove all your decorations in a box (tangled/non-working lights, broken ornaments, and all), organize and pack them like a pro now.  It doesn't take that much more effort and you will thank yourself later, I promise.  
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Ornaments:
Many retailers sell ornament boxes.  I recommend the plastic type with cardboard dividers.  Fabric ornament boxes tend to be too flimsy and the dividers don't stay in place when the box is lifted or moved.  A green alternative it to wrap ornaments in tissue paper left over from unwrapping gifts and store them in their original boxes. If you don't have the original boxes, grab an empty wine or liquor box from a liquor store and use that. You can use egg cartons for your little delicate ornaments.

Lights:
Store indoor and outdoor lights in separate bins.  Consider using a ziplock bag for each strand or, for a green alternative, use a piece of cardboard and wrap each strand around that.  For either option, I recommend labeling with the length of the light strand and where it was last used. 

Gift wrap:
I like the Gift Wrap Work Station that you can purchase online from The Container Store.  It hangs from a closet rod and has a table-height holder for wrapping paper when in use.  This organizer holds gift wrap, gift bags, tissue paper, bows, gift tags, and even has a place for pens, scissors, and tape.  The key to this, and any organizing system you choose, is not to overwhelm the system with too many items.

Wreaths:
Wreath bags are handy because they come in different sizes and zip closed to protect from dust and light.  For a green alternative, repurpose a dry cleaning bag and a wire hanger.  Either option can be hung from a nail from attic or basement rafters or from a hook or nail on the wall.


Inflatables:
Try a duffel bag or small tree bag for storing outdoor inflatables.  Be sure they are clean and dry before storing because these items tend to mold when stored wet and will emit odor the next time you pull them out for use.




Artificial Trees:
We are all familiar with tree bags but if you are looking for the mecca of tree bags, check out the Tree Keeper Pro.  It comes on wheels and the bag bundles up at the bottom of the tree to be concealed under a tree skirt.  I always love products that are designed to keep things together.  Less likelihood for the bag to get lost if it is attached to the tree itself.


Where does all this stuff go?
I suggest keeping all your holiday decor together on existing shelving if ample space is available.  If space is an issue, consider a ceiling storage lift system like this one by Racor.  Getting storage off the floor is always helpful because it gives you more room to live and play.  
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Holiday Decoration Storage

11/14/2012

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Holiday decorations can get out of hand if you buy them every year and never purge.  I suggest getting some large plastic bins (one for each holiday.....ok maybe two or three for Christmas) and labeling them.  Now you have a size limit on the quantity of decorations you can keep.  As you pack up your Halloween decorations, let the damaged, faded, and no longer loved items go and make room for new items next year when it's time to unpack the bin.  When you are purchasing decorations, remember how much room you have in your bin and that you have a size limit.
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Lego Madness

9/28/2011

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Legos are a great learning tool but boy can things get nutty with all those pieces and parts!  There are a million ways to store and organize legos but my biggest recommendation is to KEEP IT SIMPLE.  The younger the child, the simpler the lego storage system should be.  Older children should be involved with the "design" of the lego storage system.  Here are a few ideas:

-Keep a dustpan with your legos to assist with pick up.
-For young children, designate a play area.  Lego tables are great but if you don't have the room for one you can always use a mat that rolls up and is stored under a couch or bed or use a bed sheet (the latter makes pick up even easier because you just scoop up the entire sheet and pour the legos into a bin).
-Legos don't need to be sorted for young children, unless you have multiple sets that contain different sized legos that don't fit together (in which case they should be kept separately).
-Older children like to work on projects that may span over a few days.  In this case, the project of the week can be kept out on the play area and its pieces can be contained in a tackle box.  (Consider giving each child their own tackle box with their name on it.)
-Older children may like their legos sorted into categories.  Some children like to sort their legos by color.  Others may prefer categories like "just legos", "Pirates of the Caribbean", and "Toy Story" or "heads", "weapons", and "vehicles".  Categories can be stored in clear plastic shoe bins (or larger bins, depending on the size of each category).  Don't forget to have a bin or binder for manuals.
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Save time organizing your photos, consider photo boxes.

9/25/2011

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Photo organizing can be very time consuming. Consider storing them in photo boxes and arranging them by year, month & year, or event. (The easiest way to subdivide photos inside the box is to use a 3x5" index card turned on it's side, labeled, and slid between your categories.)
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    Liz Bremer, CPO
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    Put it Simply Organizing, LLC

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  • Home
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