The Closet the Last Frontier

Organizing that closet can be just as challenging as trying to find anything in it! You invest a lot of money in your clothes, don’t just cram them into your closet, organizing your closet can not only prolong the life of your clothing but keep you from buying duplicates of items and help you revive what you wear giving you new outfits.

Some prefer to organize their closet by color while others prefer to organize by article of clothing, blouses, skirts, and pants.

You will need, hangers (3 different colors) 2 hangers for multiple pairs pants, and hangers for skirts. Plastic containers or baskets for folded clothes, several containers with lids for storing accessories, your choice of a system for storing shoes.  3m hooks I use several.

I am the typical women in that my shoes probably out number my amount of friends on Facebook.  There are several methods to organizing your shoes. I have seen women use their camera and take pictures of each shoe taping the picture to the outside of the shoe box and stack the shoe boxes so that the picture can be seen. If that works for you great! What you use needs to make your shoes visible and easy to get shoes out. Keep in mind the space you have and the amount of shoes you own. You don’t want your system for organizing your shoes to take up more than 1/3 of your space on shoes. I have seen women go out and spend hundreds on the 7 dollar box that shoes your shoes off and the front of the box flips open and the shoe slides out the side. These are nice but not budget friendly. I myself use milk crates and recycled toy bins. I place the shoes in categories of pumps, sandals, and activity. For shoes I really love and don’t want to place in a group bin I do the picture thing. I have a friend who uses over the door shoe rack for the shoes that she wears the most. Making them easy to grab and go, she boxes and stacks the others that she wears on other occasions.  The shoe rack is nice as well but it can take up valuable floor space, try using one and then placing the others in a different system. Don’t be afraid to try different types of organization systems and mix with others in order to find what works for you. Keep in mind the total amount of space you can use in your closet don’t waste your space budget. You should be able to organize your closet without spending too much money.

Accessorize, belts, hats, gloves, scarves, pins. We have tons of items that we use with our outfits. Try placing items like belts, and in an open basket or investing in a hanger for belts it can work for scarves as well, if you have the room.  

Find and designate a box for winter gear. This way you can move it in and out of the closet to leave yourself more room.

Thanks to Kat Middleton and the royals hats and fascinators are making a comeback, if you’re willing to invest in the hats, invest in hat boxes for your hats. This will help them stay clean and keep their shape. Use acid free tissue paper to tuck them in.

Purses- are just as bad as shoes. Use hooks in your close to hang larger bags, small clutches and hand bags can be placed in a plastic container to store in your closet, larger bags can be placed in an open basket. Try to store bags on their bottoms  and the packing bubbles and tissue paper in order to store and help keep the purses shape.

Choose what works for you, organizing by clothing piece, or by color. I use a hybrid all of my tops are organized by color with space for shirts with patterned material.  I organize the colors with tanks on the right, t-shirts in the middle, and longer sleeved shirts on the left.  Organizing this way makes putting away and finding them much easier. For bottoms I have them on one side of the closet and they are also sorted by color. My point is, your options for organizing and where to place items are limitless.

Try this: I bout 3 different colors of hangers; blue hangers are for dress clothes, purple hangers for athletic wear, and pink are for casual clothes. You could also use them this way; red hangers for t-shirts, orange, for tanks, and halters types, black for blouses and long sleeved shirts.

Swap it I use several large plastic containers one for spring and two for winter to swap clothes out. Giving me more room in my closet before I place items in them they are cleaned, pressed, and nicely folded so that they are ready for their next use. I keep my staple pieces year round but add and subtract based on season and weather.

                Designate a box in the closet for a lint roller, shoe polish, heal guards, buttons, and safety pins, patch kit, sewing kit and any other miscellaneous clothing pieces.

Baby Shower

This past weekend we hosted a backyard baby shower for my boyfriend’s sister. She is having a girl and decorating the nursery in butterflies. We decided to incorporate the theme for the nursery and her love of books into a shower theme.

Using my copy and paste skills and card stock we printed off several pictures of book covers to make book flags for the cupcakes. We also made a few larger ones to place in the floral arrangements that her mother and a friend designed using flowers they had growing in the garden. We also made a clothes line with several popular children’s titles. To add to the decorations I used Martha Stewart’s tissue pompom directions to hang around the tent. I tied the butterflies in by using ones I found at my local craft store and sticking them to the tissues. I also traced and cut out butterflies on construction paper with quotes about reading and children for the table.

 

Everyone was invited to bring their favorite child book to the nursery. I have to say there was not one duplicate for the books. The guests had a great time looking at all the different book titles. For many it was a reminder of their own or children’s bed time story memories.

What helped with the planning process was selecting a set location for all the party decorations and information.  Anything that we were planning to use or using to make decorations went back to that location that way we could always find it. It also helps to keep a list of guests complete with addresses, in that area, that way when someone emails or calls to RSVP you are able to find and can mark them quickly.

To make the book flags you need; tacky glue, toothpicks, card stock, several ink cartridges. Once you have copy and pasted the pictures into the word document adjust the image to the size you need and print on cardstock.(Make sure your printer is set to automatic

Instruction Manuals, Warrenties, and Reciepts Oh My!

As I most certainly can relate, knowing where to find the paperwork for your electronics and appliances is really important when it comes to saving your self; stress, time, and money. Many of us buy the warranties on computers and our devices also have a lifetime warranties, but we've thrown out the paper work, or are unable to find it. You are only going to make the most of  these warranties and get what you pay for, if you can locate the papers. Having a filing system that works and a go to spot for these is key.

Start by going through your house and rounding the paper work into one pile. You'd be surprised how much you find, even the smallest devices like pedometers have limited warranties.  You should be looking for purchase or repair receipts, manuals, proof of warranties or anything else that might apply to an item.

Next go through the pile and verify that you actually still own the items for which you have paperwork. If not shred it.
Your next move is to designate and clear a spot tucked out of the way, but still allow you to find and put papers away easily.

Choose a filing system that fits both the space and your preference. Try accordion folders for small spaces, and small file boxes. These work great for pantry's, living room cabinets, or closets. Other options can include part of a filing cabinet, binders, archiving boxes, or even fire proof boxes. Whatever works for you!

Filing- Label each folder clearly and in large enough print that a person can read it quickly. Most recent repairs or work on anything should go in the front of a file.

Start by giving each computer in your house hold its own folder. These tend to have several pieces of paper and need to be kept separate from each other for clarity. I try to keep all the set up discs as well with these. It is also a good idea to make a copy of the lap top bottom with all the numbers and info on it. I also make a copy of the receipt of purchase. I do this for almost all electronics. Includedshould also be any programs that you buy and install off the Internet like virus protection in these files.Printers should get their own group folder.
         *To distinguish paperwork for similar models and same brands. I take a highlighter and run it down the side edge of the paper giving it a pink tint or blue when looking at it from the side.

You should also have a folder for both large kitchen appliances, and small appliances, receipts, warranties, and manuals go here. Any time you replace track down the manual for the old and attach it to go with the item you are getting rid of.
Ipods and Mp3's,  can be lumped in with both cellular and land phones. There is not as much paper work but they fit well together.

It's alright to put all the TVs together in a file just invest in paper clips and try highlighting the edge of one side to differentiate paper work. I also include each cable or dish box pamphlet that accompanies each TV with it in the individual TV's paper work.

Game systems and accessories can be grouped in together. They are similar in style but different again to differentiate try the highlighting trick and paper clip. Rock band equipment and Wii fit tools apply here.

Home stuff, you can separate these into four folders. Try splitting the folders this way things you would take with you if you were to move and things that will stay were you to move.
    (These are the two indoor/outdoor folders of things you wont take with you)  Home repairs indoor should have its own file, this is for any work or repairs that is done to the inside of the house. Outdoors gets it's own, same as follows I would also keep a copy of paint colors and brand types that you used in each room, new counter tops you put in and even blinds, and items in your home . Should a repair be faulty or not work it is good to have the original paper work, also helps when trying to sell a house. Documentation is key when dealing with home buyers and insurance companies, also included would be faucet fixtures.
  (These are the two you would take with you)  Home indoor: should include information about floor lamps and furniture. Outdoor would include, lawn mower, snow blowers, and patio furniture.

Any Exercise equipment can go in a shared folder. Radios and stereos can be grouped together. Its always nice to have a misc. file for hard to place items like floor fans.

I recommend designated a box or binder just for cars because of all the different types of paperwork, keep this separate from this box.

Some times buying that warranty pays off especially with laptops but knowing where you put it can be a pain, establishing and keeping track of these things can only take about 15 minutes a month to up keep if that, and  assure you didn't buy the warranty in vain its worth knowing were it is!

Organization returns.

I know it has been a long time but I finally have my computer repaired and will be publishing again very soon! Thanks for waiting and sticking it out with me!

Keep This, Not That- College Edition

Moving home from college can be difficult with both parties adjusting to the new changes. Finding places for all the things that you managed to cram into your dorm over the last several years. You wonder how things ever fit in your dorm room yet alone your room. Trying to find places to put everything can be like trying to fit a semesters worth of information into your brain in one night, for finals. Let’s be real most of your things you won’t use again, and will end up either being donated, trashed, or permanently stored until you are forced by the rents to come take it off their hands. There are something’s that I wouldn’t discard just yet.

Repurpose :

Trash can, old use; catching trash and keeping beverages cold in your college youth. New use; don’t rule out the beverage cooler just yet (if it’s clean and washed out). You can turn this into a recycling can, something to store umbrellas, yoga mats, and other workout accessories. Children’s toys if you’re at that point in your life. Point is you can reuse a quality trash can to your advantage and store whatever you need it to, even if it’s that outdoor equipment or your spouse’s mounting collection of fishing poles.

College bedding, old use; snuggling and keeping you warm as you sleep through your 8 o’clock class. New use; chances are if it’s in good shape you can use it in a spare bedroom, as an extra blanket for downstairs and out of town guests. (Make sure you run comforters through industrial washer first.)If it’s not in the best shape you can always use it to cover and protect furniture for your moves, turn it into blankets for football games and other outdoor events.

Shower caddy, old use; toting your shower supplies back and forth between your municipal bathrooms. New use; corralling your bathroom supplies under your sink, or keeping craft projects together, nice for storing your gardening tools or weekend warrior tools and gadgets.

Other things to keep:

Plastic bins and over the back storage containers. Are some of those things that if they survive the wear and tear of college you should try to hold onto. You can reuse these and place them just about anywhere in the house to help organize your life and make locating things easier.

Lounge arm chair, that you bought, as post college graduate, I have to say it’s a must have for those sick bed days.

Fridge, having another fridge on hand can be handy, whether you still use it for housing your beer or are now using it to store food you buy in bulk. Mine is in the garage cooling our beverages.

Futon, as long as it’s at a reasonable height off the ground you shouldn’t have a problem. These make great impromptu couches and beds for guests. It almost always comes in handy.

Message board, you’re not done with it yet, it can now stand duty in your kitchen, for; to do lists, groceries, phone messages, and notes.

College texts, hold on to any books, you think might come in handy with your line or work. They’re a great reference point for interviews or just reviewing something, but dump anything you don’t think you can use after one year. Continue to pare down the paper work you hold onto from college until you’re at the bare essentials.

What not to keep:

At this point most of these things had a lot of tear and wear and are not in the best shape you can be the judge but most things that get tossed. That or they should probably not accompany you home as you start your professional career.

The chair or couch you bought from goodwill and looks like it just finished a fourth tour in World War III.

Carpet, you spilled on it, walked on it, and hardly ever vacuumed it so it’s looking worse than Shaggy on Scooby Doo before his yearly haircut.

Bath towels, it’s time for new bath towels, those are probably slightly ratty, and your older now it’s time to invest in quality bath towels.

Anything you wore to a themed frat party, you probably wouldn’t and shouldn’t wear it out in public, and it’s only going to take up valuable space in your closet, so toss it.

Organization Questions to Ask Yourself

Try not to spend more than two minutes on an item and the room. Ask yourselves the questions before you touch it, handling the item can provoke feelings of needing the item making it harder to de-clutter.

Room:
What is this room used for?

Can you get to everything you need?

Is it easy for others to find things in common shared rooms?

What do you like about the room?

What don't you like about the room?

What would you change and how?

Is there currently enough storage space?

What type of space do you have for storage and what type of storage do you want?

Where could you ad more?

Is the storage space that is there working for you?

Is there anything that shouldn't be in there?

Item:
How often do you use it?

Does it work properly?

Do you really need it?

Does it have a home?

Where do you put it now?

Is it easy to get too based on how often you use it?

Do you want to place this in storage with a lid or door?

At what height should you place it based on how heavy it is and often you use it?

Do you need it out on counters or shelves to access it?

When you reach into drawers and cabinet is it easy to grab what you are looking for?

Is it easy to put this item away?

Is your system of organization easy to follow?

Is there a better place for it?

Would you miss it if you got rid of it?

How many do you have, do you need?

Does the storage device for it work?

Does it need it be fixed and can it?

Could you place this item somewhere else?

When to pitch it/ Recycle it

It’s broken and can’t be fixed.

There’s a hole and there shouldn’t be.

Its trash

There’s no memory to it.

You don’t use it.

It’s not safe or worn out past the point of donation.

Mice or bugs have invaded.

Rust and mold damage that’s not fixable or removable.

The expiration date has passed.

It’s ripped or torn.

You no longer own the electronic the cords go to.

It’s out of date.

It doesn’t make you happy.

That odor won’t go away.

That stain keeps coming back