Charging your electronics

Install a USB outlet cover and charge your electronics without hogging an outlet (fastmac.com). It adds 2 USB ports to a standard socket!

Silverware storage idea

Silverware trays are good, but individual drawer organizers are much better. The pre-made trays are hard to customize for anything but the “norm”. What about your drawers with other kitchen tools and gadgets? The individual drawer organizers are so great because you can make whatever formation you need – get smaller ones for specific tools (like can opener or garlic press) and bigger ones for multiple similar tools (like your cheese slicer, cheese spreader, cheese grater, etc).

It’s getting chilly out!

Have a pretty trunk in your living room – it’s a great place to house blankets. If you are anything like me, every time you sit on the couch, the first thing you do is reach for a blanket. If you have company over, they may want a blanket too!

Hooks for hanging

Use hooks or hall trees for hanging things like backpacks, coats, purses, and umbrellas. Especially in the winter, no one wants to put their coat up on a hanger every time they come through the door. Make it easy on the family by creating a few pegs or hooks for each family member for these types of belongings. Label the area for each family member, or have the kids write their own names for a more personal touch. Make sure the kids’ hooks are at a good height for them!

Organizing Containers

There are billions of organizing containers that promise to get you organized. Buyer beware! There are a lot of great tools for organizing – the funny thing is that most of the time, it doesn’t have to be the most expensive and cool looking “toy”. So before you go out and spend a fortune on containers that you don’t need, please call me!!

DIY Organizing

Manage expectations when you are organizing by yourself. Your kitchen will not be transformed into a spotless, organized oasis in a couple of hours. Plus, generally “do-it-yourself’ers” are slower than a professional like me. For example, I can switch out a light fixture in my house by myself – but it would probably take an electrician half the time. So take a little bit at a time and stay calm!

For the Fall, I am offering a promotion for “do-it-yourself’ers”. For only $75, you can “spend the day with an organizer”. I will come to your home and answer any and all of your organizing questions. I will tell you exactly what you need for the space you want organized.

Mail Time

Have a recycling bin where you open your mail – or start opening your mail by your recycling bin! Junk mail and envelopes should go straight into the bin… don’t even sit it on the counter!! If you don’t have 2 minutes to open the mail when you think about bringing it in, leave it out there until you have the 2 minutes. If you enjoy the coupon books in the mail, give yourself an extra minute to go through these and keep only those you may use, not the whole book.

Motivation for small repairs

Although the garage is the best place for tools, keep a few important tools inside the house. If you keep a screwdriver, pliers, and scissors in a drawer in the house, you will be more likely to make those small, spur of the moment repairs.

The proper way to use a “catch-all”

This may sound strange coming from a professional organizer, but having a basket in rooms as a “catch-all” is a good idea for some people. As long as you promise that you will go through the basket every couple of days to route the items to their home, baskets can save a lot of time.

If you take off your shoes in the living room, instead of walking to and from the bedroom closet to put away, place in a basket and deal with it when you have a few pairs of shoes and make one trip to the closet. Disclaimer: this does not work for everyone – you know if this will work for you or not, so if it won’t, make a few extra trips to the closet!

Pet food storage

If you have pets, use a plastic container to store their food. Trying to scoop out of the bag is not only a hassle, it looses its freshness faster and spills too easily.