Creatively Organized Spaces
Trusting without hesitation can be both liberating and challenging. How can we invite more trust into our lives? What would it mean to allow yourself to trust without hesitation? This quick exercise is one way to get in touch with your internal sense of trust. It’s like any muscle and the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. So today, or sometime this week, take a few minutes and write…stream of conscious style…what you trust, without hesitation!
DIY Device Cleanup doesn’t have to be a challenge but you can’t just ignore and hang onto everything digital forever! I’ve recently had conversations with friends, fellow organizers, and clients about cleaning off old electronic devices in order to recycle/donate or resell them. This is something I am constantly addressing because people are intimidated or don’t know how to clear off their data. Privacy is a critical issue to most of us these days and I’m not saying what anyone should or shouldn’t do. Let me preface by saying that decisions about our privacy are very personal and so each of us has to make a decision based upon your personal level of comfort.
As we close out the first month of 2017 I wanted to give you a quick review of some of the favorite posts of 2016.
I’m looking forward to sharing lots of great new organizing posts, ideas and tips this year! This isn’t all there was but this list highlights some of the most helpful and favorite posts from the past year. Is there a subject you would like to see me cover this year? Leave me a comment below and I’ll do my best to cover it in an upcoming post!
Here’s to your most organized year ever!
Getting organized and deciding what and how to consign your children’s toys and clothes may feel overwhelming. But by following a few simple step and guidelines you can actually have fun and earn some extra cash! Here are some easy tips from Tiny Tadpoles to help you with your kids consignments.
Go to a few children’s resale/consignment stores in your area. See what they sell. Look at sizes, brands, etc. Ask what items they are currently accepting. Ask to subscribe to their email list. Most stores have a website &/or social media sites they update with items they need. If it’s someplace you shop frequently, there is a good chance they will want to re-consign or purchase from you.
Second Step: Get Organized!Go through your children’s closets, drawers, toy boxes, and bookshelves. Make 3 piles: 1. items that you want to keep (clothes still fit, toys are still being played with etc) 2. Items that you want to pass to friends or relatives, donate to a charity, yard sale, or toss. 3. Items that you want to be considered for consignment. Sometimes first timers aren’t sure what to put in this pile.
Here are helpful hints on what to consider consigning: only select items that you would want to buy yourself. Consider what Season the store is currently taking. Preferred and designer brands are usually selected. Make sure these items are clean. Items that have been stored need to be freshly laundered. Button and snap everything. No excessive wrinkles. Make sure all toys are working and have all original parts. Keep things current, toys and clothes over 5 years old aren’t usually selected.
Third Step: Start Consigning!
Bring your selections to the kid’s consignment store of your choice. Most of them offer cash with an additional percentage to spend at the store. This is key when you have small children who grow so fast! Feel good about yourself. Your gently used item will be sold again at an affordable price and put a smile on another child’s (and mom or dad’s) face.
Most small consignment stores are locally owned by families in your community.
Yes, consigning is a little more work than tossing everything in a bag for donation but by taking a little time to Understand Kids Consignments, it’s worth it!
Kelly Hartong
Owner
Tiny Tadpoles Children’s Resale Boutique
“Filed Away” by Allison Koch (Charleston, SC- Installed at Artfields, 2016)
You’ve identified your filing mistakes, you’ve whittled down your paperwork to keep only what you need and your ready to set up your new creative filing system. Not every filing system has to be the same. Use your creativity to create a system that you’re more likely to maintain. If your files are digital rather than paper, many of these ideas will still work!
Get a handle on volume! How much paperwork do you need to keep versus toss?Do you have just the essentials or a whole cabinet full of paperwork? The first step is to find storage to suit your style and space needs. There are tons of beautiful and creative filing cabinets, boxes and more to choose from. Here’s my latest roundup.
If your not into a re-purposed or disguised file cabinet and are looking for something different, a binder filing system might be right for you. Some people can’t stand filing papers!
Someone who tends to “pile” papers might be more suited to a binder system. nstead of a drawers you use a series of binders. I’ve created lots of these systems, some color-coded (by pereson or category), others with all the same color and labels.
Broad filing categories should be broken down further by accounts, dates or sub-categories.Colors might be by category, person, project, date or any classification to help you to quickly identify what you’re looking for. I like to ask what colors people use to identify with each category. For example, if your home is yellow, you might use yellow folders for anything related to household. Likewise, financial papers might be in green folders or binders. You get the idea if your visual, color matters!
“We are all primarily visual, color is first, symbols second, numbers are third… and words last.” Graphic Design USAUsing file indexes is another great creative tip that I don’t see a lot of people using these to their advantage. Indexes can be for either folders or binders and can include color coding, categories, sub-categories and more. It’s helpful to have an index with binders or file drawers (in the front). Keep a backup index with your essential documents so that you have a record of everything in case you ever need to recreate what you lost. I hope these creative ideas help you tackle your filing with renewed enthusiasm!
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