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Learn to see like an organizer…

by Filed Under: Home, Inspiration & Education, Organize, Planning & Goals, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources Leave a Comment

How can you learn to see like an organizer? When an organizer a designer, space planner, realtor and others walk into a space they are trained to “see the possibilities”. By using this process yourself you can also begin to see your space with a fresh set of eyes. I co-presented on this topic at a local home and design show and along with a kitchen designer and another organizer, we shared how we have learned to cultivate the practice of seeing with a fresh set of eyes! It’s something that I hear over and over, “I just need a fresh set of eyes” and it’s something we can all cultivate!

So often we put things where we put them and forget about them. Sometimes we literally forget where we put things, sometimes we put things in certain spots out of habit and sometimes we just glaze over and stop seeing what’s right in front of us.

Practice cultivating the art of seeing by shaking things up! Click To Tweet

We get accustomed to seeing or rather, not seeing what surrounds us daily.
Be willing to try something different, be open to other peoples suggestions & ideas.
Seeing things with fresh eyes is a creative process, look for inspiring ideas (magazines, websites, experts).
The skill of seeing things differently can be cultivated.

Pausing and asking ourselves to take a fully conscious moment in our space to learn to cultivate the art of seeing can begin by asking ourselves a few questions.

How do you feel when you walk into a space?

What feelings are evoked when you walk into the space? Something pleasant, or stressful? How do you want the space to feel?
What do you do in the space and how do you use it?
What doesn’t need to be here?
How would you use the space differently?

Rethink how you use your space. Does a space feel uncomfortable or off somehow? Spend some time there and determine why you are unable or uncomfortable in the space. If you had a blank slate, how could you use the space differently? Sometimes it’s a simple matter of re-arranging the space, other times, replacing furniture with something more functional might be a simple solution. Now, close your eyes & Imagine the space transformed!

Learning to see like an organizer might mean de-cluttering and imagining a home for everything that is used in the space, or maybe it means completely re-imagining how the spaces are used. Practice envisioning your space transformed into exactly what you need and imagine how it feels.

Common pitfalls that can prevent us from achieving our newly envisioned organizing goals can include, lack of labels, lack of lighting, buying containers before the stuff has been purged and sorted and overfilling containers. Leave yourself a bit of extra space in each bin, overstuffed spaces are hard to maintain!

Organize by Category

Transform awkwardly defined spaces by determining specific uses first. Think about how you want to use the spaces. Determining your needs and assigning the space a specific category for use can lead you to unexpected surprising and successful solutions! Below, the solution started by defining a need for easy access snack storage!

Make the Most of Unused and small spaces

Go Vertical-Hang it! Look up in the Rafters, or store narrow items on the wall
Consider Inside/backs of cabinets & doors
Awkward spaces like under the stairs, unused closets or niches can create beautiful and functional storage

Store things where you can see them

Hang things like jewelry, accessories, small tools, hardware where you will see them and use them daily!

Create simple customized solutions

Tricky spaces sometimes need clever solutions. If you know what you need to store in a certain spot and can’t find an off the shelf solution, work with a handyman or carpenter to build something to your specifications. Custom doesn’t always mean expensive or complex! Above, a custom closet created just for overflow paper goods and ironing supplies-closer to the clothes, away from the laundry area)

Finally, Make it Easy + Make it Fun!

Aim for organized…not perfect
Repeat what works
No right or wrong way
Your space, your style
Have a friend help

If you have been able to cultivate the art of seeing like an organizer but have lost your momentum once you begin the process, head over to this post to check out how to maintain the momentum of your organizing project! Do you have examples of how you have transformed a space by re-organizing or design? I’d love you to join us and share them over in our Facebook group!

Family Friday::Kid-friendly kitchen organizing

by Filed Under: Home, Kids & Family Organizing, Organize, Systems & Techniques

Our kitchens are becoming increasingly multi-functional so it makes sense to have some kid-friendly kitchen organizing system to manage multiple schedules and all of our busy lifestyles.

10 kid-friendly organizing tips to keep your kids and kitchen happy and healthy!

1. A Household Command Center might include the following items:

A weekly or monthly calendar
Menu’s, shopping lists
Meal planning tools
Coupons (these can also be kept in the car)
A drawer or cabinet with a few basic office supplies (scissors, tape, envelopes, stamps, pens & pencils)
A contacts list or
A “household management binder”, see my post here on what to include
An area to keep keys (hooks or a tray)
A white/blackboard or note pad jot down notes or ideas

2. Create a “perpetual” calendar and utilizing insides of cabinets or a Household Binder, especially if you do not have space or want to create a full command center. Include menu’s, shopping lists and household management info.

Source: bhg.com via AHG on Pinterest

Source: simplifiedbee.blogspot.com via HKpowerStudio on Pinterest

3. Use over the door accessory organizers. Here they are put to use holding snacks.

Source: indulgy.com via Lois on Pinterest

4. Use low drawers, shelves and baskets for kid-friendly foods and lunch-meal making supplies. This will make it easier for your kids to help out in the kitchen with small tasks like putting things away. It also makes lower cabinets safe for kids to access for play and snacktime.

kid-friendly kitchen organizing

5. Label it! This includes shelves, drawers and containers so that everyone knows where things go. Picture labels can be a great solution for smaller children.

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Source: google.com via Jen on Pinterest

Smart companies are starting to market to this need with low drawer refrigerators and “Kid-Zone” cabinet options!6. Keep cleaning products up high, especially if you have very little kids and keep only kid-safe items like clean rags, extra paper products, a stool, drying rack etc. under the sink (use kid proof cabinet locks too). kid-friendly kitchen organizing

7. Portion out snacks into small containers that are stored in a basket or bin in a kid accessible area so they can help themselves.

Capture

Source: bhg.com via Ashley on Pinterest8. Corral small items into a mesh bags when it comes to cleaning (or baskets) to throw into the dishwasher so they don’t get lost!

9. Keep an island or open counter space where you can have your kids participate will surely keep them more interested in cooking and eating healthy.10. Incorporating kids artwork using chalkboard paint or another display area makes your kids feel they are a part of the household activities that probably center around the kitchen.

Source: designismine.blogspot.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Bonus! If your kids like to participate (or you want them to) be sure to have a safe step stool (10) that gives them access to counter space (or a stool they can sit at) and kid safe tools they will want to use!

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Love or Loath Laundry? Quick Laundry tips

by Filed Under: Closets, Home, Kids & Family Organizing, Organize, Organizing Projects, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources 1 Comment

Do you love or loath laundry? I don’t mind it but I know for so many people Laundry is not about love, at all! That’s why I work with my clients to create a laundry schedule, including what I to keep on top of weekly laundry tasks.

In creating a laundry schedule I ask a few questions to help determine what the best household action plan for doing laundry…here are some questions you can use to create your own laundry schedule.

How many household members? How many loads of laundry per person per week do you generate?
How many “able bodied” people do you have do delegate laundry to? Kids age 10+ should start learning to help with laundry, including having a laundry basket in their room, helping to bring laundry to the washer/dryer, helping to sort, fold and put laundry away.
Do you have a cleaning person that helps with laundry? If so, what day do they come and what laundry tasks do they do or could you delegate to them (sheets and towels or more)?
Do you and your kids do sports activities or work that generates extra dirty (stinky:() laundry? If so, how soon after these activities do you need to wash things (to re-use or prevent smells)?
Do you take a lot of things to the dry cleaner? If so, do you have a pick up drop off service or is this something your drycleaner offers?
Do you have a lot of ironing, do you like to iron?

With all this info in your back pocket, calculate how many loads need to be done per week and who will do them. Then, take a look at your weekly schedule and assign laundry tasks by the date to yourself or other household help (kids, spouse, cleaning helpers etc).

I change and wash whites, or linens (towels, sheets and the oddball other white items) on Wednesdays and thus the term Wednesday Whitewash! Maybe doing a couple loads mid weeks and more on the weekends makes sense to you and with your schedule or maybe your weekends are busy with family activities and your better off tackling one load per evening through the week.

Keep Laundry Contained

In my observation, many people do not have laundry baskets, have them where they need them (in the bedroom, bathroom or closet) or seem to use them at all! I find laundry in piles on the floor, draped over furniture, hanging form hooks, light fixtures and everywhere else you can imagine. If you don’t know what’s clean and what’s dirty, you will constantly be re-washing items or at least giving your nose a workout with the sniff test. Keep dirty laundry contained in a basket or bag and use this to take laundry to your laundry area and then sort (or buy bins with sorting compartments if you have room). There are tons of great laundry basket options, like these available…so measure your space and determine what/how many you need and invest!

Minimize Maintenance

When you buy new clothes, think about their laundry requirements.

Sort laundry by color and by weight. I don’t like to wash my husbands heavy duty work pants with my delicate tops or undergarments (which should be in a bag). Sort weekly loads by dark/light/white and weight. This helps keep clothes looking newer longer.

Do you love linen but hate ironing? Maybe these things should be kept for less frequent use or sent to the dry cleaner?

Keep it Green Clean

Do you dislike using dry cleaners because of the chemicals? If so, look for a green cleaner in your area. While we are talking about green options, look for cleaning products that are phosphate free and use minimal scents and chemicals (though there seem to be more an more products on the market to mask odor-that doesn’t mean it’s really clean!). This might seem obvious but wash things only when needed. If you’ve only worn something for a couple hours, didn’t sweat or spill on it, then wear it again before laundering. This is not only going to save you time, it will keep your clothes looking new longer and will save resources (water power etc).

Consider hanging delicate, knits and lightweight items to dry (like the French do!). I use a collapsible laundry rack to dry about 1/3 to 1/2 of every laundry load, it takes a bit more time to dry but it keeps my clothes fro wearing out as quickly and saves energy. When it comes to stains, do pre-treat as soon as possible and if your really stain prone, check out these stain specific products (not all stains are alike!) by Carbona.

Any way you schedule it, whether you love or loath laundry, having this household task in perpetual motion will keep you from melting or collapsing under this task mountain!

The Sacred Space of Home

by Filed Under: Art & Design, Home, Inspiration & Education, Organize, Wellness & Mindset 1 Comment

This is the time of year that I find myself craving the sacred space of home. How about you? More than any other time of year, I’d be just as happy to stay inside, wrapped up with a blanket and a book, knitting and a movie or cooking in my kitchen.

Lets dive into cultivate the practice of creating the sacred space of home.

Each of us needs to define what makes a place home. I invite you to explore all of your senses.

How does home feel? Cool, warm, dry, soft, cozy, clear, cluttered, bohemian, calm, energetic, loving, nurturing etc…

What does home look like? Is it colorful, minimalist, bright and sunny, eclectic, sentimental?

What are the smells of home? Fresh, like baking or cooking, do you use aromatherapy, candles, what scents do you love?

What do you hear? Children playing, birds singing, trains, pets talking, traffic, sirens, the school nearby, filled with music, stop and notice.

What do you taste? Does home mean homecooked meals and nurturing food or are you happy to have coffee and grab something elsewhere.

Each of our senses invite us to explore what makes home meaningful for us.

Through the journey of our senses we come to notice the things, the light, the people, the smells, the memories that we create and evoke when we cultivate home as a sacred space.

When our homes are overly cluttered, overflowing with so much stimulation that we begin to feel crowded out and confused, we need to re-connect with how we want our homes to feel. I invite you to take some time before the holiday season to get clear about what defines the sacred space of home for you. Spend some time clearing out or at least packing away what no longer feels sacred. We can become so busy and overwhelmed with feelings of obligation and guilt that we keep things that no longer serve our lives.

The popular books The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy by Marie Kondo have become quite popular over the last several years. I personally think it is because Marie hit on this idea of sacred space and sacred objects in our home. She invites us to hold and gather our objects to determine if they “Spark Joy”. At the root of what she is cultivating is the process of reconnecting with our life as sacred!

The things we invite into our home and our lives should express who we truly want to be but so often we settle for less.

How sad is that? Perhaps having recently celebrated a birthday I am noticing and being more intentional about how I dress, what I look at in my home, the objects I surround myself with. These objects have meaning, they carry energy and I certainly want to be cultivating a practice of surrounding myself with what “Sparks Joy”, feels sacred, meaningful, has the least impact on our planet…things that are well designed and function beautifully!

What does Creating Sacred Space of Home mean for you?

Take some time to envision and intentionally edit out and create this space for yourself and your family to nurture you in everything you do.

Indoor Gardening for a Healthy Home

by Filed Under: Home, Inspiration & Education, Wellness & Mindset

I absolutely love to garden and it brings me so much joy. As we go into the colder seasons my craving for the garden moves towards Indoor Gardening for maintaining well being. Today I’m specifically sharing tips for how indoor gardening can bring a sense of well being into your life. Fresh air, lush greenery, beautiful flowers and hands on interaction with the texture and touch of the plants and soil are just some of why I love to garden and all of this can be done indoor or out.

I spend a bit of time tending towards my indoor garden each fall, bringing plants that have been outdoor for the summer in, pruning, fertilizing and replacing any plants that need it. I “freshen up” my terrarium collection, cleaning the glass and replacing leggy or unwell plants so they can bring me joy all winter long, not to mention fresh air!

It makes me sad there are so many people who don’t “think” they have a green thumb or that they can’t keep a houseplant alive. But there is no mistaking how popular indoor gardening has become again. Have you seen terrariums like the one above lately in magazines, online or in garden centers? Maybe these tips will encourage you to try (or expand) your indoor garden. I wouldn’t consider myself an indoor gardening expert but I know enough to keep some alive better than others. I’ve got a big leaf philodendron that’s over 20 years old! I’d like to share with you some of the reasons for trying indoor gardening.

Plants are natures air filters! The literally clean toxins like formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, toulene and trichloroethylene (among other toxins) from the air. Certain plants do a great job with certain chemicals but about 1 plant per 100 sq’ has been proven to significantly purify the air.
Expressing personal style through plants and indoor gardening can add so much beauty to really round out your interior rooms.
The act of caring for and nurturing a plant can be a meditative and calming practice.
You are bringing a piece of nature’s beauty (and in some cases bounty) inside where you can appreciate it more often.

What can you grow successfully inside? Start by observing your surroundings and lifestyle habits since these are the two most important factors for plant selection. Determine which direction your house and windows face and have this information available when you go to select plants. Your success will be much enhanced by selecting the correct plant for your conditions.

Some factors to consider are light/exposure (N, S, E or W windows?), humidity (you can always run a humidifier if needed), time required for maintenance needs (watering, pruning, fertilizing, re-potting etc), design style and colors in your home. Armed with this info you will be able to make the best selections for your space. If you have pets, check out the ASPCA list of pet safe plants here. I find that my kitties love and find irresistible anything resembling grass, so pointed narrow leaves are especially attractive to them!

Do your research before you head out to buy anything, check out a variety of reputable local garden centers or floral shops (rather than big box shops) and talk the people who work there. They can usually make excellent suggestions if you know the direction your windows face and the size and space you want to add plants to.

If you travel often and are super busy and have minimal light you will be making much different choices than someone who can spend a bit of time each day (5-10 mins) misting, watering etc.

The little maiden hair fern above will dry out quickly and probably end up making you feel like a failure if you can’t give it daily attention. On the other hand the ZZ Palm or Snake plant below both require low light and very little moisture to thrive. I love the website Gardenista for great images (those below), inspiration and practical advice on the best houseplants for different settings (low light/low/maintenance, non poisonous, you name it!).

The ZZ Palm above is great for low light: image via James Saper

Sansevieria or snake plant image via Gardenista

The biggest mistakepeople make with houseplants is over watering (I worked in the tropical greenhouse of a local garden center). Let plants dry out completely before watering again deeply (there are some exceptions, like ferns). Potted plants are more quickly depleted of nutrients, so I generally re-pot every 2 years and the potting mix I use has a slow release fertilizer in it, or sprinkle a little slow release once or twice a year (see package for rate of use).

There literally is an indoor plant for just about every situation. Again though taking the specific factors of your situation into account will lead you to much more success. It’s also important to buy plants from reputable sources that are knowledgeable about both the plants they stock and helping you decide what’s best for your situation. A good source will help you select things given the information you provide and should tell you the proper name (both common and botanical), maintenance requirements and any other information you might need. Ask questions and do a little homework before you head out shopping so you can make the best choice for yourself. Hopefully the plants that you live with will bring you joy, a sense of calm and beauty and even a bit of cleaner air to breath.

Do you have an indoor garden? Are you trying something new or have you had some complete failures (we all have!)? I’d love to hear about your indoor gardening experiences.