Creatively Organized Spaces
This August, I shifted modes from Back to School to Burning Man! What do these two things have in common?
If you are gearing up for back to school, you’re preparing with your kids. From kindergarten to college, heading back to school always requires something. If you want tips and resources to help you prepare, look no further than the following posts.
Using a household binder is a great way to keep lots of miscellaneous and commonly referenced loose papers in one place. It can be used anywhere you need, taken with you from room to room (or when you leave home), and is an easy way to share information with babysitters, family members, etc. It can be digital or physical, and can include as much or as little information as you find helpful.
How to Set up your household binder
This image is from the Table of Contents for my “Creatively Organized Everything” binder, which is more comprehensive and in-depth than a household binder. If you are a client and need access to this file, I have created a Comprehensive 50 page template for you to use for all your household and legacy planning needs. Contact me to learn more.
A household binder is a great system for households that don’t’ have a lot of space for a command center. It can also be used along with a more “Visual” command center.
Summer is perfect for getting a handle on all those sentimental school objects, papers, and artwork you and your kids are keeping. Perhaps you have a designated spot where you dump things throughout the year? Before you sit down to sort through the sentimental savings, it helps to understand how sentimental you are. Do you want to keep everything, are you detached, or somewhere in between?
Reflect on your childhood and how your parents handled your memorabilia. Sometimes, how our family “taught” us is how we respond, and other times, we want to do the direct opposite. Did your parents keep everything and then hand it over to you after college or when you moved out? Or did they dump it in the trash? What did you do with your sentimental treasures from childhood? Do you still have those things? When was the last time you looked through your memory albums, boxes, etc.? Be aware that what you do today will impact your kids’ behavior tomorrow, and they may already have a strong opinion about what they want to keep or discard (which might differ from yours).
Creating and keeping a productive Back-to-School home office or study area is hard when you’re tight on space. When papers are everywhere, you can never find something when needed, and the piles on your desk can be exasperating and overwhelming! Below, I’ve outlined seven steps to maximizing space in your home office or study area for a productive Back-to-School season.
Before rearranging furniture or buying new items, take a step back and assess your current space. The most common mistake people make when they try to get organized is running to the store and buying all the cute containers and systems before sorting through things. (That’s understandable because we see it everywhere these days!)
First, identify what’s essential and what’s not. You’ll need to sort through everything that’s in the space already. This might involve going through your books, papers, and office supplies to determine what you actually use and need.
Decluttering is a crucial step in maximizing space. As you sort through each pile, stack of paper, or box of clutter, use boxes or bags to create categories like trash, recycle, keep, and donate.
I recommend eliminating as much paper as you can. With more and more online information, we no longer need as much paper as we used to. Be sure to shred anything with sensitive information.
The bottom line? Remove items that no longer serve a purpose or can be stored elsewhere.
~ Expert Tip ~ Stay Focused!
It’s easy to get off track when you come across things that belong elsewhere in your home. Instead of walking around and getting distracted in other rooms, keep a box nearby labeled “Elsewhere” or “Other Rooms” and place things that don’t belong inside. This helps you remember to take care of it later but keeps you focused on the space.
Do you like everything tucked away and streamlined? Or do you need to see certain things for fear of “out of sight, out of mind” problems?
It’s important to consider how you operate before you set up any space. There’s no ONE way to organize! (Darn, right?!)
What works for one person might be the wrong approach for another, so you must consider what works best for you and your habits.
Whether you have an entire room or a small corner to work with, it’s important to create zones in your space.
Room Zones
If your home office or study area serves multiple purposes, such as working, studying, and relaxing, it is important to create distinct zones for each activity. This helps your brain transition between tasks and makes the space more functional. You can use rugs, furniture, or dividers to create different spaces in the room.
Category Zones
Within your workspace, you’ll need detailed categories depending on your needs. Think in categories like:
Once you’ve established your zones, you can use containers to keep them within their categories.
A quick note about paper!
Paper management organization is a huge topic about which I’ve written multiple blog posts; you can find them here. After you’ve recycled or shredded what you can, set up a simple filing system—label categories based on how you would look for items when needed.
Sometimes, seeing what is missing in one’s home is difficult, but I often see underutilized space when working with clients.
Hanging shelves on walls, installing furniture that stores things efficiently, and hanging lights from above are just a few ways to save space if you’re working with a small area.
It’s also important to consider environmental factors that impact your productivity.
Once you’ve maximized your space, maintaining the work you’ve done is just as important. A clutter-free workspace feels great and improves productivity!
For more ideas and support for back-to-school organizing, you can find additional posts about tidying up for back-to-school and meal prep here.
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Creating a productive Back-to-School season is a all about maximizing space in your home office or study area and making intentional choices that work for YOU.
By decluttering, creating zones, and using your space efficiently, you can make a space that supports your work or studies and inspires and motivates you. Good luck!
If you’re short on time and need help getting organized, contact me to learn how it works.
Until next time, Happy Organizing!
Do you have a disaster and or legacy plan? Wondering if you really need a home inventory? Whether you have one started or have nothing at all read on to learn why you need a home inventory and how to protect your personal property.
Almost all of us need a home inventory, whether we rent or own our homes or businesses. If you have insurance, you need an inventory to prove replacement value. If you are leaving things to family, donation, etc, you also may need an inventory.
Sadly, many people think that because they have insurance, they don’t need to worry about a home inventory. Unfortunately, that’s not true. Insurance doesn’t guarantee you will get replacement value for your property. There are so many irreplaceable things, and all the little stuff really adds up. Having a home inventory will save you a huge potential headache, hours, or worse; pocket expenses lost down the drain. When trying to dig your way out of a disaster, or your family is grieving and trying to determine the value of your estate, this can add stress to an already hard situation. 
When I became a professional organizer, I learned all about the different home inventory systems and tools available. I also helped clients with creating inventory systems both before and after disasters, mostly flooding and some theft. Trust me when I say you don’t want to inventory your stuff after it’s been damaged or try to remember what’s missing! It’s not the insurance company’s responsibility (or your family’s) to know the value of your personal belongings, (and it’s not in their interest to help you with this). If you can’t prove you owned it (meaning tracking down receipts or charges, photos or other documentation), you may lose altogether.
What needs to be inventoried? The quick answer is everything! You are probably thinking this will take ages, and depending on how much detail you want to include, it could be a significant undertaking but really not so bad if you take it step-by-step and room-by-room.
Without an inventory, you could end up with a mess and thousands of dollars in lost assets! In the case of estate planning, your family may be left trying to figure out what is what. Don’t get stuck sorting toilet plungers from kitchen utensils, holiday decor, and more. Document the items in your home, including valuables and everyday items. This inventory should be updated every 2-5 years depending on your circumstances.
I’ve worked extensively on creating inventory for insurance claims and estates. Here’s what you need to know. Photos and videos are your friends! Spreadsheets are super helpful and may prevent you from having to fill out additional information in the event of an insurance claim. But there are other systems out there that are super helpful and can do more for you than just a home inventory.
As the well-known Sheryl Sandberg quote goes, “Done is better than perfect.” So true in the case of an inventory! Just having photos is better than nothing!
A home inventory Checklist can help you to understand what information will be most valuable in the case of an insurance claim. Most insurance companies would like to have the following. The more info you can provide, the more accurate your claim and reimbursement will be. Remember, the more complicated your assets and estate, the more details you will need.
It may not be necessary to have all the information below. Suppose you’re in a disaster situation and realize you don’t have anything. In that case, the short answer is to photograph every wall of every room, even opening cabinets and closets, and take photos of contents by shelf. Take notes on contents to help jog your memory, noting location and a general description. Photograph anything specifically valuable in each room. These photos and notes will prove invaluable if you have to evacuate quickly and lose the property.
Remember, “Done is better than perfect!” What follows is a more detailed guide of what your insurance company might request. Not having all of this does not mean you will not get reimbursed. The more you can provide, the quicker and more smoothly things will move along.
Home Zada is one of the most comprehensive home management tools out there and does everything from home maintenance reminders to home inventory. If you’re on the serious side of protecting your valuable assets, I can’t recommend a better way to manage it all in one place! This is a cloud-based option so you won’t lose it if you lose your computer!
Another great comprehensive but inexpensive system is Liberty Street Home Manage software (also cloud-based). It’s under $40 and allows you to enter all the important documentation and photos for all your assets (at multiple locations).
Several insurance companies have their systems, so ask your insurance agent what they offer! It will probably be free and give them everything needed if you ever have to make a claim.
Home Contents is a UK Based app that makes home inventory a snap with your digital camera in-phone. And finally, in the app department, My Stuff has several free and paid options with great features for adding items to folders, tagging, etc for easier sorting and organizing.
If you prefer to stick with a spreadsheet-style inventory, just do a quick search for Home Inventory Checklist to find quite a few good options for free. Most of these templates you can download and use on your computer/device.
Spreadsheet systems (I’ve used comprehensively with insurance agents to recover contents lost) can be clunky, and it’s difficult to see photos of items with their descriptions quickly. Another drawback is that unless you back up your computer or device, you risk losing your inventory (photos and checklist) and your contents in case of a disaster!
If a home inventory for disaster or estate planning is something you want help setting up, let me know, and I’d be glad to assist!
No matter what system you choose, I hope you make a plan, schedule it on your calendar, and start your home inventory today!