Systems & Techniques Archives

Moving, Lists and Inventory

by Filed Under: Move Management, Organize, Organizing Projects, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources 2 Comments

When it comes to moving, lists and inventory are essential tools! Another week into the moving progress and we’ve got over 24 boxes packed! We did a little calculation and determined that if we pack 4 boxes a day on average (6 days a week) then we will have over 90 boxes packed in the next few weeks. When we moved here 6 years ago we had over 90 boxes, my goal is to have less this time!

I prefer to pack a little bit at a time rather than try to cram it all into the last week or so.

With this strategy like break down packing into categories so this week I’ll be packing linens, china, un necessary kitchen items, some home accessories and some clothing.

Here’s how I go about creating Moving, Lists and Inventory

Each box is numbered and assigned a code according to size (A, B, C) then
I list a short inventory of the contents making special note of valuable (sentimental or monetary) items.

With this system, you will have a very good idea of what’s in each box, where it goes and BONUS, this inventory can serve insurance purposes if needed.

Now for the exciting news, fingers crossed we very well might have someone to rent our house!! We will know for sure soon but it looks promising and this will allow us to determine our exact date of departure. I’ve been secretly hoping for a specific date and it seems like things might just be pointing in that direction.

Moving Monday::Where to Begin with Packing (hkpowerstudio.wordpress.com)

How Pro’s can help with Organizing Move Management

by Filed Under: Move Management, Organize, Organizing Projects, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources Leave a Comment

I find a lot of people asking me how can a professional organizer help with organizing move management? This is a great question and there are a lot of resources out there for moving, but an Organizer can help you specifically based on your individual needs and schedule. Of course there are a lot of variables like local or long distance, corporate relocation or DIY, remodel with move, downsizing and possible storage needs. So it can get complicated but I hope I can share some of the basic’s in how we PO’s can help with a variety of moving circumstances!

A big part of what an Organizer does to help with moving is what’s called “Move Management” in our industry. The steps below break down the process and organizers can and will help at any stage along the way, from researching moving companies, purging, setting deadlines and realistic expectations to actually helping with packing, move day coordination and unpacking and organizing at the new home.

Start with the end and set your date!! The most important thing to keep an eye on is the end date…work backwards from there. Get your move scheduled ASAP or at least have a ballpark idea of when the move is happening, 6 weeks or 6 months is going to make a big difference! If you know who you will use, go ahead and book your ideal moving date now (you can change it later if needed).

Don’t under-estimate how much work moving is! One of the biggest mistakes I see when it comes to moving is people under-estimating how much time it takes to prepare, but when we break it down with move date in mind it is a much more manageable process.

Research and decide on your moving company or how you will be transporting items from old to new location. Will you be packing items yourself, having a moving company come pack everything or something in between?

If you have a lot of items go through and are downsizing a great deal, it’s never too soon to start this process.

Purge in categories (ex. Clothing, Books, Holiday decor, memorabilia, linens, furniture, etc). Start sorting items one category at a time. I recommend starting with large items like furniture and easy items like linens and toiletries. An organizer can help you decide if it’s best to donate, trash/recycle, sell or give items to family/friends. Use sticky notes and a notepad to identify and tag items to get rid of. This will help you keep track of larger pieces that will not be making the move.

Set aside a short-long term “staging” area that you can use for sorting and temporarily storing items to get rid of (a garage or spare room). This is also an area to keep packing supplies like tape, bubble wrap, paper etc. Start gathering supplies to keep in this area so you can pack as needed.

Make arrangements for weekly pick up or drop off of donations (again, something an organizer can do for you).

Create an inventory “notebook” or file. As you pack boxes, label them with the room they will go to, box number and general contents on your inventory sheet. Also keep track of special items or valuables on this list.

Pack up personal photo’s and extra memorabilia, especially if your home is being staged for sale. Work with your real estate agent, organizer or stager to determine the appropriate amount of “accessorizing” for your home’s size and market.

Book your movers about one month ahead if you have not already!

Book your unpacking crew (either with the moving company or your professional organizer).

Did you know that unpack service does not include putting items away? Unpacking service will only place items on horizontal surfaces, this can sometimes be a big annoyance! Coordinate with your mover and organizer to get you settled in ASAP!

Pack by category and by room or be sure each room and category is ready to be packed by professionals in a way that will make the most sense when unpacking. Gather all papers into one place and any other categories you would like to be packed together.

The last items to be packed should be the first items to be unpacked. Be sure you know where items like sheets, towels and frequently used household items are (ex. coffee pot, cleaning supplies, paper plates or a few essential dishes etc).

Set aside toiletries, clothing, small valuables, medications, food items and important papers you want to hand carry to your new home on moving day. These items should be packed by you in your luggage.

Hire your organizer for move day coordination. They can meet your movers as they pack the contents of your old home, checking to be sure items are properly labeled and identified to be placed in your new home properly.

Hire your organizer (or a crew) for 1-2 days of unpacking service to help get your essential rooms (and beyond) set up for your first night in your new home. An organizer will meet the moving crew, have them place boxes in a location that will not impede household use and will begin unpacking essential rooms like bedrooms, closets, bathrooms and the kitchen.

Have a restful first night in your new home!

Moving can be stressful but with planning, prioritizing and help from an organizer, it can be a breeze and a lot of fun settling into a new home!

Try Everything Organizing

by Filed Under: Creative process, Organize, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources Leave a Comment

There are a lot of people who feel like they LIVE the try everything organizing approach and there are others who feel that the latest trends or books about organizing SHOULD work for them, but they don’t. That can be extremely frustrating and lead a lot of people to think they are doing something wrong or that they just can’t get organized! That makes me so very sad!

I like to take the ‘Try Everything Organizing approach” when working with creative clients who feel overwhelmed or like organizing is impossible for them. What do I mean by this? Well, we might mix systems for example and use the Kondo technique for books and clothing but try something very different for anything that is sentimental and harder to part with. When I say I use the Try Everything Organizing approach, I literally am going back and drawing on all the systems and techniques I’ve learned from books and classes on organizing and productivity.

I believe that when we are learning something new, we need to explore different techniques, experiment and practice. A dogmatic approach might work for some disciplined personalities but it might be more frustrating than helpful for artists, collectors, free thinkers and less conventional creative individuals. I work with a lot of clients who fall into one of the above categories…not putting anyone into a box, just sharing a description of some of my favorite client! Sometimes some of these individuals are ADD/HD and are so creative in their approach to problem solving, we come up with (invent/discover) some really amazing solutions. Mistakes lead to invention! There might be obstacles along the way…

you might be frustrated
you might be overwhelmed
you might be-feel laziness
you might be un-interest or un-motivation
there might be other people involved
you might feel shame
you might experiment
you might take an unorthodox approach
you might fail and try again!

Give yourself some “Try Everything Organizing” prompts such as, “What would happen if”? Respond by writing about it, or acting it out. What would happen if I…

I got rid of clothes that don’t fit?
I let go of books I have read and won’t re-read?
I gave someone who needed __________ more than I do?
I got rid of the magazine articles I tore out but never reference?
If I tried storing __________ here instead of there?
I let go of a few of my less favorite items in my collection?
If I tried folding my ________ instead of hanging them?
I tried living with less ________?

Your turn…what have you tried that hasn’t worked for you? What has worked? Are you already using the Try Anything Organizing approach? If not and you want to give it a try, I’d love to hear from you, Here.

Don’t PANIC-PREPARE for natural disasters

by Filed Under: Emergency Preparedness, Organize, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources 1 Comment

No matter where you live, it’s practically impossible to ignore and vital to prepare for natural disasters! With the change in our climate, especially for those of us who live along the coastlines, it pays to get organized, ‘Just in Case’ there’s a natural disaster!

On cue for Hurricane season, it’s time to Prepare for natural disasters.

Do you have a plan in place, know your evacuation route, have supplies ready?

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My argument for keeping stuff…

by Filed Under: Art, Art & Design, Creative process, In the Studio, Inspiration & Education, Organize, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources Leave a Comment

Lately I’ve been in the midst of decluttering my art studio and I’ve got a heap of stuff to get rid of! I’ve certainly waxed on and on here about letting stuff go but today I want to share my argument for keeping stuff. This argument is not necessarily one that can be applied to all categories of “stuff” in our homes or work life but it’s certainly relevant for “artists” who work a process.

As both an artist and an organizer, I often have partially (un) finished works in progress (WIP’s) laying around my studio. Unlike partially made food, most art projects don’t have an expiration date and reviewing older work can spark both joy and inspiration to grow and work in a new direction! Some of the artist I work with invite me to participate in the process of reviewing work they have made. Together we sort into the Keep or Toss piles just like we might do with anything else (clothes, books etc). A lot can be said for tossing some of our badly made, “UGLY” art! Seriously, sometimes I look at some things I made and it just makes me cringe. I don’t want to keep those things, in most cases, not even to re-purpose into something else or give away.

Then there’s the argument for keeping stuff that is worth exploring further. Maybe it’s a certain technique, a color combination, something striking about composition or something nostalgic that evokes a personal response. All of these are great reasons to hold onto some of our art that might not be “best work” or finished. One of the most challenging aspects of making works of any type of art is knowing when to say it’s done. If something is undercooked or we leave it on the burner too long, it’s no longer edible. Art can be like that too, if it’s under developed or overworked it might just have to go (into the trash). But we learn from our creative mistakes! Part of the process of developing our skills is to review our mistakes and our successes. Looking back at work we made that helps us to grow argues a strong case for keeping some things that might not have been finished or “successful”.

I once read an article on creative process where the artist Robbi Joy Eklow suggested a “Time Out Box” for works of this nature. We do this with kids and with kids toys, why not our art? Setting something that you are unsure of aside so that you can come back later, review it again to see if it “Sparks Joy” is a great way to learn from your creative process. I’ve gone back to sketchbooks from 20+ years ago and found ideas that I’ve revisited and been overjoyed with. I don’t think there’s any time limit on creative incubation, do you?