HKpowerStudio

Creatively Organized Spaces

240.778.2804 *no texts
info@hkpowerstudio.com

Travel Tips for a Happier Holiday

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

More Tinsel Less Bristle-Travel Tips for a Happier Holiday!

travel tips for a happier holiday

All too often we hear about the chaos and stress of the holiday season. The holidays are an opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends, but between long road trips and TSA merriment is often overlooked. This season we’ve put together a list of travel tips for a happier holiday so that the only frosty part of your holiday is the snowman outside.

  1. Keep in mind who you are traveling with. With kids? Make sure you have extra games or activities and maybe a few healthy snacks – the more spill-proof the better. This will keep the little ones entertained and cut down on grumpy roadside snack stops.
  2. Invest in quality luggage. Nothing is more frustrating than dragging an oversized, tearing at the seams suitcase with a couple of busted wheels. If you are traveling by plane, double-check that your carryon or checked luggage is within size and weight restrictions.
  3. Pack light. You may be bringing things back, and you do not need 5 pairs of shoes for a 4 day stay. And don’t forget! If you are taking gifts with you by plane be sure to save the wrapping for after your arrival.
  4. Before you leave the house – tidy up things up a bit. After long hours on the road or in the air, the last thing you want to come home to is a mess.
  5. Before you drive – consider leaving in the early morning or late night hours when traffic is at its lowest, aim for 2-digit interstates which provide the most direct routes through cities, and make time to stop and stretch your legs which will keep your body from assuming constant chair pose and give your mind that much needed second wind.
  6. Before you fly – check in online ahead of time to save yourself from unnecessary kiosk lines and arrive early. During the holiday’s airports are packed and subject to cancellations or delays, so a minimum of two hours before boarding time is ideal particularly if you are flying into or out of airports like JFK, LGA, or O’Hare to name a few.
  7. Remember to breathe. While you are sitting in traffic or waiting in line at TSA take a moment to monitor your breath. Avoid getting caught up in the hectic energy that makes us feel like we are rushed. Unknit your brow, relax your shoulders, take a deep breath, and take your time.

Most importantly, remember to pack a good attitude. We all know plans don’t always go exactly as expected. Be ready to roll with the punches and if your patience begins to slip remember that in a few hours you’ll be surrounded by the ones you love so you can eat, drink, and be merry.

Save

Save

Year-Ahead Planning Resources

by Filed Under: Organize, Paper management, Tips & Resources, Uncategorized 2 Comments

Schedule time for for yourself for a end-of- year review and year-ahead planning in the last weeks of the year.

Where I’m headed is a direct result of the ideas, goals, intentions and planning I create space for in my life.

year-ahead planning

I’ve come to love a few tools that I use over and over routinely and have included them here. I’ve also come across some new tools! Planning begins for me by selecting a planner. I went back to paper a few years ago and have used quite a few planners over the years, including the Franklin Covey system, Filofax, Danielle La Port and more!

With a desire to keep it simple but not go all out Bullet Journal, I use a Moleskin planner and customize it with categories and intentions, goals, tasks and events on a daily/weekly basis. I already have a regular habit of Journaling so I get a lot of ideas out and on paper during that process and can move more concrete ideas to my planner. This works for me, I’m always re-evaluating and making small adjustments but overall, I’m happy with this and can easily go back through my year to see my accomplishments. If you’re still searching for some great planning tools, the first few below are tools I’ve personally used and love! The last couple are new additions this year but I deeply trust the sources and can therefore recommend them both with full confidence you will find them helpful!

  • Susannah Conway guides us to reflect on your year in Photo’s (on Instagram) with December daily prompts—->>>Here and she has a beautiful tool called “Unravel your year”
  • The word of the year is a process that both Christine Kane and Susannah Conway (as well as others) share tools for discovering. I’ll be revealing mine soon, but 2019 has been guided by Intuition. I’ve been discovering how to hone my intuition through an exploration of the senses this year!
  • Ali Edwards has some beautiful tools for her One Little Word discovery and a year-long creative exploration you can join as well. She’s one of the first people I discovered the word of the year with!
  • Check out this free toolkit from Do What You Love
  • Moleskine Planners are my favorite and though I’ve tried digigtal planenrs and other newer planners, I just keep going back to this great staple that can be used in a variety of ways, comes in lovely colors and several sizes, and layouts.
  • Danielle Laporte offers her free Soulful Habit Tracker she also sells a gorgeous planner and other great tools and inspiration for planning, I’m a long time reader and fan of Danielle’s!
  • Vision boards! This is such a fun project/tool for creating a visionary map of what you want to create in your new year. It’s a practice I began about 7 years ago and I’ve continued to make them and teach them almost every year!

How do you plan for the year ahead and reflect on your accomplishments? I’d love to hear your favorite tools and routines in the comments below! I know there are a lot of options out there so I’m only sharing what I know, trust and have seen results from:) Happy, almost, 2020!

17 Sanity Saving Holiday Organizing Tips

by Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Organize, Wellness & Mindset Leave a Comment

Each of these seventeen holiday organizing tips will help get you through the season with a bit more sanity & JOY!

Holiday Organizing Tips

  1. After receiving new holiday gifts, donate used items you no longer need to charity (One in One out Rule).
  2. Ditch the photo holiday cards…hate to say it but they end up in the trash (recycled hopeful) and people can see you more frequently via social media. How about a digital holiday card?
  3. As you pull holiday items out, donate old ornaments and out of date holiday decorations.
  4. Begin memento boxes for your kids holiday traditions, keep these separate so they can be given to your older kids when they leave home.
  5. Clean out your attic, garage or basement space before you return your holiday decoration bins (vacuum, wipe down shelves if needed etc).
  6. Have a Grab-A-Gift bag or bin with an assortment of “anyone” appropriate gifts (for last min hostess or holiday gift exchange items).
  7. Clean out your spices, as your cooking and baking toss the old and make note of anything needed (put date of purchase on bottom in ink).
  8. Spruce up your kitchen: spend 10-30 min’s a day tackling an appliance or area (fridge, stove, toaster, sink etc). You’ll feel healthier & I bet you’ll eat healthier! See my kitchen organizing post here.
  9. Get your gift & wrap organized:use a gift tracking list & invest or DIY a great wrapping station—see Pinterest for ideas.
  10. Don’t over book your holiday calendar. If you’ve been invited to a million parties and events, say no to a few and leave yourself some evening’s at home, either alone or with your family and just relax!
  11. Schedule a date with your honey or yourself for a little holiday pampering. Dinner and a movie, a bubble bath and champagne, your pick but keep it easy and fun.
  12. Plan for the next year! Get a planner or calendar to start mapping out large events such as vacation and business travel, important family occasions and setting personal and professional goals for at least the first 1-2 quarters of the year.
  13. Create a vision board to really see what it is you want to create…it’s a beautiful thing!
  14. Pick a Word of the Year-AKA-#WOTY
  15. Take a thorough home inventory this year-don’t wait for a disaster! Join me for a virtual workshop “Home Inventory without Heartache”, more information coming soon. Subscribe to my mailing list or “like” my Facebook or Instagram for more frequent tips and inspiration!
  16. Keep your body moving, do a little dance, hit the gym, take a walk…whatever your thing is, this is a great way to get out of your head and feel your way through the season.
  17. Finally and most importantly, take time to Celebrate what is truly Sacred to you this season. Is that a tradition, time with family, a treat that you honor yourself with? Whatever it is this is the best season to celebrate the sacred!

Save

Attic storage inspiration, before the holidays!

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

Outta sight attic storage sometimes needs a little inspration. When we can’t see it regularly, those areas can get clutteered and filled up with unknown mystery and duplicate items. Here are some essential go-to attic storage tips, just in time for you to get your storage organized for the holidays!

Six simple fixes that will make your attic storage easier to access and use.

  1. Safety
  2. Flooring
  3. Shelves
  4. Bins
  5. Labels
  6. Hanging storage

Start with making your attic/stair’s easy to access and safe. Check the cables, railing and steps for safety a couple times a year and have them maintained or replaced as needed. There are some really great new stair options out there, see more here.

Next, think about the safety of what you are storing. If your attic is not climate controlled, whatever you store there will be subject to fluctuating temperatures and humidity. This can be especially damaging to wood and paper products. The attic is not the best space for books, photo’s and valuable heirloom furniture. You also may not want to store clothing long term, but seasonal storage in bins or a cedar chest should be okay.

The attic should be totally fine for extra household items including bulky or less frequently used kitchen items, travel gear (suitcases etc) and all your holiday decorations (except candles-I recommend storing ALL candles together). Of course, do not store flammable items in the attic and keep things clear of HVAC and other utilities (per instructions of the manufacturer). I’ll share more next month on specific holiday decor storage ideas.

Put down some sort of flooring! Don’t straddle the rafters, step through drywall or get fiberglass all over yourself! There are a lot of options, from plywood to these really great (reusable) Lock-N-Rollin floors…so easy to install!

Use or install shelving of some sort. It’s fine to stack bin’s if you only have a few but if you have a lot to store, shelves (either pre-made or custom built) will make it super easy to pull things in and out.

Attic Storage

Attic Storage

  • Use smaller bins to make it easier to bring things up and down. Make sure you know how large your opening is so you know what size storage will fit. I see so many people who try to put large bins in the attic, this usually causes accessibility challenges.
  • Store like things together by season and category (holidays etc).
  • Add labels to bins and shelves as needed.
  • Hang things in unusual or tight spots. This is a clever fold down “secret” storage spot but you can also just add hooks and hang oddly shaped, light weight items directly from rafters.

The space below is “finished” attic space but no less challenging due to the unusual shape. We used hooks to hang an assortment of sport gear on the wall so that the back of the space could still be accessible (with shelves added for additional storage).Attic Storage

With a bit of planning and elbow grease you can maximize your attic storage to suite a variety of household needs. If your project is out of your control, let me know how I can help!

7 Simple Steps to Your Cleanest Kitchen

by Filed Under: Organize, Organizing Projects, Systems & Techniques

Don’t you want to start the holiday season with your cleanest kitchen?

This time of year is a great time to deep clean the kitchen and fridge, especially after summer and fall trips to the farmers market and before all your holiday cooking, baking and entertaining…when everyone lands in the kitchen, right?!  BUT, if your reading this in the Spring or before Back to School…any time is a good time to take a deep dive for your cleanest kitchen. I recommend it at least a couple times a year.

your Cleanest Kitchen

Your Cleanest Kitchen in 7 easy steps

  • Re-arrange as needed for things that might not be working well in their current spots-I just moved appliance I don’t need further out of the way and made baking items more accessible over the weekend.
  • Purge– including out of date food (toss), things you don’t like (give  away) things like plastic ups, containers-missing lids (recycle) and cozies that somehow made their way home from summer festivities.  No thank you Freebies!
  • Tidy and sort food and other items by category. Add containers to corral and labels to identify items as needed. Post purge is the best time to do this!
  • Give everything a sanitizing wipe down including the cabinets, switch plates, counters-moving everything out from the walls and wiping the backsplash.
  • Clean out appliances such as the microwave, oven, toaster and make note of anything broken or missing that I might want to add to a wish list.
  • Take a quick look through the pantry and make a list of staple items needed for upcoming baking and cooking (sugar, flour, chocolate chips, spices, herbs etc), this way you can be spontaneous when the urge to get creative in the kitchen strikes!
  • Finally, the Fridge! Remove and wipe or rinse everything including contents, the shelves, and drawers. Toss expired food. If you can, remove the “parts”, clean with your favorite kitchen cleaner and scrub the crevices with an old toothbrush and baking soda. Repeat the process for the freezer, defrosting according to your manufacturer instructions if needed. If you have a water filter built in, it’s a great time to check and replace that too.kitchen deep clean

You can take each step above and break it down over a weekend or a whole week (7 steps-7 days!) depending on how much time you have.  As I do this, I pull things out and try to use up leftovers (especially in the freezer) to make room for all the great new food I’ll be preparing and eating over the holiday season.

If you ever question keeping or tossing, HERE is a great list of food expiration etc. follows.  Safety and common sense should prevail…BUT I will say that in the age of “toss it” mentality there are probably lots of things you-should-never-have-bought AND may not need to go but I’ll bet some are on this list.  Use your judgment, and follow your intuition…and FYI-Sugar never expires!kitchen deep clean

Happy pre-holiday cleaning!

Save

Save

Garage Organizing & Tidying Tips

by Filed Under: Organize, Organizing Projects, Systems & Techniques

Fall (and Spring) are the perfect seasons to work on Garage organizing. With great weather and mild temperatures, I’ve been working on a lot of Garage Organizing Jobs. It’s the perfect time to get outside and whip that garage (or shed) into shape before the holidays and dreams of parking your car IN your garage arrive! Taking the time to tackle the garage now, will help you prepare for all the fun seasonal activities in the coming months and get your household maintenance tasks done more quickly.  There’s a lot to consider when organizing a garage (and if you have a shed or workshop a lot of this can be applied there).  Are you ready to take on the Great Garage Organizing Challenge?

Garage Organizing

If you don’t have a garage, maybe your challenge will be to organize the shed, the attic or another storage area. The important factors to take into consideration are; amount of time you to complete the project and type of installation, painting and maintenance/repairs involved and your budget. Will you paint the walls or floors or put down parking or modular mats, add lighting or other features? Do you want to install an elaborate custom designed system (call in an expert) or go with DIY options?

  • Schedule a couple solid weekends of dedicated time for a 2 car garage or a large attic or 1 weekend and a few additional hours for a smaller area. Take family members schedules, temporary storage (things might need to be temporarily moved out of the garage so beware of HOA rules etc) and weather into account.  If your space is jam packed to the ceiling you might need more time to purge and work a path through the spaces, but lets hope you’re not there!
  • Do you have a green thumb and want a potting area for all your gardening supplies? Assess how you use the space or more accurately how you want to use the space.  Of all the rooms in your home the garage may be the most mult- functional! Don’t forget the basics like trash/recycling, cleaning products and supply storage.  How else do you use the space?
  • List out categories and quickly sketch “Zones” based on the space layout, functionality (power access, mobility), lighting (windows, existing fixtures) and frequency of use for each category.
  • This is the time that you should plan to make larger purchases such as shelving, lighting, pegboards or other necessary supplies.  Take measurements and make sure you buy what will fit and only what you know you need.  Try to keep systems modular if possible so they can be re-configured as needed.

Do you have a family with lots of sports enthusiasts and lots of gear? Or do you have a lot of tools for DIY projects?

Is your car currently parked in the garage and if not (it is your 2nd most expensive asset!) do you want it to be?  Do you do laundry in your garage or need a “mud room” area?  Make it easy for you and your family to juggle groceries and other items as you transition from your car to the house by using hooks, shelving and benches to place things by your home entrance.

  • Gather your supplies; gloves, basic tools, bags and boxes (for giveaway and trash/recycling), post it notes, permanent markers, label maker/labels, a variety of storage bins, various hooks (command and lg ‘ladder’ hooks) and any shelves or other items you purchased to install.  Start with what you have and make a list of smaller items you will need as you go.
  • Sort; I suggest working clockwise from the entrance-either garage door or door to house.  Work your way around the room one wall at a time around sorting items into keep, donate and toss.  If you don’t have an immediate way to store/re-install an item make a note and set the item in the general zone where it needs to go and come back to it.  Try to keep focused on one area at a time and not go back and forth between the room.  If you are able to move everything out to a holding area then keep things grouped by zone in bins to be returned when ready.
  • Clean as you go and make basic repairs/maintenance updates such as installing hooks, shelves etc.  This can be done one wall or zone at a time or with the whole room if it’s been cleared.
  • Store items in their new homes, this might require grouping and labeling items into bins, installing pegboards or slat walls with hooks, simple hooks or nails, shelving, bins/baskets etc.

Think vertical and don’t forget overhead storage space! Make sure these systems are well secured!!  Give them a good tug to make sure things don’t come tumbling down when you or the kids go to grab something.  Keep kids, heavy and more frequently used items lower to the ground (but make sure they are water proof if necessary) and lighter and less frequently used or more dangerous tools mounted up higher.

  • Finally, and possibly most importantly, donate & dump…Don’t forget to get the stuff that you have purged out the door as quickly as possible!  When stuff lingers it has tendency to find its way back in so don’t let that happen!

Hopefully this post has you thinking about when and what you can do to create a more organized family garage.  Take a look this weekend and if it feels too daunting to tackle yourself, remember you can always hire a Professional Organizer to help!

Off to College Essential Organizing Tips

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

If your kids are headed off to school for the first time or returning it can help to take a quick look through these Off to College Essential Organizing Tips.  Some of you may have eagerly planned, shopped and packed early in the summer, yet there are still lots of folks getting their dorms set up and moved into. These Essential Organizing tips will help you get a handle on planning for this life-changing event! This milestone is really two big events in one, a move and back to school. If you’re feeling overwhelmed already, break it down into smaller manageable tasks and be mindful of your emotions! It’s a big change (for your whole family) so don’t dismiss how you feel!

Off to College Essential Organizing Tips

Productivity, Routines and Schedules

By now you should probably have the school year calendar and have a target date for college move in all squared away but if not there’s still time to get a handle on it. Here are some of the categories related to routines and schedules that may help make this a more mindful transition to managing college/life schedules and productivity.

  • Transportation-Will a car be available or will is it going to be transportation by bus or college shuttle? Is there a metro or other public transportation in their new city? Be sure to understand the best method of transportation and if cars are allowed on campus (not the case for many freshmen). Work out travel transportation arrangements ahead of time for upcoming school drop off, pick up and holidays (through the end of the year). This might include airfare so book ahead and know the rules and download any useful local aps for mass transit.
  • Planner or Calendar-Decide how to keep track of calendars so that everything needed is in one place, based on what works. Use either a digital or paper planner (there is a big trend to return to paper!) to keep track of important dates, orientation, move in, class schedule (and locations on campus), appointments, projects, finals and holidays. Consider something like a whiteboard (in the dorm/room) to track schedules while adjusting to this new way of life.  If possible, do this ahead of time before heading off to school where the tendency will be to get caught up in the excitement of new campus life! Planners are only helpful if they are with you so keep it where it’s needed (in a backpack or purse etc).
  • Activities, sports and clubs-If your college students are planning to get involved in sports, clubs etc…get these activities booked on your master calendar along with the school schedule and decide on any necessary transportation. Cross reference these activities (especially intense sport/practice/games) with school schedule and keep it all in one place. It’s great to get involved, but be sure there’s a sense of balance between school work, activities and “play” or free time to be with friends, socialize, relax etc.
  • Productivity, routines and study time–Talk with them about to do lists and schedule planning (daily, weekly or monthly) so they will stay on top of important tasks, projects, classes and dates. Remind them of what routines and systems have worked for them so far and help them set up systems for successful focus on study while they are away. This will be different from situation to situation but consistency is key, especially simple things like waking up at the same time daily, making your bed, weekly shopping & laundry etc.  When it comes to studying, if your kid is extra distracted by other people being around, help they seek out a quiet place on campus or in their dorm that they will be able to focus. Help them create their own rules, like pick up daily (5 min’s/day), keep your desk clean, empty/repack your backpack daily so you have what you need ready the next day. Have a plan for note taking, setting up binders and folders by class (color code etc) or other systems that have been successful for them so far. Find a routine for self discipline, this means getting 6-8hrs of sleep a night, eating regularly, taking necessary medications, self regulating screen time (games, apps etc) and generally acting like an adult! All the freedom is fun but when things spiral out of control have a plan to get back on track. Most of us thrive with routines and it’s even more important in transitions to implement them for our own success:)

Supplies and Shopping

This is always a big part of school preparation. If you need to order equipment, uniforms, supplies, books etc you may already been in the process of doing so. If your state (or the one the college is in) has a Tax Free Weekend (usually in August), plan accordingly so you can make major purchases over that weekend.

  • Supplies-Create a master list based upon all the supplies needed. “Shop” your house first, gathering anything on the list into one container (box or bag).
  • Budget-set a limit (realistic) on what you can and will spend so you don’t get sucked into extras.
  • Categorize-Break the shopping items into categories (see below). E.X. categories might include books, school/desk supplies, clothing, dorm room, meals, electronic’s etc.
  • Shopping-Do a little preliminary research online and either make the purchases online or decide where you will go for what.

A-Z Dorm Essentials for Cleaning and Organizing

These are great resources to have on hand and will be helpful for a variety of uses in the dorm. I’ve created an Amazon Shopping list with suggested items here.

  • Backpack or bag
  • Bedside Caddy
  • Bed Risers (optional)
  • Hooks (a variety of sizes & types including command & over the door)
  • Hangers (check to see if you need to bring them but probably!)
  • Labels (a label maker or write on labels)
  • Laundry supplies (basket/bag, detergent)
  • Over the door or under bed shoe organizer
  • Overnight bag
  • Permanent markers
  • Poster Putty for hanging decorative things on the walls
  • Power Strip-surge protector
  • Small rolling Cart (with shelves or drawers)
  • Shelf &/or drawer dividers/organizers (assorted sizes)
  • Toiletry or shower caddy
  • Trash & recycling bins/bags (so many people don’t have them!)
  • Under bed storage bins (will fit with bed risers-wait if you don’t know)
  • Zip bags in assorted sizes
  • Zip ties (assorted sizes for cables, hanging items etc)

ABC’s of Dorm Packing Essentials

There are a ton of great resources and lists over on Pinterest, so I won’t recreate them but here are general packing categories. It’s best to wait on things like a mini-fridge, microwave, dishes (other than a cup/mug, plate and one set of silverware), Iron/Board (unless fashion is your thing!), vaccum (maybe a dustbuster and mini broom), TV and Printer. These are all things that others or the school will have. Besides, you might not need at all or you can get them later.

  • Bathroom-Toiletries
  • Cleaning Supplies
  • Clothing
  • Cooking & Dining Supplies
  • Desk Supplies
  • Dorm Room
  • Food
  • First Aid Kit
  • Electronics
  • Furniture & Decorations
  • Medications (Supplements, cold & Rx)
  • Personal Items
  • School Supplies
  • Sports Equipment

This is a lot of info in one place! I hope these Off to College Essential Organizing Tips will help prepare for schedule and lifestyle changes, supplies and shopping and finally packing before this next grand adventure begins!

Save

Back to School Prep | Toss & Tidy Up

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

It’s back to School prep time which is also a great time to toss clutter, outgrown clothing and tidy up before the school year begins. Hopefully they’ve had a fun summer filled with vacation play, camps, projects and book reading assignments. Before you head out to shop for supplies, lets get toys, rooms and supplies you already have in order first.

School year Pitch

Did those notebooks, textbooks and book bags languishing in the closet, play room, kitchen or bedrooms? If so, you never know what you might find growing by now, arm yourself if necessary!

This should take no more than 30 min’s for most grade and high school kids and I recommend doing it within the first week of school ending but if it didn’t happen at the end of school, it’s a great way to get in the back to school mindset now! Have them gather their book bag/backpack, any supplies and textbooks in their room or anywhere else they study. Put them all in a pile, on the floor, their bed (lots of kids like to work on their bed-it’s comforting) or a table/desk.

School year pitch

Back to School Prep | Pitch It

  • Remove the contents of bags and backpacks (if you didn’t do this at the beginning of the summer). Evaluate the condition of the bag and reusable supplies.
  • Go through notebooks and remove anything that you or your kids want to keep (for sentimental reasons or other), add these to a sentimental box (each child should have their own, separate from the parents).
  • Recycle papers, notes and notebooks no longer needed.
  • Gather books to return to the school, hand down to younger kids or donate to a library.
  • Save supplies that can be re-used in one area and before you shop for back to school, check here first!

Back to School Prep | Supplies

Shop school supplies you have on hand before you head to the store. It might not feel as exciting, but with younger kids you can create a “store” and offer to exchange some kind of reward for items “purchased” at home. This will help teach and reinforce the value of reuse and recycling. As kids get older, I find most of them are pretty keenly aware and want to re-use/not waste materials!

Shelves, cabinets, closets and basket systems, all work great depending on your space and needs. Just be sure it’s easy for you and your kids to get to. If they are older, they may want to keep some of their favorite supplies in their room, otherwise they can all go in one place.  

Back to School Prep | Toys

This might not be something a lot of parents think about at back to school time but games, toys and crafts can collect and then languish in the lost corners once school begins. So it’s really the perfect time to asses what toys and games your kids are still using and donate what they have out grown. Craft and art projects can be stored in sentimental bins or just snap a photo (which you can always print later) and let it go! Keep only their favorites and rotate what is kept out because there won’t be as much time for games and toys.

Back to school prep

I’ll share my tips about Back to school prep for your kids wardrobe and shopping for supplies in the next couple posts! Happy Back to School Prep!!

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, Lists and Inventory

Related articles

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!

Organizing Move Management

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).

professional organizer help with moving

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.

professional organizer help with moving

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!

professional organizer help with moving

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.

professional organizer help with moving

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!Organizing Move Management

info@hkpowerstudio.com
[office] 240-778-2804 *area code must be dialed/no text

Search Blog by Popular Catetories

Seach Blog by date