Organizing from the Inside Out

“Organizing is the process by which we create enviornments that enable us to live, work, and relax exactly as we want to. When we are organized, our homes, offices and schedules reflect and encourage who we are, what we want, and where we are going.”

Julie Morgenstern

Testimonials

N.M. Tampa, FL

"Thank you for rescuing me from the enormous task of clearing out my cousin's house. I was truly at the "end of my rope" when you agreed to take on the challenge! You tackled a very problematic job with energy and enthusiasm. You seemed to take all the difficulties in stride. I especially appreciated the fact that I could completely trust you to deal with my cousin's possessions as you would have dealt with your own family's. I will certainly recommend you at every opportunity. You can be sure that if we have need of your services again, "

N.J. Tampa, FL

"Over the years, I have used what I call the “stash and dash” method of getting my home ready for guests. I would cram papers, etc into bags or piles, then stash these into cupboards, closets or under beds, as I dash from room to room making each place look presentable. Over time, I’ve accumulated so much “stuff” in these hidden areas that there is not room for more. The clutter was spilling out into the tidy areas! Enter Susan’s Organizing Solutions. She wasn’t kidding when she said she would help me “get control of my surroundings”. She is helping me get organized and create order, but more importantly, to get peace of mind. I can never thank you enough, Susan."

SOS is a Proud Member of:

CABA

Organizing Tips

6 Tips to Live By - Susan Layden

Tip #1: Establish a home for everything and stick to it. Just think about it…if you always put your keys in the exact same spot every day or those papers you want were already filed away where they should be or the bills were located in one convenient spot – would you be wasting time looking for them now or paying late fees because you overlooked that bill and its due date?

Tip #2: Label things whenever possible. Things are more likely to find their way back home when everyone knows exactly what goes where and labeling helps with that.

Tip #3: Form the habit of “Now”. Put things away each day. This may take a lot of time and effort in the beginning – but it will make your life so much easier and so much more “clutter-free” in the long run. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit, so you will have to be vigilant about putting things back those first 3 weeks, but it will get easier. Once it is a habit, you will see how much better your life is and how nice to have things in their place instead of collecting dust and creating visual “noise”.

Tip #4: Insist the kids put away toys they are finished with before dragging out new ones. This is a practice which should start when they are young, but which can be enforced at any age. Make it a habit. Where possible, shelving is a good idea for storing younger kids’ things. You can label the spot and they will always know where it goes. For “pre-readers” use pictures to help them.

Tip #5: Consistency is the key to making any system work.

Tip #6: Mail. 80% of the mail we receive is unsolicited, junk mail. Open your mail every day by the trash can and/or recycle bin and/or shredder. Don’t keep what you don’t need. Open bills and discard the outer envelope and inserts. Recycle catalogs, magazines and newspapers. Shred credit card solicitations or things with personal information. It takes 5-10 minutes if you keep up with it on a daily basis, but can get so out of control if you don’t!!

Displaying Your Collectibles- Susan Layden

When displaying collectibles, such as pottery, paperweights or blown glass - think in groups of odd numbers (three, five, seven). Put out your best or your favorite pieces to keep it really special or unique. Vary the heights of items, if possible, by putting them on clear risers for added interest. Greenery, fabric or some other textural element may add interest or dimension depending on the items being displayed.

Think about the scale of the table, shelf or wall you are going to display on versus the number and size of the pieces or picture art you are putting out. Is it well-balanced? Is it crowded or does it look lost in a sea of too much space

A piece of furniture may serve a dual purpose, such as a bookcase, which may serve to help divide a room, while at the same time holding collectibles and books. One well-displayed piece will call more attention to itself than many things, which will just get lost amongst each other.

Lighting (uplighting and downlighting) can also create visual interest and drama for your collectibles. Simple cup hooks and fishing line can be used creatively in many display cases to great benefit with certain pieces of art

To prevent your collections from overtaking your home, try to keep focused on only one or two things. If you collect every blown glass vase or figurine that you see, your home will look like a flea market. Keep your focus narrow in scope through color, style, artist, etc. Group the items on a mantel, shelf or tabletops while smaller items can be displayed in a shadow box, display case or sometimes on a window sill. If you have a large collection, consider storing some of the pieces and occasionally changing the pieces out so they can truly be appreciated.

Read more about displaying your collectibles.