Organizing January: The Paper Trail

When I started organizing people’s homes in College Station during my last semester at Texas A & M, I was surprised to find that many clients were most interested in tackling the paperwork they felt was consuming their homes. They kept stacks of it: bills, flyers, notes, invitations, newspapers, magazines, and letters. It was overwhelming to them, so it received little positive attention. But I aimed to fix that.

Conquering paperwork in the home is all about a system. For every piece of paper that finds its way through the door, it has to be addressed and handled. To start, set up a station, a specific location for this to occur. Streamline the paper trail right into a home office or computer station in the kitchen, back entry, wide hallway, or laundry room. Avoid the living room and the bedrooms. At this station, you need the tools to handle your paperwork, which can include magazine files, trays, bins, notebooks, and a trashcan or paper shredder.

Let mail, correspondence from school, receipts, and any other paperwork start here. A tray or basket the size of a newspaper is a great thing to have to start a pile, because you will not always have the time to immediately sort when you bring in the mail. This tray should not be too deep, though, as this is meant to be a temporary holding spot. The next step is to sort. Magazine files that are labeled “To File” and “To Do” make this a simple process. Each piece of paper a) requires further action (pay a bill), b) requires filing (receipt for tax purposes), or c) can be thrown away. By doing this initial sort, you quickly reduce your bulk and keep things from accumulating by throwing out what is not needed and by dividing what’s left into two quick-decision categories. If more categories are applicable for your needs, then add those as well. Having a decorative bulletin board or magnetic dry erase board in the area is a good spot to store invitations and notes after you have added their information to your calendar or planner.

I am not a huge fan of a filing cabinet for home use; I feel the same goal can be accomplished in a smaller space. I use one inch notebooks for my filing instead. Each notebook has a labeled spine and cover, and the categories can be as broad as Banking, Medical, Insurance, Shopping, Credit Card, Cell Phone, etc. Set up a notebook system that fits your needs. As receipts and paid bills accumulate, their paperwork goes into their corresponding notebook. At the end of the year, each notebook’s contents are automatically in chronological order, and I transfer each set to a decorative file box. I have seven of these boxes that represent seven years for tax purposes. This all takes up only two shelves of a standard bookcase. My consistent, rotating system pretty much runs itself.

To maximize your paper processing, don’t settle for run-of-the-mill. Lead your paper trail to a new level of organized sorting and storage.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star January 30th.

Organizing January: Living Space

The space in which we spend much of our time at home should be neat, organized, and reenergizing. You should not feel as if your home is the place that drains you, but rather the space that recharges you. Having to look at a disheveled area, being constantly reminded of all there is to do, will not provide the haven that a home should be. Organize your living space to give you the breathing space you need.

Our living rooms and family rooms are the center of much activity. Just as they can be the setting for rambunctious game nights and lively gatherings with friends, they should be able to switch to a relaxing home theater or cozy spot for quiet reading. The art of perfecting a soothing space revolves around creating the boundaries that allows for that. A stack of bills on the end table does not sound very conducive to a relaxing night of watching television. A home office in the corner with a computer screen just calling you to check your work email does not allow you to unplug from the outside world. Organize your family’s living space to do just what you want that space to do. Let it be all about the comfy seating and the conversation and the entertainment. Let the elements more suited to an office setting have their own space away from your unwinding. Store DVDs and games in entertainment center cabinets so they are out of sight but easily accessed. Put a large wicker basket in the corner or under an end table to round up toys so picking up is quick and easy. Return your remote controls to the same spot always when the TV is turned off so they do not wander off. Have a small collection of books near a side chair with a soft throw for a reading area.

The same principles apply to your home’s bedrooms. You do not need a computer in there. You do not need a bill paying station in the corner. You may not even want a television if you want to really have an unplugged retreat. Instead, keep organized nightstands that only hold the basics, like a lamp and clock, and store other items in the drawer or in a small basket tucked to the side to hold your tissues, hand cream, and current reading material. Clear off dresser surfaces or just add a small jewelry case or decorative bin to hold items that would otherwise be left out, like a watch, wallet, rings, or glasses. Keep extra pillows and blankets at the ready in a trunk or armoire. Keep the kids’ toys out of the master bedroom. Set up your personal space to have the same feel as a nice hotel room – inviting, relaxing, and back to basics.

Only you can ensure that you have true living space in the rooms of your home that help keep that dividing line in check between the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and home office and the haven qualities of your living room and bedrooms. Organizing for that visually-appealing minimalist quality gives you a secure place to relax and recharge and be ready to face a new day.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star January 23rd.

Organizing January: A Kitchen That Really Cooks

A major hub of the home is the kitchen. This space goes beyond meal prep and is the site of many a conversation, informal gathering, and memory made. It is usually high traffic and multipurpose. And, unfortunately, the kitchen can be an often-used space that could use a boost in the organization department. If you want to overhaul your kitchen’s organization this year, you are taking on a lofty but worthy project. Here are some ideas for getting it done right.

Organizing and cleaning really go hand-in-hand. This is a great time of year to give your kitchen a major scrubbing as you shape it up. Start with the “un-seen,” the cabinetry and drawers. Go cabinet by cabinet, drawer by drawer, and really analyze the contents. The pivotal question is what are you using versus what is just taking up your space. Start filling boxes with things large and small that just don’t cut the mustard in your kitchen any longer. Hone in on outdated and unused dishes, glasses, baking dishes, pots and pans, serving pieces, or small appliances that do not work or never get used. Get these items out, whether you donate them or throw away what’s unusable. Thoroughly wipe down each cabinet shelf and drawer as you move along and add or replace old drawer and shelf liners if you like.

Tackle the prime real estate that is the kitchen countertops. If it is not used on a daily basis, put it away in some of that space you just opened up. Keep counters clear to a) make your kitchen look larger, b) banish the clutter, and c) make cleaning fast and easy. Repeat the process with the pantry shelves as well. You want to ultimately not store things that you don’t deem worthy of gracing your table, oven, stove, or buffet. Why waste the space you have with things you don’t like or don’t use? Get them out and feel the freedom that comes with having neat, structured spaces that you can easily see into and quickly retrieve items from.

If you want to take it a step further, incorporate supplies to help you keep your kitchen organized. Turntables, drawer dividers, baskets and bins, small rolling carts, adjustable shelves for canned goods, and racks or pullout cabinet inserts to give shelving more stacking space can be great kitchen organizational tools. Put like items together to make specific kitchen projects very streamlined. For example, whisks, measuring cups, and mixing bowls in the same vicinity gives baking more easy access. Baking dishes, brownie pans, and muffin tins together keeps you from hunting for the right supplies. Allotting designated space for serving dishes as well as serving utensils makes setting the table or laying out a buffet straightforward.

However you slice it, an organized kitchen can save you time and stress as you prepare everyday meals and more elaborate feasts in a space that is really ready to cook.

DesignInMind Column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star January 16th.

Organizing January: Perfecting the Art of the Closet

What I am about to tell you is not for the organization dabbler or the I-tend-to-give-up-about-20-minutes-in project person. This plan of action is for the I’ll-dedicate-my-weekend-to-get-it-right organization lover. Don’t say I didn’t warn you . . .

Ah, the perfect closet. We want it. We imagine it. We see how photographers make it look so enticing in those magazine spreads. We can have it. That’s right – enviable closets are attainable if we are willing to put in the work, set them up properly, and commit to maintaining them.

Step number 1 is to determine what you are storing. Are you all hanging clothes and few accessories? Do you need a closet to itself for your shoe or purse collection? Take note of what you need out of your storage solutions. The extravagant Plan A would be to call in the professionals at this point. Having someone design a storage system layout and install it is a luxury. But more and more systems are becoming DIY through your local hardware and supply stores. Take a good set of closet measurements with notes jotted down about your closet content categories to the store, and you can get started toward an interchangeable system you can install yourself. Things to consider are maximizing your hanging space, which is best done when you have double rods, having shelves or drawers for folded clothes and accessories, and having shoe storage space that fits your complete collection.

Whether you start from scratch with a newly installed system or want to makeover your existing system, I advise completely emptying your closet. One piece at a time, take EVERYTHING out. This is the sorting process. Hopefully you will be willing to part ways with things that don’t deserve to go back into your new closet. Make neat piles of things to keep, and divide this into hanging, folded, accessories, and shoes, or other categories that fit your needs. Make piles of things to give as hand-me-downs or donation items. Send these straight to boxes or bags so you don’t get cold feet over them later. Be ruthless and really keep only the items you are wearing, you like, and that fit you properly. The rest is just taking up your space. And do keep a bag on hand for trash, and be willing to fill it – old receipts, solo socks, and clothes not worthy of donation can go straight to the garbage.

Now clean your closet. Wipe down the walls and baseboards, and vacuum the entire floor space. Start fresh. Now you can put things back one piece at a time. I recommend hanging everything in the same direction and by type and then color for the neatest look and the easiest retrieval. Store your purses and shoes in a streamlined fashion, maximizing the space you have for them. You should ultimately be able to see everything easily, and the overall look should be appealing. And you don’t have to break the bank in order to carry out a complete closet makeover.

DesignInMind Column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star January 9th.

Organizing January: Clearing the Clutter

Ring in the New Year with resolutions to take your home to a new level of organization. There’s no time like the present to tackle projects, determining to make 2011 your most organized year yet. For the five Sundays in January, look for tips and ideas to shape up your space right here.

Clutter in general is a major complaint when it comes to the obstacles to getting and STAYING organized. So as the year starts off, let’s get back to basics. Tackle clutter by getting to the root of the issue. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: my favorite motto about organization is “a place for everything and everything in its place.” Clutter builds because the “stuff” does not have a proper home within your home. So you pass it by or pick it up, only to leave it right there because you cannot determine immediately what should be done with it. So you do nothing for now. Am I right? Repeat this process with enough random items, and you’re living in a clutter space.

Break the cycle. Eliminate clutter by giving value to the things you keep in your home – enough value to need them, use them, and store them properly. If you do not need something, do not use it, and do not care for it, let it go. Pass it down, donate it, or throw it away. Easier said than done? Yes. But the rewards you heap onto your home and your family, if you commit to this process, are where the true value can be found.

Hit the hot spots, the areas frequently cluttered. Ask yourself why; determine what is piling up in certain areas and for what reasons. Do pieces of mail and other paperwork brought into the home seem to end up in a pile on the kitchen counter? You may need a designated mail area where you can quickly sort what requires action, filing, or throwing away, and have the right supplies to carry that out on a regular basis. Is the back door a mess of shoes, backpacks, and sports gear? You could incorporate a system that fits your family’s needs, including boot trays, hooks, bins, and cubbies or shelving, to get you all in and out the door in a neat fashion.

Everyone’s needs vary. Maybe you struggle with books, magazines, toys, small appliances, cooking and bake ware, hobby supplies, linens, accessories, photos, or knick knacks. Regardless, the ultimate keys are: 1) to keep and store only what you really need and want and banish the excess from your home; 2) incorporate the right supplies – bins, containers, baskets, and specialty storage pieces – to fully utilize your space and create that “place for everything;” and 3) maintain the systems you set up through frequent picking-up and clearing-out to keep “everything in its place.” That’s how you get your January off to a fresh start.

DesignInMind Column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star on January 2nd.