A Little TLC for Your Kitchen - and My Guilty Secret.

I love food. I love cooking it, eating it, and sharing it. It naturally follows that I love my kitchen too. Even though it’s not quite the dream kitchen I would design if I found $50,000 lying around on the counter, it’s my comfort zone. That’s why every January, I give it the love it deserves by organizing it from--literally--soup to nuts.

I start by emptying out all the drawers and cleaning them. In my experience, cleanliness brings renewed energy into a space. Next, I group all the like items on the counter and look them over with a fresh eye. Is anything repeated? Are there utensils I never use? If so, I give them away or recycle them. Editing gadgets is a great stress reducer when you open your utensil drawer and don’t have to paw through it for five minutes looking for what you need.

I then reassemble my drawers with the clear Linus organizers from The Container Store, which I've also cleaned. There are shallow and deep ones, which I mix and match depending on need, but I always maintain the same depth in each individual drawer.  Organizational tools and supplies don’t have to be expensive or fancy--what’s important is to choose something you’re comfortable with and will use. I like the clear organizing trays because I can really see what’s in them.

A junk drawer is essential to any kitchen, and it’s a great place to store those things you want at your fingertips but that never seem to have an obvious home--matches, pens, pencils, scissors, string, Post-it notes, etc. When I empty mine out and purge it in January I never know what I’m going to find in there--but I always know it will be interesting!  When I put it all back in, using the same see-through Linus organizers, I organize the contents in a different way to make sure I notice what’s in there.

Next, I do the same thing with the cupboards--a thorough clean and purge. It’s amazing how obvious the lesser used items become when everything’s out and similar things are grouped together. Why do I have so many mixing bowls? What about that grill pan I never seem to take out? And when the cupboards are empty, I think about how my current layout is working and how I can improve it when I put things back. Of course, I’m always repeating my mantra to myself: “Do I use it? Do I love it? Do I appreciate it?” This helps me make decisions without sentimentality getting in my way.

Once all that’s clean and reassembled, I move on to the food cupboards and the under the sink zone. Food items get edited with a ruthless eye, especially the classic “this looks cool, I bet I’ll use it!” that’s still sitting there a year later. Then I wipe down the shelves and only put back the items I know I will use, grouped by type. Ergonomics are key to organizing any space and I always order in a way that makes sense for my needs—healthy and most-used items at eye level, baking items all together, pet food on the bottom, etc. In my pantry, I use containers with labels to group smaller items together and especially love frosted totes in this zone. I create a typewritten label in all caps using a label maker for a clean and organized look.  

I leave under the sink till last and am always stunned by how satisfying a thorough cleaning and edit of that generally neglected space is.

Okay. I know I've encouraged you not to double or triple up on gadgets (a client I worked with once had four blenders and wasn't willing to give any up), but I have a confession to make: I have three ice cream makers. My guilty secret is out! But here’s the thing: I love homemade ice cream, and I like to have more than one flavor at once. What’s a girl to do?

Happy Organizing!

Sheryl

Ready..Set...GO (Get Organized)!

Something about January and a fresh new year ahead always gets me thinking: What will this year bring? What will I conquer, what dreams will I fulfill? It’s always exciting to welcome in a new year and watch it unfold.

This year is the tenth anniversary of national “Get Organized” (GO) month, which is--you guessed it!--January. Different chapters of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) are hosting several events to inspire you--and to help you get your life, your office, or your home organized.

Something NAPO talks about that might appeal to you if you like to write your goals down is the concept of a SMART goal. Many of us fail regularly at meeting goals, so my advice is not to set any unless they’re SMART. (If just the mention of the word “goal” makes you start to twitch uncontrollably, the Nike slogan “Just do it!” probably works better for you). A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Sensitive--elements that actually make it realistic. So instead of setting a vague goal like “In January I’m going to organize my kitchen,” a SMART goal breaks it down like this: “By Super Bowl Sunday, I’m going to have cleaned out my pantry, purged dishes and utensils in my cupboards and drawers, and given away, recycled, or thrown out things I never or rarely use.” With a SMART goal, you know what’s expected, when it must be completed, and what it involves. Suddenly, it becomes a target you can hit. (Alternatively, you could “just do it!”)

Another excellent project for January now that the business year has come to a close is organizing your office. What files can be collapsed together or retired? What can be digitized? Did you use the staple remover in your top drawer once in 2013? What SMART goal can you set to get your office organized--and that will result in making your work day twice as efficient? (Or what frustration do you have to run into in your file drawer to get you to drop what you’re doing and “just do it!”)

For my part in GO month, I’m going to share tips on organizing different spaces. We’ll kick off this Thursday with the kitchen, my favorite zone, and then move on to other rooms. If there’s an area you’re particularly interested in, leave me a comment and I’ll be happy to add it to the list. I challenge you to follow along with your own organizing project, set a SMART goal, or “just do it!” And don’t wait for a big chunk of time to take it on--chip away at it in any unexpected half-hours that present themselves. Who knows? You may not even notice how organized you’re becoming.

Happy Organizing!

Sheryl

Holiday Organizing - and Some Old World Memories

Snow crunching underfoot, houses outlined in sparkly lights, the smell of freshly baked cookies wafting out of the kitchen--the holidays are here again!

Christmas always takes me back to warm memories of my mother’s nanny, Molly. My grandmother died in 1948 and Molly came over from Denmark to LA to look after my mom and her two siblings. She was a true mother to those kids and a grandmother to me. She loved Christmas, and every year she covered coffee tins with contact paper and filled them with her famous Danish currant cookies to give as gifts. My mouth waters just remembering their buttery texture. But what really makes me think of Molly is when I take out my Christmas boxes and carefully unpack the handmade yarn Santas she gave to my mother before she died. These Old World Danish decorations bring the holiday spirit into my home like nothing else I own.

While I was decorating and remembering Molly this past week, I started thinking about holiday organizing and how beneficial a good system is. Let’s face it: by the end of the season we all feel the temptation to simply stuff everything in boxes as quickly as possible and get them out of sight for another year. But there are other ways to do this that lessen stress, free up time, and create some welcome ease. It just takes a little planning. Next year, when the season rolls around again, I’m always glad I did it.

I thought I’d share some tips and tricks that make my holidays a breeze:

• The Container Store sells affordable, see-through boxes in different sizes that will accommodate small items like table decorations and ornaments or larger items like wrapping paper and garlands (or to save money, you can hang on to segmented wine boxes and cardboard egg cartons to store ornaments and breakable items)

• Label all boxes in full capital letters for easy readability (I use a label maker but you can also print them or neatly hand-write them)

• Designate “open first” boxes to streamline your decorating

• If it’s broken, if you hate it, or if you never use it, give it away or properly dispose of it

• Test light strings before putting them away to make sure you’re ready to go next year

• Wind light strings around cardboard and stack them in a bin to save you from detangling a mess next year

• Keep a stash of “neutral gifts” already wrapped to give to guests who show up with an unexpected gift for you; olive oil, chocolate, wine or candles

• Keep a list for next year of items you know you’ll need, or shop the after-Christmas sales to get inexpensive lights and decorations to pack away 

When it comes to anything in my home, seasonal or otherwise, my philosophy is pretty simple. I ask myself: Do I use it, do I love it, do I appreciate it? Any item I have must clear at least one of these hurdles. It seems to me that the holidays are an especially good time to ask myself these questions as I get out things I don’t see that often.

You’ll be happy to know that Molly’s Santas received my highest rating--a thumbs-up in each category. They’re staying.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Whatever Holiday You Celebrate, and, of course, Happy Organizing!

Sheryl

Prepping for Relocation

Hello, and welcome to the first Org & Relo blog entry!  Our company provides organization and relocation services to residences and businesses, helping increase overall efficiency and productivity. 

Here, you will find practical tips on organizing and relocating.  Be sure to check back for new info!

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Summer season is officially in full swing, and for many families, it's moving time!  Whether relocating a few blocks or between states, moving is stressful and chaotic.  Such overwhelming feelings may lead you to think that the best packing strategy is to throw everything randomly into boxes and label it "miscellaneous stuff."  You'll deal with it later while unpacking, right?  

No!  This kind of scattered packing only leads to more work for you, your movers, and your organizers (aka. increased costs!).  Think of the energy and labor it'll take to unpack a box that contains electronics, a sock, dog toys, and expired cereal; where do those things even go??

The first step in prepping for your move is to start early - ideally a month or two before moving day.  Prior to packing, start by categorizing all belongings throughout the home and grouping like-items with like-items.  Then, assess what you own and determine what items are expired, old, unused, and in current use.  People are shocked when they see a group of, say, 5 fans, 16 iphone cords, 10 staplers, etc.  How did that happen?!  Any items that do not fall into a current use or memorabilia category can be thrown out, recycled, consigned, or donated.

Bottom line - don't waste time, energy, and money on packing and moving items that you don't like or don't use.  Nobody has to know that you don’t like, never use, and donate that ugly gravy boat so-and-so gifted to you at your wedding!