Hello Everyone, Angie from Architecturally Organized here!
Spring has sprung and I love it!!! We already talked about spring cleaning… and we discussed cleaning out your garage…. What’s another thing that comes with Spring… Earth Day!
Earth Day is Friday April 22nd and was founded over 50 years ago!
I remember grade school – on Earth day our school would take a long walk to a park for a picnic. Before the walk took place we would each be handed garbage bags and gloves and along this walk we would all pick up as much trash as we could.
We would toss all our garbage and then go run and play on the monkey bars – as a kid – it made for an AWESOME day!!! And – on top of all that – we would usually be in some poster contest where we would color and make a poster with the famous words “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”.
It really is a simple phrase isn’t it?? And, it is just as simple to say them – as it is to follow them!
How does this phrase coincide with being organized? I am glad you asked…
Reduce
When we talk about Reducing – we are talking about reducing the trash we create. Reducing our footprint…. How do we do that? One way we achieve this is by not buying things that we don’t need/already have. So where does organizing come in??
Think about it…..When you are organized-everything has a home. And when everything has a home-this allows you to keep a better inventory of your items and you will know what you have on hand and won’t end up buying more than you need or multiples of items.
And-to take it a step further, you can always Borrow, Rent or Buy used instead!!
Reuse
Reusing items is the next “R”. It is exactly that – Reusing things you have..
There are a lot of ways to reuse items, be it repurposing or repairing. What do I mean? Let me tell you!
Repurposing an item, which is using an item for a completely different purpose than it was initially intended. Reuse an old ratty t-shirt for a dusting rag. Reuse a lazy susan for your makeup, Reuse shoe boxes for Receipts, Organizing cords, crayons – the uses are endless! Honestly-you can go on to pinterest and find a million ways to reuse a toilet paper roll!!
Before throwing out an item try repairing it before buying a new one!
Recycle
We all know we should recycle – but we definitely don’t all follow along. Find out how your town handles recycling and set up a system that makes recycling become second nature.
When we hear the words “recycle” what do we think of?? Paper…Cardboard boxes… Glass jars?? But there is more to it than just that. The definition is to “convert waste into reusable material” and “to use again”…. By donating your clothes – you are recycling them. You are giving them another chance at life – I know that sounds super cheesy – but it is true! When you have a garage sale, donate to a charity, list something for “curb pickup” on facebook groups – this is a form of recycling
Before you decide to just throw out an item-think about recycling it and allowing someone else to make use of it!
There are many ways to follow the 3 R’s. Some other websites to look into for selling and donating are:
Facebook marketplace
Craigslist
Nextdoor
Goodwill
Consignment Shops
Salvation Army
Local area Church
Bestbuy
So there you have it…Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!! What do you do to follow those R’s? What have you repurposed that has made your life easier?
As the Quote says… Let’s make Earth Day – Everyday! Till Next time!!
Hello Everyone, Angie from Architecturally Organized here!
Well… March isn’t exactly going “out like a lamb” as these last few days have been frigid!! I do look forward to the April showers and all the May flowers!!
That being said – Now that the weather should be warming up – it is time to tackle your garage!! April is the Official Month for Organizing your Garage!! Yes -they really do have a designated day and month for everything!! But really-it does make sense… Think about it-there is usually still a little chill in the air (so you won’t be working out in the hot summer sun) -and possible showers- you are still outside but you are sheltered… April is the best month to do it!
So let’s do it? Where to begin?? Take a look around you. What is your garage filled with?
Is it already neat and tidy with your car parked in it and ample room to maneuver around your car? Totes or boxes neatly stacked? If so – good for you!! If not-well, that is where I come in!
Start by Separating
Start going through the items in your garage and separating them into piles. This is where the fun starts!! You will have a few piles- Keep, Toss, and Donate. However, the Keep pile will not just be one pile-while we are separating our items-we are also going to separate our items to keep.
You will break down your keep pile into different groups. What is your garage stored with? Camping/fishing items? Sports items? Tools? Gardening Tools? Leftover Pantry items? Pool supplies? The categories are endless-it all depends on what you keep in your garage (remember-every person and project is different!!).
Purge it all out
You made your piles… now what?? Now it is time to get rid of the items that you no longer need, use, and/or want. Now you can get all your garbage bags tied up, and your donation boxes itemized and set aside. Take a peek at your garage.. Does it feel more open? Do you have more space?? Unless you kept everything you went through – I bet you do!!
Now we get down to the real business.
Organizing all your stuff!!
How many keep piles do you have? Can some of them overlap or work together? How much storage space do you have in your garage? We are going to create work/storage zones within your garage. Take a minute and go grab a sketch pad-I’ll wait! We are going to lay out your garage zones….. it will make this a little easier-especially if you are a visual person! (I suggest grid paper if you have it-it will help you put a scale to your drawing)
Ask yourself these questions regarding your items and your garage:
Once you have answered these questions it will help you layout your garage zones. You may have a workshop/bench area, a storage area, holiday decorations area…and that’s just to name a few.
By identifying the items you use the most vs the least – it will help you decide where to store them, obviously things that you use the most and need the easiest access to will be stored in an area that you can easily get to – while items that only get used 1 or 2 times a year can be stored on a top shelf or in another area that is out of the way.
See how this works?? Things you need/use the most will be in areas that are in your viewing and reaching space… and the less and less an item is used – the more out of reach it is in the storage.
By laying out the zones on a notepad – you can get an idea of how much stuff will be stored and where. Now if you are using that graph paper – you can use one square to equal 6” – and you can guesstimate the sizes of totes, boxes, bikes, etc to allow you to sketch out a layout and really understand the amount of items you have as well as the amount of space you have-which will help you to decide if you need additional storage totes, shelves, etc.
Put it all back
Once you have an understanding of how you are going to organize everything you can start putting everything back in their new homes!! Get creative here!! Re-use your storage totes and shelving systems. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box……Peg boards aren’t specifically made for tools – you can use them to hang up other items you have laying around, Go vertical with your storage totes, Magnets are your friends, hang bikes on the ceiling instead of the wall.. A few ideas to think about!!
Have fun- and do what works best for you!
Hope this was helpful for you all and that it gives you the encouragement you need to tackle your own garage!! Until next time!
Hello Everyone, Angie from Architecturally Organized here!
In like a lion…out like a Lamb.. we’ll see!! It is the middle of March….The clocks have changed… and in just a few more days Spring will officially be here!
With Spring… comes Spring Cleaning!! Now I know that is not the same as “Organizing”… but the two really do go hand in hand with one another. Whether you are organizing or cleaning – start one room at a time… one task at a time… and don’t let it overwhelm you!
Now when it comes to cleaning there are a few different ways that you can attack it…. Start by room or by task….You could pick the Kitchen and just do all the cleaning for that room at one time, or you could choose the task – say Dusting. Go through the house and do all the dusting at one time.
Below is a room by room list of Spring Cleaning items to tackle!! Now open up those windows – let the cool breeze in and help air out your house… and don’t forget to have fun!!
Entry (Including hallways)
Dusting: wipe down crown molding, window trim, cabinet trim, wipe down cabinets, cabinet doors, and cabinet hardware, and base trim.
Glass-Clean all windows, Doors and Glass Cabinets.
Linens-Wash linens (Curtains, etc)
Surfaces-Wipe down all surfaces (Walls, Wall Switches, Countertops, etc.).
Floors-Sweep/vacuum and mop floor.
Kitchen
Dusting: wipe down crown molding, window trim, cabinet trim, wipe down cabinets, cabinet doors, and cabinet hardware, and base trim.
Glass-Clean all windows, Doors and Glass Cabinets.
Linens-Wash linens (Towels, wash cloths, curtains, etc)
Appliances-Clean all Appliances (Microwave, Dishwasher, Stove/Oven, Refrigerator).
Surfaces-Wipe down all surfaces (Walls, Wall Switches, Countertops, etc.).
Floors-Sweep/vacuum and mop floor.
Toss out any old or expired food items in cabinets and fridge/freezer
Living Spaces (Dining Room, Living Room, Family Room, Den, etc)
Dusting: wipe down crown molding, window trim, cabinet trim, wipe down cabinets, cabinet doors, and cabinet hardware and Base trim.
Glass-Clean all windows, Doors and Glass Cabinets.
Soft Surfaces-Vacuum Seating arrangements and rugs
Linens-Wash Linens (blankets, throws, Curtains, etc)
Surfaces-Wipe down all surfaces (Walls, Wall Switches, etc.).
Floors-Sweep/vacuum and mop flooring.
Bathroom
Dusting: wipe down crown molding, Grab bars, towel bars, cabinet trim, wipe down cabinets, cabinet doors, and cabinet hardware, and base trim, etc.
Glass-Clean all Mirrors, windows, Doors and Glass Cabinets.
Accessories-Clean toilet, sink, tub, etc.
Linens-Wash linens (Towels, wash cloths, shower curtain, curtains, etc)
Surfaces-Wipe down all surfaces (Walls, Wall Switches, Countertops, etc.).
Floors-Sweep/vacuum and mop floor.
Bedrooms
Dusting: wipe down crown molding, window trim, Base trim.
Glass-Clean all windows, mirrors, glass doors, etc.
Soft Surfaces-Vacuum Seating arrangements and rugs
Linens-Wash Linens (blankets, throws, Curtains, etc)
Clothes-Tidy up closets and drawers (fold/hang clothes, etc)
Surfaces-Wipe down all surfaces (Walls, Wall Switches, etc.).
Floors-Sweep/vacuum/mop flooring.
Keep in mind – this is a very broad list… It will get your house spick and span… but if you want to go a little deeper…try adding these items to your spring cleaning list:
Entry (Including hallways)
If you have an Entry Closet – go through it, empty it out and sort the items.
Apply specialty products to your flooring (if you have hard wood-polish, if you have porcelain or tile-check your grout, etc.)
Kitchen
Clean sink, faucet, garbage disposal
Set oven to “self clean”
Apply specialty products to your flooring (if you have hard wood-polish, if you have porcelain or tile-check your grout, etc.)
Living Spaces (Dining Room, Living Room, Family Room, Den, etc)
Clean window blinds/curtains
Shampoo rug/polish hardwood floors
Move heavy furniture and clean under it.
Bathroom
Check the expiration dates on items and toss what is expired.
Clean your showerhead
check your grout
Bedrooms
Go through your clothes- donate/purge items that no longer fit/you don’t like.
Flip your mattress.
Shampoo rug/polish hardwood floors
Move heavy furniture and clean under it.
You can get as tough and gritty as you need to – it’s all up to you!! Take it a day at a time and you’ll get it done!!
What are your favorite spring cleaning tasks?
Tell me about them!!
I’ll talk to you later!!
Blog Post 19- 6 Steps to Organizing your Home Office by Angela Caddy
Hello Everyone, Angie from Architecturally Organized here.
How has your January been? Have you been joining in on GO Month?? It has been a lot of fun!!! One thing that is NOT listed on the Go Month Printable – is organizing your books/library!!
Are you an avid reader??? Do you have a favorite genre? Or do you read anything and everything?
I think I fell in love with reading in about 4th or 5th grade… Started out with R.L. Stine Fear Street books (I still have a collection of them!!) which were cheesy scary stories… from there – I moved on to Dean Koontz (I collect all his books – in his name – as well as in his other pen names) – again, more scary stories – but for adults instead of tweens. I also collect Nicholas Sparks books. I was in 10th or 11th grade when my cousin lent me “Message in a bottle” to read… I tell you – I have NEVER cried so hard from a book or movie or anything in my life. I bawled. Seriously!!
Typically I do not save books. I like to share them and pass them on. In my family my grandmother tends to buy books at the local goodwill. After she reads them she sets them aside… Once she has a good little pile they get passed along either to my mom or to me… and then we pass it on… eventually the bag gets back to gram and she gives them back to goodwill.
I have friends and clients who will collect and keep every book they have ever touched and on the other hand I know some people that do not hold on to any books…. There is a wide divide when it comes to keeping books.
For those that do keep books – storing them, showcasing them, organizing them… there are so many ways to do all of those things…. As always – the trick is finding out which way works best for you (you are going to hear me say that way too many times – FYI).
Are you a visual person? Organizing your books by their visual presentation may be the best way for you to keep track of your books…. How would you visually organize your books? Try:
Hard Cover vs Soft Cover
By Color
By Stacking books
Arrange by height and size
Separate and display your favorite books
Separate books you haven’t read
That is just a few ways that you can organize your books in a way to visually have separation or distinction between the books…. For those of you who are more analytical…. You may want a more systematic approach. Try:
Organize by Genre or topic
Alphabetically by Title
Alphabetically By Author
Chronological order
Fiction vs nonfiction
There are numerous ways that you can organize your books… try a few out and see what works best for you. Personally – I…well … I use a couple methods… I separate by Author…. Then I put them in chronological order from that Author. I do that with the few authors that I collect. All other books are grouped by Genre… and then I have a few of my favorite books stacked together….. This works for me. If I am looking for a book I will find it very easily with my method. You may find this bizarre and prefer to keep your books in color order. This is also great! There is no wrong way – only the right way for you!!
Well… that’s it for now!! Stay warm and I’ll talk to you later!!
Hello Everyone, Angie from Architecturally Organized here.
Happy New Year!!!! Hope it was a Healthy and Happy one!!
So here we are… a new Year.. a new Month… and a new Day!! What are you going to do to celebrate this fresh start? What will you organize? What resolutions have you made?
Organizing drawers…closets…rooms in my house… for me that is pretty simple… but for some reason – keeping my electronics organized is a WHOLE other ball game!! My phone.. My email… my computer… ipad… It always gets crammed full of things… So I thought what better way to start the year – than starting it with neat and tidy electronics!!!
That is what I will be focusing on this month!!
I was reading an article and it made me laugh… it gave a list of items… Your desktop has a million icons, your document folder is filled to the brim, you can’t find files…and a few more… These are signs that your computer is not organized efficiently
And unfortunately…I could relate to some of these items!! Which got me thinking… I really need to sit down and organize my computer! So here we are!! (click on the underlined text above to read the Article). Now it goes a little more in depth with file naming and organizing… but it is a good read!
Let’s do it… let’s organize our Computers!!
First things first… we will Purge!!
As Elle Woods would say… the Rules of Haircare Organizing are Simple and Finite!! I am sorry for that… but sometimes you can’t argue with Legally Blonde!! We will Purge out anything we can!! We will remove any and all duplicate files that we have. We will empty out – and by this I mean – temporarily file away and/or throw out unneeded files in – our “download” file folder.
Next is figuring out a proper way to organize your folders.
Everyone is different. There is no right or wrong way… just a “right way” for you. You have to find and build a system that works best for you!
Is this a personal computer or a work computer? Or is it combined? Will you have personal files… Will you separate your business files by project or by client? Will you keep “like with like” – all digital files together, all family files together, all business files together….These are all things you have to ask yourself when trying to create a system that will work for you.
My computer is both personal and business. So I have a plethora of folders!! But creating the right folders and keeping them organized is where it gets tricky for me!!
I have read that it is best to have a few large main folders and a ton of subfolders within them, I have also come across the notion of having one folder on your desktop and within that folder having everything else – that way your desktop remains free and clear. And I won’t lie-there is a big part of me who likes this idea and thinks I will have to try it!!
Another thing to think about is your naming and filing system. You don’t want to have super long file names, but you also want to make sure they are easy to find. For my Business files – I name everything with a date first. 2022-01-03_File Name. This works for me and is my preferred method of file names. You need to find which way works best for you!
But…. You need to be consistent with the file naming!! Don’t change up the way you enter it…don’t forget to put a 0 in front of your single digit month. These are silly little things but can make a big difference when you are trying to search for something!
Something you may be forgetting about… that you really should take advantage of…. is your Taskbar! Make good use of it! Pin the items you use the most. Keep your most used folders pinned there for easy access!
The MOST important thing to do… and the one thing that I am …. Horrible at remembering to do…. Backup your computer!!! Seriously… I don’t know why I haven’t learned by now… There have been a few occasions when my hard drive crapped the bed and I lost everything… I had some things in the cloud and some things in other places so I was (thank god) able to scrounge around and find things… but it was a pain in the butt and no one wants to spend time doing that!! Backup your computer!!!!! Can’t say it too many times!
Lastly – after you have combed through your files and they are in a pristine and organized manner… empty out your trash – or if you are nervous about it, wait a week. See if you find yourself looking for something that you accidentally tossed. After a week or two – if you don’t find yourself digging through the trash – get rid of it!
You can use these steps for your phone, tablet/ipad, etc….
How do you keep your computer organized? Do you have any tips or tricks you would like to share?? Let us know!!
Well… that’s it for now!! Stay warm and I’ll talk to you later!!
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