Summer is almost over and Fall is on its way… now this may bum some people out – but I look forward to it! I am ready for cooler weather – it has been way too hot for me! I don’t go all crazy with pumpkin spice flavored everything – But I do enjoy a roaring fire, some hot cocoa, a good book and Swedaweda!!!!
I don’t know what gave me the idea to do this… I think it was watching too many TikTok videos and seeing how some styles and things that I grew up with are coming back.. Every time you look around it’s like a flashback… scrunchies were in… then they were out… now they are back in again… The 90’s have been back and for me that was a glorious time!! I miss the 90’s… I miss watching MTV and them actually playing music videos!! I miss talking on my clear light up phone with my friends for hours at a time…So many fun memories for me….
As I sit here and reminisce about the 90’s …. One thing that I did on the regular… was laying in my daybed reading my Seventeen magazine. I remember how much I used to LOVE doing the quizzes. They were absolutely ridiculous but it was fun…. so….I thought I would create a cheesy quiz about organizing… with a cheesy 90’s theme!! Enjoy!
a. Turn off the alarm, get showered, get dressed (in the clothes you laid out the night before), grab all your school stuff and then go downstairs and have breakfast (3)
b. Hit snooze so many times you have lost count, eventually wake up and grab a pair of jeans from the floor and a sweatshirt and then you are out the door (1)
c. Hit snooze once, get up, get dressed, grab your stuff and a pop tart and go out the door (2)
a. Well – my clothes are all black, so sure – they’re coordinated. (2)
b. HA! You’re lucky they are on a hanger! (1)
c. My clothes are all on matching hangers, and sub divided by type and then within each type they are color coordinated. (3)
a. Toss of my shoes by the door, drop my backpack next to my shoes and head to the kitchen to make myself a snack (1)
b. Take my shoes off and go up to my room. Place my shoes in my closet in their designated spot. Take my homework out of my backpack and put it on my desk and hang my backpack up on the back of my desk chair. (3)
c. Place my shoes on the shoe rack by the door, toss my backpack in my room, and go to the kitchen to make myself a snack (2)
a. Yes, in the junk drawer in the kitchen (3)
b. Well they are probably somewhere on my desk (2)
c. Oh sure thing… NOT!!!! (1)
a. Well… I don’t know, like…. Stuff (1)
b. It is neat and tidy! (2)
c. The top drawer is for pencils and pens, the bottom drawer is for scented markers, I keep all of my tablets in the middle drawer on the left… Do you want me to keep going? (3)
a. If you mean they are all in their original bottles – then yes they match… (2)
b. Of course – they are categorized by brand and then are color coordinated (3)
c. As if!!! (1)
a. Who knows!! I am always losing it!! (1)
b. Where I always put it after I am done with it – on my Vanity (3)
c. It is either in my backpack, in my hair, or in the bathroom… (2)
a. I am always on time, usually with a few minutes to spare (3)
b. Right on the dot! (2)
c. Eh… I am usually a couple minutes late (1)
8-12
Ren – (Ren and Stimpy Show) I imagine your room would look something like his room.
You are barely organized at all…..You do not know where anything is at… oh-but look – there is that notebook you were looking for last week!! That is how you typically find things – stumble upon them a week after you were looking for it..
13-17
Clarissa Darling – (Clarissa Explains it All) Her room was always tidy-though there was definitely a lot going on in it!! You are a fairly organized person. Sometimes life gets in the way and makes it difficult to find things but you always get what you need….. Or you could be one of those lucky people who can have “organized chaos”… a messy desk doesn’t phase you – you know that you left your school books under the pile of magazines and that your lucky scrunchy is at the bottom of your backpack!
18-24
Carlton Banks – (Fresh Prince of Bel Air) I imagine your room to be as neat and tidy as Carlton dresses. Clothes pressed and neat and color coordinated. Your closet would give Cher Horowitz’ closet a run for the money. You are very well put together and organized..Come to think of it….actually ….you may be on the verge of being completely anal retentive and might be giving out sleeping with the enemy vibes…
So that was totally cheesy right? But all in good fun – and a nice flashback of being a kid/teen in the 90’s! Now that the quiz is completed…. You tallied up your points!! You gotta tell me?!?!?! Where did you score? Please comment below!!
Also – today I make the announcement of the winners of the Virtual Organizing Sessions! I did a number generator and Instagram users Kellyact and Tarafitnessinspired have each won!! Congratulations!!! I am looking forward to talking with you both!!!
This year has been flying by so fast!! We are already past the middle of August, which…in my book means the summer is almost over. Granted we have over a month till the Fall Solstice….. But once the first week of August hits … well…. for me – growing up the first week of August was the County fair…and when the week was over… and the fair was packing up… it was always a big bummer because that was it… school would be starting soon and summer as I knew it was over… lol.. So dramatic!!! To be honest – with the heat that we have been getting hit with…. I am looking forward to Fall!!
So in honor of getting ready to say goodbye to summer and hello to fall, I have put together a few little Organizing Projects that you can easily do on your own that will help you get you ready for pumpkin spice and everything nice!
Swap out our clothes!!
When I was little I remember my gram storing away her winter clothes…. And up until my 30’s – it was never something I really did… and to be fair – for the most part I try to keep most of my wardrobe wearable year round – however there are things like big bulky sweaters that do not need to be worn when it’s over 90 degrees.
Now is the time when I start pulling those items out of storage so that I can wash them and get them put away as well as go through my current closets and drawers and donate items that I do not wear anymore and toss things that are … too “worn in” lol.
Start gathering up all the swimsuits and beach attire and put them away as well as getting out the coats and get them washed and ready for use!
Fall Menu Planning, Fridge Purge and Panty stock
Now is also the time to start bringing out the comfort food!!! I cook different things in the fall and winter than I do in the spring and summer. Hello meaty stews and pot pie!! Take some time and take inventory of what you have on hand. Go through your fridge, your freezer and your pantry. Take notes of what you have in stock and what you are going to need on hand (example: I rarely use beef broth in the summer time – though it often gets used in the winter for different soups and stews, so I always make sure to pick some up this time of year as I know I will be using it).
Attack your Central Station (Your document catch all area)
Is it your desk? Your kitchen counter? You’re dining room table? Where do you throw your bills, your important documents, your kids’ school work? Time to Organize that area!!
If you have kids- they are going back to school shortly… So all of last year’s work – time to go through it and only keep what you really need – if you are super sentimental – take a few photos of some of the paperwork – but discard the rest.
Purge and shred documents that need to be destroyed, Put everything else where it belongs and get ready to start the season with everything in its place!!
Clean and Swap Decor
I Spring clean… but I also Summer, Fall and Winter clean. In my head – it just makes sense to do a nice thorough cleaning before each season. I have season decorations up and this just works great for me. I take down my summer decorations (think fake flowers, kitchen dish towels, table linens and such) – they get washed and put in their designated totes. Then everything gets a good deep clean. Everything is dusted, windows are washed, furniture gets moved and vacuumed – the whole 9!! Then it is time to pull out the next seasonal decorations and put them up!!!
Outdoor close up…
Time to give a good clean to your outdoor patio furniture as well as get ready to close the pool! I know it doesn’t sound like fun – and besides it is “outdoor furniture” … trust me. “Next Year” you will thank you!!! Take the time now to give everything a good clean before packing things away that way when it’s time to set everything back out you will have less work to do!
I won’t lie, I love when fall comes around… I love when the days are warm and the evenings are crisp. I love hoodies and a good campfire. I love cozy socks and having the fireplace roaring.
So – you tell me – What do you do at the end of Summer that helps you keep organized? Now that Summer is ending, there is a good chance your house/garage/attic/etc is in a bit of disarray…I thought- maybe I could help with that and try to make the end of summer not as depressing.
I am hosting an End of Summer Giveaway!!!
(See below on how to enter!!)
I will pick two names on the last day of August (the 31st) and those (2) winners will receive a 3 hour
zoom/ facebook video chat Virtual Organizing Session.
The Virtual Organizing sessions will consist of:
Session 1 (1 hour): discussing your problem areas and what your goals are for the space. You will show me around the space. You will show me what works for you, what doesn’t work for you and any inspirational ideas that you may have. After the session is over I will then make a program that works for you and your needs.
Session 2 (1 hour): During the second session we will go through the program and you can start the work. I will be with you for the beginning stages so that you can ask any questions. Once our hour is up you will continue the program on your own. Once you have completed the program we will schedule our session.
Session 3 (1hour): We will discuss how everything works for you. We will discuss any issues you may be having and any new ideas or thoughts that have come to you while you were working. We will discuss other options that may work better.
Below are ways to enter. You can have only 1 entry or you can do any or all of the options below (up to 7 total entries) Obviously the more your name is in the pot the better your odds of getting chosen.
(if you already follow any of the pages – please let me know -comment on the post that announces the giveaway and you will still receive an entry)
I don’t know about you – but I know that I tend to feel…. Lost? Unfocused? ( I am not sure what the right word to use is) when my living spaces and work spaces are not organized. When my desk is a mess I feel that I can not concentrate on the tasks that I have to complete.
I take time out and clean up/organize and then I feel I can concentrate on what I am doing …. Once I feel I am fully focused my mood gets better and I feel more productive and energized… and so on… Guess what that is?? The Domino effect of Organizing. Check it out!!
Organizing will save you time.
You have just spent 10 minutes looking for the tape. You are now running late to that Birthday dinner. You thought it was in the junk drawer, apparently it wasn’t. It takes time to organize your house, but once it is…you will no longer be wasting time looking for things. When you organize a space everything has its own “home”. A place to find an item and a place to put an item back.
And this leads to ….
Organizing makes clean up a breeze.
Even if your house feels like it’s upside down, it doesn’t take long to put it back upright. In most cases, when my house is in disarray – I can have it picked up and ready for company in 15 minutes or so (including vacuuming) because I already had it organized. Everything has its “home” – so all I have to do is fold some blankets, put things back in their rightful places, throw some dishes in the dishwasher and we’re good to go.
So if it saves you time and makes cleaning up a breeze… guess what that means?
Organizing can help reduce stress
Think about it… You now know where everything goes so you no longer need to worry about that pile of stuff that has been waiting to be put away because you had no idea where to put everything-when your house is organized you do not need to stress where to put it because it will already have a home waiting for it – or at a minimum a designated spot. Remember that tape you were looking for? You won’t need to worry about finding it because you will always know where it is… like I said…one less thing for you to worry about!!
Guess what less stress can lead to??
Organizing can help increase your productivity!!
You are now less stressed. Your mind is no longer dwelling on that tape or the pile of things that only the lord knows where you are going to put it…you have more confidence knowing where things are at. Now you have made some space in your head for the other things that you should be focusing on. You have time to focus on work, or your family work schedule. You are more able to manage your deadlines and family activities!!
So where are we?? Cleaning your house is a snap of a finger, you are feeling more productive and getting more work done and on top of that you are feeling less stressed…. What does that lead us to????
Organizing helps give you more “ME” time!!!
Do I need to say anymore??? I don’t, but I will.
With all this free time you have saved (extra time not cleaning the house, extra time not looking for odds and ends and tape, extra time not working because you are so productive….) now you have time to focus on YOU!!! Work on that craft that you have put aside, soak in the tub with some wine, read that book…. You have more YOU time so eat it up!!!
Remember this is the Domino effect we are working with…. So now that your house is clean, and you are so relaxed from the soak in the tub, you don’t have a worry in the world… you better believe that….
Organizing can help you sleep better!
Think about your bedtime routine… What does it look like?? Can you fall right asleep right away or are you up tossing and turning and overthinking things? When you have less stuff on the brain and you are more relaxed you tend to have a better night’s sleep. Now, I am not a Doctor or a Sleep Specialist – but this is my experience.
So there you have it…. A few of the benefits from Organizing your house… who couldn’t use some more me time??? And think – that is only the positives of organizing your house – we haven’t even talked about taking organizing into your daily life!! But that is a post for another day!
So – Today is the day!! You have made the conscious decision that you are going to get your house (and with it – your life) in order. You feel confident. You feel MOTIVATED!! You are ready to take on anything – including that pile of folded laundry that has been sitting in the basket for over a week (Oh – is that just me?!?!) You take a look around your house… you see the unopened mail piled up on the table by the door… the opened mail in a pile on the desk… shoes scattered around the front door… a pile of… god knows what sitting at the base of the stairs waiting to be picked up…. And boom – that motivation and confidence… it didn’t just slip out of your fingers – it jumped out of your hands and ran out the front door screaming.
Does any of this sound familiar?? Can you relate?? Guess what?? Most people can. I CAN!! I have been in that scenario plenty of times. Yes – I am an organizer, however, I was not always an organized person (before 9th grade I had THE messiest bedroom in the world!). Once I began 9th grade a flip switched in my head – I started making my bed each morning and somehow that evolved into everything being tidy and organized. So over the last 20+ years I have worked on perfecting my organizational skills – and it has become my own artform -It is what works best for me and I want to share it with you – the rules I live by to keep my house organized.
Pick a Space and stick to it.
First things first – If you are too busy focusing on the big picture (aka the whole house or the whole room) you could very well get easily overwhelmed. Don’t do this. Start by looking at the smaller picture. Pick one space and stick with it. Focus on it only. Not only will this help you not get too over your head – once you have completed this one small task it will help you feel more accomplished and possibly bring those feelings of Motivation and confidence back. Once you have selected the space you’re going to tackle, move on to the next step!
Look at what you have
This is where the fun begins!! You know the old saying “you gotta spend money to make money”…. Well I have a new one for ya.…. “You gotta make a mess to organize your mess”. This process is when you take everything out of the space you are organizing – for example: your bedroom closet. Pull everything out. Empty it out. You need to know what you have in order to organize it. This is the easiest of all the steps. You want to make the next step easier? Start putting things in piles now!! Separate items into their piles when you are emptying out the space. You’ll thank yourself later!
Wipe down
Your space is now empty, so before you go putting things back – CLEAN IT. Wipe it down, vacuum it, do what you have to do – but clean the space so it is ready to hold all your items.
Like with Like
Once you have emptied out the space you need to put “like with like” so you can see what you have. Again – we will go with using the closet as an example. You will divide up your piles. Categorize everything…..Piles of shirts – long sleeve, short sleeve, sleeveless… piles of pants…jeans, work pants, etc. Boots…Heels… flats…. You get the idea!!! Once you have all your different piles you will attack each pile one by one with the next step.
Purge!!!
Marie Kondo tells people to ask themselves if an item brings you “joy”, and if so – then keep it. This is a great idea, but not always feasible – Start with – “do i really need this?” and be HONEST with yourself. Guilt is not a reason to keep something. Remember the pile of clothes I mentioned above? Now is the time to go through it.
You are going to start with one pile. We will use a pile of long sleeve shirts as our example. You are going to sort the pile into color coded piles – and WHILE you are doing that you will be reviewing each article of clothing. When was the last time you wore it? Does it fit you? Did you get rid of it? Good for you! Did it go in the designated color coded pile? That’s fine too-we’ll be coming back to it!!
So – now that you have individual piles of long sleeve tops – look at your biggest pile, for me – that would probably be black tops or white tops. How many black tops do I need? Not a big pile worth. NOW is the time to refer back to the art of tidying. Look at each top and narrow it down to just a few. Obviously I am not coming to your house and looking through your closet so if you decide to keep them all – there is no penalty by me lol.
Find a “home” for everything
Obviously for our example of a closet – that is the clothes “home” but for other items in other spaces – this is what they need. A home. A place to call their own. A place where you know it will always be and where it will always go. This is also where the idea of hierarchy comes into play (see my Theoretical Thursday blog post – https://www.architecturallyorganized.com/architecturally-organized/theoretical-thursday-architecture-and-organizing/ ). What do you use the most vs the least? The items that get the most use, more often than not, should be in the most accessible places. This will be different for each person as each person is unique as are their needs. One person will have their business attire front and center.
Contain your items
Sometimes your space needs some extra help. You have the perfect location for an item – but it needs something more. Sometimes a basket or box to contain the item is all it takes. Start by taking a look at DIY storage ideas or baskets/boxes you may already have in your own home. Reutilize them to save on cost. Organizing does not have to mean running around to The Container Store or TJ Maxx buying tons of containers. You can easily find things around your own house to hold items.
Maintain your space
Congrats!!! All the easy work is done!!! Now comes the hard work – You have to maintain your organized and tidy space! That is what takes the most time and effort – taking the time to put things away where they belong. You need to keep yourself invested in it and not let things fall to the wayside. Which of course is easier said than done sometime, especially when life decides to attack you!
That’s the gist of it. Those are the steps I follow when going through a room or space to get it clean and organized. Obviously some of these steps will take longer in different rooms but the end result is a space that houses things you use, need and love. Keep in mind when I am performing these tasks I am usually also cleaning while I am doing it. Wiping things down, dusting, vacuuming when needed – etc.
Take an afternoon and apply these to a space in your own house and let me know how it goes!!!
Is there a magic word out there that if you shout it out 3 times your house will be magically transformed and everything will be organized and you will live happily ever after?
No, I don’t think there is. Though if you google enough you will definitely find plenty of lists-some that even claim such a thing will happen. But let’s be real here – there is no secret list, magic word or spell or sorcery. In my eyes – it is just a lot of boring routine work and paying attention to your surroundings. You see something lying around where it shouldn’t be – you pick it up and put it away. That is my key…. I don’t know what the right word is here … my key understanding… my key process… I don’t know.. What I do know is if you do that on a regular basis it will help keep your house organized.
I think Organizing means something different to everyone, and one list is not going to make everybody happy. Yes – the basics of the word is the same-But I think there are different levels of it for different people. For some – just having all their spices in one spot in their kitchen is organized enough for them… then you have those (eehhhheeemmm, let me clear my throat) who need them in matching jars and labels…. Then a step above this… those that put them in alphabetical order… which level are you? (I don’t put my spices in alphabetical order – but in order of most used to least-it’s what makes the most sense to me for my kitchen use)
I think the BIGGEST tip of all is that everything should have a “home”.
And to further this statement, this “home” should be in a practical location.
For most items – and most people – this is common sense; however – the final location may not be the same for everyone.
That practical location is different for everyone, and finding a system that works best for you is the end game.
What is an object you have-that for your home and for you- that just makes sense to keep it where you have it – but for others it doesn’t make sense? For me – I would say it’s that my Ralphie boy (aka my chocolate lab) gets a portion of a cabinet that is strictly for him. We do not have an attached garage or a mud room for storing his supplies, so the small everyday items go into this cabinet. He has his leash in there, a refillable container of dog food, some treats and other odds and ends (I still have some of his puppy teeth!!). For me it makes sense as I feed him in the kitchen, he gets treats in the kitchen, when we go on walks we exit out of the kitchen. For me,this is the most practical place for his items.
Who all uses Pinterest? I think almost everyone. You can find ANYTHING on that site!! I have been on pinterest for years… pining recipes, outfits, makeup tips and cleaning/organizing tips and tricks. It’s a great place to get ideas and inspiration….though, I won’t lie – most things I have pinned just sit in their folder. Granted – Pinterest upped their game and added the feature of folders within folders – and this made my heart happy (I am sure every person who loves to organize was jumping for joy when this option became available!!)!! I could organize all my recipes by meal type – I was in heaven, but after that they still just sat there… lol… anyone else?? Bueller?? Bueller?? (I know I am not the only person who pins and leaves them hanging….am I??) (Image found: http://sacraparental.com/2013/10/13/the-sacrament-of-housework-4-my-11-best-stolen-home-organisation-tips/)
Pinterest can be a bit intimidating no matter what your hobby or profession. You login.. enter your search word… and voila…. you have a world of ideas at your fingertips and you can scroll for hours (That’s not just me too is it?) looking at all the picture perfect cakes, closets and wardrobes – and you think I could do that!!
So what do you do? You grab your crafting supplies, your baking supplies or your make up and you go to town… and you end up with … A not so picture perfect product. You have to remember – these Pinterest Perfect Posts are done (mostly) by professionals or at least by someone who has been making the same thing over to the point of perfecting it, and often have the help of some great lighting and props…
(image found at: https://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelysanders/epic-pinterest-food-fails-2013?sub=2849392_2193016 )
Like I said… Intimidating… But it doesn’t have to be. Those picture perfect cakes and closets – they are not everyone’s reality and that is ok!! Like I said – for me – it is all about INSPIRATION!! When it comes to Pinterest and Organizing – Yes, it can sometimes give us feelings of self doubt…feelings of being overwhelmed… or that we are just not capable of doing something… Well – I think you have to be positive and not focus on the negative… The site can really inspire. Look at it for its creativity and the ideas you can get from it. That is what your focus should be.
I think there are different levels of Organizing for different people. Each and everyone of us are different just like each and every one of our Organizing projects are going to be different. Some people – they have Pinterest expectations, but for most of us – we just want things to work for us. I could be wrong – but I have a feeling those Pinterest Perfect closets and cabinets do not stay perfect for long… maybe I am wrong…. but those people probably don’t have a spouse… or kids…. or company over…ever (I am teasing here – but not really).
So you tell me – What does “Organized” mean to you?? Is it everything matching – labels, soup cans facing the same way – do images of the organized kitchen cabinets from Sleeping with the Enemy pop in your head?!?!?! Or is it the ease of knowing where everything is? That everything has its “home”? You tell me!!
I have been studying and working on spatial relationships for over 20 years. The design principles regarding form, function and beauty that are applied to laying out and designing spaces can also be applied to organizing spaces. When laying out an efficient and effective design there are numerous factors that you must consider-total area, hierarchy groupings, circulation, aesthetics…just to name a few.
All of those items not only apply to Architecture-but also Organizing. Take a minute and think about it….
Total area: how big is the space you are organizing/how much room do you have? During the day I am trying to fit numerous private offices, conference rooms, huddle rooms, pantries and workstations into a specific amount of square feet. Well the same applies to organizing a pantry or closet. It’s true – there is only so much that will fit-and sometimes you will have to compromise your wants and needs. Either way – I will try to find the most economical and efficient way to fit what should be included in the space.
Hierarchy groupings: what items do you use the most vs the least and what spaces/objects should be placed next to other groups. When laying out an office I do not want to place the conference room right next to the restrooms or a noisy copy area – and I don’t want to put the President in a small windowless office. Think about how you apply this to your own home. When you are in the kitchen you will want the items you use most close at hand and even more than that – you will keep “like with like”. For example: Keep your baking items (flours, sugars, etc) near your mixing bowls and spatulas.
Circulation: In a home or office you need plenty of room for people to move throughout your space to get to where they are going and to access the things they need. In your closet you need the same sort of access. Do you want to move a bunch of items just so you can get to your supply of toothpaste? Do you want to move all of your dry goods around in your cabinet so you can grab that box of pasta? You don’t want your items all smushed in together-just like people, they need a little breathing room.
Aesthetics-this of course is all in the eye of the beholder, but let’s be real here-no one wants an unattractive space – be it a home, an office, or their bedroom closet. When things are in their places and are tidy – for most people – it takes a weight off their shoulders. Puts them at ease…
And lastly, like Architecture and designing spaces-each Organizing project and client are different and have their own unique set of wants/needs/requirements.
Do you always know where everything is located in your house? On your desk? In your car? When someone asks you where the scissors are- do you rattle off “in the drawer to the left of the stove, on the front left side” ??? Do you have a really good memory that you can remember which drawer (and the exact spot) the scissors are located off the top of your head or does that come from a routine of just going into the same drawer over and over?
I think it can be both. I do think that some people just have the knack for it. I like to think that I have that gift, And yes – That was me calling out where the scissors were located. Have I always been an organized person? The answer for that would have to be not always lol. As a child – wow.. I had a VERY messy room. I remember my mom once hiring someone to come clean my room and throw everything out (I got moved to the “little bedroom” because I couldn’t keep my room clean).
I think everyone has times when they are not organized. It’s only natural. There are times when I feel my house is in shambles and I have mail piled up and dishes piled up because…. well because life just got in the way. Let’s face it – nobody is perfect. And that is ok. What do you do? You get in there and clean up what needs to be cleaned, put back items to their rightful place, and throw out the things you don’t need. That is a benefit of being organized – clean ups can be quick (But that will be another post for another day!).
But I also think that organizing is something that you can learn. I think even those who are inherently in order continue to learn how to organize for themselves. And organizing takes practice and patience. I am always semi aware of the placement of things and am always on the lookout for a better solution.
Where do you fit in with all this? Were you born with “it” but are always trying to learn new ways to stay productive and organized? Or are you reading this hoping for some tips and tricks that you can learn to become organized?
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