If you have kids, you know the excruciating pain of  stepping on a Lego piece with bare feet!  It makes you want to throw them ALL in the GARBAGE!!!!  The only good thing about Legos is the fact that your kids will sit in their rooms for HOURS on end playing with them.  It’s really bitter sweet!

As an organizer and mom of two, I am often asked, “What are the best ways to store and organize Legos?”

Here are a few unique ideas and clever ways to store and organize those pesky little buggars… I mean toys.

I absolutely LOVE this idea of taking a binder and some sheet protectors to create a Lego Instruction Manual.  It is perfect to store all the Lego instruction sheets and booklets.

Happy Organizing!

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How do you store and organize all the tiny, little office supplies you need on hand?  There are so many fun and clever items to organize the “little things” in life and our office that are just laying around our homes.  For example, use an old muffin pan to store your paperclips, staples and tiny little gadgets.  Or use an ice tray or even an egg carton to keep rubber bands and pushpins handy.  Think outside of the “ice box” and re-purpose items you already have laying around collecting dust.

Grab that old ice tray that just sits empty and put it to work.  It will easily fit into any desk drawer.

A framed pegboard!  Of course, a great way to keep everything organized and did I mention, easily accessible?

Also frame a piece of sheet metal and use magnetic spice containers to hold buttons, tacks, paperclips, plus much more.

Add a ronmatic feel to your office by using antique glasses and dishes to store and organize the simple things.

Use “test-tube” glass containers to store items and have fun looking at it!

This is what I personally use to organize the “little things” on my desk.  It is an Eastern Indian spice rack!  It works great for jewelry, beads, crafts and so much more.

Happy Organizing!!!

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There are so many types of shredders out these days.  How in the world do you know which one to choose?  Of course, the money factor plays a huge part as well as how much you will be using it.  You may need something basic that will shred your junk mail or you may have the need for something with a little more gusto to shred piles of papers.

If you have mounds and mounds of documents that need to be shredded, consider taking the boxes full of papers to a local store to be shredded.  Office supply stores and UPS stores will often times provide an in-house shredding service. You’ll pay less than $1 per pound to have your secrets destroyed. Your favorite financial institution may even provide this service!  I’ve even heard of many other businesses such as mortgage companies who have free shredding events for the public.  Take a peak in your local newspaper or even Craigslist to see if there are any shredding events in your neighborhood. Your favorite, local Professional Organizer my even know of a few resources as well.

Once you have the backlog of papers shredded and destroyed, I suggest finding a shredder that will help you maintain your office by shredding documents as you go.

After doing a little research on the “top shredders” on Consumer Research website, I found these results:

Recommended by more reviewers than any other shredder, the Fellowes PS-79Ci combines superb safety features with quiet operation, a 6-gallon pull-out waste bin and guaranteed jam-free performance. This model shreds CDs and DVDs as well as credit cards and documents secured with staples or paper clips. Safety features include a sensor that shuts off the shredder if a hand gets close to the slot.  The shredder carries a two-year warranty.  You can pick up one of these  at Amazon.com for $179.00.

If you don’t need to destroy CDs or shred a lot of paper at once, reviewers say this budget paper shredder is a good value. The 5-gallon bin doesn’t pull out; to empty it, you must lift off the top, which contains the motor, cutters and controls. This model also has an opening in the front of the bin for papers that need to be recycled but not shredded. Safety features include a patented sensor that shuts off the shredder if a hand gets close to the slot.  The Fellowes DS-3 shreds staples and small paper clips as well as paper and credit cards, and carries a one-year warranty.  This shredder can be purchased for $75.00 at Amazon.com.

This small, Aurora AS800CD Cross Cut Paper Shredder from Walmart can’t do anything fancy; the size of its crosscut shreds are larger than most, so it isn’t the most secure, plus it doesn’t have any remarkable safety features. Still, in more than 200 user reviews, owners are overwhelmingly happy with this simple shredder. With a bin size of about 3 gallons and a paper capacity of just six sheets (don’t try more than three sheets at a time to be on the safe side), it’s best for light duty. But in its price range, it gets much better reviews than competing paper shredders.  Visit Walmart to pick up this shredder for $25.00.

Happy Shredding and Organizing!

The post Organizing Your Office – Choosing the Right Shredder appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

I don’t  know about you, but I am not a huge fan of doing laundry.  BUT maybe if there was a little pizazz or eye candy to look at during the process, it could lessen the burden?

Have you thought of taking an old water dispensers, canisters or your fish’s old home and transform it into a Designer Laundry Detergent Dispenser?  Not only would it be uber fabulous to look at, but it would be a creative way to use something you already have around the house to store your detergent.

I LOVE the feeling of walking into an area that is very appealing to the eye even if I have my arms full of dirty laundry.  Now I know some of you are probably thinking, “Why would I want to take the time to pour my laundry detergent into another canister when it is already in a dispensing container?”  Well, my friend, the only answer I have to that is simple!  When we add some fun and spice to our life, we make the day to day, mundane tasks feel more doable!

Why do you pour your rice into a food storage container?  Naturally, you would not want the bag to accidentally open and cover your floor or counter tops with rice?  Heavens NO!  And, it looks a lot nicer stored in a clear, glass container instead of a plastic bag.  A plastic bag that once you open, you cannot re-seal.

So check out some of these glamorous ideas and think about what would work best for you.

A fun idea is to put that water dispenser that has been sitting in the box to use.  Use a fancy cup for dispensing too.

I LOVE this idea, not only for laundry detergent, but for everything else that is stored next to the washer and dryer.  Use these canisters for your dryer sheets, pocket treasures found when emptying out pockets, clothes pins or even a little decor to spruce it up a little.

A DYI canister.  Simply decorate with any color or theme and display.  It is fun to see what kinds of great scooper’s you could use.  Maybe a fancy measuring cup in the shape of a flower or a fancy spoon.

Of course, Bubble’s old fish bowl!  Finally, a great way to put that old fish bowl to use.  Go grab it out of your garage, clean it out and add a little decor around it.

This is another great idea, using a plastic garbage can to store your laundry soap.  This would be perfect if you buy your powdered detergent in bulk.

So turn that boring old laundry area into a fun, inviting place to be.  I would love to hear any other tips or suggestions you have to spruce up the laundry area.

Happy Organizing!

The post Organizing Your Home – Fancy Ways to Store Laundry Detergent appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

It is that time of the year.  TAX TIME!   Are you feeling like you are swimming in papers? Receipts piled high and there isn’t an end in sight? Invoices, bills and bank statements scattered across the floor?   This year, get organized so you will be better prepared for next year and the years ahead.  It is so nice to be able to grab a folder and head to your accountant with all the necessary documents!  No need to pull out your hair out in a mad search for your tax files.  (I personally know people who spend WEEKS preparing their taxes. I see so much headache and heartache during this time of year.)

If you own your business you will need different organizing strategies than an individual who does not own a business.  Lets chat about some of the many choices that are available for everyone’s needs.

As a business owner, I personally LOVE the brown accordion  folder labeled with the months of the year.  I keep all my statements and receipts organized and in order this way.  Since I use a bookkeeper, this is the easiest system to organize and maintain. Use a decorative basket or storage bin to hold (hide) your financial papers.

As an individual who does not own a business, you may want to designate a certain file or folder in your file cabinet labeled “Current Taxes“.  Make sure this folder is easy to access and view. Once you start receiving your tax documents in the mail, you have a place to store them until you need them.

Think outside of the {file} box! Here’s a simple system to use and maintain, but maybe not the prettiest. It is using my all-time favorite organizing product – the over-the-door shoe organizer!!!

It is wise to keep the current year taxes and last year’s taxes easily accessible. All other taxes can be kept in what I refer to as “Deep Freeze“. Don’t use “valuable real estate” to store information that you will most likely ever look at again. Keep these financial documents safe, but not in your main file cabinet or in a drawer at your desk. Think closet, garage, attic or fire proof safe.

Happy Organizing!

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Where do you store your ironing board?  Some people prefer it in their laundry room or spare bedroom.  I personally enjoy the convenience of having it my bedroom closet.  When I am getting dressed and find that something needs a quick press, I don’t have to go far to get my iron and ironing board. Unless you enjoy streaking through your house half naked!

I know storing an ironing board can be a challenge for some, especially if you have a small place.  The board is awkward in shape, not attractive to look at and big to store. There are simple things you can do to store your ironing board and keep it away from sight.  Check out some of these great ideas.

“Built in” cabinet for your ironing board. Mount it on the wall and have enough storage for the iron, starch and other supplies.

When I had a walk-in closet, I preferred to use an over-the-door holder/hook just like this one.

I love learning about sneaky ways to hide things! This is very clever and a great use of space…it’s a board tucked away in a hidden drawer.

If you are REALLY tight on space, there is a product (magnetic ironing blanket) you can use on top of your washing machine.

Happy Organizing!

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Do you need to refresh and revitalize your home?

Join me and my friend/colleague, Jennifer Ford Berry (author of the Organize Now series) for some “tough love” in our next online organizing course starting this Thursday, April 4, 2013.

Do you have a “honey to-do list” that isn’t getting completely? Tired of staring at the same cobwebs since last summer? Feeling like your clutter piles keep growing and growing instead of going away? Are you wondering…

“How can I make more room in my closet?” 

“What is the best way to organize my kitchen and/or  bathroom?”

Well you will love our new, online organizing course, “Organize Your Home in 60 Days”.  Simply sign up and sign into our exclusive Facebook page where you will learn many of our all time favorite organizing strategies for your home.  FINALLY you can accomplish your goal of getting organized and it will only take 60 days! Not 60 years!!!

For as little as a $1.50 per day…

What we will cover:

• How to declutter and organize the entryway
• How to create a streamline and efficient kitchen
• How to put together a master bedroom that is a peaceful haven
• How to maximize closet space
• How to simplify the bathroom and linen closet
• How to create a laundry system that will save you time and energy
• How to organize a family room that brings your family together
• Learn how to purge and organize your garage into zones
• Spring Cleaning tips from the experts!

Are you thinking, “I am so busy! How long will each session take?”

• 10-15 minute “check-in”(anytime) in the exclusive Facebook group per day
• 3 – 5 hours per week

Here’s the crazy thing, you will have access to not one, but TWO organizing experts for 60 days who will act as your personal coaches and cheerleaders.

This is worth THOUSANDS of dollars!

Sign up today for only $97 and start making the necessary changes in your life!

The post Organize Your Home in 60 Days – Online Course! appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

You’ve heard the saying, “Moving sucks!”.  It can be a stressful, painful and a overwhelming experience and most of the time, should be left to the professionals!

Since we started offering packing and unpacking services a little over a year ago, I continue to be on the lookput for reputable moving companies to refer to clients.

I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Eric at Tana Movers this past week.  I am sure you have seen them around town if you live in Sonoma or Marin County.  I have even seen them in my own neighborhood.  After I checked into them through YELP and saw their five star ratings, I thought they would be the perfect company to contact for some credible information.  Lets face it, no one LOVES to move.  The hassle of getting boxes and delicately packing all of your priceless belongings SUCKS!  We’ve all experienced the lovely headaches and backaches that come with moving. It is well worth the investment to hire professionals to help with any size project!

GB, LLC: “What is the biggest mistake people make when moving?”

Tana Movers: “People underestimate how much stuff they actually have.  It is so important to really get your items organized.  The better organized you are, the faster the move.”

Some great tips Eric shared is to place all your smaller boxes into one large box.  It makes it a lot easier to move.  Instead of moving a bunch of cereal sized boxes, put them all in one large box.  Makes sense, right? Another great tip is to use a Dolly.  (No, not the ones that little girls dress and play with).  They are so helpful in moving boxes and larger, heavier items with ease.

Have some items that need to go to Goodwill but are too large for your car?  They can haul it away at NO EXTRA COST!  Now where can you find a moving company that does this?  AMAZING!!

The best tip of all is to remember you get what you pay for.  If you want quality moving for all your priceless possessions, it is worth the investment.

So check out Tana Movers at www.tanamovers.com or contact them at (707) 293-4277.  Eric said they have traveled as far as Santa Barbara, Los Gatos, Chico and even Lake Tahoe!  Remember, “Smile, Help is here…”

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Here are the TOP 10 Hampers and Laundry Sorters we found on Amazon.  It can be difficult to find the perfect hamper to fit your lifestyle or home.  Some people do their laundry daily while others do their laundry once a week.  No matter the routine, you still need to have someplace to store your dirty clothes.  Right?  Unless you toss them onto the floor and the magic laundry fairy does your laundry for you.  That would be fabulous!  Anyhow, here are a few great laundry basket designs.

1.  Rubbermaid 4D06 Configurations 23-Inch Foldable Laundry Hamper

2.  Household Essentials Double Hamper Laundry Sorter with Magnetic Lid Closure

3.  Seville Classics SHE16166 3-Bag Laundry Sorter

4. Whitmor 6205-2466-JAVA Easy-care Double Hamper

5.   Household Essentials Clothes Hamper with Lid

6.  Honey-Can-Do HMP-01453 Sturdy Resin Hamper with Rope Handles

7.  Richards Homewares 3 Compartment Micro Mesh Sorte

8.  Whitmor 6208-2417 Triple Mesh Sorter With Wheels

9.  Whitmor 6097-3529-BB Chrome and Canvas Four Section Laundry Sorter

10.  Seville Classics WEB153 3-Bag Laundry Sorter with Hanging Bar

I must say, I think this one is my favorite.  I love the fact that it has an attached hanging bar for your clothes to hang dry on.  Unless you like the look of clothes hanging in your doorways.

Happy Organizing!

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WOW!!!  I absolutely LOVED reading all of your fabulous responses on my Facebook page about what you use for certain stains!  Thank you so much for taking the time to participate.  It is so hard to know exactly what works for what stains until you try it or hear about it.  Otherwise, how do you know what to use to get the stain out?  Also, when’s the right time to apply the stain remover?  Some people believe that once you have washed and dried a garment that is stained and the stain hasn’t disappeared, then it’s a goner.  Well let’s take a look at what everyone had to say about this hot topic of stain removers.

Blood stains:  Zout (tip by Kelly Llyod)

Coffee stains:  Ice Cubes (tip by Mirjam de Rijk)

Grass stains:  Zout (tip by Kelly Llyod)

Ink stains:  Hairspray (tip by Michele Curcio)

Juice stains:  Zout (tip by Kelly Llyod)

Oil and Grease stains:  Dawn Power Clean dish-washing soap  (tip by Kelly Llyod).

Stains on White Clothing:  OxyClean (tip by Sonja Patton Hardy)

All Stains:

Fels Naptha (old fashioned laundry bar)(tip by Jolene Fiscella)

Mix of Dawn and Peroxide (tip by Mirjam de Rijk)

Natural Oxyclean and shout (tip by Michele Curcio)

Oxiclean spray (tip by Shelly Arredondo and Annette Giroux)

Stain “Tide” sticks (tip by Denise Nickerson and Angela Lofton-Berry Moore)

Zout (tip by Lynn Figone)

Now print this out and pin it up next to your washer machine.  When in doubt, check it out!

The world would be a much better place without stains.  I do have to say that I loved Dayna Harvey’s stain removing tip of , “I just buy new clothes.”  

Happy Organizing!

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What do you do with all your dirty laundry?  Do you have a sorting system?  Check out my video for some helpful tips.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsuw4QghfnI

Happy Organizing!

The post Got Dirty Laundry? {Video} appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

A BIG THANK YOU to those who responded to my request for your favorite meal planning apps! I am so excited to share what has people buzzing when it comes to simplifying the dreaded question of “What’s for dinner?”.

THANK YOU to Rochelle Waite who suggested “The Cooking Pot.“  This app is only $2.99. It can be used for: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad with iOS 6.0 or later.  Cooking Pot by Progressive Aspect Pty Ltd is a recipe organizer, meal planner, and shopping list app for your iOS device.

The app helps you pick your recipe, shop, and prepare the meal by providing easy to understand instructions. This app will help people of all cooking backgrounds and budgets: from students on a budget just learning to cook, to foodies who want to expand their cooking horizons.

You can choose recipes that take less than 30 minutes to prepare if you’re in a hurry. Why not try out the app and save yourself money on fast food? You’ll probably lose some weight too since you’ll be eating wholesome, nutritious food. You’ll learn to use seasonal ingredients, cook with what you have in your fridge and pantry, and reduce the time you spend in the grocery store.

Vegans, vegetarians, and people with allergies and intolerances will find tons of suitable recipes. You can remove unsuitable recipes easily using this app.

You get soups, entrees, main course meals, drinks, and desserts in this awesome app!
Cooking Pot was released mid-December 2012.

THANK YOU to SARAH MORRISON who recommended “Plan To Eat“.  This app even gives you a FREE 30-Day trial.

Shopping Lists On The Go:  The mobile site provides a phone-ready shopping list that is easy for you to view on your phone as you shop.

Check Off Items As You Go:  Tap the check-box next to each item as you add them to your cart. Once you check them off, they will be grayed out, or use the Hide Checked Items feature to remove them completely from the list.

Add Additional Items:  Add additional items to your shopping list from your phone so that you don’t have to try to remember them until you get home!

View Purchased Items in Your Pantry Inventory:  When you check an item off on your mobile shopping list, it is automatically moved to your Pantry Inventory on the main site. From there, you can see which items you’ve purchased and when they were purchased.

View Recipes on Your Phone:  Access your recipe book and pull up individual recipes right on your phone. Refer to recipes while at the grocery store or even  while you’re in the kitchen preparing them so your recipe book is always with you.

THANK YOU to JULIE MACDONALD who suggested “Take The Meal.” 

What is your favorite app to simplify meal planning and cooking?

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If you are lucky enough to have a pantry, you already know pantries free up kitchen cabinet space for plates, glasses, cookware and other items.  Use these practical and creative ways to organize a pantry and create the perfect place for food storage and more.

What should be placed on the  top shelf of a pantry?

When organizing a pantry, the placement of commonly used goods is of the utmost importance.  Organize the top shelf with seldom-used items since they are difficult to reach.  They should not be heavy or difficult to hold onto.  Placing large bulky items on a top shelf is a safety hazard.  Baking supplies, napkins or seldomly used foods are perfect for the top shelf when trying to organize a pantry.

Repackaging Dry Goods

Dry goods such as crackers and cereal are not always easy to organize when left in the original packaging.  When organizing a pantry, consider repackaging dry goods including pasta, cereal, crackers, and snacks in clear, plastic or glass containers.   Repackaging these items into plastic or glass containers  will help your pantry look neater on the shelves and most importantly, they will stay fresher longer and be easier to see what you have left.

Organize Pantry Food According to Variety

An unorganized pantry is filled with an array of canned goods, boxed foods and more.  This makes specific goods impossible

to find.  Remove everything from the pantry and organize food in different categories.  For example, line up and stack all your canned veggies.  Organize an area for pasta sauces and canned tomato products. Organize soups in another location.  Wire racks work perfectly for organizing cans.  Where lazy Susan’s work nicely for spices, oils, vinegars, sauces and smaller items such as baking goods. This will make locating specific items much easier and as a result, the pantry will look much neater.  Be sure to store vinegars, oils and syrup on spill proof mats for easy clean up.

Organizing Small Packets and Snacks

Small items such as drink mixes and spice packets are a little more difficult to organize in a pantry.  I prefer clear plastic bins to store healthy snacks in for my kids.  So when they ask me for a snack, I can grab the bin, set it on the counter and they can make their own decision. Or instead of using plastic, you could use pretty lined baskets.  Use one basket for spice mix packets and another for drink mixes.  When they are the right size the contents will be easy to organize, thumb through and locate.  Also, the lined baskets will add visual appeal to an otherwise ordinary storage space.  I also suggest to clients one of my all-time favorite organizing products to store these items. It is the clear, plastic, over-the-door shoe organizer. Hang it from the wall or door. You could also line the walls of the pantry with wall paper to add a little pizazz to your pantry.

Store all your appliances such as crock pots, blenders and heavy mixers on the bottom shelf of your pantry. It is also a good idea to take them out of their  boxes for easy accessibility.

Happy Organizing!

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Do you ever feel like you just don’t have enough time to cook a delicious, healthy meal for everyone in your family?  Trying to get everyone at the dinner table at the same time just feels impossible!  Have you just thrown in the towel and said, “McDonald’s, here we come”?  It can be quite challenging to get everyone to sit down and eat dinner together when your husband might have a meeting and/or the kids have practice or dance.  Well, here are some great tips to help resolve these problems.

Plan Your Meals:  Set a day each week where you are going to plan out your meals.  This might include reviewing the Sunday paper searching for sales and coupons.  Keep a list close by to jot down some good sale items to pick up.  I LOVE getting a good deal on groceries.  Maybe steaks and artichokes are on sale? This would be a great treat for the family to enjoy on a night you can all sit at the table together.

Access Your Weekly Routine:  This means set aside some time with a calendar and plan out your weekly meals.  For example, if your son or daughter has basketball practice on Wednesday nights, this would be an ideal night to toss something in the crock pot.  When you get home at 7:00, dinner is ready!  Look at your calendar, pay close attention to your evening schedule and plan your meals accordingly.  Another great idea is to create some repetition to your weekly meals.  Maybe “Tuesday Taco Night” or “Friday Pizza Night”.  This will simplify your weekly meal planning and take the guess work out of preparing meals.

Schedule Your Grocery Shopping Day:  I typically do my grocery shopping on the weekends so we have plenty of food for lunches, dinners and snacks for the upcoming week.  However, depending on your family’s schedule, this may not work. Instead, shopping on a Thursday evening might be best (also not as busy). If you are a morning person, consider getting up and out the door by 8am to get your shopping done by 9am.

Create Your Shopping List:  I love using my pre-printed shopping list that I have posted on my refrigerator door. Once an item is used up, all we have to do is circle or highlight the item on our pre-printed shopping list. There is no need to CREATE a new list each week. We just grab the list of the fridge and go!

Don’t Lose Meal Planning Momentum:  Once you start following the above steps on a weekly basis, you will be a meal planning expert.  Say Goodbye to Taco Bell and McDonald’s.

I recently discovered an app www.supercook.com.  All you have to do is enter an ingredient, and presto, a list of possible dinners will appear.  For example if you have chicken breast in your fridge, a list of all dinners with chicken breast will appear.  So Fun! Now you won’t cringe when they ask you, “What’s for dinner?”

The post 5 Secrets to Successful Meal Planning appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

Sometimes opening the refrigerator door can be a scary thing! Between stuck on food, moldy left-over containers and not being able to find what you need can cause your hair to stand on end.

Recently I created a couple videos with a few of my favorite organizing tricks to keep your fridge neat and organized. Take a peek! They are short and sweet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcVLhX1_IAk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W1jlqpZdBM

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Want to know what the biggest mistake people make when organizing a closet is according to a Professional Closet Designer? Keep reading…

Have you ever thought about having a professional closet designer visit your home?  Some may think of it as a luxury, while other know of it as a necessity! As a Organizing and Efficiency Specialist, I know the importance of having the right tools and systems to simplify life.

Recently, I had the great privilege of interviewing Frank Longhetto, owner of Closet Crafters.  I am so excited to share the inside scoop about his amazing closet systems.

First, let me fill you in about Frank, he has been in the closet business since 1985.  He was looking for a job in San Diego and was hired as a closet installer.  Frank told me, he still prefers to be the one to visit peoples homes and/or offices and design their perfect closet system.  He finds so much joy in closet organization.  He says, “It really changes peoples lives.”  It’s not like a diet where you have to wait for a result!  This life changing experience occurs when your closet is complete.  There is a home for everything in your closet and everything you need is easily accessible.

Frank always asks his customers what their priorities are when they are searching for the perfect closet system.  His main priority of organization is accessibility.  What good is organizing if you can’t reach it?  He gave a great example of using an extended hanging bar that covers up your shoes at the bottom of your closet.  What good is it if you have to get down on the ground to search for your shoes?

When I asked Frank, “What is the biggest mistake people make when trying to organize their closets?”  He said, “When people invest in small patchwork items that do not work they end up spending hundreds of dollars on inexpensive items that keep breaking when they could have invested that money on a custom designed closet system.” Another mistake people make when trying to organize their closets is putting a spare dresser in a reach-in closet.  This can really do damage to the closet doors.

When talking about closet organization, Frank shared his 80/20 rule (which I believe every organizer out there knows).  He said, “People wear 20% of what they own while the other 80% sits in the closet collecting dust.”  Frank is a big fan of seasonal storage.  He says it’s great to store your seasonal clothing labeled in a storage bin up on a shelf.

I have personally worked with Closet Crafters on a couple projects and have enjoyed each experience. I highly recommend using Closet Crafters to simplify any size closet or pantry.  Not only do they specialize in closets, but they specialize in garages, office, media and commercial.  Visit the website at www.closetcrafters.com.

Happy Organizing!

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If you love to cook, you most likely have a large selection of cooking spices. Where do you store them all? If you don’t like to cook, you most likely have a large selection of spices that have done bad!  It’s time to ditch the expired spices and organize what’s still good. Here is a short video sharing some of my all-time favorite ways to store spices in the kitchen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr3-OaNmZnA

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Having an organized kitchen is a luxury to some and a necessity to others. Here is a short video I did sharing a few different ways to store and organize your kitchen knives. To have an efficient kitchen, you must have your knives within arms reach!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgFESV-B8dQ

The post Kitchen Knife Storage appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

Have you ever wanted to use your linen closet for something else but had no idea where to store all your linens?  Sometimes all you need to do is a good purging of your closet… Declutter those old sheets that you are saving (you know, for when you paint or go camping or…).  And those extra pillows with stains on them for guests to use when they stay the night. And the 15 bath towel you are holding onto because “they are still good”.  It is time to DITCH them!

Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to find a new purpose for these things, but put a limit on the amount of STUFF you hold onto to simplify your life and create a positive, healthy energy in your home.  If your husband wants your old torn, tattered towels for washing the car, then find a new home for them in the garage. Just keep 2 of them!

My hope for you is to simplify so you can thrive.  To simplify means to eliminate the unimportant to make room for what IS important. When you keep only the stuff that you LOVE, brings you JOY and serves a PURPOSE, you shift the energy in your home to something more positive and healthy.

It is important to have limits when it comes to our STUFF. Here is what I share with my clients when it comes to linen closets and limits.

• 2 bath towels per person (kept in the bathroom where they are used)
• 2 hand towels per bathroom (kept in the bathroom where they are used)
• 2-3 wash clothes per person (kept in the bathroom where they are used)
• 2-3 extra bath towels for guests (kept in linen closet or guest room)
• 1 set of sheets per bed (wash and put right back on – no need for storage space!). If you need to hold onto 2 sets, keep the extra set of sheets in the room where they will be used.

When it comes to extra bedding (blankets and pillows), storing them in vacuum sealed bags are best (and saves lots of space) and kept in the linen closet (or under the guest bed).

When it comes to beach towels, grab a large canvas bag and stock it with all your beach supplies (sunscreen, hand wipes, sun glasses, beach toys and extra plastic bags for wet clothes) and keep your beach towels rolled up nicely inside the bag. Just grab and go when you have the urge to hit the beach. Keep the “beach bag” in the coat closet, mud room or in the garage.

Going back to sheets and bedding, grab some baskets or book-ends to store your sheets and put them up in the closet of the bedroom they belong in. Or simply keep them in a drawer in your night stand or dresser.

 Roll towels and store them on a magazine rack in your bathroom.

So what are you going to do with this new, reclaimed space now that your linen closet has been purged? Maybe you could create the gift wrapping station, scrapbooking center or sewing center that you have always wanted? Or convert it into a toy closet!

I would LOVE to hear about all your transformations!

Happy Organizing!

The post Simplifying The Linen Closet appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

Do you find yourself constantly saying to yourself (and to others) that you “don’t have enough time”? I hear it everyday from people I interact with. Personally, I have removed the phrase from my vocabulary and encourage all my clients to do the same. When it comes to time, it is not that you don’t have ENOUGH TIME, but instead it is that you are not clear about your PRIORITIES. Switch from saying, “I don’t have enough time” to “That is not a priority at this time”. It might sound harsh, but that is the reality!

If you struggle with “having enough time” to do all the things that you would like to accomplish, consider “time blocking”. It is one of my favorite ways to simplify my schedule and get more done.

What is time blocking? Time blocking is committing to working a single project or task for certain length of time.

6 Steps to Effective Time Blocking

Identify your high priority tasks and projects. Time blocking is especially effective for tasks requiring greater concentration. Determine which tasks need to be completed first and prioritize them by order of deadline and importance. For example, if a report is due in a week and you have an important meeting tomorrow, prioritize your meeting preparation ahead of conducting research for your report.

 
Block out time for specific tasks. Break tasks down into chunks that can be completed in smaller time increments. For example, if you are designing a flier, allot a separate block of time for completing each page.

• Set a goal to finish the task within the time allotted. Decide on start and finish times for the particular task and adhere to the schedule.
• Block time by yourself to complete tasks that require greater thought and concentration. Scheduling time alone will help you focus on challenging tasks.

Use a visual tool to block time. Your visual aide may be a calendar, a piece of paper or an Excel spreadsheet. Mark the blocks of time to show clear start and stop times.

• Draw blocks of time on a piece of paper. Write a short description of each task in each time block. Draw a line through the task once completed.
• Use an online or mobile device calendar. Type in each task and utilize the repeat feature for recurring tasks. Choose an alert option to notify you of start and stop times, if the feature is available.
• Code blocks of time on an Excel spreadsheet. Create a grid with start and end times. Fill in higher priority tasks with darker colors. Create a color key to denote the priority levels of tasks.

Schedule breaks. Regular breaks are conducive to greater productivity and concentration. When time blocking, schedule regular breaks in between activities. For example, focus intensely for 2 hours on a specific task, take a 10- or 15-minute break and work for another 2-hour block of time.
Limit activities that interfere with your time blocking goals.

• Eliminate unproductive, time-consuming activities. During the block of time allotted to working, avoid unnecessary forum browsing, television watching or Internet surfing. Devote your full attention to the high priority task at hand.
• Avoid checking email, answering the phone or texting. Focus your attention only on the task that you blocked off the time to complete. Let your calls go to voice mail, turn off your phone and sign out of your email account.
• Notify others that you will be unavailable. If working at home, explain your time blocking strategy to family members so that they will refrain from interrupting you. In an office setting, limit interruptions from co-workers by suggesting that they join you in time blocking activities.

Find quiet work spots. A coffee shop, a library or a quiet corner of your office building are possible places to spend uninterrupted blocks of time focused on specific tasks.

This video shares ideas on how to use colors to simplify your calendar. (More like “Day Blocking”)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoGGwj1bjjU

Happy Organizing!

The post Get More Done With “Time Blocking” appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

If you have a coat closet that is stuffed with coats, empty bags, shoes, trash, and other odds and ends, I suggest it’s time for a “coat closet makeover”! Sometimes using coat closets for coats isn’t the best way to use the space. I personally use our coat closet as a “toy closet”. After adding free-standing shelves and an over-the-door shoe organizer (yup, one of my all time favorite organizing tools), the toys are neatly stored and organized in clear, plastic bins and in a convenient location for my little ones to get to.

Some other alternatives to coat closets are:

Just when you thought you didn’t have a spare bedroom for your hobbies or that office you always wanted, now you do!

Or transform these closets by removing the door and adding a bench and some coat hooks.  Make it into a tiny mud room or sitting area.

Give your coat closet a full make-over and  transform it into a sewing room or craft room or wrapping station or library or utility closet or office computer room or my personal favorite…. a Life Management Center.

Don’t let this often forgotten about space be wasted.  There are so many possibilities.

Happy Organizing!!!

The post Alternative Uses For Coat Closets appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

A few months ago I was out house hunting. My spouse and I had found a home that we thought would be perfect for our family. It had so many great things going for it (on a cul-de-sac, had a pool, loved the floor plan, great neighbors, etc.). However, there was something odd about that house; it had NO CLOSET in the master bedroom! How did people survive in that home for the past 30 years without a closet to store all of their pants, shirts, handbags, hats and dresses? I was baffled. It got me thinking…

Are you closet-less?

This is a time when “thinking outside of the box” is a must. Here are some ideas that will hopefully inspire you to store and organize your clothes in a unique yet functional way. Just because you don’t have a closet doesn’t give you the excuse NOT organize your stuff! ;D

If you are someone who doesn’t want to SEE the STUFF, you’ll want to invest in rods, curtains/drapes or an armoire.

A single clothes rod attached to the ceiling. Simple. Chic.

Add curtains to soften the look and cut down on visual clutter.

A free standing unit which you can customize to your needs.

A simple garment rack never hurt.

I would have to say this isn’t good Feng Shui, but definitely an interesting way to store clothes!

Conceal items behind closed doors.

I like this system. Easy to put up and take down when you are ready to move.

Customize it your personal needs.

This is a bookshelf converted into a extra storage space for kid’s clothes.

I ADORE this idea.  An armoire just for shoes!!!  It looks so glamorous!  Everything is easily accessible, easily seen (nothings hiding in boxes or in the back) and of course dust free.  Who wants to dust shoes?  Don’t you hate that? You get ready to go out and grab your fancy, FUN shoes and they are all full of dust!  “Hold on honey, I need to dust my shoes off before we go.”

In the end, we didn’t buy the home (for other reasons – not because it didn’t have a master closet).

Happy Organizing!

The post No Closet? No Worries… appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

 Guest Post by Jennifer Tankersley

Your life is complex.  There are layers upon layers of people, places, and things.  Each layer is important and yet some get more attention than others.  With the start of the New Year, it is important to reflect on your roles, your passions, your responsibilities, and your relationships.

 Let’s take a look at 12 areas in your life that are important to care for, nurture, and build. They are areas that should be considered frequently, tweaked, and adjusted. . .not just in the new year, but throughout the year and years to come.  (areas below are in alphabetical order, not in order of importance)

• Business/Career – Whether you are working in or out of the home (with or without pay), consider your business goals and formulate a plan for achieving those goals. Lay out your long-term vision and then break down each goal into short-term steps that you can accomplish today, next week, next month, and this year.
•  Family – Confer with family members about ways to improve relationships, be more supportive, and spend more quality time together. Consider support for needs and desires in daily (e.g., homework), weekly (e.g., family night), monthly (e.g., visit to grandparents), and yearly (e.g., family vacation) family life.
• Finances – Create goals for your finances. Do you need to eliminate debt? Do you need to save for a new appliance? A car? A vacation? College? Retirement? Identify your money streams (in and out) and make adjustments to allow for debt reduction and/or savings increases.
• Health – Create goals for taking the utmost care of your health. Consider the food/drinks that you consume most frequently. Consider ways to keep your body strong. Consider the value of your mind and find ways to keep it active.  Don’t place your health last. Create health goals for lifelong healthy habits and practices.
• Home – List the realistic goals you have for improving your home. You may not be able to do everything you would like this year (improving a home can be costly), but list some things that are within your power to improve in 2013.
• Leisure – Give some attention to your personal interests. What are you passionate about? What stirs you and makes you remember who you are? Set goals for some time to spend at your leisure.  Schedule in practice time. Find someone who shares your interest and will provide you with extra incentive to participate.
• Mental – Set a goal to add ways of utilizing your memory and creativity in your daily life. Look for ways to develop your mind in a constant quest to learn. Read a non-fiction book or biography. Enroll yourself in an adult ed class or college class. Volunteer to teach or mentor someone in an area in which you are familiar. Look for new experiences and jump in.
• Projects – Make a project list considering the amount of time required and the supplies needed for each project. Prioritize your projects based on your schedule and budget for this year. Decide which project(s) should wait until future years.
• Relationships – Schedule in time for relationship-building. The best way to develop a relationship is to devote time on your calendar to dates with your hubby, consistent calls or visits to your parents, time alone with your good friend(s), etc.
• Service – Look at the needs of your community.  Consider ways that you can make a difference by donating your time and/or talent. Keep your eyes open for needs that you can meet, such as groceries for a family in your neighborhood where the earner is in between jobs or an assisted-living home where the residents might enjoy occasional baked goods.
• Spiritual – Create goals for improving your spiritual life, whether that be consistent study and/or research, time spent in prayer or meditation, regular get-togethers with those who can build and encourage your beliefs, or daily memorization. Then commit to a time of day or carve a time out of your week to devote to those goals.
• Travel – Brainstorm your ideas for travel for the next 5 years or so.  Be realistic. For example, if you can’t afford to take a large family vacation each year, then plan for one large vacation next year and a smaller getaway for this year. Talk to your spouse or include the whole family. Set reasonable goals for saving, asking off from work, purchasing tickets, reserving hotels, etc.

Jennifer Tankersley is the founder of ListPlanIt.com, which has everything you need to plan and organize all of the areas of your life.  She also recently wrote an eBook called 100 Days of a New Year 2013 to help set your goals, manage your health and finances, and organize your home.  It includes 75 links to lists and worksheets from ListPlanIt.com and is available for just $5 in 3 formats:  PDF, Nook, and Kindle.

The post Setting Goals for all of the Layers in Life appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

Now that the holidays are over it is time to pack up and organize for next year’s festivities. I am someone who likes to take the Christmas tree down just days after Christmas. We get our tree just after Thanksgiving so it is usually dead by Christmas anyways. Although I love Christmas time, I can’t wait to pack up all the decoration and put them away. Less stuff on display = happy me! 

As you pack up your holiday decorations and Christmas tree ornaments, make sure to keep the fragile items protected from being crushed and broken while in storage. In this video (3 minutes), I share some clever ways in which you can safely store your ornaments using items you already have around the house. Gather your egg cartons, plastic cups and card-board.  You are going to love this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD38jzqTqTs

The post Clever Storage for Holiday Ornaments {Video} appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

I absolutely LOVE receiving holiday cards! It brings me so much joy to see the faces of friends and family. Going to the mailbox each day is like Christmas for me. I can’t wait to open the cards and display them!

However, if you are like me and always looking for fun and creative ways to display your holiday cards, hopefully you’ll be inspired by these images. Holiday cards make a great conversation piece and add lots of “festiveness” to our homes.

Add beauty to your staircase.

Create a wreath using clothes pins to hang and display your collection.

Display them on your cabinet doors.

   Take a piece of string or wire, attach it to your mantel to hang your collection.

Simply keep them in a box on a side table.

Grab some cork board and create your own “Holiday Gallery”.

At the end of the holiday season, keep your collection organized and neat by

storing them in a binder with sheet protectors or using paper/book rings.

Happy Holidays!

The post Showing Off Your Holiday Cards appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

Tis the season of giving which makes it a perfect time to perform as many random acts of kindness as possible!

When was the last time you did something out of the goodness of your heart? Chipped in that extra couple of cents for the person in front of you at the grocery store or helped an elderly person down some stairs or brought dinner or cookies for someone in need?  There are so many things we can do to help someone everyday.  Especially during the holidays! Instead of all the take, take, take…lets give MORE than we receive!!  Take this time during the year to teach our children how they can make a difference in someone’s life simply by offering a smile to someone, opening a door, saying “thank you”, and sending homemade cards to those with little or no family.

This past Thanksgiving my kiddos and I dedicated a week to performing random acts of kindness. (I do them throughout the year in smaller ways, but took this time to get my children involved.) We had so much fun doing them! Kindness spreads… We found that as we took sweet goodies to our local fire house and sheriff’s department, we were given private VIP tours of the locations. It was a treat for all of us!

Here are a few more ideas that will get you inspired to take action!

• Donating pajamas to any local Sleep Train
• Donating unwrapped toys to a fire house or police station
• Bringing cookies to the fire house
• Sign up for a Secret Santa program at your local bank or grocery store
• Asking a school if and when there will be a food drive
• Show your child’s teacher just how much you appreciate him/her by bringing in supplies for the classroom
• Volunteering at a Soup Kitchen for the holidays
• Buy an extra coffee and give it to a homeless person
• Send a heartfelt card to an old friend, family member or stranger
• Gather up all the hotel shampoos and conditioners that have been collected during your travels and donate them to the women’s homeless shelter.
• Treat an elderly person to an afternoon of pampering at a local nail salon or hair salon.

Spread the kindness…

The post Spreading Kindness – Just Cuz appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHI1cJk3Wvo

If you are like me and want to live with less stuff, start decorating for the holidays with all natural materials. I love the smell of pine needles, evergreen and cinnamon. When decorating with these materials (plus many more items found in nature), my home is filled with a wonderful scent that represents the holiday season. What I love most about decorating with natural garland, wreaths, topiaries, fresh fruit and cinnamon, I can dispose of them when I am done and don’t have to store them for the next year.

Start the season off with a holiday decorating party. Buy the supplies and invite your friends over to help make garland and wreaths. Of course, fill them up on spiked eggnog and yummy holiday sweets and they won’t want to leave! If you aren’t so crafty or want to devote the time to this, contact your local florist to create these masterpieces  and they will decorate for you.

The post Avoid Storing Holiday Decor – Decorate Naturally appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

Guest post by Jennifer Ford-Berry

Christmas is right around the corner! Are you ready?

Have you been enjoying this amazing season?

This truly is my favorite time of year.  I don’t feel stressed out or overwhelmed, why? Because I started preparing for this season in October and November.  Yep, that’s right…I am what you call a non-procrastinator.  I start all projects early and I LOVE a good plan!  Is this annoying to my friends and family?  Well….some.  But you know what? It keeps me sane and that is all that matters.

Most people I know completely lose sight of what this season is truly about. They are so lost somewhere among consumerism and their long list of responsibilities that they couldn’t enjoy the moment if they tried.

Where is the magic??  Well there is no magic about getting my “To Do’s” done, but since I get them done early, I am able to sit back and notice the rest of the season. I am able to enjoy the magic in my children’s eyes.  I am able to give and to count my blessings….to me that is where the magic lies.

So by now you may be rolling your eyes thinking “Good for you Jen, but I am still stuck with the anxiety of getting it all done”!  Well, it is true that we are now into December, but you still have plenty of time to make a choice!  Right now you can make a choice: a choice to live this season differently and a choice to start your tasks earlier next year.

Below are some of my favorite tips for staying sane this season:

-  Get your shopping done early.  Every year I have a personal goal of having 85% of my shopping and wrapping done by Thanksgiving.  This may seem extreme, but by setting this goal I usually hit it.  I shop all year so that makes this easier.

-  Give experiences instead of stuff.  This is truly the best gift you can give and you can do it today from the comfort of your home computer!  Memberships, concert/play tickets, sporting events, a night on the town and the wine of the month club….there are all sorts of great ideas out there.  The best part is that the anticipation doesn’t end after they open the gift.

-  Simplify greeting cards. Let the idea of the perfect, matchy-matchy holiday card go.  Grab some candid photos from the past year instead.  I always order my cards the week before Thanksgiving.  My favorite site usually has their annual coupon posted by then.  I say my favorite because they address, stamp and mail my cards for me…genius!

-  Make time to get together with your friends! Every year my husband and I host a holiday wine tasting party for our closest friends.  Everyone brings a snack and a bottle of wine for the tasting.  It is simple, informal and a nice reason for all of us “grown-ups” to relax.  This year I am surprising my friends with a slide-show that captures many of our favorite memories from the past 3 years…shhhh!

-  Learn to say no.  Let the whole family decide how you all want to spend this precious time of year.  Do not get guilted into events or gatherings you really do not want to attend.  At the beginning of November I check the Internet for dates of holiday events that I want to do as a family.  I mark all the dates in my planner early so that when we get an invitation we can say no if our priorities already claimed the date.

-  Stock up on items you need the most. I do this early so I don’t have to waste time rushing around for last minute ingredients when I need to bring a dish to pass.

-  Sort, purge and give before the holidays. I sort and purge the kids’ toys weeks before Christmas so that I have room to put away their new gifts after the holidays. I have them choose at least two things each that they can give to someone less fortunate.  Then we also find other ways for us to give as a family during December.  It drives me nuts when kids only talk about what they can get!

-  Watch Christmas movies.  Oh how I love a good Christmas movies.  It seems like they are the only ones left with a happy ending nowadays.  It reminds me that with love and faith anything is possible.

Happy Holidays!

Jennifer Ford Berry is an organizational expert, best-selling author, entrepreneur and speaker. Her first book Organize Now: a week-by-week guide to simplify your space and your life has sold over 250,000 copies world-wide. Jennifer has recently published Organize Now: 12 month home and activity planner and Organize Now: your money, business and career.

The post Keep Sane This Christmas appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

I absolutely love to organize! What helps make organizing so much fun (I know, only freaks like to organize, huh?) is all the clever and useful products laying around the house or easily found online or at a near by retail store. It’s a fun little game to look around your home at the stuff you may already have taking up space and find a new purpose for it. (Remember, you only want to keep things that serve a purpose, bring you joy or items you absolutely love. Everything else is just clutter and should be ditched!)

Here’s a list of a few of my all-time favorite products/tools used for organizing and simplifying my life and the lives of clients:

1.  Over-the-Door-Shoe Organizer

2.  Under-shelf Baskets

3.  Plastic Food Storage Bags (Ziploc bags)

4.  3M Command Interlocking Strips and Hooks

5.  Tiered Pant Hanger

6.  Clear Shoe Boxes

7.  Rubbermaid Plastic Edge Magazine Holder

8.  Life Management Center

9.  Fun, Sassy File Folders

10.  Brother Label Maker

11. Desktop File Bin

12.  32 Compartment Drawer Organizer

13.  Magazine Holders

14.  Calendars

15.  Mighty Magnet Memo Board

The post The List of My All-Time Favorite Organizing Tools appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

Wanna know my absolute all-time favorite, can’t-live-without, must-have organizing tool?

It’s the Life Management Center®.

This tool/system will simplify any busy household and help organize families on the go. I put this system into place in all my client’s homes.  It has made such a huge difference in my life and in the lives of hundreds of people who I have helped. It is a system which every home needs to have to organize the day-to-day activities, all the incoming mail, homework, bills, invitations, family calendar, shopping lists, phone directories, receipts and so much more.

How this system will change your life:

• Improve the household communication
• Eliminate piles of paper
• Everything is in one spot to simplify managing day to day activities
• No more lost receipts and bills
• You will be able to save money
• Gain more time to enjoy the things and people you love
• Plus many more benefits…

The image above is a photo of my very first Life Management Center®. It has evolved over the years as my family and lifestyle have changed. Our systems will need updating from time to time as our children grow, people come and go and our careers change.

In fact, I love this system so much that I wrote an eBook on it! “Who’s Managing Your Life? A Simple Guide to Creating a Home-Based Life Management Center”.

Take advantage of my Holiday Special up until December 1, 2012 and save 75% off. Grab your copy for only $4.99 (normally $19.99).

Learn more about my ebook.

Happy Organizing!

The post My #1 All-Time, Must-Have, Can’t-Live-Without, Favorite Organizing Tool appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqO8h2O_-44

My next all-time favorite organizing tool is the

Rubbermaid Plastic Edge Magazine Holder.

Check out this video (an oldie, but goodie) on how I use this product.

The Plastic Edge Magazine Holder is hard to find in retail stores, but easier found online at Staples, Office Depot and Amazon.

If you like to hold onto your favorite cooking magazines or catalogs, the Plastic Edge Magazine Holder will keep your publications organized and neat in any binder. I love using them, because I can pull a full collection of publications down off a shelf at one time as oppose to grabbing only one or two.

These holders work great in the office too. If you use catalogs as a reference, keep all your catalogs in one binder using the Plastic Edge Magazine Holder.

Use them for:

• Household manuals
• Newsletters
• Training guides
• Directories

Happy Organizing!!!

The post Favorite Organizing Tool #7 appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

My next all-time favorite organizing tool is the clear shoe box.

The clear shoe box can easily store and organize all your shoes, flip-flops, slippers and some boots.  But like most other organizing tools, you can use the clear shoe box to store and organize other items such as pictures, fabric, arts and crafts, gloves, belts, Tupperware lids, small toys, Lego’s and Barbie clothes. The possibilities are endless.  I personally use them to store first aid supplies and sort my medications (cold and flu, allergies, etc.) They also work great for sorting cookie cutters, baking tools and gadgets, electronic cords and greeting cards. These boxes are fabulous because you can see what is inside of them, they stack on top of one another and they are very affordable. Makes for the perfect organizing product/tool.

These boxes can easily fit in your closet, kitchen cabinet, bathroom cabinet, or pantry.

Even though the boxes are clear, it is still helpful to label what you are storing inside.

When it comes to storing shoes, it is helpful to take a photo of the shoes and attach it to the front of the shoe box.

Use a clear sliding shoe box to store fabric napkins and other linens.

I use these boxes for just about anything…anything that will fit inside it that is!

Happy Organizing!

The post Favorite Organizing Tool #6 appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAqiVn1x3m8

My favorite organizing tool #5 is the tiered pant hanger.

It can be stored in any closet or hook or door knob.  It can be found at Target, The Container Store, Walmart and Amazon.

The tiered pant hanger can be used to organize a variety of items such as table clothes, linens and blankets.

It can be used to organize ribbon.

It can be used to organize bracelets and watches.

It can be used to organize scarves and shower curtain rings.

It can be used to organize fabric.

Use it to organize your tissue paper.

What can you use the tiered pant hanger to organize?

Happy Organizing!

The post Favorite Organizing Tool #5 {Video} appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

Do you ever want to hang something, but you hate patching holes in the wall? Or know that your landlord would have a fit if you did?  Well, now you can have the freedom to hang just about anything… ANYWHERE!!! 

Check out my all-time favorite organizing tool #4…

The 3M Command Interlocking Strips and Hooks.

They can be found at Home Depot, OSH, Target and of course Amazon.  The hooks come in white, clear, brass and clear with wire hooks.

Use these nifty little strips to hang pictures on your wall.  No need to knock on the walls to find a stud that will keep a nail secure (oh, so many jokes I could make here).  The directions are simple and friendly for everyone to follow.

Organize your jewelry and keep them tangled free.

Hang your holiday decorations.  Simply attach the hook upside-down on the inside of a cabinet, attach a ribbon to display a wreath or Christmas greeting cards.

 Hang your broom and mop.

Hang your baking accessories on the inside of your cabinet.

I love this! It’s a Kleenex box filled with plastic bags mounted to the inside of a cabinet.

Mount gadgets to the dash of your car.

Another organizing tool where the possibilities are endless.  What will you hang?

Happy Organizing!

The post Favorite Organizing Tool #4 appeared first on Grace Brooke, LLC.

Plastic Food Storage Bags are another one of my all-time favorite organizing tool.  There are so many items you can store and organize using these bags.  They are available in a vast array of sizes including, snack, sandwich, quart, gallon and even 2 gallon sizes.  You can grab a box at just about anywhere you shop.

Plastic food storage bags are great for freezing foods such as meats, soups and fruit.  They are also great for storing and organizing holiday decorations or toys.  The bags can be used for traveling or even packing material for breakable items.  With a Sharpie pen you can easily label  the plastic bags with a date an item was put in the freezer, what technical device a plug belongs to or even what nails or screws belong to a certain item.

Here are a few more ways you can organize using plastic storage bags:

1. Put all your spare keys in little snack size bags and label them so you don’t lose your head when you lose your keys!

2. Divide each weeks’ worth of pills and vitamins among seven labeled snack size bags.

3. When it’s raining, bring along a larger size plastic bag to store your wet umbrella in so you can still stash it in your purse.

4. Marinate meat by placing your chicken breasts in with your marinade and stick it in the fridge until it’s ready.

5. Store your iPad in a gallon size plastic bag to avoid spills and sticky fingers.

Check out these examples of what can be stored and organized using plastic food storage bags.

Store some yummy snacks for yourself or kids.  (I thought this was cute using a paperclip and pipe-cleaner).

Store and keep your ribbon organized using sandwich or gallon size plastic bags.

Finally a way to store and organize all those tiny little toys like LEGOS!!!

Traveling?  Here is a great way to organize your children’s clothes using gallon size plastic bags. They are also great to pack your liquid necessities such as shampoo and lotion to keep from exploding all over your clothes.

This is a great idea if you have kids who play sports.  Get a wet sponge, put it in a plastic bag and freeze it.

Presto!  You have an ice-pack.

Another great idea to store and organize all your tech STUFF.

Here is a clever way to use a plastic bag for pancake mix or frosting.  Happy decorating!

Plastic Bags are easy to wash and reuse.

Happy Organizing!

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7plzsgMJZs

This month I am sharing all my favorite organizing products and tools to simplify not only your home, but your office.

The under-the-shelf basket is another big time favorite of mine because it is so versatile. It can be used in the kitchen pantry to hold bread, rice bags, crackers, snacks and so on. I also like to use it in kitchen cabinets to maximize the space by holding smaller dishes, napkins and dish towels. It works great in laundry rooms, bathrooms, bedroom closets and even in the garage. Anywhere you have a shelf, it will help to maximize the space!

The under-the-shelf basket has endless organizing possibilities.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=togwqb0dBWM

This is my all-time favorite organizing tool – the over-the-door shoe organizer. 

It can be used for absolutely EVERYTHING (except adult size shoes, in my opinion).  The only space it requires is the wasted space behind your door.  It could be a pantry door, closet door, linen door, bathroom door, bedroom door or even an under-the-stairs door.  If you happen to run out of doors, this handy organizer can easily be mounted onto a wall.  The over-the-door shoe organizer can also be easily mounted onto the back on the driver or passenger’s seat in an automobile.

Check out some of these genius ideas using my FAVORITE organizing tool:

I thought this was a great idea for the holidays.  An Advent Calendar!  Make it yourself with the days of the month and little goodies for each day.  How fun!

How do you use an over-the-door shoe organizer?

Happy Organizing!

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There are so many clever ways to store and organize ribbon.

Whether you’re a scrapbooker or just love to wrap gifts, having access to your ribbon collection is essential! Check out these clever and simple ways to organize your ribbons while having them at your fingertips.

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Let it all hang out this holiday season!

“Good Enough IS the New Perfect”

Is the mere thought of the upcoming holidays making you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, guilty and quite frankly stressed the hell out? Does the idea of escaping it all and landing in a remote island appeal to you?

In a world jammed with cutesy DIY projects, photos of gift wrap themes and scrumptious recipes that are posted all over the internet it’s no wonder our holiday To Do lists have gotten out of control!

Professional organizers, Grace Brooke and Jennifer Ford Berry are known for their tough love approach to simplifying, organizing and being more productive in less amount of time.

Here is an inside peak at some of their favorite tips for keeping it real and maintain your sanity during the holidays: 

{Get real about your expectations}

Turn off the HGTV channel and hide your Martha Stewart subscription until January. Design your own holiday experience without the pressures of the media.

{Quit being a grouch and start being grateful}

Stop complaining about what still needs to be done and start being grateful for all of your blessings and accomplishments.

{Develop a holiday vision that is unique to your family}

Sit down as a family to discuss the things you want to do during the holidays and more importantly the things you don’t want to do.  You may include: movies you want to see, old traditions, new traditions, places to visit etc. Write up a list and post it where your family can be reminded of it daily.

{Stop cluttering up your friends’ and family’s homes}

Give them the gift of an experience, a memory that they will enjoy and cherish forever. It can be anything from gift certificates to memberships to services for your home.

{Opt out of the “Perfect-Holiday-Card” contest}

Do you notice how everyone is trying to come up with the designer holiday card (you know…the one that is professionally shot, where the family is in coordinating outfits, the hair is perfect and everyone is full of holiday cheer).  A snap shot from last summer’s vacation is good enough! (The NEW perfect).

{Stop being Martha Stewart and start getting drunk with the rest of them}

This holiday season pass on the sit down dinner and plan a fun, simple cocktail party with appetizers.  Make it more about getting together and less about weeks of preparation.  Good food and good company is what it’s all about.

{Let the “Fifty Shade of Gift Wrap” go and just get it done}

Keep it simple.  For example: recycling your kids’ artwork to add a personal touch to your gift wrapping. (And this is a great way to get rid of more crap).

{Cut down on your holiday storage and decorate your tree with natural ornaments}

Make clean up and storage a snap by using popcorn, berries, cookies, pine cones, bird nests, oranges, candy and other disposable items.

For more great ways to organize and simplify your holiday season check out Grace and Jennifer’s 65 Day Holiday Organizing Challenge that begins on October 29^th.

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There are so many ways to organize and store paperwork.  The perfect system has to fit your lifestyle as well as the space it is intended to fill.

If you are limited on space, but want easy access to your files, use a storage trunk and ottoman with storage. These items can serve as storage as well as a place to sit. They “hide” what you may not want to look at on a daily basis.

Maybe your looking for something on your desktop to house your “action files”?  This is a clever idea – a dish drying rack.

Another great desktop idea is a vintage file sorter.  (Also great for organizing envelopes, mail and tissue paper.)

If you are really tight on space and like to “see” your files, use a wall mounted file holder such as the one below. These wall mounts can also be used to hold pot and pan lids!

If you are constantly on the “GO” and need something that is easy to tote around, check out the Utility Tote by Thirty-One.  Just insert the Open-Top File Box found at The Container Store to hang your files.

Or use the Lilly Pulitzer’s Collapsible Storage Bins found at See Jane Work. They have handles for easy transport and come in designer prints.

What is your favorite way to organize and store files?

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Wrapping gifts can mean serious business for some people. Have you seen Candy Spellings gift wrapping ROOM (above image)? More and more people are converting spare bedrooms into Wrapping Rooms. What a fabulous place to spend a few hours wrapping gifts and organizing all your supplies!

With the holiday season quickly approaching, now’s the perfect time to get your gift wrapping supplies organized and simplified.

Tissue paper can be used for so many crafts, art and home decor projects. It also adds a special touch to any gift.

You may be frustrated with finding the best system/solution for organizing your tissue paper collection. You are probably wondering, “Where do I STORE it all?”

Here are a few simple and effective storage solutions for keeping your paper collection neat, tidy and organized:

Use a file sorter to keep tissue at your fingertips.

Remember that accordion file you have stuffed in the back of the closet?

Put it to good use by storing your paper collection in it!

Don’t forget that wasted space behind the door.

Use an over-the-door shoe organizer or towel rack to hang your collection.

Pizza boxes make an excellent home for tissue paper. It helps you keep a tight limit on how much you can keep.

Sort and store your tissue paper by colors and prints.

Use tiered pant hangers and trouser hangers to store tissue and other paper that can be used for wrapping gifts.

What is your favorite way to store and organized your collection of tissue paper?

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I often get asked, “What’s the best way to organize my gift wrapping paper and supplies?” The image above is a genius and frugal way to organize your gift wrap when you have limited space and money.

On the top shelf you will find recycled CEREAL BOXES that are cut and decorated.  They can be used to hold gift bags and gift tags. The CANDLE HOLDERS with CANDLE STICKS are a perfect way to hold and display ribbon. On the next shelf the yarn is kept in recycled SALAD CONTAINERS.  How many of those do we just toss out every day? Do you recognize the PIZZA BOXES?  Yes, they keep all the tissue paper crisp, not crunched. The tin on the side is perfect to keep all the wrapping paper neatly contained but still visible.

It is truly amazing at how many items can be used for several purposes.

Here are a few other clever and resourceful ways to store gift wrap supplies:

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If you love to sew, but have found you have been putting projects off because you can’t find your sewing supplies, you are going to love this organizing idea!

Where’s an extra button when you need one? Martha Stewart suggest creating a three-ring-binder repair kit (she’s so clever).

All you need is a Three Ring Binder, a few Zippered Pouches, piece of Felt (use spray starch to keep the needles in place).  You will never have to search for a pin or button again.  Everything is organized and easily accessible.  No more thread getting tangled up and no more “ouchies” while searching for a needle.

You can easily store your binder on a shelf in the closet or on a bookself.

So pull out that pile of button-less shirts and pants and begin tackling them with your new handy Sewing Repair Kit Binder.

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Headbands are in style for girls of all ages!

You may have a box filled with unsorted, unorganized headbands?  Maybe a few of them are losing their shape and “cuteness” due to being shoved in a drawer?

How to make a headband organizer:

Grab an empty Quaker Oats container, your choice of 12 x 12 decorative scrapbook paper and Mod Podge (glue sold at most craft stores) and a foam paint brush.

Simply spread the Mod Podge onto the back of the scrapbook paper and press it against the Quaker Oats container.  Stickers make a glamorous addition while assisting the paper to stay in the perfect position.

While waiting for your Headband Organizer to dry, take the time to sort through your headband collection and discard or fix any that headbands that need a little TLC.

This organizer can be beautifully displayed on a dresser or bathroom counter top.  The center of the container can also be used to store those frilly scrunchies, a brush and comb, or hair clips.

Here are a few other great and fun ways to organize headbands.

Happy Organizing!

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Having a clean and organized bathroom will make getting ready much easier. There are two steps in creating a cleaner, more organized, and functional bathroom; firstly, purge and secondly, add storage. Here are some great storage items that will help you to organize your space.

Purge: The first step is to go through your cabinets and drawers and get rid of any products you haven’t used within the past year. Check expiration dates and toss anything that is expired.

Add Storage: Add storage by implementing shelving units, a tiered rack, and a shower caddy.

Happy Organizing!

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Having a huge makeup collection is great, except for the fact that it can overrun the space in your bathroom drawers. Here are some tips to help you organize your collection.

1. Purge: Makeup doesn’t last forever. Mascara and lipsticks especially can be a breeding ground for bacteria. You should replace your mascara every couple months. If you haven’t used something in the past 6 months – year, toss it. Or, after you’ve sanitized it, give it to a friend.

2. Sort: Figure out what you have and develop categories. For example: eyes, lips, face. The larger the collection, the more categories you’ll need. Be specific so that you can find what you are looking for, but not so specific that it won’t be manageable to keep up with.

3. Brushes: Go through your brushes and toss the ones that are a mess. Clean the ones that you decide to keep. Wash with warm water and baby shampoo.

4. Organize: Keep in containers and label. The Container Store has great looking clear, acrylic containers that are perfect for storing makeup.

5. Go through frequently: Don’t wait until you can’t find something to go through and reorganize your collection again. Keep your makeup neat and organized by putting the items back in their assigned homes after each use or on a weekly basis. Your mornings will flow much smoother.

Here are a few images to get you inspired to organize your makeup!

Happy Organizing!

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There are many benefits to setting up a mobile office and being able to have access to your office through your vehicle. It can save money and facilitate professionals such as real estate agents who are frequently on the road and need access to their office. Here are some tips on setting up your mobile office.

What technology you will need: 

• Laptop
• WiFi
• Power converter
• Printer/scanner/copier/fax
• Bluetooth
• Something to organize files

Laptop: An obvious, but necessary, staple to having a mobile office.

WiFi: There are so many places now that offer WiFi; just about every coffee shop. But Verizon also offers a plan where your smartphone can be made into a mobile hotspot. You won’t have to depend on others, you can just pull off to the side of the road and log on anywhere when you have your phone serving as your WiFi connection.

Power Converter: With all these electronics, you will need a power source. With the Peak PKC0BM 150 Watt Cup/Can Power Inverter, you can plug this power inverter into your cigarette lighter outlet which will then give you two AC outlets and 2 USB power outlets. ($22.93 on Amazon)

Printer/scanner/copier/fax: With a power converter, you now have a spot to plug in a printer with scanning and copying capabilities. Since faxing documents is still necessary, try efax, which offers internet fax to email services.

Bluetooth: The Parrot MKi9200 Blue Tooth Hands Free Kit allows you to have a visual display of who is calling and helps to eliminate background noise.

Something to organize files: Autoexec offers a car desk (I included a picture at the top of the blog post) with a place for hanging files and a laptop plate. This serves as necessary desk space to write on and a place to file paper work.

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Kids need routine in order to feel a sense of stability and security in their lives. In preparation for back to school, start early by getting back into the school time routine. Here are a few tips…

• One to two weeks before school starts, get your kids back into the habit of waking up early. Summertime has most likely allowed for some sleeping in which will make early mornings difficult. Transition back into the school year routine by having your kids slowly start waking up earlier each morning. This way, waking up early on the first day of school wont come as much of a shock.

• Along with waking up early, make sure your kids are getting to sleep on time. Remember that they should be getting anywhere from 8-10 hours a night. A week or two before school starts, use the time after dinner to transition into a pre bedtime routine.

• A great way to help younger kids get ready in the morning is to create  a playlist for them. That way, they know that by the end of the first song, whichever that may be, they should be up and putting their clothes on, and by the end of the last song, they should be tying their shoes and getting ready to go. It is a good way to teach them the concept of time.

• Reestablish mealtimes. Try to have breakfast, lunch, and dinners the same time you will when school starts. If your kids pack their own lunches, have them do so the week before to get them back into the habit. This is also a good time to brainstorm new lunch ideas and restock any missing items in the cabinet. Click here to look at some healthy lunch recipes.
  

Happy Organizing!

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Back to school means buying more stuff…both school materials and clothing. Make it a priority to get rid of the old when you come in with the new. Now is a perfect time to go through your child’s closet to decide which clothes they no longer need. Remind yourself & your child that getting rid of clothing is an opportunity to make money through consigning and ultimately making room for new clothes. As you go through their closet, have boxes or bags for three different categories: to donate, to store, to keep.

Here are some tips…

• To Donate: If you live in the North Bay, Just Between Friends is having a huge consignment sale September 6-9 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. Here you can get 50-90% off retail price of clothes, toys, strollers, furniture…and have an opportunity to consign items to make cash. Visit Just Between Friends for more details.

• To Store: There is no need to take up precious closet space for spring/summer items when they are not being worn during the fall/winter months. Place them in Space Saver bags or storage boxes and store them somewhere like under the bed, in the garage, or in the attic.

• To Keep: To figure out what still fits, have your kids try on all their clothes to see what is too small. Another option is to place all the garments on hangers facing one direction (backwards). As they wear clothes and they are washed and placed back on hangers, face the hangers in the opposite direction. Soon, you will easily be able to tell what your kids are wearing and what they aren’t.

Happy Organizing and Back-to-School!

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