Formula For a Home

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JuliesGrandfather

Recently our family spent some time sorting through a few very old scrapbooks and we came across a newspaper article (probably from the early 1920’s)  in my maternal grandfather’s belongings.  He passed away when my mom was a very young child so I never knew him, but I found this article profound.

“But if it’s a place where, more than anywhere in the world, we would rather live, where, more than anywhere in the world, we feel that we can be ourselves and be understood – if for us it is the nearest thing to heaven on earth – it has found the formula for being a home. Yes, young lady, a home can be both clean and comfortable, both efficient and friendly, both disciplined and endearing. And when you grow up, all this please remember – for if you make and manage such a home, when comes your time to do so, you will be performing your highest mission in life. And neither the young nor the old would wander so much or stray so far, if there were more such homes.”

I’m certain that when my grandfather saved this article he was not even married yet. He did however take his role as a future husband and father very seriously based on the message in this article (and from some other items that we discovered).

Little did he know that his youngest granddaughter would take these words to heart as well. Not only in my own home, but in many of the homes I work in.  I believe a home should be a haven and a resting place – “where, more than anywhere in the world, we feel we can be ourselves, be understood – if for us it is the nearest thing to heaven on earth – it has found the formula for being a home”.

I am also fully aware that “home” is a painful place for many, but I trust that this article from so many years ago will be a reminder of what home can and should be.

Book Recommendation: Minimalism

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via theminimalists.com
via theminimalists.com
Over the years I have read a lot of books about organizing; some have been amazing, some were boring and some were how-to instruction manuals which were helpful but dry. What I’ve come to realize is that the process of getting organized is so much greater than “containing our things”.  It’s really much more about lifestyle choices and that’s why I loved the book so much!  Creating a balanced life is hard work, but the rewards are truly lifelong.  It’s a great summer read. In fact, I already gave my copy away because summer is almost here and I want my house to be totally clutter free so I can be outside as much as possible!

Here is the book description:

“At age 30, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus left their six-figure corporate careers, jettisoned most of their material possessions, and started focusing on life’s most important aspects. And they never looked back.

 

This book’s foreword and first chapter examine Joshua and Ryan’s backgrounds, their troubled pasts, and their eventual spiral into depression. These chapters discuss why the authors didn’t feel fulfilled by their careers and why they turned to society’s idea of living: working ridiculous hours, wastefully spending money, living paycheck to paycheck. Instead of finding their passions, they pacified themselves with ephemeral indulgences, inducing a cocaine-like high that didn’t last far past the checkout line.

 

And then, after a set of life-changing events, they discovered minimalism, which allowed Joshua and Ryan to eliminate life’s excess and focus on the essential things in life.

 

The subsequent chapters explore their journey into a lifestyle known as minimalism and discusse why these two successful businessmen eschewed their excess stuff in favor of focusing on life’s the more important aspects: health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution.

 

The authors discuss how minimalism allowed them to focus on each area, citing personal examples of how they changed everything in their lives over a two year span, during which time they left their corporate jobs, got out of debt, changed their diets, started exercising regularly, strengthened their core relationships, established exciting new relationships, began pursuing their passions, contributed to more people, and found ways to be content and happy with their lives.

 

The final chapter, Confluence of Meaning, binds together these five dimensions and asks the reader important questions about his or her life. “

Looking for a place to start? Check out the article “Organizing is Turning You Into a Hoarder” recently written by Millburn and Nicodemus for the Refinery29 website.  It’s a great article with 10 spring/summer tips to help you pare down your belongings and live a happier, lighter, more meaningful life. It’s never to late to start!

Check out their website and buy the book on Amazon. It’s also available for download as an ebook and audiobook.

Why I Love Being Organized

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Sunset

“I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the body and the mind.” – Albert Einstein

The weather in Washington today was a sunny 85 degrees!  It made me so happy and reminded me of why I love being organized!  For me, warmer, sunnier days means more time to be outside doing the activities I enjoy most.  When life is simpler there is always time for whatever it is you love to do.

A few of my favorite simplifying tips include…

Remembering that getting organized is more of a journey than a destination.  Even after 26 years in this field I’m still learning new and simpler ways to do things and I’m sharing most of them in the classes I teach.

Asking for help, trading for help, or paying for help is always better than making costly mistakes.  I’m always amazed at the amount of money people spend on remodeling when all that needed to be done was a little de-cluttering and re-arranging.

Food preparation has become very complicated for many because of self imposed dietary restrictions. Paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian and trendy diets are, for the most part, choices we make that add to expensive and complicated meals. As a type 1 diabetic, I fully understand the need to eat carefully, but I’ve learned that the key to really great meals and weight management has much more to do with portion control than any crazy diet.  Balancing carbs, fats and protein with exercise is not rocket science.  The best information I received after my diagnosis at 18 was learning what 1800 calories looked like while incorporating a variety of foods and that exercise had to be a part of my life EVERY DAY…not just a few days a week.

Don’t let these things hold you back from enjoying what matters most! Organizing continues to be my passion, but time spent with the people I love will always be more important than any organizing project.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Garage Storage Ideas

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garageorganizationborder

 Photo via Better Homes & Gardens

“We adore chaos because we love to produce order.” – M.C. Escher

The U.S. Department of Energy reports that one-quarter of people with two-car garages have so much stuff in there that they can’t park a car. Our garages are filled with stuff, stuff and more stuff!

Things to Store in the Garage

  1. Car. Of course.
  2. Seasonal sports equipment
  3. Lawn and garden care supplies and equipment
  4. Tools
  5. Car care equipment
  6. Holiday decorations
  7. Rarely used kitchen appliances. Turkey roasters, bread makers, canning supplies, and holiday dishes.
  8. Canned goods in glass containers. The tight seal keeps out bugs, plus the garage temperature helps them last longer.
  9. Donate and consign bins
  10. Cleaning supplies

embarrassing-garage

Things NOT to Store in the Garage

No matter what kind of garage you have  – these are things that shouldn’t be stored there. A garage is harder to keep clean and pest free – keep that in mind when storing your belongings!

  1. Food (not contained in glass). Think of all the rodents and bugs that can burrow into cardboard, paper and plastic!
  2. Photos. Cold weather and water damage can destroy your precious memories. Take our photo class and turn them into priceless photo books or DVDs!
  3. Slides. Again, same as photos.
  4. Artwork. Potential water and pest damage.
  5. Instruments. The cold is terrible on wood and brass instruments.
  6. Upholstered Furniture. Again think about what could get into those cushions.

Julies Garage Bins

Our Favorite Garage Organizing Products

  1. Clear plastic containers. Clear containers allow you to immediately see what you have. Don’t use the clam shell lid bins or varying colors!  Get bins that are sturdy with clip lids. Costco has a three pack or the IRIS brand from Office Max, Office Depot, Storable’s and online has a wide variety of sizes to fit your needs.
  2. Rolling chrome shelves. We love these Costco shelves and we’ve used them in many homes. They move around easily and keep everything off the ground.
  3. Labels. Save yourself future time and energy and buy a label maker now to label your bins!
  4. Garage Vacuum.  A wall mounted garage vacuum takes the stress out of cleaning your car and helps keep your garage tidy.

For more inspiration check out our NEW Pinterest board: Garage Organization!

Don’t miss out on our upcoming classes! The Simply Organized Home & Organizing Your Photos

Organizing the Backyard for Spring and Summer

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We are happy to have guest blogger, Fix it Yourself, writing for us this week!

Grey small outdoor shed with backyard landscape.

Spring brings us outside to enjoy the season’s burst of new life. With spring comes the blooming flowers and plants, critters coming out of hibernation, and more outdoor play. Spring also brings more outdoor stuff. If last year’s spring and summer backyard was a maze of clutter and clunky toys, we’ve put together some tips to help you keep an organized backyard.

Weather Resistant Storage

If you have the room, consider putting a shed on your property. The added storage offered by a shed is amazing to say the least. Not only can you store gardening and lawn equipment, you can also store outdoor toys like bikes, pool toys and sports equipment.

Keeping your things inside an attractive weather resistant shed instead of outside will keep them newer longer. This is a great way to teach kids how to take care of their stuff.

Have a Yard Sale

Need to raise money to buy a new shed for your property? Consider having a yard sale. Clear out the indoor and outdoor clutter and use the proceeds to buy yourself and your things (maybe a new croquet set?) some extra storage.

Clear the Clutter and Donate to Charity

Kids grow up quick. Then why do their toys seem to stick around a lot longer than they should? Spring is a great time to get rid of old outdoor toys by donating them to charity. The Goodwill and the Salvation Army both take used donations that they resell to support job training and other programs in the local community. Don’t forget to get a receipt for a tax deduction.

Beautify Your Backyard

The more care you give your backyard, the more you and your family will want to keep it organized and clutter free. After all, your backyard should be a place of play but also a place of rest and relaxation. Help your backyard reach its fullest potential with a good spring lawn maintenance and clean up. Fertilization, weed and insect control, mulching, mowing, tree and shrub care, and general lawn maintenance are a must each spring to keep your backyard looking beautiful.

The Grill

If you haven’t been grilling this winter (and even if you have!), it’s time to clean up the grill and the area around it. All too often, this is a spot that tends to get ignored. Even if you keep your grill covered, it still needs the occasional degreaser. And what about those grilling tools? Are they in a handy, organized spot or just thrown to the side somewhere?

Pool Side

If you have a pool, chances are you have pool toys, pool cleaning equipment, and lounge chairs. A shed certainly comes in handy to safely store away chemicals used to treat your pool and for toys that you’re not using. You can also put extra lounge chairs away and out of the sun and have them in a convenient location for guests who are sure to come and enjoy your beautiful pool and organized backyard.

Your backyard is your own private, spring time wonderland. By placing importance on the care and organization of your backyard, you and your family are sure to enjoy many fun filled and peaceful days and nights enjoying all it has to offer.

E-Organization: Photos

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colorful photo box

Instead of writing a full blog post this week, we decided to give you a sneak peek of an upcoming class that has everything to do with electronic organization!

Photo Organization Class

Dates Coming Soon!

Are you feeling overwhelmed with the amount of photos you have stashed in boxes and stuffed in drawers? How about  digital images stored on a hard drive, in files on your computer and even stuck on your devices? We can help! We will guide you step by step and provide you with many options on how to best preserve your memories. We will also discuss how to manage your ever growing digital image collection and turn them into priceless photo books organized by the year, event, holidays or person. The ideas are endless and so is the opportunity for wonderful gifts. We are offering a spring class for those who want to take advantage of organizing and creating throughout the year to make meaningful slideshows, photo books and many other beautiful gifts personalized with your own family/friend life experiences and events in time for Christmas!

For this class, we are so excited to be teaming up with local photographer – Diana Critchlow! Diana is a dear friend and owns a business called Memories in Motion.

“In 1999, I saw my first picture slide show put to music and was so inspired by it I set out to figure out how to do this with my own photos. This passion along with my desire to organize my families “memory clutter” became a mission of mine. It wasn’t long before I was asked to create a slideshow for my first client and Memories In Motion was born. As you can imagine, my business, through our ever changing technology has evolved and I want to share what I have learned with you. I never get tired of seeing others “memory clutter” become a personal gift of memories to cherish. I often think about how many households have boxes of old photos and slides as well as film reels and negatives that haven’t seen the light of day for years, sometimes even decades. I believe those dusty neglected boxes hold many treasured memories that can be enjoyed by many with just a little direction, commitment and desire. That’s where this class comes in!”

Spread the word – more information will be posted to our Classes page soon!