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The Essential Thirty-One Bag

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I was recently at a clients house and she had a really cute tote bag. When I asked about it she told me about Thirty-One Bags. I decided to check out their website and since they were offering a special discount I decided to order one. My tote bag arrived and it’s even better than I thought it would be!

They work so well for a variety of organizational uses:

  • Groceries
  • Farmers Market
  • Travel
  • Beach/Seasonal
  • Library books
  • Kids stuff

Here’s an idea: Inside each tote keep zipper pouches or makeup bags for smaller supplies and essentials!

ThirtyOneJulySpecialPage2To Order, Contact:

Kelly Hartman
Ind. Senior Director
mythirtyone.com/kellyhartman
http://www.facebook.com/groups/KellysToteallyAwesomeCustomers/

June Garage Special : Just In Time for Father’s Day!

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Is the man in your life looking to get that garage emptied? How about the OAL gals do it for him! We can totally transform a garage in just a few hours! We bring all the supplies, help weed through everything, and haul it away at the end of day. What better way to treat him this Father’s Day?

1 Free Hour With the Purchase of 3 Paid Hours

Valued at $150!

 

Just mention this post to validate the offer. Valid 6/1/2014-6/30/2014

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.

Garage Storage Ideas

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 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: CD’s & DVD’s

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Guest Blogger: Becca Newboles works for Julie as an assistant and organizer. Check out her profile here.

If you’re like me, you love music and movies. I’ve been looking for a way to store them without it looking cluttered and taking up valuable space in my home. I also wanted the ability to quickly skim through and find the right artist or genre. And in so many homes, I see DVD cases strewn about after children or family members are done watching them. After doing some research, here is what we came up with. We are so happy with the results!

CD/DVD Binders

1. Count Your CDs or DVDs. Donate any that you or your kids rarely watch. This will decide how many binders you purchase – my binders hold on average of 80-90 CDs or DVDs.

2. Purchase Sturdy Binders. If you have kids, buy something that will survive every day wear and tear. These binders are from Russell and Hazel. At $25 a piece, they are a bit pricey, but so worth it. They are reinforced, have a thick rubber band for secure closure, and come in many colors.

DVD BinderRussell and Hazel Signature 3-Ring Binder

3. Purchase CD/DVD Inserts. Out of everything I found, these Walmart ones are the best and only $10/pack! They hold 8 CDs/DVDs per page.

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4. Categorize Your CDs or DVDs. If you have a large quantity set aside time to do this. I spent a few hours one afternoon to complete this entire project. I bought four binders to hold all of my DVDs and labeled them accordingly:

  • Romance/Comedy
  • Action/Adventure
  • Kids/Classics
  • TV Shows

5. Insert and Label. Once you have your categories, start putting them into their coordinating binders. I also alphabetized them in each binder. Don’t forget to label!

DVD Binders

6. Discard Cases. I had two large boxes full of empty DVD cases when I was finished. Check with your local recycling company to see if they will take them or your local library!

Success! Now everything is contained and labeled. I eliminated an entire piece of furniture in my home with this process.

We would love to hear how you store your DVDs and CDs!