Organizing Your Move

May 10, 2018 by Jessica Leave a Comment

Moving can be an exciting and stressful process all wrapped up into just a few short months! There is so much to do, and with what seems like so little time. Organizing your move can be much easier than you think – but it all starts with a plan.

1. Create a timeline

Before you get started you will want to have an organized checklist to asses what still needs to be completed before the big day. Need help with where to start? Allstate has a wonderful printable moving guide! Download it here.

There is a lot to consider when making this list. As you can see in the example above, keep in mind the purging of unwanted or unneeded items, transferring utility services, cleaning, hiring movers, packing and so on.

2. Start collecting boxes

Boxes can be purchased at your local hardware or shipping stores. On a tight budget? Ask around with friends and family or check with local stores for any boxes they would be happy to donate at no cost that they would either way be tossing. Boxes of all sizes will work but keep in mind that it is easier to stack boxes in a moving truck when they are are of the same size!

3. Labeling the boxes

This step will be crucial in making sure your move is as simple as possible. There are two steps to the labeling process.

Step one: label by color.

Step two: label by room.

To take this a step further, as typically you will have more than one or two boxes per room; under the colored room label make a few bullet points with what is contained within your room labeled box. For example:

Like these pre-made moving labels?
Download them here!
This step is quite simple, but also it is a fool proof way to keep your boxes organized and will help you to not lose anything important during your move!

AND DONT FORGET TO LABEL YOUR “FRAGILE” BOXES

4. Unpacking

Congratulations, you have successfully made it into your new home!
Now, time to unpack.

DONT FORGET ABOUT THAT CHECKLIST YOU MADE!

Ensure you have all your items where they should be, and boxes made it into the right room. If you have hired movers, make sure they have not missed anything.

You will want to unpack in order of urgency. Typically kitchen first, bathroom next, bedrooms and so on. You will want to have a meal shortly after you are settled in, and a bathroom break is inevitable! As you unpack you will decide on perfect placement and naturally get a “flow” and routine in your new home.

Home Organizing: Where to Start

July 1, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

Just the idea of decluttering and organizing your home can be overwhelming. It seems almost impossible to find the motivation to clean up and organize your home because you simply don’t know where to begin. With Organized by Jm, you don’t have to do it alone!

Start Here:

There are some basic tips and questions to ask yourself when you decide to make the step towards bettering your life. The truth is in any home, the “stuff” is coming in faster then we are moving it out. In order to avoid this or slow the process down, you need to have a plan. Maybe you would like to have a garage sale or donate unused or unwanted items.

The first important piece of this process is, you must know what you have. Often we purchase duplicates of things in our home because we cannot find them, or we forget about them because they are not in a place where we see it.

During our time together there are questions that I always initially ask my clients to figure out their needs, wants and hopes for their space. These questions can help to put in perspective for you, what is really most important to you:

There are some questions that I then want you to ask yourself. This always helps to get the ball rolling if you are feeling a bit stuck.

How many of these do I really need?
How many of these do I actually use?
When was the last time I used this?

Purging, as I always say, is essential to organizing. Without moving things out, we are just moving the “stuff” around the house. I don’t want anyone to ever feel that an organizer is going to come in their home, and throw out all of their stuff. These are your items and they mean something to you, and as a client- YOU mean everything to ME.

We all like to hold onto items because we feel like we have to.

For example, birthday or Christmas cards, maybe a physical gift someone gave us. We feel like we need to keep these items because if we got rid of them we would feel guilty, or obligated but the truth is – you will feel so much better after they are gone from our space, as they are taking up space!

Holding onto items “just in case” will end up causing you unneeded stress in the long run. Storage space is limited, and you need to take advantage of every bit of it that you have. When you make the decision to purchase an item that will stay in your home, make sure to have a plan for that item, and make sure you need it.

Closet Organization: Round 2

June 24, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

So now that you have completed round 1 of closet organization and have purged, it is now time to organize what you have left! Take a step back and see what you have left over, and how much.

First you are going to want to categorize.

Pants from jeans, t shirts from long sleeved shirts, tank tops from sweaters and so on.
If you haven’t already, get everything that you want on hangers hung up, and anything else that may be folded in a bin or drawer, folded.

I find the easiest way to find what you are looking for in your closet is to organize by sleeve length, and also by color (rainbow). This may seem tedious, but it is not like you are shopping at a store for new clothes and are just rummaging through who knows what. This is YOUR closet, you know what you have and what the item is that you want to wear looks like! This will save you time in the morning, I promise!

Take a look! ——->

Tank tops in rainbow order, then the next sleeve length which is t shirts in rainbow order, then next length on bottom which is long sleeve!

Next, select (if any) the organizational tools

There are many tools that can physically help you organize. See some ideas below:

If you want everything super-perfect, these hanger separators are your OCD best friend! These keep everything perfectly spaced apart from one another – and looks awesome!

Click the picture for a direct link where to purchase!

Baskets- as you know they ARE my favorite, can be useful in just about any part of your closet. For example, on a shelf above your hanging bar to store shoes, out of season sweaters, purses or whatever! They keep them organized, and out of the way.
- If you are putting an item on a top shelf, another additional idea may be dividers between the baskets, or the items you have placed on the shelf.

Do you keep shoes in your closet? How about a shoe rack so your shoes do not end up all over the floor of the closet which leads to potential mis-matching. An over the door, or hanging shoe organizer can also be useful for shoe organization.

How about scarves? Either there are specific scarf-hangers or if you want to get creative – shower curtain rings can be put onto a hanger to hang your scarves!

A handy trick: keep a hamper in your closet if you have the space! I keep one right in my bathroom closet for my worn clothes (and it keeps them off the floor!) A step further: if you have a larger closet, keep a few baskets for dirty clothes where you can separate them into darks, lights, and towels.

Any form of organizational tool is very helpful with keeping a system in your closet to KEEP it organized and not fall into any bad habits.

At this point your closet should be complete! You have purged, you have categorized, hung and/or folded and you have used your own favorite organizing tools to keep all of the items in your closet neat, organized and easy to find. Anything else that you need help organizing in your closet? ASK! I would love to help you find the best closet organizer, or give you some tips!

Spring Organizing

March 11, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

We all know about “Spring Cleaning,”- but what about Spring Organizing?! Cleaning is no fun, but organizing can be (and a big sigh of relief)!

Warmer Season Change

Which means its time to put away the heavy sweaters,winter jackets and thick blankets for the season! Since the weather starts to warm up there is no need for us to have warm AND cold weather clothing and accessories out at the same time – together they just take up space. Swap them out for the warm(er) month items and pull out a few storage bins to sort and store the winter items. This is also a good time to purge any worn out, unused or unwanted items!

(As I have mentioned in past blog posts. Season change is a good time to do the clothes hanger purge trick! Pick a start day, in this case the first of the upcoming season, turn all your hangers backwards (so it is not easy for the hanger to just come off the bar). This takes only a minute! When you wear that item out, take it out and hang it normally. At the end season, any hanger that is still backwards, you know you don’t wear, purge it!)

Round up the Garage

This will be one of the more commonly used spaces in the warmer months. Whether you are just going in and out for gardening supplies or its the place you hang out; bottom line, things need to be in place. The garage is a place that is easy to sort and put into categories to easily declutter this space.

Clear the Fridge

Take a few minutes to go through the fridge and pantries to check for expired, or close to expiring foods. This is a good time to wipe everything down but throw out any old food or things that are not being eaten. Heck, our diets change from season to season, its time to clear out the old and in with the new fresh grocery list!

Get rid of piles

None of us enjoy the piles of mail that are laying on the counter or the last minute items that we threw into the garage and know we wouldn’t see for another season, and quite frankly the cold winter months makes us all a bit lazy. Take about 10 minutes in each room of your house to go through and throw out and old bills, throw out any ratty items, and sort items that need a proper home. Its time for the windows and doors to be open and people will be visiting, a clear organized home will be a sign of relief!

And of course we all know what spring cleaning is, clean up as you go! Take a few minutes in each area you organize to wipe a counter and dust a shelf 🙂 Happy Spring!

Purged? Now what?!

February 21, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

OK – so you have taken the first step in organizing and started to purge things that you are not using. You now have piles throughout the room, and you are thinking oh no, NOW WHAT?
You don’t want to just throw everything out, huh?

Let me help! There are SO many ways to repurpose unwanted items in your home without just having to throw them in the trash! Ever think, “I paid good money for that!” and either never used it or have no use for it in your space? Well keep reading for some ideas to repurpose those items!

Recycle. Sometimes we get overwhelmed when we see these piles of things to get rid of and just have the urge to throw everything out because we don’t know what else to do! When you are purging throughout your house take a minute with each item to determine if it is garbage or recyclable.
Examples: old receipts, vases, batteries, electronics, phone books etc.

Sell! Many people think selling unwanted items in your home are too time consuming or very difficult and involves a lot of research. But this is not true! You can sell pretty much anything, its just what you are selling – and the best place to sell that item. PLUS its an easy way to make money $$$. Craigslist and local Facebook selling pages (“online yard sales,” or of course, you could have an actual yard sale) are just a few examples of places you can sell pretty much anything!
Examples: clothing, appliances, furniture, books, electronics, sports equipment

Donate. There are thousands of places to donate your unwanted items, and almost ANYTHING can be donated to people in need. One of the easiest – clothes! We all have too many, and people are anyways in need of clothes. Donating is not only an easy way to clear clutter, but a feel good way too.

Repurpose. Ever hear the term “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure?” This is very true! For example in my house, we have a lot of recyclable items from food and drink containers that many people see as garbage, and I see as potential! Many of these containers just need the label removed and then get creative! Maybe wrap an old coffee can in wrapping paper, or spray paint it a light color. Its free storage!
Examples: coffee can, salsa jars (mason), shoe boxes, paper towel rolls

Still think I am crazy? Here is an example of each;

If you are feeling crafty, you can find thousands of ideas on Pinterest!

There will be a HUGE list full of places to donate, sell and recycle all sorts of items COMING SOON on my website. I am in the process of compiling THE BEST places, so stay tuned! And of course if you need to find out more information about specific items- just ask! I can find a place to donate just about anything, right in your area!

Closet Organization: Round 1

February 7, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

Is your space too small or is your stuff just too BIG?

This is where organizing comes to the rescue! Most people believe they do not have enough closets or storage solutions in their homes. But we have to start at the beginning on this journey and that means…

PURGE! PURGE! PURGE!

We always collect things that seem to pile up quickly that we do not use enough to even consider keeping….. CLOTHES. We all have too many! I LOVE to purge clothes, most people do not – but this is the first step to getting your storage to its max use!

You have to ask yourself:

“When was the last time I wore this?”
“When is the next time I plan on wearing it?”

Not anytime soon? GOODBYE! Get rid of it. And you don’t need to just toss it in the trash, there are hundreds of places to donate to, or even a little sister or girl down the street who would love the new items in their closets!

Having the URGE to PURGE is great and all, but how often should I do it?
Here is your answer:

EVERY TIME THE SEASON CHANGES!

Some people like to organize or separate their clothes by season, box them up and only have the current season in their closet. Not you? That’s OK!

Here is a fun trick to purging:

Pick a start day, maybe the first of the upcoming month, turn all your hangers backwards (so it is not easy for the hanger to just come off the bar). This takes only a minute! When you wear that item out, take it out and hang it normally. In 6 months (or at the end season), any hanger that is still backwards, you know you don’t wear:

PURGE!

Stay tuned for more blogs to complete your closet organizing!

Decluttering on a Time Budget

November 13, 2015 by Jessica Leave a Comment

The number one reason why people seek professional organizers is because they have NO TIME!

No time to spend an entire day or even weekend cleaning out a
certain room or space.. well that is NO PROBLEM!

I know we are all short on time but do you have 5 minutes? 10? 20?
5 minutes from getting home to starting dinner?
10 minutes in between picking up and dropping off the kids?

That is perfect time to organize

Try these tasks that can be done in as little as 5 minutes.

DECLUTTER THE JUNK DRAWER
10 minutes. This is not an oxymoron!

ORGANIZE (AND THROW OUT) MAIL

If you have 5 minutes. Go through all that mail
that is piled up and throw out everything
that you do not NEED

DECLUTTER THE TUPPERWARE

If you have 5 minutes. Match up
all mis-matched lids and containers.
Dispose of ones that do not have matches

BRING ATTENTION TO THE PANTRY

Attend to the entire pantry, not just
what is up front. Dispose of any
expired or unwanted food items.

CLEAR OFF THE DESK

10 minutes. Clear it off so you can ACTUALLY see
the desk. Homework gets done. Bills get paid
here. Keep it clear and organized for your
own reliability.

Organized spaces are the end goal here. Though you may only have a couple of minutes during the busy work week, organize what you can and re-visit it on the weekend when you have more than a couple of minutes!

No Fail Tupperware Organizers

September 27, 2015 by Jessica Leave a Comment

The most cluttered place in many homes are in the kitchen; the dreaded tupperware. There are so many pieces that we buy and collect over the years that when we need a lid to a bowl, it is a near impossible task!

Here are some dollar store solutions (there are many) to clear your clutter!

Personally, this is one tool I use to organize my lids,

And if you don’t have a ton of Tupperware…

Using wire shelves to stack and separate containers
(another tool I use)

Hanging shelves used for added space

These wire racks can be installed to the inside of cabinet doors to add space

Any type of drawer divider can be used for added organization and separation

Hopefully these pictures can give you some ideas to help tackle your kitchen Tupperware clutter from your drawers and cabinets! Be sure to go through all of your Tupperware as you are pulling it all out to dispose of the containers and lids that you are no longer using or do not have pairs.

Junk Drawer, No More!

August 28, 2015 by Jessica Leave a Comment

When it comes to organizing, you don’t have to start off by tackling an entire basement or kitchen – think small, start small!

For example; I had a tidy kitchen, but not once you opened the cupboards! You cant organize them all at once, or even within one day. Pick one thing or area that is really bothering you the most, or that you are most excited to get looking differently.

What is the most cluttered?

Your fridge?

Tupperware?

…THE JUNKDRAWER!
Lets turn this junk drawer to a junk drawer no-more!

Yes maybe this changes the name of the “junk” drawer – but if you insist on having one in your kitchen, lets get it decluttered so you don’t have to dig and dig to find what you are looking for!

A simple fix?

Categorize. Get a few thin and/or long baskets, and maybe another wide and short basket. I knew this drawer was a spot I always kept my batteries, pens and spare keys -but they were not easily accessible when I needed them! Get a few baskets that will fit in your drawer and place them however you see fit!

From there (in each basket) categorize! Pens, pencils, erasers, markers all in one. In another, all those batteries. Many different kinds? AA, AAA, C, D? Lets organize those a step further with bundling similar batteries with rubber bands then place them in your basket!

By keeping these similar items together and categorized they will make the junk drawer still full of your random items but once you can find in a second that than a minute.

One drawer down, many to go ! Happy organizing!

Command Centers

August 20, 2015 by Jessica Leave a Comment

….MY FAVORITE!

I can start by saying this was a HUGE to-do in my house! Ever come home to mail all over the counter…. the table…. all through the house? I DID! I couldn’t take it anymore! Mail should be in one convenient spot in your house so you can easily access it and find exactly what you need when you need it.

There are also a few rules to make sure it doesn’t pile up and take over your house:

1. How many people are in your household? Each person should have a spot on your command center for their mail. Next step-label. Mom, Dad, and so on. Whoever gets the mail separates it based on name.

2. Forgetful? How about a dry erase board! When you have a meeting, the kids have a soccer game or doctors appointment, write it on the board! Tip: a dry erase calendar is even better! One step further: each person gets a different color to not miss any appointment or event!

3. Bulletin board! Similar to the dry erase board, but a different form of a reminder board. Maybe you need to reply back to that wedding invitation?Post it on the bulletin board! A business card from a helpful person at the bank? Put it up there to remind you to call them for some additional help! Then, when you are done with it, throw it out or file it away!

When it comes to command centers –

Don’t let them clutter your life!

It is easy to slip out of habits. Plan one night a week to look over your
command center to throw out or erase what is completed.

Did you read the mail?
If it is no more than a bill you already paid, throw it out!
Went to the doctors appointment? Erase it off the calendar!
Attended the wedding? Throw out the invitation (unless you keep these in a scrapbook for memories)!