The Organizing Aussie’s Blog

My family and friends know that when it comes to traveling I have had issues with the “traveling light” concept. I am always holding my breath when I have to put my suitcases on the scale at the airport check in, hoping that they will not exceed the 50 pound limit, and feel sorry for the attendant who has to drag my suitcases off the scale and onto the conveyer belt! There is one advantage to this, however -it has always been relatively easy for me to identify my suitcases at Baggage claim – I just have to look for the bold neon ”Heavy ” tags that were placed on them at check in!

Having said all that, I do have to say that on my recent trip home to Australia I was ruthless in the amount of, or rather lack of, clothing I took with me. It was more like a case of “I had to” since I had an entire suitcase already at the 50 pound max with items for family and friends.

So despite (or perhaps because of) my somewhat spotty record in this area, I do have some tips for the trip you might be taking this summer or for any trip in the future:

1. Place all clothing you anticipate needing on your bed, and then put half back! Yes that’s right – HALF. I actually really did this for my trip to Australia in April, and although I was a bit concerned that I would not have enough to wear, I found that there were still a couple of things that I never wore.

2. Select clothing pieces that can be mixed and matched – this way you will have more outfits.

3. Choose clothing that is lightweight and wrinkle resistent. Where possible, roll all clothing. They will not be wrinkled when you are ready to wear them.

4. Limit shoes to 3 pairs. Sounds harsh, I know, but shoes take up so much room and weight. Stuff shoes with socks, electronic chargers and the like and place them in ziploc bags around the perimeter of your suitcase. Wear the heaviest pair if you are traveling by plane.

5. Top your suitcase with the clothes you will need first – pajamas, swimsuit, etc.

6. Toiletry items can amount to a lot of weight, so pack travel sizes for all that you can – shampoo/conditioner/deodorant, etc.

I not only keep a checklist of what I have packed, but when I return I make comments to help me for my next trip (e.g., “Only wore once” equates to do not take next time!)

Hope this helps and enjoy your vacation wherever it takes you!

Have you ever wondered (or cared!) how organized the cupboards, closets, drawers etc. might actually be in a Professional Organizers home? Well, I have decided to take you into my home over the next few months and show you my some of my spaces  along with my tips on how to create the order that I have.

This time of year brings out the spring cleaning bee in us, and organizing goes hand in hand with it. I am going to start with my closet as this is usually the one area that people really get motivated to clean out this time of year because they are sick and tired of their winter clothes and ready for a change.

So – first things first! Assess what is in your closet, re-directing anything that should not be living there. Next, do an asessment of all clothing, shoes, handbags, belts, etc.,  that are residing there. If there is anything that you have not worn this winter, chances are you are not going to wear it next winter, so consider donating whatever falls into this category. If you rotate your seasonal clothes, the time to do it is now, placing out-of-season winter clothing wherever it spends the spring and summer months.

My bedroom closet with all new hangars

As you can see from my closet photo – I have made the switch from wooden to the suede nonslip hangers. I still love the look of wooden hangers, but have gained an amazing amount of space by making the switch. (FYI, Coscto is the most reasonable place to purchase them – you can get 35 hangers for $10). Also, I have actually gone back to a floor system for my shoes which allows me to see what I have much more clearly than when I was using a hanging shoe organizer.

You should also group like items together and consider storing them in decorative baskets. They look nice and are a great way to organize. You can see from the photo below how I’ve put my handbags in wicker baskets which I keep on the shelf.

So have some fun and embrace the challenge of organizing your closet and let me know how it goes!

Merri

G’Day! Did you know that January has been given the auspicious title of “Get Organized Month” by the National Association of Professional Organizers? So here we are already to the third day of January. What have you done to change your life so far? (at least as far as re-organizing!) I have said it before but will say it again – one of the top resolutions people make each year (other than losing weight) is to be more organized. So let’s do both!

I actually already have 4 – yes, that is 4 – huge trash bags of stuff that are leaving our home. I went room by room January 1 and if “it” did not fit into the “I love it, use it, or am sentimentally attached to it” category, I decided it was time “it” should leave and find a home elsewhere! Tomorrow there will be a trip to the Disabled Veterans thrift store. I would like to say, by the way, that most of stuff in these 4 bags came from what our daughter Kaitlyn left behind before she shifted to Korea!

As I was doing laundry yesterday I decided that it was time for all the socks in the “orphan sock bucket” to go. They had been there for a year and obviously had not met their soul mate in that time, so it was bye-bye. No regrets! What is it about socks that makes people cling onto them? I mean you can purchase a packet of 5 pairs of white socks for $6, so why do we feel we should keep on to the strays when they cost so little? I don’t know the answer, but I do know that this is probably an issue for a lot of you. My suggestion is in the future to buy the same brand for both black and white socks. This way if one goes missing you can always rematch it with another. You also have permission to right now collect all those stray socks and TOSS them! Really – it’s no big deal. In fact – do it RIGHT NOW!!! One of my best friends in Australia who I stay with when I go home (You know who you are and BTW – I love you dearly!) has had stray sock issues in the past. She has a very active family of 5, so ends up with heaps of socks in the laundry. I convinced her last time I was there that it was time to say goodbye to the strays, and after we had paired up all that we could, we bid adieu to the strays and I  bet she hasn’t looked back even once!

So, why don’t you right now purge any and all stray socks that you have. It is OK – just do it. Really, it’s OK! Oh, and let me know how many orphans you have let go of!

Merri

So here we are on the last day of 2010. I know, where did the year go? We have a brand new year to embrace starting tomorrow. What are you going to do differently? When I look back over this year to the clients I have helped and have seen the difference that becoming organized and getting rid of clutter has made to not only their lives, but to their families too, I encourage you all to resolve to be more organized in 2011. Start small – like a kitchen drawer. Remove everything from the drawer, and only put back what you use. Group like items together and I can guarantee you will feel a great sense of accomplishment and realize how easy it was. Venture on to another drawer, then another, then do the same with the kitchen cabinets and pantry. Have a donate box handy to place items in that you no longer use, need or love. It is that easy !! And the personal reward is great. I wish you all a very happy and organized 2011.

So I have been needing and putting off having what I like to refer to as “old lady bunion surgery” for several years now- the result being that the bunion and the pain and damage have been getting progressively worse, so I decided it was time to bite the bullet and just do it. Of course the thought of 6 weeks of non-weight bearing (that’s right – wheelchair and crutches) had been a big reason why I had postponed the procedure. I scheduled the surgery 2 days before Thanksgiving knowing that my mother-in-law would take care of our Thanksgiving meal, and knowing that the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is usually a slower time for my business – my clients are too busy trying to get ready for the holidays, and organizing is not one of their priorities! Come the New Year though – different story!

For the past few years I have decorated the house for Christmas before Thanksgiving, as I really enjoy my Christmas decorations and think it a shame to only have them up the month of December. So I got the decorating done before surgery.

I love baking and always like to make homemade treats to give to those people who touch my life during the year – you know- people like the Pharmacist who I am on first name terms with, the various specialist Dr’s who care for us all year long, the folk at the day care that Clancy attends, etc., etc. I usually start this baking after Thanksgiving, but knew this year I would have to get going before then, so instead of making several varieties of cookies, I chose one  favourite and made many batches of this cookie. I have them already packaged in decorative tins and in my freezer ready for delivery.

I did as much Christmas shopping as I could beforehand, and wrapped everything, all ready to go under the tree. All I have left to do is compose our annual Chrismas letter and get that off to friends and rellies. I feel really pretty good about all the planning I did before having the surgery, and can now actually sit back and enjoy the holiday season.

My message to you is not to become overwhelmed with all the things that you think you need to do in preparation for the holiday season. First and foremost – remember the most important part of the holidays is family and friends and being able to spend time with them.  They will not care if you have not baked 20 different kinds of cookies . Make a list of your top priorites for the season, and commit to taking care of each one as you can. Then sit back and enjoy the sounds and smells of Christmas

This blog is dedicated to the “what ifs” that I come across all the time in my client’s homes. The items that have not been used for years or even needed, but fall into the “But what if we decide to go skiing again?” or “We haven’t been camping for years but maybe one day we will.” Well for starters, if you have not been skiing in 10 years, chances are that the ski gear is not going to fit anymore and the gear itself is so outdated that you should consider upgrading the equipment.

On my recent trip home to Australia I observed that my dear sister had at least 40 coffee mugs taking up a full double kitchen cupboard. Big family, you must be thinking. No, there are currently only 3 people living at home. When I questioned my sister about why so many mugs, the response was “What if we have another outdoor film evening and I want to serve hot bevies (beverages) to everyone who comes?” This is something that she has done a couple of times over the last 10 years. I told her that it would be much better use of prime cupboard space to consider only keeping a dozen mugs and getting rid of the rest (donate), and if and when the occasion arises where she finds herself in need of serving hot drinks to 40 people – go out and buy some disposable cups.

Then there are the “what if I lose 20 pounds and can fit back into my old clothes” people. My answer to that is simply if you have been able to lose those 20 pounds you deserve a new wardrobe of clothes! Not ones that are probably by now outdated and have been taking up all that space in your wardrobe.

Live today in the moment, not in a “what if” state of mind. The “what ifs” in our lives take up space that could be used for the “use now” things in our lives.

I have just started working with an amazing client; she’s energetic and highly motivated to get organized.  We whizzed effortlessly through her den and family room. I was so impressed with how easy it seemed for her to let go of  ”stuff “. She warned me though that it would be a different story when we got to her closet as she was very attached to her clothes, shoes, and the likes and she felt that it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to part with anything in this space. Well, not only was she able to  part with HEAPS of clothes (several boxes in fact), but it seemed that she actually was not as attached to her shoes as she had previously suspected, as evidenced by the 87 pairs that she decided  to part with.  Along with the shoes went a whopping 73 belts!  My client was surprised at how easy it was to let go of  all that she did. She has an amazingly organized and uncluttered closet now which I am confdent she will maintain. I have encouraged her (as I do you) to adhere to the “one in one out” policy: whenever you purchase a new article of clothing, commit to letting go of  an old article of clothing. This way your closet will not get out of control.

Just for fun – why not go to your closet right now and see if there are 10 things that you can part with. If you don’t love something, don’t wear it or it doesn’t fit you it does not belong in there !!!

I had been unwell for 2 weeks – sluggish, definitely not my usual high energy self, constantly nauseated (way past the child bearing age, so that possibility was elimiated!) and well, bloated. The nurse in me took these symptoms and had already diagnosed the worst possible kind of cancer (and the organizer in me was already planning my memorial service!!).  Of course when my family practioner reinforced that he believed something was really wrong with me, I was sure I only had months to live. The following day an abdominal ultrasound revealed what I think was the best possible diagnosis and prognosis: my gallbladder was full of gallstones and surgery to remove the irritating gallbladder was necessary. When I met with the surgeon, I questioned why someone like me should develop gallstones. I mean, I am relatively slim,  a vegetarian who does not eat fatty food; I just did not fit into the nursing school ” fair, fat, and 40″ associated with gallbladders. The surgeon explained that there was absolutely NOTHING I could have done to prevent this. One is born with the genetic disposition to make or not make gallstones. In other words: it was totally out of my control.

That got me thinking about organizing. We all know someone who needs to get rid of the clutter in their lives, and as much as we would love to help them, it’s out of our control. Case in point my dear sister who keeps buying books and craft magazines and never lets any of them go. I have offered to help her every time I return to Australia, but the situation is totally out of my control. All I can do is patiently wait and hope that one day she will realize that she does not need to hold on to them all and then I can step in.

Be patient if you have a loved one who has issues with clutter and too much stuff. A time will come hopefully when they not only recognise that they need to de-clutter, but will be able to release the control over the stuff to someone who can truly help them ( like a professional organizer ). The hardest  step is for people to actually realize and claim that they have a problem. Once they have been able to do this  a huge emotional burden is lifted and they are then able to proceed with the organizing process itself. 

Back to the conclusion of the galbladder story. I felt immediately better when I awoke in the post operative area of the surgery centre, and within days back to my old self and am living perfectly well, gallbladder free !!!

CRIKEY! I cannot believe that my last blog posting was way back in January. What can I say other than I have been extremly busy organizing Huntsville!! More than ever, people have a desire for less clutter and more order in their lives, and the lifestyle rewards they consequently reap from a clutter-free home, the satisfaction of an orderly home, being able to find anything at anytime, and having more time to spend with family and friends.

I received an e mail just this week from a client telling me “It feels so great to have a house in order. I already think I could tell someone exactly where to find most things. I am feeling so much freer and energized. I can never thank you enough.” My personal reward is knowing that I have been able to help someone make the changes they were so desirous of.

Anyway, it is Memorial Day weekend and besides being a long weekend, it is a time to reflect and be thankful for the armed forces and all that they do, and to appreciate the sacrifices they have made for us. In Australia we too have a similar holiday: ANZAC day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corp) which we celebrate on April 25. We DO have an army, we have a navy, airforce and marines. (I am stating this for anyone out there who did not know this already!!! Hard to believe, I know, but an Aussie army wife living here was actually incredulous and gobsmacked when someone she met recently was surprised to learn that Australia had any armed forces!!!) We Aussies are firm allies with the Unites States and have fought beside you through many wars, including WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.

So take a moment to remember those fallen heros who sacrificed so much to ensure your freedom. Enjoy your holiday weekend and pledge to clean out/purge/organize just one area in your home. It could be a closet, room, or even just a kitchen drawer. You will feel like my clients feel – energized and motivated to move on to other areas of your home.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left to grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them

Lest we forget.”

As I have mentioned in the past – all my clients have in some way taught me valuable lessons and I believe made me the professional organizer I am today. Today I want to tell you about Bobbie. I met Bobbie probably 2 months ago. Her daughter had contacted me about her desire to give her mom the gift of organization (actually she had offered her mum as a birthday gift a spa certificate, but Bobbie chose organizing instead!!). At the time she was living in a rather small apartment with her 6 year old grandson Cody, but was in the process of purchasing her very first home. She wanted her new home, this new start, to be organized, so this is where I came in.

I immediately liked Bobbie. She had a determination about her. She knew she wanted to make changes in her life to make her life and Cody’s life better. Here was this strong single woman, raising her grandson, a bright cheerful upbeat woman with a contagious smile and personality. I knew I would love working with her.

The next time I met Bobbie was when she had just moved into her new home. I had the opportunity of helping her decide the best “homes” for her belongings and we proceeded to set up zones in the kitchen, Cody’s bedroom and closet, Bobbie’s closet and pantry. After I left I was confident that Bobbie was going to have not only maintain her newly organized home, but that she would now have the knowledge and skills to do more by herself.

When I got a phone call the day before New Year’s Eve from a Channel 48 reporter wanting to do a story on organzing for the new year by highlighting one of my clients, I immediately thought of Bobbie. I rang her around 8pm that evening to ask her if we might do the report at her home the next morning, and without any hesitation she agreed.

When I arrived a little early in case she needed any help “tweaking” any areas – I was simply amazed at all that she had done since I had seen her last. She had followed my suggestions and purchased small, inexpensive storage containers and had organized her bathroom drawers meticulously, she had used storage baskets to group like items together in her pantry/closet (batteries, etc.) and even labeled them accordingly (though I really do need to get her a label maker, I know she will have soo much fun with that!!!) She and Cody had organized the coat closet . Cody took great joy in explaining the coat closet organization to me – “This is where we put the gloves now”, “this is were we put the hats now”, then he wanted to show me his bedroom – remember this is a 6 year old boy. WOW! Everything in its designated place. I believe this organizational process has given him a sense of pride as much as it has Bobbie.

Bobbie is going to enjoy a wonderful life in her new home. She is not only going to be more organized, but she will find that she has more time, as she now knows where to find things, she is going to be less stressed, because she has a clutter free organized home.She is the kind of person who has always done for others, and put them before herself, and I believe if her daughter had not offered her this gift, Bobbie would might not have done this for herself.

So this one’s for you Bobbie!!!!

P.S. I’ve just started a NEW blog on al.com – the breaking news site for Alabama news, sports, and weather. It’s called “Conquering Clutter” and it can be found at http://blog.al.com/conquering-clutter/index.html