Clothes

It must be “that time of year” — based on the number of emails and questions I’ve been getting lately, you must all be ready to organize your closets!

So, instead of answering every single email, comment, and Facebook message; I thought I would do a quick post with a bunch of links to different posts about organizing clothes.

These should keep you busy for awhile!! 

How I organize our master bedroom closet

How I organized my closet in our old house

How I organize our accessories

How I organize our coats, hats, gloves, and other winter gear

How I organize our nursery closet

Tips and ideas for organizing kids’ closets 

More tips for organizing kids’ clothes

The 80/20 rule for organizing your closets

A list of things that should NOT be in your closet

The benefits of creating a Family Closet

And as you set out to organize and purge your clothes, please remember that clothes clutter is usually also “emotional clutter” — which means it can be difficult to get rid of.

Be honest with yourself…

• if it doesn’t fit, get rid of it
• if you don’t LOVE it, get rid of it
• if you don’t wear it, get rid of it {even if you did pay good money for it!}
• if it doesn’t make you feel great, get rid of it
• if your kids won’t wear it, get rid of it
• if you have 12 of the same thing, get rid of at least half of them
• if you are only keeping it because of emotional reasons, bite the bullet and just get rid of it
• if your best friend gave it to you but you don’t wear it, get rid of it
• if it’s been in your closet for more than 7 years, get rid of it

Ok, I think you get the idea

There are plenty of donation places that would LOVE your unused items… and I guarantee you’ll love all the extra closet space you have!

Happy organizing!

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{don’t worry, we’re not getting rid of Nora!}

As you can probably imagine, January and February are busy months for anyone involved in the “organizing industry”. Just think about how many people made a New Year’s resolution or goal to “get more organized” this year!

And even though I’m normally quite organized, I find myself with an even stronger desire to declutter at the beginning of a new year. Maybe it’s because I like to declutter while I take down my holiday decorations, maybe it’s because I need to compensate for all the additional stuff we brought IN to our home at Christmas, or maybe it’s simply because I’m inside all the time during these cold winter months and can’t stand to live in clutter.

Whatever the case, I too have the urge to purge!

If you’ve had this same urge lately, I have a really SIMPLE tip that always seems to help me get rid of even more stuff in and around our house.

My tip = use a clothes basket.

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Lately, I’ve put a couple different clothes baskets in convenient places around our house and anytime I come across something we don’t need, use, want, or love, I simply toss it in the clothes basket. When the baskets get full, or when I know I’ll be near a donation center, I simply put the baskets in my car and drop off our unneeded items.

Why do I like using clothes baskets?

• They are really easy to carry
• They are super portable so I can move them to different rooms in our house — or right into the car
• They are sturdy enough to hold all kinds of things
• They are inexpensive
• They fill up quickly so I feel like I’m making lots of decluttering progress

And since I’m pretty sure almost every single person reading this has at least one clothes basket lying around… I would like to challenge you to spend 20 minutes walking from room to room and see how full you can get your basket!

Oh, and here’s another really good use for clothes baskets…

How many clothes baskets could you fill over the next year?

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Even though our farmhouse has SO many features we absolutely wanted and needed in a house; the one thing it doesn’t have is a mudroom… or any type of front closet or back closet.

We have tons of storage in all the bedrooms and upstairs, just not by the back door or front door — which becomes somewhat of a problem during the winter months when we have a bunch of coats, hats, gloves, scarves, and boots to corral.

Last fall, I showed you how we organized our VERY SMALL entryway in in our old house, but believe it or not, we actually have less of an entryway now!

{our old entryway}

So I had to get creative!

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I knew I wanted some sort of closed storage… but without any type of closet, we were out of luck. I also knew that I didn’t want to try and make room for all our winter gear in our bedroom closet.

So, I was ecstatic when I found this armoire on Craigslist for $20 and painted it/distressed it to work with our living room decor {I’ll show you before and after pictures of the cabinet later this week.}

Then I simply installed a clothes rod on top and a couple shelves on the bottom to hold our winter gear.

Our coats go up top and then we each have separate shoe boxes for hats, gloves, scarves, etc. Not super fancy, but it was quick, cheap, and it looks great. You can’t even tell that this pretty cabinet hides all our “stuff”.

I also have a boot tray with a few more hooks by our back door for wet boots and gear — it’s right over top of a heat register so everything dries really quickly!

So that’s our make-shift mudroom… for now.

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I do have ideas of transforming our laundry room {which is right off our back entrance} into a mudroom. But that would require re-doing the plumbing and a decent amount of demolition, so for now, our little armoire will just have to be “good enough”!

It’s not perfect, and I’m sure as we have more children, we will NEED a bigger space, but it was one thing we were willing to deal with since we simply loved everything else about our house.

What about you…

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Do you have a nice big mudroom, a small back closet, or nothing at all {like us}?

Do you have any creative storage ideas for winter gear?

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Over a year ago I showed you everything that was in my purse.

And while I’m still using the exact same purse, the contents have changed a bit… and would you believe that it’s even MORE organized! 

Yup, I just recently came across a new company, Invite L, and they specialize in really classy organizing products and tools {so of course I instantly fell in love with them!} Oh, and you might just want to pay attention because in a few weeks, you’ll have an opportunity to win a bunch of their amazing products

The Bag-In-Bag:

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One of my favorite products is their Bag-in-Bag — or basically a small bag/purse with a bunch of organizing pockets. These bags are big enough to fit all the basic necessities, but small enough that they easily fit inside most bags, purses, and diaper bags. So when it’s time to switch purses, all you need to do is take the Bag-in-Bag out of one purse/bag and put it into the other.

SO simple!  

I’ve been using this adorable {and super functional} green Felt Bag-in-Bag for the last few weeks, and I can’t even tell you how much I’m loving it! 

I’m already thinking how great it will be in a few short weeks when I’ll be toting around a big diaper bag everywhere I go. Now I can just slip my bag-in-bag into the diaper bag and I won’t have to carry a diaper bag and a big purse!

I also have this really fun Dual Bag-in-Bag which has even MORE organizing pockets… and padded compartments for technology items like cameras, iPads, ect.

I could see the Dual Bag-in-Bag being my favorite travel accessory from now on! 

Planners:

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If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time, you know that I’m absolutely obsessed with paper planners. I HAVE to write everything down and I really want to be able to see a full week and month at a time so I can accurately plan my schedule and my daily to-dos.

Well recently, my daily planner broke… so I was in the market for a new planner, but it had to be one that could start in October, not January {which was REALLY hard to find!}

Thankfully, Invite L. has a huge selection of planners and agendas that are totally customizable!

I’m currently using their Agenda, which allowed me to start on any day of the year and organize each day, week, month, and year!  I love that there is PLENTY of room to write out the activities for every single day and extra room for notes, or all my to-dos at the bottom.

And not only is the Agenda totally functional, it also fits perfectly inside my Bag-in-Bag AND is the most lovely shade of yellow. I feel happy just looking at it!

Take a closer look at the image on the right — do you see how EMPTY my planner is??? That’s because starting in November, I’m pretty much declaring myself on “maternity leave” from my organizing business… which means WAY less appointments, meetings, etc.

Oh I can’t wait!

Colorful Masking Tape:

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The last product I want to tell you about is Invite L’s really fun line of colorful masking tape. Their tape comes in different widths, colors, and patterns and I actually use it in place of labels – because it just looks so much nicer!

Of course you could use this tape for anything you would use normal tape for as well… and just think of what a fun addition it would be to holiday gifts, homemade cards, envelopes, or as any type of label!

These are some of my favorite Invite L. products — not only because they are so fun and attractive, but also because they are super practical and functional. What a great combination!

Hopefully I made you drool a bit over these fun organizing tools, because I’ll be back in a few weeks with a really fun Invite L. giveaway!

In the meantime, I’d love to know how YOU would use the Bag-in-Bag.

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11 comments →

source: alexkerhead

I hate wasting time!

So I’m always on the lookout for quick organizing projects to tackle when I have a few extra minutes here and there. I’ve even started timing some of my daily tasks, and found that I could accomplish many of them in 10 minutes or less!

After thinking about these 10-minute tasks, I realized that by completing one every day for a year, I would tally up over 60 hours of organizing — pretty impressive!

So what can YOU accomplish in just 10 minutes a day?

Lots of stuff!

Head on over to the AboutOne Blog to read 22 simple ways you can get more organized in 10 minutes or less!

And I know you have at least 10 minutes!

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It’s THAT time of year again.

Ready or not, the lazy summer days will soon be replaced by a more structured, back-to-school schedule.

And even though the transition from summer to fall can be a stressful time of year for many families, the change is manageable if you take some time to simplify and organize a few key areas of your home and life.

1. Clothes

Fall is a great time to declutter closets – both your closet and your children’s. With the change of seasons, you may also need to change out your wardrobe and your children will most likely need a few new items for school that you missed during the back-to-school shopping rush. Plus, with the holiday season right around the corner, now is a great time to purge some of your old things to make room for new holiday outfits and gifts.

Simple Tip: Make the process fun for your children by hosting a fashion show and asking them to try on all their clothes. You’ll quickly see which items should be donated to charity and they’ll be entertained for an hour or two.

As for your own closet, purge anything that doesn’t fit properly, anything that’s damaged, anything you don’t feel great in, and anything you haven’t worn in the last year.

 

2. School Supplies

It’s the best time of year to stock up on school supplies as many stores are offering substantial discounts. However, before you head to the store, take a quick inventory of what you already have. Compare your current supplies to your children’s back-to-school lists and only buy what you don’t have.

Simple Tip: Take advantage of the amazing deals, but don’t get carried away. If you only need one package of markers, then only buy one (even if they are only $1.00). Those extra supplies will just take up valuable space in your home.

3. Technology

In today’s fast-paced world, you won’t get very far unless you have up-to-date technology. And while technology is a wonderful thing, it also requires an array of cords, pieces, parts, batteries, chargers and other accessories. Take some time to go through all your extra technology items and purge everything you don’t need. Then create a designated area to store extra cords, chargers, etc.

Simple Tip: Keep your cords organized by labeling them and reduce extra accessories and chargers by purchasing universal chargers like the Energizer Universal Charger. Its space-saving design can charge up to eight batteries at once and works with AA, AAA, C, D, and even 9V rechargeable batteries.

4. Meals

During busy fall months filled with meetings, ballet practice, piano lessons, and soccer games, it is extremely helpful to have a bunch of extra meals and snacks stored away in the freezer. Yes, this involves planning ahead and making those meals in advance, but once your freezer is stocked, you’ll save hours of time every week and you’ll never wonder “what’s for dinner?” again.

Simple Tip: Create a weekly meal plan at the end of the previous week. Write down what meals you’ll have each night, make a list of ingredients you’ll need to purchase, and don’t forget to schedule leftovers or take-out for at least one night!

5. Schedule

There’s a good chance your fall schedule will be busier than your summer schedule, so start off on the right foot by finding a good family calendar or personal planner to record all those important events, meeting, and activities. It could be an electronic calendar that you access via your phone or a simple wall calendar in your kitchen. The important thing is that you keep ALL the information in one place.

Simple Tip: Use different colors to record events for different family members. That way, everyone knows what the others are doing each day.

By planning ahead now and organizing a few key areas of your home and life, you can make a smooth transition into the hectic fall months.

What are YOU doing to get ready for the fall and back-to-school season?

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Thanks to Energizer for sponsoring this post and allowing it to be published in newspapers and magazines across the country!

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Earlier this week, I took you on a tour of our brand new Master Closet.

It was the first post in a series of posts I’m planning to do about “clothes clutter” and it gave me a good opportunity to  show you exactly how Dave and I keep all our clothes organized {and all in ONE closet!}.

However, after hearing feedback from many of you, I decided that accessories should be the next post in this series.

I think accessories are like food storage containers — they magically multiply without your knowledge – and before you know it, they’re everywhere!

If you feel like your accessories are taking over your closet, bedroom, bathroom, etc. Then let me give you a few tips to keep them organized — and show you how we keep our accessories organized.

Jewelry:

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I keep my bracelets in an old star ice-mold that sits on the top of my dresser. It looks fantastic and makes it really easy to find what bracelet I want right away. Plus, if the mold starts to overflow, I know it’s time to purge. Cool bowls and baskets would also look nice.

Similarly, I keep all my earrings and rings in an old muffin tin. I actually keep this tin in one of our bathroom drawers so it doesn’t spill or tip over. Ice-cube trays are another great way to store earrings and rings in individual compartments – plus they stack!

I hang all my necklaces on an old ladder — simply by pounding nails into the ladder at differing heights. It’s nothing fancy, but it also serves as decoration for our bedroom and keeps my necklaces tangle free.

Unmentionables:

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I got a TON of questions asking how I stored my underwear and socks — so although I never thought I would show a picture of my underwear drawer on the internet…. here it is!

It’s the very top drawer of my dresser and I use these clear plastic drawer organizers to keep everything in neat rows {yes, I always fold my underwear!} Also, I should mention that I actually have a double layer of socks on the right side of the drawer — heavy wool socks and tights/nylons on the bottom; athletic socks and dress socks on top.

Tank Tops / T-shirts / Athletic Clothes:

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I have quite a few tank tops, t-shirts, and athletic clothes because that is what I wear most often. I usually wear a tank top under everything, and the minute I get home, I change into a t-shirt. So I like to keep these items easily available and very visible.

As you can see by the pictures below, I fold all my shirts and stack them “horizontally” instead of in a vertical pile — that way I can see every single shirt when I open the drawer. Tank tops and PJ’s are in the 2nd dresser drawer, t-shirts and athletic gear are in the 3rd drawer.

Shoes:

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Shoes were another thing I got a lot of questions about — and I realized shoe storage can be a huge pain, especially if you have big boots, and other more substantial shoes that take up all kinds of space.

I used to have a ton of shoes, but over the last few years, I’ve really cut back to just the basics — a good pair of black and brown flats, black and brown dress shoes, black and brown boots, a few flip flops, a few “cute” pairs, and then my tennis shoes. Besides the boots and running shoes, I keep everything in the basket below.

A few other ideas for shoes would be to use an over-the-door shoe organizer, put shoe shelves at the bottom of your closet, or even keep your shoes by the back door {if you have enough room there}.

Belts, Scarves, etc.

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I just installed a clear over-the-door shoe organizer on the back of one of our closet doors to organize all our belts, scarves, and other mics. accessories – we LOVE it!!

Dave even decided to keep his MP3 player, cell phone, sunglasses, wallet, and watch in a few of the compartments {which means they won’t be sitting out on his dresser any more!}

As you can see, we still have plenty of space for more!

A few other ideas for belts and scarves are to install hooks, put the items in baskets, or just hang them on hangers.

Purses and Bags:

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Over the past few years, I have REALLY tried to cut back in the purse department too! I have a nice bag for summer/spring and another one I like to use in the fall/winter. I also have a couple smaller bags as well as a couple dressier clutches…but that’s it.

I keep all my purses and bags on the top shelf of our closet. I stuff them with newspaper so they keep their shape and then put them inside cloth bags so they don’t get dusty.

So that’s how I organize our many different accessories.

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Obviously, depending on the size of your closet, your bedroom, and the amount of accessories you have, my suggestions may or may not work for you. {too bad I can’t have ALL the answers!}

Do you have any suggestions that work well for your accessories?  I’d love to hear them!

And just because it’s been a while, here’s a picture from earlier this week {6 months along}

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