The ancient Chinese ‘art of placement,’ known as Feng Shui, teaches that if you wish to move to a better place, neighborhood or situation, show respect and give attention to your current residence. You are demonstrating the care you will provide the new residence you’re seeking. You are also showing respect for the person who will take over your current home. Perhaps this idea will inspire you, should you be feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of a move.
Not every move means you are taking all of your possessions with you. You might be lucky enough to have a second or weekend house or perhaps one you visit each summer. Nothing is more confusing then wondering where you left a treasured item.
Be sure your second home has towels and linens. Stock the kitchen with plates, glasses and some basic cooking utensils. Each weekend or summer when you arrive, you’ll know you can settle right in! To assist in remembering placement, make use of an Excel spreadsheet and keep a list of special items you have in this home. Next winter you’ll be grateful to discover that you didn’t lose that copy of “Wuthering heights,” you simply left it in the lake house.
In conclusion, moving is always a huge undertaking. All of the ofromentioned tips cover the obvious elements that come into play: turning off utilities at the current address and finding new providers' Culling through years of collected memorabilia, clothing, pots, pans and photos; Looking at furniture in a new light to see what will work and what won’t. It’s exhausting, which is why I devoted an entire month to the process.
As with any big undertaking, using a plan allows yourself to stay on schedule and achieve success easily. See this time as a positive transition to the next phase of your life. Fill the process with joy rather than sorrow and regret. You know what they say: it isn’t what happens to you in life, it’s how you deal with it.
Regina Leeds The Zen Organizer Author of New York Times Best Seller “One Year to an Organized Life”
Column on ClosetFactory.com appears every Monday & Thursday If you'd like to ask 'The Zen Organizer' a question, email info@closetfactory.com
Summer is just about over, and the new school year is about to begin, so take some time now to help your children get organized. Transition times are a great reminder to do some cleaning out & organizing. Just as the change in seasons reminds us to switch our clothes, the end or beginning of a school year is a great reminder to organize all those categories that go along with having children.
Whether you collect school papers in a bin, a drawer, a cabinet or all over your house, plan for at least a one hour project to pull them all together and sort through with your child. Make a Yes and No pile. “Yes” means you want to keep it and “No” means it goes. For those items you keep (like beautiful artwork or creative writing pieces) find a portfolio or bin big enough to hold all you have plus some more. If you have a prolific artist or writer, you may need one per school year. Label it with the grade and your child’s name. Then designate a spot where these boxes or bins will be stored, like a shelf in the closet.
If you’ve been meaning to make a scrapbook for your child, don’t let perfection stop you! Gather their memorabilia like certificates, special cards, ribbons or extra photos of your child’s special moments, create a simple scrapbook with your child. Let them decorate the pages with stickers, markers or other accessories if they like. Put in everything you have collected so far. For the upcoming school year, have a place where you will collect new items. A small desk drawer or an accordion folder work well.
If your children like to collect knick-knacks but you don’t like the cluttered bureau look, try hanging a display shelf for all their favorite items. Encourage them to keep like things together, for instance: pottery, trophies, wooden boxes or dolls. If you have too much for one shelf, hang several or put some items away and change the display throughout the year.
To get ready for the influx of papers in September have a two pocket folder for each of your children. These are great for keeping all of your reference material for the school year such as class lists, calendars, handbooks, etc. Keep all your folders in one central location for easy access and remember to clean it out each year.
To keep up with growth spurts, hang a large gift bag or shopping bag in your child’s closet. When they find something is too small, they can toss it in and when the bag is full you can drop it off at a clothing collection spot.
The best way to keep your children’s stuff organized is to teach them a daily routine as early as possible. Every day they should make the bed, put laundry in a hamper, clean clothes in the drawers, books on the bookshelf and toys in the toy bin. Keep it simple and be consistent.
Debbie Lillard Professional Organizer NAPO-GPC Professional Development Director Author of "Absolutely Organized" www.spacetospare.com
In a previous article, I discussed a few key tips to keep in mind for a stress free move. In this section, it's important to know one of the most important features that will turn potential buyers around when they walk through your door...clutter.
‘Stuff’ has a ‘visual noise’ about it (to coin a phrase) that makes it difficult to think clearly. How can anyone decide if their stuff will look good in your space if that space is chock full of furniture and decorative items?
Cleaning your clutter is a wonderful opportunity for you to weed through your belongings. After all you want your next home to literally represent a fresh start.
If you're not sure where to begin, pick a simple room. Start at one end and work your way through to the other. Stay focused on small areas and allow your success to move out into the room. All those newspapers and magazines you’ve been meaning to read can go to the recycler. Whittle down your memorabilia so that you aren’t lugging too much of the past into your future.
If you already have the new space, draw diagrams and place your furniture to your liking. Remember, don't force furniture to fit into your new space. It’s time to be ruthless! You can donate, or sell, the pieces you can’t take with you. You might even fund your move if you sell enough pieces!
From the outside in…
If your home is clutter free and presents the ideal neutral image but the outside is a tangled mess of half dead plants, a broken fence and paint peeling off the sides, don’t expect the real estate caravan to make a pit stop. Your home will be the ultimate drive by!
Ask your real estate agent which exterior projects will help you get your asking price. Fixing everything may not be needed, and you can choose to focus on one or two repairs. Play your cards right and your profit will reimburse all your improvement expenses.
Regina Leeds The Zen Organizer Author of New York Times Best Seller One Year to an Organized Life Column on ClosetFactory.com appears every Monday If you'd like to ask 'The Zen Organizer' a question, email info@closetfactory.com
Do you love a sport or hobby so intensely that artifacts are scattered throughout your home? Consider keeping your interests private. You don’t want to lose a sale to a vegan who doesn’t appreciate the moose heads you have mounted all over your home. You get the idea. When people enter your home, you want them to see it as a blank canvas on which they can write the story of their family and imprint their unique style.
I had a client who was involved in Eastern Spiritual philosophy. While I appreciated her artwork, I assured her that potential buyers from outside this circle might not be able to see the house because the artifacts offended them.
Alas, she didn’t listen to the real estate agent, or me, and her home never sold. Which begs the question: are you sure you want to sell?
There’s a house in my neighborhood that’s frequently on the market. It has never sold. But for over 20 years the For Sale sign periodically pops up on the lawn. I assume the owner is lonely and this is the only way he can get folks to stop by.
Regina Leeds The Zen Organizer Author of New York Times Best Seller One Year to an Organized Life Column on ClosetFactory.com appears every Monday If you'd like to ask 'The Zen Organizer' a question, email info@closetfactory.com
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