Today’s home buyers are younger and more tech savvy than their predecessors. A recent survey by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate shows that this new generation of home buyers is “rewriting the rules to home ownership and reinterpreting traditional norms to fit their values”. When it comes to adding value to your own home, it’s essential you pay attention to these trends.

30 to 40 years ago, most home buyers were married couples looking for large suburban lots to raise a family. Fast forward to current day, a vast majority of home buyers are single women and young working professionals. This shift in purchasing demographic inevitably has changed the landscape of what’s most valuable in a home.

Gone are the days where square footage and the number of bedrooms topped the list of must-have features in a home. Home buyers are now looking for homes that are unique, smart, and tout capabilities to add or enhance customized features. Consumers now strive to own a home that’s as individual as their personal lifestyle and incorporates the technologies that they have grown to know and love. Smart interior design now trumps curb appeal.

According to a recent article written by real estate expert Brendon DeSimone for Forbes, custom closets now tops the list of essentials for new home buyers. Walk-in closets are on almost every home buyer wish list. Home seekers are very willing to look at a home with fewer bedrooms in exchange for a home that has a room completely dedicated to a custom closet or custom home office. Many current home owners are forsaking an extra bedroom as well by turning a spare room into a dream closet for their own personal enjoyment and with the purpose of adding value to their home.

A large, smartly built closet will never go out of style. Most custom closets are made in such a way that they can grow and change with the homeowner or be completely revamped for a new homeowner. Investing in a custom closet will most definitely add value to your home right now, and you can rest assured the trend will be sustained over time.

For more information on how simple it is to add value to your home with a custom closet, check out our Design Process Page. Schedule a free design appointment with one of our Design Consultants to learn more about the endless options available to create the closet of your dreams!

Article written by Johnnya Burruss

Courtesy: Jada Paul

Los Angeles Clippers’ point guard and 2013 NBA All-Star MVP Chris Paul is serious about his shoes. The athlete has a massive shoe collection and wouldn’t trust just anyone to build an entire room devoted to his kicks. That’s why when it came time to build his ultimate shoe closet the Paul family called in the help of Closet Factory Los Angeles.

Chris and his wife Jada Paul worked with Closet Factory designer Stanley Selwyn to transform a large guest room into what the family now calls…“The Museum”.

Selwyn not only created this amazing shoe shrine, he designed and oversaw a complete remodel of other closets in the Paul’s home.

“The Paul’s purchased the house from singer Avril Lavigne. Their closets were part of the original design of the house, and built when the house was constructed. I came in and helped them remake the closets into something more practical for their unique needs”, says Selwyn.

“We love our new closets”, says Jada Paul.

According to Selwyn, the shoe closet can easily accommodate a minimum of 750 pairs of shoes.

CP3’s wife Jada posted the above photo to Instagram, which shows a portion of the completed shoe closet.

Article Written by Johnnya Burruss

As you might imagine the work I do is very intimate.  I’m in your underwear drawer and filing your tax return.  People tell me their innermost secrets.  Frequently what I sense is a level of tension in the relationship that comes from the fact that one member of the team is organized while the other has no clue. I set up systems that will be easy for the unorganized one to follow and I assure them this new way of being will reap benefits.  They will save time and energy not having to hunt for items.  They will save money by not buying items they already have.  They will be expressing love and respect for the environment and that will be a ‘turn on’ for the organized half of the partnership. Being turned on by acts of love always reaps positive benefits, doesn’t it?  Gifts you purchase are wonderful but gifts that require time, attention and personal sacrifice are often more valuable to your partner. Give it a shot.  You don’t have anything to lose except chaos and upset.

The clients with the most difficulty are frequently the left brained among us. It’s the doctors, lawyers, scientists and engineers who have more difficulty getting organized than the groups you might expect like actors, painters and writers. The doctor may be having breakfast with you but a part of him is thinking about his patients. The attorney may be writing a brief in his head and the scientists is likely mulling over her latest experiment.  They literally don’t notice the physical world around them because the problem solving that’s going on in their head is far more engaging.

You can imagine the problems that arise when someone like that marries a person who is more balanced in terms of how invested they are in left and right brain activities.  The rubber can really hit the road the first time you hear: “If you really loved me you would unpack those boxes!” “Why do I have to ask you to put down the toilet seat?”  Or “I can’t live like this! You’ve got piles everywhere!”  The person who isn’t interested in order may feel like he’s being controlled and I caution my organized brethren to be sure that that isn’t the goal.  Getting and staying organized are meant to make you more productive and efficient.  They give you a sense of being literally nurtured by your physical space.  The minute getting organized is used as a weapon to control another person it is inappropriate.  It certainly has nothing to do with the philosophy I describe as Zen Organizing.

Learn a New Skill

If you are that left brained soul who doesn’t see the mess in the environment that’s making your partner insane, what can you do?  First off realize that organizing is a skill just like those skills you have mastered and enjoy.  Everyone can learn how to get organized.  It isn’t a gene that some were born with and the rest of us can just go home empty handed.  Practice and determination very often trump natural ability. If a surgeon went into the OR without checking the instruments it would be irresponsible and dangerous.  If an attorney couldn’t find key documents to present to the court she’d be putting her client’s welfare in jeopardy.  Just so you and your partner need to establish designated places for every item in the home and return them to that spot after each use. It’s like my mom said to me 1000 times a day when I was a kid: “Regina, there’s a place for everything and everything belongs in its place so that the next time you need it or want it you will know where to find it.”

Organizing Tools to the Rescue

So there you are running around your home establishing order and you wonder if there are tools that can help you.  Yes, I guarantee there are tools in the marketplace to help you.  In One Year to an Organized Life and again in The 8 Minute Organizer I detail products that I habitually use to give you some guidance. Surf on over to a site like TheContainerStore.com and see what they offer that might assist you.   You want the material to be durable so that over time the tool can be used in new ways in different areas of the home.  Take a peek at Closet Factory’s website and learn how their custom closet systems can help organize and improve your life. It’s best to make your purchase in a store that consistently carries the item that way if you need more over time you won’t be disappointed to learn that the organizing tool you now love was part of a one time shipment.  Here’s the story of a simple product and how it removed a source of friction in a relationship.

John was very neat and tidy by nature. He loved the idea of putting his everyday bathroom items into a small container that he can store under the sink. He places it on the counter when he needs to prepare for the day. Before he leaves for work, he returns the container to its position under the sink. On the counter he has a display of beautiful bottles. This area is now very inviting, clutter free and easy to maintain. When we first met, it looked like a small cyclone had passed through. John had no idea there was a way to avoid clutter and still find what you needed when you wanted it. And there was one additional complication.

His sweetheart lived part of the year in another city. Unlike John, she did not mind being surrounded by a sea of bottles, brushes and tubes. We introduced her to the container concept, and as a compromise, she has decided to use one as well. Now her things reside in a quiet corner of the cabinet under the sink rather than spreading across the counter like a fungus. She can retrieve them easily whenever she is in residence. When she is away, they live quietly under the sink in one controlled area, waiting for her return. John, meanwhile, is soothed by the absence of clutter. I used the ‘Grid Tote’ from The Container Store but you can use whatever size, color and shape item that will contain the items you have to store.

“I don’t know where this goes …”

The very first time you pick up an item, shrug your shoulders, say to yourself “I don’t know where this goes” and toss it on the counter or in a drawer, you have jeopardized all your efforts at organizing that room. One casually tossed item will call to its brethren, and before you can invoke the name “Zen Organizing,” bottles, jars and brushes will have bled across the nicely organized space like ooze in a horror movie. You are creating the system. You determine the placement of everything you own. And you can work the system to support your experience in the home but also to show your love and respect for your partner.  How’s that for win/win?

Download our Organization Guides for professional tips and advice to get your home organized.  Don’t forget to sign up for our email to receive special promotions, discounts or industry news. 

Regina Leeds
‘The Zen Organizer’
www.reginaleeds.com

Want more organization tips? Download Regina Leeds’ Home Organization Guides and visit Regina’s author page.

We’re extremely excited to announce that Denver Life Magazine recently featured Closet Factory Colorado!

Denver Life Magazine called upon a team of respected organization experts to help them with an article titled Spring Cleaning, and Closet Factory Colorado was among the team of decluttering specialists contacted to participate.

The article discusses the common issue of household clutter, and how Denver Life Magazine readers can easily get their own clutter under control and live a more simplified life. Closet Factory Colorado provided beautiful images of custom closets for the article and Closet Factory Colorado is prominently listed in the article as a trusted resource for Denver Life Magazine readers to call on for additional organizing help.

“We’re flattered to be mentioned in Denver Life Magazine and as part of Denver Life’s services. The magazine caters to people who are interested in home improvement, home organization, style and the Colorado lifestyle and we are thrilled to be included as a representation of that lifestyle”, says Closet Factory Colorado CEO Mark Lestikow.

Lestikow continues, “We are big believers in organization and our systems are built to incorporate both the client’s organizational needs as well as their aesthetic style. Coloradoans have a wide variety of decorating tastes and the photos we provided best represent one of the more recent trends of simple, sleek style and the mixture of materials to create warm yet modern spaces.”

The feature length article appears in the March / April 2013 edition of Denver Life Magazine, which you can download using the link below.

Denver Life Magazine – Spring Cleaning Article

Article written by Johnnya Burruss

Bathroom Exit Ritual

• Wipe the counter.
• Clean the mirror
• If the toilet seat needs to be wiped, swab the deck.
• Return your towel to the waiting towel bar or hook.
• Take any clothing you aren’t going to wear with you as you exit. (Then hang up the item, toss it in the hamper, or add it to the dry cleaning bag.)
• If a nightgown, pair of PJ’s, or robe stays in this room hang it on its hook.
• If you took out a product (such as hair gel or lipstick), return it.

This exit ritual is presented at the start of the bathroom chapter rather than at the end because these steps can be taken immediately and don’t require any organizing. For those of you who just howled in disbelief that you can’t possibly take the time to do all of these actions, here is what I say next in the book:

‘Before you complain that these tasks take too much time to complete every time you leave the bathroom, breathe deeply! This list is comprehensive and probably reflects your last visit in the morning before you leave for work.  Do these tasks on an as-needed basis and they usually won’t take more than 90 seconds tops.  Here’s a tip: For fast cleanups, keep a colorful sponge on the counter or use a disinfectant wipe in a pop-up dispenser.’

Are you breathing easier now? But exiting the rooms in our homes isn’t the only way we can employ rituals and routines in our lives. You can establish morning rituals that you follow whether you need to be at work at 7 am, 8 pm or are staying home.  Here’s my ritual to help you get started.

Regina’s Morning Ritual

• Light a candle on my altar
• Head for the bathroom
• Open the blinds
• Bring in the newspaper
• Have breakfast
• Make the bed
• Shower and dress

The time I have to get up might vary but these are the steps that set me on the right path for a productive, calm and happy day.  Do you have a morning routine you’ve never acknowledged?  If not what actions would be a part of the way you begin your day? And if you do have a routine does it support you or do you need to tweak it a bit?  Routines can be simple or complicated depending on your needs.  When I’m in the bathroom getting dressed after my shower, for example, I take out all the lotions, creams and make up supplies I need to get ready.  I use them in the same order every single day so as they vanish back into the cupboards I know exactly how much time I have used.

Nighttime Rituals

Take a few minutes now and consider what steps you take each evening before you go to bed. In no particular order most people are doing many of the following:

• Brush teeth, floss and wash face
• Listen to the news
• Check kids homework
• Complete assignments for the next day at work
• Scan text messages, e-mails, Social Media accounts and listen to voice mail

How did I do? What would you add or delete from your personal list?  What order would you place the tasks in that makes the most sense for you? Doing tasks in the exact same order makes it comforting to perform the steps.  As I brush my teeth at night my brain is getting the message to start shutting down because it’s the last thing I do before bed.  If you are forever doing different tasks right before bed it can be confusing.  We are after all in so many ways Pavlov’s dogs, aren’t we?

Periodic Rituals

I have a house full of plants.  They all need to be watered on a regular basis.  Can you guess how I keep track?  I water them every Sunday night as 60 Minutes starts.  The second I hear that iconic theme music I know it’s time to water the plants.  As New Year’s Eve approaches I know it’s time to buy a calendar for the New Year.  I also know that in order to stay healthy there are annual tests I have to schedule.  The start of a fresh New Year is the perfect time to make my mammogram, Pap smear and dental check up appointments. My birthday is another trigger. I know its arrival signals the time to check the batteries in all smoke detectors and it’s also a good time to replace filters.

Rituals, routines and habits are all automatic actions that keep us productive and comforted. Take a few minutes to consider what routines you have in place and which ones you’d like to create.  You’ll find all manner of suggestions for good habits in my New York Times bestseller One Year to an Organized Life.  You can string a few together and create a series of routines that are unique to you, your family and your personal needs.  I know you’ll be amazed how even the simplest of actions can change the way you feel about yourself and how you function in your environment no matter how crazy your schedule is!

Download our Organization Guides for professional tips and advice to get your home organized.  Don’t forget to sign up for our email to receive special promotions, discounts or industry news. 

Regina Leeds
‘The Zen Organizer’
www.reginaleeds.com

Want more organization tips? Download Regina Leeds’ Home Organization Guides and visit Regina’s author page.

Photo Courtesy of MyCakies.com

You wake up to the oh so familiar sound of your alarm clock. Whether it’s soft music for the light sleeper or a blaring air raid alarm type for the deep snoozer…it means it’s time to start the day.

Your first thought…”What should I wear today?”

And the adventure begins…

“Ok, I see my black slacks…now where is that white blouse that goes so well with them?” You go through each hanger carefully…but you still can’t find it. Next step…you go all the way to the left side of the closet and give a mighty heave…and push everything to the right…leaving yourself a nice space to once again pull every hanger forward and examine them so you can find that perfect blouse. After making it through each and every hanger…you still can’t find it!

Oh well start over…

Maybe this time you’ll decide to start with the shoes and then build your outfit from there. Sounds good right? So you get down on all fours and start making your way through shoe boxes, until you have more shoes on the outside of your closet than the inside. Hey, what do you know, you found that white blouse you were looking for earlier…in a nice little ball wedged behind a pair of pumps. You shake the dust off of it…try and smooth it out with the palms of your hands and think “now what did I do with the pants that go with this blouse?”

You’ve just wasted a good 20 minutes of your morning going on a scavenger hunt for a simple outfit, when you could’ve been dressed and ready to go in half that time. You could do a lot with an extra 20 minutes…catch up on the news…enjoy a hot cup of coffee…start writing that novel you’ve been thinking about…all before heading out of the door.

Sounds like it may be time to think about a custom closet and here are some of the key benefits of having one…

• Organization – Wouldn’t it be nice if everything had its place? A section for pants, a section for blouses, maybe some cubbies for your favorite sweaters, a shoe rack where you might actually be able to see all of your shoes without pulling them all out of the closet? All of that is possible with a custom closet. Imagine being able to put away laundry in half the time and say goodbye to the above process of getting dressed. You decide exactly where you want things to go and a custom closet can make that happen.

• Preserve Your Wardrobe – Your wardrobe is an investment. We spend a lot of money on our clothes, shoes, and accessories. Think about it… does that $70 silk blouse really deserve to live crumpled up in a corner on the floor of your closet? A custom closet will help you treat your wardrobe with the respect it deserves.  For example:

Lucite dividers are used to keep these handbags sorted and standing upright yet easy to see.

For the ladies…you could have custom cubbies of special glass front cabinets for your designer hand bags, so they can maintain their shape…remain clean and dust free…and be easily seen once you’re ready to build your outfit for the day.

Custom Sliding Tie Rack

For the guys, Closet Factory offers a sliding tie rack where you could neatly store all of your silk ties and still have easy access to them.

Everything will have its own distinct space and be arranged where it is easy to see. This would definitely help with keeping track of what you have, and prevent you from making double purchases. We’re probably all guilty of buying something that we already had, simply because we couldn’t find it.

• Efficient Use of Space – Some would say,” Well my closet is a mess because I don’t have enough space”. Wrong. A custom closet can make the most of your available space. If you have 20 pairs of pants, you can hang them in a space that would normally only accommodate 10 pairs of pants by making a double hanging section. If you can’t visualize where or how to design yourcustom closet, you can easily call in the help of a closet designer. You might be wondering how much it would cost to hire a designer. Well the honest answer is nothing. A Closet Factory designer can come out to your home…spend an hour or two discussing your goals and create the perfect design built around your needs and the entire design process won’t cost you a thing. There is no need to start worrying about an extensive remodel or spending tons of cash, just start with a free design session and have a complete solution laid out for you.

• Add Value to Your Home – Yes it’s true. A custom closet can add value to your home. Many home buyers are impressed with a home that has a custom closet organizer and real estate agents are quick to point them out. They’re also fully adjustable, so the next home owner can come in and make changes to suit their personal needs. Closet Factory keeps all of our blueprints on file, so if a new home owner would like extensive changes we could easily access the plans for the home and come out to make adjustments.

• It Looks Nice – Lastly, but to many most importantly…a custom closet looks nice. Your room will look cleaner and simply more put together with a custom closet. Stuff that used to end up on the floor or on top of your bed will have its own space and your overall closet will have more breathing room.

A custom closet can be built to perfectly match your home’s architectural style and/or color pallet. At Closet Factory we can do anything from adding crown molding to painting and staining to make your custom closet a perfect match to your home.

For more information on what to expect when working with our professional designers visit the Closet Design Process page. Schedule a free design consultation with one of our Design Consultants.

Needless to say my friend’s grandmother gave her freedom and mine enslaved me to her ‘stuff’ for decades.  This was long before I ever dreamed I’d become a professional organizer.  In many ways the Universe was training me so that I might be able to help others with similar family issues.  What did I do at the time?  My innocent 25-year-old self maintained my parent’s retirement house nestled in the Allegheny Mountains for five years after their deaths.  The heat was on in the winter and in the spring and summer people came to cut the three acres of grass that surrounded the home.  I paid the property tax and visited a few times a year.  While my ‘valuable things’ lived in Pennsylvania I was back home in Brooklyn in a tiny studio apartment.  From this vantage point I can see how absurd the situation was but at the time I was an emotional slave to my dead mother’s wishes.

On the Road

After five years I decided to sell the house and move all the furnishings back to New York.  I found a huge apartment in Forest Hills in the borough of Queens near the famed tennis courts.  My new apartment was amazing and I remember it to this day. Fate however had other plans for me and in a surprise twist six months later I moved to Los Angeles. Once again I hauled everything with me and crossed the country somehow finding another apartment large enough to accommodate all my stuff. I marvel at the thousands of dollars I threw away due to this twisted sense of loyalty. Isn’t it amazing how we dress up neuroses and make it appear to be something wonderful?  My life has been filled with miracles and more were on the horizon.  The next one arrived in the form of a party invitation.

The Invisible Cord Snaps

I was told to come to this theme party and bring two items I would be willing to give to someone else.  The caveat was that the items had to have a story. I was surrounded by stuff and considered canceling because I couldn’t imagine parting with anything. At the last minute I grabbed two decorative items and went off to the most unusual party of my life.  We sat in a circle and each person shared the story of the item they had brought to give to someone else.  The majority of the stories indicated that the items had belonged to deceased relatives and friends.

The next round was your opportunity to give your item to someone else.  You had to tell them what in their story made you feel that your item now belonged to them. The final round allowed the new recipient to pass the item to someone he or she felt needed it more.  Some people went home empty handed while others had a bevy of new treasures.  Something happened to me that night and I knew the tie had been broken.  It was indeed all-just ‘stuff’ and no dead person has ever come back looking for a single item. My mother would not be the exception.  It took a few years but gradually from furniture to decorative items everything went except for two or three items that I truly wanted and still enjoy using. I found my own style and had great fun creating a space that reflects and enhances who I am at my core.

I hosted several of those ‘Share the Wealth’ parties over the years and it was my privilege to watch the invisible cord of attachment snap for others. I know they hosted such parties in their homes and the ripple effect is amazing to consider. If you are stuck in any way and weren’t lucky enough to have a grandma who released you it might be time to host a party for your circle of friends. What follows are some tips to help you make decisions about what is to go and how to dispose of it.  I am not suggesting you dump the possessions of another without respect. Those items may indeed need new homes but the house they wend their way to need not be yours! Rather than a recipient see yourself as a good steward sending the items on to homes where they will have a new lease on life. It’s OK if you have to sell or donate the items.  Let the Universe decide how they find a new home.  You don’t have to personally place every cup and saucer.

Grandma’s Party Guidelines

• Have a potluck supper before you start so that everyone is well fed and comfortable physically. This can be an emotional experience and you don’t want physical discomfort to add to the intensity of the experience.  I would keep hard alcohol to a minimum and serve wine instead.
• Keep the number of participants to a manageable number like 10 or 12. If you have too many people the stories will eat up a lot of time and your guests will grow restless. Ask everyone to keep his or her stories under 5 minutes.
• Sit in a circle and ask who wishes to begin.  If no one steps forward suggest the person on your right should start. Everyone needs to show his item and share how and why it has been meaningful.
• Begin round two by asking each person in turn to give their item to someone in the group.  The item by the way can be clothing, jewelry or decorative and everything in between. Each participant should share what he heard in the recipient’s story that helped him know that this person should now own the item.
• In the third and final round anyone who has received an item can pass it on to someone he or she feels is a more appropriate recipient of the treasure and why.

A nice way to end is with a sweet dessert and some tea.  This will give the participants time to digest what has happened beyond the literal exchange. Be sure and explain that leaving ‘empty handed’ indicates nothing special any more than leaving with multiple items means you’re more loved or special. And stress the importance of bringing an item that has true emotional value.  This isn’t a While Elephant exchange!

Who gets your china?

The rubber hits the road for some people when the china in question is their own. It behooves all of us to have a  written directive letting everyone you love and wish to honor know exactly what your intentions are for the items in your personal estate.  If you feel comfortable have a chat with your closest friends and family to be sure you are leaving them something they will treasure. If they express no interest you are free to make other plans. Is there a charity you support?  They may have the ability to accept items and in turn sell them for the charity. You might leave your books to the local library and your china to a women’s shelter.  There is no right or wrong but there are myriad ways to be both generous and creative.

 _________________________

Regina Leeds

‘The Zen Organizer’
www.reginaleeds.com

Download our Organization Guides for professional tips and advice to get your home organized.  Don’t forget to sign up for our email to receive special promotions, discounts or industry news. 

Imagine if you will that we are in a large concert hall.  You are part of an audience assembled to hear my lecture on getting organized. I ask if there is anyone who has never had a piano lesson in his or her life.  You raise your hand and I ask if you wouldn’t mind playing some Chopin for us.  Everybody laughs. Who is the fool in this scenario?  Why should you feel embarrassed for not being able to do something you were never trained for?  Shouldn’t we all laugh at my request? Sadly when it comes to getting organized most people have never been taught how it all works and yet they carry shame about their lack of knowledge. Let’s agree to leave guilt and shame at the door.  They never produce good results and simply bog us down as we seek to grow and change.

I’ve written nine books on the art of getting organized.  I’ve tailored my tips for different circumstances and life situations. You can find me at Amazon and with a few keystrokes I’ll be on your Kindle helping you get started.  Aren’t you relieved?  There’s nothing wrong with you! No one ever taught you and that’s my job.  But wait.  Might there be contributing factors?  Yes.  Let’s review them and know in advance every single one has an antidote.  Guilt and shame remain kicked to the curb.

Depression

It’s hard to get out of bed in the morning when you’re depressed much less tear the house apart in an effort to get organized.  Do a little personal research.  Do you know why you are depressed?  Are you suffering postpartum depression or did your little darling just go off to college leaving you with empty nest syndrome? Were you laid off from work or has retirement thrown you for a loop? Did your spouse move you to a new city and you find you miss your old friends?  There are so many reasons you might be depressed but all can be remedied with a bit of acknowledgment, a dose of exercise, good food and kindness.  If you are clinically depressed you may need to consult with a therapist.  Once you’re on the other side of this hurdle you can start to get organized.  In the meantime focus on simple things like establishing good habits. Here are once again my all time favorites:

• Make your bed every day.
• Check the trashcans daily and empty as needed.
• Always place your keys in the same spot the second you enter the home.
• Wash dirty dishes rather than stack them in the sink
• Put clean dishes away rather than letting them languish in the dishwasher or on the drain board like orphans

Simple actions like these when repeated for 21 consecutive days become a part of you.  You will be amazed how they increase your self-esteem and how powerfully they influence those with whom you share your environment.

Illness

Physical challenges come with long term diagnoses like MS or diabetes and with temporary challenges like cancer or a broken bone.  You will need to find out how to navigate the new world you’re now a part of and will most likely need help.  As a cancer survivor of 11 ½ years who had 2 surgeries and 6 rounds of chemotherapy believe me I have walked a mile in your shoes.  I know it’s possible to survive and thrive.  I also know that people love to help.  Don’t think you’re being a burden.  And remember one day they may need you! Concentrate on creating good habit and keeping up with any organized areas of your home.  When you’re ready to get organized start small.  You are the perfect candidate for The 8-Minute Organizer. As you feel better and are in more control you can tackle the big projects. Chaos isn’t created over night.  If it has to last a bit longer it doesn’t matter.  In the end you will conquer it.

Negative Mental Tapes

Erroneous ideas about our abilities are inserted in our brains by parents, teachers, friends, enemies, strangers and everyone in between. Walk around with a notebook one week and make note of every negative thought you have about yourself or your abilities.  I would bet money you will identify a pattern. “I am so stupid!”  “Why did I think I could do that? I know how clumsy I am!”  “I just can’t get organized. I know it.”  You will no doubt notice a pattern and with a little introspection you will be able to identify the person who put that pattern into your head as if it were fact. With patience and persistence and perhaps some therapy you can just as patiently exorcise those patterns and replace them with their positive antidotes. In the meantime concentrate on those habits.  One Year to an Organized Life like all of my books is full of suggestions.

Fear of Success and Failure

Flip sides of the same coin.  One client will be incapacitated because she can’t do everything perfectly.  There’s no time or she doesn’t have the supplies or any of a hundred other self imposed excuses.  Meanwhile another client is equally immobilized but because he is convinced he will not be able to do the task well.  He’s going to fail and the shame is too great to bear. And so the home and office clutter accumulate because guilt, fear and shame are the rulers of the day.  In my world the fact someone would try makes him or her heroic in my eyes. And if we do things to the best of our ability the outcome will be ‘good enough’ and move us forward. It’s important to make the distinction between doing your personal best and being perfect. The former is always possible with a little effort.  The latter is a pipe dream. It is guaranteed to keep you immobilized. Break free! People in this group will find tremendous satisfaction starting small and savoring the results.

Prepare Your Vehicle

If we were to take a road trip and use your car you’d be responsible and have it checked out, tires rotated and tank full, right? Well an organizing project is like a trip into your future.  And guess what? Your vehicle for this adventure is your body: tune it up before you begin!  Eat a good breakfast, have healthy snacks handy, drink lots of water and plan a reward commensurate with the expenditure of time and energy demanded by your project. In general you’ll feel better and think more clearly if you exercise regularly.  I have 15 minutes of walking every day in mind but if you want to pump iron, buy a Pilates machine or run a marathon I’ll be impressed!  Remember that for our purposes all of those wonderful and rewarding activities are overkill. Just move your body!

All Knowledge Is One

You’ll find once you embrace one discipline there are parallels in other fields you investigate.  In Chinese medicine for example a lack of movement or exercise can lead to stagnation of energy and that in turn leads to disease.  In my world of organizing a lack of decision-making leads to stagnation in the home as evidenced through piles of stuff.  Get moving in one area of your life and you’ll experience ripples of energy in all the others. Everyone can bring more order into his life. Everyone will save time, money and energy because of her efforts. Very often the first step is acknowledging you have a block.  Breaking your ties with that block may not be easy but what have you got to lose but guilt, fear, shame and a few piles? I think Nike has it right: just do it!

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Regina Leeds
‘The Zen Organizer’
www.reginaleeds.com

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Not to worry. It may take some time and to change a few habits, but you can have an organized home yourself.

Read the following tips below and start to implement them now. There is no time like the start of a new year to find the motivation you need to get things in order.

Everyday Items – Only keep items out if you use them every day. For example if you love to make coffee every morning, the espresso machine should stay on the counter. However, if you only use your mixer when you bake, that should be stored in a cabinet an only taken out when needed. This will reduce the cluttered feel in the kitchen. If you do not have a lot of cabinet space, there are many space saving items or store smaller items within larger ones for greater efficiency. This rule applies for every room in the home. If an item is not being used every day, it should be stored out of sight.

Continual Filing – Paperwork can be the albatross in any home. If not constantly managed, papers can get out of control. Create a system that works for you. When you bring in the mail, sort it immediately. Eliminate the things that do not interest you right away by tossing them in the garbage. Recycle if possible. With either folders or trays, sort the remaining mail into the following categories:  Action Items, Bills To Pay, Things To File, Miscellaneous. Once a week or once every other week, clean out all folders and handle each item. File papers you want to keep and do not create any paper piles.

If you want to be really organized, scan all paperwork and file it electronically. There are many people who use this form of system so they become paperless. You may also pay bills online which will eliminate the amount of paper that comes into your home as well.

Items In/Items Out Rule – When you bring home a new item, you must get rid of a similar item. For example if you bring home a new book, you must eliminate a book from your home. This is crucial for keeping clutter to a minimum and giving you more discernment before purchasing new items. You will realize how many things you buy needlessly which may reduce unnecessary purchases.

Organizing Routine – The best organized people are those that have organization routines. These are people that do things habitually to stay neat. If you find this challenging, start small. Some experts say it takes approximately 66 days to form a habit, but once it place it will continue easily. To create your first Organizational Routine pick either the beginning of the day or the end of day. Make sure that you choose a time where you have the least amount of stress. Choose what you want to do every day that is organizational, and do it every day. Write yourself notes, set an alarm in your phone and ask others for help reminding you. For example, if keeping your closet organized is important, put all clothes away every day before you go to bed and lay out what you want to wear for the next day. After two months it will be part of your routine and will happen without effort.

Create An “Always” Station – Have a place where you always stop every time you return home. This is where you put everything you need for when you leave:  keys, cell phone, purse, jacket, sunglasses, gloves and anything else. Locate your “Always” Station in the door you enter most often (front door or garage door). Ideally you also have an outlet so you can immediately plug in your cell phone so it can stay charged.

This is a great idea for those people who tend to lose their keys or misplace their wallet. You know you only have to stop one place before you leave out the door.

I have a ton of good ideas that I have implemented myself as well as help others. You have to realize that this is not a “one size fits all” challenge. Certain things will work for you and others will not. Don’t get discouraged. Choose one and work with it. You will determine if it is right for you or not. When one works, celebrate and add another. If it is not the best solution, choose another and try that one. You will eventually land on the right combination for yourself. Just continue to have fun and keep in mind the end of goal of being completely organized.

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By Kathryn LaBarbera

Download our Organization Guides to get your home organized for the spring. Visit our organizational Accessories page and find the right tie racks, pant racks, shoe racks, drawers, baskets or dividers for your home.

Over the holidays I visited my sister and her family. Not only did I have fun but I was surprised at some of the things that I saw in her home. Now stories of my sister’s total disorganization are legendary. In high school no one knew the color of her carpet because it was covered with at least 6” of clothes, books and other things. (That is not an exaggeration.) In college she had her own room in the dorm. People used to walk by and push stuff back into her room. And the stories go on.

Roll forward to today. My sister has a husband, a dog and four children, all with a lot of activities. With her lack of organization skills, this could be a disaster waiting to happen. The good news is that even Ms. Messy has reformed her ways. For someone who was completely disheveled in her younger years, she is surprisingly efficient with the space in her home.

The good news is that if she can be organized – anyone can be too! Not only will this make you feel better, but organizing your kids will give them skills that will last their entire lives. Then, they will not have to struggle with organization as my sister did, but it will be part of what they do naturally.  Here are some amazing tips that my sister implements well.

Days Of The Week Drawers

• Children can have a lot of activities throughout the week. The good thing is that these things are usually scheduled on the same day each week.
• Give each child five small drawers. There are many varieties of plastic drawers or bins that are inexpensive.
• Label the first one Monday in big letters, label the others in a similar fashion.
• At the beginning of the week, place the things in the drawers for the activity of that day. For example, two of my nieces have dance on Wednesdays. My sister puts their leotards and other items they need on that day. Not only does this remove the need for frenetic running around but it teaches the children the days of the week. If you organize the upcoming week on Sunday, It is a good way to make sure you are not forgetting anything.

Homework/Coat Area

This idea is genius  In a hallway leading from the garage, there is a strip of magnetic metal about 24” tall. It is screwed to the wall 3 ft. off the ground. Each child has their picture placed above their space held on with a magnet. There are other magnets to hold other papers that need to be added. There are several clips that are installed permanently on the magnetic board. This is used for important papers that need to be taken to school such as notes to teachers or signed forms. Below each picture are two hooks placed approximately 12” apart. One hook is used for their backpack from school and one is used for their coat. Each child is responsible for putting their items on their hooks.

Each child also has two small baskets. One basket is marked “To Do” and the other is marked “All Done”. At the beginning of the week, my sister places 7 popsicle sticks in the “To Do” bin in each child’s station. Written on each popsicle stick is a chore. Each child must choose one stick each day and perform that chore. When they are done, they can put the popsicle stick with the completed task in the “All Done” basket. What a great way to get children to participate in household chores!

Craft Area In A Closet

With children come crafts. Lots of crafts. Girls especially love to draw, color, paint and create works of art that are all around the home. The challenge can be figuring out how to store all of the tools necessary to create these masterpieces. The answer is bins. If you have a space or closet that you can dedicate to all of these things, use bins clearly labeled to store everything on shelves. Separate paints, pens, crayons, stamps, pencils and other items separately. When using a certain medium (watercolors and paper) only the bins storing those items need to be taken out from the closet. If space is at a minimum, use a hanging shoe bag that fits on the back of a door. You can hold each item in different pockets. It is a great way to maximize space which is at a premium.

My hat is off to the youngest sister in my family. I am not taking all of the credit for her transforming from the biggest clutter maker I knew to an organized mom, but I know this was not done entirely on her own. It takes a few things to make the shift:  a plan, the desire to be organized and the support from other people. Once you have those in place, nothing can stop you.

Download our Organization Guides to get your kids and home organized. Visit our organizational Accessories page and find the right tie racks, pant racks, shoe racks, drawers, baskets or dividers for your home.

By: Kathryn LaBarbera of Closet Factory Los Angles & Orange County