skip to main |
skip to sidebar
By Ada Gonzalez
After following these tips your “new found friend” (your closet!) will always be there for you when you need an item from it.
Clothes: Sort & arrange shirts by sleeve length (from long to short) – this will make the space look & feel organized and roomier. To maximize space, buy a hanging closet rod (cost is approx. $10) so you can place clothes on the bottom of your closet.
Shoes: Sort shoes by usage. Those used more often should be accessible, least used should be placed from your farthest reach. If your closet is too small to place a long shoe rack, I recommend that you purchase clear cubbies that stack upwards & sideways (cost is approx. $7). To keep your tall boots from drooping over, roll up an old magazine & insert it into your boots.
Bags: Hang – hang – hang! Hang all bags that have straps. I suggest you use “S” hooks (sold at most local hardware). The key is to hang the bags in a space that is viewable & accessible without having to pull one bag out and fear an avalanche (yikes!).
Door: Maximize your door space – “INSIDE” your door. I recommend placing a garment hook (about 5” length – approx. $9) inside your door, here you can place a few business suits for the week or pick and place the clothes you will be wearing after you shower in the morning.
The fact is that these tips are common sense, but when closets are cluttered people tend to just drop items anywhere & everywhere; therefore THE KEY is to have a designated area for items so every time you open your closet you will (by habit) know where to drop, pick, pull, place, look in, or reach for your item – it’s almost as if your “friend” hands it to you when you open the closet door.
Again, the key to having an organized closet is to have designated areas for all your items within your closet. If you treat your closet with a few economical commodities, it will return the favor by staying de-cluttered and organized.
© 2007 Ada’s Interior Design, Inc. P.O.Box 1337 New Rochelle, NY 10802
_________________________________________________________
Email: ada@adasdesigninc.com
Web: http://www.adasdesigninc.com/
Ada Gonzalez is an interior decorator who designs solutions that provide comfort & function with a BIG SPLASH of style without having to spend hi-end prices on furniture & furnishings. Her designs have been featured in the Life & Style section of The Journal News newspaper. In April 2007 she won a design competition called "Interior Motives". Her ezine called Smart Decorating!, which offers FREE DECORATING TIPS, is her way of helping people across the United States learn to comfortably live in and love their homes – to get more information go to http://www.adasdecoratingsolutions.com/
By Nanette Catarinella
Want a New Year’s resolution that is easily achievable, guaranteed to have a positive impact on your daily life and doesn’t involve counting calories? Resolve to clear your clutter!
Look around your home. Is it filled with papers, magazines, old clothing, toys, knick-knacks, dishes and junk? Are your closets jam-packed and over flowing? Is the garage too full of stuff to park the car and the basement a cavernous hole where things just disappear? Are you over-whelmed by the clutter that’s taking over your space?
You are not alone. Out of control clutter has become an epidemic in this country and may be cause for serious concern. Psychologists, professional organizers, Feng Shui practitioners, re-designers and home staging professionals know that too much clutter can cause emotional and physical distress.
No need to feel overwhelmed at the thought of organizing the entire home. Start small and achieve big results. Commit to beginning with one closet. How about the one you visit each morning when you get dressed - the one with the too-small jeans that you haven’t worn since college.
Begin by taking out each piece of clothing and asking yourself these four questions: Does it fit?
Is it in style? Do I look/feel good in it? Have I worn it in the past year? If you answered “no” to any of those questions, it’s time to toss it out. This goes for shoes and handbags, too. Remember the 80/20 rule. We wear twenty percent of our clothes eighty percent of the time. Donate your discarded items to charity and get the additional feel-good benefit of sharing your possessions with those who are less fortunate.
When the purging is complete, put everything back in the closet and sort by color and item. Put all jackets together, all pants, skirts, tops and blouses. Buy new hangers and make sure everything is hung in the same direction. Purchase shoe racks and shelf dividers to neatly stack shoes, sweaters and tee shirts. Now, step back and admire your hard work.
Wow, what a difference! Just think of the time you will save by knowing where everything is. Think of the ease of getting dressed knowing that everything fits. Think of how good you will feel whenever you open the closet door. By getting rid of the old clothes that no longer fit or the shoes that pinched your feet, you will dramatically improve your mood and your energy.
Clearing out a closet may sound like a trivial chore, but if you think of it as letting go of your past to open yourself up to the possibilities of the future, it can make a tremendous difference in how you start your day. And, I’ll bet you will feel at least 10 pounds lighter!
__________________________________
Nanette Catarinella, owner of Room Styles Interiors, is a home staging professional, interior re-designer, decorator, author and trainer. For more information, call 412-351-2525 or visit the web site at: http://www.roomstylesinteriors.com/
By Ada Gonzalez
The 1st thing to do is - open the closet, stand tall, and stare at it up and down (show NO FEAR!) then slowly stare from left to right. This will help you avoid an attack from your closet (since you are looking around for loose items in your closet that may fall on you).
After the showdown is over, you wrestle using the 3 “C” techniques that I teach all my clients that hire me to help them get organized:
1. COMMIT: Commit yourself to a reasonable time frame & stick to it. Make it fun by challenging yourself to accomplishing a task by a particular time frame - no coffee break, no pee pee break. For example say I “WILL” remove all the items from my closet within ½ hour, I “WILL” not have the chocolate covered donut in the kitchen until I finish removing the clothes.
2. COLLECT: Quickly collect & sort all the items from your closet into a large bag or container or area (bag/container will keep the items from overflowing your room & make it transportable). Place all similar items together (i.e.: all shoes in one bag, all purses/handbags in another, all clothes in bed). DO NOT analyze the items (for this will make the process longer) - the technique of collecting grabs your wrestling opponent to tame "it" before the conquest.
3. CONQUER: On 3 white pieces of paper write KEEP, DONATE, & TRASH and tape them on a designated space on your floor. Then chose what you want to tackle 1st (ie: shoes, clothes, etc.) and determine what you NEED to place back in the closet. Be realistic – if you haven’t used an items in more than a year, chances are that you will NOT use it; therefore, get rid of it so you can have MORE SPACE for items that you truly love & will wear & use.
Many times my clients find items that they thought they lost or forgot they had. I would love to hear YOUR DISCOVERIES.
Remember, live BEAUTIFUL and COMFORTABLE!
----------------------------------------------------
Ada Gonzalez is the principal of Ada's Interior Design, Inc. in New York. She designs solutions that provide comfort & function with a BIG SPLASH of style without having to spend hi-end prices on furniture & furnishings. Her designs have appeared in the Life & Style section of The Journal News and the Lohub Blog of Westchester County. In April 2007 she won a design competition called "Interior Motives". She was an Interior Decorating subject specialist for DETC (Distant Education Training Council) spring 2007. Her weekly newsletter called “Smart Decorating! E-News” is her way of reaching out and sharing decorating tips to people across the United States. To subscribe for FREE (a $47 value) email your name to e-news@adasdesigninc.com with DANA as the subject to receive the FREE subscription.
Email: ada@adasdesigninc.com
Web: http://www.adasdesigninc.com/
Tricks to Getting Your Clutter to Look Good
by Jane-Marie Bloomberg
As you clean up your clutter and organize your home, you may end up editing a lot. BUT if the "keep" stuff doesn't find an aesthetically pleasing home, it will still feel like clutter. Here are some quick tricks to getting more out of organizing:
- Contain It: Use containers for everything that can't be put in closed storage - a decorative basket for keys or decorative bowls for miscellaneous pill jars, lotions and other bathroom counter clutter.
- Balance It: Symmetry is used frequently in designing - apply it to organizing as well. For example, flank an entertainment unit on BOTH sides with IDENTICAL lidded storage chests or baskets to hold blankets, toys, pillows. Add custom decorative liners in a coordinating pattern and one basket won't seem so out of place.
- Work It In: Pick containers that go with your decor - dark wicker baskets to match wood tones in your living room, acrylic boxes in mod colors for kids' rooms.
- Move It Up, Not Out: Take advantage of walls and work them into your storage system. Above a desk mount shelving from floor to ceiling, or build shadow boxes over the toilet to store necessities.
- Build It: If you are truly overwhelmed with clutter, take a look at your existing space - do you have built-in storage? You may have to just bite the bullet and add some - it will help increase your home value too.
- Repurpose It: Use straw dispensers to house food items, cotton balls, art supplies, etc. (commercial supply stores are great places to check out).
-------------------------------
Jane-Marie Bloomberg
Embellishments DESIGN STUDIO
ph: 612-251-6512
fx: 952-937-6954
Sign up for my FREE Email Newsletter at www.embellishmentsdesign.com!
Surround yourself with the things you love
by Marie Mouradian
Is there an area of your home that needs some attention? Every time you walk by, does it make you feel uncomfortable?
In just a few short steps I will show you how to refresh an area such as your mantel, desk, dresser or kitchen counter.
- Take a photo as the area looks right now.
Don't move anything, go get your camera and take the picture. You'll want a picture of the before to show off your decorating talent when the area is refreshed. - Clear off and clean. Remove everything from the space and put on a table or floor. Get out my favorite invention, the Swifer, dust and polish to a white glove shine.
- Analyze what you have. Is it useful? Does it really belong there? Do you love it? If the answer is "no" to any of the above questions; put it away, give it away, donate it to a charity or feed the trash can.
- Put back only what you love and has a use. Don't you already feel lighter and energized?
- Take another photo. This will help you see what you need.
- Pour yourself a cup of tea, sit back and admire the fullness of a clear space. Congratulations, you have accomplished the first step in creating a beautiful home and life!
------------------ Marie Mouradian WFCP Master Window Designs Etc. 508-829-5503 25 years of creating beautiful interiors for you to love. Sign up for my new Ezine, Beautiful Home and Life Design. Decorating secrets delivered right to your e mail weekly. www.Window-Designs-Etc.com
Organizing Your Child's Bedroom in A Weekend - 6 Easy Steps
By Marcia Pasram
Ever look at your child's bedroom and wonder how it got that way? Clothes all over, toys, stuffed animals and dolls thrown around in a disheveled mess. The bed, although made up, still doesn't help the look of the room. Sounds familiar? Well, I did just that last weekend. I looked at my daughter's room and could not bear to enter it. After looking around, I decided it wasn't just a matter of having her clean it up, but it was, in fact, that she had nowhere to put her toys and belongings. Or at least, she didn't have enough room for everything. Remember, this is a 6 year old I'm talking about. She doesn't know the meaning of the word organization. So, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.
The First Step - Sorting
We made different piles for the toys, dolls (with a different pile for all the tiny clothes and accessories that they come with), stuffed animals, arts and crafts, and books etc. The larger items we sorted separately as well. Anything she didn't want anymore, we put in a bag to be donated.
Then we stood back and tried to figure out where to put it all. We decided to take the closet door off of her closet and made an area on the unused floor for the toys. This is a 10 x 10 room we're talking about. Creativity is a must when organizing it. I found a small shelving unit in my basement that would fit perfectly in her closet. I added a few baskets and began throwing the sorted toys in a predetermined basket. One for dolls, another for arts and crafts... you get the idea. We allowed space for some of the larger toys to sit on the shelves and stood the books up neatly. Looked great but it needed one more thing. Beaded curtains. That's right, beaded curtains come in every color and style imaginable. We chose a purple iridescent one to match her room and hung it up to replace the door we took off. We now had a closet space that is multi-functional and adds more space to a very small room.
Now, what to do with all the stuffed animals she wouldn't part with. After much consideration I decided to build up as there was nowhere else to go in her room. We made a wall to wall shelf over her window and stored all the stuffed animals there. When she wants to play with them, she just has to ask, and we take it down for her. They are out of the way and actually acts as decoration for her room not an eye sore as before.
2nd Step - Clothes
I decided that at 6 years old, my daughter needed to be able to have easy access to her daily wear. Her dressy clothes for special occasions and church etc. were hung in her closet. Anything that she would wear on a daily bases were then placed in her armour. We used the smaller drawers for her underwear, socks, belts etc. The larger drawers were used for her school clothes (jeans, tops etc.) and another drawer for pajamas. Other foldable clothes that she didn't wear as often or hadn't yet grown into were placed separately out of her reach in the armour.
3rd Step - A place for Dirty Clothes
Pop up hampers. The greatest invention. They look good and you can get one to match any room or decor. Princess is the theme in this room. So, of course, we have a princess hamper. We placed that in the corner of her closet and her dirty clothes scattered all over the room is now solved.
4th Step - Knick Knacks
The hardest part to the organization was where to put all the little decorative stuff. You know, the trophy's, ornaments, pictures etc. With so many things, where do you put it all in a small bedroom? This is where some creativity as well as decorating skills come in. We decided to put up shelving on the walls for her to display her knick knacks. With all the different types of shelves and shadow boxes out there, following your rooms theme decor is easy. With that said, we put shelves up on 2 of her 4 walls. Staggered them for interest and got to work displaying her stuff. Her room was organized and still had personality - her personality. All of her things were proudly and neatly displayed. She was very happy.
5th Step - Decorative Hooks
Another easy thing to do is put decorative hooks behind her door or in the open for displaying things that can be hung. My daughter loves to wear her robe daily and always has jackets or hats laying around her room. Sometimes she wears something that she doesn't want to put in her hamper, but wear again later that day or week. These items can be hung on hooks placed strategically around her room. It's an easy and effective way to keep the clothes off the floor. If you prefer not to see the clothes, put the hooks on the wall behind her door. It keeps the clothes etc. out of site but still accessible.
6th step - Under Bed Storage
With so many different options for storage bins, boxes etc., utilizing the wasted space under the bed is now easier than ever. I picked up an under bed storage unit for storing all the seasonal clothes, So now my daughter has a place for clothes that she will not be wearing for a few months. The winter clothes are swapped out for the summer clothes and vise versa. This works great for us and she doesn't have to filter through a lot of clothes to get to the stuff she needs now. Storing away clothes with the change of seasons makes everyone's life much easier and keeps the drawers and closets neat, tidy and uncluttered.
So now that my daughter's room is organized, she and I feel much happier. She loves her room and works hard on keeping it organized and tidy. Her friends always compliment her on her room and that makes her feel special. I hope this will motivate you and act as a guide the next time you undertake a room organization task. I think the main thing I found is that you need to have a place for everything. If you have a place dedicated for a certain item, it's that much easier to put it back there when you're done using it. A simple concept, but one that seems to elude a lot of us.
See my article coming soon on “Decorating a girls bedroom”.
Written by: Marcia Pasram
For more information on decorating ideas and tips, please visit:
http://www.homegardendecor.com/
http://www.wallwinedecor.com
http://www.uniquecandlegifts.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcia_Pasram
http://EzineArticles.com/?Organizing-Your-Childs-Bedroom-in-A-Weekend---6-Easy-Steps&id=540041
|
|
0
comments
