Room for Two! Organizing Your Child's Bedroom

A child's bedroom can sometimes be one of the biggest organizational challenges in your home. Your kids will eventually grow out of the clothes they are in, but you may want to keep some hand me downs for the next child. They have toys that they don't play with but if you throw it away they will be looking for it the next day. When their room is clean it might look like it went through a wind tunnel by days end. I think you get the picture... so where to start?

 I recently organized a child's bedroom for a client that has one adorable little boy and another baby girl on the way! The objective was to make the room work for both children, being sure there was enough draw space and closet space. With some cleaning, purging and tossing the room came together perfectly with lots of room to spare for the baby girl! Take a walk through the before and afters below.

Closet before photos include all of the clothing which was taking up the length of the closet hanging bar as well as misc items on the floor and the top shelf. 

After!

 After! By utilizing a double hang bar, above, we were able to maximize the space!

Clutter was removed which added additional space for clothing and large toys. Snow suits, boots and winter items were placed in bins labeled winter and put in the basement for storage. With the added shelf space in the closet after cleaning it some off season clothing went into a labeled bin, as well as some toys that big brother has grown out of but his baby sister may like!

Using a shower ring, free size detail printables and some glue I created these "organize by size" separators. 

Bookshelf before!

Bookshelf after! Bins were added to store books by category, add some color and keep the books the tidy.

Book shelf turned arts and crafts station. Crayons are stored in these $1 bins for easy reach. Paint brushes, pencils and erasers could work as well!

Before photos of the draw space.

After! Draw separators work wonders in any draw space. These were added to separate his and hers bibs and hats. 

All bottoms were added to his draw using a triple fold to maximize space. Denim is together, khakis and casual pants. Don't forget to organize by size!

 We were able to clear out three drawers to make space for the baby girl by storing that off season clothing in bins, here is a photo of a draw space created just for her.

The changing station was re-worked to include all powders, lotions etc together and within easy reach. Baskets were added to the shelves and the diaper bag is close by!

Changing table cupboard space for his and hers diapers  

Blankets and sheets in changing table draw space.

Clutter free changing table and bureau with plenty of room for more clothing! This children's bedroom now has -

Extra storage in the closet and drawers.

A system in place for sizing clothing and storing off season items.

Room for the new baby girl!

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Beer Bottles for Bangles You Say? Fun Closet Projects!

This was such a fun project I put together for my jewelry! My favorite organizing venture within my home so far. Of course it has nothing to do with the fact that it involved jewelry ;) With my little helper Jenna (moms take note this was a fun arts and crafts project!) it came together.

 Having your costume jewelry in sight, and in reach, is a great way to see what you have and choose what you need as you are putting together your outfits. Simple, fun and very budget friendly- I'll walk you through the items I used and then the finished product!

Here's the list-

$1 QC Contact Paper from the Dollar Tree! They had lots to choose from

Push Pins, $1 at the Dollar Tree!

Empty beer or soda bottles 

A cork board of your choice

Cut the contact paper so that it fits over the cork board. I traced the edges and then cut from there for a better fit. 

 Take the push pins and jewelry and get started placing them on the board. Grab the empty bottles and place bangles over the stem to stack them up! Viola! You have yourself a jewelry board and a beer bottle (or soda) bangle tree.

Bangles, necks and larger bracelets

Added the contact paper around the stem just for fun

 

Beer bottle with bangles! 

By choosing whichever size cork board you like you have the freedom to create any size jewelry board you want. I chose some of my favorite bangles and necklaces that I wear everyday, again having them within reach allows for less time looking for things when you are heading out the door! 

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Mother's Day Promotion and Contest!

Mother's are continually giving without the thought of receiving and Organized for Life wants to help them put their feet up for the day! We shower our moms every Mother's Day with gifts, brunch or maybe even breakfast in bed. There are no wrong ways to allow the Moms in your life the opportunity to relax and feel appreciated for all they do. One of things however that you can't buy Mom on Mother's Day is extra time in the day for all of the things she gets done! That is where Organized for Life comes in. This year consider the gift of organization, which will allow for peace of mind and help save time when Mom is juggling everyday activities. Organized for Life is offering to organize a closet of choice for $50 and /or one room for $75. It doesn't matter the challenge or time put into the job! This also includes no consultation fee! If you know a mom who could use some organizational help feel free to contact me to go over the details!

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The Challenge? My Shoes, Accessories, Pretty Outfits....and 7 Days Worth in One Carry On

As an organizer I will admit to not enjoying any part of packing up the suitcases. I wait until the day before and I procrastinate because I don't think any part of it is fun. Now that I made that confession lets move on to why. I have a tendency to over think and analyze every detail of what's going into the suitcases. There's the typical questions you ask yourself, what should I bring? What if I need that? What if we need that? How many shoes should I bring? I started to get caught up in this nonsense of over thinking and reminded myself we are not going to the moon, if its forgotten we can always pick it up. My biggest challenge at the moment is packing for 7 days in one carry on. I know most women at this point are saying to themselves 7 days in a carry on? Yeah this chick is nuts. Maybe so. My husband and I choose to avoid waiting in the check in lines at the airport so I try to keep my packing very simple. I keep this "you can do it attitude" to pump myself up for the challenge every time we pack. As a woman who loves to accessorize and have options within her wardrobe I have let that go when it comes to the suitcases. Here's a picture of my carry on that I am attempting to fill for 7 days. When I'm done I will prove with an after pic that I won't be defeated! 

The culprit- a small carry on to fill 7 days of clothing/shoes/accessories

 To start I made my list, which is the first thing you should attempt to do before a trip. Checking everything off is the fun part, I guess for me its a weird sense of accomplishment. Considering the challenge I'd say yes this is an accomplishment. Here are the essentials to your list when taking a vacation, or time out as I like to call it, whether you are gone for a weekend, week or month. 

Necessities- Begin with the actual things you need to get on the plane, the whole point is to get away- your boarding passes, licenses, visa if necessary, etc. Have them in one spot ready to go in a folder! If you need to stop at the bank for travelers checks or cash I'd advise doing that the week of, not on the way to the airport. This goes for reading material on the way to your destination or anything else to keep you distracted, unless you are my hero and can actually sleep on a plane or any moving vehicle.  Designate a person who is going to hold onto these items. No pressure of course. 

Toiletries/Make-up- Make your list of travel size toiletries and take it with you to the store so you aren't forgetting anything! Keep it simple. Women we don't need to bring our entire collection of Victoria's Secret lotions along with every eye shadow we own! Narrow it down and decide. Men should do the same. Tell your significant other to make his list and keep it simple. These travel bags by Hefty are a must! 

Hefty zip lock travel bags also great for make-up and jewelry

Clothing and Accessories- Here's where you need to get creative. Stand in front of your closet weeks before the trip and decide what you would like to bring with the next few tips in mind. Mix and match those outfits! If you are packing for 7 days and you need some day time clothing as well as evening clothing think about day to night transitions. Maybe that cute tank top you wore during the day would look cute with that skirt? One less top to pack! Pack neutral colors as well, so you can mix and match easily. Shoes are my biggest culprit! They take up space and if any of your heels look like mine, size 10 I might add, they could potentially take up half the suitcase. Three pair max! Make it work and pick your favorites. A good walking shoe, a dressy shoe and one comfy day time shoe. For accessories, going back to not packing your entire make-up collection, choose simple pieces that will match most of your clothing day or night. Keep it secured in a small bag or compartment in your suitcase. Men seem to have less of a challenge in this department but the same rules apply. Undergarments and sleepwear take up the less space, keep it that way and designate a spot in the suitcase for them. Stick to your list when packing! Ignore anything cute in your closet that may be screaming take me with you I look cute with those pants.   

Meditate on it - Take a step back and think about your plans for the course of your vacation. Every vacation is different. Some are meant to be zen like, others are adventurous and action packed. Either way keep it simple in the suitcase and carry on and don't forget your necessities. 

We need to unplug from time to time. It is something we all owe ourselves. It's a chance to take a step back, re-group and remember that all of the practicalities of our lives will be here awaiting us when we return. Vacations are needed and so is the packing.  Hopefully the tips will help you feel just as excited about the trip as you do about the packing, or least a little better about it. 

Stay tuned in for my after photo tomorrow of my 7 day packing challenge!

 

 

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Quick Tips on Your Hang Ups, Start in the Closet!

A quick hanger tip for today. Avoid those plastic hangers once and for all, and throw them in the recycle bin! To really allow your clothing to hang at its best use wooden or grip hangers. It will avoid those very annoying "shoulder bumps" that form on the clothing and also allow your pants to stay pressed. Having a uniform set of hangers is also aesthetically pleasing to the eye and instantly adds a clean look! They aren't always as expensive as you think, look for them in most discount stores. Your clothing will be all smiles! Space saving grip hangers are my personal favorite. They will allow your clothing to keep form while saving space in your closet.

                                    

Take a look at the men's dress shirts below, grip on the left vs wire on the right! 

Looking for more ways to save space in your closet and other organizational tips? Follow me here or on Twitter. 

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Bunnies, eggs and all things Easter! Are you ready for the first holiday of the spring season?

Easter marks the first holiday of the spring season and along with it, as most holidays, comes lots of planning and preparing! This year my husband and I happen to be hosting the holiday in our home. Of course being the planner that I am, and lover of decorating, it gave me the perfect excuse to come up with some very cute budget friendly decorating ideas! Below are some tips on getting your home ready for guests from the cleaning, cooking and straight to the dining table, as well Easter decorations. Holidays spent with family and friends are meant to be memorable so take a breath and don't forget to enjoy it! 

Getting Your Home Ready for Guests

• It always helps to clean throughout the week so you aren't spending the morning of Easter Sunday scrubbing the toilets and sinks! 
• Ask everyone in your home to help out by trying to tidy up daily and clean up after themselves.

Plan your Menu in Advance

• To organize your menu planning touch base with all of your guests that may be bringing an entree, dessert or beverage. 
• Make a list of everything you will need for your menu at least one week prior from food to paper goods.
• Before heading out to the grocery store be sure to check to see what you may or may not already have in your cupboards and fridge. It's a time saver at the market! 
• To be extra creative create an Easter dinner menu for your guests, preparing this in advance helps you with the preparations as well! 

Table Preparation

• Set your table before the day of the event, possibly one or two evenings before. It's one last thing you have to do the day of! This also gives you time to set up extra seating. 

Create a time list

• It's very easy to lose track of time when you are running in a few different directions. Create a time schedule for the day of which outlines what you hope to accomplish. This will help keep you on track and ready for your guests. 

Budget Friendly Easter Decorating Ideas

Use vases you already have in  your home and fill them up with  decorative Easter eggs. You can find bags of these  at most stores that sell goods for the home, and they are very budget friendly!

Very cute bunny place tags for your dining table! If you use real eggs to decorate your guests names just place them  in the bowls on top of your napkins!

These can be used as place settings on your dining table with your guests names or used as decorative pieces throughout the house!

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Fresh flowers always look beautiful on your dining table during the Spring season but if you would like something to last throughout summer adding faux flowers to vases makes a beautiful statement as well.

 

Here's a link to bunny fold your napkins! A cute idea for your table setting, courtesy of Good House Keeping 

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/easter-ideas/funny-bunny-folds-instructions

Comments, ideas, thoughts? Please share 

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What Can You Live Without?

Sweep through your house and ask yourself what, of your material possessions, you can live without. After donating 6 pairs of shoes, and some clothing that I forgot I had, the most important things to me below are pretty simple...had to share this and hope everyone can try to lighten up in their homes and enjoy the simple things.

“You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need.” 

My books remind me of how large the world is

 

Pictures of family and friends

Wall art that means something 

My Buddha statue

If all my shoes went away I'd be happy with just my Uggs 

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