Send in the cavalry! Home organization professionals to the rescue...

The past few weeks, I've been dabbling in home organization. I have taken on this task for two reasons--in the interest of spring cleaning, of course, and also to pass along information that I think can help a home organization amateur (like myself) begin the complicated task of getting control of those closets and cabinets.


But a few weeks into this, and I'll admit I haven't made it too far. That's because life (work, kids, commitment, stuff) gets in the way.


And that's why I asked my team of Edmond home organization professionals why someone like me might finally take a plunge and bring in the big guns (i.e., hire a professional).


Here's what they had to say...


Amber Austin, of Dwelling Place Organizing said, "The most common thing I hear from clients about the benefit of working with a professional organizer is preventing panic halfway through the process. In many projects, there is a point where you drag everything out and 'it gets worse before it gets better.' Having an expert right there, helping you stay focused and moving toward your goals, can save you valuable time and money."

Becky Marple of Bee Neat Professional Organizing added this, "A professional organizer can be of great service to an individual who is dealing with a major life change such as a move, addition of a baby or elderly family member to the home, a death of a loved one, or a transition into an assisted living center. These can be extremely stressful and, often times, debilitating to an individual. Having a professional there to help encourage and guide the client is often just what a person needs."

In addition, Marple mentioned that working on your own makes it too easy to justify holding onto things, and working with a family member can still be too personal. Having an objective person there to help you can often result in the most successful outcome. 

Amy Bolder of Simplicity Professional Organizing agreed, adding, "A seasoned organizer is able to plan and deal with emotions and roadblocks that often arise when clients are faced with tough decisions that they might typically just ignore or give up on if an organizer was not present to walk them through it. Dealing with these emotions and decisions is often easier to do with a professional than with a friend, who might not be able to look past the stuff and why the person is stuck within it. "

Finally, Bolder gave this advice for hiring professional organizers...

• Talk to them and find out how long they have been working with clients.
• Ask what their specialty areas are (and what they do or don't do, such as doing only inside work, etc.).  
• Ask to see some photos of previous projects and always ask for references.  A previous client can shed light on the process and help an individual know if a particular organizer is right for them.  

Sounds like a plan. Now, I only have to decide whether I have the courage to let someone see what a mess I am.

We'll see.

Quick tips for organization...the busy parent's godsend

This month, I've been digging into the terrifying world of...wait for it...home organization! Now, don't get me wrong. I keep a pretty neat and tidy house. I know where a lot of stuff is. I mean, I know where most of it is. 


But I know I could do better. Not only that, but getting my home organization under control could even give me more time to do other things (like playing with my cute kiddos!).


So, where to start? Amy Bolder of Simplicity Professional Organizing says, to get started with home organization, "Give yourself a clear timeframe to work within, stay in your chosen zone, and work within micro zones with that area until each area is complete."


Well, in the interest of getting jumpstarted, in this week's blog, I looked at three problem zones: The kitchen, the closet, and the home office. Deep breath...


The Kitchen...Not so long ago, at a get-together for some friends, two local moms, Laynie Travis and Betty Ann Walker, shared some tips for getting organized quick, starting in the kitchen. These simple tips included...


- Putting baskets in drawers for sorting utensils.
- Using glass bins for sugar and flour.
- Keeping containers for utensils by the stove.
- Making up a basket for kids for easy to grab snacks.


No, it's not rocket science exactly, but I've started implementing several of these, and it does make a difference. Surprise, surprise. And sometimes, it just takes a small victory to keep going, right? So, that led me to the next spot...


The Closet...When it comes to this problem zone, Becky Marple of Bee Neat Professional Organizing said it's important to first get rid of things you don't need. "If this is difficult," she added, "either recruit a family member or friend who will help 'encourage you along' in the process."


Fellow moms Travis and Walker had these tips to add for closet organization...
- Use all the same hangers (this is a big violation for me...I'm terrible about just keeping the store hangars!)
- Set time to clean out your closet quarterly so it doesn't become overwhelming.
- Keep baskets for laundry, dry cleaning, ironing, donating, and delicates.


"If you don't use it or wear it, let it go!" said Amber Austin of Dwelling Place Organizing. Also, she recommended storing items as close to where you use them as possible, making it easier to put them away.


Home office...I don't really have an "office," per se. I have a computer desk with all my work files, a filing cabinet upstairs, a bulletin board in the laundry room where I keep a calendar, and a dry-erase board with a "running" shopping list in the kitchen. I've found that even though my life isn't confined to one office, this is what works for me. In addition to these things, Travis and Walker also recommended a basket for filing (which I've added).


While you may not find these tips earth shattering, when you start doing simple things that it make it easier to find what you need, put things away, and keep on schedule, you do begin to climb a mountain one step at a time.


And that means I'm excited. I'm excited to keep going. Because I do see how making small changes can be a huge stress reliever. That doesn't mean I've got this home organization thing conquered. Not by a long shot. But it's a start.


Just remember, asking for help isn't a bad thing. And that's why, next week, I'll be talking one last time to my local home organization professionals to find out why I may, one day, ask for an experienced hand!

Digging in...your "can do" plan for home organization this spring

Well, I knew I was in for some guilt when I started the topic of home organization this month. My closets? Ugh. My kitchen cabinets? Double ugh. The house in general? It looks nice if you don't open anything or look under tables and chairs.


But since I've been having to go on search-and-rescue expeditions lately--you know, for missing socks, toys, favorite teddy bears, favorite purses, kitchen spatulas, etc., etc.--I thought it might be time to find out what this "home organization" business is all about, and why I might be interested in getting down and dirty with a labeler, a container, and my closet.


Shiver.


Well, I had the pleasure of speaking with not one, but three local professionals to get an idea of how one might start a home organization project and why it might be worth it. So check it out. Here are several ways to self-start your inner organizer.


Pick a zone. "Feeling overwhelmed is the most common reason I hear from clients as to why they haven't started the task at hand,” said Amy Bolder, owner of Simplicity Professional Organizing. She said settling on a place to start is a great first step. But instead of breaking your home organization into a series of mini projects, a person should think about home organization as one project and plan simple steps to reach that end goal.

“See the zone as a big artist pallet and remember the picture is created one stroke at a time, color by color, until completion,” she told me.


Make a plan. Like any well thought out project, home organization should start with a well-ordered list. Here's a great one from Becky Marple, owner of Bee Neat Professional Organizing:

1. Write down everything you would like to tackle.

2. Decide on which project you will start on. (Similar to "Pick a zone" above.)

3. Schedule an appointment with yourself! (Put it in your calendar, arrange childcare, etc.)

4. Start early in the day, turn on your favorite music, and only--ONLY--concentrate on that one task for the day. Do not allow yourself to be pulled into another room!
Hmmm, good to know. That would save me from ending up in the kitchen when I'm supposed to be working on the closet, tackling the "Leaning Tower of Tupperware" for the fiftieth time...


Finally,


Choose wisely. Amber Austin of Dwelling Place Organizing recommends starting small and/or choosing a "difference maker." She says that a person should "choose an area to tackle that will get you off on the right foot and motivate you to keep going." She said it should be fairly small with defined boundaries, such as an entry closet, dresser, or even a neglected corner of the master bedroom. Or you can choose a "difference maker,"  which is the room in your house causing you the most stress.


Why go to the trouble of organizing? Well, at the end of the day, all three women asserted that we have more time to do the things we want to do when we don’t spend time hunting for things and buying things we already have. Being organized gives us more time for our relationships, more time to be healthy, and more time to be the type of parents we want to be.


Stay tuned next week for some quick tips on that kitchen and closet!

Home organization...make a fresh start this spring (cleaning)

My home is generally acceptable. It is not overly messy; it is not overly perfect (is there such a thing?). It is not particularly dirty, nor would I eat a meal off its floors.

I can find most of the things I need. Generally. I mean, it takes me a normal amount of time to dig through the clutter.

Okay, okay. So I could be a little more organized.

And it's this time of year, when I'm putting sweaters away (or, at least dreaming about it--what is with this winter?), that I think, "Gosh golly, I'd sure like to walk into my kitchen/closet/etc. and find exactly what I need." I'd like my Tupperware not to explode out of the cabinet when I open it, or not to find a shirt three years later tucked behind all those other shirts. I'd like to spend less time searching for my black pumps and looking through the pantry for the sugar.

That would be so, so great.

Well, here's the thing. Those things are completely possible...I just need a little "home organization" in my life.

In the spirit of spring cleaning (and the hope for warmer weather in which to accomplish it), I am going to ask some local professionals to help you and me answer our questions about getting started on home organization. I'm also hoping to dig up some simple tips to jumpstart the process and learn what kind of services can help us if we end up in a pile of mismatched socks and have to send out a SOS signal (as in, "save our sanity"). Three local businesses, including BeeNeat Professional Organizing, Dwelling Place Organizing, and Simplicity Professional Organizing, have agreed to weigh in.

Home organization and why it's important...on March 13, I will be doling out tips (via my professionals) on how to even contemplate the process of getting your house under organizational control and how it can help with stress and time management. Hopefully, just beginning the process will wet your appetite for more, which means, by summer, we will all have bins of clothes numbered and labeled by season. Right? Well, one can dream...

Quick tips...on March 20, I will give you a few quick and dirty tips for several problem areas in your home, including the kitchen, bathroom, and the closet. A little scary to think I might have to take on the five-year-old makeup in the back of the bathroom cabinet. Or the overfilled "party" cabinet in the kitchen. Or that pile of clothes that I've been trying to fit back into for the past three years. Sigh.

The benefit of professionals...and finally, on March 27, when you and I have both decided to throw in the towel (or the twenty that sit on the shelf of my linen closet), I will feature the many awesome ways that a professional home organizer can come in and take charge, giving you and your exhausted cabinets a much needed break.

So make sure to check in regularly. (You can also follow on facebook.) Because when the summer comes, I want to be ready to relax. You know, as much as us parents can!