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Organization 101 - Get Organized With Tips and Tricks to Organize Your Life, Work and Home
Do you feel like your life is spinning out of control? Do you sometimes think that you are no better than a hamster on a wheel, just running around in circles all of the time? This is most likely due to the fact that you are unorganized. And when you are disorganized, you are likely to suffer at home, work and in your personal life.
The good news is that you can be organized. It just takes the ability to learn some easy tips and the willingness to use them. You will start to notice a positive difference in your life right away as soon as you start to implement these tips. Not only will you be more organized and feel more in control of your life, but those around you will benefit from your organization skills.
It is easier than you think to get organized. You have to take it one step at a time, though, or else it can seem overwhelming and you are likely to get nothing done at all. The first thing that you need to do is to take stock of your life and make a list of what you want to accomplish. Like anything else, organization is just like anything else you want to accomplish in life. You set a big goal and then set smaller goals so that you can work your way towards achieving this large goal.
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Making the decision to get your closet organized is a step in the right direction. The task can see too much in the beginning, but with some helpful tips you will get the job done. The amount of closet space isn’t what is important – how you use it is! Break the entire task down in to small, achievable steps. This will keep the project from seeming like it is too much to tackle. The first order of business is to decide to eliminate clutter from your closet forever.
Remove everything from your closet. Be honest about what you find in there. Analyze each and every item. Getting rid of things if very easy for some people, but harder for others. Why keep dealing with these items though each and every time you open up your closet? I understand some articles in your closet may have sentimental value. Store them in an air tight container in another area of your home.
If a piece of clothing hasn’t been worn in at least one year consider donating it to a worthy cause. If you have worn out shoes that you never wear get rid of them. If it doesn’t fit then get it out of your closet. If you have items that need to be sewn or have alterations done, this is the time to do it before you place those items back into the closet. Anything that you have just stuck in your closet for lack of a better place for it needs to be removed from your home or given a proper location.
Come up with a system for organizing your clothing. This can be by color, style, or season. You can also choose to separate them by where you wear them such as around the house, work, and casual. A good idea is to hang all the pieces of a particular outfit together. Keep in mind the goal is to maximize the amount of space you have available in your closet.
Make a list of what you want in your custom closet organization. Do you love shoes? Then you might need a great deal of storage for all of them. Maybe you need shelves for your sweaters or your favorite books you keep in the closet. Start planning your closet organization by measuring the length and the depth. You will need this information to start figuring out how many shelves and shoe racks you can install.
What type of look do you want to accomplish and how much money are you willing to invest in this project? Do you want the organization shelves and items to be permanent or something you can easily remove later? The answers to these questions will help you determine the type of materials you will use to complete your closet organization. You can choose from wood, wire items, baskets, canvas, plastic, and anything else you want to consider.
The key is to eliminate anything you don’t really need from your closet and then set the remaining items up in a way that works well for you. All of us have different ways of organizing so make your system unique to you. This will help you stick with returning items to their proper location in the closet. Take some time to research the various types of closet organizers and come up with a plan you will love.
Getting your closet organized in a manner that is going to continually serve you takes time. The success of your endeavor is going to depend on the system you device to keep your closet organized. Most of us have never stopped to consider all the open space in our closet. The key to being successful is to find a way to turn that space into something you can work with.
They best way to organize your closet isn’t the best way that someone else choose to do theirs. Remember that everyone has a different organization style as well as different sizes of closets. Your closet organization system should be customized to what you have to store in your closet. There are some wonderful closet organization kits and systems out there, but only purchase one if the set up is right for you. Don’t rearrange your set up to match what is available unless you are sure you will be satisfied with the results.
It is to your advantage to design your own customized closet organization system. This can be done in many ways. You can purchase individual closet organization products to come up with your own design. This can be tricky though when you are trying to get everything to fit properly. If you choose this option, try to select closet organization products that are all made from the same manufacturer. You should always measure your closet space and the products twice to get the best fit.
A much easier way to get the closet organized the way you need it to be is to design your own closet organization kit. While this is similar to purchasing each piece, it is much cheaper. It involves working with a manufacturer who offers design your own closet organizer kits. This works in one of two ways.
The first is you email them the layout you want for the closet size you have. The other way is you email them with the dimensions and a few photos of your closet. They come up with some good layouts for you based on the information you provide. Once you select one that is right for you, they manufacture it. It is shipped to you for installation.
Keep in mind that proper installation of a closet organization system is essential. You want to work with a manufacturer that offers step by step instructions. The more pre assembled the closet organization kit is, the better. You will want to consider your level of comfort with following directions and installing the custom closet organization kit that is designed for you. You do have the option of having a friend, family member, or professional install it for you as well.
If you want the closet organization process to be as easy as it can, then consider hiring a consultant to do it for you. Keep in mind this will be more expensive than the other options, but certainly worth saving you the time and the worry of installing it correctly. They can come to your home and discuss everything with you including what you are interested in accomplishing with your closet organization make over. They will offer you several different options for layouts and materials.
Once you decide on the layout and the materials that are right for your custom closet organization system, they will have it professionally installed for you. Then you can simply organize your clothing and accessories in there. Quite simple right?
Closet organization does come with many decisions, but the end result will be something you are going to enjoy using for a very long time. You will be very glad that you invested your time and money in a custom closet organization system regardless of the method you choose for designing it, the materials you select, or who installs it. With so many closet organization options available, there is no reason why you should have to settle for anything other than exactly what works well for you.
ClosetMaid products are the perfect solution for your storage nightmare. You can easily transform any closet in your home into one that is perfectly organized, making it very easy to find any item you are looking for. ClosetMaid has been leading the industry in custom home organization products.
You will work with a personal closet designer to help you every step of the way. They will come to your home to discuss what you are looking for in a closet organization system. The designer will help you come up with some viable solutions. ClosetMaid has a variety of options available to meet any budget. You have the final decision in what ClosetMaid products are installed to meet your needs. The consultation is free, and you are under no obligation to make a purchase if you decide ClosetMaid custom closet organization is not right for you.
If you decide a ClosetMaid organization system is right for you, the work can begin immediately. They will help you prepare your closet for the installation, including the option to paint it before any products are installed. ClosetMaid understands while your closet is being customized and transformed, you have a great deal of persona items that don’t have a home. Most installations can be done in a few days or less.
Don’t worry about the results you will get with ClosetMaid. They offer a 100% guarantee on all of their custom closet installations. They will do a complete replacement if you are not satisfied. ClosetMaid products are available in five great choices – warm cognac, antique white, natural maple, white with a raised-panel, and white with a smooth front.
Some of the ClosetMaid accessories you can choose from include a jewelry organizer, shoe holders, cubbies, quality clothing rods, sweater storage, deep drawers, cabinets, and storage containers. The options for customizing your closet are endless with the quality products provided by ClosetMaid. You can view some of their wonderful layouts on the internet or just have a design specialist come up with one that is unique for you and your closet space.
In addition, ClosetMaid markets many of their closet organization products for you to purchase and install on your own. This is a great way to save money as well. You can choose to purchase individual products or a custom closet organization kit from ClosetMaid. You can take a look at their website or request a catalog to find out all the different closet organization products they offer.
The products manufactured by ClosetMaid come in a variety of materials, designed to help you create the custom closet you have been dreaming of. They offer wire baskets and storage components. The most popular ClosetMaid products are made from wood and particleboard. Consumers have come to rely on the closet organization products from ClosetMaid because they are economical and very sturdy.
Each product has a money back guarantee as well as various warranties depending on the particular product. Each item comes with complete step by step instructions for proper installation. You can also contact their helpful customer service staff to assist you with any questions. Their website is full of wonderful tips for making installation easier, including a step by step “how to” guide and a video demonstration for various products that they offer. This is an excellent source of information. If you aren’t sure if you want to tackle the challenge of installing a custom closet organization system yourself, watch one of the videos. This will help you decide if it is something you feel comfortable doing.
If you are ready to transform your cluttered closet into an area that has up to three times as much accessible room, then start looking into ClosetMaid products today. Whether you decide to have them installed or to do it yourself, you will be very pleased with the results and with the quality of the products offered by ClosetMaid.
When kids play, it is almost a certainty that there will be a mess to clean up after they are done. By having a playroom in the house, it can help keep the toys from taking over the rest of the house, including their bedrooms. But, how do you keep the playroom from getting to the point there is no room to play? Here are a few tips, including how to get the kids to help.
Start with sorting through all the toys and finding the things that they never play with anymore. Have they outgrown them? Are the broken? Make piles of things to pass on, or sell in a garage sale, things to throw away and things to keep. Sort the toys by type and then you can decide if you need to change the way they are stored. You may not have to get anything new; you may have enough containers that aren’t being used in other rooms around the house.
To help the kids put things away, borrow an idea from classrooms: label everything. Make signs, either with words, pictures cut from magazines or both, and attach them to the various containers and shelves. The kids then have a clear guide for putting things away. It also helps when they want a specific toy - they can just look for the signs and know where to look, that is if they’ve put things away.
Another way to help reduce the chaos is to reduce the number of toys in the room. Divide the toys into groups, some to pack away for a time, and some to have out. Store them in a closet, the basement, or anywhere else they will be out of the way. When the time comes to swap the sets of toys, it’s almost like getting new toys without buying anything else.
Changing the way toys are stored can also help. By having easy access containers, the kids can put things away more easily. Younger children can have a hard time with lids, but there are nice fabric containers that are flexible and are safe for them. Some of these come designed to look like animals or people and are a lot of fun. Clear plastic containers are also great because the kids can actually see what is in the box before digging through the whole thing.
Stuffed animals seem to multiply like real rabbits at times. There are a few options for corralling those critters. There are Velcro poles that the animals stick to. They can be tucked in a corner and do not take up much space. There are also stuffed animal hammocks that can be hung up to save floor space, but these should only be used with older children. Have them at a height where they do not pose a choking hazard.
The biggest key to keeping it all under control is maintaining it every day. Get the kids into a new habit of only getting one thing out at a time and putting it back when they are done. If this is too hard, then reduce the number of toys available, increasing them as the kids get used to the new system.
All too often the attic becomes a wasted space, relegated as a repository for cast off clutter, old hobbies, and outgrown clothes. However it is an entire floor of your house, and ignoring it means wasting a lot of extra room that could be put to any purpose you can imagine. Since it is reclaimed, you can even put it to frivolous use, creating a space for private contemplation, public celebration, or any other inclination you might have.
The first thing you want to do in reclaiming this space is to make certain that it is safe. Exposed insulation is a common problem in attics that can cause breathing problems if inhaled, and skin rashes if touched. All insulation should be properly cased off using drywall sheets, or plywood.
You should also inspect the space for mold, insects, and signs of water damage. All of these things can lead to health problems if not dealt with before you start. If the attic has been closed up for a long time you will probably also want to do a basic cleaning, and leave the windows open to allow fresh air in.
Another common problem in the attic is temperature. Since it is at the top, all of the heat that is being pumped out to keep the rest of the house warm eventually ends up in the attic. This can make it stiflingly warm in both the summer and in the winter. Fans are a good way to offset these problems, allowing you to circulate air throughout the space, and keeping the air fresh and new. If necessary you may also want to consider an air conditioner.
In some attics the ceiling slopes down sharply at the edges, in line with the slope of the roof outside. This can make most of a relatively large space unusable. In some cases, you won’t even be able to stand up straight except in the very center of the room.
One way to offset this is to make the attic a sitting space. Carpet the floor with soft materials to make it comfortable to crawl throughout the room. Purchase low couches, or even just use futon cushions, or couch cushions, spaced in a semi circle to allow people to lounge comfortably. In this way the low ceiling can actually serve to make the space seem more cozy and comfortable.
The most common use for an attic is as a spare bedroom, or guest room. The fact that it is situated outside of the normal flow of the house means that your guest will have some privacy, and that they won’t constantly be in your face either. The natural warmth of this space will also mean that generally, you won’t have to worry about a heater, although you might need to purchase extra fans or an air conditioner, if the space gets overheated.
Another great use for the attic is as a home office. Here again the remote location is a benefit, as noise wont tend to travel all of the way up to the attic as easily as it would to some rooms. Setting your desk by a window is a good way to keep you from feeling isolated in your remote tower location.
The attic should not be ignored. It is an entire floor of your house, just waiting for you to turn it into the room of your dreams. There are a few special considerations that you may have to take into account in this space, but for the most part decorating the attic is really just about making up your mind to do it, and then following through.
About the author:
This article was written on behalf of PebbleZ.com’s line of natural stone home décor products and functional home accessories. The text of the article was penned by Joey Pebble – an artist and designer that works with the company.
