Your Garage ...It's Time to Tackle the Clutter

Fall marks an ideal time for clearing out and cleaning your garage…you know, that space on the side of your house that used to have room to park your cars.  If you act quickly, the weather is still warm enough for you to use your driveway to hold things overnight should you need a second day to complete the project and before the cold days of winter are upon us.

The most effective way to begin is to is to remove everything from your garage and sort “like items” together in sections on your driveway, for example, all bikes and sporting equipment in one area, garden tools in another, etc.  If you own a pop-up canopy, you could set that up on the driveway too in order to shield things from the weather if necessary.  During the sorting process, you must get rid of anything that is broken or no longer needed, or make a donation/give-away/sell pile.  My recommendation would be to “let the items go” without thinking about a yard sale though. 

Once your garage is empty, sweep and wash the floor inspecting the overall condition of your garage.  Are there repairs that need to be made, such as loose shelving, etc?  Now would be a perfect time to paint the floors and walls in order to give your garage a more “finished” look once you put all of the items back into their respective spaces.  You could also put up shades, blinds or curtains on the windows, which will also offer privacy as well as beauty.

So what do we need in order to organize everything that needs to get back into the garage? Possibly more shelving, cabinets and/or counters?  All of these ideas can be implemented back into your garage in order to provide the storage space you will need.  For example:  Kitchen cabinets and counters can be installed on one wall, open shelving on another, and don’t forget the possibility of having rafters installed for those large seasonal items.  Your goal should be to get all items up off of the floor. 

Consider getting a storage shed if you have room in your yard to move out the more bulkier items like mowers and leaf and snow blowers.

Definitely put aside a day or two in order to complete your garage organizing project.  Here are a couple more tips to consider:

·         Avoid the temptation to use your garage to “store” things to put away “later”.  This is definitely how the junk will accumulate again.

·         Make sure to install adequate lighting in your garage with switches that are accessible.  Most important is to have enough power outlets installed to run power tools or a vacuum for easy car cleaning.

·         Place a doormat at the entry to your living space so not to track in dirt and water.

·         Hang tennis balls from the ceiling so that you know just how far to pull your car into the garage so that the door will shut…now that you have room for your car again.

Good Luck with your Garage Clean Out!

Your Clutter Personality

Great read and very insightful to those who have a hard time with clutter.

http://organizedhome.com/cut-clutter/clutterer-within-whats-your-clutter-personality

Cash for your Gold - Big Money

If you've got unwanted, broken, or old gold jewelry sitting in your jewelry box, you may be sitting on a goldmine, no pun intended...

Want a little cash for the summer? I have a friend, whom I trust, that is now buying gold for Gold Fellow. This company is paying out better than your local jeweler.

Respond if you want her contact information. She'll supply you with a FREE, NO obligation quote. If you are not happy, no loss. Checks written on the spot! No mailing required.

Check out this article written by the BBB.

http://www.goldfellow.com/better-business-bureau-recognizes-goldfellow.aspx

Never Judge a Client by their Address...

I received a phone call recently from a potential client. I offered my usual " Complimentary Consultation", and began to book the appointment. Nearing the end of our conversation, I asked her for her address and wrapped up discussing my fee schedule.

At the conclusion of our phone call, I searched the address on my iPhone to begin creating a client folder with my notes and directions to her apartment. When I discovered where her home was located, I questioned to validity of the lead...how could someone who lives "there" afford my services. I did not question the need for services or the fact that the woman was very pleasant on the phone, just was it going to be a waste of my time...as I WAS giving it away for FREE.

I confirmed our meeting the evening before via email and planned on arriving the next day in the afternoon. Still wondering....

I arrived and was greeted by a woman and her two children, aged 12 and 9. I asked the children if they knew why I was there, and they each replied no. I explained that mom wanted a little help to get their apartment more organized, especially the bedrooms. She gave me the grand tour of the 4 bedroom apartment, 1 full bath, a medium sized living room and galley kitchen. Things didn't seem too bad to me. The apartment was furnished rather sparsely, especially the bedrooms, which each had only a bed. Did I mention that she had also adopted her cousin's two children, aged 3 and 4 and that there was an infant on the way from her cousin as well?

My admiration for this woman was forming! She was a single woman and mother to 5 children. She is unemployed and trying to take classes to educate herself for an administrative job. Her last 17 years had been spent in the retail industry, and she needed to find a job that required weekday only work, 9 to 3 or so and this had become increasingly difficult.

After completing my needs analysis, we agreed that there was not much that I could do until she got some dressers for the children's rooms and some additional pieces of furniture that could be utilized for storage. Where was this woman going to get money for furniture, even used furniture, if I was questioning how she was going to pay me for services?

Before my departure, I decided that I had been called to this home for a reason. I have always been a cheerleader for the underdog, and now I was being given a chance to help a woman and her children.

I am in the process of researching resources for this woman: a place where she can procure both furniture and items for the children. In addition, I plan on offering my services at no charge. Not because I'm a martyr...it's the right thing to do.

If you are reading this blog and live in CT and have any dressers you are willing to donate to this family, please comment on my blog. Transporting to the client is necessary as well.

Try paying it forward once in awhile. It's an awesome feeling!

What A Waste?

I clipped a Starbucks coupon entitling me to a free drink. It expired yesterday. Here I am at Starbucks today, writing this blog and paying big bucks for my coffee. What a waste. Or is it?

One of the reasons I became a professional organizer is that I hate waste. Whether it’s waste a of time, waste of money, waste of resources, waste of energy, waste of food, waste of stress, or waste of a life—waste really gets under my skin. What I’ve discovered in my war on waste is that waste is a very relative thing.

I work with people who struggle with throwing things out. This is what I commonly hear. “That’s still perfectly good.” “That needs to be recycled.” “I need to get that repaired.” “I could probably use that for something.” There may be no personal value in these items for the individual, but because there is a perceived value, there is a concern about waste.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about reduce, reuse, recycle, but there comes a time when you have to step back and look at the larger waste issues. If you have a limit to how much stuff you can fit into your home, then you also probably have a limit to how much time, energy, and money you can devote to controlling it. It’s all too easy to waste the precious resources of time, energy, and money on less vital waste issues, like recycle and repair.

Getting back to coupons. I once had a client tell me he felt like he was throwing money in the garbage. He was actually contemplating using a coupon for a dinner at a local Chinese Restaurant.  The irony was that he does not like Chinese food. He was actually trying to figure out what he could order on the menu to suit his tastebuds so that he could get his FREE meal. Finally, when he listed a dozen “ifs” he realized it was ridiculous. The coupon wasn't money, it was a piece of paper he could never use.

So I realize that I am kind of doing the same thing with the Starbucks coupon. I’m beating myself up because I kept the coupon in a prominent place for several weeks, thinking I had until the end of February to cash it in. Seemed like all the time in the world on January 1st! I figured I would go to Starbucks daily to focus on these blogs, so I really expected that I would use this coupon soon. Other priorities have risen to the top of my to do list since then, so I have been blogging whenever and wherever I could. I realize now it would have been foolish to shift those priorities just so I can get a free coffee. I had been lamenting a wasted opportunity that I never had. In reference to balancing priorities, it’s not a waste at all.

Keeping Your Car Neat and Organized

Keeping your home clutter-free can be challenging enough, but many of us face the additional challenge of keeping our cars neat and organized as well.

Below are a few tips to help you keep your home away from home clutter free and tidy.

1. Empty everything out of your car and clean the inside thoroughly. Make sure to vacuum as well. Then take the items you need to put back in and sort them so you'll know where they are if you need them.
2. Keep a trash bin in your car. Whether a small plastic bag or one designed specifically to hang on the back of a seat.
3. Create a children's activity kit for long road trips filled with items to keep the kids occupied. You can use a small plastic bin or canvas bag filled with items such as: crayons and paper, playing cards, books, small toys or electronic games, and snacks and juice boxes. Having these items in the car can contribute to stress free driving.
4. A CD holder made for visors can be used for far more than just holding CDs. You can keep coffee cards, coupons, gift certificates and important papers stored there as well.
5. Keep a small first aid kit in your glove compartment packed with the basics: band-aids, gauze, tape, insect repellent, and pain relievers.
6. Lastly, make sure to carry emergency items in the trunk such as: booster cables, flashlight, blanket, and a bottle of water.

Always remember, a little extra pre-planning can go a long way!
Happy Travels...

Gently Used Furniture Wanted for New Haven Recovery's Used Furniture Co-op

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Wanted! Beds-Mattresses-Sofas-Kitchen Tables/Chairs/Dressers & Other Household Goods to help turn an empty house into a home

New Haven Home Recovery, a non profit in New Haven established in 1990 in response to a critical need to shelter women with dependent children is in need of gently used furniture for their Furniture Co-op. The Furniture Co-op helps turn empty houses into homes as women and children transition from homelessness into a home.

Each month almost 150 clients from New Haven Home Recovery and their member agencies come through the Furniture Co-op and are able to receive 4 major pieces of furniture to begin to turn an empty house into their own home.

For the months of February & March The Furniture Co-op will be providing free pick up for any furniture donations in the following towns: Branford, North Branford, East Haven, Ansonia, Derby, Cheshire,Hamden, Milford, New Haven, North Haven, Orange, Wallingford, West Haven and Woodbridge.

Don't dump your old furniture donate it! You'll be helping a family furnish a home. To schedule a pick up or if you have more questions please contact Agnes at 203.492.4866.