A resource for those seeking information on organizing and transforming spaces.

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Spring Cleaning: What to Donate and What to Dispose Of

When the bitter frost of winter melts away, spring brings a fresh revival of life to the world. As nature makes room for beautiful flowers, rain showers, and sunny days, it's also time to make room in your home. Spring is the perfect time for cleaning and decluttering your home. This is the reason why spring cleaning is such a popular concept. If you're not sure what to get rid of this year, there are a number of places you can probably start the process. Consider the following categories as you figure out what to donate and what to dispose of.

When the bitter frost of winter melts away, spring brings a fresh revival of life to the world. As nature makes room for beautiful flowers, rain showers, and sunny days, it's also time to make room in your home. Spring is the perfect time for cleaning and decluttering your home. This is the reason why spring cleaning is such a popular concept. If you're not sure what to get rid of this year, there are a number of places you can probably start the process. Consider the following categories as you figure out what to donate and what to dispose of.

Clothing

While those jeans from high school might seem like a motivator, you might want to replace them if high school was decades ago. Plus, it's better to get rid of clothes you haven't worn in at least a year or two. If you're waiting to get back into those smaller jeans, just donate them to a local shelter or thrift store. You’ll feel much better having a closet of clothes that actually fit you. If the clothing is tattered, stained or in extremely used condition, dispose of it.

Electronics/Heavy Machinery

Living in the age of technology, people change phones almost as often as they change jobs. In some cases, people get a new phone every year. The same concept applies to other smart devices. However, even if you have a damaged phone, you can still donate it. There are shelters that fix up the phones and give them to women who've been victims of assault or domestic violence. 

If you have your hands on heavy machinery that is no longer in use, you can always dispose of certain items at local junkyards. If you're a lover of cars, don't throw a car away. Instead, donate it to a company like Cars 2 Charities. Donating old cars can be a good way to make a difference in your community.

Food

Yes, you'll want to clean out the refrigerator, cupboards and pantries to get rid of old food, spices and other expired items. However, if the non-perishables are in good condition, consider donating them to a local food pantry. Once you have enough non-perishables to get through a potential emergency, it's a great idea to donate the rest to a local food pantry, a church or a soup kitchen.

A clean space is connected to a lot of positive benefits. For starters, you'll be able to find things you're looking for. Additionally, a clean, decluttered space is often connected to a decluttered mind. When your home is cluttered, it can add to feelings of overwhelm, anxiety and depression. By becoming intentional with your spring cleaning process, you might discover some mental health benefits along the way.

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Home Organization Ben Soreff Home Organization Ben Soreff

How To Avoid Losing Your Stuff While Moving

Are you moving soon and worried about misplacing your belongings? Ensure nothing falls by the wayside in your move by following these simple tips.

How To Avoid Losing Your Stuff While Moving

While moving, there are so many things you have to worry about—your items are correctly packed, nothing breaks, and you don’t lose anything. Make sure your transition goes off without a hitch by keeping these tips for how to avoid losing your stuff while moving in mind.

Create a Master List

The best way to keep track of everything when moving residences is to create a comprehensive master list. Before you pack a single thing, go through your stuff and make a list of everything you’re packing, breaking it down by rooms, like the master bedroom or kitchen.

A master list will be beneficial when it comes time to unpack, and you want to make sure that everything arrives safe and sound. It’ll also be handy when it comes time to decorate your new place since you’ll have a list of everything you own.

Back-Up Photos and Videos

The last things you’d want to lose are priceless family heirlooms, old photos, or precious home videos. It’s easy for a picture or video to get misplaced or damaged in a move, so the best protection is backing up your photos and videos.

If anything bad should happen, you still have a digital file stored safely in a cloud storage service. Plus, digital backups are much easier to access in the future for those times you want to take a trip down memory lane!

One Room at a Time

It may seem tedious, but the best way to keep everything together and keep track of it all is to go room-by-room. Put all the packing materials you need, like boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape, in the room beforehand to stay focused on packing.

When you’re running from room to room, packing as you go, it’s easy to misplace things and forget what’s packed and what you still need to box. This way, you’ll also know how much longer you have to pack, and all the boxes for specific rooms will be together when it’s time to unpack.

Labels, Labels, and More Labels

Consider investing in a label maker for your big move if you don’t have one already. A simple label on a box or tote may seem unnecessary, but it can save you a surprising amount of time when packing and unpacking, and making sure you’re not leaving anything behind. If you don’t have a label maker, a few permanent markers will work just as well.

It’ll also help the movers and yourself when moving boxes and totes. Label your fragile belongings and heavy boxes to ensure that they’re handled carefully and make the trip in one piece.

Moving isn’t exactly loads of fun, but the last thing anyone wants is to lose their belongings in the process. Follow our tips for how to avoid losing your stuff while moving, and we’re sure you won’t leave any of your belongings behind!

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Home Organization Ben Soreff Home Organization Ben Soreff

7 Ways to Make the Most of Your Vertical Space

Curious about what you can do with vertical space in your home? Read this list of 7 ways to make the most of your vertical space now!

At some point in everyone's life, there will come a time when your space starts to feel cramped or dull. This is only natural after living in the same place for a long time. You will gather more and more belongings as time goes by, and eventually, you will run out of space. Then, it would be best to consider how to use your space without having to get rid of some of your belongings. Exploiting the available vertical space can help. Additionally, if you are bored with your home, you can even use your vertical space to decorate your abode without much effort. To help you out, we have put together a list of 7 ways to make the most of your vertical space.

1. Add storage

Vertical space is perfect for adding more storage space to your home. In addition, vertical storage is a great way to add a bit of decorative flair to your home. For example, you can add an armoire to the bedroom or a baker's rack to the kitchen. Organizing for parents can be difficult, but why not add some corner shelves to put your kids' toys on? Utilizing your vertical space with furnishings is the perfect combination of decoration and functionality. So, before considering getting rid of your belongings or expanding your home, try to use your vertical space for more storage first.

2. Stack your things

The concept of stacking things to save space should be very familiar to all of us. At the very least, Bunk beds are something we have all heard of. However, there are many more ways you can stack things to make the most of your vertical space. For example, you can get a stackable washer and dryer. There are platform beds that combine your bed with a set of drawers right beneath them. Stacking shelves and cabinets are nothing new, as well. These are a fantastic way to create more storage space in your home without too much effort. And, after all, if you have limited space in your home, thinking outside the box to add more should be a priority.

3. Freestanding shelves

Whether you need a solution for storage or decoration, freestanding shelves solve both relatively easily. Collapsible and stackable shelves are easy to fit, even in oddly shaped rooms. And, of course, shelves are a perfect storage solution since they can fit almost anywhere, and their purpose is to hold things. On the other hand, if you need an easy way to display items for decoration, then freestanding shelves are perfect. Put them up in an empty area or above your other furniture, and show your decorations. When trying to declutter and organize your home, the process is much easier when you have plenty of shelving to arrange items.

4. Modular storage options

Combining the convenience of prefabricated construction with the flexibility of custom design, modular storage is the perfect combination for filling in vertical space. In addition, modular storage is effortless to install, and with a bit of planning, you can tailor it to suit your space perfectly. And to top it all off, there are modular solutions for almost anything - dispensers, shelves, bins, anything to fit into your office, garage, attic, laundry room, etc. Experts from Heart Moving also note that these modular pieces are very easy to move because of their modular nature. All in all, you can't go wrong with a piece of modular furniture.

5. Add art

If you have more vertical space than you need storage space, you might consider making the place more inviting with some art. After all, art is a great way to decorate a room without much effort. In addition, placing art pieces in unexpected spots is a great way to draw attention to them. So, if you have some vertical space but have no idea what to do with it, why not add some art?

6. Add lighting

Another terrific aesthetic idea when trying to make the most of your vertical space is adding more lighting. If you feel like some of the rooms in your home could use a change in lighting, then adding lighting fixtures in the unused vertical space is a beautiful way to do it. 

7. Vertical Garden

Do you feel like adding a bit of green to your home? Then, why not use your vertical space for plants. You can get small, stacking hydroponic setups which will bring greenery into your home without cluttering your windowsills. Vertical landscapes use much less space but still grow healthy plants. Alternatively, a vertical garden on your patio, seeded with some vegetables, can bring impressive yields without taking up a lot of space. 

Make the most of your vertical space

There are many fantastic ways to use your vertical space functionally and decoratively. And, of course, the best solutions are a combination of functionality and aesthetics. We hope you found this list of 7 ways to make the most of your vertical space helpful.

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Home Organization Ben Soreff Home Organization Ben Soreff

Best Ways To Create a Welcoming Guest Bedroom

Creating the perfect guest room is a challenge. However, by following a few helpful tips, you can create a space where any guest will feel comfortable.

Best Ways To Create a Welcoming Guest Bedroom

Whether designing a space for friends and family to stay in when they visit or renting out that spare room to earn extra cash, decorating your guest room is crucial. Here are some of the best ways to create a welcoming guest bedroom that will make any visitor feel right at home.

Proper Furnishings

Your guests will need a bed to sleep in, of course, but other bedroom furniture pieces are just as important. Consider including a comfortable chair and small end table for guests who prefer to sit in their room to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. Guests may want to use their computers while away from home, so remember to situate the table within reach of an outlet.

Essential Electronic Information

It can be an awkward experience to stay in someone’s home and ask for Wi-Fi information. The host may not know it offhand, and guests may need to ask more than once to connect their phones, tablets, laptops, or other devices.

One of the best ways to create a welcoming guest bedroom and avoid a potentially awkward interaction is to display a card with Wi-Fi login information in the room. This card is also an excellent place to include extra information for your guests, such as your contact information or other vital phone numbers they may require during their stay.

Simple Décor

When decorating a guest bedroom, it’s important to create a space where guests feel welcome and comfortable. Your favorite statue of a frog playing the ukulele may match your personal style but could remind guests they’re out of their element.

When decorating a guest bedroom, it's sensible to keep things simple with neutral colors and décor. Choosing suitable drapes for the room is essential to give guests light and privacy control. Also, drapes can be swapped out regularly to fit each season, making them an excellent place to start when deciding on guest room décor.

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