Interview - Campus Quilt Company

Our clients are always asking us what to do with their vast number of old t-shirts, so we asked Megan with the Campus Quilt Co. for some solutions.  

For busy homeowners, how would you explain Campus Quilt?

Campus Quilt takes all of those sentimental items that are just taking up space in a closet and transforms them into something homeowners can use every day, a custom t shirt quilt! We understand the difficulty of parting with so many special t shirts, which is why we love transforming them into something brand new that holds all of those wonderful memories in one place. 

What is the process, how do people get you the T-shirts?

To start the process, you can go on-line to www.campusquilt.com or call us at 502-968-2850 to place the order. We will take a $100 deposit per quilt and email you a design kit. We will charge the remaining balance when your quilt is complete. The kit will include an order form, some instruction sheets, and an optional layout guide. The customer is then responsible for printing off the order form and shipping the shirts to us. We ship via UPS, but customers can use whatever mailing service they prefer. However, free return shipping is included with the final payment of the quilt. 

Is there a limit, any concerns about cleanliness or stains?

Not at all! Some customers prefer that we cut out stains so they are not included in the quilt, while others love the shirt because of the stain, and ask that we ensure it is included. We do ask that customers wash the shirts before sending them, but we can certainly work with shirts that have stains. For older shirts that are particularly thin, we can always add backing material (usually extra t shirt material) to ensure that the shirt is strong enough to endure the quilting process. 

Are there other products available in addition to quilts?

In addition to quilts, we also offer t-shirt tote bags (using 1-2 shirts), small pillows (1-2 shirts), and large pillows (4-8 shirts). 

Can people use items other than t-shirts?

We are certainly able to use a variety of materials! Essentially, we can use any material that we can get a needle through! 

You must see a ton of either ugly or amazing t-shirts, any projects that stand out?

I may be a little biased, but I love every quilt we complete! Some of my favorites are the ones made from baby clothes! 

Book Review - The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

Well that’s an interesting title for a book. What could it possibly be about?

Why would someone write a book about Swedish house cleaning? Is it a book about scrubbing everything in one’s home until you are so exhausted you are near death? Well move aside Marie Kondo, and welcome Margareta Magnusson. The focus is not on keeping what “sparks joy,” but finding the right homes for your sentimental items so they can be loved by someone else. Magnusson who says she is between 80-100 years old, writes with humor, honesty and practicality.

The Swedish word for death cleaning is “döstädning” which means to declutter earlier in life as opposed to leaving it for family to do once you pass away.

“To get rid of things to make life easier and less crowded.”  Magnusson explains that döstädning doesn't have to happen later in life, but often that is when people realize they need to reduce clutter. Death cleaning is not sad, in fact it is not the story of death but the story of your life. When one death cleans, you steam-line your life, downsize your possessions and leave your home less messy and more organized.

Magnusson says to start in the basement or attic. Things in storage may have been there for years and one may have forgotten what they own. As professional organizers we encourage clients to start in basement or garage as these areas can be excellent areas for items either leaving your home or storage for items you don't use very often. Another tip is not to start with photographs, letters and papers. These items can take quite a long time to review so best to start with subjects that are less time consuming. Magnusson likes to start with clothing. Clothing is easy to sort. Maybe there are items which you have been saving thinking you will wear the again, but reality is it has been 5 years and you probably will not?  These items can be donated and you will find you will be helping someone else out while creating more space in your closet/drawers to find clothes that you prefer to wear.  

An important tip in the book is that everything needs a place to live. The author says she knows families who live in a complete mess. We are sure you do to.

Living in a mess is exhausting. Family members can’t find items such as keys, phones, homework, and glasses. “Give everything a place and you won’t feel angry, irritated, or desperate, when leaving the house. You will not as often stand by the front door yelling… and for a change – as an added bonus-you may also arrive on time,” writes the author.

At House to Home Organizing we frequently deal with multi-generational families, and many possessions have been passed down over the years. It is common for adult children to worry about their parents as they age as well as what will happen to all the possessions once their parents are gone. Magnusson suggests the following wording when talking to an aging parents. “You have many nice things, have you thought about what you want to do with all later on? Could life be easier and less tiring if we got rid of some of this stuff that you have collected over the years? Is there a way we can do together in a slow way so that there won’t be too many things to handle later?”

The author points out that we live in a very wasteful society. As technology brings advances in every area in our life, sometimes we have a combination of items in our homes acquired over the years. Take for example the kitchen. Percolator coffee pots were replaced by drip coffee pots, and now Keurigs are the rage. In many homes you will find all 3 of these items. People tend to get new products even if the old ones are not yet broken or worn out. “This cycle of consumption we are all part of will eventually destroy our planet-but it doesn’t have to destroy the relationship you have with whomever you leave behind.” This is another benefit of death cleaning, thinking more about recycling, donating, and gifting. By doing so you make your life simpler and less complicated. What a relief!

A suggestion in the book is to try to give your items to family, friends, co-workers and neighbors who may be happy to receive your possessions. If not, Magnusson says to sell them or make a donation to charity. This will make you feel good about your decision. Remember there are always young adults starting out who can’t afford to purchase all the wonderful items you may have. They may be so happy to have the possessions you may not want anymore. When they can afford to purchase they will pass your items on to others. “You cannot know the places your objects may go after you are gone, and that could be wonderful to contemplate,” says Magnusson.

If you death clean regularly, you will be able to focus on your personal and professional life without obstacles. Without obstacles you will have more time to enjoy your family and friends. So what are you waiting for? Start döstädning! 

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter Buy on Amazon

Please note: If you choose to purchase the book using our Amazon link, H2H receives a small commission designed to help keep our rates affordable. 

Expired and in Search of a Final Destination

Expired Prescription Medication

While everyone's home is different often the items inside are the same. In that regard one question that we get asked a lot is, what to do with expired medication? Medication that has expired or you are no longer taking should generally never be flushed down the sink or toilet. While this method was popular for years and the debate is still out, some feel that it hasn't been great for local sewage treatment systems or waterways. The FDA sill advises opioids to be flushed, but there are other options. The FDA recommends removing the medication from the container and mixing with food garage and sealing in Ziploc bag or similar sealing bag before tossing in the trash. You can rip or cross out your name on the label before recycling the plastic container.  The challenge for those who are trying not to add to landfills is to find a workable alternative. The DEA offers a annual drug take back program and many local police stations and health departments have safe medication disposal boxes.  We encourage people not to put up too many barriers to getting rid of unwanted items in their home. We tend to see collections of medication to be disposed of sit for years in the back of a closet. Focus on the action and move to the car or reward yourself with a treat for dropping of in a proper receptacle. One of the key motivating factors for properly disposing of medications is to keep it away from curious children and so removing it from the house in a timely manner should determine your preferred disposal method. Lastly, these same suggestions apply to pet medication. Anyone who has a dog at home that eats everything in site knows the dangers expired drugs can pose. 

Expired Vitamins and Supplements

For old vitamins the same rules as prescriptions medication apply and you can follow the disposal steps above. Additionally, some people feel that they don't really expire and if not that old may still have some potency left, but from an organizing point of view it is more about clutter removal, so ask yourself why you weren't able to take the vitamins before they expired. There is also a debate about whether you can compost vitamins and minerals or use them on in houseplant soil. Others make facial or bath scrubs out of them. Again, these options feel best explored for those with a schedule featuring a lot of free time. 

Misconceptions

The Comedian

A few nights ago I was scrolling through Netflix and saw that comedian Todd Barry had a new special. The title was Spicy Honey which seemed interesting enough to click. About eight minutes in, my casual paying attention turned hyper-focused. He said he hired a professional organizer. I spend a lot of time explaining my occupation to people, so to hear mention of my industry in a comedy special was exciting. Once I got over the initial shock I waited to see where he was going with this. Without spoiling the joke, the premise had to do with throwing things out. When people think professional organizing they think throwing things out. So much so that a popular comedian knew that everyone would get the reference immediately. 

The Setup

Organizing is not about throwing things out. Tossing leads to regret. Throwing things out is what your parents did to your stuff when you went off to camp or college. Throwing things out is what your spouse does when fed up with messy bedroom. Throwing things out is what you do in a panic on closing day when the buyer's lawyer is staring at you.

The Punchline

Organizing is all about what we are keeping. Where should items live and how can one find them when needed. Linda, Kathleen and I build relationships with our clients based on trust. In fact we can't organizing a space without our clients because their goals are all that matter.  We use our philosophy, experience, patience and humor to decide what should be kept and the best system to store and find it.  Additionally, any system we create has to work for everyone in the family (and be easy to use). Organizing is about time. Setting aside specific time to finish what we start through motivation and having a plan of action. Organizing is about control, not regret. We never want anxiety, so if you feel like it, the next time you overhear someone say, throw it out, tell them the joke's on them.