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

Home Organization Ben Soreff Home Organization Ben Soreff

Make it Go Away

When potential clients call, we ask them about their space challenges and one of the most common answers is the big three: attic, basement and garage. We call these areas “Make it go away” rooms. The habit goes past out of sight out of mind to reveal a deeper issue with clutter and how we deal with stuff. When we have homes for items organizational systems make sense, however, for many household items when the don’t have a home we put them in the attic, basement or garage. You ever notice people don’t use “put it” that much but rather “throw it” when talking about those make it go away items.

Cluttered attic

When potential clients contact us, we ask them about their space challenges and one of the most common answers is one or all of the big three: attic, basement and garage. We call these areas “Make it go away” spaces. The habit goes past out of sight out of mind to reveal a deeper issue with clutter and how we deal with stuff. When we have homes for items, organizational systems make sense; however, for many household items when they don’t have a home they end up in the attic, basement or garage. You ever notice people don’t use “put it” that much, but rather “throw it” when talking about those make it go away items.

The Items in Question

old basement

Stuff we hide in the attic usually falls into two camps, those items we don’t know what do with in the first place and those items that don’t have an easy category. Think about your holiday decorations. That category is pretty straight forward. Items that don’t have an easily defined category usually have to do with the word “could.” Saving items for what if scenarios can lead to a clutter attic or basement. These items tend to be bulky like canoe oars or skis. Another challenge can be the “I feel I need to keep it” section. This is where that chair from your great uncle’s house comes in.

Solutions

Why does it matter if the attic or basement are clear, anyway? We not only want to use that storage space to keep items we don’t use often like keepsakes and seasonal items but one way or another you will move eventually and those heavy clutter zones make a stressful time that much more stressful. When it comes to excessive clutter most people get stuck even knowing where to start. The attic and basement require time, physical labor and a plan. A professional organizer not only provides you with special motivated time, experience, and a systematic approach we also bring the manual labor. Focus on why you are keeping the item in the first place. If the item isn’t expensive or can easily be obtained again maybe it is time for it to move on. Consider splitting a dumpster with a neighbor for a day of bulk removal helping each other lug that rusty antique creepy baby carriage down from the attic. Kicking the can down the road adds up in your valuable space if you are stuck indoors due to weather why not use that time to actually “make it go away”

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Home Organization Ben Soreff Home Organization Ben Soreff

Guest Post - Home Move: Making It an Enjoyable Experience

Moving is not an easy task but it doesn’t have to be a procession of misery. Every now and then we are faced with this activity, and its frequency is especially familiar to roaming millennials that tend to move from one apartment to the other. Anxiety will not only make the entire experience feel longer, it will also make you less efficient and, even worse, open the possibility for mismanagement and lost items. If the long and stress-inducing shadow of a big move looms over your head, here’s how the move can be reassessed, making it an enjoyable experience.

Home Move: Making It an Enjoyable Experience

Moving

Moving is not an easy task but it doesn’t have to be a procession of misery. Every now and then we are faced with this activity, and its frequency is especially familiar to roaming millennials that tend to move from one apartment to the other. Anxiety will not only make the entire experience feel longer, it will also make you less efficient and, even worse, open the possibility for mismanagement and lost items. If the long and stress-inducing shadow of a big move looms over your head, here’s how the move can be reassessed, making it an enjoyable experience.

Declutter before you begin

If you need to move, you just need to start packing, right? Well, it is not as simple as it sounds. Chances are, your temporary home is quite “lived in” and there are numerous items just lying around, and some have probably even turned into dangerous stumbling blocks. Before the big move, you need to declutter your home, and it can actually end up being a much longer and bigger task than you initially thought. Just start with the small things and start putting them into labeled cardboard boxes. Once you start packing things into a car or a van, these will go on top, so put them first in the area where they won’t stand in the way.

Jagged edges and sharp objects

Decluttering can last for several weeks, and in the meantime, you can think of ways to minimize the chances for injury during the move, as well as the integrity of bulkier items. You can use duct tape to “secure” these bulkier items to an extent and make the jagged edges safer. You can also purchase special types of Styrofoam coverings which can make matters even easier and safer. By properly covering and securing your bulky furniture, you are killing two birds with one stone – keeping yourself and indeed the furniture safe. You don’t need extra expenditure on your hands after the costly move.

Don’t be ashamed to look for help

If the entire project appears to be too overwhelming for you, don’t be ashamed to ask for help. Turn to your family members or friends to lend a hand and ask them if they can also put their vehicle to your service. Prioritize asking the help from someone who owns a minivan, because it will make the entire move much breezier. Still, there are solutions even if everybody’s too busy to help out. These removalists from Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, for example, offer an efficient move with no hidden charges and with astounding efficiency. Therefore, you are not exactly without options.

Don’t leave anything waiting the day before the move

Moving

All of your tasks related to moving, including the preparation of furniture and packing of smaller goods, should be done as late as the morning before the move. You need some time to clear your head before the main part of the job begins and, as the natural main organizer of the occasion, you need to be on your toes throughout the process in order to save precious time of everyone involved.

Check after you move

After all of the stuff has been moved to the new apartment or a house, go back to the old place and check it thoroughly before you hand in the keys. Look into the remaining nooks and crannies in search of possible missed items and – this is the extremely important part – check if all the remaining devices and appliances are turned off. The last thing you need is to pay excess bills or, even worse, the insurance of the household you have just left forever.

While uprooting your entire life and changing the backdrop of your daily activities can be an extremely stressful endeavor, especially if you are anxious by nature, it can also be a chance for a new beginning, the rite of passage to the exciting tomorrow and a new arrangement filled with opportunities. In the end, it is all about perspective – the point of view can turn a deplorable situation into something inspiring or at least something you are indifferent towards. The only truly important element that should be taken out of the equation is anxiety.

Lillian Connors can’t resist the urge to embark on a myriad of green living/home improvement projects and spread the word about them. She cherishes the notion that sustainable housing and gardening will not only make us far less dependent on others regarding the dwellings we inhabit, but also contribute to our planet being a better place to live on. You can check her out on Twitter.

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Interview - Pretzl

Whenever one of our clients says, “what do I do with all this stuff?” one of our suggestions is to recommend focusing on experiences. This practice works especially well when it comes to feeling overwhelmed by children’s toys. We spoke with Olivia Leon from Pretzl about ways to easily find activities if you don’t want to add to the playroom.

Whenever one of our clients says, “what do I do with all this stuff?” one of our suggestions is to recommend focusing on experiences. This practice works especially well when it comes to feeling overwhelmed by children’s toys. We spoke with Olivia Leon from Pretzl about ways to easily find activities if you don’t want to add to the playroom.

Pretzl event planning

For the busy person, what is Pretzl?

Pretzl is the OpenTable for kids’ activities, a site for parents to search through thousands of classes, camps and birthday party options and book on the spot. Without any fees ever, parents can search on criteria that matter most to them like the child’s age, location, activity type, day of the week/time, making it easier than ever to find just what they are looking for and discover new activities they didn’t know were out there.

Whether a parent is looking for a class or a camp for the summer, planning a child’s next birthday party, or just wants to try something new over weekend, Pretzl is here to help.

What is the company's origin story, how did you pick the name?

My co-founder and I were sharing our frustrations about how difficult it was to find new and different activities for our kids. We knew that there were amazing offerings out there, but no easy way to find them and compare options. We knew that there had to be a better way and Pretzl was born.

According to some historians, the earliest pretzels were dubbed “pretiolas,” meaning “little rewards.” We want to, “give kids the reward of amazing experiences and give their parents the reward of easily finding and booking those experiences.”

How is Pretzl different than calendar of event sites?

Pretzl website

Most directory sites will list options, but parents can’t book the activity on the site. They have to go to the venue’s site or call the venue during the hours of operation. On Pretzl, customers can search through thousands of kids' classes, camps, birthday party options and events and book anytime day or night. Unlike man “calendar of event sites,” we don’t just list dozens of activities and happenings (which can become unwieldy and overwhelming for parents). We enable Pretzl users to filter and sort our thousands of offerings on criteria that matter most to them like date and time, location, age, activity type, etc. and then book on the spot. Lastly, booking through Pretzl also allows parents to keep kids' busy schedules organized all in one place.

What are some of the most popular events?

We are finding that there is no “most popular” event or class. Our bookings range all of the options one would expect - from Fine Art to Martial Arts to the Digital Arts and sports like Soccer, Tennis and Golf and all types of dance. But some our most popular bookings are the unexpected activities such as a Paleontologist Camp, an Earring Making Workshop and even an Ice Cream Making Class. We have also seen a spike in the demand for single day activities with the recent school holidays.

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Guest Post - 5 Tips for Achieving a Cozy Family Room

The family room is the heart of every home. This is where the real magic of community happens: it’s where you and your loved ones spend time socializing, relaxing and having fun. So, if you want to make this special space even more comfortable and cozy, consider these 5 family room design ideas. They will certainly come in handy as the winter approaches!

Family room

The family room is the heart of every home. This is where the real magic of community happens: it’s where you and your loved ones spend time socializing, relaxing and having fun. So, if you want to make this special space even more comfortable and cozy, consider these 5 family room design ideas. They will certainly come in handy as the winter approaches!

Start with color

If you want to create an inviting, friendly and cozy space for your family, opt for soft and warm colors. Earthy tones are especially great in creating that homey feeling, so consider khaki, honey or clay tones. In order to break the monotony, you also need a few pops of bold color! You can paint an accent wall in brighter shades like yellow, pumpkin orange or brick red or find another way to introduce color. For instance, you can opt for eye-catching decoration or an interesting piece of art. These are great ways to spice up the space, because they are affordable and can be easily replaced when you need a quick change.

Shower it in light

Light Room

There’s no better way to create a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere in a space that with appropriate lighting. So, ditch your old-fashioned boob lights and harsh beams and illuminate your family room with layered lighting. Combine general, overhead lighting with the task and accent lights for the best coverage. This way, you’ll always have just the right amount of light for all your family activities and your space will be showered with soft and pleasant light. No more dark corners and too-bright islands of light! Even though the artificial light is crucial, natural light is still the healthiest way to get some light into your family room. So, make sure to open up those curtains and regularly let the sunshine in.

Cozy it up!

Do your family members like to gather in the living room, watch a movie while curled up under a blanket? If yes, then you definitely have to boost comfort to make these moments even cozier for everyone! The best way to achieve that homey, casual vibe is with plenty of informal seating. Soft furniture with practical pillows will simply invite everyone to just flop on the couch and chill as a family.

Also, get a few throws for accent and extra warmth in the winter. And, don’t forget your floors! For the ultimate cozy atmosphere, you need to provide your toes with plenty of warmth and softness. If you can find a rug that’s soft and cozy, you’ll not only boost warmth in your family room, but also anchor the entire space and significantly improve the overall aesthetics of your room. Plus, your kids will love to roll around and play on their new, soft rug!

Make it organic

O

A great way to add both interest and freshness to your family room is to employ nature and natural elements. Indoor plants will not only add a touch of style, color and fragrance to your space, but also ensure your air is free of pollutants and even some odors! This is especially important in the winter, when we spend a lot of time indoors and tend to close our windows. So, don’t miss a chance to green up your family room. Also, outdoor elements add great interest to the space. Consider placing an arrangement of branches in a vase or driftwood on a shelf. These details will instantly boost warmth and style of your room, but also connect your family with the outdoors! If you want to go a bit bigger, you can embrace the eco-friendly trend and try some green renovation design ideas for a healthy and environmentally-conscious home.

Personalize your space

Little details are often what makes home…well, a home! So, don’t hesitate to add a few meaningful family items to your décor to add charm and character. Think family photos, vacation souvenirs, favorite books and art pieces. These pieces not only encourage conversation, but also trigger memories and tell a story about your family. So, ditch some of the store-bought decoration and replace it with personal items that will make your family room warm and inviting!

Hopefully, you’ll feel inspired to improve your family room and treat your loved ones to a space that is uniquely yours. Your movie nights, lazy Sunday mornings and family bonding times will be even more fun and relaxing!

Lana Hawkins is a young architect and a home décor blogger on Smooth Decorator. She enjoys writing about interior decoration and landscaping. Lana is interested in sustainability and green building, and that's where she gets most of her inspiration from.

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