Guest Post - 5 Lessons That Will Teach You All You Need to Know About Being Organized

Expert writer Lloyd Carr from Yorkshire Fabric Shop shares tips and hints on how you can learn to be better organized.

Many people are finding it difficult fulfilling their duties since everything is taking place all at once. When faced with plenty of activities, some people do cram resulting in a low quality of work.

Organizing things reduces overthinking and over analyzing things. Being organized will save you a lot of time and make you at peace at home or work.

We listed down five ways for you to be organized.

1.Make a Planner

Nowadays, people use their devices to make schedules and appointments. Well the classic planner still exists, but people prefer to use digital tools in doing a planner.

As you now, being late for a meeting or appointment can be embarrassing and problematic. 

To avoid this, setting a daily, weekly, and monthly schedule will help you to sort things out.

One of the most famous online planners is Google Calendar. You do not have to worry if you bring your planner or put it in your bag before you leave home. Digital tools will allow you to check your schedule anytime.

2. Write Down Important Details

To make sure that all your tasks are being accomplished, put them in writing. As you spend your day, you may receive a lot of information and details. Write important details like dates, names, places, expenses, and more. In this way, you can remind yourself of all the things you have done or needed to do.

If you do not want to carry a notebook, you can download digital notebooks on your mobile phone.

3. Back Up Important Files

Most of the time, people use their gadgets like laptops and smartphones to store information. Scanning important documents like contracts, bank details, passports, and IDs is an excellent way to protect and retrieve them. Make sure to create a secure folder and a strong password to avoid hacking.

If possible, keep the original copies of your important records in a safe. In this way, you can ensure that your documents will not be easily stolen or destroyed.

Aside from files, you can also save your precious photos in your device or file storage accounts like Google Drive. Doing this will get rid of bulky photo albums in your home.

4. Put Everything in Place

If you visit fabric stores like the Yorkshire Fabric Shop, you will notice that every fabric is labelled and placed neatly in the rack.

Doing this allows customers to see and buy items easily. Imagine what will happen if customers are having a tough time finding their desired material.

This shop shows a good example of how you can organize your belongings. Doing this may be overwhelming at first, but you will be satisfied in the long run. Knowing where you have put your keys, cell phones, and other things will save you from stress and clutter.

5. Avoid Procrastinating

Every single one of us has 24 hours to do what we have to do. It is tempting to procrastinate. However, your schedule might get hectic in the following days or weeks. If this happens, accomplishing tasks will be more difficult.

Put in a lot of effort to finish your work duties as soon as possible. Practice yourself to have the “do it now” mind-set.

Follow these five tips and make them a habit. If you do this, you will find yourself at peace and on track. Organizations and businesses like the Yorkshire Fabric Shop make it a point to be on schedule all the time. These establishments spend a lot of time and effort in organizing their duties.

6 Ways to Organize Your New Home (& Keep It That Way!)

Moving into a new home can be a very overwhelming task between the process of purchasing the property to packing up your old home and getting all of your belongings into your new place. When moving into a new home, you probably want to have a plan for how to organize your new house to keep things looking tidy and decorative. Here are some tips and tricks on organizing your home after a big move.

1. Declutter Your Home

If you want to set yourself up for success in your new house, how you choose to pack up your old house is important. Instead of simply tossing everything you own into different boxes, take the time to go through all of your belongings and determine which items are worth bringing to the new place and which things you can toss. 

The key to staying organized is to continually declutter your home and avoid making impulsive purchases of items you don’t really need around the house. Sometimes, we have a tough time letting go of items we know we have no use for but to which we have some type of emotional attachment—like that stack of old movie stubs stuffed away in a drawer somewhere. 

The best way to declutter your home is to be realistic about which items you use and which are simply taking up space. As you begin your declutter process, you can separate your items into “keep,” “donate,” and “toss” boxes, so you can pass along items that are still in good condition to charities in need.

2. Organize Boxes As You Pack

Another way to keep your move as organized as possible (and make it easier to unpack) is by strategically organizing your boxes. Pack up your old home room by room and keep track of what items you’re putting together in the same box. You should label the boxes by room and contents to keep yourself organized. This will make it much less confusing when you get to your new home and need to start pulling out your decorations and other essential items. 

Whether you’re planning to do the move yourself or use a moving company, you can also bring the boxes into your home and set them in the rooms where they belong to avoid things getting lost in the shuffle.

3. Keep Your Essentials in One Place

Although we’d like to be able to pack up all of our belongings at one time, there are many items you’ll need to keep out until your very last day—like cleaning supplies, bedding, and pillows, among other belongings used daily. To make your final packing session as easy as possible, try to keep all of your essentials in one place and, when you have to get the last few things out the door, you can quickly organize these items into one or two boxes you have already prepared. 

Label these boxes, too, to avoid anything getting lost, as you’ll probably need to unpack some of these items right away. You may even want to bring this batch of boxes to your new home by car, so you can easily keep track of everything.

4. Unpack Before Decorating

Before you can really begin decorating your home, you need to get all of your belongings out of their boxes. Otherwise, you might end up hanging a painting in your living room before uncovering another decorative item that would look even better in the same place. Get all of your essentials unpacked, such as kitchen items, clothing and bedding. 

Once the main items in the house are set up, including furniture, then it’s time to tackle the decor. If you have an idea of where you want to put certain things as you unpack, find an area of each room where you can temporarily store decorative items without them getting in the way.

5. Get Creative with Your Storage Space

Right now, many people are turning to minimalism to downsize their homes and number of possessions as a way to simplify their life. Even if you’re not downsizing, implementing certain elements of minimalist thinking and design can raise your home organization to the next level. 

Many tiny home designs emphasize the need for innovative storage space. You have to make use of what you have, which means you can use drawers and shelves to create extra space for items you may not have room to store elsewhere. Building or buying a bed frame with drawers underneath is a great way to provide extra room. And, if yours is one of those cool, fun Austin, Nashville, or Charleston home rentals, you can likely find an antique bed frame that will match the style of your beautiful city while offering plenty of underneath storage space. 

6. Make Use of Vertical Storage

Another common trick used by those living in tiny homes, or just homes on the smaller side, vertical storage acts as to store items, of course, but also can have a decorative element. We love the use of ladder shelves, which can give your home a rustic or modern feel, depending on the style, while also providing shelving for items that need to be stored but look purposeful when put out on display. If you have the space, try installing extra shelving on the walls of the kitchen to keep items like recipe books, flowers, kitchen utensils, or even pots and pans. 

Spruce Up Your New Home … and Keep It Organized!

Congrats! You’ve done all the hard work of selling your home and you’re on your way toward moving to Charleston (or wherever your heart desires). But, before you can get all settled in, you need to take some steps to ensure your new home will be and will stay organized. During the packing process, it’s important to label your boxes clearly and try to organize them by room so items don’t get lost in the shuffle. 

Once you’re all moved in, unpack before you begin decorating and try to make use of the space you have by using vertical storage and finding other creative ways to organize and store your belongings. Your house will feel like home in no time!

Secrets To Keep Your House Looking Great

Buy a home, they said; it’ll be fun, they said. Nobody tells you how much time and effort you have to put into keeping your home clean, organized, and looking good. The problem is, a lot of people don’t have disposable amounts of time to spend on home upkeep. You probably work, have kids, a social life, and other priorities. We’re happy to tell you that we cracked the code of home cleanliness and organization. Check out these secrets to keep your house looking great in our guide below.

Handle One Project at a Time

Probably the biggest culprit of a messy home is losing focus. With everything you have going on, it’s easy to open the mail, cook dinner, and sweep the floor at the same time. While it might feel like you’re knocking out a bunch of tasks at once, you’re actually doing a mediocre job at all three. Take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to focus on one thing at a time; you’ll surprise yourself with how effective this method is.

Never Leave a Mess in the Kitchen

A lot of us are guilty of leaving dishes, pots, and pans in the sink after cooking until we “get around to cleaning.” As much as you probably don’t want to, don’t go to bed without cleaning the kitchen after the day. Leaving a mess behind not only looks bad, but it’s also gross and essentially gives you permission to leave the rest of the house in the same condition. Taking care of the mess immediately after will make your life easier, and there’s nothing like walking into a room and seeing it’s already clean.

Declutter as You Go

Having less stuff is the easiest way to keep your home clean and tidy. That’s right—channel your inner minimalist and get rid of stuff when you have the chance. Whether it’s opened mail, your kids’ toys, kitchen utensils, or clothes, if you don’t use the item, then toss it or sell it. Most of us have far too much stuff, so be realistic and get rid of the items you haven’t used in months or years.

Frequency Is Better Than Infrequency

Our home’s floors are one of the focal points of our home’s cleanliness, yet the floor always seems dirty by the end of the week. Well, the reason is that you’re not cleaning often enough. Our floors can use a good cleaning every day or two. Let’s say you invested in beautiful hardwood flooring; cleaning frequently is one of the ways to protect hardwood floors and it’s no different for the rest of your home. Our homes deserve a frequent cleaning schedule to keep them in tip-top shape.

If you implement even one of our secrets to keep your house looking great, you’ll notice a big difference in your home and your life. A home that’s dirty and cluttered is a common cause of unnecessary stress. Don’t let your home do that to you—show it who’s boss.

Book Review - Don’t Toss My Memories in the Trash

Don’t Toss My Memories in the Trash by Vickie Dellaquila

Moving is stressful and overwhelming especially if you have been in your home for many years. Your “treasures” are important to you even they are not necessarily important to others. Seniors face many challenges such as making decisions as to the best place to move, what to bring, the best way to move possessions and how to organize a new home. So many decisions to be made, and sometimes we all need guidance to help make them. Ms Dellaquila, a professional organizer and senior move manager, has written a step by step guide for seniors and their families on how to downsize, organize and move with the least amount of stress.

The author states that moving out of the family home usually happens anywhere from 

60 years old on. Many seniors have emotional attachments to their homes and the loss of the house and the memories attached can make moving a difficult process. This book helps seniors know what they are going through is “normal” and it will help family members to understand what a senior may be experiencing when moving. 

The book guides people through strategies on how to help a senior think about moving. Maybe the house is too expensive to maintain? Maybe people no longer want stairs and are looking for one level? The author suggests taking a road trip to see a few places and not place pressure on the senior. There are many options out there such as retirement communities with activities, condos where landscaping is maintained and apartment living to name a few.

Once the location is decided the difficult task of downsizing/decluttering starts. Usually homeowners cannot take everything they own to their new location. But where to begin?

Hiring a professional organizer is not a necessity but can be a huge help for family who lives out of town or due to work/family commitments does not have the time to spend decluttering. 

 Also, a professional organizer can act as an unbiased third party when helping make decisions.

For example, some of the services  we provide at H2H Organizing are as follows:

-Sort/pack/or dispose of possessions

-Arrange for moving company

-Interact with family members

-Help arrange donates, consignments and appraisals

-Work with real estate broker

-Help on moving day

-Help unpack/organize new living space

-Organizing/Maintenance after move

A challenge when moving is what to do with the many boxes of keepsake items accumulated through the years such as yearbooks, photo’s, special collections and memorabilia. One technique Ms. Dellaquila employed with a client was suggesting 5 categories:

-Before marriage

-Travel

-Children

-After marriage

-Career

She purchased 5 bins and labeled each bin one of the categories. She guided the client to save “only the amount of memorabilia that would fit in each container.” This gave the client the understanding to only keep what was truly important and meaningful. Months later after the move, the client was able to sit down with her granddaughter and scrapbook what she saved. What a wonderful way to share memories between generations!

Speaking of keepsakes, at H2H we suggest removing photos out of frames and donating the frames. Maybe scan the photos and create a book. If you have a prom dress or high school letter jacket, maybe cut a swatch of fabric as a memory? There are many ways to declutter and still keep your memories alive.

Chapter 8 is key as it deals with what you will need to bring to your new home. For example, do you need lawn tools if the landscaping is being done for you? If you are moving to a warm climate it may be time to donate your winter coats. Are your meals provided and if so what cooking utensils do you really need? Also important to think about is what furniture to bring and what will fit? There are good suggestions on how to measure and decide what to take with you on moving day.

Chapter 13 deals with the actual move. Suggestions on packing yourself are excellent. 

For example, an “open me first” box with items such as toilet paper, tissues, lamp and bulbs, snacks, pet supplies etc…The author also deals with how to hire a moving company, questions to ask and what to expect from the movers. Such valuable information!

As with most professional organizers, Ms. Dellaquila does follow-up with her clients 6 months after the move. There is information at the end of the book with references and websites for senior move assistance. This book will guide you during the downsizing process and alleviate any resentment and frustration. The advice in this book will ensure a smooth transition and make the move as stress free as possible.

Don't Toss My Memories in the Trash, Second Edition: A Step-by-Step Guide to Helping Seniors Downsize, Organize, and Move

By Dellaquila, Vickie

Buy on Amazon