Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Every Which Way Organization!

We hope you and your family have a safe and happy week together!
Once you have recovered from all the turkey, check back here next week for a special blog on getting your Christmas or Hanukkah decorations in order!


Happy Holidays!

It's Almost That Time of Year...

With the Holidays right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about organizing the one room where you will be investing a lot of your time. The Kitchen!

Starting to organize your kitchen is truly a cabinet by cabinet process. You will follow many of the same basic rules as organizing any part of your house.

1.       Start from the end of your kitchen and work your way around moving bottom to top with the cabinets.

2.       Give yourself a clear counter space to work with. An island top is ideal, but if you do not have one, try a large counter space or place a blanket on the floor to work with for the bottom cabinets.

3.       Open the cabinet and take everything out (it won’t be as scary as it sounds promise!)

4.       Begin creating categories for like items i.e. pots together, Tupperware together et. The purpose of this will be to make sure all like items are grouped in the same cabinet. So when you are re-shelving, make sure that only like items are placed back on the shelf. Has you work your way around the kitchen you may find more of the same items in other areas, these can then be placed with their counterparts in the same cabinet.

5.       Try to shelve according to usage. If you have items that you use on a daily basis, make sure that those are easily accessible to you. Any items that are not used often can be top shelved i.e. Fine China et.

6.       Organize things in a way that will be easy to maintain. Your organizing does not have to look perfect; it just has to be functional for you. Keeping everything grouped is the main key to finding everything easily.

7.       Keep up your organization. The best way to keep up your kitchen organization is to maintain your organization every time you do the dishes. When going through the organizing process involve your family, so that they know where things should go.

Another great company I have found for kitchen organization is Shelf Genie. They provide you with custom made glide out shelving for your kitchen. This is a great investment if you have deep kitchen cabinets that make it hard to reach all your items. They also supply great Glide Out drawers for your pantry as well!

This weeks reccommended link!

http://www.wikihow.com/Organize-a-Kitchen

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Product Review & Contest-Sweater Compartment Bags

Function: Attaches to existing closet rods to hold sweaters, t-shirts or handbags.

What’s Included:  Just an easy to assemble nylon mesh fold out compartment bag. The bag has a Velcro fastener on the top to attach to your closet rod.

Price Point: $19.99 

Pros:  

1. Easy to assemble.  
2. Helps keep sweaters organized and neat for those who do not like to hang sweaters, or do not have the space to store them on shelves.  
3. These are also great for “Winter Closets” to store sweaters in small spaces until Winter.  
4. Better solution to storing on top shelves where finding an individual sweater may be difficult.    
5. Can hold up to 24 sweaters.

Cons: There really are no cons. The price point creates a less expensive alternative to adding shelves to your closet

Overall Review: 5/5 stars Great price point, easy to use and makes it easier to access your clothes!

Find out more about this product here

Would you like to win this product? Email us at everyww@gmail.com with the word "contest" to enter!

Contest ends Wednesday September 30th.
     

Transforming a Junk Drawer

We all have one, whether it is in your bathroom, kitchen or office.

That faithful drawer that collects all of those knickknacks we don't know what to do with.

Getting your junk drawer organized may be easier than you would expect. We will give you some step by step instructions for getting it organized, and some products that will help you keep it clean!

1. Take everything out of your drawer. If you have a lot of trash or small pieces it is best to use an old blanket or towel to place items on while separating them.
2. Start Separating. Create categories from the pieces you find. “Office Items”, “Tools”, et. Keep all of these categories separated; use post-it notes if necessary.
3. Don’t be afraid to throw things away! When categorizing, if something comes up that you can’t categorize, or can’t figure out where you would use it toss it out! Your categories should be specific and there is no use keeping something you have no clue when you would use it, “Just in case”.
4. How to organize it all. I highly recommend using in drawer organizers if you don’t have another designated, organized, area to put your new categories into. It is very important to make sure this drawer does not turn into another junk drawer. Just keep everything in order and place them into the designated areas.

Here are some suggestions from the Container Store:

Clear Divided Drawer Organizer

Silver Mesh Drawer Organizer

Happy Organizing!

Have an organizing question? Email us at everyww@gmail.com

Ask Every Which Way

Dear EWWO,

 In the past few months I have noticed that my bedroom closet has turned into more of a storage area. My clothes are hidden behind boxes and other items.  I just can’t keep it clean because I don’t understand what to NOT put in there. I know it seems like a simple enough question, but having a walk in closet is becoming more annoying than exciting.

                                                                                     Jane R.

                                                                                  Marietta, Ga

 Dear Jane ,

My rules on what should be in a bedroom closet are very bare minimum:

1. In season clothes you are currently wearing including tops, jeans, underwear et
2. Labeled plastic storage Containers for out of season clothes (if no space is available in another closet)
3. Linen for your bed
4. Shoes you currently wear, placed neatly on a shoe rack or on built in shelves
5. Hats, if neatly placed in hatboxes or displayed on shelves neatly
6. Good quality extra Hangers

That’s it.

Yes that’s it. Doesn’t seem like a lot does it? Well here are some of the things that should never be stored in a bedroom closet.

• Boxes- The items in tese should be placed in clear storage containers and labeled. Then put into a storage area or cloeset.
  
• Clothes you never wear- If you have clothes that you simply never wear there is no use in keeping them another day! Donate any clothing items you have not worn in a year or more.
  
• Photo Albums & Cards- If you use these items for scrapbooking they should be stored where you actually use them, in an office or desk area. These items should also be stored in storage containers and labeled.
  
• Those old dry cleaner hangers- I know, I know. I have heard it all when it comes to why people keep these around. But the truth is they are not good for your clothes and they are just plain unattractive! Invest in some good quality plastic hangers for your closet and or wooden hangers for your suits and dresses.

Have a question for EWWO? Email us at everywhichwayorg@yahoo.com

For more tips on keeping your bedroom closet organized, visit this weeks recommended link !

http://www.msstate.edu/web/news/nycu/closet.htm

Ask Every Which Way!

Do you have an Organizing or Decorating question?
Email us at everyww@gmail.com with your question and we will write a blog dedicated to you for our featured
"Question of the Week"!

Product Review & Contest-Container Store Erasable Labels

While working on a basement project with one of my clients, she told me that she was constantly switching out her storage containers and having to scrape off her labels and change them. After our conversation I went searching in the container store and discovered these great erasable labels.

Function: With a permanent marker with erasable ink and special labels in one kit, you no longer need to change out labels on your containers.

Whats Included: A package of 70 labels, a marker, and and eraser. Label refills are available at the store and online.

Price Point: $10.99 for the Starter Kit. $7.99 for label refills.

Pros: Never having to change the labels on your containers again. The labels are also very good quality and stick well to container lids.

Cons: The refills are a bit pricey, but a pack of 70 labels goes a long way so you wont have to worry about refills often.

Overall Review: 4/5 . Should be a cheaper price point.

Find out more about this product here 

Would you like to win this product? Email us at everywhichwayorg@yahoo.com with the word "contest" to enter!
     

Four Household items you can Reuse for Organizing

Sometimes we can’t always afford to run out and buy the newest storage items, or space savers. So this week I decided to do a blog that will save you money! There are so many items around your home that can be reused to help you get organized. Here are a few below:

1. Shoe box Containers- Shoe box’s are great for storage because they are stackable and provide efficient space for small items including bathroom and office items. You can create small dividers to put in these boxes for small jewelry. And to make them look more aesthetically pleasing, they can be wrapped in gift wrap paper. Or when used for kid’s storage, wrap them in plain white paper and then let kids paint or draw on them as they like.

2. Baskets- Baskets are inexpensive and great for using to store such items as magazines, blankets, or even kitchen pantry items. Larger baskets can be used in kid’s playrooms to store toys, or in closets to store socks. Or use them in bathrooms for guest towels!

3. Bookcases- Bookcases can be used for more than just the obvious. They can be used in kids rooms to store stuffed animals and toys. They can also be used in the living room to shelve decorative items that don’t have a home.

4. Coat Racks/Key Holders- These are perfect to hang anywhere in the house to store items. Use them in the garage to hold bicycle helmets or small tools. They can be used in your closet or bathroom to hang necklaces and bracelets. And are perfect for hanging men’s ties!

There are lots of creative ways to reuse items in your home. See what you can find in your home this week!

Here is this weeks recommended link:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1355504/how_to_creatively_reuse_items_5_quick.html?cat=7

Organizing Your Garage

Ah the Garage. The space where you should be able to park your cars.
Though your garage space should be used for some storage, it sometimes ends up being used solely as a storage space and overtaking its main purpose. But cleaning out your garage does not have to be a daunting task. I will give you a few tips to get you started!

* Plan the Space- Most rooms you organize you can start separating items and cleaning out right away. Unfortunately, the garage is not one of those spaces. It is important to take an inventory of what you have before starting. Use a piece of paper to start listing and categorizing the items you have. Decide if anything can be tossed or donated. Also decide if some items would function better in another space in your home. Then draw a sketch of the space (does not have to be perfect just a basic idea) and start deciding where things should be grouped and placed.

* Hang it, Shelve it, and Label it- One of the most important steps to getting organized in your garage is to create extra space on the floor by hanging and shelving items.

Hang it- Bikes, Ladders and Large tools can be stored on your garage wall to create more space and give these items a designated, organized home.

Shelve it- Installing shelves onto garage walls is a great way to store smaller items. Rather than just putting items on the shelf as is, try categorizing the items and storing them in clear plastic containers. Make sure to measure your shelves before buying the containers, and label each container clearly.

* Don’t Forget the Kids! If you have kids it is likely that many of their toys and sports items are stored in the garage. Therefore it is important to create an area designated for their items. It does not have to be a large space, but by creating this space they will know their items should not just be thrown anywhere they land in the garage. An easy idea is to use a toy chest or large clear storage containers. Lowe's also carries a great item called a “Sports Center Rack” by Real Organized ,where you can store helmets ,balls, knee pads et. Also it would be wise to hang their bikes on the walls surrounding this space.

*Outside Storage- If everything simply won’t fit into your space after reconfiguring and organizing, it may be time to think about an outside storage unit. These can be purchased in many sizes and might be the solution you need to take back your garage space! See the “recommended links” for more ideas on these spaces.

I know garage cleaning is not always fun, but get your whole family involved and make a day of it! Start with planning and shopping for items and give each family member a task to complete. You will be done in no time!
Below you will find this week’s recommended links, and some pictures from a recent garage project I completed to give you some inspiration!



http://www.pods.com/storage.aspx
http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-organize-a-garage.htm
http://www.containerstore.com/

To Hoard or not to Hoard

Hello everyone. I hope you all are having a great week!

This week I would like to focus on a topic that is near and dear to my heart, the Pack Rat.
Maybe you know one, maybe you are one, but either way we all have seen what havoc being a Pack Rat can reek on a home.
Whether it is your favorite toys from when you were a kid, or the 3,000 receipts you won't throw away in case you are audited one day, being a Pack Rat can make life a little cluttered.
Here are some basic rules I follow when helping clients who just can’t let go of their prized possessions.

• Identify why you hold on to the things you have- Whether it be sentimental items or receipts and old emails you still have from work, it is important to identify where most of your hoarding happens and why.

• Sentimental Items- Some things can’t be replaced, and I would never suggest that someone throw away photographs or old family heirlooms. But it is best to organize these items and have them condensed to one area. Use shoe boxes for smaller items and label them. For photographs and paper items that hold sentimental value it is best to start a scrapbook for these items for a fun easy way to keep a chronological document of your favorite memories.

• Work Items- The biggest offenders for Pack Rating that I have found lately have been people that work from home and Independent Contractors. The main problem that I have come across time and time again has been clients keeping hundreds (no exaggeration) of receipts. These are normally kept in case of an audit, which is understandable. But if you feel you have to keep every receipt you have ever received, first scan them into your computer (you can do multiple receipts at one time) and then store all of them in ONE place. Don’t let them get scattered all over your house. Try to scan and store on a weekly basis.

For more tips visit this weeks recommended sites for more:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/284134/how_to_stop_being_a_packrat.html?cat=6

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art47535.asp

Cassandra

Organizing your Home Office

Hello I hope everyone had a great weekend!
For this weeks blog I will be focusing on home offices.
I feel that the most important part of getting a home office organized is to have the same storage and filing resources as you would in a regular office.
Designated areas for everything, and a clear filing system can go a long way.
Working from home can be distracting at times (I know from experience!"whats on HGTV right now?"). Because of this it is really important to have everything organized to be able to stay focused on the task(s) at hand.
Here are some quick tips for keeping thing together:

* Items on your desk should be things you use on a daily basis.

* Create a working clearly labeled file system using stacking files with "Inbox", "Outbox", "To File".

* Transfer notes, scrap paper to daily planner or notebook.

* Files are your friends! Having a clear filing system will eliminate the stress of "Where do I put this?". When there are designated places for your paperwork you will find it less stressful when you have a stack to file.

* Which brings me to the last "quick tip". Don't procrastinate filing! Its not necessary to do every day, but once you have a decent stack of papers in your "to file" box start filing it. It is not the most pleasant task, but the more you delay it the more unpleasant the task will become in the end.

That's all for now! I will leave you with my Before & After from my Home Office Project.


BEFORE:




AFTER:

Closet Project Before & After

Today I worked on a closet project from heaven. I really enjoy doing closets that already have great built in closet systems from California Closets or The Container Store. This project had two separate closets with built in drawers, shelves and shoe storage units. Having defined separation like this always makes it easier to put everything in its place!
The number one thing this project needed was the separation of Casual and Dress clothing, and taking out the winter items to create more room. When you do this it really opens up your closet, and gives you a great opportunity to go through these items and see what can be donated or sold.
Your out of season items can be stored in a separate closet, or in storage containers like this.

This one can fit under your bed, if you are lacking the extra space.

Here are the before and after pictures.

Before:




After:


Once the winter clothes were removed and the existing items were organized, this client had double the space. Making it much easier to find all of his clothes!