ORGANIZED. BY JENNY

PROJECT PORTFOLIO: Choose Stress-Free Home Office Over Cluttered Storage

2012-02-04T15:42:00.000-08:00

My client was so excited to move forward in his life, both professionally and personally, and working on this home office and guest bedroom combination was just the way to do it.

These boxes never had a home when he moved in - containing his old files and memoirs and valuable papers inherited from a deceased parent.

He also wanted to advance his writing career and really needed a place to get inspiration and keep track of all the fanciful stories he was going to spin.

ENTER: ORGANIZED. By Jenny.

We whipped this corner pile of boxes and doohickeys into shape. We created a space plan with tastefully and appropriately sourced furniture and storage solutions.

We are happy to report that by the time the holidays rolled around, our client was able to have his mother-in-law stay in the newly refreshed guest bedroom AND have a clean and orderly place to get his finances and writing projects in order.

Cheers to that, 2012.

Do you have a pile o' random boxes taking up valuable real estate and feeling more like a thorn in your side? Where is it? What is all the stuff in those boxes? What do you think is holding you back from going through the stuff and finding the right place for your things? Please leave a comment!

Taking Care of Business: New Business Cards!

2012-01-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited, I just had to share! I just ordered my new business cards. Plenty of little Jenny faces will be floating around in the world to find people who want to beat clutter in 2012!

What do you all think? It's kind of nice that I have my face on these, right? I think it's good to remind you of the human being you'll have by your side to help get your stuff and business in order.

DIY Tips: Re-Use Your Way to Creative Holiday Storage [My Guest Blog on Diggerslist.com!]

2012-01-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

Remember last year's Christmas tree debacle? When you got so busy taking on the freight train that is the month of January that all those prickly, dried out Christmas tree needles started making a mess on your floor?

How about a resolution you can actually keep? Put away those Holiday Decorations waaaay sooner than last year.

For a little inspiration, check out my latest guest blog on Diggerslist.com! It's a great little tip sheet to use what's laying around the house to put away your holiday gear.

Here's an excerpt below and be sure to click through to read the full post! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think and comment below! (And thanks to Skaie Knox of the DiggersList.com Blog!)

DIY Tips: Re-Use Your Way to Creative Holiday Storage

Decorations and gifts are great to hang and have strewn about to set the holiday mood! But, come January, most of us have the unhappy chore of finding space for all this festive goodness.

So before the last pine needles fall, and the eggnog runs dry, let’s find inexpensive and “green” ways to store our holiday gear. Here are some inexpensive and eco-friendly ways to find creative storage solutions for your holiday goodies.

Re-Use Things Laying Around the House
Egg Cartons! They are naturally shock-absorbing and great for little ornaments. Nick-knacks are great “in season” but get a little ridiculous when it’s nearing the time of year to put up red hearts and cupid decorations, right? Let’s find winter adornments a home.

Source: Re-Nest.com

Continued here at the full blog post at diggerslist.com!

Organizer Rant of The Day: "Rotating" Underwear

2011-12-06T19:51:00.001-08:00

As a personal home/office organizer I MUST veto this practice of ridiculousness called "rotating" your underwear.

Do you do this?

Source: Fauziah Ismail

It's where you put our most recently-laundered undies on the bottom of your pile so that you wear the less "fresh" ones on top.

Are you kidding me? Priorities, people! Let's save our energy for the important things...like doing our laundry in the first place, getting the dishes washed, and hugging our loved ones.

Panties are not milk and eggs.
CLEAN underwear is not a perishable good.
Laundry does not expire!

Let's just make sure we rotate the underwear that we actually wear, not the storage of it, huh?

Thank you. I feel better already.

Happy December, everyone!

Let's Be Thankful For Our Space! ("Transforming Apartment" VIDEO)

2011-11-24T10:23:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

On this holiday, let us be thankful for all the space we have in our homes to live the life we want!

You live in a small space perhaps? Well...you should STILL count your blessings!

A "Transformers" apartment! "More than meets the eyes!"

See what Hong Kong architect Gary Chang did to his TINY 344 square foot apartment with his creative design skills!

What an inspiration to live efficiently, simply and clutter-free!

For such a small space, Gary Chang is living LARGE!

I am thankful for all of your support as I've grown the ORGANIZED. By Jenny business this year!

Holiday Organizing Tips: The Not-So-Martha-Stewart Guide to How to Be A “Dignified Slacker” [My Guest Blog on Diggerslist.com!]

2011-11-23T16:39:00.001-08:00

Party people!!!! It's the Holidays! It's time to do it up in the ways of the "Dignified Slacker"!

Here's an excerpt below and be sure to click through to read the full post! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think and comment below! (And thanks to Skaie Knox of the DiggersList.com Blog!)

Holiday Organizing Tips: The Not-So-Martha-Stewart Guide to How to Be A “Dignified Slacker”

Comedian and professional "Dignified Slacker", Andy Samberg with Martha Stewart.

If you’re looking for tips to help make this season’s holidays “absolutely perfect,” please move on! There is nothing for you to see here, folks.

[Cue the string quartet rendition of "Glory Glory Hallelujah"]

This blog post is for those of you who wish not to achieve the unattainable “ideal”, portrayed so effortlessly by Martha Stewart and her perfectly proper staff of “Home-Bots”. This one is for those of you who want to survive the “Ghosts of Horrible Holidays Past”, saving your loved ones from dealing with an overly-emotional, extra-complicated and stressed-out version of you.

BEHOLD! The Dignified Slacker!

[End instrumental music]

DiggersList's guest blogger, Jenny as "Dignified Slacker"-In training, circa newly immigrant status. "Never Let Them See You Sweat." That old anti-perspirant slogan on the TV screen had it right all along.

What is the “Dignified Slacker” you may ask? Well…I made it up. It’s just my term for recovering perfectionists who believe that “perfect” is the enemy of “good.” It is for people who choose to live in the reality of happiness-land rather than fairy-tale-perfection-land. The Dignified Slacker is an attitude! It’s a way of being! And it’s a strategy for managing the craziness of the winter holiday season. Now, to the list…

5 simple ideas to enjoy the holidays and live the charmed life of the Dignified Slacker:

Continued here at the full blog post at diggerslist.com!

Create a Guest Room Out of Nothing: Tips for All Budgets [My First Guest Blog Post on DiggersList.Com!]

2011-11-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well, lookee here! It's my first ever guest blog post on behalf of ORGANIZED. By Jenny! It's quite a little milestone for me! Yay!

Here's an excerpt below and be sure to click through to read the full post! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think and comment below! (And thanks to Skaie Knox of the DiggersList.com Blog!)

Create a Guest Room Out of Nothing: Tips for All Budgets

Oh, dear. Guests are coming for the holidays and we don’t have a spare bedroom! What is a holiday host to do? Whether you have a champagne or beer budget, here are some strategies for finding space for guests and being a gracious host this holiday season.

Create Space for Guests on The Champagne Budget

Pop that cork! You can afford real French bubbly for the holidays! You might not have the budget to punch out a wall and add a spare room, but you do have enough champagne money to upgrade your furniture.

• Get a Sofa That Doubles as a Bed for the Office or Living Room

Photo: bhg.com

There are many options on the market for sleeper sofas – from smaller scale love seats to massive couches that open up to queen sized beds. Not loving the idea of a fold-out mattress? Consider getting a sofa with a deeper or longer seat cushion, so that it can easily be converted into a bed by just adding fresh linens...

Read the full blog post at diggerslist.com!

Organizing Essential #2: Slim Velvet No-Slip Hangers

2011-10-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

EVERYone wishes they have more closet space. Any closet overhaul must include an upgrade to the best hangers of the moment. Screw that magazine that told you that getting perfectly uniform cedar hangers was essential for having a grown-up closet. Those things are expensive, bulky and not very practical.

It is ALL about flocked or "velvet" slim hangers. There are a bunch of companies making them now, originally popularized by those ubiquitous infomercials from Joy Mangano ("Huggable Hangers"). You can get them for a great price and they are excellent for making the most of your precious hanger space.

Oh! And while you're at it, feel free to use this neat-o checklist of Essentials Items for a Woman's Closet to help you pare down what you need to keep or toss. This list is ESPECIALLY helpful for those who like to maintain rather preppy, wardrobe staples as the foundation of your closet.

Thin No Slip Velvet Suit Hangers, Black, Set of 50
Source: best value on Amazon.com (Costco had a great deal on these recently)
Price: $29.90
Awesome Sauce Factor: Takes up less real estate on your closet bar and never lets your strappies, silkies and boatnecks from falling to the floor. And at 60 cents a piece from Amazon, it's a great value for the closet upgrade.

Do you agree that these hangers are the bees-knees? If not, what do YOU recommend as the BEST hangers around? Leave a comment below! I'd love to hear from you!

PROJECT PORTFOLIO: Be the Donald Trump of Your Kitchen! Counter Tops as Valuable Real Estate

2011-10-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Not everyone is blessed with forty linear feet of clutter-free counter space (Oh. In my dreams...in my sweet, sweet dreams).

For the rest of us, we need to make the best of our valuable kitchen counter top real estate.

When you think about it, viewing our kitchen counters as "expensive real estate" is actually a great way to think about how to best use our counter tops!

Let's imagine: If you own valuable property on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills or a storefront on Park Avenue, you wouldn't just use that space for storing your random crap that you don't use, would you? Would you treat that Rodeo Drive storefront like it's just some storage garage you rent? Probably not.

You would choose only the best things that will be the most useful, or add the most to your life (or your bottom line).

To use real estate "talk," let's think of it this way: What is the "highest and best use" for our kitchen counter tops (Say, if you are a busy family with three kids)?

Space to prep kids and mommy and daddy's lunches? Check!
Place to store washcloths, daily vitamins and baby food to feed and wipe down little grubby faces? Check!
Counter space to spread out my chopping boards and prep food? Check!
Appliances and coffee maker close to where we store our food, beverages and glasses? Check!

Anything else? Well, they are not as important "uses" of the kitchen, so they do NOT get any of the valuable counter top real estate. Simple as that.

From Project Portfolio

Have you ever thought of the rooms in your home as "real estate"? What are the highest and best uses for YOUR counter tops and the needs of you and YOUR family? Please leave a comment below! I'd love to hear from you!

Has Recycling Gone Too Far? PORTLANDIA'S Funny Take on Recycling Madness!

2011-10-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

The job of a Professional Organizer is never to be a "GET RID OF EVERYTHING" Clutter-Nazi. We'd like to think of ourselves as coaches who help you PRIORITIZE the way your things take up your space and your time! But oh...we do LOVE ourselves some RECYCLING!

I can't help but share this AWESOMELY FUNNY sketch from IFC's "Portlandia." It's the "Sanitation Twins" who tell you ALL about their fair city's EXTREMELY COMPREHENSIVE RECYCLING PROGRAM. Okay. Okay. It gets a little overboard. But it's okay to poke fun of our sustainability, green, and low-consumption ways, right?

What do YOU think about our responsibility to recycle? Has it gone too far? Or has it been a great way for you to bust the clutter in your life? Just comment below! Would love to hear from you!

PROJECT PORTFOLIO: Simple Bedroom Makeover - from CLUTTER to CLARITY

2011-10-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

What happens when you need to move out the personal possessions for a physically disabled roommate and prepare your home for a new roommate to come in, all at the same time?

Chaos.

So ORGANIZED. By Jenny helped this IT professional to get some order in her otherwise disheveled bedroom. We taught her some basic principles around knowing when to keep items, and where to place things you use the most often for daily living. Here are the results.

From Project Portfolio

She still has a nice mound of "To Sort" but now she has a closet that works for her everyday needs. Believe it or not, she was actually getting her wardrobe from a couple piles in the middle of that madness on her bedroom floor.

This is what we did:

Clear out all the junk stuffed into the closet and onto the floor so we can assess what's useful.
Talk through her daily activities for getting ready for work, relaxing and coming home to rest. Where are the things she needs to do these activities? Let's place them within reach in designated "zones" or "homes."
What is the clothing that she is ACTUALLY wearing on a daily basis? Great! Let's put THOSE items back into the closet with plenty of room to spare!
Create space in the closet for

Laundry baskets,
Daily wardrobe,
Smaller essentials like underthings like socks and underwear in the drawer units,
Workout supplies,
An extra bed and linens for when mom comes over once a week and
A space above the drawer units for your purse and backpack (you'll know exactly where it is for when you run out the door).

Then let's put the shoes you actually wear in a shelving unit by the door, with some of your daily vitamins, medicine and hair products at eye level above the shoes.

That's it! Your daily routine, simplified and clarified.

What do you think about the "after" closet? Do you have some "empty" or "white" space around YOUR clothing?

Organizing Essential #1: The Double-Hang Closet Rod

2011-10-03T14:48:00.000-07:00

I'd like to teach the world to sing...in perfect harmony...

Okay. More like,

I'd like to teach the world to double their closet space...for greater efficiency.

This is the FIRST in a series where I'll be sharing with you my "Organizing Essentials"! These are the gadgets, systems and doohickeys that are the go-to tools for me in making MY life and my clients' lives more organized, efficient and sane. And not EVERY tool can make the cut. Only the ones that are excellent bangs for your buck. I believe in reuse, reduce and recycle. But sometimes a good tool that's simple and highly effective is worth it's weight in tax-write-off donations gold.

So here it is...complete with ZERO fanfare or bright lights and colors...it's the (drumroll please...)

DOUBLE-HANG CLOSET ROD
Source: available from The Container Store (or online shopping venues)
Price: $9.99
Awesome Sauce Factor: Inexpensive and high impact! Doubles your closet space.

The Double-Hang Closet Rod at The Container Store

This genius invention simply works with your existing closet rod to provide ANOTHER rod underneath to double your closet space. Just hook it on! No holes to drill!

And it's CHEAP! Just some metal and wood. You COULD get a more expensive one, like the Dublet Adjustable Closet Rod Expander by Umbra®. But why? It's double the price.

I like to use this for hanging my shorter blouses and sweaters on top and then my slacks and skirts down below. It's the perfect way to use that empty space beneath your clothing (if you're not already using it for shoe storage like I have in other parts of my closet).

That's it! Simple dimple.

Imperfect Perfection (or why not quite right can be really great)

2011-09-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

This is my bedroom ceiling fan. It’s what I stare at every morning to start my day. Stare at it for too long, contemplate it too much and it starts looking a little sad and confused.

The contractor was too hasty when he reinstalled it after completing renovations: one blade is crooked, he couldn’t find the light cover and the thing buzzes like it’s prepared for take-off when it’s turned on.

But, it works.

During the muggiest summer nights that little thing buzzed its air-circulating way onto my skin and into my heart.

What can I say? I root for the underdog.

Sometimes seeking perfection and having “high standards” leads to unhappiness and just plain having the wrong priorities.

I haven’t purchased a new ceiling fan. Why? Because this one gets the job done. More importantly, because seeing it up there everyday reminds me of all the awesome things I *have* been doing with my time instead of spending the money and energy on replacing my ceiling fan – starting a podcast on creativity and entrepreneurship, completely purging and reorganizing my house, helping awesome clients organize their spaces to uplift their lives and joyously writing more from my heart this summer than even that prolific run I had writing angsty poetry in the sixth grade.

Allowing for the imperfection in this ceiling fan means I can focus on the great things in my life that bring meaning, joy and connectedness.

Now THAT’S my idea of perfection.

Before & After: A Screenwriter's TV / Media Room [Project Portfolio]

2011-09-06T16:35:00.000-07:00

INTERIOR. MAN CAVE
The spare bedroom looks like it has been hit with a Blockbuster Video tornado. The SCREENWRITER is sitting on the sofa.

SCREENWRITER
This is too much. I've got to get a handle on all these old VHS and DVDs. How will I ever get inspired in this space so I can write more screenplays?!

(2 months later)
ORGANIZED. BY JENNY enters.

ORGANIZED. BY JENNY
Well lookee here! Some sorting, purging and some great storage furniture later, you've got your Man Cave/media room back!

SCREENWRITER
Thank goodness! Not a moment too soon. I don't know HOW much time I've spent on just looking for my limited collector's edition of Scarface.

ORGANIZED. BY JENNY and SCREENWRITER high five.

From Project Portfolio

[Jenny's Crib] From Dark-Hole-of-Storage-Room-Doom to Organized Closet [Before and After]

2011-08-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

I have a confession. I moved into my two-bedroom condo over two years ago and I STILL hadn't finished unpacking. I still had six big boxes of random things covered with construction dust stuffed in the ~~dark hole of see-no-evil storage room doom~~ second bedroom. I just shut the door and lived my life.

After two years of letting my things hibernate and two bathroom and a full kitchen remodel later, I was finally ready to use my space for exactly their intended purpose.

From Project Portfolio

Step 1: Clear out the 2nd bedroom fake storage room of doom and make it an ACTUAL bedroom.
Step 2: Sort, Purge, and Categorize all my homeless stuff while my mom helps deep clean the bedroom. (Thanks, mom!)
Step 3: Crush extra boxes and kick out the donations and trash!
Step 4: Set up my real storage closet to do its job!
Step 5: Enjoy the new storage closet almost every day to live an awesome life!

I wish I had photos of my sad 2nd bedroom when it was the storage room of doom, but no. I probably did not have the strength to stomach the shame. Thankfully, I managed to squeeze six big boxes and more of random unorganized stuff, neatly and reasonably into my spacious storage closet.

This storage closet is centrally located by the living room and dining room. It's the perfect spot to keep all the things I need for my entertaining, hobbies, outdoor activities, cleaning supplies and household projects.

From Project Portfolio

Scroll down for photo of my summer 2011 "storage closet reveal"!

Where are the random places around your house that you've turned into storage? Where are the nooks and crannies that have taken on your random things? Storing tupperware in the oven? Clothes on the treadmill? Toys in the never-used tub? Please comment and let us know!

From Project Portfolio

[Jenny's Crib] Here's a Quick Way to Get a Custom Look, On-The-Cheap [Vintage Knobs]

2011-08-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

Knobs are the underrated hardware of the house. We need them, but take them for granted. For all the utility they provide, why not add a dash of beauty as you open up your cabinets and doors? Here's a quickie project I did to customize my standard, all-white bathroom vanity. I got some great turquoise vintage knobs on sale at Anthropologie and had to have them. Such a simple and unexpected little project.

From Project Portfolio

What do you think? As you can see, I replaced my first knob before taking my "before" photo because I was so excited to see how it looked! Now, every time I touch them, I get a little shot a joy to start and end my day. Oh. It's the little things in life sometimes. It's the little things.

How do you take a big-box purchase and get a custom-look on the cheap?

Mission: Find a DVD in Under 5 Seconds. GO! A Screenwriter's Inspiration Room [Project Portfolio]

2011-08-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

If you had nearly 800 movies, could you find Scarface in under 5 seconds?

I didn't think so.

That's what my Silverlake, Los Angeles client needed to find inspiration for his screenwriting. How can you spin fanciful tales of excitement if piles of DVDs and old, unlabeled VHS tapes are crowded all up in your business?

We started with his vision of this TV room/Guest Bedroom. He wanted inspiration! A clutter-free environment! The power to research, reference and recall any movie or television show on a moment's notice! We planned for him to run his own personal film festival by the end of August - a great way to put some accountability to the organizing project.

From Project Portfolio

We donated duplicates, and grouped by genre (Suspense, Horror, Comedy and Musical, Family and Animation, TV series, British TV series, Drama, and Non-Fiction). My client spent plenty of his own time on homework, purchasing storage furniture I suggested through my Pinterest board for him, and alphabetizing the entire combined collection of DVDs and VHS tapes within each genre (BTW: Pinterest is a great tool to source ideas for a room).

From Project Portfolio

An hour and a half consultation, lots of client homework and two four-hour sessions later, what started as a Greek tragedy of clutter...

From Project Portfolio

...became an Oscar-worthy movie and television library!

From Project Portfolio

All right Mr. De Mille, I'm ready for my close-up.- Norma in Sunset Boulevard

From Project Portfolio

Awesome Sauce Discount: Get Your Old Photos Scanned & Digital! [DailyCandy Deals]

2011-08-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

Little Jenny in Taiwan: What my inner child looks like.
(Also the source of my CreativeLife podcast logo)

Old photos and media are often the most-time consuming and tedious things to organize.

Why?

Believe it or not (cough. cough. kids born after the year 1992), we once had to take photos on film and get them "developed" so we can actually see the results!

Sitting there with dusty boxes representing a lifetime of trips down memory lane is fine for like fifteen minutes, but really? Do you want to stick each 3 by 5 inch sheet of little Timmy blowing out the birthday cake and Nana squeezing the life out of your auntie through your home scanner?

I think most people would rather get a root canal.

That's why you hire professional organizers like me! OR you get professional photo scanners like El Segundo-based ScanDigital or San Diego-based PhotoBin!

I did. I actually got myself a discount deal for using ScanDigital from Groupon last year. I'll save THAT experience for an upcoming blog post. There, I'll explain the BEST strategies for getting the MOST out of your scanning deal.

Side Note: And I would say, most of the time, I would refrain from using these prepay discount deals because they tend to sit there like the gift cards your Auntie thought you'd use but is just taunting you from your junk drawer collecting dust.

Because I had it done, I have these little gems ready to use on my computer!

Dad (Right) and his army buddy. REEEAAALLY old photo

I had a stick-out-the-tongue phase, I guess.

Photo scanning is like seeing the dentist for a cleaning; You know you should do it, but you always put it off for fear of the potentially painful experience. Getting old photos digitized is ALWAYS at the end of my clients' home organizing to-do list. That's why getting a discount for this service is a real value.

When I saw this DailyCandy Deal for PhotoBin pop up in my inbox, I had to share. I'm not getting ANYTHING from the company but it is my duty to spread the love for hiring OTHER people to do the stuff that's important but pretty tough to do. You have until Monday, August 15th to get this deal. Enjoy!

DO YOU HAVE AN EXPERIENCE WITH DIGITAL SCANNING SERVICES? ARE YOU THE FAMILY HISTORIAN? PLEASE COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW!
No. Really. Do it. Just click comment below. It's easy. I'll totally read it. And it will help me write that next blog post about getting the most out of using a scanning service. Thank you!

Say it with me: "Sometimes outsourcing is okay." Get a professional to do it. (Image via PhotoBin Facebook Page)

The Offer$39 for $99 Worth of Digital ArchivingGo for the basic Value Kit 500 (a $99 value), which includes scanning of up to 500 printed photos for perfect digital preservation. You’ll receive a postage-paid box and packing materials to protect your pictures during transport. With a quick turnaround, the PhotoBin pros will digitize each one on your choice of CD or DVD. Got pictures out the wazoo? Use the Deal toward the Value Kit 1000 ($189). - DailyCandy Deals website

[How To Organize] The Kitchen: Simple Hardware, Big Impact

2011-08-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Getting organized does NOT require tons of gear and fuss. It can be as simple as a little visit to the hardware store. This photo from one of my daily-diet websites, Apartment Therapy, is a perfect example of that. Can you identify the two simple hardware organizing solutions?

A Little Hook for a Space-Saving Banana Hanger! Two Thin Rails for Organized Pot/Pan Lids!
(Source: Kristina, Canada via ApartmentTherapy.com)

Okay. Time's up.

1. Banana Holder! A little hook goes a long way. Just a little screw in hook and voila! A space-saving way to keep you bananas bruise-free!

2. Pots and Pan Lid Holder! Probably one of the most AWKWARD kitchen items to organize, pots and pan lids finally have a home against the wall with the help of two simple rails.

What do you think? Do you have other awesomely simple hardware solutions for big organizing impact?

[How To Organize] Closets: 5 Tips from an Organized Kid [Inspiration]

2011-08-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

Kids need organized closets, too! This is a great example from one of my "obsession" websites, "House of Turquoise." This kid's closet uses GREAT organizing ideas that the grownups can use too! Check out these tips below.

Tip #1: Who Says Closets Need Doors?

If you are hurting for some bedroom real estate, take off the doors! Other replace them with a finely tailored curtain. The curtain rod can be hidden behind the closet opening or featured above the frame out front. This kid's closet replaces the doors with a subtle yet colorful garland up top, almost like a window valance.

Tip #2: Open Closet or Not? Keep It Beautiful.

Whether you keep your closet open or not, why not make it as beautiful as a featured display shelf in your living room?

Take a cue from this organized kid closet, curate some of your open shelves for things you love up top and fun things you'd use at eye and hand level. Get handsome containers like these gorgeous fabric-lined wicker baskets. Why not paint your closet walls! It's always a beautiful and inexpensive way to transform a space.

Tip #3: Keep Stuff OFF The Floors

It's clear kids in this room will enjoy the additional play space, but that's a great cue for grownup closets.

Take a tip from supermarket shelf strategist who stock items they want to sell at eye level. Grownups are not as likely to look down or up on a regular basis so keep your everyday and most used items on shelves and hanging rods at your chest and eye-levels.

Stuff that gets on the closet floors tend to STAY on closet floors. They also have this strange way of attracting other STUFF. If you must, fill that space with a great inexpensive and simple drawer or cubbie unit if you'd like more storage space.

Tip #4: Go Vertical!

Most closets have ample dead space above the highest closet shelf. Add another one!

Even if it requires a quick trip to your local hardware store, simple shelving wood and brackets are so inexpensive for the added real estate you get by going upwards. Get some handy baskets that breathe and put away your out of season clothing towards the top of your closets.

Tip #5: Shop Your Own Closet!

Give hanging clothes breathing room. Edit! Edit! Purge! Purge! Achieving that "boutique" look may be tough for most grownups, but it doesn't mean we can't afford to spend some time to "shop our closet."

Choose only the things that you would buy for yourself NOW. That's a great strategy for editing your closet for a nice purge. This creates a "quality over quantity" closet that will be more likely to be used.

[Jenny's Crib] An Introduction to My Home

2011-07-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

I think being a first-time homeowner added a few white hairs to my head (and I do NOT get white hair). But the rewards are immense, especially if you are ready to really "nest" and implement some of those dream interior design ideas to support the life you want!

So as a part of the ORGANIZED. By Jenny relaunch this summer, I'll be sharing with you some photos detailing how I've organized and designed my OWN home. Besides my portfolio (available here), you can see a little more of my personal style and how I work.

A huge part of my reorganizing has been around setting up a home office WORTHY of multiple freelance business services and creative projects (home/office organizing, writing, editing, blogging, podcasting, stand-up comedy, comedy sketch writing, and more!). I'm excited to share with you those photos soon. In the meantime, enjoy these little snippets to whet your collective appetites.

A "Real" Organized Office [Inspiration]

2011-07-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

I know we ALL love the glossy PERFECT super-ZEN minimalist photos of inspiration homes. But they seem unreal! More like museums than a place where people actually live. That's why I LOVE this image from Melbourne Home. Check out the original article for a full house tour. It's a nice "lived in" office for some inspiration, don't you think? I'm in the middle of building my new home office. Hope to share before and afters with you soon! Happy Tuesday!

[COOL TOOLS] Pinboard Stuff On the Web!

2011-07-18T17:15:00.000-07:00

COOL TOOL MONDAY: Pinterest.com is my new love. Great way to virtually "pinboard" webstuff. I use it for my projects! Clients can see my ideas for their room! Here's a current client's board for their TV/inspiration room! http://bit.ly/riVDlM

Ramping up ORGANIZED. BY JENNY this Summer 2011!

2011-06-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

I'm back! I've decided to dedicate more of my time to growing my professional home and office organizing business. There are just too many homes and offices out there that need some organizing coaching TLC! I'm tingling with excitement!

So be on the lookout for a freshly pressed website filled with testimonials, super-satisfying before and after photos, and fun organizing tips! To whet your appetite, here are a couple testimonials going into the list...

David Tran
"" jenny has helped me immensely on organizing my cd collection (which is crazy) and my work materials to keep my business running strong. she works very well on a personal basis customizing strategies that work for specific individuals. she has taught me to think about "function" which makes lots of sense when figuring out what to keep and what not to keep.

jenny's philosophy is simple and makes sense. she communicates her ideas clearly and caters to the individuals own style.
highly recommended!

david tran aka applesauce
September 17, 2009 at 1:35pm
Jeff Rogers
"" Jenny has helped my wife and I tremendously. We're not done with the project yet, but I can't recommend her highly enough. She's sensitive to the needs and personalities and quirks of her clients, but no-nonsense at the same time. She works to help you develop a solution that's organic to who you are and the available space.
September 11, 2009 at 8:56pm

[WORKSHOP] creating a table of contents. gangstah.

2009-09-12T22:39:00.000-07:00

today we had the utmost pleasure to provide a "free" workshop on organizing files and papers for artists in exchange for a piece of their art! we donated our own time and filing materials for the artists "for the cause."

what was the most fun about the workshop is being able to really get folks to see that clutter is not REALLY about clutter...but delayed decisions...and really it was about getting them to have better habits of decision-making and knowing what they truly want for themselves! what a concept!

something that we were reminded of was that artistic inspiration is EVERYWHERE and we don't always need an "object" to remind of that inspiration. that's what one of our artists realized. they were gathering and keeping way too many things from their daily life, or simply pulled off the street, because they wanted to write about it. well guess what? you don't need those things as a security blanket for your artistry. your ability to find inspiration around you is INSIDE you. unlike an object, it can never be taken away. (or at least, just keep a log of your inspiration ideas, right?) that was the lesson WE took away from this particular artist. *sigh* yes. teaching, boys and girls. it's a two-way street.

we had such a great time that there is a wee possibility that we could do another one, if there is enough interest. interested? email jenny at organizedbyjenny at gmail dot com.

P.S. sincerest thanks to the asian pacific american dispute resolution center for lending us their meeting space!!!

[WORKSHOP] 9/12/09 - "free" paper filing workshop for artists!

2009-09-04T02:19:00.000-07:00

organized. by jenny is superbly stoked to be putting on a "free" paper filing workshop in the los angeles area for local artists. it's presented by blacklava.net (great place to get artists work and political tees) and we'll be running the first in a series of workshop for artists called "a piece of art for peace of mind." basic filing supplies will be sponsored for the workshop participants by organized. by jenny and blacklava.net.

the workshops are free to artists in exchange for a piece of their art. that art will be donated to support the tuesday nite cafe project (http://www.tnkat.org). both blacklava and tuesday nite cafe are stalwarts in the asian pacific american community, nurturing artists, causes and community for more than a decade each.

check out the link to the workshop on the logo for "a piece of art for peace of mind." and register http://www.apieceofartforpeaceofmind.com. please spread the word!

[How To Organize] The Kids Room: sticky notes as kid's room drawer labels

2009-09-04T01:44:00.000-07:00

from the "why didn't *I* think of that" files: organized. by jenny spied some of these cute semi-temporary ideas for labelling the contents of the dressers of the little ones...cute sticky notes!

with just a nice decorative pad of notes in the designer color of your choice, and some clean penmanship, you TOO can have your children's dresser drawers EXTREMELY clear about what should REALLY go in there.

"no sweetie, the socks need to go where the socks are."

I love it. Maybe a little too informal or "dorm roomie" for your average mature adult, but for the kid's room...genius! Saves time, money AND teaches organization skills.

see the overall effect here.

out with the old. in with the new.

2009-09-04T00:50:00.001-07:00

life's transitions either delayed, unexpected or desired are especially important times to reassess if your things and your space are serving YOU! (rather than the other way around...uh. you know what I mean.)

a current project is a perfect example of this. our clients are interested providing more space to grow their business and their art...and perhaps a little bundle of joy. but a quick look around the house reveals a space that is FAR from conducive to achieve these goals.

other than the master bedroom, the two other rooms have been functioning as storage (to the brim) and a kitty litter/playground (they quite nobly rescue cats and dogs). ORGANIZED. BY JENNY IS ON THE JOB!

as you can see from the photos, just one snippet of our many sessions shows what a difference we can make by just sorting and purging a bunch of bulky bed/house linens! real bang for the buck for the organizing time. it frees up all the space we never thought we had! (especially when too much stuff for too little storage space forces us to adapt and shove things into nooks and crannies all over the house!) we brought all the linens together, put like with like, and figured out what EXACTLY were the ways that we need the stuff for! what's the function? (I love that question.) then we got rid of old stuff or duplicates and only kept a set or more of what we needed! big labels of piles helps us as we sort (see first photo) and the result is about a THIRD of the linens are going to be donated (see second photo) and a clear hall closet to boot! (see third photo)

our goal is to have the place in tip top shape in time for a fun Halloween Party! I love scheduling parties as excuses to get our butts in gear and organize our space!

stay tuned for the results.

two hours of power: a quick home library makeover!

2009-02-16T22:48:00.000-08:00

koreatown, los angeles the day after valentine's day was the scene for this latest quickie makeover. just a quick sort with major categories of how they needed their books to function in their lives and were were going. then we decided to organize some sections according to the color of their spines in the order of the color spectrum. (Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Violet...then Black and White)

after
with just two hours from start to finish...and two (and a half) people working through these three ikea billy bookshelves full of luscious books, we were able to create a functional and eye-catching home library for our busy young professional couple.

[How To Organize] steal these ideas!

2008-12-22T23:50:00.000-08:00

here are just a few snazzy examples from my silverlake home project that you can try in YOUR home! why not? it's not like there's some kind of patent on all this sheer brilliance! let's face it, i stole these ideas from someone else...like...using undersofa storage, or consolidating all your entertaining gearl into one place so party central is ready to happen at anytime! so click in and check it out.

two hours of power: a quick pasadena office makeover

2008-12-22T18:50:00.000-08:00

a hot office mess
"Before" From Project Portfolio - Pasadena Offices

This tiny storage room conversion couldn't afford all the floor space that the stray wire filing racks were occupying. She could barely walk in the front door without needing some high-level cirque du soleil agility to get past the janky wire files and to her chair.

janky wire files
"Before" From Project Portfolio - Pasadena Offices

There was no filing system for her active files to speak of so she had to eyeball and flip through every single one of her files to look for one folder!

The solution? organized. by jenny.

Getting those files off the floors and in some sort of order took little effort and time for a huge payoff!

right angle, open space nirvana. cue the choir.
"After" From Project Portfolio - Pasadena Offices

It was like a tornado of organizing. This office was done in only 2 hours! This included assessing what the client needed for her work, taking a quick trip to Staples for some inexpensive exposed filing crates (she preferred seeing things out in the open rather than hidden away...a "seeker"...not a "hider" as they like to say), and creating a totally new filing system by using only four main categories organized by alphabetical order. So simple! We threw some colorful personal pictures and artifacts up on the bulletin board, cleared the desk space and she was finally rockin' and rollin' in no time!!

Jenny's 7 Habits of Highly Organized People

2008-12-12T11:40:00.000-08:00

1. Shop Smart
Listen. If crap’s not coming in, then you don’t have crap to deal with. Don't bring anything into your home that you don't absolutely love or need. Be ruthless and clutter isn’t such a problem!

2. Everything Has a Home
Dude. Don’t leave your valuable, loveable belongings homeless. If you truly love and value your things, show you care by always giving them a home – a home that makes sense so you know where everything generally lives.

3. Nothing’s Sacred
Hey. If something doesn’t work for you and your habits, then rethink it. Try another way to store and use your things. Rethink. Move on. And get over it.

4. Your Things Don't Pay Rent!
Remember you control your things. Things should not control you. If your things are getting in the way of your living the life you want to lead, time to evict them! Or at the very least, make your things work for you. When something comes into the house, something goes out. Things don’t have claim to the valuable relaxation, entertaining and productive real estate in your life.

5. Schedule Cleaning
Look. No one loves cleaning. (Okay. Some of us do…and we become Professional Organizers). Like anything that’s important to you (paying the bills, your job, taking a shower to get the funk out), you’ve got to schedule in what matters. And since you are going to be a fabulously clutter-free and focused individual, you need to schedule in your cleaning like it’s important.

If you stick to a cleaning schedule you’ll actually cut down on your overall work, because you’re not delaying the cleaning until everything becomes an overwhelming mess. By cleaning just a little bit on a daily basis, you'll be able to enjoy your home rather than worry about it, and you won't feel sandbagged when last-minute guests stop by.

6. Choose Happiness Over Perfection
Stick to your deadlines but don’t kid yourself if you think you’ll do all those projects tomorrow. If you miss a task, you’re not perfect and that’s okay. Make sure you get back on the program and honor yourself by taking small steps to keeping your house clean and clutter free.

7. Party to Bust Clutter
Give four parties a year. One each season. Just a gentle reminder that you are fabulous and your space needs to reflect that. So, get on it! Find an excuse to party and stay organized!