DIY Tips: The Tao of Spring Closet Organizing [My Guest Blog on Diggerslist.com!]

DIY Tips: The Tao of Spring Closet Organizing

April 12, 2012

This might sound crazy, some stuff in our closets can be “crumpled” in a pile and STILL be considered “organized.” What?! Did this Professional home and office organizer say that I can let some of my wardrobe be “crumpled”?

Stay with me here.

We’ve heard of the Tao of Pooh or even the original Tao of…ergh…Tao.  Tao is just a Chinese word that means “path,” “way” or simply the underlying principles of the universe.  For our purposes, how can we become “one” with the most simplest ways to use our closets now that spring has sprung?  When it comes to using our storage spaces, how can we harness the fundamental principles of the Tao of Spring Closet Organizing, letting them work for us in the most effortless ways possible?

We’re not talking about over committing to “perfection.”  Let’s set up our Spring closets to flow with our lives, rather than force our lives to fit with it. Here are some basic “Tao” or ways to simplify your spring closet organizing.

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

White cardboard file boxes now turned into decorative storeage you'd be proud to display. Source: makeit-loveit.com

Upcycling is Fun! Whimsical Toilet Paper Roll Sculptures

From humble toilet roll cardboard to expressive mask sculpture! How fun are these?

As a professional organizer, we are in the business of helping our clients make the most of their things, time and space.  I say, sculptor Junior Fritz Jacquet go it right! Thanks to our friends at Curbly.com for this lovely display of whimsy.

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

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!

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!]

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

December 19, 2011

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

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)

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!]

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”

November 21, 2011

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!]

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

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!