Organizing Gift Certificates ... for the person who has everything ... really

Finding a fun, creative and appreciative gift this holiday season can be quite challenging.  With the craziness of life, many times just a little bit of extra help to ease the stress and strain of an overwhelmed world is amazingly refreshing.

An Organized Solutions gift certificate may be that perfect fit for your favorite loved one who has been dreaming of getting organized.  Available directly at our website (upper right corner).

If you are thinking of purchasing a gift certificate, I encourage you to contact me to make sure your gift will be happily received. Nothing worse than getting a gift like that ugly sweater your Aunt Bonnie gave you when you were 16 year old.

After all, we all give with best intentions, though making sure your gift is perfect is priceless.

Major home clearing and organizing project

When a loved one passes away, their lifetime can be left in their home.

This is a case of extreme nature in this project.

Clearing this home took 3.5 days and the following supplies and resources:
- 2 professional organizers
- 400+ black bags
-  (3) 15 cubic yard dumpsters
- 3 pick-ups of donations by Goodwill of Northwest Ohio: 40, 50, 200 bags
- 80 lbs of new toiletries and unopened foil/baggies/plastic wrap donated to Cherry St Mission
- 3 bankers boxes of new office supplies, along with several plastic bins/drawer systems donated to local elementary school

To view all 24 before and after pictures please visit our Facebook page 

If you know of a loved one who needs help, please contact me and I will work to find a local organizer to help.

I know it is here somewhere ....

IKEA has some great commercials showing a few reasons why being organized is beneficial. Watch and enjoy!



Here's the post from the past for more laughs (click here).

Enjoy the day!

What have you searched for in your home?

Water Wars with your baskets and plants

Summer is nearly here.  Time for a fun little organizing project that everyone can help with. Plus there is the potential for a little water fight (you have been warned).

"Mary" need some organizing help with some items from a recent move. Well, she moved about a year ago and is still working at unpacking and finding homes for all her stuff.

She has a large collections of baskets that have collected dust for sometime. I shared with her a Basket Tip:

Rinse them off with a little soapy water.

You can see how dull the baskets. Then after their little bath, the baskets are bright and shiny.

If it is a good wood basket, you should let the basket soak in water at least once a year so it doesn't dry out.

You can rinse off your houseplants by hosing them down outside then letting them dry in the sunshine. No more dusty leaves.

I even take the chairs my boys sit on at our kitchen counter and hose them off a couple times a year. (gets all the crumbs out of the cracks)

Next time you're trying to dust a houseplant, clean a chair or dust a basket, think about just getting them a little wet.

What are you going to hose down?

Time to Organize Your Garage

Getting your cars parked in your garage may be a dream to you, though now is the time to get your garage organized. Seems everyone is out there, cleaning out from the change of seasons. Getting ready storing away the nasty snowthrower and dusting off the lawnmowers. Beginning the project, for many people, is the toughest part.

You see the piles of stuff and the shelves overflowing with items randomly tossed about for storage. Here's how you can go about organizing a garage:

step #1: Notes - Look at every wall or area and right down notes on items seen, comments made by my client or in your case little thoughts that drift into your head. It's OK to write, "absolute disaster" or "hopeless mess." Just get it down on paper. Doesn't have to be a novel, random notes are perfect.

step #2: Ideas - Envison what your garage would look like. Use your walls for storing as much as possible. Think shelves, racks, hooks, bins, bags, etc. All of these ideas can be attached to the wall, getting your stuff off the floor.


step #3: Plan - Maybe take a bit of a break and let your thoughts simmer. Come back into your garage and plan what you are going to do. Take some measurements for shelving. Remember to use the studs as much as possible, this will keep your stuff on the walls. Studs are typically every 16 inches along the wall length.

step#4: Action - Get your garbage bags ready, boxes for donations and rev up those power tools ... the organizing party is about to begin. Hang up your shelves first, if possible. This gives you space to store the items you use. Items you do NOT use do NOT go on a shelf, trash or donate. Work around your garage and find homes for the things you use. You will be left with stuff that is has no use in your home.

step #5: Clean Up - You will be left with stuff that has no use in your home. Donate or trash it. Get it out of your life. It's OK to part with stuff. Sweep up the floor and pull your car into the garage. Reward yourself for a job well done!

What random thought do you have about your garage?

From Cluttered to Clean

It's a new year and time for a new you!

One of the best ways to begin becoming more organized is to let go of things.  Items that are no longer serving a positive function in your life should be sent on their way:  donate, recycle, sell or trash.  

Here's a fabulous little article from the Monroe News to give you a few little ideas to get started:

I truly believe that if you can live with less, you will have more time, energy and freedom to accomplish anything.

You can do it!  I believe in you.

What did you let go of from your home?