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It’s that time of year. While some of us love shopping for them, others simply cringe. The sheer amount of items required for the beginning of the year drives some parents even to the point of insanity. Finding the exact set of Crayola markers seems impossible, and of course, you would need the 8 pack for one child and the 10 pack for the other. On July 31st, grab a banker's box (or large Amazon box) for each child to contain all those required back-to-school items. (If your kids are little, I'd keep these boxes up high or behind locked doors so the crayons and new lunch box don't disappear before mid August.) Toss your school supply list into the box so you'll know where to find it when you're ready to brave the crowds (or order online in the comfort of your PJs). If your kiddos require uniforms or signed paperwork, store it in the box too. The box will be emptied once the year begins, so this is simply your way of momentarily containing the chaos.
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The amount of paper coming through your front door is about to drastically multiply in the next thirty days, but we’re going to help you manage that hot mess. Create a landing zone near the door you most frequently use when entering and exiting your home. Chances are, you've already got one....it's that spot where you drop your purse, your kids kick off their shoes, and you're constantly having to pick up jackets. You know what I'm talking about, right? After adding some hooks for your purse and jackets, and maybe a shoe rack, consider adding a basket where ALL papers (except homework) can be emptied. If your kids are older than 10, create divisions with hanging file folders OR use multiple baskets to sort the papers. Unless your child's teacher has specified at the beginning of the year meeting that you need to initial/sign paperwork or planners coming home every night, you can get away with going through this basket once or twice a week. (It's true. I used to be a teacher before I had kids.....almost ALL of those papers can wait a few days.)
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When you go through the basket (on Tuesdays or Thursdays), you're going to sort it into three piles: things to read or review, things to sign and return, and graded art or school work. The things you'll need to read and review might be that month's lunch menu or the sport's schedule. Keep these items in a folder, binder, or command center area where you can readily access them if you need them. The things that need to be signed and returned, need to be signed and returned. Finally that art and school work. Notice I said graded. (The homework should be completed daily and then returned to the teacher so it can come back home a second time with a big fat A+.) Your child's teacher sends this stuff home because they don't have space to display it all. Make sure your kid(s) understand that the same principle rings true in your home: your walls can only hold so much. Help your child select one or two items a week to save as examples of the work that gives them the greatest sense of pride or accomplishment. In full disclosure, I don't do this part each week; I wait until the end of the month and still recommend that we only choose one or two items to keep. Store these items in memory boxes divided by grade. Helping your child to determine WHY they want to keep an item and understand LIMITATIONS of space is of critical importance to developing strong decision-making skills. You'll also thoroughly enjoy the conversations shared as you go through these projects. 

​Getting a solid start on the school year will enable your family to keep chugging along when the book reports and science fair projects begin. In fact, you’ll be able to spend more time with each other, talking about the things that bring you joy rather than arguing with your fourth grader about where the permission slip went. You’ll be able to breathe. You’ll be able to sleep. You’ll even be able to smile. Here’s to the next few weeks of prep, fellow parents! 

Get more back to school tips in our latest magazine feature with Belle Magazine! You won't want to miss it! 

For those nights when you forgot to start your dinner on plan on time or simply didn’t have one to begin with, an organized pantry is a life saver. It’s also a blessing when it’s time to pack lunches or grab breakfast on the run. But what if your pantry is a hodge-podge of cardboard boxes and heavy cans? What if you are overwhelmed by the abyss? Follow these four steps to conquer your cluttered space and put your pantry back to work.

Now that you know what items will live in your pantry, think of them in broad categories. Decide where each category will go based on the size and frequency of use, and then identify that area with a label. When we organize pantries for our clients, the most frequent categories we come across are:

• appliances (including mixers, blenders, and ice cream makers)
• baking (ingredients only, pans go elsewhere)
• beverages
• breakfast
• entertaining (including paper plates and plastic ware)
• fruits (in baskets or cans)
• grains (pastas, rice, bread)
• meats (in cans or dried form)
• sauces + soups (in jars, cans, or bottles)
• snacks
• spices overstock (to replenish your on-hand spices kept near the stove)
• spreads (jellies, nut butters, and honey)
• vegetables (in baskets or cans)

Assigning areas, or zones, to your pantry will help you find the items needed when it’s time for meal prep. They also prove their value when you return from the grocery and need to quickly empty your bags.
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This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to learn more.

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to learn more.

One of my favorite (and most frequent) recommendations when organizing children’s areas is to create a memory box for each child. Most parents already have something similar in place. They’ve stashed mementos, drawings, and treasures in tote bags and extra large plastic tubs to keep them safe.

While this is a great start, it becomes burdensome as the children grow older. More items need to be stored so more totes are purchased. The amount of storage space required grows like a never ending vine.

Worse, when the kids are ready to move out of the house, you’re both stuck with a disorganized, tangled mess of childhood papers, projects, and random stuff that your children now consider junk.

What in the world?! The intention was great, but it lacked one thing: forethought. Let me explain.

When city planners gather to discuss where the new road should go, they consider many things: frequency of use, amount of cars that will travel on it, potential problems, and ease of maintenance. They think decades ahead so that their work will not be in vain.

Your memory boxes deserve the same attention.

I suggest using a large letter file box. This size box is big enough to hold a childhood full of memories, but small enough to carry, stack, and store. As you shop, you’ll also want to choose a container that is relatively safe from the elements. Although plastic gives off a funky scent after so many years, it is bug and water proof. Finally, your box needs to be easy to open. While I love a good cedar chest with a beautiful brass lock, I’ve found that the keys go missing, the chest gets piled high with other things, and they’re difficult to re-home as children grow. Instead, opt for a solution that is portable and easy to use.
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Just like lanes on a highway, creating divisions within your memory box will give you the direction you (and your child) need to organize their belongings as time goes on. Hanging file folders are a favorite of mine because they take up little space and can hold papers and trinkets. They also allow for maximum accessibility to each division. When I create memory boxes, I use the following divisions for hanging files:

• Newborn
• Toddler
• Preschool
• Kindergarten
• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade
• 6th Grade
• 7th Grade
• 8th Grade
• 9th Grade
• 10th Grade
• 11th Grade
• 12th Grade
• College

I prefer to divide by grades because most children organize their memories around the school calendar. They remember going to Niagara Falls after 4th grade or winning that soccer championship in 10th grade. The school calendar typically has more firm start/stop points than a child’s own birthday. However, if your child prefers to organize by given age, that’s fine too. I’ve also seen families set up boxes by category rather than grade level (i.e., school papers, sports, crafts, etc.). The only downside to organizing by categories is that it will be difficult to keep organized as the years go by and you’ll have a greater tendency to stop organizing and start piling the keepsakes.
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This is where the rubber meets the road; where you realize whether the system you created for your toddler actually works when he’s a teenager. If you use a file box with the hanging file divisions I shared above, I promise you, the system WILL work. The trick here is to sort and file the keepsakes along the way. You may notice that a file will get particularly hefty…and may begin to crowd out others. If this happens, pull the file out and review it with your child. Are the pieces they’ve chosen to keep really their treasures from that year? Give your kids the gift of wisdom by teaching them to compare and evaluate. Children who learn to determine the value of their own belongings are better prepared to make wise investment choices as adults. Learning to live within the boundaries, within their means, will enable them to comparison shop for clothes, food, colleges, cars, and homes.

Never underestimate the power of a box.

Kids are messy, aren’t they?! Like, shockingly messy. Old candy wrappers, empty gift bags, random rock collections are found tucked away in the most interesting places. And then there’s the toys. Even if you try to keep them to a minimum (and rotate them throughout the year) the action figures, craft supplies, and Legos eventually drive you a bit bonkers. It’s okay to cry out in frustration --- you’re among friends. This idea of a clean, organized bedroom lasting more than half an hour really is the seemingly unattainable parent goal of the year.

But today is different. Starting today, that goal of yours is within reach. Why? Simple. We’re going to teach your kids how to keep their rooms clean. Kids (and a large number of adults) struggle to keep their areas clutter-free due to numerous reasons. The most common reason, however, is lack of instruction. Those who struggle to keep a tidy bedroom, home, or office simply need to be taught. These quick lessons will empower your kids for decades to come; they will equip your kids to become successful adults! And who doesn’t want that!?

Now that your child knows where everything is supposed to go, they’re physically able to put all the items away. But your child won’t do this out of the goodness of his heart and maintain it over time until it becomes a sweet habit. Nope. Your child will continue to be a kid. A creative member of the family. And creatives make messes. You don’t want to squash their creative spirit, but you do want to establish some healthy guidelines. Enter the Ten Minute Tidy. (Side note, this name isn’t original with me --- I’m sure it’s been used hundreds of times in different settings. I thought about calling it the Clean Sweep….but I know that was the name of a show. The point is, you can call this step WHATEVER you want. The name isn’t important. The action is.)

• Pick a time each day to perform your 10 (or 20) minute tidy. Morning, afternoon, evening, it’s up to you. I prefer before bed so that our family can start the next day with a clean slate.
• Set a timer. Working under a deadline helps to increase productivity.
• Have your kids perform these 3 tasks:
  • Pick up all dirty laundry.
  • Put away clean clothing.
  • Put away all toys/crafts.
• Download this sticker chart for your younger kiddos.

Daily tidying will go a long way to helping your children create cleaner, more organized spaces beyond their bedrooms. Limit the tidy time to basic tasks until they’re crushing those tasks within minutes. I like to begin with the 3 basic tasks listed above because they are the most common items I find as I organize children’s bedrooms. This should clear up 95% of the room. Additional tasks to add might include: throwing away trash, finding items to donate, vacuuming/dusting, making beds, taking laundry to the washer, running their own laundry, and picking out outfits for the next day. But again, don’t rush things. Habits take a long time to form, and you don’t want to overwhelm your child by requiring too much too soon. (Yes, I know, it shouldn’t be a hardship to tell them to clean up their trash, but these are kids we’re talking about. Just trust me on this. Low expectations are great in the beginning.)
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Give us a call if you need help with any of these steps. We’d love to hear about your progress too. Comment below to share your story. ​

Whether you work from home, operate on the go, or sit a traditional office setting, staying productive is easier said than done. We get by on auto-pilot while our minds wander. Our level of output may rise when a new or exciting project crosses the desk, but for the most part, we’re stuck at status quo. We don’t want to be….but most days, we are.

Like any relationship, our workspaces need us to care for them to keep the magic alive. Here are 3 tips you can use to increase your productivity at work.

Whether or not you want to admit it, that spare room in your home IS your unofficial dumping ground. I’m talking about the guest room that only receives guests a few times a year and the home office that holds a lot of paper but doesn’t do much work. I had a friend once tell me that she referred to spare rooms as prayer rooms --- simply praying for someone to clean them up.

Don’t be embarrassed. We’ve all been there. We’ve all had our “prayer rooms” and dumping spaces because LIFE HAPPENS.

So how do we alter reality? How do we transform our spare spaces into meaningful places?

1. Open the door. We often keep that door closed to avoid the onslaught of mental and physical clutter, so take a deep breath and prepare for a bit of overwhelm. Then take another breath.
2. Pick up the first object nearest you. What is it? Are there other items in the house that are similar? Where are those other items stored? Take this item and place it with others like it --- don’t worry about trying to organize where you’re putting it, we’re not working on that yet. We’re simply trying to get into the spare room.
3. Pick up the second object nearest you. Repeat step 2. Continue to repeat this great sort until the room is completely empty. Your house might get a bit messy as you stack, but that’s okay. If you want to conquer clutter, then you MUST give every item a home in your house. The chaos is temporary. It’s like ripping off a bandaid. You’ll get over it and the space will heal.
4. Discard trash and corral donations. As you sort through the spare space, you’ll likely come upon a lot of items you no longer need to keep. Let them go. These are the EASIEST choices, so don’t delay in making them. Be decisive. If those items still have some life left in them, donate them. Place donations in a box or bag, and once the container is full immediately load it into your car. (If your car fills up before the spare room is cleared, that’s FABULOUS! You’re doing it right!)
5. Now that the space is empty, determine the function of the space. Although it may technically still be a spare room, don’t let it be a dumping ground. If you know you need the room for storage, then invest in storage shelves and clear bins. If you want it to be guest room, starting looking for a bed and a nightstand. If you want it to be a play room, then bring in ALL the toys and their corresponding containers. Every space in your home should have a purpose. Purposeless souls roam aimlessly, much like purposeless rooms. Don’t let your space get lost in the shuffle.
6. Follow through. Stick to your decisions. When things end up dumped into that space, return them to their proper homes ASAP. Clutter doesn't have to win. Alter your spare room reality today.

So which spare space will you attack first? The cabinets? The den? The guest room that has never been able to be a guest room? Share your stories below and don’t forget to join our #5ADayEdit challenge on Instagram.

Happy New Year!!! As is true every January, the desire to live with less turns into a resolution. We’ve been overloaded by the holidays --- the gifts, the food, the company. In an effort to break free of the weight of so many commitments and cookies, we poise ourselves to do the incredible: to let go.

But more often than not, our excitement grows stale because we don’t know how to get started. In fact, it’s the start that stops us dead in our tracks and our resolution dies more quickly than we could have imagined.

But not this year.

Nope.

You got this, because I’m going to give you the secret to getting started in just one short word:

Manageable.

Every person is different. Every person will have a different threshold for change. Decluttering is a BIG change with a LOT of stuff.

So start small. Start with what’s manageable for you. While I can jump into a room with great fervor, you might want to start with the skinny desk drawer.

Consider your limitations too. Although Pinterest is a gorgeous thing, it often encourages us to bite off and expect more than we can chew. If you’re a young mom with kids under 5, don’t set your sights on beautiful glass containers that hold the crayons and markers in your quaint craft corner. Embrace the season of life that you’re in and remember that these limitations won’t be the same forever. If you only have 20 minutes a day, then use your 20 minutes a day to conquer small areas (drawers, baskets, countertops). If you’re an empty nester who works full time, block off a Saturday. Mark it on your calendar and shoot for one room at a time.

You can do this! I know you can because I help folks just like you every single day. The work is hard. Sometimes tears are shed and voices raised, but at the end of the process, joy is found and worry is gone.

Letting go is a process. Sometimes it’s hard and you’ll want to give up because it seems like too big a task. But don’t give up.

Make your target areas manageable. Ask for help and accountability. Brag on yourself! That’s the entire purpose of our Facebook organizing group in Greenville: to be reminded you aren’t alone.

Be empowered to live free of the stuff! I’m right here cheering you on.

Welcome back DIY organizers! Before we dive into how to pick the perfect container, here's a quick review of the organizing process. Pay special attention to where containers come into the picture.

     1. Get Messy. When you’re ready to get organized, you first have to make a fantastic mess. When working in kitchens, you’ve got to pull everything out. EVERYTHING. It’s impossible to see ALL that you actually have unless you pull it out. The same in your bedroom, office, or garage.

     2. Sort Like With Like. As you’re emptying cabinets and drawers, begin sorting into piles of similar items. Pots got with pots. Hammers go with hammers. Scissors with other “cutting tools” and tape with other “adhesives.” Following me so far?

     3. Edit Out The Things You No Longer Need, Use, or Love. I hope you’ve got a few extra boxes, trash bags, and recycle bins ready for this step. All the broken and stained items go in the trash. Anything still usable (but not personally useful to you on a regular basis of at least once a year) goes toward donations or resale. Go ahead and list each item that you’re tossing into the donate pile so that you’re ready for your tax-deductible receipt when you drop your donations off. If you’re feeling really ambitious, price the items that you’re tossing into the resale bin so you only have to think about it once.

     4. Contain The Rest. This is the step you’re most excited about. It’s the step we often try to skip to without putting in any of the HARD WORK required in steps one through three. Trust me, skipping to this step won’t help you get organized. Seriously. You’ll just end up with lots of extra storage bins around your house that never get used. You know EXACTLY which ones I’m talking about. But that’s in the past! We’re going to put those bins to use AFTER steps 1-3.

     5. Enjoy Your Organized Space. This is my favorite step. It should be the step that happens continuously, because good systems and easy to access containers create a system that is easy to maintain.

Now let’s go back to step 4.

​Containers might be the most fun and creative part of getting organized. They enable you to make the space what you truly want it to be! Your kitchen, office, outdoor living space, fill in the blank can be just like your inspiration pics from Pinterest…..assuming budget and space restraints don’t interfere ;)

But how do you know WHICH containers to pick?

Always measure the piles that you’re KEEPING. The kept items will determine how much space you’ll need inside cabinets, drawers, bins, and closets to stay organized. Add an extra 25% to your “needed” space so that you’ll have room to grow (by 5% at most, because you should be subtracting each time you add) and space to be messy in the interim.

WHAT?! Messy in the interim?! Yes, it’s true.

We aren’t living in a magazine; we’re living in real life. Some spaces are BOUND to get messy in the interim. Pantries are a prime example of this. While we should keep them organized all the time, there will be a day when you’ve gone to the grocery store but you didn’t have time to put all the pantry items away. They will sit in bags in your extra 25% for a day maybe two while your crazy schedule calms down. But in the interim of that crazy time, the extra 25% space allows you to have a functional pantry. Laundry rooms also require this. As much as I wish everyone could run their clothes through the wash, dry them, fold them, and return them back to their closets on the same day, that’s just not real life. Real life requires that you’ve got a space open to catch that basket of clothes that you just couldn’t finish today. Get my drift? Cabinets that hold mugs should NEVER require any extra space because your mug stash will remain fairly unchanged; however, if you like your cabinets to appear balanced and airy, you’ll need a good amount of negative/unused space (like 25%) to achieve that feeling.

So trust me on that 25% thing, ok?

Now that you know what SIZE containers you need, assess what you’ve already got. In kitchens, you most likely have built-in cabinets and drawers. Use these to your advantage. But remember that zone (or point of use) always trumps size of space available.

Buy what you need based on the size of what you need to contain. For offices, bedrooms, closets, or pantries, you may need to add a few containers like a set of filing cabinets (or a crate that holds hanging files), bins for kids’ toys, baskets for cupcake and brownie mixes, etc. I know all the matching nesting containers at TJMaxx are gorgeous, but only buy that three-pack if you know EXACTLY what going inside the baskets when you get home.

Pay attention to style and functionality. Keep your containers similar in shape and color based on the room so that you can easily swap them if one set of items grows and another shrinks. A great example of a needed swap might be the bin that holds the toys (which will shrink over time) and the bin that contains school-work supplies (which will grow over time). One sure-fire way to help you stay organized is to use containers that you love to look at. An ugly space never helped anyone. Decide what your “beautiful” is and aim for that pattern and texture. My garage has a lot of white bins. My pantry has a lot of tan bins. My girls’ room has pink bins that match the playful patterns on the walls. Don’t settle for a container just because it fits your dimensions. If the dresser you found is the wrong color and one drawer short, pass on the purchase and keep looking.  
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Getting organized is about living simply. Living simply means eliminating distractions and creating easier solutions to the clutter attacks. Your life should function better and your space feel more welcoming when you’ve finished containing the items that you need, use, and love.

Being a professional organizer is a blast, but using fun tools to corral and cut the clutter is what motivates me to tackle the mess EVERY SINGLE DAY for my clients. Because I love my readers, I’m sharing some of my favorite tools of the trade! I want you to get as pumped up and prepared as I am to tackle your next pile. And guess what?! All my favs are under $16!

Number 6: Cast-Off Containers

Starting an organizing project usually requires at least one trash bag and possibly one box. As I work with clients, more boxes and bags become available as we begin sifting through the clutter. These cast-off containers may be plastic bins, old laundry baskets, small gift bags/boxes, even reusable shopping bags. Since they are no longer holding the stuff that was sitting in the garage, closet, or guest bedroom, these containers can be repurposed for organizing, donating, shredding, or discarding. Most clients have more than enough reusable shopping bags. The extra bags become the “bins” for future donations that can be stored in closets and laundry rooms, ready to catch the next cast-off item. Boxes, broken plastic containers, and bags are great for collecting trash, recycling, or shred items during a clean-up. As I help my clients, we create piles of empty containers ready for repurposing. It’s a FREE way to help you get the job done!

Number 5: Measuring Tape

This might seem like a no-brainer, but too many folks forget to measure while they organize. Measuring ensures the perfect fit for exactly what you need to store. It also helps you pick the perfect drawer, shelf, or container for your items. A 25’ tape is perfect for small organizing jobs.

Number 4: Straight Tab Files

There is nothing more beautiful than an easy-to-maintain filing system, unless you add straight tabs to the mix. In that case, the system just went from beautiful to DROP DEAD GORGEOUS! Straight (or single) tab folders have the tab for labeling only on one side instead of the left, middle, and right. Straight tabs allow you to add and delete without having to reset all the other tabs so that they appear “in order.” Hanging files that allow for different tab positions are great too. These can easily be converted into straight tab to line up neatly in the cabinet. “But isn’t it hard to see what the labels say since they’re all stacked one in front of the other?” you ask. Not in the least. Labels should be written in thick black ink with a Sharpie marker or label maker that allow for ease of reading. Additionally, files always hold more than ten documents, enabling the files to spread out a bit. (If a file has less than ten documents, you probably don’t need a separate file for those papers. Quality, not quantity, should be the determining factor when creating a filing system. Additionally, you should only keep the documents that you’ll need to retrieve, thus eliminating a big portion of file folders you may have in your current system.)

Number 3: Multitool

Remember your dad’s Swiss Army Knife? The one with 16 different features? Yep, that’s the one. I keep my multitool in my apron, ready to cut, screw, slice, and nail whenever I need it. The one I love isn’t fancy or big, but it gets the job done. It also keeps me from having to run back and forth to the garage or utility room for the tools I need.

Number 2: Wire Shelves

Almost everyone has at least one in their home, or they are guilty of recently giving one away because they just couldn’t see a good use for it. The truth is that these buddies rock! I recommend them for EVERY kitchen project because they double your cabinet space. These shelves are perfect for stacking plates, mugs, and glasses. I also like to use them where the breads are stored since breads are impossible to stack without squishing. The key for a wire shelf is to make sure you have a purpose for the shelf before you buy. They come in standard sizes, so check your cabinet dimensions too. When it comes to color, I prefer white because it seems to create the cleanest look. Bed, Bath, & Beyond is my go-to store for picking these up in a pinch! Amazon, Walmart, Old Time Pottery, and TJ Maxx also carry these.

Number 1: Painter’s Tape

You weren’t expecting that were you? Does it seem anticlimactic?  Well it shouldn’t. You see, painter’s tape (or any colored masking tape for that matter) is PERFECT for tackling EVERY job. In the beginning stages of organizing a space, I use the tape to identify locations of items that need to be contained. It’s always best to plan first and act second. The tape allows me to see EVERYTHING that requires a home in the space and allows for easy swapping BEFORE any of the items get involved. Kitchens and bedrooms are notorious for being covered in my lime green tape! The painter’s tape also prevents any damage to finishes as it moves around.

I also use my tape to create temporary labels before printing them on my label maker (which is a bit more than $16). “Why not just skip the temporary and print the final?” Simple. Everything deserves a rough draft. Sometimes, while categorizing, the names of the categories might change and it takes less time to cross out a word on tape than to set up the label maker. At other times, the temporary labels are affixed to temporary storage containers. I always recommend shopping for containers LAST so that clients know exactly what size and how many containers they’ll need. In the meantime, it helps to have the mismatched bins and recycled shoe boxes clearly labeled.

A bright roll of painter’s tape also makes for a fabulous bangle. It never hurts to look good while getting organized!
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We'd love to hear about your tools and answer any questions you might have in the comments below!