Tag Archives: ORGANIZING

All About Car Organizing. Yes! It’s a Thing

Car organizing refers to the process of arranging and managing items and belongings inside a car to optimize space, enhance efficiency and maintain cleanliness.

Car organization can help you reduce clutter, keep essential items easily accessible and minimize the risk of an accident.

Here are some tips for organizing your car so that you’ll always know where to find things when you need them.

  1. Remove unnecessary items: Start by de-cluttering your car and remove any items that you don’t need. Keep a small trash container or bag inside the car to collect any waste. Empty it regularly to maintain cleanliness.
  2. Utilize storage solutions: Invest in car organizers such as seat-back organizers, console organizers and trunk organizers to store your belongings. These organizers typically have multiple compartments and pockets to hold various items.
  3. Designated spots: Assign specific areas for different types of items. For example, use the cup holder for your drinks, a center console for small essentials and the glove compartment for important documents.
  4. Storage compartments: Most cars have storage compartments like glove boxes, door pockets and under-seat storage. Use these spaces to store items such as car manuals, registration documents, tissues and/or an umbrella.
  5. Use cargo nets or bins: Consider using cargo nets and/or bins in the trunk area to secure loose items and prevent them from rolling around. This is especially useful for groceries or smaller items that can easily shift.
  6. Maintenance: Make it a habit to regularly organize your car. Take a few minutes each week to remove any trash or other items that don’t need to remain in the car and reorganize as needed. By removing trash you prevent dirt and debris from accumulating. This helps preserve the interior materials, prevents unpleasant odors and retain the value of your car.

Organizing your car offers several benefits as well. Here are just a few:

  1. Efficiency: An organized car allows you to locate and access items quickly and easily. When you know where things are, you can find what you need without wasting time searching. This efficiency can be especially important when you’re on the road and need to retrieve items safely while driving.
  2. Safety: A clutter-free car minimizes the risk of accidents caused by objects rolling around and becoming potential hazards while driving. Loose items can shift and distract you or interfere with the operation of pedals or controls.
  3. Preparedness: Having an organized car allows you to be prepared for various situations. Essential items such as first-aid kits, emergency supplies and roadside assistance tools will be easily accessible. This can be crucial during unexpected events like breakdowns, accidents or adverse weather conditions.You can purchase a pre-made kit or create your own but do make sure to have one in the car!
  4. Image and Professionalism: If you use your car for business purposes or frequently have passengers, maintaining an organized car creates a positive impression. A clean and well-organized vehicle conveys professionalism, attention to detail and care for your passengers’ comfort.
  5. Resale Value: An organized and well-maintained car generally has a higher resale value. When it comes time to sell or trade in your vehicle, potential buyers or dealerships appreciate a clean and organized interior, which can positively influence the valuation of your car.

Overall, organizing your car enhances convenience, safety and comfort, while also reflecting positively on your image and potentially increasing its value.

Remember, the key is to find organizing solutions that work best for your specific car and personal needs. Experiment with different storage options and adapt them as necessary to maintain a clean and organized vehicle.

If you or anyone you know needs help with Organizing, Downsizing, Relocations, Estate Sales or Clearing a Property, let them know that we’d love to be of service!

Spring Cleaning Inspiration

Spring is here! Longer days, better weather, flowers in bloom. It is definitely my favorite season.

For some reason springtime is also synonymous with Spring Cleaning and that, in turn, leads to organizing. It’s the time of year that inspires us to purge and organize. So, let’s get to it!

While it may not sound like or actually be fun, we all need to do some Spring Cleaning from time to time and, IMO, not only in Spring. I think each new season is a good time to purge and tidy up a little. It’s a chance to get rid of things that are ripped, soiled, broken, missing a piece, no longer fits or no longer feels or looks good. A little purging and tidying up can go a long way toward eliminating clutter and the results are well worth the effort.

When it comes to purging and/or de-cluttering you can do it as you go about your life, which will help keep things organized. OR, you can do it later when the piles are high, things are out-of-control or you can’t find what you want or need. But why wait until that happens? Why not just make organizing a part of your daily routine. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Just a few minutes each day. Why not just try doing things differently for one month to see how it works out?

As we’ve all heard… “The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result”. Why not stop the insanity and try selecting one area, one small area, that needs to be organized? Take a few minutes (since it’s a small area) and organize it.

I suggest that you do whatever you can, when you can. Organizing isn’t just something that happens once. It’s always work in progress. Take a few minutes every day to stay on top of things. Open the mail, clean the dishes or put them in the dishwasher, do a load of laundry and then take the time to fold it and put it away. Whatever you choose, just do something around the house every day so things don’t build up and get out of control.

We all have the same 24 hours in a day. We all have choices about how to spend that time. Spending just a few minutes every day to get something done, anything, will help you get organized and stay organized.

“They” say that clutter is caused by delayed decisions and not having a designated place for something. If it’s not dealt with, it will undoubtedly continue to grow over time and get out-of-control, adding more stress and distraction to our already busy lives.

NOTE: Rule of Thumb: If you take something out, put it away when you’re finished. Put it, whatever “it” is, where it belongs.

Here are some hard and fast rules for organizing just about anything:

• Get your supplies – Bags for trash, bins for laundry, boxes for donations, new hangers so that things look cohesive, labels so you can find things easily
• Take everything out of whatever area you are working on
• Sort things into categories – Put like items with like items
• Get rid of the trash
• Make a pile of donations if applicable
• Decide what to put back
• Put things back so that they are accessible
• Label whenever possible

Even if we get close or succeed in achieving our organizing goal, perfect order is never a finish line. It’s a moving target because life isn’t static. That’s why we have to maintain whatever systems we put into place to sustain them. I can assure you that you will be more inclined to maintain the area you organized because you’ve put in the time and effort. Because it will look good, feel good and will undoubtedly make your life easier.

Come on…Just do it! If you need help, we’re ready! It’s what we do. Call us anytime.

Do You Have A Storage Unit? Do You Really Need It?

Okay people. Let’s start this conversation right now. No beating around the bush. Let’s just get right to it. There are only a few good reasons to have a storage unit and even those are limited.  Here they are:

  1. If you are remodeling and are using a storage unit to keep your furnishings clean and safe during the renovation.
  2. If you are moving and using it to store your things for a SHORT period of time until your new residence is ready.
  3. If you need it to keep inventory for your business.

That’s it. There’s really no other reason to have a storage unit for an extended period of time. Sorry but that’s the truth. 

 

As a Professional Organizer, I have to say that if you haven’t used it (whatever “it” is)  in 6 months to a year, chances are you won’t and don’t need it.  Further, having the option of putting things in storage enables and may even subconsciously tempt you to acquire more since there’s “somewhere” to put it. Finally, knowing what storage can wind up costing, I can assure you that it is not worth it. Just do the math!

Here are some questions for you to think about: 

  • If you’re storing things that you have no room for, how important can those things be?
  • Why don’t you have room for the items you’re storing?  
  • Can you get easily access the things you need that are in storage?
  • How long have you been storing these things?
  • When was the last time you went to retrieve something from storage and were able to find what you were looking for?
  • How much money are you spending on storage?

Here’s the facts:

  • Storage costs a lot of money!
  • People usually store things because they can’t decide what to do with those items. 
  • Most of the items that people store never find their way back into the homes of those that stored them.

So, before the weather starts heating up and it’s just too hot to even think about going through your storage units, let’s do this now, together! This is how we can help:

  • We will empty everything out of the unit so that you can see everything;
  • We will go through each and every box and/or item to determine what to keep, what to donate and what to toss;
  • We will facilitate each of these options;
  • We will do this in one day!

Sounds good right? So don’t put this off for another day.  Let’s do this!

Ugh! Paperwork

It’s the time of year when we need to start getting our tax documents together.  We’re all, or most of us are, getting ready to either prepare our taxes or meet with a CPA to have them prepare them for us.  Fun times!  

April 15th, the deadline to file taxes, is only two months away.  Even though that sounds like a lot of time, it goes quickly.  Also, remember that if you’re using an accountant, they are probably wanting you to get your appointment on the calendar now as they’re getting booked up.

I know NOBODY looks forward to preparing or paying taxes but, we all have to do it.     Good thing is, tax time does not have to be stressful!  If you have your financial documents together things will be soooo much easier.  So, if you’re not organized this year and you’re stressing over it, why not get your sh*t together now.  This would be the time!

As a quick reminder, paperwork is one of my specialties. Having spent 30 years in the legal industry as a Legal Assistant/Paralegal before starting OCD, I can implement a filing system tailored to your needs.  I can go through your files or piles and make sense of them.  I can gather up the information/documentation needed for your CPA to file your taxes.   I know the IRS retention guidelines and know what to keep, what to shred, what to archive and what to toss.   If you need help, please give me a call.

While you’re dealing with paperwork, this is also a great time to review your important documents to make sure everything is up to date. Think of it as Financial Spring Cleaning. This is the perfect opportunity to make sure that your legal and financial documents are in order.

 

Insurance:

When was the last time you looked at your insurance policies?  Do you understand your coverage?  When was the last time you had your insurance policies reviewed?

It’s a good idea to have all of your insurance policies reviewed annually.  Get quotes to make sure you’re properly covered and that your rates are competitive.

More importantly, if you’ve gotten married, divorced or had children you might want to consider changing/updating your beneficiaries.

 

Estate Plan:

Do you have an Estate Plan?  When was the last time you updated your Trust and/or Will?

If you already have a Trust or Will in place, talk to your attorney every few years to make sure that everything is up to date.  Laws change and your estate needs to be updated accordingly. 

Further, if you’ve married, divorced, had children since you initially had your Estate Plan done, these documents need to be updated.  I’m sure you wouldn’t want your ex to inherit your assets or make important decisions about your healthcare if and when necessary.  These big life events are emotionally charged and making changes can slip through the cracks.  This is a gentle reminder.

If you don’t have an Estate Plan and have property and/or children, you might want to consider meeting with an Estate Planning Attorney.  Otherwise, your heirs will have to go through probate which is both costly and time consuming. 

Further, most people don’t know this BUT, if you have a child that is 18 or over, they SHOULD have a Health Care Directive in place.  Even if your child still lives with you or is in college and you support them, you do NOT have the right to make decisions about their healthcare unless you are the designated person on their Health Care Directive once they attain the age of 18.

 

Retirement Plan:

Do you have a 401K or other Retirement Plan in place?  Perhaps you forgot to roll over your Retirement Plan from a prior employer. 

Do you have any investments? Consider meeting with a financial planner to make sure that your investments are sound.  Again, things change and your portfolio may need to be re-allocated.   

If you’ve gotten married or divorced or had children you might want to consider changing your beneficiaries or the amount allocated to your beneficiaries.

I know paperwork is tedious. I also know that many people avoid it because they don’t really know what to do with it all.   If you need assistance, please give us a call.  We would love to help! 

Finally, if you need a referral to an Insurance Agent, CPA, Estate Planning Attorney or Financial Advisor, we would be happy to refer you to the right professional.

Organizing Is A Necessary Evil

need help get organized San Fernando Valley Los AngelesWhen it comes to organizing, most of us will hit a brick wall at some point with something that needs to be organized.  For whatever reason, that particular organizing chore is just too daunting and, therefore, probably won’t get done.  For some people it’s the paperwork, for others it’s the random files on their desk.  For some it’s the garage and for others it’s the craft room or mudroom. 

Of course, there’s also countless reasons as to why that particular organizing chore isn’t getting done.  Maybe it’s lack of time or maybe it’s lack of skill.  However, when the clutter or disorganization gets out of hand, most people will feel overwhelmed and may be unsure as to how to get it together or, back together as the case may be.

In the world of Professional Organizers, January is “Go” month.  It’s the beginning of a new year and it’s a great time to get organized to start the new year on the right foot.  In fact, it’s one of the top ten New Years’ resolutions year after year after year.  So, obviously, organizing is a constant and very necessary part of our lives.

That said, you can’t just get organized at the beginning of the year and expect things to stay that way. Organizing is something you need to do all year round. Maintenance is sooo important to keep things from spiraling out-of-control.  If it looks good and feels good, you’ll be more inclined to keep it that way.  All it takes is a few minutes a day! 

Why wait for things to spiral out-of-control?  Start organizing an area that’s making you crazy.  Start small!  Tackle one drawer, one closet or one cupboard at a time.  It’s better to organize one small area at a time so you can concentrate and finish the task.    I suggest staying in the same room until you’ve finished all areas in that room.  Then, move on to the next area when you’re ready.

Although there may not be a deadline, it’s easy to get side-tracked so make sure you put time on the calendar each day for a few minutes to organize.  That’s right…make an appointment with yourself to set aside time to get whatever organizing task you want to get done. 

There’s always something to organize.  We organize all the time, every day, without even thinking about it.  Putting the dishes away, filing a document into a folder, folding the clean laundry to put it away.  It’s part of our everyday life or, at least it should be.  

Think about it, people vow to get “better” organized in January to start the new year off on the right foot.   In February we start getting our papers organized to prepare our taxes or get them ready for our accountant.  At the end of March, we begin the Spring-cleaning craze.   Then, April starts moving season, which goes on through to mid-summer.  Those people that are moving will probably want to downsize and get rid of the excess so that they are organized and ready for their upcoming move.  Mid-Summer parents are getting things ready for their children to start school or planning a vacation.  Then Fall starts off the holiday season which has its own organizing challenges, i.e. hosting guests or planning events, purging to make room for all the Christmas décor, gifts and company. 

All of this requires some degree of organizing!

So, what’s it gonna be?   Are you going to start the year off on the right foot?  Will you implement a badly needed filing system?  Purge old papers?  Get the boxes of photos in the garage scanned or made into a beautiful album so that you can get rid of all those boxes from too many generations?  Purge the garage so you can park you car in there? Go thru the bins and bins of your grown children’s memorabilia to determine what they actually want or need? Organize your closet and get rid of the clothes that no longer fit or suit your current lifestyle?

Whatever you decide to do, I can guarantee that if you’re organized or even better organized than you are right now, you’ll be more productive and efficient.  Inevitably you’ll wind up having more time and, you know what “they” say…Time is money! 

GO FORTH AND CONQUER!  If you need help, give us a call.  We’re ready when you are. 

Are You Ready for 2021?

We’re finally at the end of the year.   2020 is almost done.  Yay!   I know we are all hoping for a better 2021.  I mean, it’s gotta be better right?

It’s been a long hard year on so many levels but, there have also been so many silver linings.  I know for me it gave me time to pause and think about what I was doing and why both personally and professionally.  Personally, I realized how much I love and need my friends and family. Even though I wasn’t able to see them in person as much as I’d like, or at all, I made it a point to stay in touch more than before.  Professionally, I stopped working 24/7 and I am getting the same, if not better, results.  I am more efficient, more focused and using my time wisely.  

I hope that you too realize that there was some good that came from this unprecedented year and that you can move into 2021 with a positive outlook.

Different times require different actions.  So, I thought I’d write about something different for this newsletter.  Instead of organizing tips, I want to share some statistics about organizing instead.  You will probably relate to one or more of them.  If you do, perhaps this might be a good time to turn some things around.  

STATISTICS:

-The average office employee spends 1.5 hours a day (6 weeks per year) looking for things (Courtesy of organizedworld.com).   

-A 2008 survey of 400 consumers nationwide showed that 27% said they feel disorganized at work, and of those, 91% said they would be more effective and efficient if their workspace was better organized. (Courtesy of NAPO-National Association of Professional Organizers)

-The typical executive wastes 150 hours a year, almost an entire month, searching for lost information. For someone earning $50,000 a year, this loss is equivalent to $3,842 annually. (Courtesy of Forbes ASAP)

-A startling 25% of people with 2-car garages couldn’t put a car in it because they use it to store other things. (Courtesy of The US Department of Energy)

-80% of the items we keep are never used. (Courtesy of NAPO).

-80% of what we file never gets looked at again. (Courtesy of NAPO)

-Getting rid of clutter eliminates 40% of housework in the average home. It also reduces the stress associated with a disorganized living space. In other words, purging is a passageway for feeling more calm and clear-headed. (The National Soap and Detergent Association)

-On average we spend one year of our lives looking for lost items. (Courtesy of NAPO)

– 23% of adults admit to paying bills late because they lose them. (Courtesy of Consumer Agencies and Harris Interactive)

-We wear 20% of the clothes we own 80% of the time. The rest hangs there, just in case. (Courtesy of NAPO)

 

The New Year is upon us so set your New Years’ resolutions to change those things that aren’t working both personally and professionally. 

Organizing is one of those things that can only help. There is no downside so why not do something to get “better” organized. 

If you need help with organizing, downsizing (or rightsizing as the case may be) or moving, give us a call.  We’ll be working through the holidays!

In closing I’d like to wish you and yours a very Happy Holiday Season and a Happy New Year.