It’s that time of year again! Yes, I KNOW it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but hear me out. I’m not talking about decorating (although, I am really chomping at the bit to get started on that!). I’m talking about getting your Christmas cards ready. I like to mail mine in early December before the USPS gets bogged down. This year, I think I’ll be a little behind my normal schedule, but the goal is to just be delivered before Christmas, right?

Have you heard of the One-In, One-Out rule of organizing?  If not, let me fill you in on one of the best organizing principles.  For everything you bring into the space, one thing must leave.  For example, if you buy 6 new pairs of socks, then 6 (or more!) pairs must leave!  It’s a great way to avoid building up clutter.

I just recently tried a different version of that with my oldest daughter.  Normally before a gift-giving holiday, such as Christmas and birthdays, I have my girls go through their toys and purge the ones they no longer play with to make room for their new treasures.  This year, I had Savannah purge 1 item for every invitation she mailed out!  She does very well when she has limits so it made it a little more fun for her.  Another bonus was that we also didn’t have to wait until after the party, like we would if we did an actual one-in, one-out.  This trick worked great for us!

I happen to love her blog, and now A Bowl Full of Lemons is giving away 3 copies of the book, Clutter Rehab.  Who couldn’t use a little of that?!

I haven’t forgotten y’all.  Really.  I’ve had some great new clients keeping me busy, and what’s even cooler….an opportunity to work on an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition house!!!

Here’s some pics of  a little of what I accomplished with a client today.  We got a lot done in 2.5 hours.  The pictures only show a small part of a newly-decluttered area of her storage room.

How long has it been since I wrote a blog post? It also seems like I begin most of my posts with a statement like that! I admit, I really need to work on my summer routines. Our summer schedule is crazy. Silly me thought I’d be chilaxin by the pool everyday, toasting marshmallows in the backyard, playing with the kids, and oh yeah, organizing with my always-entertaining clients.

There has definitely been a LOT of pool time for us here. Savannah is on a local swim team. It’s an every day thing! Funny how kids don’t realize what a commitment something like that is on the parent. It’s WAY more work for me than for her! Of course, it’s all worth it. We now have our pantry door covered in ribbons she won at her swim meets. I’m so proud of her accomplishments, and also so glad she didn’t inherit my irrational fear of water.

With the school year ending 2-3 weeks ago here, I am reminded how important schedules and routines are. It didn’t take long before my bookworm kid was complaining that I was ruining her summer by asking that she read everyday and even do her chores. How dare I ?! Ha! I’m definitely one of those “mean” moms that makes their kid(s) do the summer reading programs both at school and at the local library. Worst of all, I torture her with math, in one form or another, almost every day. :shutter:

I know I’ve blogged about calendars, routines, and schedules before. I really thrive with to-do lists, and who doesn’t love filling in a new planner? While I still love my paper planner and lists, I’m slowly getting used to using Google Calendar. I LOVE that I can add my husband (or whomever) onto an event and it will appear on their calendar as well. I also love that it sends reminders to my phone and email box. Wooohooo!

So I’m adding some words here just to say I’m borrowing this “Wordless Wednesday” idea from my bloggy friend at Follow The Leaders.

Since I’m focusing on office spaces this month, I thought I should address bill paying. Of course, not everyone sits at a desk and diligently works until the dreaded task is done. I know I don’t! Since my bill paying and budgeting is a little time consuming and often boring, I usually take all my supplies and park myself in front of the tv. I realized that my old way of organizing my bills (see picture below) wasn’t working for me anymore. I was using a bulky organizer which I had to keep on my desk. Also, it was as far from the front door as it could get, which was not ideal when I walked in the house after getting the mail.

I’m all about making things easier. The simpler a system, the more effective it is because it’s much more likely to get used! I knew I needed something portable that would contain all my supplies: bills, pencil, paper, calculator, etc. Here’s some pictures of what I’m using. I bought the file tote at Target, and I LOVE it. I’ve been using it for several months now.

Now I realize this kind of system isn’t for everyone. It’s just what’s working for me with where I am right now. Systems need to change as your needs change.

I know, I know! I haven’t blogged for awhile again! Sometimes that’s a good thing, because it means I’ve been busy.

Since the New Year, most of my new clients have been needing help with office and/or paper organization. Tis the tax season!

Here’s some things I love for a little inspiration:

I totally wish I had these for my client files!

the new Bristol Collection at the Container Store

I <3 file boxes

love the lime green and white

more lime green at the Container Store

great space with calming colors

I saved my favorite inspiration space for last! I plan on doing a version of this in my own home…as soon as I can convince hubby that we NEED a newly designed office.

love love love

I’m pretty sure that monsters would only live in a cluttered closet. How else would they hide in there? So here’s the steps needed to rid your closet of clutter cover for those burdensome beasts.

Photo from Apartment Therapy

Step 1: Empty and Edit

Empty the contents of the closet, while sorting into 4 piles: Keep, Toss, Donate, and Store. You could also have a “repair” pile for clothing that just needs a little TLC, but only if you truly intend on finishing that project! Remember, your “donate” pile should be clothing still in good condition, something you would be willing to loan to a friend, for example. Don’t bother donating something that is just no longer in wearable condition. The “store” pile is for things such as seasonal clothing…all of my itty bitty bikinis are in that pile (ha! as if!).

Photo from Age Is In

Step 2: Purge

Box up that donate pile, and bag up the trash! Take care of it immediately. The donate stuff should be put right into the car so you can deliver it right away!

Photo from BHG

Step 3: Assess and Assign

Look over the “keep” pile and decide how much space will be needed for each type of item. Remember to keep frequently used items closer to your reach.

photo from BHG

Step 4: Containerize

This is my favorite step since it sometimes involves shopping For a closet, you will need hangers, and possibly drawers, baskets, bins, etc.

Photo from Allways Organized

Step 5: Maintain

When something is beautiful and organized, you want to take care of it. Maintaining an organized closet can easily be done a few times a year. Two hours, twice a year, and poof! Monsters are gone!