Organize With Sandy » organizing

Organizing & DIY Link Party – Week 5

Sandy — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:19 +0000

Dresser Drawer Organization

Do your dresser drawers look like this?

Or do they look more like this?

It isn’t hard to organize your dresser drawers. I did a post on Organizing Your Dresser Drawers and showed you how easy it is to do. I used organizers that I found at Ikea and a few I also found at Old Time Pottery, but you could also use shoe boxes or other boxes that fit into your drawers and achieve the same thing.

Share your DIY, crafts, decorating, organizing projects!

You can find the link for my button on my top “Buttons” Tab. (right now I only have the Organizing Mission Monday button, so it is fine to continue to grab that)
1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (link just above underneath my button)
3) I’d love if you’d follow me on google and/or FB. The google is new and I’m trying to build it
4) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or crafts or decorating are WONDERFUL!
5) No sales pitches or web sites.
6) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please Click here
This party will be open until Feb 5, 2012 at 11:59pm

Organizing & DIY Link Party – Week 4

Sandy — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:56 +0000

Have you seen some of the cute hats?

Aren’t the hats that are out now SO cute? My step daughter asked for a panda hat for Christmas. I had no idea what she was talking about. She went on to explain that it was white and had a scarf attached that had paws she could put her hands into. She also told me it was at Kroger (grocery store) of all places. Sure enough… I went in and found it. She was thrilled!

We also found this had for one of my step sons. An OSU mohawk hat. He LOVED it! lol

I know these pics aren’t organizing projects, crafts or decorating projects…. but I thought they were fun for today.

Share your DIY, crafts, decorating, organizing projects or hat posts!!

Organizing & DIY Monday Link Party – Week 1

Sandy — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:24:50 +0000

Organizing, DIY & Craft Projects

I decided to change up the Organizing Mission Monday just a bit and make it “legal and ok” to link up your DIY and Craft posts, along with your organizing posts.

Organizing and doing it yourself go along together. We come up with so many good ideas to organize things .. all the time! Crafting often ties in, but more importantly; it is just fun!

I’ve not had much time to DIY, organize or craft lately… so I want to “live through your posts!”

Here are a couple of my past favorite DIY, craft projects – My chalkboard jar labels were my most popular post last year.

I had so much fun with this project and still love them on my counter.

I loved my easy and cheap cord organizing solution

And also the organizer I made out of the toilet paper rolls & duct tape to keep all those link cords & connector cords organized.

Feel free to link up some of your old favorites from last year.

Link up to My Linky Party

Share your DIY, crafts, decorating or organizing projects!!

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please Click Here.
This party will be open until January 8, 2012

Organizing Mission Link Party – Week 39

Sandy — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:00:08 +0000

Corydon Indiana

Dave and I were invited to go to Corydon Indiana in July. It was a 5 1/2 hour drive there. We got in late on a Friday night.

We had an easy drive there and found the lovely Bed & Breakfast, the Kintner Inn without any problem.

We had a nice meal at Magdelena’s, saw all the historic aspects of this little town that was the states First Capital and saw a live play. Saturday we found the winery (with a bit of difficulty and wrong turns – GPS wasn’t too fond of where it was I guess) that had goats as the mascots…. and a bit of a parking dilemma in the couple’s driveway – but with a really cute decor and young owners who were putting their heart and souls into this business venture.

Sunday we headed another 1/2 hour south to visit Marengo Caves Park. We both enjoyed that and wished that had been our Saturday adventure so that we would have had more time to go on additional tours or venture around more.

You can see my full review on my Explore Ohio with Sandy blog.

Link up to My Linky Party

What is happening in your life this week? But as always you can link up any organizing or cleaning or DIY post to my link party.

You can find the link for my button and also my “Proud to Be Featured Button” on my top “Buttons” Tab.

1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (link just above underneath my button)
3) I’d love if you’d follow me on google and/or FB. The google is new and I’m trying to build it
4) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or decorating
5) No sales pitches or web sites.
6) If I feature you I will use one or more of your pictures with a link back to your blog.
7) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

Donate Your Clutter!

Sandy — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:00:13 +0000

Helping Others With Things You Don’t Use

I tend to donate most of my unused or unwanted things to the Good Will store in our town. I have to admit it is the easy way out, but I got the most enjoyment when the kids and I went to our local nursing home and took them stuff animals we had.

Dave gets me stuff animals (I love to get them!) usually once a year or so for different occasions. I display one, maybe two of them on my dresser in my room and then store the others in a trunk at the end of my bed.

Elise, like many young girls had many stuffed animals that she was ready to give up. We called the nursing home first and asked permission, and then took over several animals to hand out around Valentine’s Day.

It was a little uncomfortable for the kids and myself. But it was a good uncomfortable. We were stepping out of our comfort zone, doing something we weren’t used to. We had someone who walked us around and helped us decide which residences to give the stuffed animals to. I specifically asked for residents who did not have many vistors.

We had two different residents start crying. One kept saying… “Oh, this can’t be for me! This is too nice for me!” She began to cry and just hugged that stuffed animal. I had a very difficult time not crying myself.

Wow… the power in giving.

Think of all the things you have boxed up, packed up and hidden away. Have you asked yourself why you are keeping it?

Keeping it for your kids?
Keeping it for memories?
Keeping it because you feel guilt?
Keeping it because you might use it one day?

I’m not saying to get rid of everything you have stored. But I do want you to think about it.

Ask yourself these questions:

When was the last time you used it?
Is it something you can live without?
Is it something you think you will use each year? (holiday decorations, camping gear, skiing equipment)
Do you really need to keep it?
Could it benefit and help someone else, instead of being packed away in your house?

So you decide that you do need to get rid of some things, but how do you do it and who do you give it to?

First step it to go through and sort the items. Decide what you need to keep and what you can give up.

Then decide where you can donate it. Please only donate things that are in good shape. No one wants your stained, torn or broken items. When you take these items to a donation facility, they have to go through them. Guess what? They dispose of them. So help to save them some work.

Here are several suggestions:

Donate to a local shelter
Donate to a larger donation facility (Good Will, Kidney foundation etc)
Donate to your church or a local church that takes donations
Call your nursing home to see if they can use donations
Check the internet to see if there are any disaster areas that still need donations (tornado ravaged, or hurricane, earthquake areas)
Check with your local firehouse or city hall to ask if they know of any local residents who can use help.

If you feel that you can donate some things, but other things you can use some income for, here are a couple other ideas.

Have a garage sale
Take to a resale shop
Sell on eBay

I have had several people tell me that they have parents who have aged and have either a home that needs to be cleared out or a storage facility that needs to be cleared out and they have no idea where to start.

You can start with a local Professional Organizer in your area. They might have resources, or know of someone else that helps to take care of those kinds of situations.

Think of others

Think of the good that your item (that hasn’t been used, seen or thought about in years) might do for someone else

Donate your clutter! It will do a body good (yours and someone else’s!)

Some of you may recognize the pictures. I have done a previous post on donating to this nursing home.

Five Steps to Start Organizing

Sandy — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:00:11 +0000

Organizing Broken Down Into Five Steps

Organizing can be broken down into five main steps. Organizing a desk, room or home can be completely overwhelming. Where do you start? What do you do with everything? How much will it cost?

So often we don’t do anything because we don’t know how to do it, or it seems too “big” to do anything. But to do nothing accomplishes nothing.

Step 1: Pick your target zone.

Decide what area you want to work on first. Don’t say, my whole house. More like; I want to work on the desk in the corner of the family room. The hard part when you get sorting is to stick to that target zone. You can’t take an item into another room to put away, because then you will see something in that room that you want to move and you will lose focus.

Step 2: Set an appointment on your calendar to start your project.

Try to give yourself at least 2 hours to start your project. Hopefully if you haven’t started too big you can finish. Take “before” pictures. When you finish and take your “after” pictures, it will help to keep you motivated to not let it get back the way it was before.

Step 3: Have your supplies ready to start.

Do not go out and buy a bunch of organizational products. You do not know what you are going to need yet. You may have it somewhere in your home.
I suggest getting
1) Black trash bags for trash
2) White trash bags for donate (so you don’t throw away your donate bags.)
3) Boxes or clear bins
4) Labels – masking tape can do the job and a sharpie marker.
5) Your sorting lists

Step 4: Make Sorting Lists

Just get any piece of paper and a marker and write this on each one:
1) KEEP – Love it, wear it, use it, Can’t live without it
2) DONATE- Don’t like it or use it, doesn’t fit, it is still in good shape.
3) MOVE – It doesn’t belong in this room
4) STORE – Seasonal items, occasional use like camping or skiing equip etc.
5) TOSS – Trash, torn, broken, missing pieces, not in any shape for anyone to use.

Step 5: Start Sorting

Each item in the space needs to be decided on. You have to make fast decisions. Give yourself about 5-10 seconds for each thing. Do not sit and recall memories for each item, or start looking at old pictures. When you do that you are “personalizing” that item. The goal here in order to get through these things is to “depersonalize” the items. For some extra help, you can read my post on the 5 steps for sorting

Reorganizing My Office “Before” – Mission: Office

Sandy — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:25:59 +0000

The Before Shots

I may be an organizer, but I’m a very busy organizer, and things can get out of hand in my home too. So don’t feel like everyone else has perfect places. I’m going to show you I am human and very much like you when it comes to things getting out of hand.

I have a very small office and share the space with my husbands desk and the kids computer. We have 2 huge desks, 3 file cabinets, 1 large bookshelf and lots of cubbys.

Here is my mess of a desk. As you can see I don’t use it very often. I normally always set out in the living room so I can keep my feet up. If I have them down too long I have problems with my feet swelling (yes..sucks getting old and being too heavy). I come in here mainly to do bills and send out my pouchee and Card Cubby orders. I have an extra computer screen because I found out when I got my Mac Book Pro that I could hook up another screen and use duel screens. But, I’m not in here enough to use it and hadn’t purchased the cable.

This picture is directly behind my desk, so I can turn my chair around and get to the 2nd set of file cabinets. These are my main files. But as you can see, my papers have taken over and are way overdue for filing.

This is to the right of my desk. Printer and large file cabinet. I have extra paper sitting on top of that. Then you can see the corner of my husbands desk.

This is his space and I don’t bother it. Although he wasn’t using it much either.. the kids use the computer. But the flag poles and whatever else that other stick is there (lol) and the boxes on top of the 2nd file cabinet are his. I try to give him his space. But now we have made him his own office and work area in the basement and it is time for this to go.

Now on the other wall when you walk into the office is the big book shelf. It has a combination of his stuff, my stuff, the kids stuff on it. You can see how congested it has become.

This is that same corner when you walk in, I set up cubbys so that I had more space to put my product samples etc for reviews.

You can see how crowded it all is.

And then another view from the doorway of what the file cabinet and my paper system looks like behind my desk.

Pretty bad huh? Sharing a small office space is not easy. And when I worked in here, the system worked for me with being able to access what I needed to from my chair. But…. it was driving me crazy.

I really had it … I wanted to figure something out. I would try to work in the living room and with the TV going if the kids and hubby were home in the evening etc.. it was just not easy for me. I would put on headphones with music. I have to have quiet….to really concentrate.

I sat down on the 31st and decided I was going to rearrange the office.

Step 1: Get out graph paper and measure your space. Measure what will stay in.
Step 2: Plan what you want your space to look like. Do you need to purchase anything?
Step 3: Move everything out. Decide where to put the big items that aren’t staying. (example, trash, donate, another room.
Step 4: Clean the space (paint if you are going to before you clean.. lol – No painting for me)
Step 5: Sort all the little stuff. Clean as you go
Step 6: Decide what items are needed, now that you know what is left to put back in
Step 7: Move your big furniture back in, or move to where it needs to go in the room.
Step 7: Purchase your items
Step 8: Complete moving in the smaller items that have been sorted.
Step 9: Customize it so it works for you. This may take a few weeks of changing it up.
Step 10: Sit back and smile because it feels SO much better when it is finished!

The Clearing out

I decided I was doing this on the 31st of December and started that day! I was trying to figure out a better solution for my living room, but did a 180 and decided to redo the office. My two oldest boys were home from boot camp and were leaving on the 2nd. Dave had a sore arm and wouldn’t be able to move much. So… I decided I need to do it now while I had help, otherwise it wouldn’t happen. Let me tell you…. they weren’t so thrilled that I was interrupting the Rose Bowl. lol

First step was to decide what to do with my husbands desk. It was going to go in the basement to provide him with extra desk space in his new office. But…. it wouldn’t fit down the basement steps. They tried to take it apart and it just wasn’t going to happen. We had no where to store it… so …yes.. out to the curb! I told you I was determined. We knew someone would pick it up before the trash men got it.

First to clear off everything off my this massive heavy wood desk. Then I cleaned it all up.

Cleared off the bookshelves.

Next step was to move the bookshelf. It went down to the basement for my husband to use. Then we got the vacuum out and vacuumed the empty space .. and cleaned up the walls behind and baseboards.

We took the black 3 drawer file cabinet down to the basement also. That cleared out the spot for my 4 drawer file cabinet.

Of course vacuuming and cleaning had to be done. Only one flaw in my plan, I was going to be covering up the vent. oops

Because it was my space, I didn’t mind. I knew I could use a blanket to stay warm if I needed it. I was too determined to make my idea work. Something as minor as a vent wasn’t going to deter me! lol (now if it were a clients home, I would have figured out another solution, but I was ok with it in my home)

Next thing was to clear off the file cabinet that was behind my chair and take out the drawers. This furniture is SO heavy! So glad my boys were there to help move things.

Now of course you realize that I am making a huge mess in my dining room. Piling everything up that I will need to go through. I told my husband for at least 2 days I was taking it over. So we adjusted. I could get a lot of stuff out right away, but I was going to go through everything before it went back in.

This was just the beginning and the area around the table had all kinds of stuff too. Unfortunately when you clear out a space, you have to deal with more mess before it gets better.

File cabinet in place. I made sure to plug in the lamp before we moved it back to the wall and put the drawers in it. It is too heavy to even budge when the drawers are in.

The desk was moved on the wall where the bookshelf used to be. My big 4 drawer file cabinet in the corner stayed put.

Next step.. Trip to Ikea for the wall unit I have been wanting forever!! (I really wanted white, but they were out of stock, so I got the walnut to match my furniture.
Step 2 – Dave was to bring back a recliner that I used to have in my living room from our farm.

I know.. you are thinking.. a recliner in your office? Yes…. I told you I have the problem with having to keep my feet up, I solved that problem!

Stay tuned!!

Your Mission if you chose to take it is: Reorganize Your Office

Link up Your Office Mission Post

You can find the linky by clicking on the button above. Feel free to keep linking up your different office projects that you accomplish during this Office Mission. I am ok with also linking up organizing projects that aren’t office related. This link will be up until Feb. 24 so you will have time to add your office projects in

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

I linked this post up to:

Organizing Mission Monday Link Party – Week 4

Sandy — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:58:41 +0000

Where you Can Leave A Post or Find a Post

Thanks to all of you who linked up last week! There were some really neat ideas. I have been working hard on my office in between all the fun craziness of the social media world I work in. I plan to start sharing pictures of my reorganization later this week.

Here are 3 blog posts that I really loved! Please grab my “Proud To be Featured on Organizing Mission Monday” button! There were a couple posts that I was going to pick, but since they didn’t have my button or link, I didn’t think that was fair to those of you who did. So next week be sure to grab it!

Jennifer from Peas and Crayons had a really cute closet makeover to check out.

She shows several things she uses in order to bring order to her closet…and does it with humor.

Megan from Polish the Stars posted a desk drawer organizing post.

I loved what she did with all her little electronics and cords.

Lori from Paisley Passions made a Shoe Rack for her Mud Room.

Great idea! She refinished it and added contact paper. Cute huh?

Here is the Featured Button for each of you I featured this week.

Rules

1)   Link back to my blog with either the button or my link. (If you aren’t sure how to do it, please let me know and I’ll help)
2)   Blog posts related to Organizing or Cleaning please.
3)   Family friendly (or I will delete)
4)   No sales pitches or web sites.

I ask that you please link back to me with my button or my link (or both!) Thanks!
I am having trouble with my button being messed up on here. I don’t know why. But… the button on my sidebar should work fine for you.
Please let me know if it isn’t. Thanks SO much!

Be sure to check out my list of link parties! If you have a link party and I don’t have you listed, let me know and I’ll add you to the list. There aren’t many buttons on the list yet, but there are more links below)

It is simple to add your link….

1) In the first box it says “link it to” – Just put the url of your specific blog post. Still not sure? Click on your blog post (not your blog, but specific post) You will see the http://your blog name/your blog post name up at the top. Just Copy and past that link.

2) Caption or Title – What is your blog post titled or what do you want the readers to see under your picture

3) Your email- that is simple

4) You can either check “From File” and this will take you to your computer info where you can pick a picture. Or you can pick “From Web” . This will take you to pictures from your specific blog post and blog. This is the one I usually pick as there is much less searching to do for a picture.

5) Once you pick your picture it takes you to that picture and you can move the box to show what part of the picture you want. then just click load or start at the bottom of the picture.

6) Then grab my button code and enter that at the bottom of your post or on your sidebar or link page… or you can use a text link too.

Your done!
I linked this linky party to
Someday Crafts – Anything Goes Wednesday
Sumo’s Sweet Stuff – Market Yourself Monday

What would Sandy Suggest? – Mel’s Desk

Sandy — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:40:59 +0000

Let’s Organize it … Shall We?

I have had many people ask me to help them figure out what to do in their rooms. It is difficult to really organize via virtual means, but there isn’t any reasons I can’t give some suggestions as to what I think they could try.

Mel from MamaBuzz is the first willing participant…. lol She would like some help with her office. She said she and her husband share this space. But because they have been just using it lately for putting “stuff” in it.

First off let me say that this room doesn’t look bad at all. I am seeing some really positive things that I want to mention right off the bat

1) Love the shelves on the wall.

2) The file drawers are being utilized. Looks like the one might be part of the desk unit, and if not, it it tucked in nice so that it isn’t taking up extra space. The other one may be too big to go underneath on the other side. But even so, it is being used as a surface.

3) I see several organizing elements here, the scrapbook/craft organizer on the left and the vertical file unit on the right hand part of the desk.

From this shot the main problems I am seeing are:

1) Clutter on the desk top

2) “Stuff” on the left on the floor and more “stuff” on the right hand side of the picture.

Let’s take a closer look at this part of the desk area.

First off I see several things that don’t belong on a desk. It looks like there may be an apron, or some kind of cloth bag that is yellow, black and white. I am seeing a calendar that hasn’t been changed since November, Christmas cards in front of the keyboard and a basket full of things that I bet aren’t even used.

I would suggest:

1) Sorting through all the items on the desk. Go through the steps..

Keep – Do I use it, Love it and Need it?

Donate – I don’t like it, or use it..but it is still in good shape (Christmas cards can be donated too!)

Move To another Room – Does it belong in this room. If that is apron, I’d say no.

Storage – Season items that do get used but only once or twice a year. (i.e. Christmas decorations, camping gear)

Pitch/Recycle – Trash, broken or torn items. Can’t be donated.

2) Decide if that vertical file has been working for you. Are you keeping it up? Or did you start it and never went back to it?

3) Go through that basket and decide if it really is serving a function in that location – or is it just serving as a dumping place for little things?

4) I’m not sure what is behind the vertical file. It appears to be some kind of printer or something. If the vertical file system works, I would move that calendar and basket and move the vertical file in that location against the wall. That will free up some desk space.

5) The rest of that clutter needs to be sorted and moved off the surface.

6) If that is a printer, is it hooked up and working? Is it used? If so.. then it stays. If not, then move it off that space.

Zones

The objective here is to keep the zones for items that Mel uses daily.. closest to her chair.

“A Zone” would be the things she uses daily that need to be within reach.

“B Zone” would be things that she uses every few days. Out and accessible, but it is ok to roll the chair over to them or stand up to reach.

“C Zone” would be things that are used maybe once every 1-2 weeks

“D Zone” would be things that should stay in the office, but are ok to store.

1) Here again she needs to sort first. There are games that need to go with the kids toys and games. Looks like a tin from Christmas goodies etc.

2) The craft area looks nice. The question would be: Do you use this for your crafting? If so, than fantastic. If it has been 2 years since you touched it, then it is time to think about at least packing it up and storing it until you have the time to work on it.

3) I see my stethoscope! LOL So funny, that is exactly like the one I have lost at my pediatricians office. Mine is a light purple, and last time I saw it, it was in my locker. Ok… back to business..

4) Keep the scrap booking if you use it. I see another machine there, maybe a circuit cutter or laminator? If it is used, then great.

5) If it is used frequently, leave it there. If not, would it be possible to put on top of the craft organizer?

6) The pink tray that appears to possibly be an “in” box on top of the craft organizer. First off.. is it an “in” box. If so, would it be possible to mount something on the wall as you walk into the office for bills and incoming papers? It might make it more convenient and get that surface freed up.

7) The little black basket beside the craft organizer. What is that being used for?

8) I think most all of this just needs to be sorted through, and relocated, pitched or donated.

Next week we are going to tackle another area of Mel’s office.

Mel – Please pick up my button and put it on your site for participating in the first, “What Would Sandy Suggest” series. If you would like to be featured on What Would Sandy suggest, then please leave a comment and email and we’ll chat.

This post is linked to:

Tools Are For Woman Too

Organizing: How to Get Started

Sandy — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:05:58 +0000

Getting Started can be the Hard part of Organizing!

But this is actually the 3rd step in my process to Organize a space. The first step is to Visualize and Plan out your space. Then your next step is to know how to sort and make your sorting cards.
Now you are ready to actually walk into that room and tackle the clutter. This is the scary step. I know… you look at that pile of stuff and think…”There is No Way!!”. But guess what? “Way!”. You can do it!
Just little by little. If you try to jump in and don’t have a plan or know what you are going to do with things… .then you might have more of a problem. Don’t forget that when you start working on one room… you can cause a bit of a “domino effect” and have some mess build up in another room that you are moving things too. Don’t let that stop you. It is just a part of the process and once you have one room under way or finished… you will get inspired to keep going. It will just feel so good to have your space back again.
Hopefully my video will give you a little guideline to go on too. But if you have the Sorting process down, then the rest of it is just going through each item. Just pick up that first item…and start.

Here is another post I did awhile ago on Getting Started to Organize . You might see some things there that I didn’t mention in the video that might help you.

Please let me know if you have questions. I will do my best to help you answer them… just leave them in the comments, or you can contact me via contact form to ask me.