Ellen's Blog, Professional Organizing for Kingwood & Houston

Recycling, Upcycling and Repurposing

April 10, 2014/8 Comments/in Green Organizing/by Ellen

Is there a little crafty in you? Do you find ways to use what you have for decor? Are you on pinterest scouring ideas to upcycle, recycle or repurpose furnishings? I love finding creative uses for what we have!

Upcycling is converting what you have into something wonderful, functional and creative. The starting point is wanting to reuse or repurpose existing items. From there add a dash of possibility and off you go!

Some items can be repurposed without any effort. Lots of people are upcycling.

Hang wine racks for towel holders in their bathroom.
Baby wipe containers are great to hold games, puzzle pieces or cards
Repainted tv consoles are great for a landing strip or kids armoire.
Use an old armoire for a small office space.

Even if it is a change of paint color to fabulous chalk paint or a robin’s egg blue, upcycling makes our interiors fun!

I love my connections on social media! Here is a roundup of ideas for recycling, upcycling and repurposing furniture from my social media and Blog Elevated friends.

One of the most powerful parts of social media are the connections we make! I asked my social media peeps what helps them get started on their spring organizing and cleaning. – See more at: https://professional-organizer.com/WordPress/2014/03/#sthash.v84NqaLK.dpuf

Ashley Hill, The Hill Hangout, The Magic of Chalkpaint

Photo courtesy of The Clutter Princess

Janice Simon, The Clutter Princess, A Little Paint, Much More Function

Photo courtesy of Eat, Pray, Read

Kelli Hays, EatPray{Read}Love, Dresser Do-Over: I Got my Teal!

Photo courtesy of Untrained Housewife

Angela England, Untrained Housewife, Repurposed Wall Lantern Terrarium

Photo courtesy of Ginny G Furniture and More

Ginny G, DreamGinnyG, Repainted armoire

Want more ideas? Check out my pinterest page Recycling and Upcycling.

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Garage Organizing Do’s and Don’ts

April 8, 2014/4 Comments/in Home Organizing/by Ellen

Did you know…

§ 38% indicated that the garage was the messiest room in their home.

§ 25% of people with two-car garages don’t park any cars in their garage and that 32% parked only one.

§ In a recent poll people 25% of respondents said they want a three-car garage, even considering the extra cost.

Spring is a great time to organize your garage. Here are some simple ways to get your garage organized with do’s and don’ts.

DO’S

1. Start with a team. Garage organizing is a big project and best done with lots of help. Your team can be your family, church or high school teens, or anyone you can corral to help.

2. Plan for small, manageable time and space pieces. Schedule several times throughout a month to work in 2 -3 hour segments. Work in sections throughout your garage, such as floor first, left wall, back wall, then right wall.

3. Set up pick up times for your donations. It’s easier if a charity comes to you to pick up rather than loading your car.

4. Establish categories and zones for your keep items, such as car, athletics, gardening, camping, storage.

DON’T’S

1. Just buying shelves and containers is not the way to start. Have a plan so you know what to purchase and how much to purchase.

2. Just relocate items in the garage. Now is the time to review, recycle and donate what is not used at your home.

3. Pull everything out of your garage and onto your driveway. It’s easy to get overwhelmed while organizing. Taking it in small increments helps you make good decisions and finish the project over time.

4. Keep things for an unscheduled garage sale. If you don’t have a garage sale on the calendar already, donate and get a tax deduction instead.

Remember, your garage is the most frequently seen space in your home. Organizing your garage gives you the greatest financial bonus in money saved from storage unit costs and wear and tear of your car costs. Most importantly you have access to what you use.

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Easy Ways to Organize your Recycling

April 2, 2014/3 Comments/in Home Organizing/by Ellen

With the best of intentions, it’s easy to get stuck when you are recycling. All of my clients recycle paper, plastic, glass and cardboard. They have one step of recycling all set, but other steps can foil their best intentions. Think about easy ways to organize your recycling in order to make recycling happen.

First off, it’s important to know what to recycle! Here are some ideas thanks to Earth911. Did you know that pizza boxes can’t be recycled because of grease? Check out what can and can’t be recycled.

Let’s make recycling super easy!

Easy to access products

Photo compliments of the Container Store

Make recycling easy with these stack-able totes. These totes can be placed just outside your back door to drop items in after rinsing. Generously sized, you can recycle a lot and then carry these to the curb or your car to complete this job.

Easy to drop off locations

Schools often have paper and cardboard recycling. Drive by and drop off paper once a week. Best Buy has drop off for electronics. In Houston we have Drop off Houston, a free take-back program for electronics at over 30 locations city-wide. This includes televisions,fax machines, hard drives. computer monitors, DVD players and computers.

Easy to remember

Set a reminder in your smartphone, write in red on your calendar, or add a note to your kid’s chore chart to keep your recycling routine going. It’s up to everyone in your family to help make recycling happen.

When I was growing up, my dad and brother would recycle newspaper once a month together. It was a great way to share the responsibility and to talk about what is important. Set up team work in your family to make recycling a priority and a family value. It also lessens the load when you share the responsibility with many family members.

I love that our city is focusing on recycling in all ways. Easy, convenient recycling is available in Houston and Kingwood.

I want to also thank Keep Kingwood Green for their local initiatives too!

How can you make organizing happen at your home or business?

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Hugs and happy organizing: Master Bedroom Closet

March 27, 2014/7 Comments/in Closet Organizing, Hugs and Happy Organizing/by Ellen

Hugs and happy organizing is all about sharing client success stories. Here is a short story about master bedroom closet organizing.

hugs and happy organizing master closet

Nothing’s more important to starting the day easily than organizing your master closet. But it can be difficult to part with expensive clothes and shoes. Sometimes we are completely overwhelmed with the task when working on our own. Push through your resistance and start your closet organizing.

Start with the floor. Keep only what makes you feel or look fabulous. Bring in bags to drop items in to donate. Keep items on hangers for consignment. Ask yourself, would you buy it again today?
Decisions about shoes depend on comfort and wear. Well worn loved shoes and unworn uncomfortable shoes should be the first to go.
Group items by category, either by color, size, style or where it’s worn. Set up an area for clothes that are not too dirty but have been worn once or twice. Have a routine for rewearing or hanging these back.
Your closet looks best with consistent hangers (affiliate link). Whether it’s slim line or white tube hangers, your clothes pop when everything hangs at the same height and one color hanger.
Choose a shoe organizing product that works with the space you have. The product should be able to house all the shoes you have currently.
Set up a laundry routine that works with your newly organized space. Doing laundry more frequently is easier with smaller loads. You can complete the laundry cycle in a shorter time frame too.

Hugs and happy organizing is all about client success stories. Here you will find a craft and sewing room organizing success story. – See more at: https://professional-organizer.com/WordPress/category/hugs-and-happy-organizing-2/#sthash.9nr5nfLt.dpuf

Find more Hugs and Happy Organizing stories on pinterest!

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– See more at: https://professional-organizer.com/WordPress/category/hugs-and-happy-organizing-2/#sthash.Sg3AW5WW.dpuf

Make Your Biz Bigger, Brighter, Bolder and Better: ADHD Resources

March 25, 2014/2 Comments/in ADD and ADHD/by Ellen

Resources and education make the difference. The more you know, the more solutions you can find. Included below are some of my favorite ADHD resources for books, websites, blogs and people to follow.

Books
ADD Friendly Ways to Organize by Kathleen Nadeau and Judith Kohlberg
Driven to Distraction by Edward Hallowell
Healing ADD: 6 Types of ADD by Daniel Amen
Taking Charge of Your ADHD by Russell Barkley
More Attention, Less Deficit: Success Strategies for Adults with ADHD by Ari Tuckman

Websites
ADDitudemag.com (lots of webinars, blogs, and more on here)
CHADD.org (resources listed here)
ADDA-SR.org (chapters listed here)
TotallyADD.com

Podcasts
Additudemag.com webinars
ADDclasses.com
AdultADHDbook.com

People to follow
Ari Tuckman
Laura Rolands
Andrea Sharb

A special thank you to our product sponsors!

www.timetimer.com

www.officecandy.com

Second Semester Student Organizing Strategies

March 19, 2014/1 Comment/in Student Organizing/by Ellen

School work gets harder, notebooks look shabbier, and motivation gets more difficult during second semester. As your student struggles with school, it’s time to reinvigorate some student organizing strategies to push forward and end the year strong. Second semester student organizing strategies help you and your student with paper and time management.

Put routines back into place. Spot light starting homework at a set time, ending the night with the back pack by the back door, and getting a good night’s rest. As the school year drags on, we can be less consistent about routines. Make routines a priority by sharing your plan and getting everyone together at a family meeting.
Talk through the homework folder with your student. Be sure all homework and work to be completed is placed in this spot and returned to it when work is completed. Purchase a new homework folder or add a slash pocket in the front of the notebook just for this.
Purchase some washi or colored duct tape and get your student’s notebooks back in order. Tape it all back together with this creative, functional tape. Review tabbed slash pocket dividers (affiliate link for Student Products) and see if these need to be replaced or can make it to the end of the year. Be sure each subject has a specific labelled area. Create a file box with hanging files, one per subject, to drop in papers to archive. Less paper in the notebook makes keeping it orderly easier. Every paper should have a spot, not be placed in a book, locker or backpack.
Gather resources for difficult subjects. Khan Academy offers science and math resources. Sparknotes.com is available for literature. When you student struggles with subject matter, find alternatives and additions for complex subject matter.
Make studying more fun! It’s not about reading the same information over and over. It is about mixing it up to make studying more fun and easier. Try playing ping pong while studying vocabulary, a playlist just for homework time, a study site like StudyBlue, or other ways to add action.
Every student needs a planner that works for them. Add a binder clip to open immediately to the right spot. Ask a family member or friend who values their planner to share with your student why to keep up to date in and use a planner.

Invigorating organizing at the end of the year makes for a successful year. What’s working in your home to end the year strong?

See more Successful Student Strategies on my pinterest board.

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Spring Organizing and Cleaning

March 13, 2014/0 Comments/in Home Organizing, Organizing Skills/by Ellen

One of the most powerful parts of social networking is the connections and collaborations we make! I asked my social media peeps to share their small and big changes this year. I loved learning a little more about each of them and what the new year holds for them. – See more at: https://professional-organizer.com/WordPress/2014/01/#sthash.eBR6JZUZ.dpuf

One of the most powerful parts of social media are the connections we make! I asked my social media peeps what helps them get started on their spring organizing and cleaning.

As soon as the trees begin to bloom, I know that it’s spring cleaning season. Life is easier when my home is clean and organized, so it motivates me to get everything back in order as the season change. To get started, I begin at the front door and work my way through the house counter clockwise so I am sure to get the main living space of my home clean and organized first.

I try my hardest to maintain a clean and organized home throughout the year using the one in, one out rule. By maintaining some sort of order in my home throughout the year, life is easier for my family and me.

Kristi Reddell

Blogger

Social Media: Twitter: @momsconfession, Pinterest: MomsConfession, Google+: Kristi Reddell

I work in the MathShack, an 8×8 outdoor office. It’s packed with math books, manipulatives, education catalogs, office equipment and of course the random toy Delorean.

I’m usually motivated to clean by a new piece of equipment (“Where will THAT fit?!”) or a new function. When I started tutoring, I needed space for another human!

To clean, I put a folding table outside the MathShack on a warm day. Then I drag everything out and go through it. When I put the “keep” stuff back in, I rearrange it so it really feels like there’s a new start.

Bon Crowder

MathFour.com

I start spring organizing and cleaning in March. I am motivated by the change in weather. When it starts to get warmer, I feel the urge to do a major cleaning. I get started by going through everything I want to donate. I then go through my house, room by room, and make a big pile of things we no longer need or wear. Once I’ve cleared out all of that stuff, I start organizing and cleaning.

I get my daughter involved by making spring cleaning fun. I do this by turning on upbeat music. For us, it is always some sort of Disney or kid-friendly song list. We have so much fun getting our house ready for spring.

Jessica Wellington

Freelance Writer, Blogger

@famfunjournal; http://www.facebook.com/familyfunjournal; G+ Jessica Wellington

Spring organizing starts when the trees start to bloom. It reminds me that there’s lots to do inside and outside.

I like a team approach so I enlist my family in working in one space at a time. It’s not hard because I work in one room and finish up, then move to the next.

Of course all year long I work on decluttering too! I have a bag I drop donations into and take them off to local charities weekly.

Ellen Delap

Professional organizer, productivity consultant and blogger

@TexasOrganizer, Pinterest Ellen Delap and Google + Ellen Delap

When will you start your spring organizing and cleaning?

Set Yourself up for Success in the Spring

March 10, 2014/0 Comments/in Organizing Skills/by Ellen

Thanks to our guest blogger Susan Brennan for sharing ideas for spring organizing success!

Spring is just around the corner, and it’s so easy to dread the idea of “Spring cleaning!” Thankfully, I’ve got some tricks to get you looking forward to clearing out the clutter in time for Spring. Set yourself up for success this spring with spring organizing.

The biggest thing to focus on is WHY are you going to invest time in Spring cleaning? This answer is going to be different for everyone. Perhaps you’re preparing for an extended vacation and you want to come home to clutter-free home. Or, maybe you’re starting a new job and you want to feel on top of it when you start. Maybe you’re getting ready to start a big project at home and you want less stuff to be in the way. Whatever your reason, keep that as your focus and take small steps to achieve it.

My suggestions are simple:

1) Start with one small space at a time, instead of getting overwhelmed with the idea of tackling everything at once.

2) Celebrate each success you have along the way!

3) Continue focusing on your WHY so you’re motivated to keep going!

4) Make sure to define what it looks like when you’re “done” with this project (i.e. Will you be “done” when all of your papers are filed? Will you be “done” when you can finally see the floor of your closet?) – Make it concrete and measurable! Put a deadline on it so you finish!

As you move forward with your project(s), make sure to ask for help when needed, and tell people your goals so they can help keep you accountable. I’d love to hear from you about what your projects are and how you’re planning to keep yourself motivated!

Susan Brennan is an organizing enthusiast and artist. When she’s not working on her businesses, she can often be found reading a great book at a local coffee shop, or snuggling with her creatures (two cats and a dog). You can learn more about her and how she helps people bring calm to their chaos, by visiting her website at www.consideritdonepersonally.com.

31 Days to an Organized Home

March 4, 2014/4 Comments/in Home Organizing/by Ellen

31 days to an organized home (click here for a printable checklist)

Spring time is organizing time! We have renewed energy, we look forward to creating and cleaning, and we want to freshen our home. We can cover all the territory in our home working in baby steps to keep from being overwhelmed. This list of 31 short projects gets you motivated, gets you started, and gets a lot done over 31 days. Follow this list and do one project each day for 30 minutes to an hour. First toss, then donate or recycle, group by categories, and create a routine that helps you stay organized. In just 31 days you will have an organized home!

The 31 days project is grouped around rooms in your home. As you move forward, you will be breaking your organizing into small steps in order to finish in each space. Clearing your clutter has a calming effect and you will enjoy the serenity in your home.

1. Any 31 items. Just walk around the house and choose any 31 items that are not useful, functional, or beautiful.

2. Kitchen junk drawer

3. Under the Kitchen Sink

4. Refrigerator

5. Freezer

6. Spice cabinet

7. Laundry Room

8. Laundry room sink area

9. Pantry medicine basket

10. Paper goods

11. Pantry

12. Extra bags around the house

13. Computer or home office desk

14. Warranty and instruction books

15. Bookshelves and books

16. Technology

17. Under Bathroom Sink

18. Medicine Cabinet

19. Make up drawer

20. Undies, socks, jammies

21. Night stand drawers

22. Coat closet

23. Media cabinet

24. VHS movies

25. Linen Closet

26. Purses and bags

27. Tops, tee shirts and dresses

28. Pants and skirts

29. Shoes

30. Car

31. Any 31 items. Eliminating an additional 31 items will make your home even less cluttered!

Jump start your spring organizing this year! Keep me posted on how your work is progressing and how successful you are!

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Keep It Simple Sweetie Keep It Organized

February 27, 2014/3 Comments/in Family Organizing, Organizing Skills/by Ellen

Keeping your life organized can be summed up with the adage, Keep It Simple Sweetie. Here’s how!

Keep it simple sweetie

Simple, easy, routine steps make your home and your life organized.
Keeping clear about what items, activities and connections are your priorities make life simpler.

Keep it sorted sweetie

Grouping like items together and sorted makes for easy organizing.
Choose categories that work for you, label the groups and do a small amount of sorting.
After sorting, distribute the items to where they belong.

Keep it short sweetie

Work in short bursts to get organized.
Work in small spaces to get motivated for more organizing.
Maintain your organization with a quick daily pick up time for yourself and your family.

Keep it silly sweetie

Add fun to your organizing.
Simple silliness makes it easier to organize.
Silly includes hosting a laundry party in the living room with music, cleaning the kitchen together while singing, or listening to Mary Poppins music “A Spoonful of Sugar helps the medicine go down” while picking up the toys.

Keep it successful sweetie

Keep it positive and think of your successes.
Each success leads you on to creating an organized lifestyle.

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