Checklist for Messes

MOVING HOME CHECKLIST
by Kimberly Grace Tan
(post at www.citimove.com)

Moving home is a major test of organization skills. Many times, most of us failed to do it right and ends up taking months to complete this task. The last time I came up with a moving list so I wouldn't forget anything. So here it is to simplify matters.

4-6 weeks
Find a moving company if you are planning to use one
Make a list of places to tell your change of address as you go through your mail
Have your w2's forwarded
Notify schools
Get medical and dental records
Check out churches in new community
Get boxes from grocery store or other places
Start to use up your food
Return anything you have borrowed
Put out a box for moving things like the mover telephone#, the measuring tape, packing tape, keys to the new place, important papers
Pack up your out of season clothes
Clean you curtains and blankets
Pack up your attic or basement
Make a survival kit for the first night- hammer, screwdriver, paper plates, can opener, snacks, cleaning supplies, garbage bags, scissors, first aid kit, tape, toilet paper, linens and towels
Order new address labels and checks
Pack up books ( Actually I stalled on this one so I was packing them the day before we move)
LABEL ALL BOXES!!!

2 to 3 Weeks
Go through possessions and give things you no longer want to charity
Notify the utility companies of your new place when you need everything turned on
Pack pictures and mirrors
Pack up CD's, tapes and video tapes
Tune up car
Discontinue paper delivery
Call your insurance agent for any changes
Give kids a box for their special things
Arrange to have your utilities turned off (Very important. We once had some people use our telephone line to call oversees after we had moved out.)

1 Week
Fill out forms at post office to forward mail
Send the change of address cards with your new phone number to friends
Get a babysitter to watch kids as you move
Decide where you want to put everything
Keep packing things in labeled boxes
Pick up any dry cleaning

2 Days
Tape up bottles like cleaners and shampoo
Get rid of any flammables
Pack up curtains and blinds
Spray your new house with bug spray if you can
Clean stove
The Day Before
Defrost freezer
Pack personal things
Moving Day
Defrost freezer
Strip beds and make sure bedding is one of the first things unloaded
Tape any screws you unscrew under the furniture they go to
Vacuum and do a final inspection
Leave keys with realtor
Lock windows and doors
After You Arrive
Take the family on a walk of the new neighborhood
Enroll children in school
Visit stores
Find out about public transportation
Change your address on your driver's license and your voter's registration
Put a list of local emergency numbers by telephones
Get some babysitter references before you actually need one
Get a phone book
Get information from the Chamber of Commerce about new city
Write out directions to your home so you are prepared when anyone asks how to get to your new home

Good luck on your move!

Topics on Decluttering

The Deeper Issues of Decluttering by Patricia J. Santhuff
article from http://www.organizedforaction.com/

Decluttering is far more than just a physical process. It can be a deeply transformational process, depending on the root causes of why we cluttered in the first place.

Your piles of clutter represent “unfinished business” in one way or another, and as you work toward letting go of piles of accumulated clutter, you’ll probably find yourself facing the necessity of dealing with those buried issues. It’s okay, though; they no longer serve you.

You may find yourself having to let go of plans and dreams you once had for your future; plans and dreams that were once important to you but no longer reflect the person you are now becoming. These unrealized plans and dreams are holding you back and preventing the birth of the new you. In this case, you may find it odd that you are mourning the future – or, a future that might have been. That’s OK. You have a better one waiting for you.

If you do encounter buried issues as you declutter, you’ll have a much better understanding of the reality that clutter really is “stagnant energy”, and not just at the physical level. You will also better understand the Feng Shui principle that everything is interconnected. As Winston Churchill pointed out, we shape our environment and then it shapes us. The corollary, of course, is that any change you make in your consciousness requires or will result in a change in your environment, and any change in your environment affects your consciousness.

If you didn’t have some stuck energy at the mental, emotional, and/or spiritual level, you wouldn’t have all that clutter in the first place. Many people find a “poverty consciousness” beneath all that clutter, but the universe is a place of abundance. You can create abundance for yourself.
You’ll have to achieve enough clarity and enough emotional healing to make decisions you’ve so far been unable to make – about both the clutter and its underlying issues. Don’t hesitate to nurture yourself by finding a great therapist if you want some extra support for your process. It could help you move through it all much faster and more gracefully. Some people find it advantageous to hire a “professional organizer”, especially in the early stages of decluttering.

Dorm Organizing 101

Article by Lea Schneider
Professional Organizer, NAPO
(www.organize-and-more.com)




from http://www.myroommateisdrivingmecrazy.com/tips/DormRoomOrganizing.htm

Ask a guy what he's packing for his dorm and he'll say the Xbox. Ask a girl, and she'll tell you about all the “cute” stuff. They'll both tell you how awesome it will be away from home, eating Easy Mac at three a.m. and listening to Gorillaz or Jessica Simpson, even if the room is tiny.

Soon they will be singing the song, “I have too much stuff. I don't have a home for this stuff. I don't have time to deal with it.” If you are joining the ranks of those heading off to college, what you really need to pack is organization.

Pack a Plan
As you pack, visualize the item's storage spot. If you can't picture it, don't take it. Face it; you've got very few choices: bed, desk, closet and dresser. Maximize storage by using hidden and vertical spaces. (Check your dorm's rules.) Bunk, loft, or elevate beds onto cement blocks or bed risers. Then place or stack storage tubs underneath for sports equipment, off-season clothing, extra bedding and your food stash.

In the closet, place seldom-needed items at the very top. Get a second bar to hang from the main bar to give you two rows for clothing. Add a shoe storage rack to the bottom.

Top your dresser with a small bookshelf to holds stacks of books, CDs and videos. Use over the door hooks or organizers on both sides of every door for wet towels, backpacks, jackets etc. On your desk, add another bookshelf or one made with boards and bricks to allow you to stack computer components and still have study room.

Keep Sane With These Tips
1) Just for Now! The Just for Now mistake is the failure to make a permanent storage decision. All the things you set down, “just for now” become tomorrow's messy clutter.

2) Organize Your Clutter? You CANNOT organize clutter. If you don't love it, use it or need it, then ditch it. Now go get organized.

3) It's Not Math Class, Still Apply Some Logic.
When you store away your belongings, put similar items together, such as all your school supplies. Then put things as close as you can to where you will use them.

4) Avoid Drama. Stubbornly refusing to label things gets you a year of searching and don't you have better things to do? Like live peacefully? Solve the drama of where is it and whose is it with labels, labels, labels. Label everything from clothing to CDs, DVDs, books, video equipment, shoes, towels, and tubs – right down to the shampoo bottle.

5) Keep on Keepin' On. Organizing is not a one-time deal. You have to keep it up. Anticipate change and change things as you need.

Lea Schneider is a professional organizer and member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. She has hauled things up nine flights of stairs and organized dorm rooms at Ball State University, University of Kansas and Florida State University. She owns Organize & More in Jackson, Tenn. Contact Lea Schneider through her website at www.organize-and-more.com or phone 731-423-9034.

More on:

College Survival Tips

Real World Tips

Complete Closet Organizer Solutions

Complete Closet Organizers, Closet Design and Closet Systems

Closet systems don't have to be used for clothes closets only. The highly functional organizer systems can be great for home offices, flower arranging, crafts, hobbies, and all sorts of rooms in the house where clutter is a problem.

California Closets--California Closets has over 100 franchise locations all over the world and offers three product lines. They include the Classic, Designer, and Wood Veneer closet organizer lines. The classic is constructed from 3/4 in particle board w/ melamine fronts. The Designer is similar but with heavier 1 in. particle board and the Wood Veneer has 1 in. particle board with real wood veneer or melamine veneer and a built-in furniture style look.
www.calclosets.com

Easy Closets--this company sells online only. It is an easy to install, do-it -yourself closet system. They custom manufacture closets to your specifications and ship out the next business day. Easy Closets has an online interactive storage design idea design software feature that lets you try different configurations.
www.easyclosets.com

Closets To Go--Originally in the Northwest US, but now available online to all. This manufacturer offers free shipping, and lets you choose your colors, and create closet designs online. The website has a Closets to Go tutorial with sound. You can zoom in or out on the illustrations or photos. It does take a broadband connection, or you will do too much waiting. Closets to Go can make your closet organizational system in any of the Panolam thermofused panel colors & patterns if you are willing to wait the necessary time for shipping.
www.closetstogo.com

Knape and Vogt--Italian-designed and high-end. Lots of specialty items like the Virtu' Pant Rack which eliminates creases from folding and accommodates up to eight pairs of hanging slacks. Virtu' Pull-Out Shelving is perfect for narrow applications and is available with two or three shelves in a shoe rack or shelving configuration. Knape & Vogt's Slatwall Kit creates attractive, functional storage in garages, basements and other utility areas. Their website shows worldwide retailers and distributors of the many product lines of closet, kitchen and garage organizer and storage components.
www.kv.com

The Closet Maid company has two closet organization systems. The retail system is sold in home improvement stores and do it yourself centers. It is based on vinyl-coated steel wire shelving and RTA laminate. The other system called Master Suite, is custom designed and installed. The Master Suite closet system is composed of particle baord and laminate. Click through the step-by-step process on their website -Look, Design, Buy, Install- to create the ClosetMaid storage system that interests you.
www.closetmaid.com

The Container Store--They offer two organizer product lines also, the elfa and the elfa Decor. Their closet organizers come in epoxy coated steel components painted either white or silver. They have plastic drawer liners and melamine shelves. Tightly spaced wires prevent small items from falling through, while allowing light through for exceptional visibility. The elfa Decor has upgraded wood features. Through the free Plan a Space process, their space planning experts will work with you to create a customized, electronic design of your space using The Container Store Custom Planning Center. You'll provide information about the space and they'll do the rest. You can purchase your customized elfa solution online or at any of the nationwide retail stores.
www.containerstore.com

Studio Becker Ultimate Wardrobe System.-- This is a custom fit, modular closet system with engineered wood core and solid wood veneer. It comes in four different wood finishes. Their many accessories include jewelry inserts, hidden electronic safes, and pull out swivel mirrors. These closet design systems are sold thru interior designers and design professionals. For years Studio Becker has been recognized for kitchen design and manufacturing. Building on their expertise, Studio Becker has evolved into a multi-line manufacturer that can help you furnish an entire home with The Ultimate Home Collection. They have designing in Italy, manufacturing in Germany, and administrating in the United States. They manufacture luxury products for the sophisticated home in a range of styles - traditional, contemporary, and ultra modern. Get out your checkbook.
www.studiobecker.com

Stacks and Stacks--you can find closet organizers, closet systems, and closet shelving to organize your closet and save space. Stacks and Stacks sells online closet organizers in wood, metal, laminate, that can be permanent or temporary. Stacks and Stacks has full systems as well as modular shelving that allows you to customize your closets, storage rooms or garage. Inexpensive storage components for the DIY crowd, but you have to figure out for yourself what you might need in the space you have available. No fancy design tools to assist you. www.stacksandstacks.com

Organizing My Home--With Easy Track storage solutions, you can create order yourself in the closet, pantry and laundry room or use their professional services called ORG® professional planning and installation for storage solutions all over the home. For professional installation, your local dealer can provide you with a brochure and additional information. ORG storage products are made from furniture quality, industrial grade particleboard and finished in a variety of melamine or wood veneer options. An ORG dealer will come to your home to assist in designing an area for your organizational needs. Dealers can develop a customized plan to fit your needs and show you solutions in a visual 3D format. The DIY Easy Track system has a cool online design tool :Draw your floorplan, choose and arrange your system, and view the entire setup in 3D. All you need is Macromedia® Flash® 7 or above. When you’re finished, print your plan for immediate use, or save it here for future reference.
www.organizingmyhome.com
www.homeorg.com
www.easytrack.com

Organizes-It-- source for storage containers and organizing tips of all kinds. They continually search for new and useful products to help you get organized. They offer lotws of small items as well as total do it yourself closet predesigned closet organizational systems, including the Freedom Rail Closet Systems, Starter Closets, Ventilated Wood Closets and Predesigned Reach-In Closets, DIY Wire Closet Shelving, ventilated wire shelves, hardware, and shelving accessories, Stor-Drawer Wire Basket Systems
www.organizes-it.com

Shelves That Slide--If you have existing cabinets or shelves, you can install a custom made pull out shelf in as little as five minutes. Sliding shelves completely assembled and ready to install, the standard slides come with four "L" brackets that allow you to mount these rolling shelves on an existing kitchen shelf or cabinet base. Shelves That Slide also has a large selection of Rev-A-Shelf Lazy Susans, DVD and CD slide-out shelf and sliding trash, TV swivel and slide shelves for your entertainment center and recycle systems.
www.shelvesthatslide.com

Storage-Organization--closet organization elegantly crafted, closet organization products organize any room stylishly. Choose from a variety of items, designed to match all sorts of room decor. This is a place to look for decorative wire baskets, wicker baskets, storage boxes, plate racks, belt and hat racks, things that have hooks, and small organizers.
www.storage-organization.com

Wellborn Cabinets--Wellborn is now in the closet organization and storage business with their Dressing Suite Collection. They offer velvet and chrome accessories for some very deluxe custom closet cabinetry.
www.wellborn.com

Professional Organizers Web Ring -- Do you REALLY want to get your stuff organized? Professional Organizers assist with many areas of organization including residential, business, time management, paper management, clutter control, chronic disorganization, behavior modification, space planning, filing, coaching, wardrobes, closet systems, event planning, errands, personal shopping, financial management, memorabilia/photographs, packing/moving, records management, training, computers, kitchens, public speaking/seminars/training, home offices, corporate offices, etc. Professional Organizers may be very specific in the types of organizing they offer or they may be general and offer a wide array of organizing services. Some professional organizers work with specific populations such as, seniors, children, students,legal/medical offices, ADD, chronically disorganized, etc. Others offer products and/or have written books and/or offer seminars/workshops on the general subject of organizing or a specific aspect of organizing. Some Professional Organizers work locally, while others have national or international clients.
www.organizerswebring.com

Schulte Freedom Rail Closet System--this is an adjustable storage system with boxes, shelving, and various accessories. It comes in various furniture grade.
www.schultestorage.com

Configurations by Rubbermaid--All shelves are 12" deep. Since Configurations shelves overlap, the width of the shelves depends upon your needs. For example, you can take 2 - 48" shelves and create a single shelf that is anywhere from 48" to 96". Likewise you can take 2-26" shelves and create a single shelf that is between 26" and 52" wide. The adjustable widths of these shelves allows the Configurations closet system to fit your space perfectly with no cutting! Also there are accessories available to expand the Configurations closet system. There are Upright Extensions to extend the length of the Upright so additional accessories can be hung up. The additional accessories available are a 4 ft. Shelf Kit, Shoe Shelves, Basket, Tie and Belt Rack, Pants Organizer and Shoe Rods.
www.rubbermaidcloset.com

Closet Organizer Systems

It stands to reason that you more space you have, you more organized you will be. Why then, are so many walk-in closets disorganized messes? It seems that the more space we have, the more junk we have to fill it.

Walk-in closets offer a variety of design options. They can be filled with shelves for folded clothing or books. They can host tie racks, belt racks, and shoe cubbies. They can hold multiple garment racks for hanging clothes. Hooks and hang bars can also be installed to hold hats, robes, and other such items. Drawers or dressers can be placed inside walk-in closets to free up space inside the room.

Walk-in closets grant you the freedom to be creative. For example, islands and benches can be placed inside large closets to create the feeling of a dressing room. Walk-in closet organizers can be purchased as kits from local home improvement stores and some department stores. These kits contain everything needed to design your basic closet--components, shelving, and hardware. Accessories are available separately. You may have to purchase more than one kit to accommodate the entire closet. Though assembly is necessary, it is usually relatively simple.

Closet organizer systems can also be purchased for walk-in closets. These systems usually consist of pre-assembled pieces that simply need to be installed. Most can be placed on the floor for a built-in look or wall-mounted to keep floors clear.

Another option for walk-in closet organizers is a custom closet. Though these can be rather expensive, it does allow for a bit more creativity and flexibility. Custom closets can be ordered online. You give the dimensions of the closet and the desired components and accessories. You also select color, material, and style. The company will then provide you with a drawing or diagram of the proposed closet. Upon approval, they will ship the pre-made pieces to you for installation. Local closet organizer companies are also available. Many of these will send a consultant to your home. This person will evaluate your space, your décor, your needs, and your budget before presenting his or her recommendations for a custom closet.
With walk-in closets, the sky really is the limit. Organization is truly within reach.

www.e-closetorganizers.com provides detailed information on bedroom, kids, custom, wood and walk-in closet organizers for sale.

Best Closet Organizer

Best Closet Organizer 2003 - Clos-ette, New York

31 East 12th street, 212-473-4162; www.clos-ette.com

Clos-ette owner and former Style.com fashion editor Melanie Charlton likens her service to getting “an architect, organizer, and stylist all in one.” Charlton starts with a thorough consultation, editing your wardrobe in the process. Her architects then build custom designs in hardwood and metal that both accommodate your clothes and complement your home. The firm is used to working around slanting brownstone ceilings, exposed piping, and humidity-sensitive costume collections. Once your closet’s ready, Charlton returns to organize your wardrobe by color, season, and occasion. The cost is $250 for a consultation, plus $200 per hour and a 20 percent commission on supplies