Almost nothing feels better than clearing the clutter out of your home and closets but what do you do with the items that yo no longer need? If donating them isn’t an option, we always try to find the best way to recycle them and, after years of finding odd spots to handle all the things we come across, we thought that we should share our list. This first installment is about recycling clothing, shoes and textiles.
Decluttering
A Few of Our Favorite Organizing Products for Small Space Living
Organization, New York CityComment
As organizers in New York City, we are used to the small and sometimes oddly shaped spaces that New Yorkers call home (ourselves included!). From irregular sized cabinets to no cabinets, we have seen and organized it all but part of our success is due to the items we use that help maximize the space. While this may not be one of our more traditional organizing posts, this is a shout out to a few of the products that make our job a little easier.
White Like-It Bricks Narrow Bins
We love using these stackable bins in tight spaces like on top of a bathroom medicine cabinet. They can store and hide an array of toiletry items and, since they are only 2 and 5/8 inches wide, they can fit almost anywhere.
Clear & White Drawer Organizer Trays
Recently, we have come across shallow desk drawers that don't accommodate standard organizing trays. Initially it was a little frustrating but then we found these relatively inexpensive drawer organizers that clock in at only 1 and 3/4 inches so now tidying almost any drawer is a breeze.
These removable broom grippers are a lifesaver in small spaces that don't have a household closet. We use them in hidden corners and along side refrigerators to make storing brooms, mops and/or Swiffers easier and, in the long run, damage-free since there is no drilling required.
What products do you use to make living in small spaces easier?
Organizing Your Paperwork
OrganizationComment
If your house is anything like ours, there is always a pile of paperwork to be handled and sometimes you just don’t want to deal with it. Between catalogs, magazines, junk mail, bills, work and school papers, it can seem endless. However, there are some things you can do to get ahead of it. Read on to help stem the tide and get a handle on the paper piles.
Create a Command Center: The first step to handling paperwork is creating a command center to house all of the paper and mail that comes into the home. This is a good place to set up files for each member of the family so that you can separate their important documents.
Keep it Moving: Part of taming paperwork is keeping it moving. This means that once you open it that you help move it along by taking action. Pay the bill, sign the paper or get the right person involved if need be. For instance, you may get an inquiry from an insurance company that requires action by your doctor and, if that is the case, get your doctor involved at that moment so that it no longer sits on your to-do list.
Set Aside Time: Paperwork needs to handled on a weekly, if not daily, basis but that can seem hard when hectic schedules and last minute activities get in the way. One way to help make handling paperwork a priority and seem a bit more manageable is to set aside time on your calendar each week to do it. Even just thirty minutes a week should help tame the piles.
Stop the Flow: Get a grip on the amount of paperwork that comes into your home by removing yourself from direct mailing lists (DMAchoice.com), from credit and insurance solicitations (OptOutPrescreen.com) and from even bills themselves by signing up to go paperless. And, in the meantime, you can also literally make the call to the magazines that come into your home unsolicited to have yourself removed from their mailing list. At the same time, you should also ask that they don’t sell your name to other companies.
How do you control paperwork at home?
Before & After: NYC Kitchen Pantry
Organization, Space DesignCommentBy Annie Draddy and Michelle Hale
We just finished up a kitchen pantry organizing project. First thoughts......you have a pantry in NYC? We cannot wait to see it! The space was fantastic and really just needed shifting and resorting so items can be accessible. When organizing kitchens, we feel it easiest to group products by types. This particular client likes to bake a lot with children so we centralized all of the ingredients on lower shelves.
BEFORE:
IN PROGRESS:
AFTER:
BAKING SECTION:
When working with deep shelves, we like to utilize clear container bins and vertical storage. It is easier to see items displayed. By putting the baking ingredients on a low shelf with bins, it is easier for kids to reach in to pull items out and maintain the organization long after we leave.