Getting Organized with...Meryl Lefkowitz

While we may help organize people’s homes, offices and lives for a living, we aren’t the only “experts” out there who are making it work. In an effort to tap into that vast resource and to learn a little something ourselves, we are excited to feature the tips and advice of other small business owners and experts in their own right on how they organize themselves professionally and personally to keep everything moving forward.

Meryl Lefkowitz

Title: Director of Marketing & Development

Business: Booked Parties in Westchester, NY

Occupation: Event Planner / Small Business Owner

What do you do?

I am an event planner for everything from kids birthday parties and celebrations to Bar/Bat Mitzvah’s to milestone birthday parties and corporate events!

How do you organize yourself at work?

I work from home so keeping myself organized at work is also keeping myself organized at home. I have a home office and try to keep my "work life” stationed there. I keep a digital calendar but have an affinity for notebooks and organizational tools so I try to keep running lists and notes in dedicated notebooks for the individual projects I am working on. This way I am not losing notes from one project to the next.

How do you organize yourself at HOME?

With respect to my home and my family - i have an 8year old and a 5 year old so sometimes things are organized and sometimes they aren’t its not idea but its realistic. I try to keep them on set schedules (activities, homework time etc…) which is very helpful for their structure and my sanity.

Does feeling more organized make life easier and help you feel better about a work/life balance?

I definitely feel like my work/life balance is mostly good - with the kind of work I do, I often have off hours (nights and weekends) but for the most part being able to work from home allows me the freedom to work when they are at school and have the freedom to be with them for the most part when they are home. I think that being organized with my time makes me more efficient and helps me to accomplish the things on my to do list!

What to Buy : Organizing Makeup

Whether you wear a lot or a little, you still need to figure out the best way to store it. Laying flat or standing up or in a box; there is no right way to do it – it is just a matter of figuring out what works best in the space that you have available. If you are looking to tackle your make-up at home, check out some of our top make-up organizing product picks to help you tackle the job in style.  

Happy Organizing!

Tiered Mirror Tray (Pottery Barn)

If you like to keep your makeup out and on display, this is a pretty option to make it a center piece of your space – the ultimate beautification station!

Alex Drawer Unit (Ikea)

If drawer space is at a premium, you can use countertop products like this white drawer unit which can hold and hide many of your essentials all the plain sight. 

Lori Greiner Deluxe Cosmetic Organizer (Amazon)

This deluxe cosmetic organizer has a compartment for just about everything so even the most sophisticated makeup gal will be able to contain her supplies. 

Luxe Acrylic Drawer Inserts (Container Store)

If you have drawer space to spare, these luxe acrylic drawer inserts are a beautiful way to keep things neat and tidy. 

Assorted Drawer Inserts (Amazon)

A more affordable but equally effective drawer insert option to sort and organize your makeup for an easy “get ready” routine. 

Space Saving Pods (Container Store)

If space is at a premium, these pods are amazing for storing items in cabinets and/or on walls. We even fashioned our own small beauty storage piece and blogged about it here. 

If you want to keep reading about makeup, here is our post on when to toss makeup and, if you are in the shopping mood, we wrote here about how to store big toys.

Getting Organized with...Jenne Atherton

While we may help organize people’s homes, offices and lives for a living, we aren’t the only “experts” out there who are making it work. In an effort to tap into that vast resource and to learn a little something ourselves, we are excited to feature the tips and advice of other small business owners and experts in their own right on how they organize themselves professionally and personally to keep everything moving forward.

Jenne Atherton

Title: Founder

Business: Grey Lady Gardens of Nantucket, Massachusetts

Occupation: Founder, Garden design and implementation

What do you do?

Garden design and maintenance on Nantucket in Massachusetts

How do you organize yourself at work?

Am very organized in my work life: tools labeled and assigned to particular truck and crew, daily work order sheets go to crews so they know what the tasks are for the day and what materials they need, I take regular and on going photos of all our work though the seasons as it’s very useful for future reference

How do you organize yourself at work?

Much less organized at home: Single mom, two kids and a dog, our house is hectic! In the heigh of the season I’m working 7 to 7 and home is left to my kids and our aupair to keep running smoothly. I have a cleaning crew that comes in every other week that is hugely helpful for my sanity :) in the winter months, when work slows down, I try to do a major clean out. Our house is small, like living on a boat, and it’s a constant struggle to keep clutter out.

Do you think that a work/life balance exists?

If It does exist but I need to work on it. It’s difficult with seasonal work as the spring and summer are busy to say the least. Living in a resort community, family and friends are always coming through town when work is the craziest and I tend to run myself dry trying to do everything.

Ask the Expert: Insurance Broker

From buying homes to working with accountants and drafting wills and everything in between, adulting can be hard so we thought why not make it a little easier. This series taps into the knowledge of the professionals who help with all of these tasks to get their tips and advice on how to work with them most efficiently.

Monica Liang-Allen

Company: World Insurance Associates, LLC in New York City

Occupation: Licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Professional

What do you do for your clients?

I help protect your business, home, employees and more through advisement and placement of different insurance products and coverage.

What should clients be prepared to discuss when they meet with you?

If they have current insurance, a copy of their policies would be great as I can then advise if they are properly protected through detailed review of the coverage and exclusions in their policies. If they are a new start-up business with no insurance at all, an initial phone call to gather information would be sufficient and then a follow-up appointment, if needed.

How can a client best organize themselves before the meeting to be most efficient with your time?

It really depends on the kind of business that it is and what industry they are in. Every business is different. Copies of their insurance policies (not Certificates) would be best.

And, for new business start-ups, I generally ask some very basic questions based off an intake/questionnaire that I have (read intake here). I don’t necessarily ask all of the questions in every meeting because some may not be relevant.

In terms of paperwork, what should they prepare before the meeting?

Just copies of current insurance policies, financial statements (P&L and Balance Sheet), copies of sample contracts they have with their clients. For homeowners, copies of their homeowners/umbrella/auto and valuables policies would be great as a starting point.

The Art of Being Ruthless (ish): Editing Your Children’s Art

Now that Kid Chronicles are officially available (click here for our shop page), it is time to dig into how to edit your children’s paperwork and artwork. We have touched on reviewing and saving art before but we took a deeper dive in this piece should you need a little help kick starting the editing process.

Happy Organizing!

Make a Drop Zone

The first step is to find a place that is easily reached to gather everything that comes into the house. This is often called a Drop Zone. Then, once a week or once a month or even every day, take the time to review it. 

Take a Que from Frozen and…Let It Go. 

When evaluating the onslaught of paperwork and artwork and…, ask yourself if it would mean something to you down the road if your child’s name wasn’t on it?  If the answer is no, it is probably safe to get out the recycling bin.  Self-portraits, holiday-specific pieces or reflection work are definitely worth saving as they tell a story and are fun to have as part of a personal history – likely a bit more than math homework or English quizzes.  Outside of those “keep” pieces, it would be wise to save anything you love, that sparks a memory of a shared experience or anything tied to proud accomplishments in your child’s life. This can also include non-school related items such as family holiday cards, party invitations, soccer team photos, field day ribbons, cards from friends and family for birthdays and holidays and even teeth x-ray pictures from the dentist.  

Put it Away.

Once you determine the pieces you want to keep, transfer them to your child’s Kid Chronicles box. Ideally the box should live in an accessible place near a landing spot where all of these items are dropped off in the first place. In our house, this box lives in my son’s room but many clients keep their boxes in the kitchen or home office.

Year End Edit and Long-Term Storage.  

The end of each school year is a good time to review all of the items that ended up in your child’s memory box again. You will likely find that even a review after nine months can make it easier to part with things. 

Some children are very prolific artists and sometimes you want to keep more than can fit in one hanging folder so feel free to add others as needed for these situations.

Last But Not Least – Label It. 

Each Kid Chronicles box also includes a set of labels for all of the 3-D artwork and others pieces that were not originally signed by the artist. And, although the clay item will not fit in the box, you can order an additional name place and attach it to a secondary storage box to save those creations. Some of our favorite secondary storage boxes are linked here.

Disclaimer for Parent of the Overly Sentimental Child. 

A lot of children like to squirrel away any and every item they put effort into and don’t like the idea of getting rid of them. We think it is never too early to begin teaching the littles organization skills and artwork and schoolwork are a great place to start. If you need a little guidance in this area, you can check out our earlier post on the topic. 

To purchase your own Kid Chronicle’s memory box, head to our Shop page.

Tips for Organized Travel with Kids : The Carry-on

Source: Mercer & Green / Photo by Mia McDonald

We have shared our tips for organized travels with kids in the past and now we are sharing our tips for organizing your kid’s carry-on bag. Once they are old enough, you can task them with the “heavy lifting” and make sure it is not just beanie babies and lollipops that make it in the backpack. 

Happy Organized Travels! 

Carry-on for Kids

Once you little traveler is old enough to bring their own bag, work with them to pack their own carry-on that is full of tricks to make the whole experience go much smoother. 

• Pack a full change of clothes, a swimsuit, sunhat and sunscreen just in case your luggage is lost and you still want to hit the beach before it arrives. 

• Outside of the toys that you know will be a hit on the plane, try packing a few new surprises to keep your child entertained. We really love magnetic games like the ones from The Purple Cow (so pieces can’t be lost) and new marker sets and pads of papers so you have supplies for the duration of the trip. 

• We all know that snacks are key to keeping children entertained but outside of the normal healthy items you typically give them, try having a few “forbidden” items in case you need reinforcements. 

• As an alternate to iPads and other screen devices, we pack headphones and audible books on CDs for older children to help keep them entertained during the flight or even on the beach if they are tired of playing in the sand.

Carry-on for Baby + Me

Here are a few tips if you are sharing a carry-on with your littlest one. 

• Along with all of the baby essentials – wipes, blankets, bottles, diapers, etc., pack an extra change of clothes, a pair of leggings in case of a cold plane, sanitizing wipes for the arm rests and tray table as well as some Infant/Children’s Tylenol. You don’t want to get stuck without medication should a fever come up suddenly. 

• For mom, bring an extra top in case of a spill, a swimsuit and cover-up so you can hit the beach immediately, clothing for a day should your luggage yet lost, any important electronic chargers and extra batteries for any devices you are carrying that may need them. 

For more travel advice when traveling with kids, check out our other post here and read our tips for Sara of Mercer & Green here.

Tips for Organized Travel with Kids

Source: Mercer & Green / Photo by Mia McDonald

With little kids, you take trips, not vacations.  And, yes, while traveling with kids can be challenging, there are lots of memories to be made and laughs to be had so don’t let the work scare you.  Preparation is key and, with our tips honed through years of traveling and helping our clients travel with their own families, your next trip will be a breeze – or at least a little easier. We can’t guarantee fewer meltdowns but hopefully we can help make the harried a little more relaxing. 

• Sign, Sealed, Delivered: If you are traveling with small children to a hotel or place that can accept packages in advance, we recommend drop-shipping through Amazon or similar sites all the essentials such as diapers, wipes, formula, etc. This way you only have to carry the essentials on the plane. 

• Love it & Share it: No need to pack your beach toys, send toys and pails ahead of time to the hotel to use while we are there and then “gift” them to another family when you leave the hotel.  

• Lighten the Load: Make things easier on yourself by checking to see what items can be rented - you can often find items like cribs, sun umbrellas and jogging strollers. However, we typically recommend bringing your own crib sheets and other essential accessories to make sure that your days and nights go smoothly. 

• Map it Out: Make your holiday days easier by mapping out a rough daily schedule for each day of vacation so you can make sure that you are bringing enough of the right clothes.  Once the schedule has been mapped out, set aside daily outfits for each child and pack them together to make getting dressed each day a little easier. And, depending on whether or not you have laundry access, pack a few extra outfits - cause you never know what may happen!

• Pack it Up: Save space and keep things organized by using packing cubes or even rolling outfits together. We find these packing cubes from CALPAK excite the littlest of travelers and keep their daily outfits all in one place so you can grab and go. 

• Make it Last: Take advantage of extra beach time on your last day by bringing an extra-large ziplock bag in your bag or a Reusable Wet Bag to pack wet swimsuits for the plane ride home. Baby Powder is also a quick fix for removing sand from sticky fingers during your quick change on your back way home. 

Happy Organized Travels! 

For more travel advice when traveling with kids, read our tips for Sara of Mercer & Green here.

Source: Mercer & Green / Photo by Mia McDonald

Where to Sell Your Stuff

Clients often ask us where they can sell the clothing and other items that they want to get rid of in their home. We have a few standby places but we wanted to look into this topic a little more and get a sense of the larger landscape. If you are looking to sell some items around your house, read on and let us know if your favorite place isn’t on the list.

Happy Organizing! 

MARKETPLACES

Tradesy: Sell your designer bags, shoes, clothing, or accessories on this site and ship it with a free kit from the site once it sells. They deduct a flat commission fee of $7.50 for sold items less than $50 and a commission rate of 19.8% on sold items $50 or more. 

Poshmark: List your clothing, shoes, bags, accessories and other items on this site. Once your item sells, you can ship it with a free pre-paid, pre-addressed label and drop it off at a local USPS mailbox or post office. For all sales under $15, Poshmark takes a flat commission of $2.95. For sales of $15 or more, you keep 80% of your sale and Poshmark's commission is 20%. 

CONSIGNMENT: Fashion & Jewelry

Luxury Garage Sale: They accept new, pre-owned and vintage pieces for women, including luxury designer handbags, clothing, shoes, jewelry and other accessories in very good to new condition. Click here more information on their commission structure.

Fashionphile: Submit the item you would like to sell and they will email you a price quote. If you accept, they will send you a complimentary shipping label to send them the item. Their base fee is 30% of the selling price (you keep 70%), but for bags selling for over $3,000 the tiered fee structure drops to only 15% (you keep 85% of the portion of the selling price above $3,000).

CONSIGNMENT: Fashion, Jewelry & Home

The RealReal: Consign home décor, art and designer bags, shoes, clothing, or accessories on this site and earn up to 85% of the sale price for your items. 

Linda’s Stuff: Consign designer bags, shoes, clothing, or accessories and receive payment for up to 80% of each item sold. 

Verstiaire Collective: A global marketplace for pre-owned luxury and designer fashion and home goods that allows you to earn up to 75% back on the purchase price of items you no longer use. 

MARKETPLACE + CONSIGNMENT: Furniture & Home Décor

Kaiyo: Submit your furniture to the site and if accepted they will handle the rest. Learn more about the process here. 

AptDeco: This is a great option for buying and selling furniture in the NYC metro area. List your item and after you sell your furniture on the site, you can schedule pick-up/delivery through their system so that a professional delivery team can take care of it. 

If you are looking for more stories on donation and recycling resources, check out our other stories – Our Favorite NYC Donation Locations, Where to Recycle Your Clothing & Shoes, Where to Recycle Your Technology.

Ask the Expert: Certified Public Accountant

From buying homes to working with accountants and drafting wills and everything in between, adulting can be hard so we thought why not make it a little easier. This series taps into the knowledge of the professionals who help with all of these tasks to get their tips and advice on how to work with them most efficiently.

Joshua Hendell

Occupation: Certified Professional Accountant (CPA)

Company: Siegel & Hendell CPAs / Locations in Smithtown, NY and West Orange, NJ

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR YOUR CLIENTS?

We provide Accounting, Tax and general financial guidance for both businesses and individuals.  The services depend on the particular needs of the client.  Some business clients tend to need more services than others usually depending on the size of the business.  For accounting services, we provide bookkeeping services as well as review and audit services including preparation of financial statements, business tax returns and reports required from outside parties.

WHAT SHOULD CLIENTS BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS WHEN THEY MEET WITH YOU?

An overview of their particular situation whether it be business or personal.  Items to be discussed are what the client’s accounting and tax needs are based on their current circumstances and/or how to go about meeting those needs from both inside and outside of the client’s organization. 

HOW CAN A CLIENT BEST ORGANIZE THEMSELVES BEFORE THE MEETING TO BE MOST EFFICIENT WITH YOUR TIME?

I prefer to review two years of tax returns and/or other financial information before meeting with the client as this usually makes for a much more productive meeting.  Reviewing those documents tell us a lot about their situation and enable us to prepare more pointed questions at our meeting. In a case where the client prefers to bring these documents to an initial meeting versus sending them in advance, they should be prepared to answer questions about their past returns as well as their current situation especially if that differs from current circumstances.

IN TERMS OF PAPERWORK, WHAT SHOULD THEY PREPARE BEFORE THE MEETING?

Basically two years of business/personal income tax returns, financial statements and any other reporting that they have been required to complete over the last two years.  In addition they should bring any paperwork involving any issues out of the norm that they would like to discuss such as a change in their job or status (married, divorced, new parent).

Where to Recycle Your Technology

Helping people declutter their homes and lives means that we typically end up identifying lots of things that end up in the donate/toss pile. And, as mindful organizers, we try to find places to recycle as many of the goods in the “to go” pile as possible. Our first recycling installment was for clothing, shoes and textiles but this time we are focusing on technology, electronics and batteries. Now, you will finally know what to do with those old VCRs and Walk-mans. 

Happy Organizing!

CATEGORY: General Recycling Resources

Earth911.com: Earth911 is the place to look for insight on how to recycle almost anything - with over 350 materials and 100,000+ listings, it is one of North America's most extensive recycling databases. Simply enter in the material you are trying to recycle along with your zip code and click search.

CATEGORY: E-Waste (General)

Green Disk ($): GreenDisk offers two full-service collection box options that include the box, all transportation, the destruction of content on media, and recycling of associated material – the GreenDisk Technotrash can and the GreenDisk eMedia Recycler. Click here for a link to all the items they will accept for recycling. 

Terracycle: TerraCycle® has created a free recycling program for a variety of electronics including: standard cell phones, smart phones, iPhones, select inkjet cartridges, laptops, notebooks, netbooks, iPads and tablets. Collect the items, print a label and ship.

Staples: Recycle your old, unwanted technology at your local Staples® store. They will responsibly and securely recycle them at no cost — any brand, any condition, even if you purchased it somewhere else.

Best Buy: Best Buy will take all kinds of used technology, regardless of where you bought it, how old it is or who made it. You can recycle up to three items per household per day (see categories below for state-specific info, and different limitations on TVs, computer monitors and laptops). 

CATEGORY: E-Waste (Brand Specific)

Apple Trade In: Trade in your eligible device for credit toward your next purchase or get an Apple Store Gift Card you can use anytime. If your device isn’t eligible for credit, they will recycle it for free. 

Microsoft Trade In: Trade in your eligible device for credit toward your next Samsung purchase.

Microsoft / RLG Americas: Covered electronic equipment can be dropped off for free at one of their collection sites or, if you cannot get to a drop-off site and live anywhere in New York State, take advantage of their mail-back option. Accepted items include by aren’t limited to: computers, TVs, Fax Machines, Scanners, Printers, VCRs, etc.

Microsoft/Sims Web Return: If you’re not using that electronic device anymore, send it to Microsoft! They will make sure that your product is safely recycled at one of Sims Recycling Solutions domestic processing facilities where a zero-landfill policy and proven sustainability give you peace of mind in knowing that your electronics will be managed responsibly. The cart will accept 10 items and generate a label for each item. Individual items may be combined into a single package with a weight limitation of 70 pounds per package, and any unused labels may be discarded. 

CATEGORY: Cell Phones

Secure the Call: Secure the Call is a nonprofit charity that provides free 911 emergency-only cell phone to Domestic Violence Centers, Senior Citizen Centers, Police and Sheriff departments. The phones we provide our “community partners” are in turn given back to the community and used to contact the Police in the case of an emergency.

Cell Phones for Soldiers: Cell Phones For Soldiers is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing cost-free communication services and emergency funding to active-duty military members and veterans. They accept any and all types of cell phones from any carrier. Newer, gently-used mobile devices, including smartphones, are preferred; however, proceeds are generated from the recycling of broken and outdated mobile phones. Donations of chargers and accessories are also welcome. 

Verizon Wireless Hope Line: HopeLine gives consumers a way to help prevent domestic violence by donating no- longer used wireless phones and accessories from any service provider in any condition by mail, in Verizon Wireless Communications Store or at special events held throughout the year 

CATEGORY: Batteries

Call2Recycle: The Call2Recycle program offers flexible recycling options for rechargeable and single-use batteries through individual box or bulk quantities. Purchase one of the Call2Recycle kits to handle your used batterie or drop off your old batteries for free at thousands of convenient locations across the U.S., including Verizon, The Home Depot, Lowe’s and Staples. 

CATEGORY: Ink & Toner

Staples: Members are eligible to receive Ink Recycling Rewards on ink and toner recycling, if the member has spent at least $30 in ink and/or toner purchases at Staples over the previous 180 days. 

Office Depot: Members are eligible to receive rewards on recycling ink and toner in-store when you make a $10 qualifying purchase during the same month. Rewards are paid out monthly online only as a reward certificate. 

CATEGORY: Car Batteries

Autozone: If you have an old car battery lying around, bring it in to AutoZone for recycling and receive a $10 AutoZone merchandise card.

If you are looking for more stories on donation and recycling resources, check out our other stories – Our Favorite NYC Donation Locations, Where to Recycle Your Clothing & Shoes. 

What to Buy : Organizing Big Toys

Clockwise from Top Left: Basket Lady | The Home Edit | Serena & Lily | The White Company | West Elm | Ikea | Serena & Lily | Ikea

Little kids come with big toys especially around the holidays and we are often asked how to organize them. Thankfully the years of “big” toys are numbered but that doesn’t make it any easier to contain them. So, outside of throwing them all out – and we aren’t totally opposed to that option (!), we have a few ideas on how to make it a little easier to keep them a little neater in the meantime. 

Happy Organizing!

Open Shelving (Ikea)

Open shelving is a great way to keep larger toys, cars/trucks, etc. off the floor. This option from Ikea is great because it is easy on the eyes and wallet and it is lower to the ground and therefore not as easy to turn tip. 

Enclosed Cabinet (Ikea)

If space allows, the PAX system has a 22” deep cabinet and it comes with hinge and/or sliding doors that make it easier to keep bigger toys out of sight – and maybe even out of mind for at least a little bit. 

Rolling Baskets (Serena & Lily | The Home Edit)

Rolling baskets are great for keeping toys hidden and portable which can be helpful in smaller spaces. From stuffed animals to sports balls, rolling baskets provide the ease to move the toys between different spaces in your home.  

Big Baskets (Serena & Lily | The White Company)

If containing big blocks and other toys are one of your issues, big baskets such as these options are a great option for keeping them contained and neat. Plus there is a lid to keep them completely concealed if you need to store them in shared space such as a living room or kitchen. 

Underbed Storage (Baskets Lady | West Elm)

When in doubt, underbed storage is a great option to maximize underutilized space. This is a wonderful option for children that have anything from a toddler bed or larger and can house items such as board games and dolls.

For more of our favorite organizing products, you can check out more of our favorite products here.

Take it From Me: When a Professional Organizer Needs to Follow Their Own Advice

As organizers, our clients often ask us if our homes are perfectly organized. Overall, our homes are pretty organized but perfection is definitely in the eye of the beholder and, as we all need to remember, being organized is not a destination but more of an ongoing journey. 

All of that said, I knew that my own kitchen was in need of a little attention and that perhaps it was time to turn the tables and ask myself the hard questions that I always ask my clients – if you aren’t using it why are you keeping it? 

The reasons vary but and three of the most common – at least that we run into - sound something like this…  

• “It was a gift from a friend/family member [insert someone important here] and I don’t want to hurt their feelings by getting rid of it or not having it around when they come to visit.” 

• “I bought it, never used it and now feel doubly bad about wasting money on it.” 

• “I might need it some day for X – even though I haven’t used it in five years.”

My own kitchen editing session took longer than I thought it would initially. Although the contents were organized, I seemed to have accumulated quite a few trinkets and tools over the years. I am fortunate that my kitchen storage is pretty ample but I needed to heed my own advice - even if you have a lot of space, you do not have to fill it! 

There were several items that fell into the bucket of “I bought this and thought it was a good idea at the time but have never used it” and “I might need it some day…” 

Upon reflection, it may seem that I have a weakness for the cooking tools section at Williams Sonoma. Everything looks so pretty and shiny and absolutely critically to my success in the kitchen while I’m in the store. But, when I get it home, I find these pretty, shiny, critical tools sitting there in my drawer unused and unappreciated and often passed up in favor of my old standbys. It is now time to move along the egg tongs and the avocado shaped scraper. 

After tackling tools, I turned to my baking section which had grown unwieldly over the years. My reason for the excess is that baking is a hobby my son and I enjoy together. We have experimented with almost every baking category. We went through a mold phase, a rainbow cake phase (which required multiple individual cake pans), a cupcake phase with fun toppers to boot and the classic (never to be revisited) elaborate fondant phase. However, no matter what fun trendy baking phase we try though, we always end up making our favorites – cookies, breads and basic cakes. So, the question is…why am I still holding onto all the other baking accessories? Perhaps it is holding onto them for sentimental reasons or perhaps it is that I haven’t taken the time to actually do something about them but, regardless now is the time to move all of it along to someone else that can use them rather than have them collect dust in my upper cabinets. 

With my drawers and cabinets cleared of the items I no longer use I feel the freedom that comes with clearing clutter. Clearing the physical space frees up mental space. This is our mantra during edit sessions and it definitely rang true during my own tune-up.  

- Michelle

Clearing Clutter to Find Your Inner Calm

I recently re-connected with a colleague from my former days in public relations. She also left the agency world and is now an entrepreneur herself having started a yoga business, Topsy Turvy Yogi, with a friend. During our conversation, we found a lot of synergies between the calm that comes from getting organized and the calm from practicing yoga and wondered if we could help make the connection for others too. 

Life gets hectic and clutter can fill both your mind and your home but that there are ways to eliminate those distractions and to create a sense of calm from chaos. So we are helping you clear the clutter and find your inner calm by equating the process of working through your chakras with simple yogic practices with the process of organizing your home. The important thing to remember is that everyone and everything is a work in progress so the key to success is to keep trying. 

Read on to work through the process of finding calm both inside and out. 

Happy organizing and namaste!

How to Organize: Business Cards

No matter how paperless I try to be, I always seem to find business cards in my wallet and in the bottom of my purse. I can't say that I handle the situation immediately -- there may still some cards at the bottom of my bag right now -- but I'm going to put the work into it now. If you find yourself in the same boat, try one of these methods below. 

Happy Organizing!

Use an App (Paid): There are a number of applications you can use to assist with scanning and handling business cards but one that comes highly recommended is CamCard. With this app, you can not only scan and store your business cards but you can also exchange e-cards on-the-go when you are running out of paper ones. Alternatives for Apple users include ScanBizCard and Business Card Reader Pro. 

Try Evernote (Free): Evernote Scannable is an app that allows you to scan contracts, receipts and business cards - really any paper that you come across - so that you can move it along. The reason that it is so great for business cards is because it pulls information from them and will save it to your contact list. 

Take a Photo: The easiest app-less way to handle business cards is to take a picture and save it in a special business card folder on your phone so that you know where to find it when the time comes. 

Type it In: Go old school and just type the information into your phone contact list or even into your real address book if you love paper. Granted this takes a bit of time but it is reliable and doesn't require much on your part but a little bit of time - plus it gives you a chance to type in some extra notes at the same time about the meeting. If you have a smart phone, you can even take a photo of the logo and assign it to the contact to give yourself visual reference. 

How do you handle business cards? 

Our Favorite Donation Locations in NYC

Letting go of items that have accumulated can be hard but many of our clients find it easier to let go of things if they know that those items can be donated and have a life and purpose with someone else. So, if you are looking to make donations for stuff that is accumulating in your home, check out our quick tips and the list below for some of our favorite donation spots in and around the city.

• Many organizations reserve the right to refuse pieces that are being donated so make a call if you aren't sure if a piece will work out. There is no point in bringing it across town only to have it be rejected. 
• If time is on your side, some donation spots will come pick up your furniture and other items but this service is often booked up for weeks in advance so it isn't a great option if you need to get the stuff out of your home quickly. 
• If you can't donate a piece or just don't want to deal with it, consider calling JunkLuggers who for a relatively reasonable fee will haul your stuff away without any fuss on your part. And, the good news is that they try to donate everything first so you don't have to worry about all of your stuff ending up in the garbage. 

Happy Organizing! 

FOR BOOKS: Housing Works Book Store

Location: 126 Crosby Street, New York, NY

Accepts: Books, DVDs & CDs, LPs and Textbooks (less an 1 year old)

FOR WORK CLOTHING (WOMEN): Dress for Success

Location: Manhattan - 32 East 31st Street, 6th Floor New York, NY || Queens - 114-14 Jamaica Avenue
Richmond Hill, New York

Accepts: See full list of accepted items here

Note: Donations are accepted in Manhattan every third Saturday of the month and in Queens every second Saturday of the month. However, professional clothing in plus sizes (16-24) is in such high demand that they are accepted in the Manhattan location during the week as well as on donation Saturdays. 

FOR WORK CLOTHING (MEN): Career Gear

Location: 125 Maiden Lane, 3B New York, NY 

Accepts: See full list of accepted items here

Note: Donations are accepted in-person on six dates throughout the year so check their website before making a trip. However, donations can also be made via the mail if you are inclined to ship the items during times that fall outside of the donation day windows. 

FOR CLOTHING & FURNITURE: Housing Works Stores

Location: Multiple locations around the city

Note: Furniture must be in excellent condition as determined by the shop manager

FOR CLOTHING, FURNITURE & HOUSEHOLD GOODS: Goodwill

Locations: Multiple locations around the city

Accepts: See full list of accepted items

FOR ART SUPPLIES, OFFICE FURNITURE AND HOUSEHOLD GOODS: Materials for the Arts

Location: Northern Boulevard between 33rd and 34th Streets, Long Island City, NY

Accepts: See full list of requested items here

Note: All donations must be approved before dropping them off. Please reach out to donations@mfta.nyc.gov or 718-729-2065 to confirm that they will take them. 

FOR BABY THINGS: Room to Grow

Location: 7 West 30th Street, Floor 3 New York, NY

Accepts: All donations should be new or nearly new, clean and in truly excellent condition (click here for a list of acceptable items)

FOR OLD SHEETS AND TOWELS: Veterinary Offices & Animal Shelters

Note: Many veterinary offices and even animal shelters will accept donations of old sheets and towels to help line the cages, etc. so try making a call to one of your local spots when deciding where to donate them.

What are your favorite donation spots in and around the city? 

A Few of Our Favorite Organizing Products for Small Space Living

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.

Command Brand Broom Gripper

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? 

How to Keep Your Gym Bag on Pace

We all struggle with losing things at the bottom of our bags and gym bags are no different. Inevitably, there is a time crunch after finishing your workout and getting to your other daily commitments because life doesn’t stop for SoulCycle! Once you head back to the locker room, there is almost always a lot of time wasted searching for things no matter how well the bags were packed at home.

After many a struggle on the floor of the locker room, we have found that the easiest way to minimize search time is using smaller pouches in your larger gym bag. Basically, it is a bag of bags. Read on for our tips and tricks on packing this bag of bags below. Happy Organizing!

• Make Getting Ready Packs: Sort the items you need to get ready after class into sections. For instance, if you always shower after class, pack your shampoo, razor and shower sandals in a small "shower" zipper pouch so it is easy to grab while getting into the endless shower queue. Then, categorize all the items that you use post-shower such as toiletries and/or makeup and put them into separate zipper pouches so they are easy to find once you are out of the shower. Who knows, now that you have all the goods gathered, you might be at the front of the line! 
• Find a Pack: Although almost any bag will do, we would be remiss not sharing our beloved Baggu Nylon Pouches as an option to keep everything sorted in your gym bag. The lightweight material is easy to clean and these pouches can be filled to the gills regardless of size or shape of the items being stuffed in them. 
• Bring an Extra: If you are anything like us, you will want to wrap up those sweaty gym clothes so that they don’t touch anything else in your bag. In that case, just bring an empty pouch to contain your clothes. And, a bonus if you choose Baggu pouches is that you can throw them right into the washer. 
• Wrap it Up: A great way to keep your clothing organized particularly if you are heading to the office after class is to use packing cubes. Not only do they keep your clothing clean but they can also help keep them free of wrinkles. 
• Pick a Bag: The easiest way to stay organized at the gym is to only have one designated gym bag and to stick with it. We can be bag switchers too but this is the only way you can be sure to not lose something. 

What do you do to keep your gym bag organized?