A popular re-post with some organized summer tips…Summer is almost here!  Longer days, warmer temperatures and hopefully great weather all add up to a season where we want to be active and busy.   To stay organized during the summer months think about: If you have school aged children, consider devoting some time to going thru all of their school papers and art work from the past school year.  Make decisions about retaining the best of their work and chose a container or display system for the items you wish to save. If weekends away are on the agenda, pack a bag with essential ..read more

Spring has arrived and with it the hectic schedules for all of us to balance.  Being organized can help to alleviate the ‘what’s for dinner?’ syndrome, as well as keep all of us eating healthier.  Here are a few tips which we have shared before for staying organized and planning ahead for meal times: Organize your pantry.  An organized pantry allows you to know what you have on hand and to easily see what is there. Track your family’s favorite meals.  Paying attention to favorites helps you to keep those meals in the planning process. Create a weekly meal schedule to provi ..read more

If you have school age children, you know that March madness is way more than a national basketball tournament! March madness consists of all of the plans, activities, sports, spring school events and more…the calendar fills up quickly as the weather starts to get better.  The days have more daylight and the days also have more squeezed into them.  Parents are always asking me how to manage the madness, so here are a few tips: ~Be sure to keep a calendar – in whatever format works for you. Consider having a family calendar posted somewhere in your home so your kids can have a visual ..read more

As Creative Simplicity Organizing celebrates a milestone 15 years in business this year, I wanted to thank all of you who have engaged our services and wish you a very happy new year. As we get in gear for 2024, remember to declutter, purge, say no, unsubscribe and focus on the things you love, use and need.  There is a lot out there to overwhelm us, so keeping it simple can help. Here’s to a happy, healthy, organized and decluttered 2024 ..read more

Back in 2013, we first posted a blog reminding you of the great possibilities that lie in giving no clutter gifts, or gifts of experiences. Ten years later we are still professing the value of this type of gift.  Here are some ideas to get you started on this path to no clutter gifting: Memberships (to a museum, zoo, historical society, environmental organization, national park, health club or streaming platform); tickets to an event or activity (a sporting event, play, concert, movie, or family getaway); a beauty treatment (facial, massage, manicure, or pedicure); a round of golf; tennis ..read more

Halloween candy in stores in August; Christmas and Hanukah items stocked on store shelves in September…retailers are clearly ready for the holidays  – how about you? Now is a great time to: 1. Inventory your supplies – whether it is serving platters for hosting, gift bags or gift wrap  – take stock of what you have and start making lists of what you need. 2. Inventory your clothing – whether it is an office party or a neighbors’ holiday open house, you’ll want to know what you have and how it fits. 3. Gifts – have you been buying things all year in anticipation of the holiday giving ..read more

The process of getting organized has many benefits.  Here are just a few to remind you of the importance of taking those important steps: Getting organized: Reduces stress! – diminishing the physical & visual clutter in your spaces helps to reduce the overwhelm we feel when we are surrounded by too much stuff   Saves time! – finding what you need when you need it saves quite a bit of time, so you are not constantly searching for lost or misplaced items Saves money! – knowing what you have and where to find it eliminates excess purchasing of unnecessary items (that you may a ..read more

As a young adult living in the big city, moving is stressful enough…then add to the move the fact that the new closet you are inheriting has no hanging space…that’s right, it’s narrow and only boasts a few long shelves.  How do you store your clothes, shoes and accessories?  What is the best way to organize this space?  The first step is to get rid of your preconceived notions of what a closet is supposed to look like.  And if you haven’t already, do some decluttering to reduce what you have. Define the space as your clothing closet only – no other categories like extra cos ..read more

1. Lay out clothes you are considering packing (on your bed or other surface where you can see them – even a hanging clothes rack) – editing is easier with clothes in front of you. Consider weeding out pieces that wrinkle easily, stain prone fabrics, bulky pieces and duplicates of items you have already selected to pack. 2. Place entire outfits – top, bottom, undergarments, accessories all together in large re-sealable plastic storage bags and then label the contents. Another option is packing cubes that come in a wide variety of brands and sizes. 3. Wrap belts inside button down shirt collars ..read more

Happy New Year!  I don’t know about you, but I love the feeling of a fresh new year.  Mostly, I like the end of the holiday period, (typically Halloween thru New Years,) where so many of us are overwhelmed by commitments and ‘stuff.’   As always, the National Association for Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO) has designated January GO Month! or the month to start fresh, get organized, and be more productive.  That means something different for all of us, but most importantly, it is an opportunity.   An opportunity to re-think your space, your po ..read more