Organize and Energize: 6 Summer Organizing Projects
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Tuesday, July 01, 2014
Kristin MacRae, GoLocalWorcester Organizing Expert
There are organizing projects that you can save for the winter and there are projects you can tackle in the summer. Organizing your basement, changing your closets over to fall clothing, going through sentimental items, or attacking your attic are just some of the projects you can work on in the winter.
Summer is a great time to take on the following projects. Tackle these summer organizing projects and you will become more efficient and productive this summer, allowing you to spend more time outside in the sunshine. You will also save some money in the process.
Here are 6 organizing projects that you can tackle this summer:
Refrigerator. This is a quick and easy project. Block off a half hour and get to work! Empty the entire fridge. As you begin to empty, toss away any expired food. Categorize the food you are keeping. Give the fridge a good cleaning. Place food back into the fridge by category.
Entryway/Mudroom. Are your snow boots and mittens still hanging around in your entryway? It’s time to change the entryway over to summer. Don’t just throw winter items in a bin. Go through winter items, declutter and organize them so you are ready to go when winter rolls around. Put the school backpacks away and any other seasonal gear. The last thing you want to see when you walk through the door is a reminder of school and winter.
Beach Bag. Keep an organized beach bag on hand and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Have everything categorized and organized in your bag. Contain same category items with zip loc or waterproof bags. You will never have to turn around half way to the beach because you forget to pack something. Here are more helpful tips.
Trunk. When was the last time you took everything out of your trunk? Scary, I know. Take everything out and figure out if it really needs to be stored in the trunk. Place items back in an organized fashion. There are some great trunk organizing products out there that will meet your organizing needs.
Garage/Shed. You may not want to choose a gorgeous sunny day to tackle this project. Maybe tackle this project early in the morning or on a cloudy day. Here are all the tips you need to tackle this project.
Office. Summer may be a slow time for some businesses. This is a great time to declutter and organize. Don’t know where to begin? Start with gathering all of your office supplies. If you are disorganized, you probably have them stored all over your office. Categorize, itemize and then organize in a designated spot. Once you finish with that, move onto the paper piles.
Complete the above projects and you will be motivated and energized to move onto other organizing projects.
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on http://www.talkstreamradio.com.
Related Slideshow: Organizing Products For Your Closet
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Flip flop organizer
How many flip flops do you own? Are they thrown all over the closet floor? How long does it take you to find a match to one of them? Bed Bath and Beyond has a $9.99 flip flop organizer that holds 6 pairs of flip flops and hangs nicely in your closet. This is a must-have if you have more than 5 pairs of flip flops. I’ve purchased these for my clients and they work great!
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Scarf organizer
You love your scarves, but it takes you forever to locate one and you have to throw 5 around to find the one you are searching for. Use a scarf organizer and you will be able to see all your scarves and find them at a moment’s notice. Bed Bath and Beyond has a few different types of scarf organizers, including this one for $9.99.
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Belt organizer
How are you storing your belts? Are they in a tangled mess? Purchase a belt organizer for a cheap solution—they can be as inexpensive as $6.99 from the Container Store.
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Tie organizer
Keep your ties organized and hanging on a tie rack, or keep then rolled in a drawer organizer. Whichever way you choose to organize them, treat them with care. To take care of both your belts and your ties in one fell swoop, check out this organizer from the Container Store.
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Drawer organizer
This is a must for your underwear, socks, bras, nylons, etc. Drawer organizers will help to maximize space in your closet. You won’t believe the amount of space you will have once you contain these items in drawer organizers!
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Jewelry organizer
Are you always trying to detangle your necklaces? Think about how you grab your jewelry and then purchase an organizing system according to how you function. Before you purchase your container, take inventory of what you own and purchase accordingly.
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Shoe rack
Did you know people who didn’t own shoe racks were 7 times more likely to show up late for an event? Are your shoes in piles on the floor? Get them off the floor and contain them in a shoe rack. There are many options out there, like this one from Bed Bath and Beyond. Choose the shoe rack that is going to fit what you need to hold and fit in the space you are working with.
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Hangers
Are you hanging your clothes on the wire hangers from the dry cleaner? Those hangers will ruin your clothes. Get rid of them and store your clothes on the hanger of your choice, but be consistent and stick with one type of hanger.
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Handbags
How are you storing your handbags? Are they stored all over your closet? Are they in bins or crumpled up on the floor? It’s time to organize your bags. There are many options depending on the space you are working with. You can stand them up on a shelf, you can hang them, or if they are small, you can store them in a canvas bin. The choice is yours. Think about how you function and develop a system from there.
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Baseball cap organizer
How many baseball caps do you own? How are they organized in your closet now, and how long does it take you to find one? The Container Store (pictured here), Bed Bath and Beyond, and other stores sell this baseball cap organizer. I have a few clients that have purchased them and they love them!
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Function over flash
There are many variations on these products. Choose the product that is right for you. There are some organizing products I would never use, but other people might choose to use them. Choose the one that is going to be the most efficient and productive product for you and your family. Don’t choose a product because it’s pretty, choose it based on functionality. Search online for different products before you rush out and purchase a product. You may find that one store is more expensive than another. Don’t forget if you are going to Bed Bath and Beyond to use their 20% off coupons. If you don’t want to purchase these items, get creative and re-purpose items around the home, or make your own!
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Kristin MacRae
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on www.talkstreamradio.com.
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