Clear the Clutter Professional Organizing

Organizing your email inbox

2012-01-26T17:28:00.000-08:00

I have had many people tell me lately that they have hundreds of emails in their inbox. Does this sound familiar? If so, here are some ways to organize your email inbox quickly and easily. Your inbox should only contain emails that haven’t been read or require immediate action and response. All other emails should be either deleted or saved in a folder.

Like your filing cabinet, you should have 5-6 broad category folders in your inbox. If you make too many, you will forget where you put things, so keep them general like household, vacation, school, soccer, etc. Once you have these folders set up, you need to store emails accordingly. When I say store, I don’t mean every email you get. Only keep that which has pertinent info. And if you have a series of emails going back and forth with someone, only keep the last one since you can just scroll down to read the entire conversation.

Once you have your inbox cleared out, get in the practice of keeping it that way. When new email comes through, read it and delete what you can. Respond to the rest and move what you can to the appropriate folder. If the email requires something immediate like an RSVP or information returned, let the email sit in the inbox until you can get it done.

Keeping your inbox cleaned out will help you to avoid losing emails, forgetting to respond to emails and keep you from having to search through hundreds to emails to find what you are looking for.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Weather the storm in your pantry

2012-01-12T10:45:00.000-08:00

I keep hearing about snow storms blanketing the country at this time of year, followed by news of packed stores full of people trying to stock up before the storm hits. The truth is that 90% of Americans (okay, I made that number up, but I am sure it is close) have enough food in their pantry to feed them for a good week without missing a calorie. So here is my advice: avoid the crowds at the store and just take inventory of your pantry. Get creative and put together some meal ideas using what you already own. Save money, time and stress by simply shopping in your own home's inventory. Enjoy the season!

Guard the Castle Gates....even through the holidays.

2011-12-21T07:28:00.001-08:00

The holidays are a wonderful time to give and receive, but don’t let your guard down. Remember to guard the castle gates, even during this wonderful time of year. Guard the gates against what and whose castle are you talking about, you ask? Your home is your castle and you must remember to guard it against unwanted clutter. Unfortunately the holidays are a time when things tend to find their way in.

Yes, gifts should be appreciated no matter what they are as we all know they come from the heart. But if it is something you really can’t use, already have or flat out don’t like, this does not mean you need to keep it. After the gifts are open, don’t hesitate to make a pile of that which you can’t use or don’t need. If you can return it or exchange it, put it right in the car so you can take care of that next time you are close to the store in question. If you can’t do that, add it to your donation pile. Doing this immediately keeps these items from finding a comfortable place in your home where you forget about it until it is part of a larger clutter problem.

Feeling bad about doing this? Consider that you are paying the gift forward. By donating the item or giving it to someone who can really use it, you are sharing the love. In these difficult economic times, donations can make a huge difference in someone else’s life. Unclutter your life while adding light to someone else’s.

Getting rid of a gift does not mean that you appreciate it any less. In fact, do not forget to write a nice thank you note even if you don’t plan to keep the gift. But don’t keep something just because your Aunt gave it to you and the guilt is overwhelming. I am sure said Aunt did not intend to add to your guilt and pile of stuff. Givers want to add joy to the recipient’s life. Clutter and stress do not equal joy. So guard your door and keep the clutter out.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Last minute holiday shopping tips

2011-12-02T16:09:00.001-08:00

Are you starting to stress out about holiday shopping? Wondering how you will get it all done? Here are some tips to help you manage the process.

• Make a list of those you need to shop for. Jot down any ideas you may have for them as well.
• If your list is really long, try to pare it down. Is there anyone you can mutually agree NOT to exchange gifts with? Maybe your family can do a name draw for the adults. Or maybe you can agree to go out for a fun dinner with a friend rather than exchanging gifts.
• Map out your shopping. Start with what you can buy online. The more you can do online the better and right now, most retailers are offering free shipping!! For the stores you need to hit, make a plan of attack. Maybe you need to hit Wal Mart and there is one right by your office. Make a plan to get an early start and go there before work next week. Determine which stores you can stop by during your regular routine and then set aside time to do the rest. Plan your driving route so you aren’t running all over and wasting precious time.
• Consider gift cards. Shipping is really expensive and it requires trips to the post office. Think about who you can buy gift cards for and look for those cards at your grocery store next time you are there. All you have to deal is put them in a card and send them off. Easy! Also consider www.giftcertificates.com where you can email gift certificates to loved one.
• Plan better for next year. Keep your holiday shopping list with you all year. It is much easier to find the perfect gift when you aren’t desperately searching for it. Give yourself all year to find it.
Happy Holidays!

More eating, less stress!

2011-11-21T12:20:00.001-08:00

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, it seems appropriate to discuss how you can alleviate some of your holiday stress by organizing your meal preparations. Easy solution? Go out. Just kidding. A holiday at home can be low stress and even enjoyable.

If you are reading this on Monday you have three days to go. If you haven’t shopped yet, make a list. The first list should be what you plan on serving. Based on that list, create a shopping list with all the ingredients needed. If you have a lot of guests coming, be sure and invite them to bring a dish to share. This cuts down on the work for you and makes it a meal in the true spirit of Thanksgiving. If you can, hit the grocery store early in the morning or late at night. It will be crowded this week, but if you go during off hours, you can avoid much of the crowd.

Figure out what can be made ahead of time. Things like stuffing, pies, and casseroles can usually be made at least a day ahead of time. Get it done early so you have less to do on Thursday. Personally, I think that giving things like stuffing a day to sit makes it taste better too since all the flavors have time to really combine.

Another thing you can do the night before is set the table. If you have kids, put them in charge of either the center piece or the name cards. The kids will enjoy being part of the decorating and it will be one less thing for you to do.

Make sure you know how long your turkey needs to defrost. Usually they need at least a few days in the refrigerator prior to cooking. If you forget, remember you can always soak it in cold water to expedite the defrosting process. There are lots of great websites that will walk you through this process if you aren’t familiar.

Take a minute to plan your cooking schedule. Unless you have a professional kitchen, you probably only have one oven. Plan ahead to determine when things need to go in the oven so everything can be ready around the same time. Consider alternative ways of cooking the turkey like smoking, barbequing or frying (although I don’t recommend this method due to fires and clogged arteries…).

Finally, charge your camera and video camera batteries. Make sure they are ready to capture wonderful holiday memories.

Happy Thanksgiving and I pray that your holiday is full of love, relaxation and happy memories.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

The many ways to use a lazy susan

2011-10-30T17:43:00.000-07:00

Lazy susans or turntables, whatever you choose to call them, can be found at any store like Wal Mart or Target. They are inexpensive and oh-so-handy. Here are 5 uses for them:

• Spice rack
• Hair products
• Medicines
• Vitamins
• Cleaning products

I could go on all day, but you get the point. Go pick a few up now and get those cabinets organized!

Not sure what in the world I am talking about? Follow this link to view the product - http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid/product/product.jhtml?prodId=HPProd100112

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Reason number ten million and one to process your mail daily....

2011-10-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

You know how I always talk about how important it is process your mail daily? Usually I refer to the fact that when you don't process it each and every day it turns into an overwhelming pile that is difficult to tackle. While that is very important, I have a new and personal example to share.

Back in August I went to go pick up my mail and found a letter from Chase corporate offices. My husband and I have had an account with Chase for a while and were in excellent standing - no bounced checks, excellent credit, etc. So you can imagine my surprise when I opened the letter to find that they were closing out our accounts and kicking us out as customers.

I wont get into the gory details right here. Instead I will share the link as my husband and I went straight to the media when Chase would not give us any information. This nightmare has lasted for almost 2 months with no resolution in sight. (If you bank with Chase - GET OUT NOW!)

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/22/meagan-mike-farrell-chase_n_974754.html

After you read our article, I want you to think about how much worse the consequences could have been had we failed to read that letter immediately. If this mess up with Chase could happen to us, it can happen to anyone. If you process your mail, email and phone messages each day, you can minimize damages.

Happy Anniversary to Clear the Clutter!

2011-08-24T19:23:00.001-07:00

This September, Clear the Clutter is celebrating our 5 year anniversary! 5 years of organizing has zipped right by. People often ask if I deal with hoarders. The answer is no, hoarders need special attention from someone equipped to handle all their issues. I deal with people that we can all relate to. In fact, 9 times out of 10, the majority of their home are clean and organized. They are people who have a trouble spot (or room) that needs some help. Often times, they are generally organized people who have had something change in their life: a baby, a divorce, a death, the start of a new job…you name it. Something happened in their life that got them off track.

I have truly enjoyed each client. The best moment for me is when we are done and they breathe a huge sigh of relief. Less stress, less stuff, more freedom. Thank you to all my clients for allowing me to share my passion with you. I look forward to the next 5 years and the next after that.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Why Hire a Professional?

2011-08-17T10:43:00.001-07:00

My windows are filthy. I have tried to clean them myself, but they always end up streaky. I’ve tried all the supposed techniques, but no matter how I try, they just don’t look good. So now I hire window washers. It isn’t very expensive and they make my windows sparkle in no time at all. Should I be embarrassed?

No way! These guys (and gals) are good at what they do. They have honed the art of cleaning windows. You may think that your windows are pretty bad, but they don’t care. Their focus is on getting your windows clean, no matter how bad they were to begin with.

The same is true with professional organizing. People always tell me that they need my services, but are embarrassed to let me see the problem. I am here to tell you that there is nothing embarrassing about hiring an expert to help you with a problem. Professional organizers are not there to pass judgment. Rather they are there to help you and share their knowledge.

Personally, I have admiration for people who seek professional assistance with things that are important to them. I always admire that my clients are willing to work so hard to make their home or office a better place. Don’t let the fear of being judged stop you from improving your life and reducing your stress. Call a professional organizer today!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

2011-08-16T13:27:00.001-07:00

Check out Clear the Clutter at www.monroe98272.com. A great site for all things Monroe!

Time Management for Kids

2011-07-21T10:04:00.001-07:00

Time management is a life skill that will benefit your child throughout their life time. So often, we hear adults exclaiming how tired and burned out they are. This is most likely because they never learned how to properly manage time and set boundaries. With some simple steps, you can put your child on a path to a less stressed out childhood and adult life.

Here are some skills to teach your child so they can begin to learn the process of managing their own time in an effective way:

1. Set limits and stick to them. Get out a large calendar and start filling in the activities/obligations you already have. Be sure to include necessary activities like family dinner time, homework time, church, etc. If there is overlap, it is time to prioritize. This may include making some hard decisions about which activities to keep and which to let go. Explain to your child that life is full of hard choices, but picking a few things and doing them well is more important then trying to cram it all in. Keep this calendar up in your house all the time. This will serve as a visual account of what you have to do each day/week.

2. Prioritize. Help your child to make a list of their activities and obligations in order of importance. Are the things at the bottom of the list really necessary? If not, consider resigning or limiting activity with those groups. Your kids may find that once they have less going on, they are happier and less stressed out as well.

3. Say no. Sounds simple, but somehow that two letter word can be hard to say. A nice way to say it is, “that sounds like a neat activity, but we don’t have the time right now.” Practice saying this with your child. After they have said it a few times, it will be easier when they are confronted off guard. Explain to your child that they are not doing anyone any favors by being stretched too thin.

4. Post a daily routine in your home. This will help you and your kids to stay on track. Getting everyone on a time schedule at home will help you all to keep pace in your day. The posted schedule will serve as a visual reminder until you and your kids get into a regular habit. This also teaches your kids the importance of routines and utilizing calendars.

5. Use a timer. We all tend to get side tracked – a really good show is on, a good friend calls, a fun new game on the computer….. All this is fine in moderation, but how much time do things like this really claim? Set limits on these activities for your child. When your child sits down to do any of these activities, set a timer. When it goes off, remind your child that it is time to end the activity. Point out to your child that time easily slips away when we are preoccupied. Show your child how to get that time back by watching it more closely. They may complain or resist, but in the long run, this is a very important life skill.

6. Teach by example – If time management is not your strength, it is not too late to learn. Not only should you do it for yourself, but do it for your child. We all know that we have to practice what we preach or our kids will cry foul. Utilize these methods for yourself as well as your child and, as a family, have better time management so you can all be more stress free.

Time management is a habit like eating vegetables and brushing your teeth. It may take a few tries, but once you get into the swing of it, you will find it easy to stay on top. Remember that living a stress filled life is not only hard on you, but hard on your kids.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Purge and Recycle

2011-07-06T09:06:00.001-07:00

Our plasma t.v. just died. It was 6 years old and apparently that is well within the life span of one of the earlier models. My husband is thrilled. This is an excuse to get an even larger television. But what to do with the old one?

Clients I deal with are faced with this problem all the time - what to do with old electronics. Costco and Best Buy both have buy back programs for computers, MP3s, cell phones, etc. Those programs are fabulous because not only can you easily recycle your old stuff, but these businesses will give you store credit for them as well. Win, win! Televisions, however, are not on those lists of buyable items.

Enter www.earth911.com. Earth 911 is a simple site to use. Simply plug in what item you need to dispose of and your zip code. You will get a long list of stores who will take your item and dispose of it properly. I found at least 10 local businesses who will take my television for me. Now off with my happy husband to do some television shopping....

2011-06-27T07:13:00.000-07:00

"One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few. One moon shell is more impressive than three. There is only one moon in the sky. One double-sunrise is an event; six are a succession, like a week of school days. Gradually one discards and keeps just the perfect specimen; not necessarily a rare shell, but a perfect one of its kind." -Anne Morrow Lindbergh from Gift From the Sea.

Organizing, like dieting....

2011-06-14T12:41:00.001-07:00

We all know how diets go. You pick a diet plan, follow it closely and lose the weight. Then after a few months, you get out of your new routine and fall back to the old. What happens then? You gain the weight back. Getting organized and losing weight are the same in that manner. Both are things that require permanent changes in your lifestyle.

If you truly want to get organized in life, it all boils down to changing your ways. Just like there is no magic diet pill, no amount of cute gear from the organizing store can magically make you organized forever. You must permanently alter the way you operate.

To get organized, reduce what you have. Once you have truly weeded out what you no longer (or never did to begin with) need, organize your stuff. If you need help, hire a professional. Come up with organizational systems and solutions that are realistic for you, but remember, you will still need to permanently change your habits.

Habit changing is difficult, but if you set realistic goals, like doing 15 minutes a day of organizing, you should have no problem doing it.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Managing photos

2011-05-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

With 15 years of marriage under our belts and a recent victory in the battle of breast cancer, my husband and I decided to renew our wedding vows. It was a lovely ceremony full of love and emotion. With the professional photographer snapping away, we re-committed ourselves to a life together.

A few days after the ceremony, we sat down to look at all the photos taken. There were so many amazing shots and we wanted them all. But after the initial glee of reliving the ceremony through photos wore off, we realized something……we pretty much never look at the photos taken 15 years ago – the first time we said “I do.”

15 years ago we spent a large chunk of our wedding budget on photography. I love pictures and that was one of my priorities. But all these years later, the photos have hardly been looked at and only a few are actually in frames on my wall.

Pictures are hard to walk away from. They are a moment captured and a memory to hold onto. But they only offer you this gift if they are looked at and remembered. A photo means little to someone who doesn’t know the story behind it or the people in it. So read on for a few tips to keep photographs under control:

When organizing pictures, first and foremost, think minimally. You attend your children’s soccer game and take 50 photos. When you download them, immediately go through them with a logical mind. Immediately delete the ones that just aren’t any good. Then delete the ones that look a lot alike. Your goal is to get down to only the ones that are absolutely the best. Your child will not want 50 photos times every soccer game they were ever in to have to manage one day.

Once you narrowed them down, make sure you put them in their own folder and label it. These photos will mean so much more to your child someday if they can remember the who, what, where, and when of it all.

While scrapbooks are a lovely way to preserve memories, keep them to a minimum. Our children’s generation knows only one thing – digital. Scrapbook only the most special occasions and leave the rest on CD’s. Also consider digital scrapbooks.

Photos are like everything else. Too many of them or not having them neatly organized can make it overwhelming instead of enjoyable.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Organizing Basics Class

2011-05-15T17:51:00.001-07:00

Interested in spending 2 hours learning all the tricks to getting really organized? Come join me on Monday, May 23 from 6:30 - 8:30 while I give away hoards of organizing tips and answer your specific questions. Class will be held at Park Place Middle School in Monroe, WA. Registration fee is $15. To register, call 360-804-2570. Come join us!

Behind the Door Shoe Holders Are Good for More than Just Shoes.

2011-04-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

We have all seen those shoe holders that hang behind your door, but did you know that there are so many more uses for them?

Put one in your kids' room to hold Polly Pockets or Matchbox cars.

Put one in the bathroom to organize hair accessories or personal care products.

Hang one in your office to hold USB cables and office supplies (see photo).

Hang one in your pantry to organize spices or kids snacks.

These shoe holders are inexpensive and come in a few different colors. Just label the pockets and you are ready to go, utilizing a completely unused space.

Purge Before You Buy!

2011-03-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

Organizing supplies are so appealing. You walk into a place like Storables and think you have just found the solution to all your organizing problems. Sadly, going on a spending spree before purging your items is not only going to add to the stressful clutter that already exists, but it will also stress out your pocketbook. Oh, and throw in a little guilt too because every time you look at those unused products, you will feel worse for having spent money on them and then not used them.

The first step in getting organized is always purging. You will be amazed at what organizing products you do NOT need when you get rid of all that you do NOT need first. So clear out that clutter. Once all the unused, unwanted or unneeded stuff is gone, you can decide if you need more organizing materials, such as boxes or containers.

Unless you are Bill Gates’ long lost child or heir, you may want to reconsider stores like Storables or the Container Store. Places like Target and Wal Mart or even the Dollar Tree have great selections of inexpensive clear containers that you can sort things in. Remember that clear boxes are key because you can see what is in them. And don’t forget to label everything. Don’t have a label maker? No worries – masking tape and a sharpie work just as well.

Enjoy getting organized without breaking the bank!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Get Organized for a more enjoyable vacation!

2011-02-24T08:40:00.000-08:00

Going on vacation is something we all look forward to, yet it can cause quite a bit of stress during the preparation. Here are some quick tips to make the process of preparing for vacation go more smoothly:

• Packing List – type up a general packing list for each member of the family. Save it as a document in your computer. When preparing to leave, print them up and hand them out. This way no one will forget toothbrushes or special medicines.
• To-Do List – as long as you are typing up that packing list, type up a to-do list for vacation preparation as well. Include things like “put newspaper on hold” or “ask neighbor to feed fish.” Again, every time you are preparing to leave, you print this up and check off the items.
• Contact List – Keep a vacation contact list on file as well. Include emergency contact numbers, addresses for postcards, etc.
• Big Trip Preparation – if you are going away for an extended vacation or you are traveling internationally, there will be more things to do to prepare. Make a complete list of all that needs to be done (passport update, money exchange, etc). Open your calendar and break down the items so you only have a few things to do each week, leading up to your vacation. For example, passport updates should be handled 6 months out so there is no stress or rush. Money exchange can be done a few weeks out so you aren’t running to the bank the day before you leave. Plan ahead so you aren’t completely frazzled the week of your departure.

Now go ahead and start off your vacation in a more relaxed state of mind. Enjoy!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Managing Grocery Inventory

2011-01-11T15:46:00.001-08:00

With the economy in the dumps, people are paying more attention to couponing. By cutting and using coupons, you can save a lot of money on items you use every day. But all this money saving can lead to one issue: inventory management.

Many deals out there either require the purchase of multiple items or the deal is so amazing (like free!) that you take advantage and buy more than one. Deals like this are too hot to pass up, but what is the point of getting a good bargain if the items are going to expire from lack of use or cause you stress because they become clutter? Here are some helpful tips on how to manage your bargains:

• Dedicate space for your extras. Set aside a space on a shelf, in a cupboard or in the garage for inventory. Make it a spot that is as visible as possible so you don’t forget what you have. A shelf in your garage that you walk by daily is a great idea. You will always notice what you have more than enough of and what you might be running low on while simply walking to your car.
• Store like items together in the appropriate areas. All your toothpaste should be together in the bathroom where it is used. If you don’t have space in the bathroom, then store all extra toothpastes together in a designated spot.
• Always take stock of what you have before buying more. Like I mentioned earlier, a bargain can still become a waste of money if you don’t ever use it. So when you see the next amazing deal on cookies, check your inventory. If you already have enough cookies to last you through the next ice age, hold off.
• Follow the grocery stockers lead and maintain your shelves. When adding more jars of peanut butter to your inventory, put the newest jars in back and pull the oldest ones forward to the front where they will be used first. Always keep the oldest stock closest to the front so you use it in a timely manner.
• Keep labels visible. Make your inventory easy to see. Keep labels turned forward and use graduated shelving (can be purchased at Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond) for things like cans that are all the same size. This creates a storage system that is visually easy to manage.
• Remember to donate. Part of keeping track of your inventory, is checking expiration dates. If you find that you have food or perishables that won’t last until you can use them, pass them along to someone who can. Donate to a shelter or a food bank. You should regularly go through your inventory to see how things are doing. Know what you have so you don’t waste money or product.

So maximize your dollars in two ways – by saving money with coupons and by keeping track of inventory. Happy Shopping!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Even Bathrooms Need to be Organized....

2011-01-11T13:32:00.000-08:00

Even bathrooms need to be kept organized. Here are some tips on how to do it:

• Take regular inventory of medications. Medications have an expiration date which should be followed. When they expire, be sure to put them in the trash and not down the toilet.
• Keep inventory organized. All your extra tubes of tooth paste should be next to each other as should the extra toilet paper, shampoo, etc. This will help you to know at a glance how much you have of everything. When you are down to your last shampoo, put it on the list to get more. This keeps you from running out or having too much in stock.
• Throw away old make up. Make up has a shelf life. If you haven’t used it in a while, toss it. Or if you have been using the same mascara for a year, it may be time to replace it. Keep your skin healthy by using fresh make up. Keep your bathroom organized by throwing away what you don’t use.
• If you aren’t sure about certain items, use the box trick. Get a box and put all the items you aren’t sure about in it. If you have to go into the box to use something, put it back into its proper place (do not put it back in the box). After one month, whatever is left in the box is unnecessary. It can be donated or thrown out (if expired or old).
• Have you been collecting hotel soaps, shampoos and lotions? Or do you have several make up samples that you will never use? If so, either use them now or donate them to a women’s shelter. They are always in need of toiletries.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Purge First

2011-01-02T15:24:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year. The Sunday paper was full of enticing ads for inexpensive organizing materials. But before you rush out to stock up on what you may or may not need, take this bit of advice: downsize first. When organizing clients homes, I have found that organizing products become part of the problem rather than the solution. Purge first and then take an inventory of what you actually need. Happy Organizing! Happy Organizing!

Managing Gift Cards

2010-12-28T08:19:00.000-08:00

Gift cards usually make a great gift. They are inexpensive to mail and the recipient can get something they really want…..usually. There is a catch to all this – when you receive a gift card to a store/restaurant/location that you do not like or that is not convenient to get to. If this it the case, I have the solution. There are three main websites that will allow you to sell or swap your gift cards for a majority of the face value: cardpool.com, plasticjungle.com or giftcardrescue.com. Simply get online and sell. Another option is to let all your friends know about your unwanted card and see if anyone wants to sell or swap that card with you. You can even post it on Facebook.

Got gift cards that you can use? Make sure you keep them in a way that will make it easy for you to remember to use them. Get a pocket sized photo wallet (places like the Dollar Tree sell these) and keep all your gift cards in that. When you are going shopping or out for dinner, pull out your stash and take advantage of your gifts!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Keeping up with Holiday Decor

2010-11-27T08:50:00.000-08:00

As you are putting up your holiday decorations, set aside any that are broken or no longer appeal to you. Immediately put them in a bag and put the bag in your car to drop off for donation next time you are driving by a location.

5 Quick Tips to Help You Enjoy December

2010-11-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

So often I hear people grumbling about all the they have to do in December to prepare for Christmas. With 52 days until Christmas, why not get a few things done now to make December less hectic?

1 - Get your Christmas cards done now. Pick a fun photo and order your cards. You can get the envelopes addressed and stamped and ready to send.

2- Get your shopping done now. Why wait until the malls are packed? Make a list of all you to shop for and get it done now. You may even have time to wrap before the end of November.

3 - Give your child a Santa deadline. In our house, letters to Santa must be delivered by Thanksgiving weekend to give Santa time to shop. This gives Santa's helpers time to get all that shopping done before the 11th hour as well.

4 - Even if you can't get all your shopping done, at least get the shopping done for those you have to ship gifts to. Get the items purchased, wrapped and shipped before the Post Office gets intolerable. Or better yet - shop online and avoid the Post Office all together.

5 - Shop for hostess gifts now. Don't run around hours before a party to find the perfect hostess gift. Get out there now and find a few cute things that would work for any hostess and keep them on hand for when the party inviations come in.

The Value of Donating

2010-10-15T06:43:00.001-07:00

Something I often hear from clients who are trying to purge is “but I paid so much for that!” or “oh my sister gave that to me so I feel bad just getting rid of it.” Sound familiar? Avoid this road block by placing equal value on getting rid of the item. If you paid a lot for it then it will make a nice tax write off when you donate it. If it was a treasured gift that you just can’t use, why not pay it forward and give it to a friend who can actually use it.

Don’t let actual or emotional value of items hold you back. Remind yourself of the value in having the additional space or the value of less stress from clutter. Furthermore, remind yourself of the value of paying it forward to donating it or giving it away.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Check Us Out!

2010-09-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

We are the new expert at www.answersforelders.com. Check us out!

The Life Skill of Writing Thank You Notes

2010-08-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

Writing thank you notes is an art that need not be lost. It is a life skill that every child should learn and get in the practice of. Personally, I attribute getting jobs to the fact that I followed up the interview with a thank you note. It can’t hurt, right? So how to organize thank yous after a party or holiday?

First off make a list of the gifts received and who they were received by. Don’t have a pad of paper handy? Write what gift the person gave on the back of the card that came with the gift. After the fun, take your list of givers and put them in an obvious spot along with thank you cards, stamps and address labels. Have your child write 3 thank you notes a day until they are all done.

Again, writing thank you notes is a life skill that can only serve your child well. People appreciate being thanked in writing. Kids may fuss about having to do it, but if you make it an easy process it will be easier on everyone.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Getting Organized in a time of need

2010-07-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

I recently got diagnosed with breast cancer. I was immediately overwhelmed with love and support. I realized that I have the most amazing people around me and they all wanted to help. Through this process, I learned a few things about how to organize and help a loved one (or yourself!) who is sick, just had a baby or suffered a recent loss.

1 - Set up a care calendar at www.carecalendar.org. Care calendar allows you to plug in the dates that you need help. By emailing the link to interested helpers, they can sign on and sign up for helping or providing meals. Care calendar even sends reminder emails to those who signed up.

2 – Set up a webpage or Facebook page to easily share updates and information to many. I created a special page on Facebook to share information about my treatments, doctor appointments, etc. I invited those who I wanted to share this information with to join the page, but kept it hidden other than that. This saved me from having to answer lots of phone calls and emails when I was tired and not up for it. It also allowed my husband to post my condition after surgery.

3 – Plan ahead! If you have the luxury of knowing that you will be in a situation like this, do as much as you can to organize ahead of time. In addition to summoning help, pay bills ahead of time if possible, make sure you have written up all pertinent information for the person taking care of things for you, etc. Another good tip – ask to borrow movies and books from friends. You will save money and have plenty of entertainment. Just be sure to label all the borrowed items so you can return them to the correct owner.

3 – The number one thing I learned – accept the help! I have always been fiercely independent and one to take care of things on my own. However, through this process I realized that not only did we (me and my family) need this help, but those around me really wanted and needed to help me. It was good for all of us.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/MSABCFY11GreatWest?px=17366588&pg=personal&fr_id=28076

2010-07-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/MSABCFY11GreatWest?px=17366588&pg=personal&fr_id=28076

Diets and Organization

2010-07-13T05:56:00.001-07:00

Getting the upper hand on back to school

2010-07-05T12:09:00.000-07:00

I don’t know about you, but when school was out, I just took my daughter’s back pack and all the supplies that came home and set it in the garage. I was tired and figured it could be dealt with later.

Fast forward to this week when I noticed school supplies are being put out in the various stores already. This got me thinking about that back pack and back to school. I went to the school website and printed up the supply list. Today I found myself with some spare time, so I pulled out that back pack and dumped out all its contents. I used the supply list and went through to see what can be used again next year. I pulled all that out and then got rid of what was broken, empty or no longer needed.

Next I took my list and walked around the house to see what else we had. I found all sorts of things that allowed me to cross more off that once long list. I took everything and put it back into my daughter’s backpack, zipped it up and put it back into the garage. I took the remaining list and put it in my purse so I can pick up what is needed as I am out and about on regular errands.

This whole process took me less than 10 minutes. It is now one less thing to worry about come September. Not only did I save a lot of money by re-using but I am being more eco-friendly as well. I realize that most parents aren’t ready to think about back to school yet, but what better time to knock this out? Come September, you will be glad you have less to get done.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

How to donate old appliances

2010-06-25T20:10:00.000-07:00

Do you have old appliances that are sitting around, monopolizing valuable space in your home or garage? Or are you about to upgrade your appliances, yet you are unsure what to do with the ones you currently have?

Below is a list of organizations that take donated appliances. Not only will you be clearing your clutter, but you will be helping out someone in need.

The Salvation Army
With thrift stores located throughout North America, The Salvation Army can schedule a pickup from the thrift store nearest you. Check with your local Salvation Army office to see if they accept appliance donations in your area. Learn more at www.salvationarmyusa.org.

St. Vincent de Paul
St. Vincent de Paul is a national organization with thrift stores throughout the country. Contact your local chapter to arrange for a pick-up or drop-off. The number will be listed in the Social Service Organizations section of your local yellow pages. Learn more at www.svdpusa.org.

American Council of the Blind
American Council of the Blind has thrift stores in a number of major metropolitan areas. You can call them at 1-800-866-3242 or visit www.acb.org.

Habitat for Humanity
Habitat ReStores are retail outlets where quality used and surplus building materials are sold at a fraction of normal prices. For more information, call 1-800-HABITAT or visit www.habitat.org.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Keeping Summer Organized

2010-06-17T08:54:00.001-07:00

Summer can be an unstructured and relaxing time, but that can also lead to more disorganization. Here are some tips for keeping things running smoothly:

• Keep travel-sized sunscreen and bug sprays in your car. That way you never are without it.
• Buy a mesh laundry bag at the dollar store. This is a great bag to tote beach gear/toys around in. Not only will it keep all your beach toys in one place, it is easy for transport and the mesh material allows sand to be shaken out at the beach (not inside your car).
• If you are out of school and at home with the kids for the summer, keep a schedule anyway. Pick a certain time each week for cleaning, one for errands, etc. Let the kids know that despite the laid back feel of summer, things still need to get done and post your schedule.
• Another idea is to post a list of jobs that need to be done and assign prices to them. Allow the kids to earn extra money throughout the week and then make time for a trip to the store to spend their earnings. This is a great thing to send the kids to when they whine about being bored.
• Right now is a great time to do a check of all summer equipment. Take a half hour to check all your equipment to make sure it is in good, safe, operating order. If it is not, get it fixed right away so that when you are ready for fun, your stuff is ready to go too.
• Set up a box in your garage or extra space. Make this your “donate/sell” box. As you go through summer, put anything that no longer fits, works or is used in that box. At the end of the season, take any summer items not used and include them in the box. If you didn’t use it this year, you most likely won’t next summer either. Lighten your load.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Clearing out old electronics

2010-05-21T06:56:00.001-07:00

Do you have an electronics cemetery in your house or garage? You know, the place where old electronics lay in rest while you ponder what to do with them? If this sounds familiar, Costco has a solution. Costco has a trade in program for electronics, gaming systems, cell phones, etc. In some cases, you can even get money for your trade ins!

Go to www.costco.com and click on electronics. Then go to “Trade in program” listed on the left menu column. It is very simple. Now you can clear that old electronic clutter, help the environment by practicing proper disposal AND possibly help your pocketbook. Win.win.win!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Setting realistic goals

2010-05-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

Getting organized can feel overwhelming. Clients always tell me that they feel exhausted just thinking about the process. Quite frankly, any major project or life change will feel overwhelming if it is not broken down into realistic, attainable goals. So in order to get organized, break it down and get realistic.

For example, your organizational goal is to clear off your kitchen counter and keep it that way. Break it down and spend 15 minutes a day tackling one pile at a time. When your 15 minutes is up and one pile has been managed, congratulate yourself on a job well done and feel satisfied that you accomplished the goal for the day. Keep chipping away until the entire counter is cleared.

Next, set realistic goals. In some cases, it is highly improbable that your kitchen counter will stay cleared for long. Unless you live alone, your counter may have the tendency to be a catch-all location for all other residents. So set a goal that is realistic for everyone involved. Maybe put an inbox tray or basket on your counter and let everyone know that if papers must come in, they are to be put into the basket. This way, most of your counter gets to stay clean and you are not feeling like an organizational failure every time Junior plops his school papers back on your clean counter.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

How to make your frantic times more manageable

2010-04-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read any of Stephen Covey’s books? If so, you are familiar with his quadrants. Covey explains that there are 4 quadrants of operation:

1. Important and Urgent (crises, deadline-driven projects)
2. Important, Not Urgent (preparation, prevention, planning, relationships)
3. Urgent, Not Important (interruptions, many pressing matters)
4. Not Urgent, Not Important (trivia, time wasters)

Even the most organized person can be thrown for a loop in life and be forced to operate in the 1st quadrant. Things just explode and you are basically just surviving. But if your life is generally organized, than not only will you weather the storm with less fall out, but you will also recover more quickly.

Why not schedule a little time out of a 2nd quadrant day to do some organizing? Take a day that is less hectic then the rest and take a half hour to get some things in your life in order. If you do this on a regular basis, then 1st quadrant fall outs won’t be so stressful.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Organize that Garage!

2010-04-13T08:54:00.001-07:00

It is spring and as it warms up, it is a great time to get that garage cleaned out! Always begin any organizing project with the process of elimination. The best way to eliminate clutter in your garage is to do small sections at a time. Pick either a corner or a shelf and work on that area only. Focusing on a smaller area is less overwhelming. Take everything out of that space and divide it into three piles: keep, throw away, or donate/sell. After everything is sorted, put the “keep” pile away in an organized manner. Do not put things away as you sort or you are likely to get sidetracked from your main focus. Immediately discard the “throw away” pile, and then either drop off donations or start the selling process of the remaining items. Stay focused until the space is entirely done.

Next, consider your storage space. Shelving is always a great option. Using clear plastic storage bins to hold categorized items, such as holiday decorations or camping equipment, is the way to go. With clear bins you can see what you have inside without having to pull the bin down and rummage through it. Make sure to label all bins with the general content of the category. Another option is ceiling space. There are ceiling hanging shelves for items infrequently used or there are hooks that hang from the ceiling and hold bikes or sporting equipment.

Finally, install your storage items and put everything away in a neat and categorized way. Now that everything has a home, keep it there. Enjoy your clean and usable space!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Spring Cleaning Success

2010-03-25T08:37:00.001-07:00

Spring is here which may put you in the mood for some spring cleaning and organizing. In order to keep the enthusiasm up and not overwhelm yourself, remember this: you don’t have to completely organize your life or even your garage in one day.

Think about it this way – on those organizing shows where they completely overhaul someone’s home, they take a full weekend with a full crew of professionals doing all the heavy lifting. Most of us don’t have a full crew to do that for us. And organizing gets tiring if you try to do it for hours on end. So make it easy on yourself by breaking it down and making your goal achievable. After all, what is more inspiring then achieving your goals?

Set aside a small amount of time that is realistic to dedicate to organizing (this means don’t answer the phone, don’t get sidetracked by children, don’t answer email). Whether it is 15 minutes or two hours, make sure that it is dedicated time where you won’t be distracted. Start with a small section at a time. Pick a closet, a cupboard, a drawer or a corner of the garage. Focusing on a smaller area is less overwhelming and more realistic. Take everything out of that space and divide it into three piles: keep, throw away, or donate/sell. After everything is sorted, put the “keep” pile away in an organized manner. Immediately discard the “throw away” pile, and then either drop off donations or start the selling process of the remaining items. Don’t be tempted to put things away in the middle of this process. That can be done later, after your time is done.

Chip away at the big project. Make your goals small and realistic goals so when you achieve them, you are inspired and motivated to continue on. Congratulate yourself on a job well done! Lastly, make another appointment with yourself to do more organizing. Give yourself the gift of that dedicated time to make your life run more smoothly and be less overwhelming. Being organized is a huge stress reliever and will save you time in the long run. Go for it!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Managing Greeting Cards

2010-03-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

Something that seems to haunt many clients is greeting cards. We usually find them in all kinds of places, well after the date that they were supposed to be sent. The solution? I have two options:

1 – buy a greeting card organizer and keep it in plain sight. Keep it stocked with cards and close to a calendar. When you notice that a birthday is coming up, take out a card and get it in the mail.

2 – join Send Out Cards - http://www.sendoutcards.com/celticblessings. With send out cards, you can plug in birthdays and special occasions well in advance. You can even do your Christmas cards in March and they will go out on the date in December that you choose.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Just do it

2010-03-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

How do you stay organized? Handle things right away. It is as simple as that and you will make others very happy in the process. Got a party invite? Sit down and RSVP right away and put the date on your calendar. Not only is it off your plate, but your host/hostess will truly appreciate your prompt response. Borrowed a book from a friend? As soon as you finish it, give them a call and arrange a time to get it back to them. You will have one less thing sitting around your house and your friend will be more apt to loan you stuff in the future. Have a bag of stuff that needs to get donated? Put it in your car right away and the next time you are driving by Goodwill, you can quickly drop it off. Goodwill can use the help and you will have less stuff in your house.

You set things aside thinking that you don’t have time to deal with it, but then it weighs on your or you forget it completely. Stop the cycle. Deal with things immediately. Not only will you be happier and less stressed, but those around you will deeply appreciate it too.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Getting Organized to Move

2010-02-16T20:02:00.000-08:00

Whether moving across town or across country, the preparation process can be a daunting task. However, a little planning and project management can make it much less stressful. Remember the three P’s and you will be in great shape: Purge, pack and plan.

As soon as you know you are going to move, start purging. If you have movers coming, take into consideration the cost per pound. When I moved 4 years ago, it was 60 cents a pound. At that rate, do you really want to move stuff that you don’t really use or stuff that is not worth its weight? And even if you aren’t using movers, consider the cost in sweat. The bottom line is less is better when it comes to the moving process.

Pack the things you don’t use first. Save the items that you use every day for last and put a special mark on those boxes so you remember to unpack them first too. Pack items according to rooms in your new home. For example, if you currently have books in your living room, but will have a den with bookshelves in your new home, pack the books in a box and mark it “den.” This way it will get put into the correct room the first time around.

If you are moving cross country and you will arrive at your new home before the movers do, consider putting those must have items in the car with you or in a small trailer so you have them upon arrival (and don’t have to wait for the movers to arrive with it). Throw some paper towel and toilet paper in that box too as those are must haves as well.

Like all projects, making an outline of things that need to be done is crucial. Make a master list of all that you need to do and then break it down according to when it needs to be done. List examples are: Do now, do next week, do in two weeks, do the week of the move and day of. Don’t waste energy worrying about things on your “day of” list when you are still 3 weeks away from moving. Put it all on the appropriate list and forget about it until the time comes.

Finally, make a list of all those you need to contact for address changes. As soon as you know you are moving, start jotting down the name and number of everyone who mails you anything. As bills come in, add that name/phone number to the master list. When you make the phone call to start/stop service or change your address, make a note of the name of the person you spoke to, the date and time. I know from unfortunate experience that this is completely necessary. You can refer back to it when you find out that they never got your phone service turned off and want to charge you for months you weren’t even there.

Happy Moving!!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Quick Kitchen Organizing Tip:

2010-02-02T08:46:00.001-08:00

Pick a cupboard or drawer to start with. Get a box and pull everything from that space. Keep it in the box unless you use it. If you do use it, then put it away after. If you don’t use it, it stays in the box. Give it a month. At the end of the month if you have not used it, you probably don’t really need it.

Cleaning Up the Clutter after the Holidays

2009-12-21T14:35:00.000-08:00

Christmas is right around the corner and your about to get slammed with a lot more stuff. Once the unwrapping dust has settled, you need to decide what you are keeping and what you are getting rid of. If you do not like or can not use a gift, DO NOT give it a home in your closet, drawer or garage. Put it right into your garage sale box or into your car to take to consignment. Websites like Garage Sales Tracker have a directory of all your closest consignment stores with directions. Check them out at http://www.garagesalestracker.com/

Purging before the holidays

2009-12-03T09:59:00.001-08:00

Tis the season for gifts and more gifts. While we love all the fun of giving and receiving, you may be worried that your home is cluttered enough with stuff that you don’t use. In anticipation of the new goodies, why not clear the clutter?

Spend 15 minutes a day going through one small area at a time. Pick a drawer, a cupboard or the corner of a room to do in one time period. As you are going through, keep reminding yourself that clearing clutter is also opening up space for new and useful things. Once you receive all your fabulous new gifts, you will have a nice neat place to store them.

This is a great activity to do with your kids as well. Teach them a lesson in organization by showing good clutter management habits. Set aside some time with them before the holidays to go through their belongings and get rid of what is broken, no longer used or still in the box because it was never used at all…. Not only will they learn clutter management, but they can also join in the holiday spirit by donating these no longer needed items to a worthy charity.

Don’t let the happiness of receiving be overshadowed by the stress of adding to a cluttered space. Just a small amount of time per day can transform your space into a functional and stress free environment. Happy holidays!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Clear out Handbags and Help Another Person

2009-11-16T16:09:00.000-08:00

The icing on the cake with organizing is being able to find a really good *new* home for items that someone is getting rid of. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting the owner of Heaps of Handbags, Carrie Gendron. Heaps of Handbags takes donated hang bags and cleans them up to re-sell. The proceeds of the sales go to fight human trafficking. Not only are you clearing your cluttered closet by getting rid of the handbags you don’t really use, but by donating them to Heaps of Handbags, you are reusing items and helping your fellow man. To learn more about Carrie’s business or to donate bags, check out her website at www.heapsofhandbags.vpweb.com.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Maximizing cupboard space

2009-11-04T06:36:00.001-08:00

Kitchens are one of the main areas of concern for those dealing with disorganization. One of the main complaints I hear is that kitchens are too small. Step number one is to de-clutter as there is always a lot of unnecessary stuff in there. Step number two is to maximize space.

So many kitchens and bathrooms are full of unusable space. Deep cupboards are one of the biggest culprits. Unless you are Stretch Arm Strong, how on earth are you supposed to utilize the space in the way back of that 3 foot deep cabinet?

The solution? Roll-out drawers. Roll-out drawers make it possible to maximize cupboard and cabinet space. They are cost effective and easy to install. The people at Shelves to Drawers Company make it really easy to do it yourself. Check out their selection of Shelves to Drawers Roll-Out Storage Solutions at: http://www.ShelvesToDrawers.com

Books, books, books

2009-10-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

One of the main things that I end up hauling out of the homes of my clients is books. Books, books, books. I am an avid reader, so I get the allure. However, the luster quickly fades when you realize that you have no more room in your living room and piles of books in boxes eating up your garage space. So here are some ideas:

• Use the library. Now you can go online to reserve books. When they arrive, the library will email you. What a great system! You may have to wait for a bit on the new releases, but considering you are paying for the library through your taxes, it is smart to get your money’s worth.
• Try http://bookmooch.com/. At Book mooch, you share books with others and all you have to pay is the shipping. While it isn’t free like the library, you won’t have to wait for the new releases.
• And if you absolutely must buy new books, try selling them at www.half.com when you are done. The buyer pays shipping and you can get back part of the cost, plus save space in your home.

I mean, really, if you don’t re-read the book over and over or use if regularly for reference, then you don’t need to have a copy on your shelf. Save a tree, your sanity and a buck by sharing books instead.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Prepare now for the holidays

2009-10-13T12:32:00.000-07:00

Depending on when and how you celebrate your holidays, you have approximately two shopping months left until the big season. Do you feel like the weight of the world (or maybe Santa’s sleigh) just fell on your shoulders? Never fear.

Christmas, Hannakah and all other holidays should be treated like any other big project. Since the holidays come at the same time each year, we can anticipate them and prepare so December is not a month you dread as much as the dentist. Right now I want you to sit down and make two lists. The first list will be of all the people you want to buy gifts for. The second list is a “to-do” list of everything that needs to be done in preparation for the holiday season.

Done? Great! Now it is time to break it down. Let’s start with the gift list:
• Can you make this list any smaller? What I mean is, do you really need to buy all the people listed gifts? Do you think that anyone on that list might give a huge sigh of relief if you suggested to them that you skip swapping gifts this year? I made this suggestion to my siblings and they jumped right on board. We agreed to exchange kids’ gifts only, cutting my shopping list by four.
• Shop online!! You may pay a bit more, but think of what you save in gas, time, stress….need I say more?
• Group gifts that need to be bought by the store they will come from. Then find times between now and December when you will be in the area of those stores. Keep your list with you and get that shopping done when you are in the neighborhood so you aren’t running all over town later.
• Not sure what to get people? Carry the list in your wallet year round. When you are out running errands, pull out your list and remind yourself who you need to shop for.

With your to-do list, group items according to when they need to be done. For example, in October you can pick a photo for your holiday cards and stock up on wrapping supplies (thanks to our friendly retailers who have had holiday displays out for a month now), but you need to wait until closer to the holidays to decorate the house and bake cookies. Once things are grouped according to when they need to be done, start plugging them in to your calendar, spreading tasks out by doing a few little things each week. “Getting ready for the holidays” sounds overwhelming. “Go buy stamps for my holidays cards” does not. Break big projects down into small tasks. Assign them to yourself months in advance, depending on when they need to be done. Have peace of mind knowing that everything that needs to be done is written down and that you don’t have to worry about most of it today.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Great Press for Clear the Clutter

2009-10-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

I was just interviewed last week by a reporter at the Everett Herald. Follow this link to see what I had to say about organizing.

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091001/LIVING03/710019974

Organizing Basics Class

2009-09-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

Come join me for a class on Organizing Basics. In this class you will get inspired as you learn great ways to break down the task of organizing into simple, easy to do steps. Tips on how to inspire your kids to be more organized will be discussed as well. For more information or to register, please go to http://www.monroe.wednet.edu/COMMUNITY_SCHOOLS/Fallclasses.pdf or call 360)804-2570. Come join me on Monday, October 12 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM. Cost is $15.

Save space in your closet

2009-09-07T09:28:00.001-07:00

Small closets? Transition your clothing seasonally. Store out of season clothing in storage boxes, chests or even cardboard wardrobe boxes in your garage. When the weather changes, make your transition.

When you hang your new seasonal clothing, face the hangers backwards in the rack. When you wear an item, wash and re-hang, put the hanger on the correct way. At the end of the season, whichever hangers are still backwards are holding items that you never wore and can get rid of, rather than storing for the next year.

Another way to maximize space is with huggable hangers. These hangers are great because they are really thin and allow you to fit more into your closet.

All the storage items listed can be found and purchased on the suggested products list at www.cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Being prepared for illness or death is the best gift you can give your loved ones.

2009-08-25T09:54:00.001-07:00

About a year ago, I sat down with my Dad and filled out a life organizer with him. He scoffed at first, but when I explained how important it was, he agreed and got it done with me. At that time we also reviewed all his legal documents to make sure that everything was in place in case of a tragic situation. I got copies of everything and kept them on file at my house. Today, as I write this, my Dad is laying in the hospital unable to respond. In my state of worry, it is hard for me to think straight. His life organizer has been my saving grace. Having all the vital information at my finger tips has been crucial to handling his affairs for him. Death or illness can hit you or a loved one suddenly at any time. Are your affairs or those of your parents or loved ones organized in such a way that your spouse, good friend or family member can easily step in and take care of things for you? If not, read on….

Every family should have a life organizer. You can make it or buy one (check out the Savvy Senior Organizer at www.colorfulimages.com – not just for seniors!!). A life organizer is a notebook or file that contains all the most important information needed to manage your household. Information about medical, insurance, bill paying, children’s school, pet’s needs, passwords, etc should be included. Having all this information in a safe, central location will save your loved ones a lot of grief at a time when they need to focus on getting things handled. Life organizers are an invaluable gift.

Furthermore, every person should have a will, power of attorney and medical directory. Death is a very hard topic to discuss, however, being prepared for it is the best gift you can give your loved ones.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Organizing in the event of a death

2009-08-13T16:10:00.001-07:00

The loss of a loved one is difficult in so many ways. One of the challenges at a time like this is clearing out their home or closet, yet it is a task that must be handled.

If there is no statement of who is to get what item, I recommend bringing all the loved ones together and assigning them each a specific colored sticky note. Allow each person to go around the house or room and put their color sticky on any item that they would like to have. Have an agreed upon way to deal with any item that is wanted by more than one person such as a coin toss or a hat to draw a name from. You may be surprised to find that people tend to want very different things.

If there is still a great deal of stuff, consider having an estate sale. If you go this route, you simply need to get rid of the obvious trash or unsellable items and leave the rest for buyers to look through.

If you do not want to have an estate sale, you want to break the space up into small zones and tackle one zone at a time. Set up a pile for “donations” and a pile for “trash.” Mark your piles so it is easy to recall which is which when you get going. Now pull everything out of the zone and start separating it out. Once everything is separated, put the trash in the garbage can and the donations in your car to drop off or on the curb to be picked up.

Keep in mind that hiring a professional organizer can be a huge help at a time like this. People tend to attach their raw emotions to objects and keep things to remind them of their lost loved one. While it is fine to keep mementos, keeping too much or items you don’t have room for creates new problems. A professional organizer can help you to keep things in perspective and offer ideas on how to preserve memories without impacting your living space.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Back to School Time Management

2009-07-31T12:47:00.000-07:00

For parents, the summer countdown is on. With about a month to go until the coveted first day of school, there are steps that can be taken to make the transition go smoothly.

Back To School Supplies: The lists have been out for a while now, so there is no reason not to have all the items purchased already. Take advantage of good sales as well as large inventory. Don’t wait until the last minute to get all of this taken care of.

Sleep Adjustment: Been sleeping-in this summer? About two weeks before the first day of school, start going to bed earlier and getting up closer to the time you will have to in the fall. Give yourself and the kids a week of getting up at school time before school actually starts. This will make the first day of school much less exhausting as you will already be back into part of your routine.

Paper Management: Back to school means homework, but also lots of paperwork for Mom and Dad to manage. Set up an inbox system in your home. Train your kids to get in the habit of emptying their folders when they first arrive home. Their homework goes into their inboxes (or gets done right away) and the papers for parents go into your inbox. This gives those piles of paper a home, instead of being thrown into an already existing pile. Be a good example to your kids by keeping on top of your inbox. While the kids are doing their homework, sit down and go through your inbox. Write dates on your calendar and sign things that need to be signed. Process each piece as it comes in so a huge pile does not take over.

After School Activities: Start looking into options now. Have a family meeting in which everyone sits around the master calendar. Discuss which activities everyone wants to participate in. Write them on the calendar in pencil to see how they all work together. If there are conflicting activities, come up with a fair way to decide what will stay and what will have to be skipped. Again, be an example for your child in time management and setting priorities. And don’t be afraid to set boundaries and say no to too many activities. Your child may not agree when you tell them no, but in the long run, they are learning a valuable lesson.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Handy Sunscreen

2009-07-24T21:04:00.001-07:00

During summer, nothing is more important than protecting your skin from the damaging sun. But how often do you find yourself out in the sun with no sunscreen handy? Keep a small container of sunscreen in your purse and/or car. Use a contact lens holder or empty pill container to carry a small amount of sun screen around at all times. Never get caught in the sun unprotected again.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

De-Clutter Your Jewelry Box

2009-07-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

Do you have a jewelry box full of old broken chains? Earrings you will never wear? Or bracelets your grandma gave you, but are not your style? Why not sell it and de-clutter that box?? Gold is extremely valuable right now! Not only can you make room for the pieces that you actually like, but you can walk away with some extra cash in your pocket. Clear the clutter is now offering gold and sterling silver buying services. Contact us for more information!

Helping Kids to Get Organized

2009-07-08T11:37:00.001-07:00

Summer is a great time to help kids get their rooms organized. With more spare time, you have a great opportunity to start some new habits. Organization is a life skill that needs to be taught just like nutrition and personal hygiene.

Start with motivation. Give them a reason to want to get organized. Make getting rid of unused stuff an opportunity to make money by offering to hold a garage sale with their old stuff. Let them keep the profits. Another option is to give them a chance to be charitable. Find a family in need or an organization you believe in and donate the old toys.

Show them the way by doing it with them at first. Set aside 10 minutes a day to do this together. Show them how to pick one small area to work on. Take everything out of that drawer, corner, or box and then start sorting. Remember to immediately put all donations in the trunk of your car (or somewhere out of sight) as kids tend to want to take things back if they see them again.

Once you have sorted out everything that is going to go away, help them create a new home for what is left. When something has a home, it is easy to put it away. Encourage them to be creative by having them decorate labels to mark boxes or drawers. Another option is to have them take photos of the neat areas. Post the photos in that area so they can easily remember where everything goes.

Help them to maintain their neat space by setting aside time at the end of each day to tidy up. Set a household rule that towards the end of play dates, guests help clean up also. Help them to understand why neatness and organization is important for tranquility in your home.

You can make daily maintenance fun too. Make up a silly song that everyone has to sing while cleaning up. Set a timer and have a contest to see who can do their area the quickest. You can also hold neatness contests. Award a winner each day and track the winners on a sticker chart.

Another opportune time to get kids to weed out unused toys is right before a birthday or Christmas. Remind your kids that there is only so much room. With the prospect of new toys on the horizon, it is important to make room for the new by clearing out the old.

If you are dealing with organizing issues yourself, be a role model for your child by seeking assistance for yourself. Hire a professional organizer to come work with your whole family to make your home a more peaceful environment.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Organizing for a Road Trip

2009-06-23T11:45:00.001-07:00

So you are taking a road trip? Visions of the Griswalds come to mind? Road trips are so much fun, but only if you are organized.

As with any trip, pack lightly. Really, unless you are travelling to the deep center of the jungle, you can buy anything wherever you are going. I have driven cross country many times and I can attest to the fact that there is a Target or Wal Mart pretty much anywhere now. So don’t pack your entire house and keep in mind that if you forgot something, you can most likely pick it up along the way.

To help with packing, plan out your clothes by making a stack for each day. Think about what you might be doing that day and make sure you have everything you need in the stack. You can even pack each stack in a small bag (like the bags you use to bring home groceries for example) for easy transport in and out of hotels. This way you don’t have to lug your big bags in and out. You can grab one bag of clothes and a toiletries bag and off you go.

Also, when getting dressed the morning you leave, make sure that as you use each toiletry, you pack it (or a travel sized version) right away. This way, you are sure to have all your essentials. Keep your pjs in this bag too as you will need them each night.

I suggest bringing along a cooler and some groceries too. You can save money and eat better if you bring along some staples from home such as water bottles, fruit, a loaf of bread, peanut butter and jelly, etc. Save room in the car for the cooler so you don’t have to pull over for snacks or drinks.

Traveling with kids? Pack each child a plastic box or bag with paper, crayons, silly putty, cards, electronics, etc. Let them pick. Keep each child’s own box/bag next to them in the car so they can entertain themselves on the road.

Speaking of electronics, those cords and chargers can get out of control. Prepare a Ziploc baggie for each electronic device. Use a sharpie to write what each bag is for and then keep all chargers, plugs, extra batteries, ear plugs, etc in the appropriate bag.

Most of all, have a great time and enjoy the scenery!! And if you have any other great trip ideas, please share them!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Getting Organized for Summer

2009-06-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

Processing Mail

2009-05-31T19:25:00.001-07:00

One thing that consistently comes up is how to deal with mail. It tends to get thrown on the counter and pile up quickly. Mail needs to be processed immediately. On your way back from the mailbox, make a stop at the trash can. Throw away/recycle anything that you don’t need or aren’t interested in. For example, those grocery store ads that come every Wednesday never make it past my recycle bin. Next stop should be your office, bill paying area or whatever space you have for dealing with household operations. Your mail should be immediately opened and put into its proper home. You should have a shredder located in this area as well.

Every household should have some kind of filing system and bill paying folder system. I prefer the tickler file (see my article on tickler files) but that doesn’t work for all. Open and file your mail. Shred anything that has personal information on it.

This sounds like a lot of work when you have other things to attend to, but giving your mail 5 minutes of dedicated time a day will save you lots of paper piles, stress and possibly late fees later.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Spring Organizing Challenge - Final Week

2009-05-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

Welcome to week 4 of the Spring Organizing Challenge!! How did last week’s challenge go?? I would love to hear from you. This is the last week. I hope you have been keeping up.

This week you are challenged to focus on your hobbies. Whether active hobbies or well intentioned starts, hobby supplies can take over any space.

1. The very first thing I want you to do is sit down with your spouse, partner or roommate and talk about what goals you have for the space that your hobby materials and supplies currently occupy. Do your best to come up with an agreed upon goal. Keep your goal in mind as you proceed.
2. Now answer this honestly – is this a hobby you are actively pursuing? By actively, I mean, you work on it on a regular basis. If so, great – follow my basic organizing steps to weed out what you really need to keep (can be found on my blog). If not, you need to be very honest with yourself about whether you will ever get around to it. Honestly, if you haven’t worked on it in 6 months or more, it probably will never happen.
3. Having a hard time giving up the $500 in scrapbooking materials or model airplane pieces? Consider the price of your peace of mind. Is the initial cost for a hobby never pursued worth the loss of living space and moving forward in life?
4. Here is another option – sell it. Put a post on Craigs List or Ebay and try to recover some of that cost. Many hobby materials fetch top dollar on sites like that.
5. Don’t want to sell it? How about donating it to a retirement home or a place for kids like the Boys and Girls Club. How great would it be for someone else to benefit from all this?

Here are the benefits:

• You will reduce clutter in your home or garage and open up more living space.
• You could save money if you are actively doing your hobby because you will have it all organized, thus knowing what you have and don’t have. Your hobby will also be more enjoyable in an organized environment.
• You will be environmentally-friendly because you are using what you already have rather than consuming more. Or if you are passing on your hobby materials, you are recycling, which is great!
• Should you decide to donate your excess, you will be helping out someone in need which is good for your soul.

Remember – share your thoughts!!! We all want to hear what you did, how it went, challenges you faced, etc. Good luck and have fun!!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Spring Organizing Challenge - Week 3

2009-05-15T05:58:00.000-07:00

Welcome to week 3 of the Spring Organizing Challenge!! How did last week’s challenge go?? Comments? Questions? Issues??

This week you are challenged to focus on your bathroom. Yes, bathrooms need to be organized too.

1. Pick one drawer, cabinet or corner and start there.
2. Pull everything out and start sorting.
a. Check expiration dates on medicines and make-up – throw away anything that has expired
b. Group duplicates together. For example, if you have three extra bottles of shampoo, put them together.
3. Once it is all sorted, take another honest look at everything. Is there make-up that you really won’t wear again? Is there lotion that you just don’t like the smell of? Or do you have enough shampoo samples from the Marriott to provide for an entire small nation? If so, how about purging some of it. Pass the unused cosmetics and toiletries to a women’s shelter. Or, vow not to buy another bottle of shampoo (no matter how good the sale) until you have used up all those sample bottles.
4. When you are putting everything back, keep like items together. Also, consider using the shelf stands that are sold in almost any store like Wal-Mart or Target. Follow this link to see what I mean - http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8832618. These allow you to utilize the vertical space in your cabinets and make it easier to see everything you have. When you know what you have, it is simpler to keep inventory.

Here are the benefits:

• You will reduce clutter in your bathroom.
• You will save money because you will be using up what you already have, rather than buying more of things that you just couldn’t find.
• You will be environmentally-friendly because you are using what you already have rather than consuming more.
• You will save yourself the stress of running out of products because it will be simple to keep inventory of what you have.
• Should you decide to donate your excess, you will be helping out someone in need which is good for your soul.

Remember – share your thoughts!!! We all want to hear what you did, how it went, challenges you faced, etc. Good luck and have fun!!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Organizing Challenge - Week 2

2009-05-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome to week 2 of the Spring Organizing Challenge!! How did last week’s challenge go?? Comments? Questions? Issues??

This week you are challenged to focus on your gift stockpile. You know, the bags of or piles or gifts that you purchased for someone else? If you don’t have one, read on, you might want to start one. I work with so many clients who, as we organize their homes, find items they purchased for loved ones, but then lost in the chaos. This seems to be a common issue as people don’t have a storage plan for this type of item. If this sounds familiar, read on:

1. Designate a space in your house for gift storage. Use a shelf in your closet, a section or your garage of a part of your basement.
2. Make a list of all the people you buy gifts for throughout the year.
3. Measure your space and divide that by the number of people you buy for. You can use paper bags, plastic containers or whatever works for your space. Label each bag/box with the name of one of your recipients. Don’t forget to leave an extra box/bag for miscellaneous gifts. These would be random hostess gifts, children’s birthday gifts, etc.
4. Walk around your house and garage and collect all the gifts that you have purchased for others. 99% of my clients have these scattered around. You know, the great book you found on sale that you know your mother will love for her birthday? Or the cute toy you found on clearance that you can use for someone’s special day.
5. Now put the gifts in the appropriate bags. If you have items left over that you no longer see as appropriate, make a pile for donating.
6. Get yourself in the habit of putting any items purchased in their bag/box immediately. When the holidays or birthdays roll around, all you have to do is go to that person’s box and wrap up what you have for them.

Here are the benefits:

• You will reduce clutter around your house by keeping all these items in one, organized area.
• You will save money because you will not forget that you already had something for Aunt Mildred and buy a second gift. You will also not overbuy for an individual because you will know exactly what you have for them.
• You will be environmentally-friendly because you are using what you already have rather than consuming more.
• You will save yourself a lot of last minute stress when holidays and birthdays come up because you will know exactly where all the gifts you purchased are.

Remember – share your thoughts!!! We all want to hear what you did, how it went, challenges you faced, etc. Good luck and have fun!!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Spring Organizing Challenge - Week 1

2009-05-01T06:26:00.003-07:00

Welcome to week 1 of the May Spring Organizing Challenge!! This week you are challenged to focus on your pantry and food stock. This is what I want you to do:

1. Gather your family, roommate, partner or whomever you share meals with.
2. Open up your cupboards, pantry, freezer, or refrigerator – wherever you store food.
3. Take inventory.
4. Now take a piece of paper and write out the days of the month (you can even print a blank calendar off your computer).
5. You and your committee are going to plan meals for the month using up the items that you have in your pantry or fridge.
6. Once your menu is complete, make a list of the ingredients that you do not already have in stock. Put those on a list and shop for them.
7. Now post the menu on the fridge or on a cupboard door.
8. Did you stumble across ingredients that you have no idea how to use? Either look up recipes you can use on www.epicurious.com or donate them to the local food bank.

Here are the benefits:

• You will have less excess food in your cupboards, making them less messy and making it easier to keep tabs on your inventory.
• You will save money on groceries because you are using what you already have.
• You will not be wasting food that will expire if not used in a timely manner.
• You will be environmentally-friendly because you are consuming what you already have.
• You will save money and be healthier because you should eat out less. Having meals planned out and having the ingredients on hand make it easier to cook at home.

Remember – share your thoughts!!! We all want to hear what you did, how it went, challenges you faced, etc. Feel free to email me photos of your newly organized pantries as well. Good luck and have fun!!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Spring Organizing Challenge - Week 1

2009-05-01T06:26:00.001-07:00

Clear the Clutter Spring Organizing Challenge!

2009-04-28T18:01:00.001-07:00

It is finally warming up and spring is in full swing. With spring comes the desire to open up your windows, get outside and do some spring cleaning. In light of all this, I am starting the spring organizing challenge. Each week during the month of May, I will post a challenge to all my readers. Each week, you will be challenged to get a section of your home organized. I will be asking for lots of feedback – I want to hear about what went well, tips that you came up with, or challenges you faced. We can all learn from each other.

The areas that I am picking will offer other benefits in addition to getting organized. You will be encouraged to use what you have, which will reduce consumption, making this earth friendly as well. Reducing consumption also helps you financially. In these tough economic times, who can afford to waste? This challenge will help you keep money in your pocket by using what you have rather than buying more. Finally, you can make this a lesson for your entire family. Get everyone involved in the challenge to teach your children better organizational/life skills.

Look for the first challenge on May 1. Get ready to get organized!!!!!!!!!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Product Tip

2009-04-21T15:45:00.001-07:00

Come join me for a class on basic organizing!!

2009-04-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

I am teaching a class called Organizing Basics. This two hour class will take place on Thursday, May 21 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at Park Place Middle School in Monroe. This class will inspire you as you learn great ways to break down the task of organizing into simple, easy to do steps. Tips on how to inspire your kids to be more organized will also be discussed.

For information on how to register, call (360) 804-2570. I hope to see you there!

Going on Vacation?

2009-04-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

Online feature

2009-03-25T07:02:00.000-07:00

Clear the Clutter is proudly being featured
www.MomtrepreneurMaven.com. Follow this link - http://jillsalzman.com/crib-sheet-12-clear-the-clutters-meagan-farrell/ - check it out!

Getting your affairs in order

2009-03-19T12:53:00.001-07:00

I have been sick with the flu for a week now. I went from feeling fine to being bed-ridden and exhausted. Does this story sound familiar? Thank goodness my husband was not sick and able to pick up the slack. Even more than that, thank goodness we have a life organizer filled with all our crucial information. The flu or other illness can hit you suddenly at any time. Are your affairs organized in such a way that your spouse, good friend or family member can easily step in and take care of things for you? If not, read on….

Every family should have a life organizer. You can make it or buy one (check out the Savvy Senior Organizer at www.colorfulimages.com – not just for seniors!!). A life organizer is a notebook or file that contains all the most important information needed to manage your household. Information about medical, insurance, bill paying, children’s school, pet’s needs, passwords, etc should be included. Having all this information in a safe, central location will save your loved ones a lot of grief at a time when they need to focus on getting things handled. Life organizers are an invaluable gift.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Photo management

2009-02-26T19:13:00.000-08:00

Do you have boxes of photos that either you took over your life time or that you inherited from a parent or grandparent? Or maybe the photos are in an album, but one of those old magnetic page albums that is now browning. Either way, there are two issues – space and preservation.

I am a firm believer in photo history, but it is only useful if those looking at the photos actually know who they are looking at. With photo scanning so incredibly inexpensive these days, there is no reason not to do it. Companies like www.scanmyphotos.com professionally scan your photos for 4 cents a shot. Once you have them on disk, you have the option of organizing them into folders by person or event or, if you love scrapbooking, you can put them into a digital scrapbook. Either way, you can easily label the photos so future generations will know who is in the photo.

Getting your photos scanned will protect them for generations to come as well as save significant space in your home or garage. And for the future, try using digital photo preservation rather than getting photos developed. If you really want an album to hold, check out the photo books at www.Snapfish.com. These books are personally made with your photos, but are much smaller than a photo album. Either way, you have saved you and your children or grandchildren space, time and memories.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Organizing Class

2009-02-24T06:43:00.000-08:00

Come join me for a class on Organizing Basics. In this class you will get inspired as you learn great ways to break down the task of organizing into simple, easy to do steps. Tips on how to inspire your kids to be more organized will be discussed as well. For more information or to register, please go to http://www.monroe.wednet.edu/COMMUNITY_SCHOOLS/Spring&SummerClasses.pdf or call 360)804-2570. Come join me on Thursday, May 21 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM. Cost is $15.

Organizing your tax information

2009-02-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

Tax season can be stressful on many levels. While this article won’t help you pay any potential bill, it will help to alleviate the stress that comes along with tax preparation. Do you find yourself in a mountain of paperwork this time of year or running around trying to find receipts or figure out miles that you can deduct? If so, follow these easy steps to making the tax preparation go more smoothly you and/or your accountant:

1. Set up a tax file. If you own a business or have business related expenses, you should have two sub folders for home and business. Everything tax related will go in this file.
2. Put envelopes inside these folders. The envelopes should be labeled with items that you claim on your taxes. Examples of this would be medical deductions, advertising expenses, donations, etc.
3. Throughout the year, file your receipts as they come in. Having them organized in such a manner will make it easy to prepare them. It will save you time and money (if you are paying your accountant to organize them).
4. If you are able to deduct miles (volunteer, business, medical, etc), put a small notebook in your car right next to the drivers seat. Attach a pen to it so you always have it ready. Use sticky notes to make dividers in the notebook for all the categories that you get to deduct. For example, I have a volunteer miles section and a business miles section. Every time you drive for one of these purposes, record the miles. When tax season rolls around, all you will have to do is tally the total.

Following these easy steps will save you time, money and anxiety. Tax preparation does not need to be stressful or overly time consuming. Refuse to be that person who has to drive to the post office at midnight on tax day.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Economical and Eco-Friendly Organizing

2009-02-04T12:50:00.001-08:00

One of the biggest mistakes that people make in trying to get organized is by purchasing organizational supplies before reducing what they have. Another catch in this process is the price of all those cute and handy supplies. If you have ever really looked at how much all that stuff costs, you know what I mean. In this economic climate, being creative can save you big money, yet still achieve the same organizational result. You can be economical and eco-friendly by reusing household items to organize your space.

Gallon Milk Jug – I still get the plastic grocery bags because I re-use them for picking up dog waste. They can be neatly stored in a washed out gallon milk jug or orange juice jug. Make sure it is clean and dry and then stuff it with plastic bags and easily pull them out when you need them.

Empty Egg Carton – this can be used to house anything small. Some ideas are jewelry, hair clips, nails, screws, etc.

Shoe Box – A large shoe box is the perfect size to hold your extra supply of greeting cards. You can even take it a step farther and make cardboard dividers to really keep those cards organized.

Behind the door shoe holder – these have multiple uses. While they are great to organize shoes, they also make a great office supply organizer, kids art supply divider or Barbie holder. Don’t throw it away – re-use it!

Coffee Canisters – These are perfect for holding things like tapes, hooks, seed packets, etc in the garage. They stack well too. Just keep them neatly labeled so you remember what you have.

I hope these ideas inspire you to get organized, save money and re-use what you already have. We all benefit from this practice.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Organizing your bathroom

2009-01-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

Keeping Clutter Out

2009-01-09T06:49:00.001-08:00

How about this for a New Year’s resolution – keep the clutter out. You should guard your home against clutter like you guard it against dirt. People worry about keeping their home clean, yet they don’t hesitate to fill it full of un-necessary stuff. Here are some tips for safeguarding your home:

1- Don’t buy it. How often do you find yourself in a store’s clearance aisle thinking “I am not sure what I could do with this, but at this price, I will think of something!” Stop right there. Why are you willing to pay (even if it is only 75 cents) to add to your clutter??? Walk away.
2- Don’t keep it. It is during the holidays that we get so much stuff – often stuff we don’t need, won’t use or just don’t like. Return it if you can. Give it to Goodwill or have a garage sale. Or you can even make it fun and have an exchange with friends where everyone brings stuff they don’t want and swap with each other. No matter how you do it, get it out of your house. If you put it away, chances are really high that it will stay there, taking up valuable storage space and a small piece of your sanity.
3- Give it a temporary home. If you get a gift that you just don’t want/need, but you feel like you owe it to the giver to hold on to it, give it a temporary space in your home. For example, if your mother-in-law gave you a sweater that you just don’t like/doesn’t fit, but you feel like you need to keep it, only do so for the season. After sweater season is over, you can clean out your sweaters and let it go. She won’t expect to see you in it in July and by the following year, she will be focused on what she gave you this year, not last.

The bottom line is that you are in charge of what lives in your home and takes up your valuable space. Don’t be afraid to be selective.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Purchasing Organizing Products

2008-12-30T13:26:00.002-08:00

As the new year approaches, our focus turns to getting organized. What to do with all the newly acquired stuff?? Well, here is a tip - before you go to your favorite store to stock up on organizing supplies, focus your attention on the elimination process. Downsize before you buy. Once you go through all your stuff and get rid of what you no longer need, you may be surprised to find that you actually don't need any organizing supplies at all.

2008-12-30T13:26:00.001-08:00

Dividing Up Chores

2008-12-22T10:14:00.001-08:00

Chore charts are not just for kids. They are also a great idea for spouses or roommates too. Create a basic chore chart on your computer. Make a grid with each participants name and each chore that needs to be done each week. At the beginning of the week, allow all participants to choose their chores. If this is a hassle, write each chore on a popsicle stick and put that in a jar. Have participants take turns picking chores until all are doled out. Mark the assignments on the chore chart and put it up for all to see. This will keep both adults and kids on task.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Article in The Everett Herald

2008-12-09T09:13:00.000-08:00

Clear the Clutter got some nice press today. Check out this article in the Everett Herald:

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20081209/LIVING/712099944/1028/LIVING03#Stocks.down.Clean.up

Why being organized helps your budget

2008-12-09T09:11:00.001-08:00

In these rough economic times, it is important to remember that being organized is also good for your pocketbook. Unorganized people tend to have the following bad economic habits:

• Overbuying – if you don’t know what you have or can’t find something, you will have to go buy another. So often I hear clients exclaim “I have been looking for that! I thought I lost it, so I bought another.” Or as we are organizing their pantry, we come across enough spaghetti to feed a small nation. They had no idea what they had so every time they went to the store, they bought more. Keep things organized and know your inventory.
• Failing to plan ahead – if you do not plan ahead, you spend your life in catch up mode. By not playing on the offensive side and looking ahead, you find yourself always struggling to keep afloat. As a result, you eat dinner out or pick up fast food more often, you buy gifts at the last minute – often paying top dollar or spending more than you planned, or maybe you have to hire people to do things for you because you realize that you just don’t have time to get things done. Plan ahead and know what is coming so you can deal with things in a calm state of mind rather than a frantic, desperate state of mind. Desperation will cost you.
• Not having organized paperwork – do you open and process your mail as it comes in or is it in a big pile, mixed up with other papers that you will get to one day? How will this cost you? In late fees or worse. If you do not process your mail immediately, you may be missing bills that are due, tickets that need to be paid, sign up fees, etc. When you do not pay these bills, you end up paying more in late fees, reinstating fees or court fees. Process your paperwork each and every day in order to keep on top of it.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20081209/LIVING/712099944/1028/LIVING03#Stocks.down.Clean.up

Taking on too much

2008-12-02T08:52:00.001-08:00

Clutter comes in two forms: too much stuff and too much to do. Don’t clutter your mind and calendar with more than you can handle. Set limits and learn to say “no.” Actually, you don’t even have to say “no.” Try saying, “I would love to, but my plate is full at this time.” Even if it is not what they were hoping to hear, they will appreciate your honesty.

Taking on too much stretches you thin and will impact the quality of what you do. Some warning signs of overload are forgetting details, always rushing, and not being able to do a quality job. These are all signs that you need to cut back and do a better job at less tasks.

“But if I don’t do it, no one else will!” you say? How do you know? Try setting your boundaries and not taking on the extra work. You might be surprised at who steps forward. Lots of times when one person takes on all the work, they are enabling others to sit back and rely on them. When they finally pull back and do less, new volunteers are able to step forward and spread their wings.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Organization and Manners

2008-11-10T11:16:00.001-08:00

Organization and manners aren’t two things that are often associated with one another, but they could be. Living in a state of disorganization often leads to unintended bad manners. So often people make comments like “I meant to send a thank you note, but I just forgot” or “Sorry your gift is late. I just didn’t have time to get it to you earlier.” These apologies may have come from a lack of organization and time management. So I challenge you to honestly ask yourself this question: would you rather spend the rest of your life apologizing for failing to do things or would you rather get organized??

To take this a step further, disorganization may also lead to the loss of friends or rifts with loved ones. So often people complain that they never hear from friends or that someone never acknowledged a gift they sent. If this happens frequently enough, friendships may end up falling apart or family problems may crop up. You may have had the best intentions in sending a thank you note or making a thank you call for a gift received, but just didn’t get to it because you are unorganized. However, the gift giver can’t read your mind and is left thinking that maybe you just didn’t care enough to make the effort. My Grandmother used to always say that if “you can’t make the time to properly acknowledge a gift, then why should I make the time to send one in the first place.” Again, I challenge you to make a choice today. Is being disorganized worth upsetting or hurting friends or loved ones over? You decide.

For some great time management tips or ideas for getting organized for the holidays, check out my blog at www.cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Realistic Organization

2008-10-25T16:52:00.000-07:00

I recently did a presentation on the topic of basic organizing. I discussed how the best way to tackle large organizing projects is by breaking them down. The attendees gave me feedback about how relieved they were to hear that just dedicating 15 minutes a day to organizing is acceptable. As a result, I decided to reiterate an earlier point – you don’t have to completely organize your life or even your garage in one day.

Think about it this way – on those organizing shows where they completely overhaul someone’s home, they take a full weekend with a full crew of professionals doing all the heavy lifting. Most of us don’t have a full crew to do that for us. And organizing gets tiring if you try to do it for hours on end. So make it easy on yourself by breaking it down and making your goal achievable. After all, what is more inspiring then achieving your goals?

Set aside a small amount of time that is realistic to dedicate to organizing (this means don’t answer the phone, don’t get sidetracked by children, don’t answer email). Whether it is 15 minutes or two hours, make sure that it is dedicated time where you won’t be distracted. Start with a small section at a time. Pick a closet, a cupboard, a drawer or a corner of the garage. Focusing on a smaller area is less overwhelming and more realistic. Take everything out of that space and divide it into three piles: keep, throw away, or donate/sell. After everything is sorted, put the “keep” pile away in an organized manner. Immediately discard the “throw away” pile, and then either drop off donations or start the selling process of the remaining items. Don’t be tempted to put things away in the middle of this process. That can be done later, after your time is done.

Chip away at the big project. Make your goals small and realistic goals so when you achieve them, you are inspired and motivated to continue on. Congratulate yourself on a job well done! Lastly, make another appointment with yourself to do more organizing. Give yourself the gift of that dedicated time to make your life run more smoothly and be less overwhelming. Being organized is a huge stress reliever and will save you time in the long run. Go for it!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Storing Stuffed Animals

2008-10-10T13:28:00.001-07:00

Do your child’s stuffed toys multiply in the closet overnight? Are they coming out of every orifice because there is no way to really store them? If this sounds familiar, then here is a great solution! Get a bean bag chair cover - just the cover, no filling. Fill it up with all your child’s stuffed animals. Voila! The stuffed animals are contained and your child has a fun chair to read on!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Clear the Clutter Featured in Root and Sprout

2008-10-01T06:03:00.000-07:00

We are excited to be featured in the last few months' editions of Root and Sprout Magazine. Check us out at www.Rootandsprout.com.

Maximizing Closet Space

2008-09-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

Small closets? Transition your clothing seasonally. Store out of season clothing in storage boxes, chests or even cardboard wardrobe boxes in your garage. When the weather changes, make your transition. And when you hang your new seasonal clothing, face the hangers backwards in the rack. When you wear an item, wash and re-hang, put the hanger on the correct way. At the end of the season, whichever hangers are still backwards are holding items that you never wore and can get rid of, rather than storing for the next year.

Another way to maximize space is with huggable hangers. These hangers are great because they are really thin and allow you to fit more into your closet.

All the storage items listed can be found and purchased on the suggested products list at www.cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Managing Sports Equipment

2008-09-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

Sports equipment can get really out of hand. Whether if be for the grown ups or the kids, it can really become a nightmare when you are running out the door and need to gather it all to take with you. Get a special carrying bag for each sport. For example, if you play softball and basketball and your child plays soccer and field hockey, you should have four different bags. You could even color code them by the person. Keep all the equipment for that sport in that bag. Put it right back after it is used and teach your children to do the same. Keep those bags on hooks by the door or in the garage. When you are running out, you simply need to grab that bag and go. No more running around the house trying to find all the gear at the last minute.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Organizing your kitchen

2008-09-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

Ah, the kitchen….. It is always the place where we just don’t have enough storage. As with any kind of organizing, the first suggestion is to get rid of that which is not truly needed. Here are some questions to honestly ask yourself as you embark on this project:

• Do I really need a rice cooker, or can I make rice just as easily in a saucepan? Specialized kitchen appliances are rarely used and suck up a ton of space. Most things can be cooked/prepared with a basic set of pots and pans. Unless you seriously use it on a regular basis, consider whether the same job could be achieved with a more versatile item.
• How much Tupperware does one family honestly use? How many shapes and sizes do you really need? I realize that you may have a lovely coordinating set, but if you aren’t using all the pieces, consider keeping only that which you do use. And, have you considered collapsible pieces? They work just as well and collapse into thin pieces which take up very little space (more information on these on my blog).
• Do you really entertain 50 people at a time? And will the drink be less refreshing if it is served in a different shaped glass? If not, then do you really need all that glassware? I will admit that when I got married, I registered for all those cute glass sets – margarita, high ball, martini, etc. After 12 years of marriage, I am down to water glasses and margarita glasses because those can be used for all types of drinks (and really, the margarita glasses could go too, but I use them enough to justify the space). Also, I went from sets of 12 to sets of 8. Glass wear sucks up storage space like no other, yet most of it goes completely unused.

Here is a suggestion: Pick a cupboard or drawer to start with. Get a box and pull everything from that space. Keep it in the box unless you use it. If you do use it, then put it away after. If you don’t use it, it stays in the box. Give it a month. At the end of the month if you have not used it, you probably don’t really need it.

Another quick thought is to keep any holiday or special occasion kitchen items in storage with your holiday items. For example, if you have a special Thanksgiving platter, keep it with your fall/Thanksgiving décor instead of the kitchen. It not only frees up space in the kitchen, but reminds you that you have it (and should use it) when you get out the holiday items.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Gift Giving With Clutter Reduction In Mind

2008-08-27T17:40:00.002-07:00

Do you ever receive gifts that you simply do not want or can not use? Of course you do – we all do. I have worked with so many clients who have closets full of unusable/unwanted gifts. So what do you get for people that won’t become just more clutter in their homes? Read on for some ideas on how to be a gift giver who doesn’t add to clutter…..

Gift Certificates – People always say that they don’t like to give gift cards because they are not personal. However, I have yet to meet a single person who complained about receiving a gift card. What better gift than being able to get something you really want or need. A wonderful option is www.giftcertificates.com where you can issue a dollar amount for the recipient to apply to the store, restaurant or travel agency of their choice. Furthermore, you can go green and email it so no plastic changes hands.

Consumable Gifts – What better than to give a gift that can be used and doesn’t have to be stored. Food gifts and flowers are always a great option. Another idea is bath and body products. www.ezrioni.com makes high quality, earth friendly products that can be personalized as well. These make great gifts for adults as well as kids, who get a huge kick out of having bubble bath with their name on it. With these types of gifts, you are not only giving the recipient something they can use, but something that will not be a burden to their organizing efforts.

Gift of Experience – Instead of giving an object, what about an experience? Take the recipient to a show or to a cool tourist spot they have never been. Or what about getting them a membership to a cool museum or getting season tickets to their favorite sports team? Instead of filling their closets, why not fill their heart with a fun time they will never forget. If you can’t be there to take them somewhere, why not get them an entertainment book so they can make their own experiences at a reduced price. At www.entertainment.com you can order an entertainment book for any zip code.

Gift of Service – Instead of filling someone’s cupboards, how about getting them de-cluttered! Give the gift of organizing with a gift certificate from Clear the Clutter! Or does your gift receipient always say that they would love to have an interior decorator come? How about a gift certificate from Distinctive Interior Designs (www.distinctiveinteriordesigns.net ) There are so many great ways to spoil your gift recipient through gifts of service. They will think of you and what a great gift giver you are for years to come as they enjoy their newly painted room or organized closets.

As the holiday season starts to slowly come upon us, keep these tips in mind. January is a time of de-cluttering households. You don’t want to spend your hard earned money on gifts that will just end up going out with the rest of that clutter.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

2008-08-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

Giving Directions

2008-08-05T15:04:00.001-07:00

Here is a quick organizing tip for the day. If you entertain a lot or have recently moved, you probably have people asking for directions to your house on a regular basis. Simplify things by writing up a good set of directions in a word document. Save this on your computer. Every time someone needs directions, just email them the attachment. Quick and simple!

Organizing for Back to School

2008-07-31T15:12:00.001-07:00

Great Organizing Products

2008-07-10T05:57:00.001-07:00

There are two areas that I hear about over and over again – the closet and the kitchen. Both seem to be perpetually too small. Since most people either can’t afford or don’t have the room to expand, I am always on the look out for ideas or products to solve this problem. Recently, I have come across a great product for each area.

Huggable Hangers - https://www.huggablehanger.com – These hangers are fabulous! They are thin so they take up much less space. They can be purchased at Target as well as online. They also offer graduated hangers to use the vertical space, rather than just horizontal.

Rubbermaid Collapsible Containers - http://www.rubbermaid.com – Collapsible Tupperware, who would have thought?? This stuff is GREAT! I recently purchased some and have tested the product. It collapses into thin pieces and pops right back out. Tupperware or storage containers are always such a huge space hog, but this stuff solves that issue. But before you go buy a huge box, please take a week and really pay attention to how much you really need/use. A trick to doing this is to pull out all of your current storable containers and set them on your counter (or in a bag in the kitchen). When you use a piece, clean and put it back in the cupboard it belongs in. After a week or two, look at the pieces you actually used (those back in their home) vs. those still in the bag or on the counter. Get rid of that which you did not use and replace that which you did use with the collapsible kind. Enjoy all the extra space you have!!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Organizing is Eco-Friendly

2008-06-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

Everyone is talking about being Green or eco-friendly these days. Here are some thoughts on how organizing your life is earth friendly:

When you organize, you get rid of that which you no longer need. If you sell it or donate it, you are recycling. Get rid of what you don’t use and recycle it to someone who can use it. Some great sites for recycling are Craig’s List/free or www.freecycle.com.

If you know what you already have, you will consume less. People tend to overbuy because they don’t remember already having plenty.

Many garages are breeding grounds for pollutants which are not only earth un-friendly, but also kid and pet un-friendly. By organizing your space, you can make sure you don’t have anything hazardous laying around. Check with your local government agency to find the nearest hazardous waste disposal site.

Save a tree – recycle that paper. Most people save/file/pile up way paper that they absolutely do not need. Having organized paperwork will save you stress and most likely a tree or two.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Vacation Planning

2008-06-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

Going on vacation is something we all look forward to, yet it can cause quite a bit of stress during the preparation. Here are some quick tips to make the process of preparing for vacation go more smoothly:

Packing List – type up a general packing list for each member of the family. Save it as a document in your computer. When preparing to leave, print them up and hand them out. This way no one will forget toothbrushes or special medicines.
To-Do List – as long as you are typing up that packing list, type up a to-do list for vacation preparation as well. Include things like “put newspaper on hold” or “ask neighbor to feed fish.” Again, every time you are preparing to leave, you print this up and check off the items.
Contact List – Keep a vacation contact list on file as well. Include emergency contact numbers, addresses for postcards, etc.
Big Trip Preparation – if you are going away for an extended vacation or you are traveling internationally, there will be more things to do to prepare. Make a complete list of all that needs to be done (passport update, money exchange, etc). Open your calendar and break down the items so you only have a few things to do each week, leading up to your vacation. For example, passport updates should be handled 6 months out so there is no stress or rush. Money exchange can be done a few weeks out so you aren’t running to the bank the day before you leave. Plan ahead so you aren’t completely frazzled the week of your departure.

Now go ahead and start off your vacation in a more relaxed state of mind. Enjoy!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com.

Q&A - How to make time to organize?

2008-05-12T05:54:00.000-07:00

Q: I'm in a serious decluttering mode, but can't find the time to do it! What do you suggest? I am not a huge clutterbug, but now with 4 kids in a 1700 sq. ft. home, it's very necessary to purge.

A: I suggest picking a time every day and giving yourself 15 mintues or 1/2 hour to work. Tell your kids that that is your quiet work time and let them watch a video or do a special activity that keeps them quiet. Or you can wait until your husband gets home and do it then.

Another thing I tell clients is to take a serious look at your time. I notice that people think they don't have a lot of time, but really they are frittering it away doing other things (internet, watching t.v., talking on the phone, etc). Maybe log how you spend your time each day for a week and then decide on cutting back on something else to make time for what needs to get done. Good luck!!

Meal Planning

2008-05-06T12:57:00.001-07:00

The average American eats out 3-4 times per week. This is an alarming statistic. Not only is eating out expensive, but it is not a healthy habit. Why do people eat out? They are busy. With many households run by two full time working adults or a single working parent, making meals becomes a burdensome task. It doesn’t have to be, however. Start by sitting down with your family and making a list of all the meals you like. I suggest typing them into a word document so it is neat and can be augmented easily. Personally, I break up my list into main ingredient category, like “beef, chicken, and vegetarian.” If you try a new recipe that you like, add it to the list.

Next, either print out a blank month-at-a-glance calendar from your computer or purchase a write on/wipe off month at a glance magnetic board. Keep this on the side of the refrigerator with a pen handy. Under it, keep a magnetic shopping list pad and your printed out meal list. Once a week or once a month, fill out the calendar, planning all the meals you will eat in that time frame. Once the meals are listed on the calendar, put the ingredients on the shopping list.

Now when you come home, you will already have a planned out meal and all the ingredients available. Not only will you eat out less and save money, but you will also be doing your body a favor by eating better food at home.

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/