 Punxutawney Phil, easily the most famous groundhog alive, correctly predicted an early spring this year which I could not be more excited about! As a professional organizer, springtime means spring cleaning. I get it though, cleaning the house isn't always a fun task even if it is during the springtime. If anything, many of us would rather be out enjoying the nice warm weather instead of scrubbing our floors. Much like New Year's resolutions, spring cleaning often starts with good intentions but can easily be thrown to the side if you are not prepared and organized to get the job DONE! Here are some easy tips from your favorite Certified Professional Organizer® to organize your spring cleaning and make it a success. 1. Gather your supplies Before you start any of your cleaning, make a list of items you will need. This list may include soft cloths, glass cleaner, multi-purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner, trash bags, a duster, maybe Swiffer pads. . . and any other products you use to clean your home. Organize your list by room and write the products you need to clean each room or space even if there are duplicates. A few items I HIGHLY recommend you add to your list is a few boxes or thick trash bags for donations. Additionally, add a a box or two for moving items. When you start cleaning, you may come across a few items that are out of place. Instead of taking the time to put that item in it's place and stopping your spring cleaning flow, put it in the "moving" box and take care of the items once you're finished cleaning for the day. 2. Declutter before cleaning Make sure to declutter your space before you clean it. It is so much easier to dust and wipe down surfaces with less stuff. There are two approaches to this method:
3. Get creative Don't feel tied to the way you had items placed before the decluttering and cleaning process. Be creative with how you decide to reorganize your things and use the space you have. Consider hanging hats on a wall like the image below for instance or using an over the door organizer for your shoes. Being creative can get us excited about organizing and cleaning. It feels good to have a new look in a room which will provide you the energy you need to work on the next room.  Carrie Waller (The Glitter Guide) 4. Clean by Blog Post Take advantage of the resources we offer here on the Sage Organizing Co. advice blog! Consider planning your cleaning by a blog post a day. For instance, Monday you declutter your kitchen then follow these 4 Kitchen Organizing Secrets that will Blow your Mind to guide your cleaning. Tuesday, declutter your closet then follow Sage Organizing's 5 Tips to Organize your Closet. I've included links to other blog posts that may be helpful for your spring cleaning:
Which spaces or rooms do you plan to spring clean? Comment below! If you're looking for more organization ideas and tips, follow Sage Organizing Co. onPinterest! Need more help with organizing your home? Contact us and book a consultation to start your organized life today! Professional Disclaimer: The ideas, recommendations, and opinions on this website, blog, and made in person are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered legal, financial, or medical advice. I am not an attorney, doctor, or licensed financial professional. Sage Organizing Co., LLC is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this website, blog, or in-person discussions. If you need specific legal, financial, or medical advice, consult a professional in your area. Related Articles: How to Beautifully Stage your Home so it Sells in a Flash How to Sort Like a Pro: Advice from a Professional Organizer Nobody Wants the Family Heirlooms: What to Do When it Happens to You 
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 I know it may be something you're hesitant to talk about with a professional organizer, but we gotta handle that junk drawer! Now, don't feel ashamed, we ALL have some degree of a junk drawer in our homes (even professional organizers!) However, we can't let it get out hand. A junk drawer can morph into a junk side table, then into a junk console, and before you know, it's turns into a junk virus, spreading throughout your home. Your favorite professional organizer is here to help you get that dreaded junk drawer organized! The goal is not to eliminate the existence of a junk drawer in your home but instead make it a functional junk drawer. If you're tired of slipping things in your junk drawer and being scared to look in, follow the steps below. Step 1: First, DECLUTTER Take everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, out of your junk drawer (or junk drawers.) Dump it all out on the floor or a large table. Now, go through each item and decide if you need it or not (or as Marie Kondo would say, "Does it spark joy?") Do you really need 12 pens that barely write? What about those Chick-fil-a receipts from last year? If you're having doubts, you probably don't need it. Step 2: Clean that drawer! This is a great time to wipe down and clean the inside of the drawer before you put anything back in. Make sure to get in all the corners and take note of how much space you have in there for your stuff (reconsider decluttering more if you're thinking the drawer is smaller than you thought!) Step 3: Sort your stuff Look at the remaining contents and group similar items together. Try to make your "throwaway/recycle" pile the biggest one and don't hesitate to make a "relocation" pile to put items in different places in your home they are better suited for. It is hard to tell you exactly what these groups should be because everybody's junk drawer is going to be unique! Here is an example of a categorized kitchen junk drawer to get you thinking:
Step 4: Choose a storage solution Based on the number and types of categories you have for your junk drawer, choose a storage solution that has compartments to keep your things organized in your junk drawer. Make sure to measure your drawer! If there are gaps between the storage compartment(s) and the drawer, stuff is bound to get stuck where it shouldn't be. There are a bunch of different options at HomeGoods and Target for your junk drawer. Here are some Amazon links to check out
That's your quick guide to organizing your junk drawer, according to a professional organizer. Now that your drawer is organized, it's time to keep it that way! Check out this post I wrote on maintaining organization to get some ideas. If you're looking for more organization ideas and tips, follow Sage Organizing Co. on Pinterest and get ideas from a Professional Organizer! Need more help with organizing your home? Contact us and book a consultation to start your organized life today! Professional Disclaimer: The ideas, recommendations, and opinions on this website, blog, and made in person are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered legal, financial, or medical advice. I am not an attorney, doctor, or licensed financial professional. Sage Organizing Co., LLC is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this website, blog, or in-person discussions. If you need specific legal, financial, or medical advice, consult a professional in your area. Related Articles: 4 Easy Hacks to Organize your Pantry Unclog your Beauty Drawer with these 5 Hacks 5 Tips to Organize your Closet TODAY   The holidays are over and the twenties are officially upon us. Woo hoo!! The phrase "out with the old, in with the new" is true for many people when it comes to starting off the new year fresh-- organization is no exception! New Year's resolutions are often well-intentioned, but let's be honest-- they are usually thrown to the way-side a month or even a few weeks into the year. Life is busy, work and kids are a lot to manage, how are we supposed to find time to do yoga and eat vegetables 3 times a day?! Whether it's quitting bad habits, starting a new hobby, or adjusting your lifestyle, you can set yourself up for success this new year by implementing organization in your home and schedule! Read on to find out 5 tips to organize your 2020! 1. Utilize a calendar Whether it be paper or digital, having (and using!) a single calendar for all tasks, reminders, appointments, and events is the first step to organizing your day, week, month, and year. Most phones come with a calendar app already installed, but if you aren't a fan of how it functions, there are plenty of other calendar apps you can download. A great benefit of digital calendars is you can also set up reminder notifications to prevent from any confusion. If digital calendars aren't your thing, a paper calendar works too! One thing to keep in mind is to make sure your calendar is portable so you can add events to it even when you're not home. At some point, we all have had to delay scheduling or adding an event to our calendar because it's at home on our wall or desk. A portable calendar makes it easy for you to keep track of your life at home and on-the-go! 2. Post-Holiday Present Declutter Presents are abundant during the holidays which is all great fun until our home gets cluttered. Think about all the presents you received and count them. Now, take that number and give away or throw away the same number of items in your home. Read here to decide if an item should be donated or thrown out! A post-holiday present declutter is a great way to maintain organization in your home and make sure you don't have too much stuff for the space available. 3. Cleaning/Chore Schedule Establishing a cleaning/chore schedule for your household is a must! None of us are excited about cleaning our bathrooms so it's easy to put it off. However, this often ends up in frustration and feeling overwhelmed. A schedule keeps everybody on track and spreads the responsibility evenly amongst all family members. Nobody can use the excuse anymore that they didn't know or forgot they had to do a house chore! Plus, by spreading the cleaning and chores across all family members, you have more time and can realistically plan accomplishing those new year's resolutions! 4. Family Message Board A family message board and a chore schedule sound like they may be same, but these are separate and have their own functions. The chore schedule should show family members their responsibilities for the week or month. A message board is perfect in the kitchen or anywhere everybody in the house passes through to communicate. Messages may be something like, "I fed the dog" or "I'll be back around 6pm" or "dinner is at 7pm." Message boards are an easy and fun way to make sure the whole family is on the same page and knows what's going on. 5. Meal Prep Prepping your meals for the week is another way to manage time plus eat healthy. Meal prepping prevents those times of coming home from work, starving, and not in the mood to make a balanced meal so you just reach for the instant mac and cheese for you and the family. Moments like these are what often lead to giving up on resolutions. Meal prepping gives you a sense of accomplishment and enables you to be more productive during busy weekdays. You can read more details on meal prepping (and how I manage to do it for my family) here. And those are 5 tips from a Certified Professional Organizer® to start your 2020 off organized! Set yourself up for success in the new year by getting your home, schedule, and life organized. What are your New Year's resolutions? Comment below! If you're looking for more organization ideas and tips, follow Sage Organizing Co. on Pinterest and get ideas from a Professional Organizer! Need more help with organizing your home? Contact us and book a consultation to start your organized life today! Professional Disclaimer: The ideas, recommendations, and opinions on this website, blog, and made in person are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered legal, financial, or medical advice. I am not an attorney, doctor, or licensed financial professional. Sage Organizing Co., LLC is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this website, blog, or in-person discussions. If you need specific legal, financial, or medical advice, consult a professional in your area. Related Articles: How I created a weekly routine that works for our family 6 Tips to Maintain Organization in Your Home Your Guilt-Free Decluttering List  Whether you're full of excitement or dread, the holiday season is officially upon us. The holidays can be chaotic no matter your own personal feelings on the season. During this busy time of year, it is easy for your home to suffer from clutter and disorganization. I think it's safe to say we all have the thought of "What am I supposed to do with (this/that/the other)?" more often than usual during the holidays. One holiday tradition that trips up a lot of people is organizing, displaying, and storing greeting cards. We all love seeing adorable pictures of family and friends! However, it is important to establish a functional way to organize these cards so that they don't start taking over all flat surfaces. Your favorite professional organizer is here to help! Here are six ways to manage your greeting cards this holiday season: 1. An easy way to display, organize, and store greeting cards is to hole punch the top corner of each card. Next, grab a binder ring clip and thread all of your cards on the ring. This is a great method to keep your cards from being scattered all over the house and to easily flip through all of them. BONUS: if you're really feeling ambitious, you can create a "cover" card to label the year. A cover card, for example, may say something like "Christmas 2019" or "2019 Holiday Cards." Feel free to make it as pretty and festive as you like!! 2. Another way to organize greeting cards is to store them digitally. Of course, you can scan each card into your computer or laptop but for those of who are a little more technologically challenged, it is simpler to take a photo with your phone. Make sure to create a "2019 Holidays" folder for the photos to be kept in so that you aren't cluttering your phone gallery while decluttering your home! 3. Shop for a festive card holder! You can find just about anything on Amazon, am I right? A great way to show off those beautiful pictures of your kids and grandkids is to use a card holder that doubles as holiday decor. I found this absolutely gorgeous card holder that looks like a chapel here on Amazon: Chapel Card Holder There are tons of different styles if you prefer something else like this Wire Christmas Tree Card Holder 4. Another more "trendy" option for displaying photos and cards is on strings of light using clothespins. Here's a link to a string of lights that has the lights IN the clothespins, we are truly living in the future folks: Photo Clip String Lights A lot of people keep these lights up all year round and switch out the photos as often as they like. This is an easier way to display more recent memories without having to find places for more photo frames. 5. Card storage boxes or accordion file folders are great options for storing those cards of your sweet little ones. Here's a storage box on from Bed Bath and Beyond: Card Storage Box with Dividers Whether you use a storage bin or an accordion file, make sure to take advantage of the labels! You can either label by year or even by child. This is a great way to see how your kids have grown through the years. 6. One last tip is the importance of differentiating cards that turn into keepsakes or clutter. Consider why you are keeping holiday cards? If it's out of pure guilt, know that it is okay to recycle the majority of your cards. The KonMari method is a great tool for this situation. Keep the cards that truly spark joy! What is your favorite way to display or store cards? Comment below! If you're looking for more organization ideas and tips, follow Sage Organizing Co. on Pinterest and get ideas from a Professional Organizer! Need more help with organizing your home? Contact us and book a consultation to start your organized life today! Professional Disclaimer: The ideas, recommendations, and opinions on this website, blog, and made in person are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered legal, financial, or medical advice. I am not an attorney, doctor, or licensed financial professional. Sage Organizing Co., LLC is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this website, blog, or in-person discussions. If you need specific legal, financial, or medical advice, consult a professional in your area. Related Articles: Post-Holiday Organizing: detox + declutter your home after the holidays Gift these 5 Wonderful EXPERIENCES to the Ones you Love Your Guilt-Free Decluttering List   Pantries are like the command center of the kitchen. Our kids and spouses shuffle through them looking for a snack, the chef of the house drags out all the spices for dinner-- our pantries are bound to become a chaotic mess without some organization. Read on for my top 4 easy hacks for organizing your pantry today! 1. Get rid of those boxes Empty out food that comes in cardboard boxes or oversized bags and use clear containers to store your food. This not only helps you fit more into your pantry, but it's also a better system to keep your food fresh longer since the containers will be far more airtight than a box. You can buy clear plastic containers from Amazon, Target, Walmart, or HomeGoods. Mason jars are also a great alternative! 2. Get those cans in order Before organizing your canned goods, it's best to go through them all and make sure there aren't any that are expired. Next, invest in a can rack to keep your canned food from getting knocked over or edging out of its given space in your pantry. You can buy a can rack from Amazon right here! 3. Separate your food by meals/needs Make sure that your food is organized by category. For instance, I like to keep all of my baking ingredients together so I'll keep my vanilla extract (for example) with all my other common baking goods instead of with all the spices I use for cooking meals. I also like to keep all of my "breakfast" food in one area together and "snacks" in a separate part of the pantry too. This makes it easy when you're cooking to just have to look in one spot of the pantry instead of going through the entire space. 4. Add wire shelves Maximize the space in your pantry before sacrificing some of your organizing goals. I personally love to use under shelf baskets like these from Amazon to utilize vertical space. If under shelf baskets don't seem right for your pantry, consider getting shelves for your pantry door like this one. The more space you have, the easier it will be to categorize and organize your pantry so it's not all jumbled. And those are my top 4 easy hacks for organizing your pantry and making your food accessible. It may take a little effort to get it in order at first, but following these pantry organization tips will save you far more time and stress in the long run. If you're looking for more organization ideas and tips, follow Sage Organizing Co. on Pinterest! Need more help with organizing your home? Contact us and book a consultation to start your organized life today! Professional Disclaimer: The ideas, recommendations, and opinions on this website, blog, and made in person are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered legal, financial, or medical advice. I am not an attorney, doctor, or licensed financial professional. Sage Organizing Co., LLC is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this website, blog, or in-person discussions. If you need specific legal, financial, or medical advice, consult a professional in your area. Related Articles: How to Sort like a Pro: Advice from a Professional Organizer 6 Tips to Maintain Organization in Your Home Unclog your Beauty Drawer with these 5 Hacks   Closets: the space that can either fill our hearts with ease or dread. As a professional organizer, I often work with my home-organizing clients on the closets in their homes. It is so easy for these tiny little rooms of ours to become overwhelming, cluttered, and messy because of all that we try to fit in them. Plus, closets are easy to hide from visitors. We just shut the door and blissfully ignore the truth that lies inside. Never fear, Candi is here! I have listed below my top five tips to make your closet an organized dream. I am positive that if you follow and commit to the following advice, you are sure to have a functional, organized closet. 1. Use slim hangers We've all seen the slim, velvety hangers but I promise you, they are NOT a gimmick! They will reduce how much space your hangers are taking up now by 30%. WOW! Now, I know what you're thinking, "But wire hangers are thin too." And yes, wire hangers are thin but they do not hold onto clothes well. Once clothes start slipping off of hangers, your closet is bound for chaos. The slim velvet hangers keep your clothes from going anywhere and the best part about them is they are CHEAP! You can find them at Target, Walmart, Amazon, HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and plenty of other places. I included a shopping link below for your convenience. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PGT9Y1J/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_YLkPDbBK1YQVY 2. Organize shorter garments closest to the door and longer garments furthest away To give your closet a far more organized aesthetic, place your shortest garments closer to your closet door entrance and gradually work your way back with longer clothing. Not only does this look better, but it is easier for you to find the shorter clothing items when they aren't hiding in between your longer garments. This tip will help you find the garment you're looking for, clearly see all the clothing you have hanging, and create a more pleasing and organized closet. 3. Ratios- The One for One Rule Having trouble with a cluttered closet? Still feel like your closet is STUFFED even after switching to slim hangers? You need the One-for-One rule in your life. Every time you buy a new dress, shirt, skirt, pair of pants, whatever is may be, you donate another piece of clothing from your closet. This rule prevents you from cluttering up your closet and helps you let go of the clothes you aren't using. What I love about this rule is once I give away one piece of clothing, I start to notice other garments I should donate too which is a great habit to get into. If you are really committed to sizing down your closet, make it a One-for-Two rule and get rid of two garments for every new one you bring home. 4. Keep the floor as clean as possible This may seem like an obvious organizing tip, but it's essential to keep this one in mind! If possible, try to keep your clothes from draping on the floor. When your floor isn't visible, it is bound to become messy in those hidden areas. Some people are able to keep their shoes lined up and neatly organized on the floor, but this is difficult for most people. I highly recommend using shoe racks to keep your shoes off the floor and organized. 5. Utilize storage boxes to store seldom used or off-season garments I absolutely LOVE this closet organization tip. I have had many clients tell me that their closet is too small or they can't fit all of their things in their closets even after decluttering. Storing seldom used or off-season garments is the key to getting your closet in tip-top shape. You can either grab plastic bins from the dollar store and add labels or go for some pretty fabric boxes to store your clothes. There are also plenty of under bed storage boxes that work great as well. But don't forget: if you store your bulky sweaters, make sure to throw replace them with your summer clothes when you pull those sweaters out. And for a seldom used bin of clothes: be sure to put them back in their designated bin once you're done wearing them so that they don't sneak into your closet space! Those are the 5 tips to get your closet in order! It isn't as hard as it sounds, I promise. Closets can be daunting, but I hope these five snippets of advice will help get you and your closet on track to an organized haven. If you're looking for more organization ideas and tips, follow Sage Organizing Co. on Pinterest! Need more help with organizing your home? Contact us and book a consultation to start your organized life today! Professional Disclaimer: The ideas, recommendations, and opinions on this website, blog, and made in person are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered legal, financial, or medical advice. I am not an attorney, doctor, or licensed financial professional. Sage Organizing Co., LLC is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this website, blog, or in-person discussions. If you need specific legal, financial, or medical advice, consult a professional in your area. Related Articles: 4 Kitchen Organizing Secrets That Will Blow Your Mind Closet Organization ideas + hacks: The 3 commandments How to Beautifully Stage your Home so it Sells in a Flash   Before you can get properly organized, it is important to declutter your home! Now wait, I can already hear you saying, "That's great Candi, but where do I START?!" I totally understand what you mean. It can be hard to decide what to give away and what to keep especially when we feel attached many items in our home. How many times have you thought, "Well, maybe I'll need this sometime in the distant future?" or "What if I regret/feel guilty about getting rid of this?" I know the feeling and that is why I am here to help! I have compiled a short list of 15 items you should NOT feel bad about getting rid of. Whether you are planning on moving, recently moved, or just plain tired of the disorganization, this list will guide you in starting to declutter your home. Some items on the list can definitely be thrown away, but I highly recommend you consider the condition of the item first and if it should be donated so that somebody else can benefit from it. Your GUILT-FREE Decluttering List 1. Old nail polishes and expired skincare/makeup 2. Clothing you haven't worn in years or clothing you bought years ago but never wore 3. Games and puzzles with missing pieces 4. Old children's toys and dog toys (this is important not only for decluttering but for sanitary purposes too!) 5. Books, including recipe books, that you don't plan on reading again or reading at all (be honest with yourself here) 6. Mostly empty cleaning supplies/bottles and condiment bottles 7. Broken jewelry or jewelry you never wear including watches 8. Old receipts, coupons, flyers, notes, and paper (If there is info you REALLY need, transfer it to a document on your computer/phone!) 9. Children's art work, completed school work, and old baby clothes... narrow down to just a few of these if you want memories or take photos on your phone. I know it can be hard, but you definitely don't need all of it! 10. Pens, markers, and any other craft supplies that are old or excessive 11. Old/frayed underwear, socks, and undergarments 12. Plastic bags from grocery and shopping stores 13. DVD's, CD's, and VCR tapes as well as old electronic players 14. Old, damaged cooking utensils such as spatulas and cooking spoons 15. Old or worn rugs, towels, and blankets (I especially like to switch out my old hand towels with new ones so I always have bright white and fresh towels in the bathroom!) Phew, and that's it folks! Of course, this isn't a comprehensive list for everything you need to get rid of, but it's a good place to start. And, let me remind you one last time, you do NOT need to feel guilty about throwing away or donating any of the items I listed! If you're looking for more organization ideas and tips, follow Sage Organizing Co. onPinterest! Need more help with organizing your home? Contact us and book a consultation to start your organized life today! Professional Disclaimer: The ideas, recommendations, and opinions on this website, blog, and made in person are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered legal, financial, or medical advice. I am not an attorney, doctor, or licensed financial professional. Sage Organizing Co., LLC is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this website, blog, or in-person discussions. If you need specific legal, financial, or medical advice, consult a professional in your area. Related Articles: Estate Sales Aren't Always the Answer: Why Estate Clearing Might Better Fit Your Needs How to Sort Like a Pro: Advice from a Professional Organizer Nobody Wants the Family Heirlooms: What to Do When it Happens to You   Makeup: a love-hate relationship. It can be fun to experiment with new makeup products and try out the trendiest lipstick shades, but after the shopping-adrenaline wears off, the sheer number of cosmetic products we each own can be truly overwhelming. Concealers, foundations, eyeshadows, eyeliners, mascaras, blushes, bronzers- the majority of our makeup comes in small, individual containers. With all these small products, it can be hard to have a functional cosmetic organization system. Stop feeling like your makeup storage is grimy and embarrassing and follow these 5 hacks for a clean, organized space to hold your makeup goodies: 1. Throw away all expired makeup/makeup you don't use A lot of people don't realize that makeup products expire. Each item of makeup should have a small picture of container on it with how many months the makeup is good for. For instance, the back of my bronzer says "24M" inside the picture of the container meaning it expires in 24 months. Keeping old makeup not only clogs up your pores, it clogs up your storage too! While you are checking the expiration dates on your products, also think, "When was the last time I used this?" Just because it isn't expired, doesn't mean it deserves a place in your drawer. It can be hard to part with makeup but once you throw away makeup you aren't using, it will make you more conscious the next time you go shopping. Check out this chart to help if you still have questions about when your makeup expires! 
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Hey There!
I'm Candi.
I'm an Estate Clearing Pro + Certified Professional Organizer®, helping people with family in senior care or that have lost someone to clear out all the contents of the house within a week.
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