Redundancy and Automation are Key for Your Digital Photo Backup System

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September is National Disaster Preparedness Month, and it’s that time of year when photo organizers everywhere are posing questions such as…

Did you know that September 27th is Save Your Photos Day? As a member of the Save Your Photos Alliance, I feel that I have a mission to educate folks about the importance of having a system in place to protect your digital photos/videos in the event of a catastrophic data loss. A catastrophic data loss can take on many forms, including the accidental loss/theft of your computer, the destruction of your computer as the consequence of a natural disaster, hard drive crashes, or even an epic computer hack.

Creating a backup system for your digital photo and video collection does not have to be complicated or time-consuming. When creating your system, you should keep in mind the two key features of an effective backup: redundancy and automation.

Your collection needs to be backed up in multiple places

There’s a saying in the industry that your data should not be considered backed up until it exists in at least three places. Redundancy is your insurance against Murphy’s Law and just plain bad luck. Hard drives go bad, devices fail, and cloud services go out of business. If one, or even two of these things happen to you simultaneously, you’ll still have a copy of your precious memories in back up #3.

Keep in mind that your backup copies also need to exist in at least two physical locations so that the offsite copy can serve as insurance in the event that your house burns to the ground or is leveled by a tornado.

The back up process needs to be automated

The more you can create a backup system that doesn’t require any manual processing on your part, the less opportunity there is for human error to enter into the equation. We are busy, overwhelmed, and (let’s face it) lazy at times. So using backup methods that work in the background without any effort on our part sets us up for success!

My 4-pronged approach for safeguarding your photo/digital collection

1. EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE WITH BACKUP SOFTWARE

Purchase an external hard drive that includes pre-bundled automatic backup software. Your hard drive should remain continuously connected to your computer so that it maintains a consistent, real-time backup of your files (your digital photos/videos, as well as all of the other files that live on your computer’s hard drive). A typical 1 terabyte hard drive will cost approximately $100.

2. ONLINE “ALL PURPOSE” CLOUD SERVICE

There are many online data backup services to choose from, including Carbonite, Backblaze, and Mozy. I’ve used Carbonite for years and have been very satisfied with it. I’ve experienced two catastrophic hard drive crashes in the past few years, and was able to retrieve my data seamlessly from the Carbonite cloud service both times. Take some time to research the options; just be certain that the one you choose backs up your files automatically.

3. ONLINE DEDICATED PHOTO STORAGE SERVICE

I know what you’re thinking…a second cloud service? The all-purpose cloud services are great for a nuts and bolts backup, but if you have any desire to edit, organize, and share your photos, then I highly recommend uploading your photos and videos to a dedicated photo storage and sharing site as well. The only disadvantage is that for most of these sites, you’ll have to manually upload your files (but you’ve got an automatic backup in 2 additional locations, so it’s all good!). When choosing a service, here are a few important questions you may want to ask:

What is the cost involved for the size of my digital collection?
Are there any file size limitations?
Can I download my images in full resolution?
Can I control the privacy settings for my collection?
Do I retain ownership of my images?
What organizing and editing features are available?
Can I create photo gifts, products, and prints directly from the service?

Some of my favorite photo storage services include Forever and SmugMug.

4. PRINT COPIES

Creating printed copies of digital photos counts as a back up method…believe it or not! Remember that a print photo can be scanned to create a digital photo in the future.

Some might consider my backup method “overkill”, but when it comes to my family’s memories and our legacy, I feel like there is no such thing as being too cautious. If this 4-pronged approach feels like too much to take on, or if you are not the type who spends a lot of energy fussing over your photos, just complete #1 and #2 and consider your back up system complete.

If you’d like hands-on assistance with implementing your photo backup system, schedule a free phone consultation to learn how I can be of assistance to you.

Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms? Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

Organizing Kids’ Art

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Now that the school year is in full swing, it’s the ideal time to set up systems for processing the various types of paper that you’ll begin to find in your child’s backpack on a regular basis. In a previous post, I proposed a system for handling school memorabilia. Today, we’ll tackle the vexing problem of what do with all of that artwork .

Create an Art Gallery Wall

Find a place in your home where you can prominently display your child’s best pieces of art. Your kids spend a great deal of time and effort producing these gems; creating formal displays that go beyond the front of the fridge demonstrate to them that you value their hard work and creativity! Switch out the pieces on a regular basis as new art comes in.

In addition to using traditional frames to create a kids’ art gallery in your home, you can get creative! One of my favorite methods for displaying art is to use a simple wire and clip system on a long wall. I also love the Lil’ Davinci Art Cabinet, which provides another hassle-free way to frequently change out your art display.

Designate a Temporary Holding Container

For artwork that isn’t quite “gallery-worthy”, designate a container for each child that will serve as a temporary place for all incoming art to be stored until the end of the school year. Make sure that the container is sufficiently large to accommodate oversized paintings and 3-dimensional pieces. I like to use under-bed storage boxes, since that’s where the holding containers live at our house.

Review Your Collection at Year’s End

At the conclusion of the school year, take some time to sort through the holding bin with your child and determine whether the collection needs to be culled down prior to “archiving” it. As you review the collection, you and your child will likely identify pieces that are not significant to either one of you (e.g., coloring pages, etc.).

Give yourself permission to discard these and keep only the pieces that reflect your child’s talent, creativity, and interests. I recommend conducting this end-of-year review with your child; that way, you won’t be tossing any piece that is important to her (even if you don’t attribute any significance to it).

Archive and Share Each Year’s Collection

Once you’ve culled your collection, you may choose to keep the original art and store it in an archival quality container. Alternatively, you can archive the collection by creating digital images of each piece of art. I am a huge fan of this method. Not only does it eliminate the necessity of devoting space in your home for storing tons of artwork, it opens up so many possibilities for sharing your child’s precious creations!

Artsonia

Artsonia enables you to upload your digital images to create an online art gallery to share with friends and family. It also serves as a “virtual museum”, in which your child can display their artwork publicly on the web. This service is available to parents, as well as school teachers!

Artkive

The Artkive app is another option for creating an online art gallery that can be shared with family and friends. Artkive is a free app that boasts some great organizing features, including the ability to categorize your art by school grade, child, and child’s age. You can even name each piece of art. In addition, you have the ability to produce a photo book of your child’s art collection with a few clicks of a button.

Photo Books

Creating digital images of your child’s art work enables you to take advantage of the dizzying array of online resources for creating digital photo books. Sites such as Shutterfly, MyPublisher, Snapfish, and Mixbook make it easy for anyone to create a photo book these days.

You can create a digital photo book for each school year, or create larger books that curate art across several school years. I’ve created photo books for my children’s artwork using Artkive, Shutterfly and MyPublisher. These books can get pricey, so I suggest searching Groupon for current deals when you are ready to create your books.

Photo books are a terrific way to enjoy your child’s artwork for years to come…

Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms? Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

Organizing School Memorabilia

School memorabilia and art are common clutter culprits across many of my client’s homes. If you are a parent, you know how easy it is to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of keepsake papers, awards, drawings and progress reports that enter our homes each week. As the new school year begins, I highly recommend setting up a system to process and manage these papers NOW before the deluge reaches full force!

Don’t have a system? Here’s the one I recommend…

First, head down to your local office supply store and purchase a portable file box for each child (the 12-gallon Flip Top File Box from Staples is the perfect size), a box of hanging files/tabs, and some shipping labels (I recommend Avery 3 1/3×4″ labels). You’ll need 14 folders/tabs/labels per child.

Designate a file folder for each school year (including preschool and kindergarten) using the clear file folder tabs to label each folder (this is where a label maker comes in handy!). In addition, affix a label to the front of each folder that provides a bit more detail regarding each school year. For example, I chose to include the year(s), school, and teacher(s) for that particular grade. I also like to affix a school picture to the front of each folder…cute, eh?

If you use Avery shipping labels, there’s a handy dandy online tool for creating custom labels. I recommend creating and printing all 14 labels at one time, even if your little cutie is only a preschooler this year. That way, you’ll have consistent labels across the folders and won’t have to worry about trying to recreate the labels if your digital file somehow gets misplaced in future years. As you can see below, my label sheets for future grades are all ready to go for my 3rd grader.

Below, I’ve shared some examples of the types of things that can live in the memorabilia folders. For example, my daughter’s 4th grade folder contains key projects for that grade, papers that represent proud accomplishments (e.g., passing the timed test for division!), programs for school-related events, and assignments that reflect her current thinking and interests.

You can choose to include other non-school memorabilia items accumulated during the year as well, which is what I’ve chosen to do. For example, my daughter’s swim team ribbons and Girl Scout memorabilia are contained in these folders as well. Depending on how selective you are when it comes to retaining your child’s art work, you can choose to include a few key pieces of art in the folders as well. I generally recommend a separate method for organizing and storing art, which I will outline in a forthcoming blog post.

The beauty of this system is that it puts a limit on what you can keep.

This process serves as a great example of using what we call in the organizing biz a “limiting container”. By choosing this container, I’ve set a limit on what is an acceptable amount of “real estate” for school memorabilia to occupy in my home. This volume is what feels comfortable for me; of course, you may be willing to accept a much larger real estate footprint in your home if you have great difficulty parting with sentimental items OR you have a significantly larger home.

Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms? Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

Using the Right Tools is Key to Maximizing Dorm Room Storage

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A universal truth about dorm dwelling is that you will be living in much tighter quarters than you are accustomed to at home, AND you will likely be required to share your tight quarters with one or more roommates. For these reasons, you will need to maximize storage space in your small corner of the campus.

Luckily, there are some great organizing and storage tools out there to assist you in taking advantage of every square foot of real estate within your dorm space. These tools will enable you to find storage space you didn’t realize you had in unexpected places, such as:

In The Desk “Zone”

1. Rolling Drawer Cart: One area that you may not have considered when hunting for additional storage space is the area under your desk. Use a rolling drawer cart to store everything from office supplies, electronics, to food. Simply roll it out and slide it over temporarily when you are seated at your desk. Sterilite 3-Drawer Wide White Cart

2. Desk Hutch: An add-on desk hutch (specifically sized for a dorm desk) takes advantage of vertical space above your desk, without the need to fasten something to the wall (which is typically prohibited). It provides a place to house your text books, notebooks, etc. without sacrificing work space on your desk surface. Classic Dorm Desk Bookshelf

3. Desk Chair Storage Pocket: When space is at a premium, you need to “think vertical” and store items in creative ways. For example, using a chair storage pocket takes advantage of the “dead space” on the back of your desk chair, which can be used to store small items such as notebooks, pens/pencils, and electronic devices. Aussie Pouch Chair Pocket

On the Back of Doors

4. Over-the-Door Shoe Organizer: The backs of doors are the most overlooked area for finding hidden storage space. One of my favorite general organizing tools is the over-the-door shoe organizer. It can be used to store just about anything…food, jewelry, accessories, electronics, and yes, even shoes. Be sure to opt for one that has clear pouches, since visibility is key. 24 Pocket Blue Shoe Organizer

5. Over-the-Door Towel Holder: Dorm dwellers need to store their wet towels in their dorm room. What better place to stow them out of the way than on the back of your door! 4-Swing Rack Towel Holder

In the Closet

6. Double Hang Rod: New dorm dwellers will likely be shocked to discover how tiny their dorm room closet is. Take heed! There are a number of ways to maximize space in the closet. If you hang the majority of your clothes, you will definitely want to take advantage of a double hang rod. It does precisely what its name implies…it literally doubles the size of your hang space. Closet Doubler

7. Slimline Hangers: Slimline or “huggable” hangers are a must in your dorm room closet. Their ultra-slim profile will enable you to maximize the number of garments you can hang in that tiny closet. Joy Mangano Huggable Hangers

In the Bed “Zone”

8. Bed Risers: My #1 piece of advice for maximizing dorm room storage space is to raise your bed off the floor so that you can utilize the space underneath it. The best case scenario would be to loft the bed high enough to create usable living space underneath it. If this is not an option, utilize bed risers to raise the bed high enough to accommodate under-the-bed storage containers. Colored Bed Risers

9. Bedside Storage Caddy: You will likely need to go without a nightstand as a dorm dweller. The bedside storage caddy is your new place for housing those “nightstand” items, such as glasses, books, reading light, tissue, etc. Bedside Storage Caddy

On the Walls

10. Wall Organizer: Although you may be tempted to use your walls strictly for displaying decor, be sure to earmark some of the wall space for vertical wall-mounted storage solutions, such as a wall organizer. These can do wonders for keeping desktop paper piles at bay! Smead Cascading Vertical Wall Organizer

11. Adhesive Hooks: One ironic aspect of dorm dwelling is that you’ve never needed to use wall space more, BUT you are typically prohibited from using any type of permanent fastener to hang items on the walls. That’s where adhesive hooks come to the rescue! Be sure to pack a bucketful of adhesive hooks in a variety of sizes. You will be shocked at all of the items you can hang on your walls and doors, as well as inside the walls of your closet (robes, jackets, belts, hats, keys, purses, totes, etc.) using hooks. Command Hook

Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms? Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

College Prep: How to Prepare for Dorm Room Living

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Photo © Depositphotos.com / Candy Box Images

Planning and preparation are the keys to success in so many aspects of our lives, and preparing for your new life as as dorm dweller is no exception! Begin the planning process by gathering as much information as possible about your new “home away from home”.

Research Your New Digs

Luckily, we live in an age where new students can find out everything they need to know about their dorm space well in advance of move-in day. Most colleges and universities provide detailed information regarding student housing on their websites (see my alma mater for example). In addition, you can usually visit an actual dorm room during a campus tour to get a first-hand glimpse of a typical dorm room. Here’s a list of key questions to ask during this information-gathering phase:

What is the size of the overall space/common areas/private areas?
What furniture does the college provide?
To what extent can the furniture be reconfigured?
What storage space do I have for clothing (dresser and/or closet)?
Will I be sharing a closet?
What is the size of the bed (to ensure you bring the correct size of bed linens)?
Will I be allowed to secure items to the wall?
Am I allowed to utilize the backs of doors for storing items?

CC Image Courtesy of University of Tennesee on Flickr

Determine What to Pack

Knowing what furniture comes standard with the dorm room is the first step in helping you determine what you need to bring along. The next item on your “to do” list should be to communicate with your future roommate(s) in order to iron out agreements concerning what items you are willing to share in your common area in an effort to avoid duplication and save space (do you really need multiple microwaves and televisions?)

When you start to create your packing list, be realistic about what items will “make the cut”, since you need to operate in significantly less square footage than you have at home. There are several great dorm room essentials checklists such as the ones provided by DormSmart and RealSimple. Once you review the extent of “essentials” on these checklists, you’ll soon realize that your drum set is not coming along with you.

When it comes time to pack your clothes, avoid the temptation to pack your entire wardrobe. Instead, take only your in-season clothes and plan on swapping them out for your winter wardrobe during the holiday break.

Organize While You Pack

When you arrive on campus that very first day, there will be so much to do and discover. The last thing you will want to devote time to will be unpacking and organizing your belongings. Do yourself a huge favor by allowing plenty of time on the front end to pack your belongings in an organized manner.

Group like items in storage containers (e.g., office supplies, personal care, electronics, linens) and clearly label your containers. With the floor plan and/or room photos in hand, give some thought as to where you will store each group of items within your dorm room during the weeks prior to move-in day. By following these simple steps, your unpack process will be a breeze!

CC Image Courtesy of Sheila C. on Flickr

Be sure to check back soon to read about the “Must Have” dorm room organizing products I recommend for maximizing space and corralling your essentials…

Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms? Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

Designer Trick: How to Hang Drapery Panels for Maximum Impact

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Want an easy way to achieve a designer look in your living space? Pay attention to how you hang your drapery panels. A common designer trick is to hang drapery panels “high and wide” for maximum impact.

Take a look at this great illustration, which shows a rendering of drapes hung short and close verses those hung high and wide…

Source

Same window, buy very different look. Don’t you agree?

Hang ’em Wide

Extending the curtain rod three to six inches beyond the frame on each side provides many decorating “benefits”. Not only does it beef up a window’s focal point potential, it allows extra light to flood the room (especially important when staging a home for sale) as well as enabling a clear view of the outdoors. If you are lucky enough to have beautiful window mouldings, you can hang your drapery panels wide enough to show them off.

Hang ’em High

When you hang drapery panels closer to the ceiling line rather than at window trim height, it creates the illusion of grandeur in the form of a higher ceiling. Don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself…

Here’s another “Before” and “After” from my design files that illustrates the dramatic effect of this simple change…

In order to achieve this look, you’ll either have to modify standard 84″ panels by adding on a coordinating material to lengthen the panels (click here for a tutorial), or purchase 96″ drapery panels. Some great resources for purchasing 96″ panels include: West Elm, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Overstock.com, ZGallerie, and Target.

Although my preference is to hang the panels as high as possible, you can choose to hang them within a few inches of your ceiling line,or half way between the top of your window trim and your ceiling line. Whatever you choose, be sure that the bottom of the panels skim the floor.

Let me leave you with some additional examples that demonstrate how proper panel placement can add style and visual interest to your room!

Photo credits:

1 – Relaxdeco.com

2 – Loomdecor.com

3 – Tarafree.blogspot.ca

4 – OneKingsLane.com

5 – Indulgy.com

6 – Elledecor.com

7 – Homegoods.com

8 – Betterhomesandgardens.com

9 – Myhomeideas.com

Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms? Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

Is Self Storage The Answer?

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Photo © Depositphotos.com / Andrea Crisante

The Self Storage Association’s 2013 Fact Sheet presents some staggering statistics regarding the self storage “epidemic”:

Approximately 1 out of every 10 U.S. households currently rents a self-storage unit (which translates into 21 square feet of self storage space per household)
Self storage facilities report an average 85% occupancy rate
30% of self storage renters have rented their unit for more than 2 years

On more than one occasion, I’ve had a client who has wondered whether a self storage unit might be an appropriate solution to decluttering their home. My answer? I believe that self storage can be a smart solution in certain circumstances…those that involve a circumscribed time frame with a clear end date. For example, I may suggest self storage for staging clients who have an excessive amount of furniture, clothing, and household items that need “edited out” in order for their property to show well while on the market.

When to Consider a Self Storage Unit

Self storage can also be quite useful for people who are “between homes”, such as those who are building a home and have had to vacate their former home before the new home is ready for occupancy. Another situation where a self storage unit may come in handy is during a major home renovation, in order to protect your belongings from the inevitable construction dust storm. For those who are temporarily moving cross country or overseas as a consequence of a job transfer or military deployment, self storage is a great solution for temporarily housing your belongings.

Situations Where a Self Storage in NOT a Good Solution

When is self storage a bad idea? When you are using it as a cop out for avoiding the hard work associated with decluttering. When you simply don’t feel like making the tough decisions about what should stay or what should go. When you don’t have a clear endpoint in mind for when you will remove the items out of storage.

There is a cost associated with keeping and storing things, whether it’s in your own home or somewhere else. The typical rent for a 10×10 (non-climate controlled) storage unit is $115/month. That’s a pretty hefty price to pay for storing items that you may use someday…that you don’t necessary use or like.

One of my clients recently decided to clear out her storage unit that she’d kept in excess of 12 years. It was heartbreaking to learn that the vast majority of the contents consisted of items that she did not need or want. Since she hadn’t accessed the unit in several years, she didn’t even remember what was in the majority of the boxes. She estimated the total cost of storing her unit “full of junk” to be somewhere in the vicinity of $13,000 over the course of those 12 years.

Don’t let this be you.

Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms? Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

Hot Organizing Tools Featured at the NAPO Organizing Expo: Part 2

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In my previous blog post, I presented some great tools for organizing clothing, gift wrap supplies, and vital documents that I came across while attending the 2014 annual conference of the National Association of Professional Organizers. Picking up where I left off in the in the NAPO Conference debriefing process, today’s post will highlight some of the impressive tools I came across at conference for organizing and reducing paper, as well as managing time.

4. Organize Your Paper with Smead Flexi Folder

Anyone whose worked with file folders has experienced the aggravation of having to replace their folders because of a) wear and tear, b) the need to re-label the tab, or c) the tab placement no longer conforms with the current file organizing scheme. The folks at Smead have come up with an innovative new file folder that eradicates all of these file folder frustrations. Here at the Smead booth, Jim Riesterer demonstrates some of the great features of the Flexi Folder, including the heavy duty card stock and the ERASABLE file tab that can be positioned anywhere along the top of the folder!

I’m not the only organizer who was jazzed about this office product…the Smead Flexi Folder was voted the Best Solution for Organizing at Work as part of the 2014 Organizers’ Choice Awards. Take a look at this video below to see the erasable/repositionable tabs in action:

5. Reduce Paper and Organize Digital Files with NeatConnect

For those of you who have a keen interest in moving toward a “paperless” household, you will definitely want to investigate the NeatConnect, the latest addition to the Neat Company’s arsenal of scanning/digital organizing products. Unlike its predecessors (the NeatReceipts and NeatDesk scanners), the NeatConnect is a cloud-based scanner and digital filing system that requires no connection to a computer.

The functionality of NeatConnect impressed the heck out of me when I viewed the demonstration at Conference. Like it’s predecessor, the NeatDesk, NeatConnect can scan a mix of receipts, business cards, and regular-sized documents (at a speed of 24 pages per minute). The really cool part happens after your papers are digitized. NeatConnect sends your digital documents to the cloud, at which point, you can access them anywhere. The icing on the cake has to be the seamless integration with 3rd party applications such as Quickbooks and Evernote.

Watch the company’s demo video to see NeatConnect in action.

6. Manage Your Time with The Time Timer

I was first introduced to the Time Timer by my son’s preschool teacher, who used it in her classroom to facilitate transitions. Who knew that several years later, I would be recommending this tool to my clients and actually using it during my organizing sessions! This tool is simple, yet genius. The Time Timer provides a visual representation of the passage of time via the use of a red disk that disappears as time elapses.

While I was familiar with the original Time Timer tool, I was excited to learn at Conference about all of the other Time Timer products, which include watches, desktop and mobile apps, and several useful accessories that can be used to customize the Time Timer for classroom schedules and home routines. I routinely recommend the Time Timer as a valuable tool for clients who have difficulty with procrastination and staying focused (particularly during decluttering sessions). This tool is especially useful for families with young children…you’ll never have to answer the question, “How much longer?”

A favorite among professional organizers, the Time Timer won Best Solution for Personal Productivity as part of the Organizer’s Choice Awards at this year’s NAPO Conference. Click here to see the Time Timer in action.

That concludes my review of cool organizing tools from the NAPO 2014 Organizing Expo! I hope that at least one of these products peaked your interest. If you decide to try out any of the organizing solutions highlighted in this blog series, please return and tell us about your experience with it.

Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms? Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

Hot Organizing Tools Featured at the NAPO Organizing Expo – Part 1

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I just returned from Scottsdale, Arizona, where I attended the NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) conference, along with 500+ professional organizers from all around the world. The NAPO conference provides continuing education regarding best practices in the organizing industry, as well as a wonderful opportunity to learn about the dizzying array of organizing products/tools and storage solutions that exist in order to assist clients with their particular organizing challenges.

As part of the conference “debriefing” process, I wanted to highlight some of the products I came across at the Organizing Expo. In today’s blog post, I’ll present some great tools for organizing clothing, gift wrapping supplies, and vital documents.

1. Organize Your Clothes with Pliio

One of the first products I discovered on my foray into the Organizing Expo Hall was the Pliio Clothing Filer. This product totally plays into my OCD tendencies. Do you struggle with maintaining order within your dresser drawers or closet shelves? The Pliio Clothing Filer is a tool which makes it easy to fold your clothes and store them in perfectly uniform piles or stacks. This enables you to easily see all of the garments that you own. The structure makes putting away and retrieving clothes effortless. L-O-V-E it!

Here’s professional organizer and Pliio co-creator Clare Kumar demonstrating how to use Pliio at the conference:

Not only does the Pliio system reign in clutter at home, it is also a useful tool for keeping the clothing in your suitcase uber-organized while traveling. Pliio comes in several sizes to accommodate various types of garments, including children’s clothing. You can purchase them at Bed, Bath, & Beyond or The Shopping Channel.

2. Organize Your Gift Wrap Supplies with Wrap iT

Raise your hand if you have struggled with keeping all of those gift wrap rolls and supplies corralled and organized. I have. In fact, I wrote a blog post on it not too long ago. For those of you with your hands raised, I’m happy to introduce you to Wrap iT, the all-in-one solution for organizing all of your gift wrap and wrapping supplies. Wrap iT is available in both a regular and a deluxe size. Both options hold up to 26 (yes, 26) rolls of wrapping paper, but the deluxe version can accommodate oversize rolls. There are a number of storage compartments designed to hold gift bags, tissue paper, ribbons/bows, tape and scissors…everything you need to create a gorgeously packaged gift.

As creator Adam Levine demonstrated at conference, the Wrap iT includes a unique system for storing wrapping paper rolls to prevent those annoying frayed/damaged edges that can often occur when rolls are stuffed willy nilly inside the closet or under the bed.

The best part about Wrap iT is that it stores so much in so little space! When hung in the closet, Wrap iT takes up about as much space as a suit jacket. If you don’t want to hang it in the closet, its slim profile enables you to simply tuck it away underneath a bed. I love this product so much that I plan to become an affiliate and sell it in the Recommended Products page of my website! Until then, you can purchase it directly from the Wrap iT website.

3. Organize Your Vital Documents with LifeinCase

I spend a great deal of time working with clients to organize their “paper life”. One of the overriding goals we strive to achieve together is to create systems for easily retrieving important documents (for them or for their loved ones) in the event of an emergency. Whether the situation takes the form of a medical emergency, a sudden death, or a natural disaster, it is crucial for everyone to have a way to quickly find the important documents.

The makers of LifeinCase recognized this need and created a ready-made system that makes it quite easy for anyone to gather their essential documents and have them ready to “grab and go” in the event of any emergency.

LifeinCase is an organizational tool that’s comprised of:

5 Plastic Folders: To hold Personal, Medical, Financial, Estate, and Property records
Checklists: Summarizing the 50 essential documents that should be stored in each of the 5 folders
Grab-and-Go Tote: 500 sheet capacity that’s small enough to be portable, yet larger enough to hold all essential documents

LifeinCase comes in multiple patterns and colors and is available on their website.
Stay tuned for the next post, where I’ll be describing cool time management and productivity tools from the NAPO 2014 conference!

Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms? Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

Solutions for “Ugly Mirrored Closet Door” Syndrome

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A client recently hired me to revamp her master closet and dressing area, in preparation for putting her home on the market later in the year. She’s a savvy homeowner who plans to invest in a few key updates in order to make her property (which was built in the early 70’s) as appealing as possible to buyers. This area of her home boasts several great features, including this built-in storage area:

An element of the space that will NOT appeal to buyers in its current state would be the floor-to-ceiling smoky-mirrored closet doors:

In order to stage this space properly for resale, those doors have to go. Our budget would not allow for new doors; therefore, we explored several potential creative fixes. One solution was to utilize some type of wall covering to transform the doors, such as this awesome grass cloth example:

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After conducting a Pinterest search, we came across this brilliant idea of employing some type of opaque window film to create a more updated look, working with the mirror instead of covering it up:

Source

After we made the decision to remove the central shelving unit from the closet to maximize hang space, we realized that neither of these solutions will work for our situation, since the existing doors would not close off the entire length of the closet. Back to the drawing board!

Like it has in so many previous Refined Rooms projects, Ikea comes to the rescue with a low-cost solution for our closet door woes (oh, when will Northeast Ohio get an Ikea store?)

I’ve most often seen Ikea’s panel curtains used to replace hideous vertical blinds, but they can also be used as a room divider, as well as in place of a door to hide open storage. Ikea offers 18 different panel designs, ranging in price from $4.99 to $14.99 per panel. For this particular project, the total cost of panels and hardware comes to around $80…significantly less than new doors.

The client was sold on this solution immediately and will be ordering and installing the panel curtains in the coming weeks. I promise to post the “after” photos when the closet makeover is complete. Until then, I’ll leave you with this visual…

Is there a place for Ikea panel curtains in your home? Hop on over to their website and check out all of the snazzy designs they have available. Maybe one of them is right for your space.

Interested in learning more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms? Visit RefinedRoomsLLC.com.

Your Home… Refined

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Create an Art Gallery Wall

Designate a Temporary Holding Container

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Archive and Share Each Year’s Collection

Artsonia

Artkive

Photo Books

Organizing School Memorabilia

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On the Back of Doors

In the Closet

In the Bed “Zone”

On the Walls

College Prep: How to Prepare for Dorm Room Living

Research Your New Digs

Determine What to Pack

Organize While You Pack

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Hang ’em Wide

Hang ’em High

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When to Consider a Self Storage Unit

Situations Where a Self Storage in NOT a Good Solution

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5. Reduce Paper and Organize Digital Files with NeatConnect

6. Manage Your Time with The Time Timer

Hot Organizing Tools Featured at the NAPO Organizing Expo – Part 1

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2. Organize Your Gift Wrap Supplies with Wrap iT

3. Organize Your Vital Documents with LifeinCase

Solutions for “Ugly Mirrored Closet Door” Syndrome