Tag Archives: labels

Bedroom Closet Makeover Reveal: Elfa to the Rescue (Again!)

If you are a regular blog reader, you probably remember my Guest Room Closet Makeover Reveal post from February of this year. In that post, I confessed that there are several areas within my own home that are crying out for an organizational overhaul. One such space was my daughter’s closet.

Although the closet is quite spacious, the space wasn’t being utilized to its maximum potential. Storage containers consisted of a mishmash of old, inherited furniture pieces, random plastic drawers, and cardboard boxes. To make matters worse, all of the clothing hangers were inherited from retail stores who give you their hanger along with your purchased garments.

Since the closet was fairly functional, redesigning/organizing it was a home improvement project that stayed on the back burner, until…

Once the front drawer of this 50-year old hand-me down piece fell off, I took it as a sign to move the closet makeover to the front burner. So the first task was to examine what I call the closet “skeleton” (a.k.a., its basic infrastructure) to see how I might improve upon it. Here it is in all o

Once again, here’s where the Container Store comes to the rescue! As you all know, I am a huge fan of the Container Store’s Elfa storage systems (read my Elfa post to learn why). I spoke with an Elfa design consultant by phone, and together, we arrived at a design that would work for my daughter’s storage needs. Her need for drawer space trumps her need for hang space, so our design incorporated a whopping eight Elfa Mesh Hanging Drawers. Our design also included an additional shelf that allows for out-of-the-way storage of items that are seldom accessed (e.g., memorabilia).

So the transformation began with the removal of the builder-installed stationary shelves. I prepared myself for the inevitable ginormous holes that result from this process. Nothing that a lot of spackle and some paint can’t conceal!

Yes, that’s right. I said paint. I took advantage of the opportunity to add a fresh coat of paint to the closet walls when it was emptied prior to installing the new shelving.

Installing an Elfa closet system was a piece of cake; the Container Store walked me through each step of the installation process via their online video tutorials. I installed this on my own over the course of approximately 2 hours.

Ready for the “Before & After” shot?

By far, my favorite part of the “makeover” is the Elfa drawers. Unlike the drawer systems that I used in the guest closet (which were the freestanding type), these mesh drawers are built into the wall track system via a hanging drawer frame.

They glide open effortlessly, and provide more than enough space to store my daughter’s pajamas, t-shirts, sweatshirts, off-season shoe collection, and her assortment of purses and tote bags. As you can see in the photo below, there was just enough room to squeeze in a cool square mesh hamper that I purchased on clearance at Target (score!).

We made use of the walls on either side of the closet system by installing several Command Hooks. The hooks are used to hang my daughter’s scarves, robe, and Girl Scout vest. The right wing wall contains a cute cork board for her to use as additional display space in her room.

Did you actually think I was going to use that mismatched collection of plastic department store hangers? Surely you jest. Who could pass up these adorable kid-sized huggable hangers?

One vestige of the original closet set-up that continues to work like an organizational charm is this over-the-door shoe organizer. This tool is one of the most versatile organizing products available. For this space, the many compartments are used to store small toys and trinkets that would normally invade all of the flat surfaces of my daughter’s room.

I typically opt for the clear shoe organizers, but I couldn’t pass up this opaque one when I found it on clearance. It was just a matter of labeling the compartments to ensure that items are returned to their proper home.

My daughter was so ecstatic about this closet makeover that she asked me for a bedroom “makeover” for her birthday gift earlier this year. It only took me 10 months, but I finally completed that project! Be sure to check out next week’s blog post to see the Before and After photos…

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

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

Organizing the Organizer’s Home: Closet Makeover Reveal

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Ever heard the saying about the cobbler’s children who have no shoes? Sometimes this adage holds true for professional organizers as well!

I have a confession to make…there are areas in my own home that are in desperate need of an organizing makeover (audible gasp).

One of my resolutions for 2014 is to set aside time in my schedule to revamp these spaces. As I alluded to in my last blog post, I took advantage of the Container Store’s annual Elfa shelving sale in January and completed the first project – the guest room closet makeover.

This closet serves as a storage area for gift wrapping supplies, photos, scrapbooks, fabric, sewing machine/supplies, and empty shopping bags. These items are seldom accessed, but when I do need to retrieve something, I usually end up uttering a few choice curse words as I sift through the closet contents. This is particularly true when it comes time to retrieve a gift bag:

During the “makeover” process, I followed the same steps that I do with every client I work with, beginning with assessing the space. As you can see in the top photo, it’s quite clear that storing items on the floor is not working. My new storage system needed to take full advantage of the vertical space in the closet. I determined that the best solution for my specific storage needs is a set of freestanding deep drawers for each side of the closet. In addition, I decided to change out the stationary shelving and replace it with a track shelving system. In addition to giving me the benefit of adjustable shelf height, the track system allowed for the addition of a third shelf to be installed at the top of the closet to store smaller, lighter items.

A quick aside…I must rave about the Container Store’s customer service! I called the store to place the order for my closet system the day before my road trip to the Columbus store. When I arrived, they had all the components of my system wrapped up and ready to load in my car. I also love the cute bags that they use to store the small components and hardware:

Once I returned from the store, the transformation began. After removing everything from the closet, the next step in the process was to sort items into categories and purge unwanted items. It was then time to remove the existing shelving system (no small feat), patch the holes, paint, and begin to install the track system:

Do you see that horizontal piece at the top of the closet? It’s called the top track, and one of the awesome features of the Elfa easy hang system is that this is the only piece that attaches to your wall. Fewer holes in your wall is always a good thing.

Ready for the reveal?

What was once my least favorite closet is currently my most favorite. I go in there several times a day and open the drawers to admire the perfectly organized contents!

It would have been ideal to remove the closet doors for the photo shoot, but Dear Hubby said it would be too much effort. I’ve done my best to capture the changes in the photos below:

Here’s a close-up of the amazing drawer system. Elfa drawers can either be attached to the track or set up as part of a freestanding system. I chose the freestanding systems, since they allowed for the wider and deeper drawer size that my project required. Let’s take a look inside those drawers, shall we?

This is one of the two shallow top drawers, which contain small gift bags, wrapping supplies and tissue paper.

Now the gift bags are easily retrievable. I even have separate drawers for everyday gift bags and holiday-themed gift bags! I seem to have a gift bag and gift wrap fetish. So I’ve implemented one of the rules that I teach my clients when it comes to controlling clutter…let the container set the limit for how much you can keep. I can only keep as many gift bags as this drawer can accommodate:

Of course, the last step in organizing the drawers was to label each one so that everyone else is clear on what items live in each drawer:

Let’s shift our attention to the closet shelves. Empty boxes for gifts and the seldom-used sewing kit are the perfect items to be stored up high:

The lower shelves are used to store my scrapbooks, photos, and unfinished projects. I love the addition of the storage baskets for corralling those scrapbooks!

More basket eye-candy…

The left side houses my print photo collection (notice the archival quality storage boxes). There’s another basket that contains gift wrapping ribbon.

So there you have it! I’ll leave you with a few Before/After shots. Onto the next home project…

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

Organizing your “Undecorate” Process

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Do you keep the holidays alive throughout the month of January, or have you already begun the holiday “un-decorate” process in your home? Whichever camp you fall in, it’s helpful to think about ways to make next year’s holiday decorating process a little easier on yourself. If you are the type that really dreads the process of holiday decorating, it’s particularly important that you store your holiday items in an organized manner in order to minimize the pain of decking the halls come next December.

I thought I’d share a few helpful tips to keep in mind as you begin the process of storing your holiday items for next year…

CREATE A DECORATING “CHEAT SHEET”

Before disassembling any of your holiday vignettes, be sure to take photos of them. These photos will enable you to easily replicate the vignette on your mantel, bookshelves, and table tops for next year if you don’t have the time or inclination to come up with new ways to display your holiday accessories.

I have a file folder named “Holiday Decorating” on my computer that I routinely refer to each November as I begin the process of decorating for the holidays. I typically like to mix things up from year to year. Occasionally, I’ll find my creative juices lacking and I’m thankful to have the photos to use as a “cheat sheet” for re-creating a tried-and-true vignette from a previous year.

IMPLEMENT A STORAGE GAME PLAN

1. IDENTIFY & LABEL HOLIDAY BINS

Determine how you will identify your holiday bins among the vast collection of storage bins in your attic/basement. Will they all be a particular color? Right now, the major retailers have most of their bins on sale in a variety of colors for storing holiday décor.

You will also need to determine how you will keep track of the contents of each bin. You basically have 2 choices: 1) label the contents on the bin itself (using a large label or the ever-popular duct tape/sharpie method), or 2) number the bins and create an inventory of the contents for each numbered bin. You can keep the inventory in your holiday planner/notebook or in a designated folder on your computer.

2. SELECT A STRATEGY FOR GROUPING DECOR

The way you group your items in storage bins should be determined by how you decorate your home for the holidays. Do you like to decorate with the same items and in the same location every year? If so, group your décor items by the location in which they are displayed (e.g., a “dining room” bin and a “fireplace” bin). If you like to mix it up each year, then it makes more sense to group like items (e.g., a “garland” bin and a “wreaths” bin).

Bonus tip: Create a “#1 Bin”, which contains the items that you need early on in the season. This can include items such as your advent calendar, the Elf on the Shelf, and holiday cookie cutters.

3. CHOOSE CONTAINERS WISELY

My final tip is to put some thought into the containers you choose for storing your holiday items. You will want to avoid stuffing your décor into ginormous 150 gallon bins (particularly if you are storing them in the attic!). If your containers are manageable, it will make the task of lugging them up from the basement each year less aversive.

Do you have a tip to share for making next year’s decorating process easier? I’d love to hear it. Leave a comment below!

For more information about Natalie Gallagher and Refined Rooms, visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com.

Your Home… Refined

Tips and Resources to Help Homeowners Create a Home that's Organized, Stylish, and Sellable

Tag Archives: labels

Bedroom Closet Makeover Reveal: Elfa to the Rescue (Again!)

Organizing School Memorabilia

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

College Prep: How to Prepare for Dorm Room Living

Research Your New Digs

Determine What to Pack

Organize While You Pack

Organizing the Organizer’s Home: Closet Makeover Reveal

Organizing your “Undecorate” Process

CREATE A DECORATING “CHEAT SHEET”

IMPLEMENT A STORAGE GAME PLAN

1. IDENTIFY & LABEL HOLIDAY BINS

2. SELECT A STRATEGY FOR GROUPING DECOR

3. CHOOSE CONTAINERS WISELY