All Sorted Out - Professional Home Organizing Services in the Atlanta Metro area.

Newsletter Archives

June 2010
Expert Organizing Tips

May 2010
Tips from my Clients

April 2010
Tips for Setting Up a Garage Sale

March 2010
Unusual Ways to Organize

February 2010
Staging your Home for Sale

January 2010
Favorite Places to Buy Organizing Products

December 2009
Wrapping It Up

November 2009
Prepare the Pantry

October 2009
Costumes & Decorations

September 2009
Enough

August 2009
Help for the Home Office

July 2009
Getting Crafty

June 2009
A Better Bedroom

May 2009
Eco Organizing

April 2009
Getting Ready to Garden

March 2009
The Path To Clutter

February 2009
Easing Into Downsizing

January 2009
Organizing For Renovation

December 2008
Organizing For Next Year

November 2008
More Of My Favorite Organizing Tools

October 2008
Making Life Easier

September 2008
Clearing The Closet

August 2008
How To Let Go Of Stuff

July 2008
Managing Medical Records

June 2008
Road Trip Organizing

May 2008
Collections Instead of Clutter

April 2008
Getting Ready for Tax Time

March 2008
Where to Begin

February 2008
When You Want to Help

January 2008
Top Ten Causes of Disorganization

December 2007
Organize for Air Travel

November 2007
Organize for Small Spaces

October 2007
When Life Happens, Reorganize

September 2007
Bathroom Organizing

August 2007
Paper Organizing

July 2007
Uncluttered Kids' Rooms

June 2007
Top Ten Organizing Tools

May 2007
Grapple The Garage

April 2007
Managing Your Time

March 2007
Spring Organizing

February 2007
Help for Caregivers of Aging Parents

January 2007
National Get Organized Month

December 2006
Year End Organizing

November 2006
Give Thanks for Being Organized

October 2006
Holiday Kitchen Organization

September 2006
In Case of a Weather Emergency - Organize!

August 2006
Back to School Organizing

July 2006
Declare your Independence from Summer Clutter

ORGANIZING TIPS OF THE MONTH: MARCH 2009
Organizing for Renovation

Spring is the time for fresh starts. It is often when thoughts turn to renovating a tired kitchen or basement. When is the best time to organize for maximum success? Before the first workman arrives. When to call a professional organizer? Before the project begins and after it is completed.

Decide on your goals for the revamped room. Is the basement going to be a playroom or a home entertainment area? Is the kitchen going to be a cooking only area or will it double as a family gathering spot? Determining goals will help you decide what to keep in the room and help shape the design.
Take photos before, during and after the renovation. It is easy to forget what the space looked like before work began. It is also a boost to see the progress in the midst of chaos.
In anticipation of a fresh look in your home, purge items that reflect the old style. This is a good time to donate dated furniture and accessories from throughout the house. Old dried flower arrangements look especially tired in a renovated room. Plastic cups and souvenir mugs ruin the look of glass front cabinets. Worn, faded area rugs are just that--worn and faded.
Sort everything in the room. Separate everything into broad categories. You will see what you have in abundance and what you lack. Again purge items that are not needed. Look at what you have left and make renovation design decisions about storage and display spaces.
Empty all cabinets, shelves, and boxes. You will be surprised what has been lurking and hidden away. Hint: If things have languished unused for years, it is time to let them go.
Box the items you plan to keep in the room. Label the contents and where you plan to place the items in the renovated space. For example, pots and pans—center island; games—left lower cabinet.
Clear all items and lightweight furniture from the room. Renovation dust ends up covering everything. Avoid the chore of cleaning plaster dust from window treatments or washing sawdust from all your dishes. Hang heavy plastic between rooms to minimize the spread of dust. Close all interior doors. Cover remaining furniture in the room--inexpensive plastic drop cloths are ideal for this purpose. Remove paintings and photos from the walls to avoid damage to them.
Place purses, keys, checkbooks, and other valuables in a safe place not accessed by workers. You will know where things are when you need them and you reduce the chances of items going astray or being tossed with construction trash.
Be nosey. Don’t assume just because you have written plans that the project will be as you envisioned it. Start and end the day with a walk through. Make notes about concerns, questions, and changes you want to address with the contractor.
Keep a binder containing all information, receipts, contact information, and plans for the renovation. Use clear plastic page protectors to hold the miscellaneous important papers you need. Store the binder in a safe place away from turmoil so you can always easily find it.
In preparation for renovation, be ruthless in reducing your stuff. It is an opportunity to simplify your life. Ask the hard questions about each thing. Think of your stuff in this way: picture Jacob Marley of A Christmas Carol with his burden of chains and weights behind him. That burden of weights and chains is the equivalent of things you do not need in your new home.