Author: Bella Organizing

Isabella Guajardo -also known as Girl With A Truck™- has been creatively organizing homes since 2007. Today, her home organizing company Bella Organizing in collaboration with Girl With A Truck™ residential move management company is the San Francisco Bay Area's favorite "get it done" duo. Isabella and her team enjoys working directly with clients to make their space comfortable, functional, and stylish.

Professional-Organizer

Week 19 | Tchotchkes | 52 Weeks to Downsize & Minimalize

Post author By Bella Organizing
Post date May 8, 2017

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Join me this week to downsize & minimalize the knick knacks, doodads, bric-a-brac, and nondescript “junk” covering shelves, ledges, dressers, and other surfaces around the house.

What can you do with little things collected over the years that you are ready to let go?

Donate to a local charitable organization such as Goodwill
Give them to all the kids on the block
Leave them at the edge of your driveway by the sidewalk with a sign that reads “Take me, I’m yours” and watch them magically disappear
Donate them to places such as the East Bay Depot for Creative Reusehttp://creativereuse.org/ or Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT)http://www.raft.net/material-donations where they will be reused and re-purposed for creative projectsGood-bye tchotchkes!

Isabella Guajardo, founder and owner of Bella Organizing, is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer offering home organizing, interior redesign, and residential move management services throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Call (510) 229-7321 or email info@bellaorganizing.com for more information. Gift certificates are available.

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Week 18 | Toiletries | 52 Weeks to Downsize & Minimalize

Post author By Bella Organizing
Post date May 1, 2017

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Join me this week to downsize & minimalize the excess make-up and toiletries that take up valuable space in the bathroom.

Shampoos and conditoners that your hair didn’t approve of, excess lotions, gels, creams, liquids, powders, and make-up that never did it for you.

Don’t hold onto what you don’t need nor what your hair and skin don’t like. Choose what you love and let go of the rest.

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Tags 52 weeks to downsize and minimalize, Bella Organizing, best home organizing blogs, best organizers in oakland, best professional organizers, declutter, downsize, get organized, home organizing tips, how to declutter, konmarimethod, marie kondo, martha stewart, minimalism, minimalists, professional organizers san francisco bay area, tips for getting organized, toiletries

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Week 17 | Jackets & Sweaters | 52 Weeks to Downsize & Minimalize

Post author By Bella Organizing
Post date April 24, 2017

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Join me this week to downsize & minimalize the amount of jackets and sweaters taking up closet and drawer space.

Who has TONS of jackets and sweaters they hardly wear? EVERYONE. These things are big, they are bulky, and they take up too much space. Make room in your closet and chest of drawers this week and let go of the excess jackets and sweaters you didn’t wear during the past fall and winter.

Clothing declutter tips very much apply to Jackets and Sweaters!
https://bellaorganizing.com/how-to-declutter-clothes/

Imagine the free, open space you will create…

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How Much Should You Tip Movers? Tipping Etiquette for Moving Companies

Post author By Bella Organizing
Post date April 19, 2017

What is the tipping etiquette for movers?

Movers are entrusted with your personal belongings and do a lot of heavy lifting. Many times they need to carefully and strategically maneuver furniture and boxes up and down stairs, through narrow corridors, and even out second story windows. For this reason, some people feel obligated to give these service-based workers extra recognition for their hard work. Movers don’t expect a tip, but surely welcome them.

Please tip your movers for a job well-done if you are happy with your move. If you decide to tip, divide the cash equally and hand each mover the same amount individually.

Of course, if the moving service was sub-par, you are not obligated to provide a tip.

“Tipping is not expected and is up to the customer,” said John Bisney, a spokesman for the American Moving and Storage Association.

How Much Should You Tip Movers?

If you think your movers deserve a tip, here are some ideas. There is no set rule.

“Opinions on [tipping] are varied,” Bisney said. “One mover said the industry standard was 5%, which is pretty reasonable—if a crew of two movers move you for $500-$750, you might tip a total of $25 to $40, or $10 to $20 for each mover depending on the quality of the move,” Bisney said.

The quality of the move should factor into your decision on how much to tip. Assess how carefully your items were moved and adjust your tip up or down depending on the level of service you received.

Read more about moving day etiquette from the American Moving and Storage Association.

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Tags etiquette, how much to tip, how to tip movers, jays moves, moving, san francisco moving companies, tip your movers, tipping

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Week 16 | Pet Hair | 52 Weeks to Downsize & Minimalize

Post author By Bella Organizing
Post date April 18, 2017

Looking to reduce the amount of pet hair in your home? Do you love your dog or cat so much that you don’t notice the hair anymore? LOOK CLOSELY. Your guests see (and smell) it.

Owning a pet is a wonderful experience that tends to result in sacrificing the cleanliness of the home, but it doesn’t have to. It’s time to become conscious of the pet hair all over the furniture, floor, in the rug, on your clothing, and also how it makes the house smell in ways you’ve probably become so accustomed to, you no longer notice it. Oh my!

Here are tips and tricks to downsize and minimalize the amount of pet hair around the house:

Sweep and vacuum weekly, including the furniture. This sounds like common sense, but sense is not common to everyone. Life is busy, and it’s easy to let time slip away and forget to sweep and vacuum regularly, allowing pet hair to build up fast. Make it a weekly habit whether or not you think you see the hair.
Use a roll of packing tape. Keep a pair of scissors or a tape dispenser handy, and cut off a long one to two foot piece to gather up hair on clothing, furniture, curtains, and other fabric and surfaces that won’t get damaged by tape. It’s sticky, extremely effective, and costs less than the expensive sticky paper rollers made specifically for pet hair.
Brush your pets weekly (outside). If makes them feel good, it’s a bonding experience, and gets rid of excess pet hair that won’t fall out in the house.
Use products such as the FURminator.
Use a soft cloth and furniture polish or anti-static dusting spray on wooden furniture. The spray will eliminate the electric charge and help remove pet hair easier.
Use a rubber glove or clean sponge lightly dampened with water to remove pet hair from upholstery. Run your rubber gloved hand or the sponge over the surface to gather pet hair. Rinse the glove or sponge when covered and repeat. Be sure to catch the hair in a sink strainer and don’t let it clog the pipes.
Use an electrostatic or microfiber dry mop on bare floors. Regular vacuum cleaners tend to blow hair around on hardwood, laminate, or other bare floors versus gather it in one spot. Electrostatic and microfiber attracts hair, just what you want to get things nice and clean.

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