Tag: declutter home

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Professional-Organizer

Declutter the Linen Closet

declutter

1. to remove mess or clutter from (a place).

2. to organize and prioritize (one’s commitments, material possessions, etc.)

3. to let go

Declutter First, Organize Next. 

Pulling out what you no longer want is key to creating space and will make the organizing process smoother. Whether it’s clothing from a hanger, shoes from a rack, books from a shelf, paper from a filing cabinet, or toys from a bin, it’s time to make decisions on the things you are ready to let go. Focus first on decluttering. When the unwanted is out of the way, begin cleaning and organizing.  

Step One – Declutter the Linen Closet

  • Prepare a large, clean, and comfortable surface on which to work and fold. Avoid bending down and putting things on the floor and on surfaces where linens can pick up dust or animal hair. A clean bed, sofa, or dining table will do.
  • Have on hand plenty of trash bags for donations.
  • Prep a bottle of all-purpose cleaner or mild soap, and a clean sponge or rag.
  • Open the linen closet and take a few “before” photos.
  • Remove ALL linens from the closet. Sort like with like as you take them out: Bath towels, hand towels, sheets, duvets, comforters, pillows, dish towels, beach towels, etc.
  • Once sorted, you will know how much of each there are and which sets are matching or missing pieces. This is an important step toward LETTING GO. It’s easier to say goodbye to the old, worn, mismatched, and unwanted if you know there will be enough left to survive.
Allow yourself to let go and help others in need. Shelters always need old towels and small blankets for their ongoing intake and care for animals. You can also drop linens off at a homeless shelter or charity organization of your choice. Shelters accept new and used towel donations year around.

Step Two – Clean

  • Wipe the empty linen closet surfaces and walls with a wet and warm, soapy cloth. Regular cleaning will keep closets and cabinets in good condition. Allow surface to dry completely before putting things away.

Step Three – Fold & Organize

  • There are many great ways to fold towels and linens. Visit these Youtube “how to” videos to see my favorites. 1) Unique towel folding, 2) How to fold a fitted sheet, 3) Types of sheets and how to fold sets together
  • When folding towels, sheets, and blankets, consider the width, height, and depth of the area they are going back into. Fold in a way that allows the linens a bit of space between each other once stacked on a closet shelf (see above photo.) Room to breathe!
  • Put like items together (towels, sheet sets, blankets, etc.)
  • Take an “After” photo of your organized linen closet.
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Isabella Guajardo, founder and owner of Bella Organizing, is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer offering home organizing 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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Professional-Organizer

How To Sell Your Items at Auction

When I work with clients to declutter their homes, we often uncover valuable treasures worth selling. There are many ways to make money from unwanted items: Craiglist, Ebay, Amazon, consignment stores, garage sales, etc. But not everyone feels comfortable inviting strangers from Craigslist to their home, nor getting offers of only 25 cents at a garage sale for a beloved treasure worth so much more. Selling things online requires time to open an account, read all directions to make sure you are going through the process correctly, take photos, post a detailed description of the item, store it, then pack and ship (when and if it sells). For some these steps are exciting and managable, for others it takes too much of their valuable time.

Have you considered having your valuables sold to the highest bidder at a live auction house? It can be done at Michaan’s Auctions in Alameda CA. If you have 1-5 items, there are easy steps to follow:

Step One: Have your item(s) appraised in one of three ways:

  • Attend a weekly Michann’s appraisal event. They currently take place every Wednesday 10am-1pm. Specialists offer evaluations for up to 5 pieces. Appraisals are held in the main gallery on a drop-in basis. No appointment is needed.
  • Schedule a private appointment by calling (510) 740-0220 ext. 130
  • Submit a photo of the item online at http://www.michaans.com or snail mail the images to their mailing address below.

Step Two: Sell your items

  • A consignment contract will be provided which outlines the terms of the sale.
  • After consigning you will receive a list of property descriptions and scheduled dates of sale
  • Before property goes to auction you can also set a confidential minimum selling price known as a “reserve.”

Step Three: After the auction

  • A statement will be mailed to you detailing what items were sold as well as their selling price.
  • In six weeks you will receive a check for your sold items.

Michann’s provides onsite assessments by advance appointment when you have A LOT of valuables to sell. They serve the San Francisco Bay Area to the Monterey Peninsula. For more information, give them a call or visit their website http://www.michaans.com

michann's

 

 

Michann’s – 2751 Todd Street, Alameda CA 94501 (510) 740-0220

Source: “Michaan’s Auction how to Sell at Auction.” Montclarion (Oakland, CA) 13 March 2014: 405. A5. Print.

Isabella Guajardo of Bella Organizing is a San Francisco Bay Area professional home organizer and member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). She shares simple and creative ways to stay organized and stylish while reducing, recycling and re-purposing. Join Bella Organizing on Facebook.

 

 

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Professional-Organizer

Things To Keep In Mind When Donating

Most donation drop-off centers accept items year around, and the busiest time is the final six days of the year. At this time, twice as many people take donations to a tax-deductible charity organization to get a last-minute tax receipt. Why? Items donated to this kind of charity before January 1 is usually deductible on that years’ tax return.

Things to keep in mind when donating to a tax-deductible charity organization any time of year:

  • Donors who want to claim a tax deduction should request a receipt from the attendant when dropping off donations. The IRS allows a deduction for each item, but it is up to the donor to estimate each item’s value.
  • Have an inventory of your items ready before you drop them off.
  • Remove all hangers from clothing before donating.
  • If you have a single donation worth more than $500, you will need to complete IRS Form 8283.
  • If you have a single donation worth more than $5,000, you will need a qualified written appraisal.
  • Take a glance at Goodwill’s Donation Valuation Guide

rocking-horseFind out what organizations such as Goodwill DO and DO NOT accept at http://www.goodwill.org/get-involved/donate/donation-acceptance-guidelines/

READ MORE BELLA ORGANIZING TIPS, IDEAS & TRAVELS HERE.

Bella Organizing is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). We serve the greater SF Bay Area: San Francisco, East Bay, South Bay, Marin County, Silicon Valley, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Peninsula. Join Bella Organizing on Facebook.

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Professional-Organizer

Interview with Betty A. Sproule, co-author of The Stuff Cure

I am interviewing Betty A. Sproule, co-author of The Stuff Cure: How we lost 8,000 pounds of stuff for fun, profit, virtue, and a better world.

What a catchy title, Betty, who should read your book?

Our book is for anyone who feels that they have more stuff in their home and garage than they really need.  When stuff becomes a burden, rather than a joy, it’s time to slim down.  Often people need to unstuff when they are planning to move, a child leaves home, or when they need to downsize. Sometimes people need to move stuff along so they can clear enough space to park their car in the garage.

What about the fun, profit, virtue, and a better world?  How can getting rid of stuff help in all those areas?

We know that buying stuff can be fun.  We believe that getting rid of stuff can also be fun, if you have the right approach.  You can sell your unneeded stuff for cash or you can take a deduction on your taxes. Donating to worthwhile agencies, such as Goodwill, St Vincent DePaul, and Hope, does a lot of good for our community.  Reusing and recycling help us to be better stewards of our environmental resources.

When you talk about getting rid of stuff, how do you know what to keep?

We have three criteria to define a keeper. When it’s

    • Currently functional,
    • Really valuable, or
    • Outrageously sentimental

If something doesn’t qualify under one of these three headings, then it’s a candidate for unstuffing.

Once you decide to get rid of something, how do you make it work? 

We use the principles of gift, shift, and thrift to find our stuff a better home.  We discuss the seven morphs of leading an unstuffed life: Refraining, Restraining, Returning, Reusing, Renting, Recycling, and Rendering into trash. We include a discussion of our Stuff Cure Method and the 7 rules of the game. We share a proven recipe for success in getting rid of excess stuff without regret or guilt. We give a lot of specific suggestions for how to responsibly move your stuff along before resorting to just throwing it in the trash.

When do you need a professional organizer in your unstuffing process?

We recommend using a professional organizer to help you achieve your goals even faster.  If you get rid of some of the stuff that you don’t need, it helps you to get more value from the time with your professional organizer and you’ll be more pleased with the result.

Mike and Betty Sproule, co-authors of “The Stuff Cure”

If you’d like to read the book, you can order it on Amazon, in either paperback or Kindle form.

Read more about The Stuff Cure on the website: http://www.stuffcure.com/

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Isabella Guajardo, also known as Girl With A Truck™, is a professional home organizer and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). She travels to work with clients throughout the great San Francisco Bay Area, East Bay, South Bay, Silicon Valley, Santa Cruz and Monterey Peninsula. She shares simple and creative ways to stay organized and stylish while reducing, recycling and re-purposing.  

Call (510) 229-7321 today to schedule a complimentary estimate for your home organizing goals. Gift certificates are available.

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