Organization Chat - New Year's Resolution week—1/10/02
HGTV: Welcome to HGTV's hosted chat room. Today, organization expert Donna Smallin has joined us to help get your home and life organized in 2002. Hello, Donna, welcome to hgtv.com.
Donna Smallin: Well, hello, and thanks for inviting me I'm happy to see you all here
Question: I would love to find some ideas on organizing my craft room and the kid's playroom. Can you give me any ideas or recommend a Web site that shows pictures of craft rooms or playrooms or that gives tips on how to organize them?
DS: What you want to do is think about the activities that take place in this room so you can set up activity centers. For instance and you might have an area for playing games doing puzzles, which might require a table. You would then set up storage near the table where the activity takes place. The same technique can be used for organizing crafts. It may be helpful to keep all craft related products together. Of course you want to contain these items as well, so you might want to look for storage containers with lids that will allow you to keep all of your craft supplies together. I don't know of any particular Web site with photos, but there are lots of Web sites where you can terrific ideas about craft and kids' playroom. You might want to check out: www.bluesuitmom.com and www.organizedhome.com.
Q: When your entire home, including closets, cupboards, drawers, cabinets, as well as bills and paperwork is in total disarray. WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO GET STARTED AND HOW??
DS: Basically getting organized is a sorting process, so if things are as you described in your home you may want to start by putting things in the rooms they belong. From there work in one room at a time and in each room start by getting rid of anything that you are not using or have not used in the last year as well as things you probably won't need in the coming year. If letting go is difficult for you then think in terms of what things you want to keep. These would be things you love and use on a regular basis.
Q: Closet is 6 foot long 2 feet wide. And if that is not bad enough, the stairs are underneath so from the floor up there is a two-foot high box from back to front. What do I do with all of my stuff!?! My bedroom is 12x14 with a queen bed.
DS: We need to work with the closet you have and way to do that is think vertical if you have door on your closet, you can use the back of it for things like a shoe organizer. I may be used for things like rolled up belts, panty hose, robe, pajamas etc. You probably need an extra clothes rod for extra space and for hanging shorter items.
Q: Those closet organizer sold by Linen & Things and places like that are really expensive in my opinion anyway. Can you recommend some cheaper solutions?
DS: Yes. You can go to do it yourself type stores. Many of them have similar products requiring you to do the installation for cheaper prices. Just remember to measure first. You can also use a cardboard dresser in your closet if you need additional drawer space.
Q: I love to save articles from magazines, newspapers. How do I organize them?
DS: That's a very good question, because if you can't find what you're saving then there is no point in saving it. So take what you have and group these articles into 10 to 15 subjects if you can. The fewer subjects the better. Create a hanging folder for each broad category and use manila folders for sub-categories.
Q: I'm from a family of talkers who will keep me on the phone for an hour at a time. To get them to hang up, I'd have to be blunt and rude, which would cause a serious problem. How do I make the most of this time on the phone? (And can you think of a good way to limit the time there without being rude????)
DS: If you find yourself caught on the telephone frequently you might want to keep a project basket near the phone. Some of those projects might include sewing buttons, clipping coupons, or anything that doesn't require too much brainpower, yet needs to get done. You might also try telling the caller at the beginning off the call you only have 10 minutes.
Q: I want reorganize my closets for my children -- 6 years and 14 months. I'm overwhelmed with the choices that "home improvement stores" offer for units -- i.e: sliding baskets, drawers, wire shelving, etc. What things should I be looking at and considering in choosing what "items" I need to install in closets?
DS: For the six year old you want to make as easy as possible to put things away. Shelves and wire baskets are excellent choices. Keep in mind that everything you use must be a child's height. You should install a second rod low enough for your child to reach. On the higher rod you can store clothes that aren't worn frequently such as out of season clothes and dress-up clothes.
Q: I wanted to suggest that when the phone rings create an excuse a few minutes in... such as you are on your way out, or that you are about to sit down to dinner, etc. And mention, too, that they sell these organizers with days in the week with colors for kids.
DS: Thanks!
Q: I have "stuff".... and lots of it. I have tried to organize it,. but I just spread it out and then not be able to make any progress. I need someone who has "been there" to help.
DS: There are referral services for professional organizers who will do just that. For suggestions please go to www.napo.net. That is the Web site for the National Association for Professional Organizers.
Q: My children, ages 6 and 8, have TOO many toys. (Products of overindulgent grandparents) I've run out of closet/drawer space to store them. Do you have any creative ideas?
DS: Yes. Prior to the next gift-giving holiday, tell your children that you need to make room for new things and ask them to select their favorite things that they would like to keep. You might want to pack up the things that they don't use often and let them know that the things will be out away for a while. You can always bring them out on a rainy day. If they are out of sight long enough they may become out of mind.
Q: Just like every other year of my adult life, everything spiraled out of control during the holiday season to a point where the joy of it was almost sucked out. I think that if I could organize my present buying and gift wrapping things would be a bit easier. Any tips?
DS: It a lot easier on you if you can start your gift giving earlier in the year, so that you can be done a month ahead of time so you can enjoy the season. You might also consider downsizing your gift giving and maybe create come new traditions such as putting names in a hat and drawing who you will buy for.
Q: I work part time and am also the mother to a toddler. In my pre-mama days I was very organized and always got all my chores/errands done in a timely manner. Now, there NEVER seems to be enough time. I need help!
DS: It sounds like you are spending your time where your priorities are and that is your children. No one is going to notice if your housework slides a bit.
Q: Donna, I enjoyed your book Unclutter Your Home: 7 Simple Steps, 700 Tips & Ideas. Do you have another book in the works?
DS: Yes. I just finished writing a BIG book of organizing Organizing Plain & Simple, which will be out in June.
Q: At work I've been "moved" into a position where I'm answering a lot of phone calls, receiving a lot of faxes and invoices, and taking many, many messages. I have a problem keeping up with the paperwork. How do I organize my desk -- it's not very large...
DS: The answer is to set up action folders. These might include: to file, to read, to go to another department, to go to another person etc. You'll want to keep these folders within arms reach. Use your day planner to keep track of deadlines and things to do.
Q: My refrigerator is brimming over with food, mostly condiments. How would you organize them to make room for other types of food?
DS: I have the same problem. I have put a lot of condiments that I don't use frequently in large plastic container that I push to the back of one shelf. I am a quilter.
Q: How do I organize those scraps of fabric that I keep collecting to use some day...
DS: I'm not a quilter, but is it possible to hang material on hangers in a closet? Or can you store them one on top of the other in a long plastic container with a lid that would slide under a bed. You may even want to have several of these containers and organize materials by color.
Q: We have shelves in the laundry room above the washer and dryer which my husband fills up with all his junk. I don't like looking at it but can't afford cabinets to replace the shelves. Any ideas? I want to hide the stuff somehow but still make it convenient for him. At least, it isn't all over the house. I wouldn't normally care about the laundry room, but people keep opening the door because they think it is the bathroom and then I am embarrassed.
DS: The best solution is invest in some inexpensive plastic storage containers that you can label, this will hide the mess but still allow your husband to find what he is looking for when he needs it. Then, when people open that door by mistake they see how organized you are.
Q: Can you suggest a way to organize my purses? I have gathered quite a collection (over 100) and can't bear to part with any of them. My husband is getting tired of sharing space in the closet with them...
DS: If you love these purses so much you might want to make a display of them. you may display them in the closet or on the bedroom wall. Why not? You can use accordion style hat racks to display your bags or randomly placed hooks or pegs.
Q: I am trying to please my spouse by displaying his family's (nieces and nephews) photos. But unfortunately there is no organization to them. Presently they are in the hall on top of a corner cabinet. There is an empty wall above the cabinet. Possible shelving can be added, but preferably not glass because dust will collect to fast. Or some type of ledge.(Some used to display art work??) Please help I need something that would look stylish and organized, and he would just like the photos displayed.
DS: I would make use of the wall space by simply hanging all of the photographs on the wall. I've seen this done, and I'm always impressed, even when the frames are all different. It makes for an interesting display.
Q: I have many accessories hooked to my computer which causes a big mess of wires. My first problem is telling which cord goes with which piece of equipment without tracing it from source to end. The second problem is that they're in a huge mess behind and underneath my desk. Is there a way to keep them straight?
DS: You can buy cord clips in an office supply store, you might also be able to use long twist ties or pieces of twine. You'll probably want to start by unplugging all of the cords and then grouping together those cords that belong together, like all of the computer cords.
Q: How do you organize kitchen cabinets containing pots and pans, small appliances, bowls and storage containers... I've mixed them all together over the years. I guess the first step would be sorting and discarding, but where should I go from there?
DS: Put those things you don't use often toward that back of the cabinet and down below, that will leave the front cabinets free for those things you use frequently. If your cabinets are really crowded, see if there is something that you can hang like pots and pans.
Q: Do you know where I can buy the baskets used so many times on the shows for organizing bathroom supplies etc.? I can only find round baskets and I would like to have some of the deep rectangular shaped ones. I would prefer online purchase.
DS: You can go to www.holdeverything.com or www.thecontainerstore.com.
HGTV: Well, everyone, our chat hour has ended. Those interested in a transcript will find one on hgtv.com by the weekend, just look for the transcripts link from the chats/boards page. And thank you, Donna, for sharing such great advice with us
Donna Smallin: Thank you so much for coming.
