Stump the Organizer! Dealing With Toy Clutter

It's Thursday and time for "Stump the Organizer!" This week's question comes from Bonnie who has five year-old twins.

Bonnie emailed this question: "My children’s toys are everywhere! We thought making a playroom was the right thing to do but they hardly use it. Our house is small and there isn't a lot of room in the twin's bedroom. What can we do to keep the toy clutter from taking over our house?"

Young children want your company. I suspect the reason the toys are everywhere is your children follow you throughout the house with their companions, the toys. On the positive side, it's a whole lot easier making sure your children are happy and safe if they are following you. To keep the toy clutter from endangering your sanity follow these guidelines.

• *Set up some areas as toy-free zones. There is no reason for toys to be in the adults' bedroom, the formal living room (assuming there is an informal family room) and the foyer. There may be other areas in your home that are not conducive to play. Setting limits allows you to keep control on the amount of toy clutter.
• *Set up a small amount of toy storage in each kid-friendly room. Shelves, bins, storage ottomans, ans baskets are useful to hold toys and keep the surroundings clutter-free. Keep the storage simple so it's easy for your children to access and use. Keep the number of toys relatively small to avoid overwhelming your children with options - and to limit the amount to pick up. Turn-about is fair play: you can set up a special adult area in the playroom. A comfortable chair, good lighting and a table provide you a place to work on a small project or read a book while your children play happily supervised.
• *Establish a routine for clean-up. Some children can, and will, put one toy away before they get out another one with gentle reminding. Some children need to get a lot of toys out at the same time, and will need a specific clean-up time - such as before lunch. Make clean-up as fun as possible by singing a song (that clean-up song sung by the purple dinosaur served our family well) or making it a game.

Usually the best organizing solution goes with the flow rather than fight a natural tendency.

Thank you Bonnie for the question. I hope this provides you with the information you needed.

Do you have an organizing question or issue? Either email your inquiry to Denise@clearspaces.org or post it right here on the blog. Check here every Thursday for answers to your questions. You'll get information that you can use right now.

Stump the Organizer! How Do I Organize Shoes?

This week's question is "How do I organize shoes?" There are almost as many ways to answer that as there are types of shoes. For many people it's a good idea to sort shoes by frequency of use - everyday wear versus special occasion wear. Shoes that are worn daily need storage that allows quick and uncomplicated access.
My three favorite ways to store everyday shoes are the two-shelf shoe stacker, the tilting drawer shoe cabinet, and the under-the-bed shoe basket on casters. The two-shelf shoe stacker looks like a shrunken bookcase. It's easy to get shoes in and out of these stacking shelves plus everything is visible. Each shelf holds three large or four small shoes. You can stack multiple units - I've stacked up to four together - but a tall assembly should be attached to the wall for stability and safety. Label each shelf with a category such as work shoes, athletic shoes, casual flats, etc.
The tilting drawer cabinet is a stylish way to stash your shoes. Each drawer tilts forward to reveal one or two shelves between which shoes are placed. Depending on the size of the cabinet and shoes, you may be able to store two to four pairs of shoes between the shelves. Because these cabinets offer concealed storage they can be put out in the open. I have used these cabinets by front door because the top of the cabinet offers a nice "landing pad" for keys and mail, not to mention a place to swap the outside shoes for the inside slippers.
If the shoe collection is small and closet space is tight, then an under-the-bed storage basket offers efficient use of space. The casters make it easy to pull the basket out. Avoid the lidded bins for everyday shoes. Taking the lid off everyday is an extra step that our rushed lives don't need. The squishy under-the-bed shoe containers are difficult to use and not sturdy enough for everyday use. But for special occasion shoes a lidded bin may work just fine.
For the collection of really fine shoes consider storage that will protect your investment while providing accessibility. I like translucent shoe boxes that open like drawers or boxes with translucent drop-fronts. Both types of these boxes stack nicely on a shelf and the boxes do not need to be moved to gain access to the shoes.
In my experience, shoe racks made of bars do not hold flats well and require more time to delicately place the shoes than I can muster. The hanging pocket-type organizer requires a fair amount of careful placement as well (maybe I'm just a klutz!) and they get dirty easily. I love the hanging pockets for organizing craft supplies, mittens, scarves and a world of other things - just not shoes.
Remember, ventilation is important especially for everyday shoes. Putting athletic shoes in an airtight container will produce unpleasant memories of the high school locker room when you fetch you shoes.
If you have a clever or unique way to organize your shoes, I'd love to hear it. Just post your comment here!

Organized for Travel

Asking yourself just three questions will help you prepare for and organize all of the details of travel:

1) How are we getting there and where will we stay?
2) What events do I need to plan and pack for?
3) What supports need to be planned for in my home and office?

Capture your answers to these questions in a paper-filled binder with subject dividers labeled “Travel,” “Events and Packing,” and “Home and Office.” Use the subject dividers with pockets and you’ll have handy places to organize your travel documents too. The binder is easy to pack so all of your notes and documents will be quickly accessible during your trip.

It may be easier to print one of the great packing lists already available on the Internet rather than create your own packing list. Slip the list into the your binder, but bear in mind that you still need to plan your outfits. This is where your list of events comes in handy.

Pick out clothes that are appropriate for the events and activities for each day of travel. Make sure you can mix and match items so you can pack less. Three tops and three bottoms take up little space, but they will yield nine outfits when everything matches. Use the top of the bed to lay out the clothes with the accessories to create your outfits, and take notes in your binder. Clear plastic bags are classic tools for organizing clothes and accessories in your suitcase.

When it comes to planning your home and office support systems, think about what will happen to your pets, plants, mail, newspapers, appointments and work while you are away. Planning for all of the things that enter our lives on a daily basis may actually take more time than planning your travel itinerary! Allow yourself enough time to plan for and set up your support systems. Keep any documentation that pertains to these support systems in the pocket of the subject divider.

Planning and organizing prepares you for the adventures of travel and prepares your home and office for your absence. You’ll spend less time stressing and more time relaxing – which is the point of vacation after all!

And speaking of travel...

There were no questions for "Stump the Organizer" last week, which actually worked out well for me. We just returned from a trip to Mackinac Island, Michigan. What a beautiful - and chilly - place!

What organizing challenges have you perplexed? Send me your questions through email or by posting a comment here.

Just a reminder that the Letting Go and Lightening Up Class starts this Saturday, and yes there is room! Letting Go and Lightening Up is an approach that enpowers you to get organized and stay organized. Each of the four classes in the series focuses on a unique area. Between classes you put the lesson plan into practice, and if you need a little help you can make a support call to me. Go to my website to enroll today: http://clearspaces.org/workshops.aspx.

Reminder: Last Day to Enroll at the Early Bird Rate!

Today is the last day for the early bird discount on the upcoming Letting Go and Lightening Up class series. Normally the twelve hours of class time (4 classes that are 3 hours each), the comprehensive workbook, and support calls cost $300. But you will get $50 discount if you enroll today. Enroll with a friend and you each will receive another $50 discount, bringing the cost of the class to $200!
The classes enpower you to let go of the clutter in your mind, your home, your office and your life. The first class meets on July 11. The class will meet on the second Saturday of each month with the final class meeting on October 10 -- you can be organized by the holiday season! You can get more information about the class and enroll on my website: http://clearspaces.org/workshops.aspx.

Tomorrow is Thursday which is "Stump the Organizer" Day! You can post your questions here or email me at Denise@clearspaces.org. I am looking forward to hearing from you! I will be on the road for most of the day but I will answer your questions as soon as I get an internet connection.

Stump the Organizer!

It's Thursday and it's time to post your organizing questions. Thanks to Cindy for posting her excellent question about meal planning. If you missed Cindy's question and my response, it' here: https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=30422473&postID=5685808849892372046 This afternoon I am headed down to Boy Scout camp to enjoy family night so I'll answer questions on Friday morning.
Don't forget about the upcoming Letting Go and Lightening Up class series. You can save up to one-third of the price if you act before July 1. Here is the link to my website to find out more about the class http://clearspaces.org/workshops.aspx. If you ever heard a friend say "I wish I could get more organized!" this class may be the answer she's looking for.

Freedom from Clutter!

I am really looking forward to my next Letting Go and Lightening Up class series that will begin on July 11. We had a wonderful time in our spring series, and feedback indicates the class really had a positive difference. The upcoming class series will help the participants get organized by the holidays.

How many holidays have you spent rushing around trying to put things in order, not to mention dealing with the extra tasks of holiday preparation? This year can be different if you enroll in our upcoming class.

The Letting Go and Lightening Up Class Series focuses on dealing with clutter in four areas: the mind, the home, the office and our lives. Letting go of the clutter in our mind is the essential first step to making decisions about the rest of our clutter. A student in the last class series called this the "peaceful power" step!

If you could use more "peaceful power" and less clutter in your life enroll in the next Letting Go and Lightening Up class series. . Complete your enrollment by July 1 and you will save $5o. Bring a friend and you will each save another $50! I expect the class to fill up quickly so don't delay your enrollment! Visit www.clearspaces.org.

Got Organizing Questions?

It seems that organizing is on many people's minds these days. It's pretty common that I am asked questions about organizing in social situations.

Sometimes people know exactly what they want to do and how they want to do it, they just need a little validation. Validation can be really motivating. It can eliminate the fear that you are doing something wrong, or that there must be something unusual about you because you prefer to work in a way that's different from how your neighbor works.

Basically I've been asked just about every type of organizing question that I can think of. But I'm sure there's more out there. Let's hear them!

Every Thursday I will post the "Stump the Organizer" article. Post your organizing question on this blog. Based on the number of questions I get, I will either directly answer your question in the post or I'll summarize the questions to provide an efficient answer through a post.

So what's stumping you? What organizing question do you have that, when answered, will get you going on your project?