Innovatively Organized | Productivity. Organization. Results.

Before and After of the Week

11.26.2011

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Service: Residential Organizing; Space Planning

Challenge:
The challenge with this project was a large quantity of holiday decorations that needed to fit efficiently into a very tight storage space. When we arrived at the client’s home, we discovered that after the last holiday, many holiday decorations had been living on the stair landing next to a storage nook. The family had storage containers, but they were not the right size or shape, which made storing the decorations difficult. We noticed that shelving units were lacking from the space, which meant that if the client needed to access something on the bottom, every container in front and on top of it needed to come out first.

Solution:
We sorted and purged the decorations into categories, took detailed inventory of the decorations and quantities, and measured the space and items to be stored. From there, we designed an efficient layout for the space incorporating proper shelving and containers that would maximize the storage capacity.

Result:
The result is a remarkable holiday storage space that is easy to use! Because the shelving and containers are consistent, and the items used most frequently are in the appropriate locations, finding exactly what the client needs is much easier! We have given the client a map of the space so that if another family member needs to access a specific bin, they will know exactly where the bin is located. The holiday storage space is so much more functional!

View more Before and After photos on our Facebook Fan Page!

We absolutely love this website! You know when you can’t find your phone because it’s hidden under a blanket or fell under the seat? And you ask your friend to call it for you? Well, in case this happens to you when you don’t have a friend nearby to help out, go to I Can’t Find My Phone. Assuming your phone is not on silent and you have a computer close to you, this website is guaranteed to help you out! Simply enter your phone number and it calls you for free. And when you finally find your phone and answer the call, the machine leaves a kind message, wishing you a good day! We almost want to misplace our phone now, just so we can use this ingenious tool!

We know you’ve been busy in the kitchen this week, following recipes and preparing dishes for Thanksgiving. If your neck is sore from bending over to read your cookbook, try a retractable book stand. You can install one under your cabinets so your recipes will be closer to eye level and out of the way on the counters.

Enjoy these last few moments of peace… days when you can relax in front of the TV or read a book. Yes, the holidays are coming, which means your free time will decrease as your stress levels steep to new levels! We know the holidays are crazy and hectic, but we can help you stay on top of everything with our Holiday Checklist! It’s a timeline beginning in November all the way through the holidays. By planning early and staying prepared, you will be able to enjoy the holidays! That means less last-minute errands and shopping, more relaxing with the family.

Get organized now with our Holiday Checklist!

And for more Innovatively Organized checklists, visit our page of Holiday Organizing Checklists!

Before and After of the Week

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11.15.2011

Service: Residential Organizing; Space Planning

Challenge:
This couple moved into their condo just a few weeks before they called us to come in. They were moving from one condo to another, but wanted us to design the closet space to be organized and functional before they moved in all their clothes. During the consultation, we took measurements of their space, took inventory of their clothes, and discussed what their goals were for this new space.

Solution:
We designed a custom closet solution to fit all of their specific needs. We took into account each of their personal interests and designed a solution that incorporated this gear, along with their everyday work and casual clothes. We also gave them space to store their out of season clothes, such as winter and summer.

Result:
They now have a closet that is functional and beautiful. The closet looks great and we know that they will enjoy it for years to come!

View more Before and After photos on our Facebook Fan Page!

Don't know what to get someone this holiday season? Give them the gift of time with our gift recommendations for 2012. From business professionals to teenagers to busy moms we have selected our favorite products to help people be more efficient with their time.

1. Electric Kettle: Ever hear the phrase, “A watched pot never boils?” With an electric kettle, your water will boil in half the time. Perfect for busy professionals, the office kitchen or a college student.

2. Fix, Freeze, Feast Cookbook: Save time by cooking in batches that you can freeze with ease! Give the cookbook to friends and arrange to swap frozen meals for some variety in your menu planning.

3. ScanSnap S1300: This is one of our all-time favorite products to help you achieve your goal of becoming as paperless as possible. This scanner is portable, easy to use, and maintains great quality.

4. Earphone Cord Manager: We’ve all seen it, people awkwardly fighting to untangle their headphones. With a simple cord manager you will save time and save the quality of your headphones. Great gift idea for teens and professionals alike.

5. Car Trunk Organizer: Sick of placing everything neatly in your trunk only to arrive at your destination and find everything scattered all over the place? This car trunk organizer is the ideal gift for someone who is on the go.

6. GRID-IT! Organizer Case: Sick of digging through your purse or laptop bag looking for your digital devices? The GRID-It Organizer Case will save you time by conveniently storing devices in one place.

7. Collapsible Containers: It takes a lot of time to neatly nest Tupperware containers inside one another. Why not give someone a collapsible container? They take up less space and are easy to store.

8. PanSaver Slow Cooker Liners: Slow cookers are great time savers, that is, until you realize you have to clean the pan at the end of the night. With PanSaver Liners, cleanup is as simple as throwing a bag away.

9. Rice Cooker: Unlike cooking rice on the stove, using a rice cooker gives you the freedom to get other things done without worrying about overcooking the rice. Push a button and let the cooker do the rest!

10. Speech Recognition Software: This is the perfect gift for people who spend a lot of time on a computer. With Dragon NaturallySpeaking software, spoken words appear on the screen three times faster than typing.

11. Label Maker: You will save time instantly by clearly labeling where items belong. Our favorite label maker has a typewriter style keyboard and allows you to customize labels to fit your particular needs.

12. Computer Tote Bag: We love tote bags! When properly designed, they have the pockets, compartments and wheels to help you find what you’re looking for without a second thought.

Description:

Do you have a store's worth of greeting cards on hand… cards for every occasion? Or do you keep greeting cards you have received from friends and family? A card box is a great way to organize and store greeting cards you are waiting to give, or cards you have received. Label the plastic dividers and you are ready to give a card for any holiday!

You’ll love it for:

-Organizing greeting cards for various occasions

-Storing holiday cards

Cost: $15.50

Available at: Our Amazon store

We want to help you organize your contacts in time for the holidays!

Do you know where to find all of your contact information for holiday cards this year? Does the thought of hunting down addresses stress you out? Now is the perfect time to create a contact management system that works for you!

Whether it’s implementing a full-blown CRM system at your small business or streamlining your contacts and the holiday card process at home, we want to help you find a system to organize your contact and address information that works and saves you time for years to come.

To encourage you to get started, we would like to offer you a Holiday Special of $100 off our Productivity Starter Package if you sign-up by November 30^th. The package includes six hours with one of our organizers that specializes in Contact Management. To redeem the offer, simply use the code HOLIDAYCARD at checkout or mention this offer when you call to schedule at (206) 494-9822.

1. Do holiday shopping online or on a weekday morning
Online shopping is one of the ultimate time savers! But for those of you who enjoy the shopping experience, you might want to avoid some of the crowds by shopping on a weekday morning. Saving a few hours of frustration and traffic is well worth taking a half-day off work.

2. Manage holiday cards before they manage you
To stay organized when you’re sending out holiday cards, check out our holiday card checklist. When you receive holiday cards in the mail, set them aside and read them in batches during times you have blocked off in your calendar. As you read your holiday cards, display them in a way that works for you (try delegating this part to a family member). Also, you can avoid the long lines at the post-office by ordering postage online.

3. Delegate to co-workers or family members
It’s easy to feel like the success of the holidays is up to you! Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to family members, co-workers, or friends. Keep track of delegated tasks by using online to-do lists. Check out our webinar on Managing Your Online To-Do Lists for tips and tool recommendations that are right for you.

4. Make meals ahead of time
Spend a day making meals you can freeze easily. Then, when you have a day where cooking is the last thing you want to do, you’ll have a meal readily available. Get a jump-start with the book, Fix, Freeze, Feast: The Delicious, Money-Saving Way to Feed Your Family by Kati Neville. Also, you can make the experience more enjoyable by arranging a food swap among friends.

5. Set a deadline for gifts and wrapping
There are so many pieces to the gift-giving puzzle, and last minute shopping won’t do you any favors. Set a deadline for when you need to mail out your gifts and work backwards to set a deadline for when you will have your shopping complete. Before you start wrapping, make sure you set up a gift-wrapping station with the proper storage containers. Hold yourself accountable by adding the time to your calendar and wrapping with a friend on the day you’ve agreed upon.

It may only be early November, but before you know it, it's December 15th and you still haven't mailed your holiday greeting cards! You are about to get incredibly busy, in the blink of an eye, so do yourself a favor and start this task early. Our checklist will help you start planning early, gathering addressess and distributing tasks among family members. Go ahead, breathe a sigh of relief.

Get organized now with our Holiday Cards Checklist!

And for more Innovatively Organized checklists, visit our pages of Organizing Checklists and our Holiday Organizing Resources!

Before and After of the Week

Innovative Idea: I Can't Find My Phone

Thought: Declutter Kitchen Counters

Checklist: Holiday Checklist

Before and After of the Week

Gift Guide: 12 Time Saving Gifts

Product Spotlight: Greeting Card Keeper

Special Offer: Organize Your Contacts and Send Holiday Cards with Ease

5 Tips To Save You Time This Holiday Season

Checklist: Sending Out Holiday Cards

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