WLOS Celebrates Get Organized Month on location with Garner Woodworks

January is National Get Organized Month.  So, this morning I was interviewed by Victoria Dunkle on WLOS News 13.  We were on location in Swannanoa with Garner Woodworks.

Victoria and I hit 4 main areas of the house:

1. Kitchen
2. Closet
3. Children's Room
4. Garage

While we were filming a number of people wrote in with questions on Facebook...

Here is the blog post I promised with the tips from the show as well as some answers to your (continuing) questions...

1) Kitchen

• Reduce piles, stacks, &  on the counter by using bowls and baskets to corral everyday items like coffee, bread & fruit.
• According to master woodworker Josh Cairns of Garner Woodworks, 80% of the lower cabinets in a kitchen should be drawers.

 

www.GarnerWoodworks.com

2)  Closet

• Use a full-length mirror to help in making wardrobe decisions.  Even more than the old "haven't worn it in a year" adage, a head to toe reflection of yourself is an undeniable deal breaker.  You will either love it or hate it. (Looks like this is the exception to the rule...I was torn - 50/50. I had to send a txt photo to my sisters for the tie-breaking decision)

The full length mirror really is helping!

• Hang like with like (short sleeved, long sleeved, jackets, pants, skirts...).  Within a category (shirts) hang by spectrum order (black, white, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).

  
  

  

  
  

  Color Coding a Closet

   

   

   

   

   

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

3) Children's Room -

My "dessert" for helping a young client.  Vegetarian ice-cream (thus the lettuce). 

 

• A Facebook-er asked about simplifying the process of organizing, which is important for both adults & children.  The easiest way to make life easier is to get rid of the unnecessary.  Knowing that your unused things will become someone's treasured belonging makes the decision to let go easier.  Think of Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill, & the myriads of shelters that need your stuff.

 

Bye bye stuff!

• With everyone in the family (or for each room in the house) assign a floating basket that can be the half-step - a container to catch all those things that don't quite get put away but need to get put somewhere.

4) Garage -

• There are OVER 52,000 storage facilities in the US.

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  Bye Bye Pod!
  

• Label storage containers on all 4 sides & the lid so nothing is left to chance (inner family sabotage!)

The last Facebook  posts we addressed had to do with a lack of time & motivation to organize.  Try finding a friend you could time-share with.  A dedicated hour at her house working on an anti-clutter strategy, then a dedicated hour on your project.  You will find a new pair of eyes & an extra set of hands make all the difference!

Thank you again to Garner Woodworks for hosting us today.