Elite Organizing

Has your child taken over your living space?

Cheryl A. Solheim — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 22:26:11 +0000

Let’s face it, children have a ton of stuff and keeping it organized is often a challenge for families. Here are 5 ways to take back your living space.

Reduce Toy Clutter: Many children have broken and unused toys that pile up in their rooms and play spaces. To help reduce the quantity of toys, have your child donate or throw away an old toy whenever they receive a new one.
Add Storage Space: If there is not a designated home for a child’s belongings, it is more difficult to stay organized. Sort and store similar items together and label them with a photo to make it easy for your child to keep it organized. Utilize vertical space by adding a bookcase or shelving to display their treasures. Add extra storage space by placing portable bins under the bed.
Create a Play Area: In many homes a child’s play space is shared with the rest of the family. Designate a play zone in an unused corner of the room by adding a basket, small table, room divider or area rug. Only allow as many toys in the main living space that will comfortably fit in the designated area.
Make Toys Easily Accessible: Place children’s favorite items within their reach so they can easily access and put back their toys without asking for adult assistance.
Involve Your Child: Communicate the ground rules and be sure your child understands their play space and where their things belong. Give your child a sense of ownership of their space and they are more likely to stay organized.

How to Reduce Work Stress

Cheryl A. Solheim — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:28:04 +0000

Do you feel overwhelmed at work? By managing your time more wisely you can reduce stress and improve your well-being. Try these five simple tips.

Start Each Day with a Plan: So much of your day is eaten up with deciding what task to do next, or where best to assign priorities. Start the day with a plan of action and stick to it.
Prioritize Your Tasks: An honest accounting of which tasks are most important and time sensitive will give you a clear order and plan.
Break Projects Down into Small Tasks: It’s easy to get overwhelmed. Just remember that each job is made up of numerous smaller jobs. Identify and attack these.
Evaluate How You’re Spending Time / Limit Distractions: For a few days, make a concerted effort to record how you spend your time. How long is that coffee break, that conversation with a coworker or time spent surfing the net. Identify areas to make cuts, and you’ll find a new source of time and productivity.
Learn to Say “No” and Delegate to Others: You can’t do every job you’re asked to. Learn to identify which tasks are unessential, and which tasks can safely be delegated to others.

Making Sense of the Chaos—Five Tips for getting organized

Cheryl A. Solheim — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:28:33 +0000

Start Small: One of the biggest challenges our clients face is starting or finishing a project. Before trying to conquer an entire room, start with one space within the room like a desk or countertop.
Identify Function: Before starting, ask yourself, what is the purpose of the space? How will this space be used? Is this a shared space?
Everything in Its Place: It’s hard to stay organized if items do not have a place they belong. Designate areas in your space for like items to be kept.
Create a Routine: Staying organized is about identifying processes for the things we do and sticking with them.
Keep at It and Prioritize: If you try and try but can’t seem to make sense of the chaos, step back and ask yourself why? Is the process too hard to maintain? Does it fit my lifestyle? Is this a priority?

How to turn “Wasted Space” into “Working Space”

Cheryl A. Solheim — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:27:02 +0000

No matter the size of your living space there are probably areas that are not being utilized for storage. Check out the top 5 “wasted spaces”

Above the Toilet: Bathrooms never seem to have enough space but for less than $100 you can add an above the toilet cabinet to store toiletries, towels and toilet paper.
Behind Closed Doors: Utilize the back of doors in your pantry, laundry room, closet and cabinets by adding easy to install shelving and hooks.
Under the Bed: One of the most forgotten storage spaces in the home can be utilized by adding under the bed bins for shoes, sweaters or kids toys.
Closet Walls: Quickly turn an unused closet wall into a functional space by installing hooks or small nails to hang jewelry, belts, handbags and caps.
Inside of Drawers: Drawers often become overstuffed and cluttered. Maximize your drawer space by inserting space dividers, trays or bins to keep items in place.