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To help you create and maintain a living environment that works for you, check out this ApartmentGuide article that I’m featured in—full of useful tips and strategies from me and other organizing professionals! 🌱
With Dad working from home, and Mom busy with the kids, who’s got time for home organizing? “Do It For Me” organizing can be a great solution. (Photo: Keira Burton from Pexels.)
“No, you don’t have to,” I replied.
“Oh,” she said, with a smile of relief, “that’s great!”
There are two styles of organizing that you may or may not be familiar with. There is “Do It With Me”, and then there’s “Do It For Me”.
“Do It With Me”. That’s where the professional organizer (me!) and the client (you!) work together, side-by-side. The client makes the decisions, as I guide him or her through the organizing process in a way that works for their space, their lifestyle, and their belongings. I’m there to help with decluttering and sorting, as well as the “where should I put this?” decisions that come afterwards. The end result: an organized space.
“Do It For Me”. That’s where I, the professional organizer, work unsupervised in a client’s home. I’ll do the organizing for them, based on the goals, preferences, and details they’ve has shared with me. Again, the end result is an organized space.
Sometimes you’ll hear talk about how the “Do It For Me” style isn’t as good. “Oh, the client always needs to be involved in the process! Otherwise it’ll all be for naught.” Well, sometimes that can be true. But to declare this as a blanket statement is both incorrect, and unfair.
First of all, although not everyone may have the skills or experience to create a system from scratch, many people do just fine following a system that’s been set up for them (ideally, after discussing their specific goals and needs with the organizer.)
Second, this blanket statement assumes that everybody has the ability to take time off to work with a professional organizer. This is not the case. A professional with a highly demanding job, an overwhelmed mom or dad, a caregiver for an elderly parent—these are just some of the folks who may not have the freedom to “Just take a day off”.
And yet they all deserve an organized, peaceful home that works for them.
The demands of your job may not leave much time for organizing. Giving up your hard-earned weekend to sort things into bins is not the only alternative! (Photo: Rodnae Productions from Pexels.)
1) It saves you time. You don’t have to look at your busy schedule, figure out what day or time you can possibly take off, and then devote that time to organizing.
2) It’s convenient. It’s a bit like dropping your car off at the shop, then picking it up after work and the oil has been changed and the tires have been rotated. Only with organizing, it’s even easier because there’s no pickup or drop-off involved.
3) You don’t have to be physically present. I can work unsupervised in one room while you’re in another room working—or I can even work in your home while you are not home. I have clients who are able to buzz me into their home remotely, let me in before they leave for work, or provide me with a key (which is always kept in a secure place when not in use).
“Do It For Me” organizing is certainly not for everyone or every situation. If you feel you have too many things and need to declutter, that means making decisions about what to keep and what to let go. I can’t make those decisions for you, so you must be present and actively participating. On the other hand, if decluttering isn’t your top priority (but creating a system is) then “Do It For Me” can be a great solution for you.
How great would it feel to come home to a tidy space, take off your shoes, and relax? You deserve it! (Photo: Anastasia Shuraeva from Pexels.)
I don’t create a system in a vacuum, or based on a one-size-fits-all methodology, but only after a detailed conversation with you. During our consultation, I’ll ask you questions, including how you use your space and your belongings, your feelings about what is currently working and what is not working so well, your preferences as to “stuff out” versus “stuff away”, and your tastes as to how things look. I’ll listen carefully to your answers. I’ll also ask you to share photos of your space.
At your home, I’ll apply what you’ve shared with me to create a personalized system just for you. This will involve removing things from where they are stored, sorting things into categories, then replacing things in an organized way that is consistent with the goals and needs you’ve expressed to me.
And yes, I can recommend organizing products that are appropriate for the space, and that fit with your tastes and preferences. However, it’s important to remember that pretty boxes can always be added later. The majority of my clients are most concerned with having a space that works for them and makes their busy lives easier.
After I’ve done the organizing work, I will communicate to you what I’ve done, in writing and/or verbally as well as by using labels and photographs, so that when you return home, you’ll know where things are.
And that’s it! “Do It For Me” in a nutshell—and you get to come home to a peaceful, organized space where you can relax and feel good.
No matter which organizing style (or a combination) is right for you, I’m here to help you get the relief from clutter that you deserve. I’m Kammy, a Chicagoland-based professional organizer. Contact me or text (773) 756-5414 for your free 30-minute consultation. 🌱
Pantry shelves organized for visibility, accessibility, and frequency of use.
My client, a busy HR manager, loves her cosy one bedroom apartment in a historic Chicago neighborhood. The only problem? Space is at a premium, making storage a challenge—especially in the kitchen. We worked together to pare down and organize her kitchen cabinets, using these tips for small spaces:
Narrow, deep cabinets make it easy to "lose" things when you can't see them. Make sure to store items in a way that lets you see what you have. A well-placed shelf riser can help. Another tip is to stack canned and boxed food items like stadium seats (taller items sticking up behind so you can see them).
Reserve the "prime real estate" spots in your kitchen (at eye level and in arm's reach) for the items you use all the time—everyday dishes, cookware, and food items. Holiday serving ware, occasional-use appliances, and other infrequently used items should be stored out of the way (such as in an upper cabinet).
When storing things, consider the item's size, weight, and whether you can reach it, lift it, and get it out easily. Large heavy items such as mixers are best stored on a lower shelf for safety and accessibility.
A prime location cabinet reorganized to store only the everyday dishes. Infrequently used items were relocated.
Small spaces don't have room for lots of "pantry porn" style baskets and bins. Use a very limited number of well-placed containers to corral smaller items.
One well-placed bin can be just what you need to organize a small cabinet.
Also, limit the use of turntables. They do look nice and can provide greater accessibility, but there’s a trade-off in that their round shapes take up more room.
A great strategy is simply to have less. Be picky about the items you choose to have in your small space. For example, do you need 30 coffee mugs, or can you be just as happy keeping only your favorites? Think carefully about how many items you want to own that are only used once a year, or very infrequently. Examples include formal and holiday dishware, as well as “unitaskers” such as a breadmaker, panini press, or avocado pitter. (Of course, personal preferences vary widely. If you love your avocado pitter, by all means keep it!)
To get the most out of your limited storage areas, think vertically. Don't be limited by the default level of the shelves in your cabinets—in many cases, you can raise or lower the shelves to fit your needs. If your shelves aren’t movable, a shelf riser or under-shelf basket can create more vertical storage options. And store items upright whenever possible—the most space-efficient way.
Are you longing for an organized, peaceful living environment, but don't have time to figure out a system from scratch? Hiring a professional can be a game-changer! I'm Kammy, and I help Chicagoland's busy working professionals organize their homes to find peace and relief. DM me or text (773) 756-5414 for your free 30-minute consultation. 🌱
Photo: Victoria Art from @Pexels
As kids grow, learn and change, they outgrow older toys and move on to new toys. Toys and games break or lose some of their pieces, while the leftovers stick around as clutter. Birthdays and holidays bring new toys into the home. There might also be the generous grandma who brings new toys every time she visits, just because. Add the hand-me-downs from relatives and friends, and it’s easy to see how busy parents may be experiencing toy clutter overload.
Parents feel frustrated by the amount of toys kids have, the mess it creates, and the time it takes to tidy things up. Sometimes they'll comment that "the kids don't even play with these toys any more."
It's important to remember that just like grownups do, kids also feel overwhelmed by too much stuff. Instead of bringing joy, a huge amount of toys can turn into a source of stress, something we definitely don't want for our kids!
Photo: Yaroslav Shuraev from @Pexels
Pare down! Rather than feeling deprived, having fewer toys actually allows kids to more easily focus on and enjoy the toys they have. You may do a toy purge while kids are in bed or at school, but it’s best to involve kids in the process whenever possible. Kids may enjoy choosing which toys they’d like to gift to someone less fortunate.
Strategize. Plan toy purges and donations to occur before birthdays and holidays, when new toys will be entering the home.
Create zones. Have an area for arts & crafts, an area for dress-up, an area for building toys like blocks and legos, a reading area with cushions and stuffed toys.
Involve kids in keeping things tidy. Choose a home (such as a bin or basket) for each kind of toy. Teach kids how to put toys back in their homes after playing with them.
Toy rotation can help keep toys manageable. Create sets of toys (involve kids in the choosing process!). Have one set available to be played with, while you store the other toy sets out of sight. After a while (weekly, monthly, or seasonally) put away the current set and bring out a new toy set.
Sometimes we think of kids as preferring things to be messy. But I’ve seen over and over how kiddos love it when their play area is tidied up. Instead of feeling overwhelmed or bored by clutter and excess, they’re excited to play with their toys. Just like grownups, an organized space has a positive effect on them.
I'm Kammy, a professional organizer serving Chicagoland's hardworking professionals. If you're a busy parent with kiddos, I'm here to help you make your playroom a joyfully organized place where your kids can truly thrive. Reach out to me or text (773) 756-5414 for your free 30-minute consultation. 🌱
—my client after her daughters’ playroom was tidied up
Before doing a toy purge…
… and after!
Organizing kids’ clothing can be a challenge for several reasons. Unlike most grownups, kids are continually growing, which means they’ll outgrow the clothing they’re wearing today, and will need bigger sizes in the future. To make things more complicated, individual kids can grow at different rates at different times. And if you have more than one child, and you’d like to put aside one child’s outgrown items for the next child’s future use, there’s the additional problem of where and how to store these things until they are needed. It’s easy to see how organizing and managing kids’ clothing can get overwhelming for parents.
Here’s an example based on a client of mine who has two daughters. The system works the same if you have two boys. If you have a boy and a girl, you’ll likely want to modify the system to account for the fact that some clothing items are unisex & can become hand-me-downs, while others aren’t. If you have three or more kiddos, you can also modify the system accordingly.
The first step is to take all clothing out, and sort it into these categories:
1 - Clothes that currently fit Kid 1
2 - Clothes that currently fit Kid 2
3 - Clothes that are too small for either kid
4 - Clothes that are too big for either kid (future clothes)
5 - Clothes that Kid 1 has outgrown, but are too big for Kid 2 (in-between clothes)
Then sort Category #3 into these subcategories:
3a - Donate
3b - Sell
3c - Sentimental items to keep
In step 2, we’ll purge all the categories from step 1.
Items that are ripped, stained, worn out, or otherwise damaged should be discarded. Too-small items (category #3) that are in good condition can be donated, taken to a consignment store, or sold online. A limited selection of too-small clothing can be kept as sentimental items. I suggest choosing a joyful way to store these items, such as a special box or bin, and also using that container as the limit for how many sentimental items to keep.
Store the clothes that each kid can currently wear in their respective closet and/or dresser. Future clothes for Kid 2 or for both kids can be sorted by size and season, then placed in labeled containers for storage until needed.
Once the initial three steps have been done, all that remains is to keep the system running by doing regular maintenance. Keep an empty bin in each kid’s closet to accumulate outgrown clothing.
In spring and fall, empty the bins. Discard, donate, sell, or store (sentimental) the too small items.
In spring and fall, put away in-between clothing (category #5). And bring out future clothing (category #4) for kids to start wearing.
One of the easiest ways to simplify your clothing management is to have less clothing. Decide on the needed amount of clothing for each kid based on how often you do laundry.
Reduce time spent folding by hanging everything you can hang.
Eliminate time spent matching pairs of socks, by having only one (or at most, a few) kinds of socks. Then just throw them in a drawer—no matching needed.
If a kid’s closet has a double closet rod, use the top rod to hang off-season clothes. The kid can choose and hang up their own current-season clothing on the more accessible bottom rod. If there’s no second closet rod, store off-season clothing in a bin in the closet or a separate location.
Using a small transparent plastic chest of drawers (rather than traditional dressers) makes it easier for kids to access and put away their own clothes. Keep only one type of clothing in each small drawer, and label each drawer (“Shirts” “Socks”, etc., or with a picture for younger kids).
***
I’m Kammy, a professional organizer helping Chicagoland’s busy working parents organize their homes to find peace and relief. I’ll help you create a system that works for you—so you can enjoy more quality time with your kids. Reach out for your free 30-minute consultation. 🌱
Clothes for the future when the kids grow into them. Sorted by size and season.
Off-season clothing storage in bins on a top shelf. The bottom right bin is there to collect outgrown items.
Storing papers horizontally in piles is a recipe for clutter and distraction.
When I arrived at her home, I saw papers—and lots of them! There were papers in piles, papers inside folders (also piled), and also some papers in folders stored upright in open plastic boxes. She explained that she had several big projects going on right now, including job applications, medical arrangements for a family member, and a project related to a vacation rental property she owns.
"My problem is that I need to have things out," she said. "If they're put away, I'll forget. But then my papers are everywhere. I put them in folders, but I still can't find things and feel overwhelmed."
Right away I understood that there were a few different things going on here.
1) My client was a "stuff out" person.
There are “stuff out” people, and there are “stuff away” people. Putting everything away and having an empty desk like you live at Ikea doesn't work for “stuff out” people. They need visual reminders of what they have. This is not some kind of a character flaw. It’s simply that some people’s brains work differently than others.
Sometimes it seems like the rules are created for “stuff away” people. We're taught that we organize papers by putting them in folders—and then putting those folders away so your desk is "clear". But putting everything away can trip up "stuff out" people, because things are hidden from them.
2) Not all papers are created equal.
Some papers are "one and done", single tasks. Other papers are part of a project. Projects were a big an issue for my client. As a “stuff out” person, she needed her active project papers to be "out" at all times. But the way they were out was causing clutter and confusion, making her feel like she was up to her neck in paper.
3) She needed a system.
The folders & plastic boxes was an attempt at a system, but it was incomplete and not working for her. There were multiple instances of folders with the same name that she'd created at different times. Papers related to current tasks were mixed up with completed papers and paid bills. This necessitated a constant process of churning and rediscovering which tasks needed doing.
She did also have a filing cabinet, but she wasn't really using it, except as a place to store extra office supplies left over from an old job.
A system that doesn’t hide your papers from you.
To begin, we sorted all of her papers into two categories:
Current papers such as bills to be paid, correspondence to be answered, and ongoing projects.
Done papers such as paid bills, letters already answered, and completed projects.
We agreed that done papers were cluttering up her active workspace. How should they be handled? My client said she'd feel OK about putting away done papers in her filing cabinet. They'd be there if needed, but they were no longer "out", creating clutter and distraction. She also decided to donate a large proportion of the extra office supplies she'd been storing in the file cabinet for several years. "I'm never going to use all that stuff, but the school would love to have it."
Now, what about current papers? This was where we needed to make a distinction between tasks and projects.
A task is a “one and done” item. For example, the electric bill. Pay it, and it's done.
We placed the “one and done” tasks in a single In Box*. No folders, just loose papers in a box which would sit on the counter where she could see it. She could go through this box daily, complete tasks one by one, then file the task paper in the cabinet.
*The In Box is also known as the Action Required File. Tasks requiring action should be placed in this box as soon as they enter the house. See this article for more help with paper management.
A project contains more than one task. It can also have reference materials associated with it. This means it's not “one and done”, but will be sticking around for a while, until all tasks that make up the project are finished. Storage in folders is helpful here, but it's best to use as few folders as possible.
We created a simple system for projects:
Labels are important visual reminders. Keep your label names simple and obvious..
Each project got its own folder with a label (for example, Job Applications)
Within the project folder, we created 3 labeled subfolders: Tasks, Tasks-Done, and Reference.
Completed tasks can be moved from Tasks to Tasks-Done.
The entire project folder is stored upright in a plastic box.
When the project is done, the entire project folder gets filed in the file cabinet.
We used the open plastic boxes and folders my client already owned. Without lids, the labeled folders were always visible. The boxes themselves would live on the counter where my client could see them.
The difference is that they're no longer in piles, or hidden in folders that aren't part of a system. They're organized in a way that works for her: easy to access, and stored in plain sight, where they'll always be top of mind. She's gone from feeling overwhelmed, to feeling in control of her papers and her life.
Overwhelmed by papers? I'm a Chicago-based professional organizer. Whether you're a "stuff out" person or a "stuff away" person, I'll work with you to create a paper management system that's right for you. Contact me for your free 30-minute consultation. 🌱
When nothing has a home, then everything lives on the counter—or the floor.
You're not alone! “Where to put things” is a challenge that many people face. It commonly causes clutter, for two reasons: (1) it's unclear where items belong, or (2) it's difficult or inconvenient to return them to their homes.
The result: things wind up wherever they get put down, often covering every surface.
It's important to remember that in the organizing process, storage is the very last step. There's no point in trying to find a home for everything you own, before you have decided whether you really need or want to own all of it.
So pare down first. Letting some things go will free up space and reduce clutter, even if you did nothing else.
Have you heard the saying “A place for everything, and everything in its place”? It’s a simple but powerful concept!
Choose a home for each item, and make it a habit to return it to its home after use.
Not sure where to put it? Store it close to where you use it. Example: I keep the cat food in a cabinet near the cat's food & water bowls.
Still not sure where to put it? Don't sweat it. Just put it somewhere, and see how that works. If you decide the home you've chosen doesn't work, you can always change it.
Keep all items of the same type in the same place. Example: There's only one place where batteries live in my house: a certain kitchen drawer.
If you live with others, designate a storage place for each person. Try to focus each person's storage in one spot, such as a closet or cabinet. Avoid having numerous storage spaces throughout the house (for example, a situation where Dad's socks and underwear live in the bathroom, his shirts in a closet, and his pants in a dresser in a different room).
Reserve "prime real estate" locations for everyday, frequently used items. Example: My coffee machine lives on the counter but my waffle maker is stored in a cabinet.
Store items in a way that makes them easy to put away. (Don't worry about making things easy to get out. When you need them, you will get them out.)
Have the simplest system possible. Avoid spending lots of money on clever-looking "storage solutions". Not everything needs to be in a bin or a container. As I said in a previous post, containers don’t make you organized. For things that do need to be containerized, try to use a box, bin or basket you already have.
Notice what’s already working in your home, and build on it. Example: Do you file-fold your T-shirts in a drawer? Try doing the same with your dish towels.
Taking care of your home feels good! This helps reinforce positive habits.
When things have a home, they're much easier to put away, because where to put them doesn't require a decision. The decision has already been made. It can feel satisfying to return things to their place, because you're taking care of your home. This feeling can help build and reinforce positive habits that will keep your home tidier and you happier!
Longing for an organized, peaceful home? I'm a Chicago-based professional organizer and I'm here to help. Reach out to me for your free 30-minute consultation. 🌱
So many beautiful baskets and bins. Sometimes it's like they almost might have magic powers!
With all the beautiful bins, boxes, and baskets available for purchase, it can sometimes be hard to remember one important thing: Organizing is the process of sorting, making decisions, and finally choosing a home for each item. It's not the process of putting items into containers so they look pretty.
This means that decisions come first. You'll choose to keep things that you love, need, and use, while discarding things that are not serving you. When you're done deciding what belongs in your life, that's the time to choose where to put things, based on when, where, and how often you use them. Storage is the very last step in the organizing process.
I know how tempting it is to rush out to the Container Store or Target when you've decided you want to organize your home. There are some seriously lovely containers out there—sometimes it's like they almost might have magic powers. You're certainly not alone if you've ever thought, "Look at these great bins. If I had these, I just know I'd be more organized!" But simply putting all your belongings into containers as a first step, will only give the illusion of organization. I have been in many homes where there are plenty of containers, yet there is not a system that works.
The wrong type of containers being used, so that it actually creates more work rather than making things easier.
Example: using containers with very high walls inside a narrow, deep cabinet. It's difficult to reach into the container to retrieve items, so they sit there not being used. When more items are purchased, they get put in front of the containers, not in them. The result is duplication and clutter.
Example: using opaque containers instead of clear in situations where you need to be able to quickly see what's inside (to determine how much bird seed you have left, or printer paper, or whatever). This may be more important to you if you're a very visual person.
Example: very large containers used to store heavy items such as books. You wind up with a very heavy and bulky container that's difficult to move.
Containers or other storage solutions that seem like a clever idea, but don't fit the space.
Example: a client had purchased a "gravity can feeder" (the wire kind, where cans are placed sideways so they can roll forwards). But when they put it together, there was not one cabinet or shelf in the entire kitchen that was big enough for this storage item to fit.
Allowing the size and shape of a container, rather than the contents and frequency of use, to dictate where you'll store something.
Example: Super tall clear acrylic canisters didn't fit in any of the logical places a client wanted to store frequently-used baking supplies. They then began to explore storing the containers sideways, or in a lower, more distant cabinet. Eventually they agreed that these canisters, while very pretty, just didn't provide the functionality they needed in their kitchen.
Have a clear idea how new containers will be used. And measure first before you go to the store!
Sort and discard first, so that you know what and how much you need to store
Consider if you can use a container you already own instead of buying new
Have a clear idea how new containers will be used
Before leaving the house to go to the store, measure the space the containers will go in
Consider whether you want clear or opaque containers. How important is it to see the items inside?
Pay attention to the height of the container walls. How important is it to be able to reach in and retrieve items?
With a little thought and planning ahead, and remembering that storage comes last, common container errors can be avoided and you can create a home that's functional as well as beautiful.
Final thoughts: One of the biggest challenges in organizing is that many items can have emotional significance. This includes containers. Buying aspirational containers can be an expression of our desire to have things be different, to live a more organized life. It's important to remember that bins don't have the power to create a system. Nor do they have the power to change your habits, shopping patterns, ways of thinking, or other factors that may be contributing to feeling cluttery and overwhelmed. Only you have that power!
Looking for guidance in your home organizing journey? As a professional organizer, I'm here to help. Reach out for your free 30-minute consultation. 🌱
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