Beginning the sorting process...

Deciding what to store, keep or donate.

We started by sorting through all the paper, electronics and office equipment.  We put into storage the important items and donated the remainder.

Then we went about rearranging the furniture, connecting the appropriate electronics and decorating. In addition to items that made the space feel more feminine, we kept some of her husband’s favorite things.

This arrangement suits her work at home.

Honoring her husband by keeping his favorite things...

The process of making these changes was a roller coaster of emotions for her.  Sometimes we laughed and sometimes we cried.  But now she has an office that honors him and supports her work at home.  

Best storage idea I have seen in very long time…

Absolutely the best use of space for storing pots and pans.

Best shoe storage I have ever seen…

Great idea for storing shoes in hallway

Another great use of a stairway for storage…

Using stairs for storage.

My favorite feature in a home…

I hope to retire here...

Or maybe retire here…

Just about perfect...

So I can’t tell you how excited I was to discover flameless candles – battery operated, no matches needed!  No more burnt tails!!

You can find these candles, the outdoor variety, at Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware.  They have 5 hour timers, so they will automatically go on when set and go out 5 hours later.  Some flameless candles even have a wax coating on the outside.

From the website I learned that Ann Sacks is a woman who started a tile company in the 80′s.  Her business was bought by Koehler and the story is a bit murky from there, but these glass and stone tile designs are beautiful and inspiring…

Yes, moving is chaotic and sometimes stressful.  Especially if you have 3 young children who are off from school during your move.  But in just a day and half, we were able to give them a completely organized kitchen, master bedroom, closets and bath.

I keep saying that I think everyone should have to move every 6 years.  It would really keep down the amount of stuff that gets lost in the back of cabinets and drawers and forgotten about, until you unpack it and then realize it just needs to be pitched.  Like parts to an appliance you no longer have, or broken bits and pieces of things you were going glue back together but then lost the other half of, or kitchen gadgets you have been dragging from one place to another and have actually never used!

My goal in organizing a kitchen is to make things as accessible and efficient as possible.  It should only take a couple of minutes to unload  the dishwasher, or gather everything you need to make lunch for the kids.  Items in the pantry should be grouped by type and placed so that parents can control the snacks, but children can get their boxes of cereals. 

Hester, as I think of her...

Sadly, one of the pillars of our SF Bay organizing community passed away on April 7, 2012.  Hester Lox, 61, died of cancer within a month of being diagnosed.  Partly a victim of our absurd healthcare system, she could not afford to get to the doctor early on, and by the time she did, it was too late.

Hester befriended me almost immediately upon my arrival at an East Bay organizers meeting.  Full of good cheer and wonderful advice, she remained my “sage” within the community.  There was no question she would not give a thoughtful and lengthy response to.  She never turned anyone away who needed help.

Hester loved organizing more than anyone I have ever met, including me. And she loved helping her clients.  Finding solutions to the toughest problems, or working with people who had great difficulty understanding the principles of organizing were her specialties.  There simply was no problem that she wouldn’t try and find a solution for.

Godspeed, Hester.  You are sorely missed already.

Pottery Barn "Issac" towels...

As an Bay Area professional organizer,  I’ve worked really hard to “practice what I preach” and keep my household possessions  to a minimum. I live in a small condo with limited storage space.  Every year I go through it, top to bottom, to root out the stuff that has crept in. I made up my mind awhile back that I was going to live with less as each year ticks off the calendar.

Practice living minimally. After all, I have everything I need to live comfortably.  But lately, I have been obsessing over adding more linens to my collection. It’s actually become a full blown obsession,  falling into what I have named “my cupcake brain”…which sounds like ths…. “I don’t need a cupcake, I shouldn’t have a cupcake, but I want a cupcake anyway. I’ve been good for a whole…month, week, day, hour…so having ONE cupcake surely won’t hurt me.”

My cupcake brain has now kicked in, and I am doing it with new bath towels. I keep 4 sets of bathroom towels on hand.  The sets I currently have are relatively new. But, Pottery Barn has the most beautiful towels out right now…so, I just bought 2 sets last week. The idea being that I will mix the new towels with 2 sets of the old towels, and give the others to the Oakland Animal Shelter. But now I am obsessing about going back to Pottery Barn and getting a third set of the new towels, and give all my other towels away, and then wait until the towels go on sale to get the fourth set I NEED.

I think I NEED a new duvet set as well…somebody stop me!

Wouldn't this look great on bed this summer?

Moving day kitchen

One of my favorite things to do…unpacking and organizing a new kitchen on move-in day. Our clients are busy people, moving into a new loft condo.  They hired All Things Home Organizing™  to supervise the movers on moving day, assist with furniture placement, and unpack/organize the kitchen.

The question I get asked all the time:  how do you know where things should go?  After organizing hundreds of kitchens, I’ve got it down to a science.

Organizing a kitchen

Basically, I divide the kitchen between food items, food prep/cooking and serving.  Everything we unpack falls into these categories.  Then I look at the space and determine where the best place is for each of these categories.  There are things to take into account:  are there children, how tall/short are the family members, does the kitchen have more drawers or more cabinets, what foods are most important to the family, how many sets of dishes do they have…once I determine these things, it’s fairly easy for me to get the kitchen in order.

A couple of hours later...this kitchen is ready for meal prep.

Generally, our clients are most anxious about organizing their new kitchens, and it’s the room they want done fast and professionally.  I am always happy to oblige!