To: monica@catalystorganizing.com
From: Monica Ricci <monica@catalystorganizing.com>
Subject: Simplicity News October 2005
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If you are receiving this e-zine, you either subscribed via the Catalyst Organizing Solutions web site, via another web site or you were personally invited to join and you did. If this e-zine brings you value, please forward it on to your friends and associates with all text and contact information intact. And remember... if you are planning to change your email address, we don't want to lose you! Simply UNSUBSCRIBE your current email address, and then RE-SUBSCRIBE with your new email address. You can do both by clicking on the appropriate word above. Remember you must confirm when you receive the email asking you to, or your subscription will not be processed. Thanks! In This Issue:
You Asked... This month's question was asked by Tonya in Fairbanks, Alaska. She wants to know how to organize a small rented apartment and she would like ideas for systems that she can take with her when she moves. 1. First, talk to your landlord or apartment complex and find out about the consequences of putting holes in the walls. Yes, the dreaded holes! If you bear the responsibility of spackling and re-painting the place when you leave, it's probably better to avoid using wall-mounted organizing tools (unless of course, you don't mind manual labor). Opt for free-standing racks, bookshelves, and over-the-door hanging racks. 2. If you live in a studio apartment, you can divide a room by placing a large piece of furniture in the center, perpendicular to the wall, to separate the space. Use a tall bookshelf, a dresser, two tall cabinets side by side or even a console table with tall potted plants on top. Try to find a piece that offers storage to make it as functional as possible. 3. Small spaces get cluttered quickly, so always be aware of the items you have on display. If your place feels like it's getting cluttered, pack up about half of your things and rotate them out seasonally. It's fun to bring out items you've had packed away for a while... they feel like new items and it keeps your decor fresh. 4. Using every inch of available storage space is important in a small apartment. Look in your closets and behind doors for small areas of bare wall space and affix adhesive hooks for holding accessories, tools, caps, or jackets. 5. If you choose to put a few holes in the wall for adding storage, check out the Elfa product line. The great thing about Elfa shelving is that it's very strong, yet it attaches by affixing a top track with just a few screws at the top of your wall. When you move, you just unsnap the shelves from the standards, remove the screws from the track and you can take the entire system with you. 6. Remember that you don't have the luxury of keeping everything. If you only have a few closets, choose carefully your favorite things and sell or donate the rest. Only use off-site storage if you absolutely must keep some items that you won't need very often. 7. We all accumulate things over time, so make it a habit to go through your apartment about once a quarter, culling out what you no longer love, need or use. Donating regularly will keep your small space looking great and it will be easier to keep clean. Staying clutter-free from day to day also ensures that you're all squared away for last minute visitors. Living in a small space can be liberating if you take steps to pare down your possessions and resolve to only keep what you love, need and use. Living with less doesn't mean depriving yourself. It gives you the opportunity to rid yourself of excess baggage of the past and clarify which things are important enough to live in your home. Book Signing Update September 18th, I did my first signing of my new book, Organize Your Office In No Time at Borders in Dunwoody, Georgia. I estimate about 75 people showed up and I got a phone call from the store the next day, saying that with the exception of celebrity appearances, we had the best turnout of any signing ever at that location. So THANK YOU to all who attended! It was a good time and I look forward to my next one! Stop by and check out my blog and let me know your thoughts, opinions and comments. Upcoming HGTV Appearances Be sure to catch me on these upcoming episodes of HGTV's popular show, Mission:Organization! Episode #503 Restoring Office Functionality Episode #513 Multipurpose Activity Room Episode #609 Home Office Cleanup Episode #702 Reclaiming The Bedroom Book Report Check out my new book, Organize Your Office In No Time. (Que Publishing) It is available at Amazon.com and through most retail booksellers. Declutter Your Life By Freecycling! Decluttering your life is a wonderful way to rid yourself of the things that no longer give you value. It is also a great way to help someone in need at the same time. All over the world, people are helping others and decluttering their lives by giving away the things they no longer need, through FREEcycle.org. This means fewer items are going into the trash and filling up the landfills of our planet. It's so simple to join! You just sign up through the web site, and you'll begin getting the emails that people in your local FREEcycle group send out either seeking free items, or offering free items. It's as simple as that! Just go to www.FREEcycle.org to sign up!
Check it out and let me know what you think of the idea. If you've received something or given something away through this wonderful concept, tell me about that too! Monica Ricci is an Organizing Specialist, and the founder of Catalyst Organizing Solutions, an Atlanta based company. You can see Monica on the popular HGTV show, MISSION:Organization. She is also the author of the book Organize Your Office In No Time. For media interviews or appearances, or to schedule Monica to speak to your conference, team, or association, or for an on-site organizational evaluation, contact her at 770-569-2642 or by email at Monica@CatalystOrganizing.com (c)2005 Catalyst Organizing. All Rights Reserved. | ||