Purging Your Electronics and Appliances Packaging

How many of you are quietly hoarding an ever-growing collection of electronic and appliance packaging? By my experience, I’d say the majority of you are; packaging graveyards are a staple in almost all of the homes I visit. Lurking at the bottoms of pantries, stuffed away in the backs of closets, and strewn across the basement are piled decomposing camera, computer, and TV boxes, many of whom’s original inhabitants have long since died.

In a world where space is at a premium, it’s ridiculous to willingly devote whole areas of yours to electronics boxes. Here’s a helpful guide for how to handle packaging:

1. Boxes for appliances/ electronics which you no longer own- IMMEDIATELY RECYCLE.

2. Boxes for items whose return policy/ manufacturer’s warranty has expired- RECYCLE.

3. Boxes for items you will most likely own for more than 5 years- RECYCLE.

4. Boxes for things you currently own such as cell phone, laptop, etc- cut out the serial number/ bar code section. On the reverse side, write in a magic marker what item it belongs to. Store with your other owner’s manuals. Then, RECYCLE.

5. Boxes for items you use rarely, such as a KitchenAid Frozen Yogurt Maker- KEEP.

Storing such things in the original packaging will ensure safe storage.

6. Boxes for things you plan on reselling- KEEP.

Be real here.  You’re either a dedicated Ebay-er who always resells things or you’re not. If you are the former then its justifiable for you to hold onto the original packaging of items that are regularly upgraded like cell phones, laptops, and digital cameras. If you’re just saying, “Well I might resell that someday…” then you don’t qualify, sorry.

7. Boxes for TV’s- KEEP.

Television boxes are the only real warrantable packaging to hold on to. TV’s are not an easy item to accommodate in terms of packaging because of their size and shape. If you need to move and don’t have the original box, it can be very costly to find a box that will fit your TV. That makes it worth it to hold onto this guy.

Two other good reasons to purge your packaging:

1. Cardboard is a breeding ground for…bugs. Let’s just leave it at that.

2. Boxes are incredibly easy to obtain. If what’s preventing you from discarding is a fear about having to move one day and needing boxes, reassure yourself by calling up your local supermarket. Ask them if you can come and pick up the empty boxes from the day’s shipment. They will say yes. You will drive over and pick up the boxes. And maybe some ice cream while you’re at it. The end.

Image Credits: geekwith.com, dpreview.com, megzodrow.com, bigideas.com, muamat.com, unknown, Sunpack.com, Bang & Olefson, Armonia Decors

Sock It To Me: Restoring Order to the Sock Drawer

Alright, so the truth is that socks are far from scintillating. What’s equally true is that socks pose an organizational problem for most of you. You all lose them. You joke about where they disappear to, how the dryer seems to eat them, and so on. But it really is no wonder that socks tend to get lost- they’re small and limp. They fall into crevices all over the house, never to be seen or worn from again.

Despite this fact being proven true time and time again, you nonetheless experience an irrational obligation to the remaining lone sock. You hold on to it for months, for years even, in the desperate hope that one day its mate will return. You also keep whole pairs of socks despite one partner being horribly inadequate (read: giant hole in the heel). As a result, you end up with a sock drawer that’s totally untended. Unless you’re planning to weave your weary socks into a patchwork quilt, I’d say it’s time to make some changes.

Start by dumping out the contents of your sock drawer. Play matchmaker for socks that actually belong together. Place single socks in your missing mate system (see below). Throw out any socks that have holes, are discolored, or are just generally worn out and gross.

If you’re on the fence about any particular pairs ask yourself, “If I were at a party where I was asked to remove my shoes, would my socks cause me shame?” If you imagine yourself having to curl your toes under in an effort to hide a gaping hole, for instance, then those socks need to be sacked.

Sort the presentable pairs into categories. I have three: warm, wool socks, long, tube socks, and ankle socks. I imagine you gents would probably also want a “dress socks” category, and ladies may have a “stockings/pantyhose” stash. If you can handle straight sock-on-drawer-action and still manage to keep them neat, then simply go ahead and place the pairs back into the drawer. If you need bumpers to stay organized, then get yourself drawer dividers, which will allow you to store socks by category, or waffle-style organizers, which will separate individual pairs.

Additional Sock Strategies:

Shorten your socks’ leash

Secure your socks by using a zippered or drawstring mesh laundry bag. Dirty socks go into the bag two by two, and then the whole bag gets tossed into the wash and all socks stay together.

Install a missing mate system

When folding clean laundry, place any stag socks into a basket or pinned to a bulletin board. The single stocking has one month to reconnect with its mate. If, after that time, the other sock hasn’t reappeared, then the sock gets the axe.

Here’s the worst that can happen in this scenario: you get rid of a sock only to have its mate miraculously, actually resurface. What happens then? Well, you’ll be out a pair of socks. Wait, that’s it? Yup, just a pair of socks guys! That’s probably the equivalent of around $.67. Free yourself from the fear of waiting for the other sock to drop! It’s a revolution!

Put your sad socks to good use

If you find yourself truly unable to part with a “perfectly good” but mate-less sock, try these uses:

- For dry, chapped hands: apply intensive moisturizing cream liberally. Wear your socks on your hands to bed to allow the cream to really soak in.

- For dusting: cover hands with sock and then dust hard to reach areas like blind slats.

- For the currently uber-trendy sock bun.

Image credits: Twig Hutchinson, unknown, BHG, Practical Princess, Real Simple, ABC, EisyMorgan

Monday’s Meditation

In Whitman speak this means, “Whatever ‘it’ is, get after it!”

So do.

All my Monday hugs and kisses-

Oscar-worthy Organization

As we all know, tonight The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will recognize the excellence of professionals in the film industry. If you care at all about movies, actors, or being able to participate in any conversations on Monday, then I suspect you’ll be tuning in. As luck would have it, I have assembled a little organizing guide to help make your Oscar Sunday a smooth and smashing success:

Telecast

First things first, you’ll want to ensure your ability to watch. Double check the air time (8:30PM EST), and network (ABC). If you’re planning to record the award show, make sure your Tivo/ DVR is all set and ready to go.

Um, as far as red carpet coverage goes, well, I’ll just quote the Washington Post here, “In select markets, ABC will begin airing red carpet coverage at 4:30 p.m. ET. The big guns will begin hosting the coverage at 7 p.m. ET. E!’s red carpet coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET. I repeat — 1:30 p.m., seven hours before the Oscars begin. The network will also stream coverage from the carpet beginning at 5:15 p.m. here. CNN’s coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET.; TV Guide Network’s at 6 p.m.” Do with that information what you will.

Pre-show meal

No one likes to watch a three-hour award show on a rumbling tummy. Plan what you will have for dinner ahead of time. If you can multitask, feel free to dine while you watch. If you require sole concentration on B. Crystal, then you’ll want to get your nutrients prior to show-time.

Attire 

I’ll be wearing my ball gown naturally, but you may want to go with something slightly more casual in style. “Casual” certainly isn’t code for “unintentional,” however, so make sure to give sufficient thought to your clothing choice in advance. The chosen garments should be laundered and ready for their big debut. Here, some wardrobe recommendations:

Venue/ Accessories

Seating is a definite priority, and so you’ll want to make sure you have enough spots to accommodate your viewing party. Add additional seats as needed. Couches and chairs should be accessorized appropriately for TV-watching. I suggest something along these lines:

Interactive fun

If playing along is your thing, then you’ll surely want to be equipped with some Oscar ballots. These are fun if you’re watching with a large group, or if you find yourself getting a tad bored somewhere around the middle when they present all those awards to people you’ve never heard of.

Snacks 

Finally, you may wish to prepare some oscar-themed goodies to munch on during the momentous event.

Make the necessary preparations for an organized Oscar Sunday and you’ll end up a winner no matter what. Academy Award goes to UH YOUUU.

Image Credits: today.msnbc, Sunday Suppers, Asos, Nordstrom, Calypso, Pottery Barn, Jessica Jones Design, Twig & Thistle, Twig & Thistle, Twig & Thistle 

Organizing Your Library: Make Your Books Love You Back

Readers will understand two things: you commonly form emotional attachments to the books you have read, and you may believe that to own a book, even one whose spine you’ve never cracked, means to somehow possess the knowledge contained within. Your voracious appetite for books bodes well with your brain; there’s infinite storage space up there. Your home? Not so much. Here’s how to please the literati and me when it comes to organizing a library:

Even though your titles may feel more like trophies, like babies, and the thought of parting with even one of them leaves you panic-stricken, part you must. Or probably must.  With a few.

The best way to manage your many bound pages is to create a set boundary for your books. Choose an area of space in which to contain your collection that is appropriately proportional to your home. If you live in a yurt, you’ll probably max out at around two titles. If the Royal Palace is where you call home, you can probably devote whole rooms to housing your published matter.

Whatever your dwelling, define the limits of your library. Fill those shelves to your heart’s content, but do not exceed that space. Out of room? Time to weed!

Options for handing the titles you’re ready to remove:

- Donate the books to a friend or a charitable organization.

- Try giving yourself financial incentive to shed those extra pounds of pages. There are many sites that allow you to sell your books online. One of my favorites is the Amazon Trade-In Store, because their process is so incredibly easy. You simply type in the title, identify that it’s the correct version, and Amazon provides you with a pre-paid shipping label. Send in the book, and Amazon will (usually) promptly process the transaction, and credit your Amazon account with the corresponding amount.

Being that you can buy most anything on Amazon, I’d say it’s a pretty fair deal, all in all. Of course, textbooks and coffee table books will generally fetch more than your average paperback, but if it’s something that you’re ready to get rid of, then any amount of money is worth more than a meaningless item taking up space on your shelf.

Okay, now that we’ve handled the hard part, it’s time to talk organizing your books.

Here are a few suggestions for ways to arrange:

- By subject. Optimal for ordering books you reference for work or hobbies. For example, “crafting,” “travel,” “religion.”

- By genre. Examples include, “fiction,” “non-fiction,” “essays,” “photography.”

- By color. The most visually appealing method, if not entirely an efficient system to enable finding books.

- By height. Books always appear neater when organized by height, as this maintains the visual line. Organizing by size can serve multiple purposes, as similar types of books are often equally sized. For example, photography books are usually large and tall with a hard cover.

The method which allows you to easily locate the title you’re looking for is the right one. I personally prefer form over function when it comes to bookshelves, and so I arrange all my books by color.

Finally, a few notes on display:

- Make sure all the spines are pulled forward so that they lie on a straight line.

- Keep the largest and heaviest books on the lowest shelves. These shelves are the least likely to sag under additional weight, and heavy books will hurt your toes far less if they fall from the lowest shelf than the highest.

- Try to strike the right balance between filling and over-filling your bookshelves. Packed in too tightly, and you won’t be able to pull out a single book, too loose, and they will lean.

- Similarly, strike a balance between styling and cluttering your shelves. Adding a few decorative touches will enhance the overall effect. Overloading your shelves with tons of tchotchkes will just make everything look a mess.

- You can also try alternating between vertical and horizontal stacks, which gives the shelves a very dynamic effect.

Alright my little readers, now it’s your turn. Go make magic on those shelves of yours, and do report back!

Image credits: Domino x2, Matchbook Mag, Design Sponge, Windsor Smith, Elle Decor, unknown, Elle Decor, M Design, unknown, The Coveteur, Vogue/Minnie Mortimer

Chatting with Arianna Belle

Today I am delighted to introduce you to one of my favorite bloggers, Arianna Vargas. Arianna, better known in the blogging world as Arianna Belle, has a distinctly refined and elegant style, which has helped to establish her as one of the premier tastemakers in organization and interior design. She shares with us her unique journey, what inspires her, the benefits of working from home, and her favorite piece of advice. Read on my sweets!

Your blog merges the world of organization with that of interior design. How do you feel that the two are related?

Many people think interior design is just about how a space looks, but it’s very much also about how a space functions and addresses the needs of those who use it. Truly well designed spaces stylishly integrate proper storage for everything, and have an organized flow that makes life a little easier and more enjoyable.

As a blog curator you are masterful; AriannaBelle.com is overflowing with exceptionally lovely images. What informs your design aesthetic? Are there certain details that you look for?

Wow, thank you! That’s very kind of you to say! It’s hard to pin point really, but I’m usually drawn to spaces that are bright, happy, comfortable, and effortlessly chic.

You also have a shop where you sell beautiful throw pillows. What made you decide to open an online shop, and how did you select pillows as your primary stock?

Good question! Well like many twenty-something-year-olds I’ve slowly been carving out and refining my path, figuring out what’s the best fit for me and what direction I want to go in. As I brainstormed what things I wanted try my hand at, I thought about how I always wanted to have my own product based business. As a little kid, I used to make little curiosities out of whatever I could find in the house, and then set up shop in the living room and sell them to family members. In elementary school I used to make and sell pen-necklaces to classmates, that is, before I got in trouble for selling at school -oops! In high school I had the idea of creating stylish laptop cases and made a few prototypes. Unfortunately at the time, however, I didn’t have the resources to fully follow through and make it a successful endeavor, but I was left with that entrepreneurial spirit.

In college I fully intended to major in entrepreneurship, however UCLA didn’t offer that as a major and so I went with what I thought was the next closest thing to that instead – Economics. I ended up realizing that the Economics major wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be, and so I turned my focus in a different direction. I decided to major in Sociology and concurrently also study Real Estate Appraisal (property valuation) and Interior Design (I couldn’t pick just one!). After I graduated and had to get a job, I went the Appraisal route. After working a few years in that industry though, I decided that while I was good at it and liked some aspects of it, it wasn’t really my passion. So I turned to Interior Design, which is what has led me to where I am today.

As I’ve immersed myself in everything decor related, I’ve developed a love for beautiful designer fabrics and knew I just had to create a career for myself in which I would get to work with and be surrounded by them everyday. When I started to connect the dots, that’s when the a-ha happened. A product-based interior design related business involving beautiful fabrics….hmm…..pillows! Having a mother who had previously worked from home as a seamstress for many years, I actually already had access to all the right equipment, so it was a perfect fit! Funnily enough, the business has actually also allowed me to utilize a lot of the skills I’ve learned through working in property valuation, – how to research, analyze, organize data, create forecasts, etc.

What inspires you to be productive when all you want to do is stay in bed?

I don’t keep a regular Monday-Friday 9-5 work schedule. One of the things I love about being an entrepreneur is having the ability to work with my natural rhythms. There are definitely mornings when for whatever reason I just feel like taking it easy and being lazy. If there’s nothing pressing that absolutely needs to get done, I allow myself to do just that, keeping in mind of course, that tasks on my to-do list won’t magically complete themselves, they’ll just need to be moved over to a later time or date. Doing work I enjoy though, definitely minimizes those “oh-no-it’s-morning-I-have-to-work-but-I-don’t-wanna” days. There have been times in which I’ve woken up super early because I was so excited about getting started on a particular project or idea, or days in which I’m so immersed in my work that I happily keep going and going for hours on end….

What one thing or area are you most proud of how you organize?

Hmm… I really love how I’ve organized the dry goods in my kitchen. I have them in labeled clear containers lined up in a cabinet. It’s actually helped me eat healthier because it reminds me of all the different non-obvious grains/legumes I can cook with: quinoa, black rice, garbanzos, lentils, etc. I’ll share photos of it on the blog some time soon!

What one thing or area are you most embarrassed by/ would like to change?

My pillow “studio.” Right now it hasn’t reached its potential yet. The business is still very new so I haven’t invested too much on pieces for the space. I’ve just borrowed from other rooms, working with what I have. I’ll slowly transform it, little by little, as I figure out what I do and don’t need in there, where things should go, and how best to store everything.

Favorite piece of advice or wisdom to pass on to others?

I love this quote from Alexandra Stoddard: “Slow down, don’t worry, don’t hurry, trust the process.” I think this is a great reminder for all of us who are in a rush to have everything perfectly figured out, stressing out when things right now aren’t the way they’re “supposed to be”, and thinking “I’ll be happy when _______” – not appreciating the present moment. We have to trust that at any given moment we are likely exactly where we should be, even if it doesn’t make sense at the time, learning the lessons we’re supposed to, gaining the skills that we need for our own unique life.

What is your definition of either beauty, organization or simplicity?

Simplicity, or living simply to me is removing all the clutter from our lives, both physical and mental, and having in it only the things that make it a little easier, happier, and healthier.

*Last photo via Virginia Galvez, all other photos courtesy of Arianna Belle

Take Back The Inbox

Clutter comes in all forms. Virtual clutter is just as real as physical clutter. As in your homes, clutter in your online world is draining to look at, distracts from what is truly important, and is often responsible for wasted time and lost potential for productivity. Nowhere is this virtual clutter more apparent than in your email’s inbox.

I’m not quite sure how it happens, but you sign up for one Glamour Magazine give-away, and the next thing you know your inbox is overflowing with messages like, “Expedia: Fly anywhere for free!” or “Career Builder: We found just the job for you in Bengal!”

So here are your options:

1. Allow the over-bearing cyberlord spammers to move in and clog up your precious inbox.

2. Give in by changing your email address altogether, thus setting yourself up to repeat the same cycle in approximately 3-5 months.

3. Nip the message in the send button by giving these Clutter barons the axe the first time.

(This is a trick, the first two are not acceptable options, nice try.)

Make it a steadfast habit to immediately unsubscribe yourself from any newsletter or spammy emails you don’t wish to receive. Be careful when doing so; the goal is obviously to keep you subscribed, so companies often make it tricky to do so. Be sure you have clicked the option that says “Unsubscribe me from all emails.” If they send you a follow-up email confirming your new unsubscribed status? You follow through and click the link to confirm! Does this take an extra ~7o seconds? Yes. Will those few extra clicks be worth it? YES. Even if your inbox is already filled with over 17,000 spam emails, it is never too late to begin doing this. Even if you unsubscribe from five, that’s five less EVERY DAY.

So today I’m assigning you homework. Go into your inbox and find five email lists to unsubscribe from. Choose the five that are at the top of your bursting inbox, or the five you know send you the most emails, but pick five. Seriously. Do it.

Bonus points to anyone who leaves a comment telling us your Unsubscribe Five.

*Please note, there are services available such as Unroll.me, which removes your email address from most mailing lists in one step. I wanted to put that on your radar, though I can’t personally attest to the quality or effectiveness of these types of services. If you have used Unroll.me or something similar, please share your experience via the comment bar.

Image Credits: A Beach Cottage, MadebyGirl, Decor8Blog

Live Simply All-Star: The Glass Jar

Glass jars are among the winningest organizing products because a. their shape is conducive to holding a wide array of small objects, and b. they allow you to see what’s contained inside– an unbeatable combination in my mind. Glass jars can also be repurposed easily with just a few tweaks, which only widens their organizational potential. Use them:

In the kitchen

Glass jars can be used to hold snacks and small kitchen accouterments such as tea bags, paper baking cups, and measuring spoons on countertops, and supplies like flour and sugar in pantries.

In the bathroom

Use glass jars for the small items you like to have on hand, such as cotton balls, q-tips, soaps, and combs.

In the craft room

Glass jars are perfect for storing small craft supplies like stamps and threads. Poke a hole in the top of a jar for an easy yarn holder, which will make knitting a breeze, or make a sewing-kit-in-a-jar by adding a built-in pin cushion on top.

At the kid’s table

Glass jars are a great way to keep all those loose crayons, markers, and other drawing supplies neat. And best of all, children can easily put them back in the jar when they’re finished. Goodbye, excuses for not cleaning up.

At your desk

Fill your jars with all those stray office supplies like paper clips, staples, erasers, pens and pencils. You can easily hang them below a shelf to save on space by simply screwing the lids into the shelf. Or you can make them more pleasant to look at by painting them any color of your choosing.

At the workbench/ in the supply closet

Loose screws, bits, and bolts feel right at home in glass jars. (Feel free to keep them right-side up…)

For the flowers

Finally, glass jars can easily be repurposed into vases. Painting not required.

I have also frequently seen glass jars used as candle holders, drinking glasses, and piggy banks. How have you used glass jars?

Image Credits: BHG.com x3, Crate & Barrel, Creating Keepsakes Blog, HomemadeSimple.com, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, Life Under the Big Oak Tree 2, Country Living, Kootut Murut, HomemadeSimple.com, The Nest, Martha Stewart

Monday’s Meditation

I’m well familiar with the first part of this quote, as I’m sure you are. But I have to admit I only just stumbled upon the full version. When I did, I found it resonated so strongly with me that I just had to share it with you all. I hope you have success this week in “designing purpose-filled lives.” ‘Til next time duckies!

Image credit unknown

Parenting Young Picasso: Organizing Children’s Artwork

The only societal sect to produce more art than artists are school children. Those little peanuts can make more art in a week than was made during the whole Impressionist era. It can become difficult to balance honoring your budding artiste with your desire not to be swallowed up in construction paper and crayola tracks. But don’t go having a tantrum just yet, because I’m here to walk you through this kiddy conundrum.

Display

When young Renoir toddles home from school with his latest masterpiece, you will most likely wish to display it. The rule is this: there must be a cap on the number of artworks displayed at any given time. This decision should be based upon how many children are in your family, and how large of a space you have to work with. Artwork is displayed for, let’s say, a week, two weeks, a month, at which point it is to be taken down and replaced with the latest commissioned pieces. You’ll want to choose a display method that allows you to easily make this swap.

Short-term storage

The retired art should be collected in a box, bin or tray of some sort, labeled with the child’s name and grade. Everything that comes off of the gallery wall should be dated and then immediately placed into this bin.

The edit

So here’s where it gets sticky as sentimentalism collides with organization. I’m just going to come out and say this, so prepare yourselves: you cannot keep every single piece of artwork your darling angel makes. If you try to, you will end up with a mound of paper so deep that to admire these things later on will require an all out expedition. A manageable amount of artwork will allow you to see a child’s progress over time. A mass of projects will be extremely difficult to keep neat, meaning that it will turn into a giant jumble of indistinguishable scribbles.

To keep the collection under control, conduct an edit of the artwork with your child. This can either be done at the end of every month, or at the end of the school year. Choose just one or two pieces from each month that you want to save. Your child should, if they are old enough to know their toes from their canvas, be an active participant in this process. This means: honor and respect the artist’s integrity by keeping the artwork they choose.

Swallow down the anxious and guilt-ridden lump in your throat and RECYCLE the pieces that don’t make the cut. It will be okay – there will be much more to come, I promise.

Long-term storage

You can either choose to simply keep the edited collection in the short-term holding bin, or you may wish to use an alternative storage method such as an art portfolio, or a filing system. Just be careful that grade years and children remain distinguished.

Tech alternative

As an alternative, you can immortalize your prodigy’s work by digitizing it. Scan and upload artwork onto your computer, or take pictures of it. This will allow you to save the images without having to actually store them in your home. Once you’ve done this, you can use the images to make a book or a compact collage.

At the very least, I recommend going the tech route when it comes to larger projects. Snap a pic of a 2-foot macaroni village creation and you instantly relieve yourself of having to figure out how to store it for all of eternity. You can then place the picture of the project in the appropriate bin or file.

Image Credits: Jan Eleni Interiors, Apartment Therapy, Dynamic Frames, House Beautiful, Martha Stewart, Elle Decor, The Container Store, Martha Stewart, Real Simple, Jan Eleni Interiors    

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