*Packing – use collapsible storage containers to put items into while moving and then they can either be used for storage in the dorm or folded down and stored away.

*Time management is key to success!  Use a calendar/planner to map out a routine.  College is supposed to be fun but it does need some structure to it if you are going to succeed without having a major melt-down at some point.  College can be stressful enough without adding the pressure of being late for class or not allowing enough time to write a term paper.

*Color code your things, label them, bring some pictures and a few loved items from home to make the room more comfortable and relaxing.

*The Container store has a couple of great articles to help you get through the college transfer.

Take time to do this!

Do not put your house on the market until you have done this!

What Does Staging mean?

• Showing a perspective buyer that they want your home
• Preparing yourself for a move
• Fixing or replacing things that are broke
• Painting
• Remove Clutter (talk more in a bit)

Where do I start?

First, decide how much money you are willing/able to spend to make your house the most attractive it can be

Secondly, take a good hard look at your home (inside and out) and decide what areas need the most help to look

Where and how do I begin?

Drive down the street then come back. As you come back towards your house, start making observations:

Exterior:

• Landscaping – clean yard from debris = leaves, toys, plant a few flowers, lawn is neatly manicured at all times
• Walkway – make it look inviting
• Driveway- clean of old vehicles, toys, fix cracks, remove oil spots
• Porch – fresh paint and in good repair, clear of clutter (maybe a plant or one rocking chair, new cushions on furniture or remove)
• Steps and handrails- safe
• Front Door and Windows & Shutters – cleaned, painted repair torn screens, lights work

Interior:

• Good Time to pre-pack or donate. Rent a storage unit or store items somewhere else
• When a perspective buyer walks into your home, they want to be able to imagine their stuff in the home and not yours.
• Remove:

• Personal family pictures or any wall decorations that show a style
• Knick-knacks
• Clutter – papers, magazines, knick-knacks, nothing lying on the floor, nothing lying on top of surfaces
• Fake plants and flowers
• Wallpaper
• Paint all walls (neutral colors- off white, beiges, light browns, creams)
• Repair anything broken (doors, doorknobs, cabinet handles, and blinds)
• Replace all light bulbs that do not work
• Check all electrical outlets, window blinds & appliances

Living Room:

• Pack up most books, pictures, knick-knacks
• Large Furniture – remove or delete pieces, slip covers (make space look bigger)
• Candles – place a few around for warmth (unscented)

Kitchen: Most bang for your buck!!!

• Refrigerator – remove everything from front and sides
• Countertops – clean, remove small appliances & decorative items
• Cabinets – paint, new hardware
• Clean – Appliances inside and out (oven, pantry, refrigerator, cabinets)
• Lights – clean the fixtures and replace bulbs
• Curtains & Blinds – clean, replace or delete
• Flooring – may need to be repaired or replaced, no throw rugs

To make the area look good, pack up at least half of your utensils, cups, glasses, dishes, pots, pans. Do not have a lot of items in pantry – makes everything look bigger.

Bowl of fruit and a small lamp or candle on counter for a warm feeling and set the kitchen or dining room table with nice looking dishes ( buy some cheap ones if you need to)

Bathroom: Another Bang for your Buck!

• Paint
• Check & clean light fixtures and bulbs
• Windows, Curtain & Blinds – clean & good repair or replace/delete
• Bath Tub – get rid of stains, mold, leaking faucets
• Floor – replace or fix cracked tiles
• Medicine Cabinet - clean it out as well as other cabinets
• Countertops – update if necessary and have $ – nothing on them except a candle and maybe a small floral arrangement

• Shower Caddies – get rid of them

Bedrooms:

• Furniture – get rid of oversized furniture, depending on size of room = should only have bed, one chest of drawer, night stand and nothing should be on these but a lamp, clock, no jewelry boxes ( make the space look bigger)
• Closet doors and knobs – good working condition or replace, weed down items (make it look bigger)
• Paint – neutral colors
• No personal or distinctive pictures
• Carpet – neutral, no stains, not torn, no throw rugs

Garage: (make it look clean, big and attractive)

• Remove: all excess tools, toys, sports equipment or anything you do not use frequently
• Clean wall, flooring, doors & windows
• DO NOT use this as a storage area unless you have no other alternative

Basements/Family Room:

• Plenty of lighting
• Steps are safe and look nice
• Paint a light color to brighten it up and make it look bigger
• Clear it out unless you absolutely have to use it for storage or are used for family room
• If using it for a family room, take out as much as you can to make it look bigger

1) Decide The Goal
Example- I want to be able to easily locate my tools, picnic items, camping gear, sports equipment or possibly make room for my car.

2) Devise and Write a Plan
Ask yourself:
A) What is it going to take for me to accomplish this goal (money, help form others, etc.)
B) How much time am I going to devote to this project (an entire weekend or break it down into smaller projects)

3) Mark it in your Planner
If you do not mark it down in your planner, it is less likely that you will carry out the plan. If you are breaking the job down into smaller projects, decide when you are going to do each one and write it down.

4) Sort and Purge
Put like items together and have separate areas for donate, trash, belongs somewhere else or to someone else.

5)Take advantage of wall and ceiling space
Use Shelving units, add cabinets or overhead hanging shelving units. Cabinets are for storing chemicals such as pesticides and vehicle maintenance items such as grease, oil and gas because you can put locks on them if you need to keep young children from reaching them or store them on upper shelves.  Overhead hanging racks can be used to store camping gear,  holiday decorations or tubs of clothing.  Visit www.garagetek.com for garage storage ideas or products.

6) Dispose of the unwanted or not needed items quickly.
If you are worried about how to dispose of the junk or items that you no longer want or is not recyclable, Junk Genies will come and pick it up. Many local nonprofit organizations will pick up items you want to recycle or donate for a reasonable fee.

7) Finally reward yourself!
If you have chosen to break the job down into smaller projects, reward yourself after each part of it is completed and definitely reward yourself after the entire project is finished. You deserve it!!

This is an awesome organizing tool that even your children will love!

They can pick up as many Legos that will fit into their tiny little hands, drop them in the top and watch them fall through the holes as they get to shake the box!!!  It will save you time hunting for pieces lying around.  When your child wants to play with the Legos again, all they have to do is separate the boxes.  Legos will already be sorted by size for them. 

You may find other organizing uses for this product as well, such as the "Micro-Minis", marbles, and more.

Think outside the Box! 

To place your order click on the link below:

http://www.box4blox.com/cmd.php?af=755130

Now is the time of year that you are going to leave the comfort and security of your parents home and move into a whole new world. It can be exciting but also very overwhelming and stressful.You will be going to live in new place with people you don’t know, making new friends as well as experiencing deadlines like you never have before. Here are some tips from "The Container Store" to help you make the transition less stressful and more enjoyable.

make a list By making a list of items you want to take to school, you’re less likely to forget something important. It’s not necessary to list and pack certain things, like your winter sweaters, if you’ll be coming home for a visit shortly after school begins. Make sure you include items that might not be so obvious, like cleaning supplies, a sewing kit, tools, plastic dinnerware and silverware. Include toiletries and linens that you know you’ll need. And you’ll want photos or special keepsakes that will make your new space feel like home.

things to do Let your friends and family know your new mailing address, phone number and email address. Update your address book with their information. If you have a cell phone, make sure your plan will cover any long distance charges you might incur while at school. You may need to secure a calling card to make long distance calls from campus — check with the housing office. You may want to open a local bank account. Back up important computer files and leave an extra copy at home. Check with the housing office about guidelines for electronic equipment and appliances. Communicate with your roommate about who will bring shared items such as a microwave, refrigerator and television. Label items like CDs and reference books that you are likely to lend to other students. It’s always a good idea to label your clothes in case of a mix-up at the Laundromat. If you have a car, have it serviced before leaving for campus.

prepare to pack Pack everything you can inside storage containers. This will save on the number of moving boxes you’ll need. Plus, you can use the containers once you get to school to organize your belongings. If you’re driving to campus, use collapsible containers to pack your things. You can use them to store stuff at school or fold them down for easy storage. If you’re shipping most of your things to campus, make sure to use the proper packing materials and shipping boxes to protect your belongings. Insure the contents of the boxes and always include an extra address label inside each box.

]]> http://www.clutterconversions.com/2009/03/08/dorm-room-tip-1/feed/ 0 http://www.clutterconversions.com/2009/02/28/the-impact-of-disorganization-and-clutter-on-your-health/ http://www.clutterconversions.com/2009/02/28/the-impact-of-disorganization-and-clutter-on-your-health/#comments Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:43:06 +0000 clutterconversions http://66.147.242.154/~clutterc/?p=32 Whether we realize it or not, organization and clutter (or lack of) has a huge impact on you physically and mentally!!

Disorganization can lead to:

Medical Mistakes and Errors such as grabbing the wrong chart or wrong medications, poor communication.

Physical stress on the body, Increased blood pressure and Heart rate, Decreased immune system (more colds and flu’s).  When you need something right away and you have to dig through the piles on your desk, floor or drawers to find it, physically your heart rate and blood pressure increases and you begin to panic.  Your body is in the “Fight or Flight” mode and if this happens frequently, your body stays in that mode and cannot relax.  Studies have shown that this leads to ulcers, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions.

Unprofessional =  Missed Appointments and Project Deadlines.

Clutter can lead to:

Depression and Isolation = Some people get so caught up in “their stuff” that it takes over their entire life.  The items that surround them become like a security wall in which they find comfort but at the same time they become isolated because they will not invite visitors into their home because they are ashamed and that can lead to loneliness and depression.

Increase in Weight =  When you walk into the kitchen and you have to move items off your counter to prepare the meal or the kitchen table is piled with mail, magazines and the kids book bags, it is easier to pick up the phone and call for food delivery.  Check out the book, “Does This Make My Butt Look Fat” by Peter Walsh.

Sickness and Disease = Most people do not pay attention to or know the expiration dates on many of the products they have in their homes.  For example, make-up and make-up brushes will begin to carry germs after 2 months.  Another item that most people frequently forget to check the expiration dates on is medications (headache powders, contact solutions, laxatives, antacids, creams, etc).

Allergies = Having a lot of clutter sitting around collects dusts and it is hard to clean all of it weekly.

Energy = Owning a lot of “stuff” demands your time and energy!!!  You spend a lot of money buying all of those items and now you have to spend a lot of time maintaining them and keeping them clean which also takes your energy!!!