Month: April 2023

One of my favorite things is organizing laundry rooms. Maybe it is because my laundry is in the garage and it seems so luxurious to have an actual laundry room? Maybe it is because laundry is an inevitable chore that can be made much more bearable by having a super functional, clutter free space? Whatever the reason, organizing this laundry room was a blast! I pulled all the overflow cleaning supplies (A LOT!) out of the cabinets and placed them together on one open shelf so the Client could easily see what extras she had to keep her from unnecessarily buying more. One of my biggest tips for Clients is to avoid stockpiling supplies. Especially if you are short on storage space! How many backups do you truly need? Will you run out of a certain item before your next trip to the store from which you buy it? Do you know where your backup items are stored or do you find yourself buying more because you forgot where you stashed the extras you bought before? Think about how much space in your house is dedicated to storing extra items that you might not even need for months (or years!). Let the store be your storage! Similarly, try to keep overflow items near where they are used. In this laundry room I consolidated like items and grouped them together to make the space more cohesive. Items are now easily visible in the cabinets, cleaning supplies are easily retrievable, backups are obvious and close at hand. 

 

 

Sometimes I am asked to come in and help a Client get their home ready to be staged for real estate photos. This is a little different than my regular decluttering jobs as I focus mainly on the aesthetics of a home rather than its functionality for the Client. At the same time, often a Client is still living in the home so it still needs to work for their everyday life-especially during the sometimes chaotic process of moving! That being said, when you are facing a move, it is a great opportunity to really get in there and declutter. You are already having to go through all of your things so why not get rid of the items you don’t want to have to pack, move, unpack, and then find a home for in your new space. Boy does that really sound like a dream to me! I just love a fresh start! It can definitely be daunting, though, so please reach out to me if you find yourself ready for a move and want to declutter while you pack. 

This Arroyo Grande Client has an awesome house with an amazing view. Unfortunately, the first thing the family saw each time they walked into their house was a cluttered entryway. I did a quick declutter and mostly left everything as it was. With two busy kids, it works for them to have the sporting and dance gear all kept near the front door for a grab-and-go exit on their way to the next activity. I like to make spaces that work for each Client’s needs.  I listen to the individual schedule and lifestyle and habits of each Client and work with them to organize in a way that makes sense to them. 

This Arroyo Grande Client was typical of many: I came to help get one room in order and ended up doing almost the whole house. It is so much fun reinventing Clients’ spaces using what they already have. In this case the Client uses an extra room as both a guest room and office as well as using the closet to house a managerie of things from arts and crafts to gift wrapping and presents to keepsakes to party supplies to Girl Scouting supplies. Oh my! A very multifunctional closet that needed to be more FUNCTIONAL. I started by sorting items by category. Next, the Client decided what to keep and what to pass on. I moved all the arts and crafts out to the kids’ area (see previous blog post!) and dedicated the closet to “Mom’s stuff”. The result: dedicated spaces for keepsakes, Girl Scouting supplies, party stuff, gift wrapping, and gifts. The bonus: organizing other areas of the house discovering more party stuff that I was able to quickly put where it belongs. 

This repeat Arroyo Grande Client has been so fun for me to work with. We have been transforming her house over the last few months. So many bags have been donated to the thrift store (Shamrock Thrift on Grand Avenue in Grover Beach is my go-to for donations. I often peruse the store while I’m there and frequently find great treasures. My zero-waste goals are always met at the thrift store when I buy thank you/blank cards, arts and craft supplies for my kids, storage bins, vintage items, and more!)  and so much furniture has been rearranged. I absolutely love recreating spaces using items a Client already has. Rearranging furniture is my jam! This space was being used as a homeschool space. The Client wanted it to remain an area for the kids but didn’t need it to be school-only anymore. I moved the bookshelves into the living room where there was a large, empty wall. This created a nice library feeling near the couch to encourage reading. Next, I consolidated three different arts and crafts areas in the house and turned this space into the dedicated arts and crafts area. This family LOVES arts and crafts! Having all the supplies in one space makes finding, using, and returning items so much easier. The space is still a bit full but it suits the Clients’ needs and wants. It makes sense and is, above all, FUNCTIONAL!