Accordion to Kooki

I'm officially in full wedding planning mode! I've rummaged through all my brochures, flyers and bridal magazines. Now to organize all my wedding inspirations from the seating chart guide. I found the best tool is an accordion type file system. It keeps even the smallest of pages neatly packed. But this idea is not limited to wedding planning. Use it for household projects, homework assignments or vacation planning.

Here I have a basic accordion tabbed file folder. I've labeled all my tabs with relevant subjects. Then simply organized all my paperwork in the slots provided.

Get Aquainted with Old Friends

I'm all about new home and fashion trends, but we all need to stretch a dollar these days. Chances are, if you rummage through your drawers, garage or basement, you may bump into  some old friends. It's time to get reaquainted! Here are some clever ways to repurpose some common houseshold items:

1.  Tote it
What to do with all those free totes you've collected? Hang a few on pegs on a wall in an entry, mudroom or laundry room.  You can use them to store hats and scarves, laundry supplies, gardening, dog walking or beach supplies. Pull out what you need or take the whole tote.

2. Open Drawer Policy
Who said a dresser is only for the bedroom?  Dresser or bureaus have great uses in a family room. Use it instead of a console or end table. Store board games, video games, puzzles and blankets.   

3.  Cubism
Who uses ice cube trays these days?  You can!  Put them in a drawer and organize your jewelry and office supplies, giving each item a compartment.  They are stackable so bonus points for you.

4.  Looking Glass
Need containers for craft, scrapbooking and art supplies?  Use jam, salsa and marinara jars.  They are a perfect size for all those beads, stickers, paintbrushes... the list goes on. They are see through so you will know exactly what is in them and hey look great arranged on a shelf or workbench. But if you need more surface area, superglue lids to the underside of a shelf, then screw the jars into the lids.

5.  Round it Up
Gather all that sports equipment, place it in a mesh laundry bag and hang it from its drawstring in the basement or garage.  Simple and out of the way.

There are so many products out there designed specifically for all your organizational dilemmas.  I bet if you look around your own home, you can find common household items that can do the same job. And you get to save a few dollars while you use your imagination. I would love to hear your inventive strategies at home.

Finding Balance

Here is a great blog post from a great friend and a gifted pharmacist turned holistic health counselor. You might like what she has to say...

Wealth of Health Rx: Finding Balance: The Rock Theory: "I tend to take on a lot. Anyone who knows me knows I love making new friends, starting new projects, learning new skills and discovering new..."

Bust that Clutter

Real Simple magazine had a great article on seven strategies for getting rid of all the things  you don't want, need or even like.  I have taken what I thought was relevant and kookized it.  Here is my list of six strategies for getting rid of "stuff":

Fake a Move

Basically picture yourself as if you are moving.  Envision your home as a prospective buyer or renter might. Categorize all your items. What to throw away, what to donate and what you'd love to keep. Chances are, you're holding onto many things that really have no use even in your current home.

Rooms with a Purpose

Now you can break out that nifty clip board that you knew would come in handy one day! Walk through the rooms in your house or apartment.  And write down what activities take place in each room and/or what activities you would like to take place.  Then start building the room based on your proposed purpose.  Remove any items that have nothing to do with your room activities but keep the whole house in mind. You may be able to re-purpose items for other rooms.

Be a Donate Diva

It's true, it is much easier to toss items when you picture them benefiting someone else.  Pick an organization that you really want to help and check their websites on what kind of donations they are in need of.  I like to get the kids involved especially with this one, so that they can see what it's like to give.

Room "Editing"

As if you are reading from a book, start in the upper left hand corner and move from left to right, from top to bottom. "The room is a book, a dresser is a chapter, each drawer is a paragraph, the boxes or trays or Ziploc bags in the drawers are the sentences, and the things in the containers are the words," says Alice Winner, an organizational consultant from Pennsylvania.  The key is to get rid of all the "words"  that make your life more complicated. Just try to resist the urge to skip chapters.

Closet Shopping

Go through your closet and grab an arms worth of clothes. Try them on.  If you would buy them a second time, hang them back up and donate the rest.  Keep in mind the keepers should fit, be in style and not need any alterations.  This method works for those who don't want to spend hours on purging through their closets at one time.  Set a schedule, like every time you put laundry away and try this method.

Theme it Up

This is great tool to use in the kitchen or bedroom.  Group like items in your drawers together. Forks, knives and spoons all have their own slots in a drawer and wooden and slotted spoons in another.  Every shelf and drawer in your home should have a specific theme.  When you group all like things together, you may realize you have duplicates.  Keep the newer or better item and toss the other.

Thinking backwards...

Even if you install the latest and greatest closet organization system you'll find that your wardrobe will still be a cluttered mess. Purging is the best way to get rid of all those pieces that you no longer wear. But you may ask, how can I keep track of what clothes I do wear? Here is a simple strategy.

Hang all your clothes backwards, with the hanger opening facing you. Every time you wear an article of clothing, hang it back forwards, with the hanger opening facing the wall. At the time of your purge, you will know what clothing you should consider donating.

I like doing this every 6 months when I switch out my wardrobes for the seasons. But you can do it as frequently as every 3 months if you like. The key is after purging, not to go on a spending spree. Only add pieces of clothing that you absolutely love and have longevity. Think of it this way, for every two items you purge, only purchase one. You'll find that your closet will be much more manageable.

True Story!

According to research from Indiana University, the more tidy your home, the more likely you are to be physically active.  The reason? Cleaning burns calories!  Also, for most, a messy space can make it difficult to think clearly and be focused, which means you're more likely to find yourself mindlessly snacking in front of the television, says Stacey Platt, author of What's a Disorganized Person to Do?