J.Crew is one of my favorite stores to buy classic, timeless clothes that I can wear season after season. I was so pleased to be asked to share my tips to simplify and organize your closet at their pre holiday event. What are some of my tips to simplify your wardrobe?
Purge. Donate or consign any items that you don’t wear, make you feel good about yourself when wearing it and any “what if” clothes. We all own those type of clothes and keeping them is a constant reminder of what you used to be or wish you were and it’s not living in the present.
Stick to neutrals when buying basics. If you want to simplify your wardrobe the easiest thing to do is buy classic styles in neutral colors. Black denim is a perfect example of a closet staple. These can be dressed up or down and are so comfortable because they have a bit of stretch. Wear pops of color in your shoes and accessories such as scarves, jewelry, bags and belts.
Keep like items and colors together. This is important not only so you can see what you own but will prevent you from buying more of the same style and color.
Invest in one trendy item. Most of us like to indulge in the seasons latest trend but buying too much can lead to clutter in a closet. I love thissweater not only because this print is one of my favorites but it will also be perfect to wear on Sunday game day in Jacksonville.
Once you have simplified your wardrobe invest in closet accessories to keep you organized. The first place to start is change your hangers! Sounds simple but often overlooked and it will transform your closet. These are a few of my go to items when organizing a closet.
World Market has impressed me with all the new items I have seen in the store and online especially for the office. These are a few of my favorites because they are not only functional but they look great!
When you are giving an office an update the best place to start can be with a new desk. This Reid Desk is a favorite because of the clean lines and two drawers for plenty of storage for all of your office supplies.
If you are looking for the perfect item that looks great and gives you added storage then the Emerson Rolling Cart is ideal! I loved this the moment I saw it in the store. The gold and lucite give you an updated look and works not only in an office but small spaces too!
Good looking shelving can be hard to find so when I came across theGold Milayan Tall Shelf I knew I had found the perfect piece that I would recommend. It is simple and would look great in any room in the house but I love it in an office.
I love this binder so much that I bought itfor myself! It is small enough to carry in my bag but large enough to have all of my notes at my fingertips. I’m already making my holiday lists and these would be a great gift for those who still like the convenience of a notebook.
One way to stay organized in the office is to have a tray for items that need to be filed. This Antonia Paper Tray is perfect for keeping mail and other important papers from being misplaced.
A collator is an important way to stay organized in an office. This Maxwell Letter Holder is a good choice for keeping your everyday files at your fingertips.
If you are ready to update your office space you can find all these items and more ontheirwebsite. What a great time to make your furniture purchase with 40% offuntil November 25th. Get organized before the new year with these office finds!
Welcome to the Neatly Designed blog, where I share my favorite organization tips, and must-have organizing products.
I was surprised when my husband penned the following letter to me and thought it would be perfect to share on my 30th wedding anniversary today. I’m a very lucky woman to be with this amazing man!
Confessions From The Spouse of a Professional Organizer
By Mitch Stone
Full disclosure people, I am not an organized person by nature. An organized lifestyle just didn’t seem natural to me. In fact, I grew up constantly losing things, looking for things, rushing to class, missing deadlines, and getting to practices late because I couldn’t find my glove, lacrosse stick, tennis racket, etc. The simple fact was I didn’t think about how I caused myself immeasurable amounts of stress by not being organized.
Then a miracle happened, I met my wife. They say opposites attract and in our case it is true. Not only did I find her smart and gorgeous, but I realized that she had a skill set that I could really use to get my career going. She knew how to plan, how to arrange and how to organize. I had other skills that complimented hers. I was late, messy and unorganized.
At first it was a challenge to see which of our life styles would prevail. I resisted being burdened by social norms that included being on time or putting things in their place. As a result I created a bit of chaos the first few years of our marriage.
So that was the beginning of the enlightenment for me. I needed to accept the advice my wife gets paid to give others, but being organized didn’t seem normal to me. I recall wondering, when we moved into our first house, if anyone had a coat small enough to hang on the set of little hooks by the garage door. Then I saw Ms. Neatly Designed hang her car keys on one of those hooks when she got home from work. I immediately thought, “Wow! That would make it so easy to find your car keys every morning if you simply hung them up on your way in instead of throwing them down so that they would work their way into the cushions of the sofa.” Brilliant!
Then she sat down with me to make sure I calendared events like concerts, dinner parties, birthdays and anniversaries. Suddenly, I realized that I would have incredible advanced notice of what was about to take place thereby reducing the need to apologize for missing something. She labeled clear container bins for holiday decorations to be easily located in the attic rather than having to call a handyman afterwards to fix the damage caused by tearing up the house looking for them. I appreciated how much easier and less stressful those things had become for me and us.
Now that I have had the advantage of being married to this smart, beautiful and successful woman for 30 years I’ve learned skills that I never knew existed. I can honestly say I am less stressed over little things in life that used to become major disasters. For example, losing car keys isn’t a huge ordeal unless of course it happens when you need to drive your wife to the hospital because your daughter is ready to be born, right?
Now my personal and financial records are easily found, my golf gear is in its place, my surfand SUP boards are on racks on a wall in the garage, and my suits and clothes are neatly arranged on hangers and in drawers. Incredibly, all my mementos (aka, junk) like Grateful Dead concert tickets, college party beer mugs and vacation necklaces, that I have saved over the years so my kids can throw them out when I’m gone, have been reduced and reconstituted to fit neatly in a clear bin and stored in a closet under the stairs. Yes, my life is indeed more organized, thanks to her.
In fact, as I write this I am traveling home and next to me are my bags that I organized for the trip. It inspired me to write this because I was reflecting on how going through airport security was such a breeze since I knew where my passport was, my laptop was easily removed from the bag, and I had not over packed because I had only the shirts, pants and other garments that I would actually wear each day. It is a change for the better and something I never dreamed could be possible.
But fear not young men (and women), although I have been married to this special woman for 30 years, these are not skills that take decades to acquire. This is something you too can do. However, there is no reason to reinvent the wheel.
There are tricks to the trade, so hire a professional organizer – and I highly recommend Christine Stone at Neatly Designed. A few hours of her time helping you clean out your clutter will get you started on a less stressful way of living.
