How your routine and behaviors impact your home. Three Tips on Living an Organized Lifestyle.

Hey There Collectors!

I know you have busy schedules. I totally do too! You feel like you don't have time to do chores? Uh huh, me too! Here's the deal your laundry/dishes/garbage will pile up (and smell) if you don't take the time to handle them.  They don't mysteriously begin to accumulate. (sorry!) You actually have to control your stuff. behaviors

To be organized you literally have to schedule your chores into your life so that your home doesn't look like an episode of the Hoarders show. I have to keep my house clean as well, so I am no exception, I get it. Most people hate doing chores, but they do them. Don't be under the impression that you are the only one that hates doing chores. Most people would rather be doing something else. You are not a terrible person for hating chores.

Below are 3 tips to help you learn how to schedule in time to clean:

1. Take some time to write down your daily schedule. From the time you wake up to the time you go to bed. See where you can make time daily or weekly to clean. Be honest. For example: If you watch hours of tv everyday, then you can TOTALLY spend one of them on your home. If you read every night, spend one night a week doing laundry instead. 
2. You are going to have to make rules for yourself. For Example: Once the trash can is full, it goes out, period. Every time you go out you must take out a small bag of trash. Every Sunday is laundry day. 
3. Start out small and work your way up. Always set yourself up for success by taking baby steps. Instead of planning to organize your entire home, organize one room, or one area at a time. Stay focused and in the same area until it is clean and organized.

I know you can do it Collectors if you just commit to putting in some time to getting your home organized.

Need help getting caught up? Hire a Collector Care Professional Organizer to help you sort through the piles of clutter. Let us clean and organize your home, giving you a jump start on your new life. We even offer maintenance for Clients who need a touch up or follow up care.
www.collectorcare.com or (925) 548-7750.

Caitlyn Jenner – Organizing Trend Setter

Hey Collectors! We are always trying to "Keep Up With The Kardashians" at Collector Care. Ever since Caitlyn Jenner came out I have had an abundance of inquiries from transgender folks in search of organizational services.

Before Caitlyn came out I have had the pleasure of working with 3 transgender Clients over the last five years. I kid you not, I have had at least five phone calls in the last ten days from potential transgender Clients. Leading me to believe that Caitlyn Jenner is an organizing trend setter, and inspiring me to write this blog.

This blog is for people that have closets full of both female clothing and male clothing. Hockey jerseys and platinum blonde wigs on the same shelf. I think you get the picture. You might not have thought about the additional clutter this brings. When you are dressing for two genders, you can have twice the amount of stuff. When you are taking hormones or getting plastic surgery done- your body changes, and you end up with a lot of clothing that no longer fits the same.

So the burning questions is, how do you organize your closet when you are transgender? This blog is full of tips and ideas just for you!

Did you see the episode where Kim wanted to organize Caitlyn's closet? The shoes at the top have been on my mind since that episode aired! I would be in organizing heaven if she invited me over! 

So, where does one begin? Below is a story of one of my transgender clients and some of the tools and techniques that we used organizing her closet. I hope this inspires you.

I have been working with a client we will call Gloria because she wants to remain anonymous. Quick rewind: Gloria was born male, and over the last 10 years has been transitioning into female. She has just come out at work.

When I got to Gloria's house her place was full of items from her past life as a man. She was always big into hockey so there was a lot of sports memorabilia, clothing that she wore when she was a man, and photos and documentation of her being a male. Her goal was to transition her space into her new lifestyle as a woman. Not only had she told everyone at work about being transitioning, she was now living 100% as a woman everywhere else too.

Gloria wanted to eliminate all of the clutter in her home that reminded her of her life as a man. However, she did want to keep some mementos from the past in a box in the way back of her closet.

Rachel Seavey, Blogger
Owner of Collector Care

We started transforming her closet first. We dedicated a side for clothing that made her feel fabulous and beautiful. The other side of the closet was for clothing that might look good after she gets her breast implants. We let go of items that made her feel frumpy or uncomfortable. We made one bag of donation for the goodwill of men's clothing, and we had one bag of clothing for the woman's shelter. One shirt made it's way to the back of the closet to the box.
Shoes were sorted by work-wear and dressy, one side of her hanging organizer had comfy work shoes, and the other had sandals and heels. Boots and sneakers were organized at the bottom of the closet.

Make up organization was a definite struggle for Gloria! Oh was she in luck because I absolutely LOVE makeup organization! We shopped online for some cheap and easy solutions to contain her cosmetics. We discussed proper care of cosmetics and brushes. Good times!

Lastly we organized her purse. Most women get a lot of years in of cramming things in to their small purses or clutches. We have experienced the frustration of dropping something in to the black hole of a giant hobo bag only to search and search for its existence.
So what is the perfect purse and what goes inside of it? This Dolls, you will have to ask yourselves.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you want a purse with short straps? Or have straps that hang over your shoulder? 
• Backpack or fanny-pack? 
• What should go inside of your purse?
• What are things you use everyday? 
• What would you never leave home without? 
• Do you take medication or have daily prescriptions? 

I asked these questions and came up with the following items: (Remember, this is only Gloria's example, feel free to add or substitute as you like).

1. Makeup in a clear cosmetic case. Tip: Bring only what you need to touch up during the day to avoid unnecessary bulk.
2. Small hair brush with scrunchie wrapped around handle.
3. Lotions in a clear cosmetic case. Travel size sunblock, hand-cream, and sanitizing lotion.
4. 2 ballpoint pens and a small notebook.
5. Phone.
6. Gum.
7. Asthma Inhaler.

We even made a copy of this list so that she would not forget to re-stock it. 

 

Thank you to Gloria for letting me share her story. My favorite part of working together was the celebration of self, and the facilitating of helping her be at their organizational best.

Thank you for reading this blog Collectors. Until next time!

Rachel

 

Do you need help organizing your home or lifestyle?

Give us a call! 925-548-7750
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In a world where you can be anything collectors, be yourself.

Collector Care: 4.5 Tips On Reducing Kid Messes

Hello Collectors! Do you have kids or grandkids? Nieces or nephews? Then you have clutter!

Wall smudges, fingerprints, smeared glass and windows. Kids are a mess! Below are 4.5 tips to help you reduce kid messes daily. Please don't be shy to ask your little ones to help out - it helps build character and organization skills. With a little bit of fun, (and bribery) they might enjoy it!

1. Create a chore list. I can't stress this enough! Pick 5 chores that your child can keep daily and reward them for it when they complete them for a week. I have a dry erase board on the fridge which keeps tracking handy. Set a specific time daily for chore review. For instance, at dinner I go through the 5 chores quickly with Shane and mark off what he has done. At the end of the week with completion of his chores - he gets a treat/prize. 
2. Take shoes off before you enter the house. Kinda old fashion right? I find it helps. Kids get used to routine. As long as your floors are safe barefoot, you will save a lot of mud, dirt and debris from tracking in. This means less stains and maintenance. 
3. Only eat in the kitchen. Seriously. At least for 10 and under. I don't mean popcorn or water, I mean meals. I can't tell you how many spills have happened when my son is eating food and watching TV.  If you enjoy watching TV while eating, then try positioning your TV towards the kitchen or bringing a laptop over instead of eating on the couch. 
4. Stick to snacks that are less messy. Small snacks like granola tend to sneak out of little hands. If possible avoid sticky dipping sauces or limit them to the table only. 
5. Wash their hands (and face!!!). Have kids wash their hands a fter meals, after being outside, after crafting, etc. Besides decreasing flu and cold risks you are keeping your walls and furniture clean. Kids love to touch everything with their filthy little

Do you need help getting organized? Hire a Collector Care organizer today!

www.collectorcare.com

Collector Care: 4.5 Tips On Handling Mail Clutter

Hello Collectors! Are you overwhelmed by mail? Not sure what to keep or save? If you are located in the San Francisco Bay Area, then give us a call today!

Tony Leonardini offers a "Mail Sorting Class" included in our services. Let us create a system that works for you. Save money on late fees and lost paperwork today.

If you are not able to have us over, here are 4.5 tips that can help you reduce mail clutter right away.

1. Do you have piles of mail around? Start by weeding out the junk and recycling it. Junk mail is bulky and by the time you get to read it the coupons may be expired.
2. Do you receive catalogs you don't need? Call the number listed for them and ask them to stop sending you mail.
3. Surrounded by bills? A lot of bills are available online. See what sort of paperless options your providers offer.
4. Set a timer for 30 minutes a day to tackle back logged mail.
5. Worried about your name? Tear it out and shred it. Recycle the rest of the remaining

Don't let mail keep you down any longer!

Collector Care offers custom solutions for clutter. Clear clutter and be happy!

Collector Care Goes Muppet - Professional Organizers In The San Francisco Bay Area