Pantry Overhaul

A couple of months ago, I had the privilege of organizing the pantry of a woman for whom I've worked since my days at Butler, Shirley.  I was so honored when she reached out and asked if I could help give her pantry a major overhaul.  She told me a story of how she was having a gathering at her house over the summer.  A few of her friends were helping her get things ready for it.  While she was outside speaking to the guest of honor, she heard a crash come from her kitchen.  She rushed inside to find that multiple items had fallen out of her pantry during her friends' attempts to locate something.  Shirley said that was when she knew she needed to make some changes with her pantry.  So we set up an appointment, and I went to her house to take a look at the pantry.  Check out these before pictures...

Shirley's pantry has a lot of great space!  Her biggest complaint was that everything just got shoved on the shelves, causing items to get lost or forgotten, and making it really difficult for everything to stay organized and neat.  I immediately thought of using bins on the shelves.  Not only would they help keep all of the items together and organized, but they would also allow for easy access to items on the higher shelves.  I took some measurements and set out in search of the perfect bins for this pantry overhaul.  

I knew the bins would need to be something durable.  They would need to be able to hold heavier items and would also need to hold up when being taken on and off shelves... which led me to look for ones made of metal.  After a bit of shopping around, I sent Shirley some options I found that I thought would work well in her pantry.  She decided on the Omaha Stacking Bins from The Container Store.  When she sent me her choice, I secretly jumped for joy at the thought of getting to spend some time in my happy place.  Who doesn't love The Container Store?!  Except for maybe my little brother...  Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed myself! :)

While I was researching and shopping, Shirley and her husband were also busy.  They decided to replace some of the shelves in the pantry as well as brighten it up with some pale yellow paint.  I am SO thankful her husband is handy because I would have had no clue how to replace any of the shelves. :)  They also took the initiative to clean out the pantry before I arrived, so everything they either wanted to get rid of or no longer store in the pantry was already out of the way.  This made the organizing go so much faster, and I was in and out in a whopping two hours.  I went back a couple of weeks later and added some custom labels, which will help them keep their pantry even more organized.  I know I may be a bit biased, but I think it turned out great!

The most important part is that Shirley and her husband are happy with the result!  I had so much fun with this pantry overhaul... and the icing on the cake is that The Container Store "liked" my Instagram post.  Needless to say, I was like a little kid on Christmas morning! :)

Here's to Twenty Sixteen

I've never been one to set new year's resolutions.  I may have an idea of a couple of things I want to do to improve upon in the new year, but I never go as far as writing them down... mainly because writing them down means I have to stick to them.  And, let's all be honest, life gets crazy sometimes, which makes accomplishing all of those fancy resolutions quite difficult to do.  As I reflect on 2015 and what it meant for this business, I am so excited and encouraged by all that has taken place... which makes me even more excited for what is in store in 2016.  I have so many plans for where I want this to go and what I want to accomplish, that I decided to actually take the plunge and write them down.  Which means I actually have to stick to them.  Which means I can't use "life getting crazy" as an excuse.  Scary.  In order to hold myself even more accountable to sticking to these goals, I'm going to share them with you so that all of you (or the four other members of my family who might actually read this) can make sure I stick to them.  So, here it goes...

  1. Blog more.  I kind of get nervous to actually hit the "Save & Publish" button on blogs.  In case you haven't noticed, I'm a bit of a perfectionist.  What if I made a typo or a grammar mistake?  What if someone takes offense to something I write?  What if what I was trying to say doesn't make any sense whatsoever?  What if no one cares what I have to say?  These and many other questions constantly run through my mind as I'm writing a post.  My goal is to overcome those fears and write at least one blog post every month... because I know that if I do make a mistake, my mom will let me know and I have the power to actually go in a fix it. :)
  2. Research ways to promote my business and do it.  I am not, nor will I ever claim to be "business savvy."  I started as a marketing major at Butler University, thinking I wanted to be an event planner.  Well, one semester of that was enough for me, and I quickly switched to Elementary Education... much better fit!  I don't know what it is, but when I hear someone talking "business," I start to get a little sweaty and my brain just stops having the ability to form coherent thoughts.  Not a good sign for someone who just entered the entrepreneurial world.  So, I'm going to try and train my brain to learn and *hopefully* comprehend a few new things about how to grow and sustain your own business.  If you don't see goal #1 happening, it is safe to say that my brain just quit on me.
  3. Book more clients.  I think it goes without saying that, if I don't actually book any clients, then I'm not going to make any money or grow my business.  I managed to take that away from my one semester of business classes. :)   Up to this point, my clients have all been people I know.  I am not complaining about this AT ALL!  It has been so encouraging to see that other people in my life are actually willing to pay me to help them get organized.  It has also given me a chance to get my feet wet and learn my style and the best ways in which I communicate and work with clients.  So to all of you who have had faith in me, THANK YOU!!  My goal for 2016 is to book a few clients with whom I have had no previous contact.  How do I do this?  I have no clue. :)  See goal #2.
  4. Be authentic to who I am and use this business to glorify God.  One of the best pieces of advice I received from others when I was planning to start an organizing business was to be authentic.  One person said it is really hard to start, grow, and maintain a business if you aren't true to who you are because you are the business.  So... if my business isn't a reflection of who I am, then it isn't serving it's purpose.  I am a Christ-follower and a Jesus-lover.  I want Organizing by Allison to reflect that.  When I meet a new client or take on a new project, I want what I say and what I do to honor the Lord.  He has blessed me with a gift and a passion, and I want to use that to bring glory to Him. 
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Thank you so, so much to everyone who has encouraged and supported me on this journey so far.  I wouldn't be able to do it without you!  Here's to twenty sixteen!

Tackling the To-Do List

If you're anything like me, you have to write everything down.  If it isn't written down, it will likely be forgotten almost instantly.  For as long as I can remember, I have been a list maker.  Whether it be a grocery list, pro/con list, check list for different tasks, or the almighty and powerful to-do list.  These lists help keep me sane, as they provide the order and efficiency that I desperately crave.  I think I inherited the obsessive list making from my mom... she takes making a grocery list to the next level.  All of the items listed are filtered by the aisle in which they can be found in the store.  Efficiency at it's best!  Today, I'm going to focus on the to-do list and maximizing it's functionality and efficiency.  

For the longest time... and we are talking years here... I always kept a running to-do list on a piece of paper and just crossed things off as they were accomplished.  Sometimes, I would even write down a task that was already completed and cross it off right away just because it felt good! :)  This was a good system until the list would become so long that I was overwhelmed just looking at it.  I would try to prioritize the list by putting the most important tasks at the top... until it seemed like everything was important!  Then, I would try writing the due date next to the task so I could overlook it if it wasn't due for a while.  Good idea; however, it was a little hard to overlook when it was staring me in the face everyday!  After a while, the thing that was supposed to lower my stress level would quickly escalate it... something had to change.

Then I re-discovered my long forgotten Post-It calendar.  If you know me, then you likely know my obsession with Post-It notes.  Love them.  Any size, color, shape.  I use them all the time.  I saw this beauty at Target a couple of years ago and HAD to have it! :)

Behold the glory.  This is any office supply, organized-obsessed person's dream, right?!  The problem is, I bought it and then had no idea how I would go about using it.  So it was stored in my classroom closets for about three years.  As I was thinking about changing how I write my to-do list, I was thinking about how I could prioritize the items better.  I went through quite a few ideas before finally settling on creating a daily list.  This calendar instantly came to mind!  See an example of how I utilized it below!

I wrote each task on a Post-It and then assigned it to the day on which it needed to be completed.  If it wasn't due for the next week, or even a couple of weeks, I would simply flip ahead and put it there.  After a task was finished, I took the note off and threw it in the trash... so satisfying!  The best thing I found with this system was that it significantly reduced my stress level.  As things would come up, I would write it down and post it where it needed to be, then I didn't have to worry about forgetting to get something done.  I was only seeing the current week's tasks, so I wasn't stressing about everything else that wasn't a priority at the time.  I loved this system!  When this school year started, I wanted to continue a similar system; however, I wanted to make it even more efficient.  I knew that my calendar would eventually run out, and I didn't want to have to keep purchasing them.  

So... I looked into apps for to-do lists.  I could add something to it if it would come up in a meeting or a training and know that I wouldn't have to worry about remembering to do so when I got back to my classroom.  There were a couple of things I knew I wanted out of the app:

  1. I wanted to have a daily view.
  2. I wanted to have the capability to assign a due date to the task.
  3. I wanted something I could also access on my computer.

I found quite a few apps that had all three requirements and tried out many of them.  I finally settled on TickTick.  The app has offered all that my Post-It calendar did in an electronic format... and I have loved it so far!  See the photos below for some of the features.

As you can see in the first image, you have the ability to view all tasks at one time.  Each task also shows the date on which it is due.  The second image shows the weekly view, each task separated by the day.  The last image shows one of my favorite features.  You have the ability to create a checklist or a note within a task.  This is so helpful if there are specific things that need to be done.  Many of these things don't warrant a new task, as they pertain to a specific task.  I also love that I can add to the list from my phone, iPad, or computer!

One piece of advice I would give anyone when looking into making his/her lists more efficient would be to look at the way he/she is doing it currently and analyze if it is helping or becoming more of a burden.  If it is helpful, that is awesome and exactly the point!  If it is a burden, look at why it is and figure out how to make it better!  Changing the way I write my to-do list has drastically improved my stress level and the efficiency with which I complete tasks! 

Storage, Storage, and More Storage

When it comes to organizing a space, there are many different variables I consider.  One very important area is, you guessed it... storage!  I want to know how I can fully optimize the storage capacity of a space while also making it visually appealing (very important!).  I'm mildly obsessed with storage bins and have been known to just buy ones that I like when I find them, even if I have no idea where, when, or how I will use them at the time of purchase.  Anyone else do this?!  Please tell me I'm not alone in this.  I *might* even have a box labeled "Storage Bins" in my classroom that is full of cute little baskets and such.  You never know when you might need something, right? 

All that being said, I'm sure it's no surprise that I have my favorite spots for finding such gems.  Depending on the space I'm organizing will greatly help to determine how much money I'm willing to shell out for storage materials.  In my classroom, I definitely go for a more budget-friendly approach.  I teach lifeskills, and things tend to get thrown during meltdowns.  When organizing spaces in my home, I'm more likely to spend a bit more, especially if the product is durable and cute.  I mean, it has to match... right?!

Today, I'm going to give you my top 10 places I can always count on when I'm looking for storage materials.  Some are definitely easier on the wallet than others, so I'll start with the budget-friendly spots first and move towards places that will have you handing over a bit more cash.  Don't worry, though, all of these places offer great options for durability and style!

1. dollar tree

Dollar Tree is definitely my favorite spot when shopping for my classroom.  Mainly because its SO cost effective. :)  They have such cute and colorful bins and baskets that can brighten up any space.  Perfect for a classroom, closet, or playroom.  They are surprisingly durable and hold up quite well to normal wear and tear... all for the low, low price of $1.00!

2. Big lots!

Big Lots is a new find for me... one I didn't discover until a few weeks ago while hunting for items for my classroom.  They also come through with stylish pieces for less that can be used in a variety of places.  This will definitely be somewhere I go in the future when looking for new storage materials!

3. walmart

Walmart has so much to offer in terms of affordability and style.  It is one of my favorite stops when shopping for stackable bins for my basement and garage.  The bins are super cost effective and durable.  I'm not quite as willing to shell out the big bucks when I'm looking to store items in these spaces since they tend to be dirty and buggy.  I also shop there for my classroom.  All of my bins I use in my classroom closets came from Walmart, and I thankfully didn't have to hand over my entire paycheck to be able to fund the closet overhaul.  Walmart also has stepped up their game recently and has a line of cute and stylish baskets that are perfect for displaying on shelves or in closets.  Check them out here!

4. ikea

IKEA pretty much has it all... and it's super trendy.  It definitely has a more modern feel which isn't for everyone; however, it offers so much functionality.  I LOVE all of the different options they offer, especially when it comes down to little details.  When organizing Leah's nursery, she had already purchased some drawer organizers for the dresser in her nursery.  It made the drawers so much more functional!  

5. home goods

Home Goods.  Such a hidden gem with new treasures to discover with every visit.  I love shopping at Home Goods when I'm looking for a more stylish approach to storage.  Many of the baskets and bins I find there are a perfect fit for my decorating style.  They offer such a homey feel without cutting back on the storage options.  

6. hobby lobby

Oh, Hobby Lobby... how you make my heart happy every time I visit you.  Seriously.  Once again, Hobby Lobby tends to offer more stylish storage options without breaking the bank.  Most of the time, you can find fairly decent sales that make their already low prices that much more appealing.  While I wouldn't stop there while looking for bins to use in my garage, basement, or attic, I would definitely look there for shelves, bedrooms, and other living spaces.  

7. target

Target pretty much takes my money whenever I so much as glance in it's direction.  Never mind the fact that they have pretty much everything to offer, their storage options are fantastic!  When it comes to shopping for my classroom, the Dollar Spot is always my first stop.  It almost always has cute and unique baskets that can be used in a variety of ways.  Remember my reference to simply buying storage items without knowing my purpose for it yet?  The Dollar Spot was likely the culprit.  I have no self control.  Moving further into the store, you'll also find storage bins that are super functional when looking for your garage, basement, or attic.  They tend to be a bit more pricey than other places; however, they are definitely durable.  Target also offers trendy storage options in terms of baskets.  They never fail to be spot on with the current style trends.  So basically... I love Target.  Can you tell?!

8. The container store

The Container Store is literally your one stop shop for all things storage.  It's my happy place, and I literally find something new each time I visit.  Like quite a few of the other places on my list, they offer options for both function and visual appeal.  They definitely have so many unique ideas when it comes to optimizing storage and even have different specific systems for different places in your home, classroom, or office.  While some of their items can be a bit pricier, you won't be disappointed with their durability, style, and functionality.

9. crate & barrel

Crate & Barrel offers so much in terms of stylish storage.  I love the clean lines and more modern looks of everything Crate & Barrel has to offer.  They are definitely more expensive than all of the other options on this list; however, they offer so much when it comes to style and durability.  If you're looking for storage in your living spaces and kitchen, they may be the ticket.  One of my favorite products is their storage ottomans.  I would love to use these pieces for organizing toys in living rooms.  They are such a stylish way to *hide away* toys when guests come.  :)

10. pottery barn

I swoon every time I walk through Pottery Barn.  Seriously... how is everything so beautiful?  Unlike the other stores on my list, I haven't actually purchased any storage materials from there.  I have; however, dreamed of what kind of organized wonderland I could create.  It would be glorious!  True to my word, I have ended my list with the most costly spot.  Pottery Barn offers so much in terms of style and function, and their items are incredibly durable as well.  You can find anything from storage baskets to jewelry storage to organizational options for your garage.  And again... it's all so so beautiful!  

   

My First Client!

I worked with my first official client today!  A huge thank you to Beth, the art teacher at my school, for believing in me enough to book me to come help her organize her room!  The art studio is a huge space, complete with many cabinets, closets, and storage rooms.  We definitely had our hands full!  Take a look at some of the before pictures to help set the scene...

Beth had some great ideas on what she wanted for the shelves that the students will access during the day.  Together, we were able to come up with a system that will hopefully help students locate materials they will need while working on different projects.  Beth had already set this system up last school year by putting boxes of markers in colored baskets.  Each seat at the table had a box of markers assigned to it, and the colored baskets matched the different table colors (red, yellow and blue).  We then found twelve colored buckets that fit perfectly in the cubbies!  These will hold scissors, pencils, and erasers for each table.  The area is so much cleaner now and will hopefully work well with students.

From there, we moved on to the storage room.  This space comes across as very intimidating, purely based on the size and amount of stuff inside.  It was a dream for me, though, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it!  Beth and I moved all of the art supplies (markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc.) out to the tables in the room.  I definitely need to make a mess and see everything I'm working with before I start the process of consolidating and organizing.  After we unloaded everything, Beth worked on other tasks around the room while I set to work on organizing all of the supplies.  Throughout the whole process, we were fortunate enough to be able to use boxes, baskets, and bins that Beth already had in her room.  She already had so much to work with!  After organizing all of the supplies, I set to work on getting them into the storage room so they could be easily accessible for her when she is planning lessons. 

The closet was definitely a big task, and we weren't able to get to all of it in our 5 hour time frame unfortunately... Beth says she plans on having me on retainer! :)  As I said earlier, I make a big mess before I organize anything.  So I started off by taking everything off of the shelves and sorting it while I did so.  I was then able to put all of the art supplies on one set of shelves so they were in a central location, making it easier for Beth when she is looking for materials during the school year.  I tried to make a point to not layer the supplies so none of them were hidden from view.  One of her main complaints with the closet before was that she didn't know what she had.  I think it looks much better!

The last task of the day was to tackle ALL of the paper... something we didn't get finished today; however, we did make a dent.  Before we started, the packages of paper were stacked on top of each other.  This didn't make it very easy to access the paper because Beth had to move around different stacks to get what she wanted.  In order to solve this problem, we moved one of the shelves down a little bit and then stood the paper up.  This will make it much easier to get what she wants without pulling a whole stack of paper down on top of her.

I had so much fun working with Beth today and feel great about what we were able to accomplish in our five hours of work.  My hope is that Beth feels more relaxed and prepared for the school year ahead!

Well... I finally did it!

After years of researching and contemplating, I finally did it!  I've started my own professional organizing business... and I couldn't be more excited about it!  I have loved organizing different spaces for many years and it is something that comes naturally to me.  A couple of years ago, I was talking with one of my friends about our dream jobs.  I randomly threw out that I would love to be a professional organizer.  At the time, I had no idea such a profession even existed and kind of said it jokingly.  It wasn't until I started researching that I realized it actually is... imagine my surprise and excitement!  That was when I started thinking this may be something I could actually do. 

Of course, I had no idea how to go about starting my own business.  So I enlisted the help of a good friend who had recently started her own wedding planning business: JoAnna Bayliss of JoAnna Dee Weddings.  I remember asking her advice on what I should do to get started, and she said to just go with my gut and do it!  She recommended that I reach out to some of the professional organizers I had been researching and stalking to seek out some advice.  I did just that and sent out email to about four different organizers in the Indianapolis area.  I was so blessed to hear back from Barbara Bougher who gave me some amazing advice on directions I could take my dream for my business and first steps to take.  I was all set to get started!  And then life happened and I accepted a new teaching position... which then took most of my time and brain power.  I had no desire to try and start a business and feel like a first year teacher all over again.  My brain, emotions, and stress level couldn't handle it. 

Now I've been teaching in my new position for two years and finally feel like I'll be able to take on this new venture!  It has been a long time coming, and I have a lot of people to thank: JoAnna for helping me take the first steps, for designing my amazing logo, and for being available to answer my never ending questions about how to get my website up and running.  Elizabeth and Leah, two of my best friends, for letting me try my hand at organizing a classroom and a nursery.  My mom for helping me come up with my slogan/mission statement and for passing on her natural tendencies to be overly organized.  Barbara Bougher and all of the other organizers who have given me advice and been willing to answer my questions.  And once again to Elizabeth who got me one of my favorite birthday presents two years ago, which motivated me to once again start researching.  It also is the basis for my slogan.  As I said... one of my favorite gifts!

Pretty much the perfect gift for someone who loves to organize. :)

Needless to say, I'm so excited to start this next chapter!  Thank you so much for all of your support!