by Natalie Morey | Sep 15, 2012 | Declutter tips, Home Organisation, Tips
It’s that time again – Spring Cleaning Season.
September and October are a great excuse to do that annual Spring Clean. Your place looks great, it feels fresh, you feel great and it provides the perfect time to get rid of all that clutter that has built up over the past 12 months. Of course there is the usual carpet and window cleaning, wall washing, balcony cleaning and rubbish removal. However, a Spring Clean also provides the opportunity to go through those old piles of magazines and papers and throw them out.
Here are some other tips which makes spring cleaning and organising quicker and easier… and we all like that!
Natural Cleaning Products
I love natural cleaning products. I often wonder with all those smells and chemicals that we are spraying into our house, what are we doing to our environment and more importantly, what are we breathing in.
My all time favorite cleaning product is Bicard (sodium bicarbonate baking soda). When mixed with Vinegar it becomes a fantastic cleaner and sanitizer. They say that cider vinegar is best on hard surfaces and that white vinegar is good to use on white marble and fabrics.
Shower Heads
If sediment has built up on your shower head and is blocking the spray of your water flow, then it’s easily fixed. Unblock the head of your shower by placing some vinegar and bicard soda in a plastic zip lock bag, put it over the shower head, zip up and leave overnight.
Window cleaning
Methylated spirits and water in a spray pack works a treat on your windows.
Chandelier cleaning
Did you know that there are professional chandelier cleaners that you can hire to do this.
Spring cleaning and decluttering the wardobe and need to donate old work clothes
Of course there are the well known places like St Vinnie’s and The Red Cross, but did you know there is a great organisation called Fitted for Work, www.fittedforwork.org. They collect old and unwanted suits and give them to disadvantaged women who are trying to enter the workforce. It’s a great concept and one worth supporting.
Until next time, Happy Organising.
By Natalie Morey, Professional Organiser
by Natalie Morey | Sep 13, 2012 | Declutter tips, Home Organisation, Tips |
Did you know that just like other products, cosmetics have an expiry date? When was the last time you decluttered your cosmetics draw?
I am fanatical about use by dates on food and I apply the same principle when it comes to cosmetics.
In Europe, cosmetics have a use by date on them, however, interestingly in Australia cosmetics don’t. Given you are putting product on your face and eye area, you can never be too careful. When working with clients to organise their home, I regularly find old perfumes and moisturisers in the back of their cupboards that have been there for years and years. When organizing and decluttering bathrooms, I like client’s to get involved in reviewing the product, as they know how long they have had things for.
What is the average period after opening (PAO) expiry date for standard makeup?
Reference: Better Homes and Gardens, October 2012
Declutter your Makeup
Professional Organising Tip:
- As soon as I open new mascara, I purchase another one, and pop it in the bathroom.
- Strawberrynet.com. is a great online store that sells premium brands at competitive prices. It is worth a look if you want to update your cosmetics.
Good luck with decluttering your cosmetic draw!
Until next time, Happy Organising.
By Natalie Morey, Professional Organiser
by Natalie Morey | Sep 12, 2012 | Tips
Papers, Papers, Papers
The dream of a paperless desk is still light years away for many of us. In the meantime, we need to devise a way to reduce the paper on our desk and organize it. Here are some decluttering tips.
Declutter your Desk
Start with a declutter and remove all the things that don’t belong on your desk.
For big items that need to be kept on or near your desk, you can use a range of boxes to keep the items sorted and grouped together. There are some lovely colours out there, so you can have fun and make your office look stylish too.
Set up an In-tray
Papers need a “home” when they arrive on your desk. Remember to label your in-tray too.
Set up a Filing System
When filing or creating a filing system, remember that you are doing this to make your life easier. Make sure your system makes sense and that anyone coming into your office would be able to find what they need quickly. Don’t forget to label it as well. Lever arch folders also work well when you want to file documents.
Organize your Drawers
Group similar items in each drawer. For example, put all of your office supplies in one drawer, stationery and notepads in another. That way, it’s organised and you won’t waste time trying to find items.
Now if you need some more inspiration on how to organise your desk, then checkout tips-to-organise-your-office, a previous blog that outlines 14 easy tips to help organise your desk. Start at the top and work your way down the list and before long your desk will be looking totally different.
Until next time, happy organising.
By Natalie Morey, Professional Organiser
by Natalie Morey | Sep 11, 2012 | Declutter tips, Home Organisation, Tips
Being disorganised costs you time and money. Avoid being stressed and create more time by being more organised and planning ahead.
Here are a few tips to help you stay organised:
- Buy two printer cartridges each time you make a purchase. That way you will never run out of ink.
- Buy extra light globes, so you always have some spare. You will never be left in the dark again.
- Stand over the rubbish bin when you open your mail and “bin” any junk mail. That way you are guaranteed never to have a buildup of junk mail on the kitchen bench again.
- Put a hook at the door so you can hang your keys on it as soon as you walk in the house. You will never waste time searching for your lost keys.
Until next time, Happy Organising.
Natalie Morey, Professional Organiser
by Natalie Morey | Sep 10, 2012 | Tips
So often when my team and I meet with clients, we hear them say the same thing. “I just don’t know where to start”, or “I just don’t have the energy”, or “it is so over whelming, so I just close the door”.
What has taken months, possibly years to build up is not going to be cleared in a couple of hours or even a day. This is something that I always ask clients to think about. I find this helps put it into perspective. Equally though, you need to have some consistent strategies in place to help tackle the buildup of items.
Here are some key tips to help you get motivated, be organised and start decluttering:
- Be consistent. You need to dedicate time each day to tackle the problem. Set a goal, it might only be 10 minutes a day, but set time aside every day and start decluttering.
- Set a timer as your guide and don’t stop your decluttering until it goes off.
- Think of a little reward that you can give yourself once you have finished the job. It might only be to have ten minutes off, or perhaps it’s having an uninterrupted coffee. Whatever it is, you can only have it once the decluttering is done.
Until next time, happy organising.
Natalie Morey, Professional Organiser
