Christmas Shopping.....Is It Ever Too Early To Start?

I am not here to preach about the right way to organize your Christmas shopping! 

We all have our own habits and we manage to get things done in our own time.

 Some of us thrive on doing things last minute and others need to have things done months ahead or else we start to itch!

And then there are some of us who want to get it done on time, hate to do things last minute, but just get paralyzed at the thought of all of that shopping!

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The thought of the malls, the crowds and the money spent makes Christmas a dreaded time for some people.

The question I have is......... why wait?  

Think about the joy of Christmas giving all year and buy things as you see them.  If you see a sweater in July that you know your mother will love, BUY IT!

There is no rule that says you have to make a Christmas list at the end of the year and follow it! Have some fun. Be spontaneous.

As for the list of gifts that children want....and must have... AMAZON can be your best friend!

It is never too early to start your Christmas shopping!     

Want vs Need

What do you think is more powerful:  WANT or NEED?

I have been thinking about this ever since I started writing my Closet Sales Class...WHY? because I was taught one thing a long time ago and now I am hearing that it is wrong.

Years ago when I was being trained as a Closet Designer, I was always told to sell not just to a need but to "the need behind the need".  For example:  Someone may need more space in the closet.....but the reason behind it may not be the extra space itself but the fact that she and her partner dress at the same time in the morning and bump into each other, get on each other's nerves then fight.  

I always thought that was a pretty powerful selling tool.......BUT.......not everyone will be forthcoming with their "issues". So that just leaves you selling to need. 

I started thinking about my buying habits.  I would say that nine times out of ten, I will buy something I NEED before something I WANT. In my mind that seems like the logic decision? Don't get me wrong....I buy things I want all the time.  I simply prioritize.

So what happens when it comes to big ticket items?

I have been selling closets for years and have been selling to "Needs" pretty successfully and now all of a sudden everything I read about marketing says that people buy what they Want....not what they Need!

Have budget considerations flown out the window? Do I stay quiet while a client packs their closet full of useless accessories they don't need?

I am confused!  What do you think? 

5 Reasons NOT to be Afraid to Hire a Professional Organizer

Many people say to me "I really need your help but I am afraid to have you come over".....and all I can think is really? Am I scary? LOL.  

Fear is a very strong emotion and one that can really hold us back from making changes or difficult and uncomfortable decisions. I know what I deal with and I would imagine my clients will deal with the same things:

• Fear of change
• Fear of letting go of something
• Fear of loss
• Fear of not having enough or not being able to get more
• Fear of  dealing with buried emotions

And YES, de-cluttering and organizing your life can raise some of these deep issues. As professional organizers we are here to help you through that...it's what we dedicate our lives to. Here are the 5 reasons why you should NOT be afraid to work with us:

1- We don't judge: We got into this profession to HELP people not to judge or ridicule them. We take pride in being able to motivate people into creating new patterns that will make their lives easier and more efficient.

2- We have seen everything: People are often under the false impression that they are alone in their situation.  If that were the case, Professional Organizers would not stay in business. There is really not much that will shock us!  

3- We are not perfect: I can't speak for all organizer but to be truthful sometimes.....my own life's organization will turn into chaos.  It happens to all of us.  We just have been taught the skills to get things back on track quickly.

4- Your appointments are confidential:  You don't have to worry about people finding out what you are doing or what you are working on.  What happens during your appointments stays at your appointment!

5- Our bark is worse than our bite:  We may give you a lot to do and think about and expect positive results. We are merely the facilitators...you don't have to worry about disappointing us.....it's all about YOU!

If you have any questions about working with a Professional Organizer, please feel free to contact me!

What is Real Value?

I just got back from the grocery store and my head is spinning! 

Two for one!  Fifty percent off!  This week on special for:

As I was walking past the meat fridge I stopped and started scratching my head.....what's the best deal here? How will I get the most value?  If I buy the larger size package, will I use it or waste it...am I actually saving money?  I think I stared at the steak for 15 minutes!!

Of course we deal with this at the grocery store every day.

But what about other parts of our lives.  What is most VALUEable:  

• "Me" Time?
• Your Money?
• Time with your Family?
• Less Stress?
• Knowing you got the best deal?

I wasted 15 minutes debating my decision about meat!  How much time do we waste comparison shopping for large ticket items......... This is really just a rant.....but the way I do business is this is your price and it is the lowest I can do. All places have their own bottom line!!

WHY NOT JUST START THERE.......and let us all know we got the best value!

Your thoughts?

The Top 4 Reasons To Organize Your Clothing By Cateory

We have all heard the arguments about the best way to organize the clothing in your closet. So which way is the best way? By color? By season? In capsules?  As a closet designer....my vote is by category. Here are my top 4 reasons why: 

1. When you have your clothing separated by category you will get more use out of each item. For example, if you hang a suit together, you will grab it and wear it as a set all the time, forgetting that the top and bottom can be worn with other items to create a completely new outfit!
2. When you are not searching for a top squished and hiding between two bottoms, you will be able to see ALL of the mix and match possibilities in your wardrobe more easily.In this way you know exactly where to look when you want to find a particular piece....take a shirt to the pant section (or vice versa) and decide what you feel like wearing. 
3. You don't have to worry about what works for which season! Who cares! I know when I am cold in the summer....I want my sweaters close by. I wear tanks in the winter as a layering piece. When organized by category you know exactly where items are at all times.
4. It will save you money! You will always know exactly how much of each category you have. No more buying a piece that you already have buried in your closet somewhere while thinking "I am sure I have one of these already!"   

Now keep in mind that this is just my opinion. There is value and merit to other ways of organizing. It doesn't matter what other people do or say is right....you have to choose the method that works best for you!

I simply wanted to share my thoughts and what has worked best for most of my closet clients.

I would love to hear any and all other ideas that you may have!  Please comments and share!

WOW! That was tough!

So how do you define success? Is it when you get what you want....or you deliver on other people's expectations? That's a tough one...and you may be wondering why I am asking such a thing.  Fair enough!

I just finished a live and interactive Facebook event called Closet Design Basics to teach the basics of custom closet design and help entrepreneurs create a new business or people working from home create a small business. Was it a success....well that would depend who you ask.

Why I created the class was two fold:

• To teach people a skill
• To generate interest in my on line course

Well......I did both! The MANY participants were engaged, learning and interested in everything I have to offer! I am thrilled!

So why are others getting me down saying it was unsuccessful if I didn't make X amount of dollars...who are they to say!

I am frankly tired of all the ads I am seeing promoting your door to a MILLION DOLLAR business......excuse my language but I am calling BS on all of that!

I know what it took me to get my course done and I know what struggles people are having after taking my course.....because I CARE and I FOLLOW THROUGH with people.  It's not about the money!!  Any new skill takes time to learn and expand on to become confident enough to become a success.  

It's scary!  Starting anything new is scary!  Taking the leap of faith is terrifying, but if you don.t.....you will never know!   What is that saying? 

All I wanted to say I that we all put ourselves out there. New is good, and it only matters if YOU think you were a success!

I am proud and pleased with the comments and feedback I received about the event and I know that the rest will follow!  

HERE'S TO YOUR SUCCESS AND TO ANY WAY I CAN HELP!     

Do You LOVE What you do?

I LOVE what I do for a living....I mean I REALLY LOVE IT! I know not everyone can say that about their job! I feel blessed. I found something I love to do and I am good at it. Who could ask for more.

My career path didn't start off this way...that is for sure! I actually studied fashion merchandising and went to work in the fashion industry when I was finished with school. BIG MISTAKE! The work environment was awful. I mean, people would scream at each other at the top of their lungs. These were not life and death situations worth cursing other people out! I was miserable!

Now you may ask, how did I go from that.......to career happiness???? LUCK! I was in the right place at the right time and Closet Design fell into my lap. My designer friend was working on the new showroom for California Closets and they needed someone to work there. Sure! Why not I said! And the rest is history.  

It is simple. I am organized. I am a people person. I am creative and I like to make other people happy! I was a perfect fit. And the best part........I WAS TAUGHT EVERYTHING I needed to know to succeed.  After many years there, it was me who was teaching the new designers and I realized that I love doing that too!!  

I was able to help new designers hone their skills, develop their instincts and create incredible designs. All that they learned help make their clients happy Every Day! When you design a closet that someone uses and loves every day....you simplify their lives, reduce their stress and save them money! How many other jobs can accomplish that for people? 

THAT is what got me to where I am today. The love of teaching and wanting to share my knowledge. I have done it for many years by educating my clients as I design for them and now I am taking it one step further and offering a FREE online Facebook event to teach YOU the basics of closet design.

If you don't LOVE what you do! Think about making a change or learning a new skill!  The closet design industry is growing and you can hop on board! EASILY! If you are even the slightest bit curious, come hang out with me for a few hours on June 26th (1pm-4pmEST) and see what it's all about! Just click the link below to join the event! I look forward to seeing you there!  https://www.facebook.com/events/481869085336600/

If you are even more curious and excited......I also offer on line classes to teach you how to be a PROFESSIONAL closet designer. Check out the video below! 

I am so excited and grateful to share my knowledge with you! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments!

Closet De-clutter 5 Categories to Purge

Ahhhhh........what a great feeling!  I just finished cleaning out my closet. Every once in awhile I get an urge, I mean A REALLY STRONG urge to purge! Has that ever happened to you?

I took every piece of clothing out of my closet, tried it on and made a decision about what to do with it. Does that sound like a dream or a nightmare to you?  Well, I know it's not for everyone! Many people become paralyzed when faced with too many decisions so I put together a little cheat sheet to help in this situation.

Please give it a try and let me know how you do!

Pour a glass of wine or a cup of tea, put on your favorite music and just GO FOR IT!    

4 Steps & 2 Secrets To Custom Designing Your Own Closet

Do you ever look at the beautifully designed closets in all the magazines...and drool just a little? Does your mind go to....... how do they do that or I wish it was affordable? Or quite simply to I WANT ONE?

Well, let me tell you a secret.  All the fluff, cool lighting and fancy gadgets are not what makes  a well designed custom closet.  It makes a pretty closet and a beautiful space but......that doesn't mean it is actually a functional one.  I have seen gorgeous closets, where the rods were placed too low and there was clothing dragging on the floor or some shelves were cut at a cool angle but empty, because nothing could fit on them properly . I have often been unimpressed!   

So what does warrant the title "A well designed custom closet"? Not fancy materials, not pretty pictures and not big name brand companies.  YOU can create your own custom designed plan and build it however YOU want to.  These four steps will tell you how: 

1. TAKE DETAILED MEASUREMENTS:  This first step seems simple enough but it is the most crucial. Imagine designing and ordering your dream closet and having taken a measurement incorrectly.....the pieces won't fit and you will have wasted your money. Take an accurate measurement of the wall(s) that you will be building on. Look for obstructions such as light switches, plugs, vents etc and note where they fall on the walls. Once you have everything measured, draw the space on a piece of graph paper using 1/2" scale (1/2" = 1'). 
2. ASSESS AND ANALYZE YOUR WARDROBE: Yes, this is meant to be as detailed as it sounds! You need to count how many pieces you have, measure how long they hang, as well as how wide and how high items are when they are stored folded.You want to make sure that you do not leave your clothes dragging on the floor or create shelves that will only fit 1 1/2 pairs of shoes instead of 2! Make notes of how much long vs short items you own, how many piles and how many pairs of shoes. Create paper "sections" (for example 3 feet long hanging, 8 piles of sweaters takes 2 feet of space) to match the same scale as your graph paper. 
3. MAKE SURE IT WILL ALL FIT: Remember that mess takes up less space than organization.  If you want to move all of your shoes off the floor, they will take space away from something else! Using your scaled floor plan, and the cut "sections" lay out the space that will be used for each category you noted.  Remember that you can double hang short items or add extra shelves above a rod. If you find that you are quickly running out of space then you will have to come up with compromises or give something up!
4. PROPER PLACEMENT: Once you know what you will be keeping in your new space, make sure that you place the sections where they make the most sense. Go back to the obstructions you measured.  Will you be covering a plug? Will your drawers open? Will you have easy access to the clothing you wear the most? Once you are comfortable with where everything is.......you have YOUR very own custom made closet!

The only thing left to do is order your creation and have someone install it for you!  Easy peasy right?  

Are you thinking "Is she crazy? That's a lot of work! OR I can't do all that"! I know, it can seem overwhelming........well.....I have another secret for you: There are other options!

First, I have created a service which will take the 4 steps out of your hands and put them into mine! All you have to do is fill out some forms, shop and arrange installation. Does that take some of the stress away?

Second, I have created and on line course that will teach you these steps in detail! Imagine, being able to not only create your own custom closet.......but perhaps start a new side business of your own!

I have been doing closet design for so long and I am delighted to help pass the skills onto others!  Feel free to contact me with any questions and I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback in the comments! 

5 Steps To Creating Your Sacred Space

I want to preface this whole post by saying that the word SACRED has a very different meaning for everyone!  For some it may mean religious, for others it may mean spiritual and for many more it could just mean private and personal.  It doesn't matter what the definition is as long as it has meaning for YOU! 

A "sacred" space should be one where you want to spend your time. It should attract you by it's calm and quiet and keep you in it's serenity.  It doesn't matter what you do there.....read, write, meditate, sleep.....the point is that you ARE THERE!  

I have friends who have the ability to make every space feel "sacred". No matter what we are doing, they add the special touches that others forget.....Over time I have tried to pinpoint the details that transform these spaces from ordinary to extraordinary and these are the things I came up with:

1. Find a space that can be private and feels special to you.  This does not mean it has to be a room away from everyone one else....just a space that you can call your own when you need it to be.
2. Make it comfortable. No matter what space you are working with (a whole room or a special corner), make sure that you are comfortable.  Add some pillows, blankets, furry rugs....whatever makes you want to stay for awhile.
3. Surround yourself with your favorite things. We all have favorite books, keepsakes, photos, stones, beads, cards...anything that brings you joy should have a place in your sacred space.
4. Scented candles or incense will help create the mood you are looking for.  It is said that scent is the sense most closely connected with our memories.  You can create a feeling and special moment just with the aroma surrounding you.
5. Time. Making a conscious choice to spend time in the space you created will be what really makes it sacred.  Make this space yours alone or share it with others on a special occasion but USE IT.  The more time you spend in it the stronger the energy will become.   

A sacred space can take time to create....just take one step at a time and enjoy the creative process.  

I would love to see some photos of what you come up with!