CasaSugar

10 Essential Items For Fall Living

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:00:42 -0700

In our quest to declutter and cozy up our homes this Fall, sometimes it helps to invest in a few essential pieces. Check out my must haves for this Fall season.
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Do You Stack Your Books Horizontally?

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:00:00 -0700

There are so many ways to organize your books: by genre, author, or even by color, to name just a few. But do you stack yours horizontally? Photo by Laura Resen

Cool Idea: Garment Dividers

CasaSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:00:00 -0700

About a year ago, I gave you all an in-depth guide to organizing your hangers. If you're like me, your closet is in tip-top shape for a couple weeks, and then it's time to get organized again. Well, I don't know of any gadgets that will keep my clothes off of the floor, but these Simple Division Garment Organizers ($9.99) do seem like they'll help keep my dresses from wandering off into the pant section. The set comes with 60 labels (in English and Spanish) and 12 dividers. But, you can also print your own labels if you want to make them cuter or if you're the owner of a nontraditional garment that needs a unique label - chaps, anyone? These dividers seem pretty handy, but I'm also feeling a DIY coming on!

How-To: Keep Your Flatware Drawer Tidy

CasaSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:00:35 -0800

Over the holidays, some of my friends housesat for us for a few days. When I have someone stay at my house, I try to make it as tidy and welcoming as possible, and one of my go-to tasks is tidying and cleaning the flatware drawer. It's rather disconcerting, in my opinion, to open a drawer, looking for a spoon for your ice cream, and find yourself staring at a messy and crumb-filled flatware drawer.

To see my tips for keeping your flatware drawer tidy, read more.

Start by purging your drawer of all mismatched, mangled, or shabby-looking silverware. Send any decent, but mismatched, silver to a local thrift shop or charity.
Remove any non-silverware items from the drawer. Measuring cups, spatulas, and other kitchen utensils should be placed in a separate drawer or container.
Take out all silverware and give it a good rub-down with this non-toxic polish.
Take out the drawer and clean it thoroughly, removing any spills or stains.
Replace everything and enjoy your newly organized drawer!

Open House: Where Do You Need to Organize?

CasaSugar — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:30:00 -0700

I'm currently in the process of organizing my closet, but because entropy is inevitable, there's been a lot of deliberation about what system works best for me. I've figured out how to best organize my hangers, and am trying to be diligent about hanging my clothes back up after I try them. And, I've organized my tops and sweaters by color. But I'm still working on the shoes; I think I have a gene that prevents me from keeping them in order, or at least looking neat. There are a few other war zones in my house that need to be handled with a peace treaty of some sort as well, particularly the garage. How about you? What area of your home needs to be organized, or reorganized? Where do you need to implement an actual organization system (inbox, outbox, labels, etc.)? Do you have any spots that are truly out of control? Are you disorderly to a point where it affects your efficiency? Tell me by commenting below!
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How-To: Organize Your Desk

CasaSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:00:19 -0700

Although Eric Abrahamson and David H. Freedman's book A Perfect Mess claims that there are hidden benefits to being unorganized and cluttered, I'm not sure I'm a believer, and I stand by the aesthetic reasons for being organized. So, I thought I'd give you a few tips on streamlining your workspace that seem to have helped me out. I know that many of you are super organized already, so this is for the rest of you!

First and foremost, rely on a computer filing system. Save your documents on your hard drive and back them up. Keep your computer organized as one would a filing cabinet. Scan your paper documents and save them to your hard drive, then recycle them.
Say no to paper. Only print out paperwork if it's completely necessary. If you do print something out, recycle it once you've completed the task you used it for.
Ditch the pens. You shouldn't have more than three pens, a pencil, and if needed, a marker, at all times. Once you have them, don't be tempted to add to the collection by stealing from your hotel or office supply closet. Leave your writing utensils at your desk; don't carry them away with you in your purse.

To hear more of these organization tips, read more.

Kick Post-Its to the curb. Post-its look messy and are easy to lose track of. Keep a notebook on your desk, next to your keyboard instead, and get in the habit of using it. If you use it every day, you're bound to see your reminders written down.
Build a system to manage your paper. If everything has a place, you won't need to search for it. Whether you use file folders, letter trays, accordion files, or L.L. Bean tote bags, delegate a location for each type of paperwork you have. That means, an inbox, an outbox, an on-hold box, a reference file, files for active projects, files for finished projects, and of course, have a recycling bin or shredder on hand.
Maintain a time frame. Find a way to categorize your inbox by day, week, and month. That way, your work each day will have a better shot of getting done, and you'll have a sense of how productive you are. If you're not ready to handle your paperwork, or not sure how to deal with it, put it in your on-hold box.
Keep books on your bookshelf. Bookcases, not desks, were invented for the sole purpose of storing your books. So, use them! Keep your books off of your desk unless you are actually, physically reading them. Read my how-to on organizing your books for more tips.
Your desk is not a dining table. Don't eat at your desk. Ever. And keep your lunch, silverware, etc. off of it as well. You can keep one glass of water or coffee, etc. there, but only one.
Display your photos on your computer. Nix the family photo frames, and opt instead for a rotating slideshow of personal photographs on your computer, or choose your favorite photo to use on your desktop background. Frames just add clutter, which we're trying to lose here.
Schedule digitally. Use your computer calendar or PDA to schedule meetings, etc. Ditch your ratty planner. Set alarms to remind you of important dates.
Tidy up. Take five or 10 minutes at the end of each day to tidy up your work space, making sure all of your papers are in the appropriate files, and then everything is set up for the next day. Wipe down your desk at the end of each week with a damp cloth to keep dust from accumulating. Jot down reminder notes in your notebook if you have any.

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How-To: Organize Out in the Open

CasaSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:00:14 -0700

Sure, you can hide your media materials, linens, and glassware away in a closet or drawer, but what's the fun in that? Check out these ideas for organizing out in the open, and looking great in the process.

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Roundup: Beautifully Designed Organic Bedding

CasaSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:00:04 -0700

In the past few years, organic bedding, which had previously been eco-friendly but not very design-savvy, has really come into its own, with beautiful patterns and vibrant colors spicing up a selection of organic cotton. I'm happy to see this textile gain mass appeal, and given its reasonable price point, there's really no excuse not to transition to organic bedding.

To see a roundup of my favorite organic bedding, and to hear more about the health risks of using conventional cotton bedding, read more.

Did you know that US farmers apply nearly 1/3 of a pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for every pound of cotton they harvest? Conventional cotton crops account for 25 percent of all chemicals used in the United States. Furthermore, many non-organic cotton sheets are treated with formaldehyde, which helps them avoid wrinkling. And since there's no law requiring companies to label sheets that use formaldehyde, they usually don't. These sheets don’t even have to have a label informing you of what they were treated with! Formaldehyde is a cancer-causing chemical that, unfortunately, is found in many common household items like furniture, particle board (which is actually used in the construction of your house), paints, and carpet.

By choosing organic bedding, you can reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals, and know that you're doing your part to reduce pesticide use on farmland as well. Oh, and now, thanks to great new designs, you can keep your boudoir looking chic at the same time.

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Clear Out the Clutter: Artfully Organized

CasaSugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 05:45:19 -0800

Oakland, Calif., based realtor Hyland Baron specializes in finding affordable East Bay homes for first-time homebuyers-no mean feat in the crazy-expensive Bay Area housing market. When she isn't running around Berkeley, Emeryville, and Oakland looking for great houses for clients, Hyland is helping people turn their piles of clutter into well-oiled organization systems with her sideline business Artfully Organized.

Hyland agreed to offer some of her organizing tips to us as part of Renewal month. One thing that I really love about Hyland is that she prefers to use simple, easy-to-navigate organizing systems that don't cost a lot of money. In fact, she often will utilize hampers, baskets, and cabinets a client already owns to cut down on costs. She also works with clients face-to-face in the Bay Area, and will swing by your house to organize those piles of old tax documents, holiday cards, and kids' report cards for the very reasonable fee of $30 an hour. Just contact her via her site to set up an appointment.

Over the next week I'll bring you a series of posts with photographs showing Hyland's systems. To see the first one, and to read a testimony from one of her clients, just read more.

"Over the years, I’ve hired 4 different interior designers. While they each brought some good ideas, working with them was stressful because they just wanted me to BUY more stuff and tended to view our offbeat collection of art as a necessary evil to 'work around.' Not so with Hyland. In a few hours, without spending a penny, and by simply using objects in new ways and snipping greenery from the yard*, she transformed our living and dining rooms into a show palace for the art collection. She even incorporated my 10-year-old daughter’s holiday crafts into the mix, which gave us all immense pleasure and made the space special for the whole family."-Julie

I recently showcased an office organization project from personal organizer Carrie Carlson. Carrie was nice enough to sit down and answer some questions that readers had about her project.

To check out the Q&A, read more.

Reader Question: I would like to know more about how the pieces themselves were actually organized - I mean, my desk would be a lot less cluttered too if I had the space and money to just buy more storage.

Carrie: People often feel disorganized because they simply lack storage. I encourage all my clients and anyone trying to get organized to find cost-effective ways to create storage where they need it. Freecycle, Craigslist, or Ikea are all viable options for obtaining storage for a decent price. Each drawer/space in this office has a specific use, created just for this client and her lifestyle. The necessity for drawers is often overlooked. The drawers and cupboards house mailing supplies, which this client uses often, office supplies, and media and supplies. The baskets are used for the client’s dog toys, items to be routed to her offsite office, items for family and friends, and items to be taken to her second home. The bamboo bins are used for personal receipts, business receipts, and cash receipts.

Reader Question: I like the look, but where do you sit and do work?

Carrie: These pictures only show half of the office. There is an additional L-shaped desk (see photo), which is used for paper and computer work.

Reader Question: I would love to be a professional organizer. I just don't know how to get started!

Carrie: Visit NAPO to find out about becoming a personal organizer.

Reader Question: I like it, but would like to see the desk space. I'd really enjoy seeing some sort of makeover with objects/pieces of furniture already on hand.

Carrie: Most of these projects have re-purposed pieces of furniture. Check my projects for more examples.

Pure Comfort by DKNY - $115.00	Grid Print Organic Sheet Set - $139.00
Area Organic Mist Charcoal Sheets - $100.00	Organic Cotton Vintage Paisley Bedding - $69.00
Clodagh Deep Sea Duvet, 100% Organic Cotton Sateen - $89.99	Area Organic Details Sheets - $120.00
Unison - Organic Larch Blanket - $58.00	Organic Cotton Fiore Bedding - $169.00
Area Organic Navy White Duvet - $220.00	Amenity - Organic Cove Duvet - $330.00
Organic Cotton Antique Stripe Bedding - $99.00	Tile Organic Sheet Set - Select Items - $129.00
Avery Organic Duvet Cover & Sham - $39.00	Tatum Organic Bedding Ensemble - $239.00
Olivetta Owl Organic Duvet Cover & Sham - $29.00	Unison Tatami Organic Ivory Duvet and Cases - $44.00