(decor + organizing = decorganizing)

I need to once again admit that I stole that term from Tina Fey on a 30 Rock episode just in case she reads my blog and wants to sue me. The reason I like it so much is that a space can be well organized but well, lack-luster. I feel that in order to keep a space organized, it also has to look good!

Here is a pantry that I found in the blog world and thought it was very inspirational! I have organized many pantries but they don't always photograph super well but I thought this one laid out the process very well so here goes...

Before

After

The keys to organizing any space are basically the same. I will break it down into 5 simple steps.

Remove everything from your space.

(Yeah, it's gonna look bad before it looks good!)

Separate like items. For example, put all baking goods together as she has done below.

(It is best to do while you are doing step no. 1 so you are more efficient!)

This is especially smart so when she goes to bake,
she can remove this box and all her supplies are handy!

Once you have a "blank canvas," clean it top to bottom and then do what you can to improve the overall aesthetic.

Here she painted and then used a vinyl decal on the wall to add more interest.

Once you have everything separated into categories, put the items into proper containers and be sure to label them as needed.

Load the space! It is best to put seldom used items up high and more frequently used items in easy reach.

Here is another after shot! Great job!

Via House of Smith's

And if you love all her labels as I do, you can get them here!

In 2010, I did Decorganizing posts every Wednesday but I felt like I was (pardon me) half-assing it. So in 2011, I will still do Decorganizing posts more sporadically and only when I really feel inspired! But I need your help! If you have a specific area that you want organizing help with, leave a comment or email me at sidney@eclectic-idg.com and I might do a post on this topic providing you with organizing tips and inspirational photos. Or email me photos of your space with a description of your organizing needs and I just might feature it on my blog! I will give you details instructions with specific product information on how to decorganize your space! Or if yo need hands-on-help, email me for information on my organizing services.

How do you organize your make-up? In pretty little jars on a vanity? In a drawer? In a fancy make-up bag?

Real Simple

Real Simple

Trish McEvoy

I have mine organized in a drawer but I do like my Trish organizer for sleepovers. And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that there is a compartment for everything! Bravo Trish, bravo. As you already know, make-up can go bad. I did some research and found this article Real Simple did a while back. Some products have a PAO (Period After Opening) icon on the packaging that will help you keep tabs on the freshness but if not, you can refer to this chart.

Mascara/Liquid Eyeliner
Lasts: 3-4 mos
Toss it sooner if you get an infection, pink eye or the tube goes dry.

Powders (eye shadow, blush, face powder)
Lasts: Up to two years
Toss it sooner if it gets suspiciously crumbly or shiny.

Lipstick, lip gloss, balm
Lasts: A year with wand, two years with direct brush application
Toss it sooner if you get a cold sore or other lip infection. (duh!)

Pencils
Lasts: Up to 3 years, with sharpening
Toss it sooner if it becomes unusually dry or melty.

Liquid Foundation
Lasts: Up to 2 years
Toss it sooner if the color changes or separation occurs.

Moisturizer: Face or Body
Lasts: About 2 years in a pot; 2-3 years in a pump
Toss it sooner if you notice a change in the smell or consistency.

So my brother used the term "decorganizing" last weekend and I about died. LOVE IT! I am not sure what tickled me more that someone used the word in a sentence or that my brother reads my blog! Now if only I had coined the term instead of Tina Fey.

I need some help...anyone have anything they want me to talk about on Decorganizing Wednesday? Leave me a comment or send me an email sidney@eclectic-idg.com.

Recently I asked my brother what he had been up to and he said "Decorganizing." I was shocked that he reads my blog! But it made me realize that I haven't done any Decorganizing posts in a while and I've been Pinning some stuff on Pinterest so I thought I would share with you some of these smart ideas for organizing your closet.

Does your closet look like any of these?

I need help coming up with topics for Decorganizing Wednesday so I am starting a little contest. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post or send me an email at sidney@eclectic-idg.com with a topic you would like me to cover and you will be entered into the random drawing to win this book...

Home Organizing Workbook: Clearing Your Clutter, Step-By-Step

by Meryl Starr

And if you are feeling really industrious, send me a picture of your unorganized space and I will provide you with some organizing tips, free of charge, in exchange for allowing me to feature your organizing dilemma on my blog. I promise to keep it anonymous!!!

So get going. Contest deadline is Wednesday, July 21st!

Congrats to Stacey Bunch of The Whole Package for being the winner of The Home Organizing Workbook: Clearing Clutter, Step by Step! I hope you find this book handy! And to the rest of you, thanks for submitting your organizing challenges and requests for topics on Decorganizing Wednesday, I really appreciate it! Keep the ideas coming...

Real Simple

Now this isn't exciting but I do think it is really important. And it is a handy guide from Stacey's new book on what bills/documents you need to keep and what you can toss. So save it or print it out and keep it somewhere you can remember and refer to it as needed. Need more information? Click here for good article from Real Simple.

I am a big believer in making organization attractive. A lot of professional organizers out there are just function focused. For example, I just helped a client "prettify" her organization because she had hired a professional organizer years ago who had used all the ugly plastic Walmart containers with white label maker tape. Come on! There are a bizillion options out there so why not take the extra step to make things look nice too. I think the nicer an organized space looks, the more likely you are to maintain it. Ok, stepping down off of my soapbox now...

With all that being said, there are a ton of storage products for organizing jewelry out there but I am not going to talk about them. I want to show you some outside the box ideas. Here goes. If you want to show off your jewelry collection boutique style then keep it all tabletop and make a pleasing vignette like these...

Martha Stewart

Unknown

Real Simple

If you prefer to keep your jewelry out of sight try using an antique muffin tins, cupcake molds, ice cube trays or a mismatch of teacups inside dresser drawers. I have been dying to use one of those old print letter trays (perhaps painted) to organize jewelry, they already have all the compartments that would be perfect for rings and earrings! They are even shallow enough that you could layer them inside a dresser.

Cottage Living

via paisleywallpaper.blogspot.com

Martha Stewart

If you want to display your jewelry on a wall so you can see it and so items doesn't get tangled try one of these options. You can use a custom frame with either chicken wire, picture wire or insert a radiator cover. Easy to make yourself!

jfkaufmandesign.com

Cottage Living

Pottery Barn

Any more ideas? Email me sidney@eclectic-idg.com or leave a comment. And as always, if you have any topic you would like me to cover on Decorganizing Wednesday, let me know!