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As much as I try to fight it at times, smart phones are a 2014 way of life.  They keep us connected in more ways than one, and offer us a lot of really great applications to simplify our lives.  Ashley from 7th House on the Left, is stopping by today to share how she takes advantage of that sweet little device of hers to ensure she is making the most out of the time she has with her phone, as well as the time she has when she takes a phone break. 



In this day and age of habituated technology usage, our cell phones have become more like appendages than simple communication devices.  I’m sure you’ve seen the ever-so-popular articles floating around about the importance of “unplugging” and enjoying the real everyday. It’s a bit of a hot topic lately, and while some may see it as a passing fad, I think it’s a concept worth trying out.


My husband and I both have very “tech-centeric” jobs (he’s a web developer and I’m a graphic designer / brand consultant), so we frequently (if not always) feel tethered to our phones, tablets and laptops.  In an effort to step away from the devices, we schedule “Official Unplug Days” on our calendars.  It may seem a bit extreme to literally schedule them, but for us, it’s helpful to put them on the calendar because we like to be sure to catch up on everything digital the day before.  I’ve grown to LOVE and look forward to these days.  Not only does it help me truly relax, but since my job is in a creative field, it also helps me keep the creative juices flowing by giving my brain a little rest and some much-needed breathing room.

Despite “Official Unplug Days”, it’s 2014, and there’s no way to get around using our phones.  Even though some days, I want to throw mine into a lake (we’ve all been there), our smartphones should make our lives easier, not more stressed.  Since we can’t travel back to the 1950’s (but oh how I’d love to live in the days of I Love Lucy and telegrams), there are a few things we can do to help organize and simplify our attention-sucking devices.  Here are three of my favorite tips and tricks…


01 / Have a heart-to-heart with your phone.  About a month ago, in an effort to simplify my “tech days", I recently went through my cell phone and completely decluttered.  I got rid of any apps I hadn’t used in the last 3 months and/or didn’t have a viable use for.  Yes, I finally got rid of Angry Birds (much to Greg’s disappointment).  Once I cut through the clutter, my phone was immediately more organized.  Seriously, it felt physically lighter - even though I know that isn’t really possible, haha.  (In a minute, I’ll talk about my top three apps that keep me organized and made the cut.)

02 / Group similar apps together by categories.  On my iPhone, I use the built-in grouping feature and categorize my apps into folders.  (You can do the same on Android phones)  I put all of my news apps in one folder, coupon/shopping apps in another, restaurant/dining apps in another, photo editing apps in another and so on.  By taking a few minutes to do this, I took my 5 pages of apps and condensed it down to two - including the home page.  To organize things a bit more, I keep my most used apps on the home page and use the second page just for my categorized folders.

03 / Categorize your contacts.  Updating and organizing the contacts in your cell phone can make a day out running errands go so much smoother.  To start off, go through your phone and delete the contacts you don’t need/want anymore.  This is basically the phone’s equivalent to throwing away gum wrappers in your purse.  Then, organize the contacts.  I group numbers for take-out places, medical-related offices/people, shops, florists, and such together in their respective categories.  So, for florists, I add “Florist | ” before the name of the florist. That way, when flipping through my phone, the contact would read “Florist | Strange’s (West Broad)” and all of the florist-related numbers would be grouped together.  If there are multiple locations (like our favorite florist above), I add the location after the name in parentheses.  This is something I’ve been doing for a long time (an idea I actually picked up from my 72-year-old-iPhone-loving Aunt Jerrie) and I love the handiness of it.

Now, for the icing on the cake… apps! As I mentioned earlier, I’m a huge advocate for not boggling down your phone with a ton of useless apps that just clutter it (and your mind!) up.  Here are three apps I think are worth holding on to…



01 / Swipes.  I’ve been through my fair share of task apps.  (In reality, I think I’ve gone through 12 or so in the past few years) I always end up using them for a few days then forgetting I have them or getting frustrated with the design.  That’s definitely not the case with this app.  It’s very well designed (which makes the graphic designer in me very happy), uncomplicated and - best of all - it’s fun.  Basically, it keeps your daily to-dos on a timeline and allows you to easily prioritize each task.  If something comes up and you have to switch your priorities around, you can “snooze” the rest for a later time.  Under each task, you can be as simple or as detailed as you want because you have the option to add elements like notes, contact info, reminders, and categories.  Yet another perk, if you’re an Evernote user, this app will sync to your Evernote account, allowing you to have pretty much everything in one list.  One of my favorite features of the app is the screen that pops up after all of your tasks are done for the day - which comes complete with a quote/saying about productivity and an option to share it on Twitter or Facebook.  If you’re on the hunt for a really good all around app to keep your days organized, be sure to give this one a spin. *Swipes is available for iPhone and iPad, as a web app, and it’s currently in beta testing for Android. Oh, and it’s free!




02 / Tick.  This app is a lot more powerful than how I use it, but I still easily consider it to be one of my top favorite apps to keep me organized.  Tick has the capability to keep track of lists, project/task due dates and reminders, and it even syncs to iCloud to keep track of the reminders that you dictate to Siri.  I use this app to keep track of my long-term lists (Christmas gift lists, article ideas, future dog names [yes, I have a list for that!], beauty products I want to try, etc).  Up until I found this app, I’ve been keeping my long-term lists in the standard Notes app.  It worked out okay, but it just wasn’t as versatile or fun to use as Tick is. (Here’s a little video to see it in action)  I also love that you can customize the colors and icons for each list.  All in all, it is what you make it.  So, if you’re looking for a super-simple yet customizable list-keeping app, this is your guy.  *Right now, Tick only available for iPhone. You can find it in the App Store for only $1.99!



03 / Dropbox.  This app definitely falls in the “simplify” category.  I use it at least a few times a week and it has proven to be a lifesaver.  Basically, Dropbox ensures that files you’re working on or important documents you need to keep track of will be easily accessed on another computer or mobile device.  I’ve been using Dropbox on my computer for years, but it wasn’t until recently that I downloaded the app.  Cue: “A Whole New World” from Aladdin.  Whenever you add a file to your Dropbox, it’s instantaneously pushed to all of your computers and devices.  That way, you have hassle-free access to all of your important files, photos, videos pretty much everywhere you go.  If you’re one of those people who finds yourself running out of space on your phone for photos, you can easily transfer your photos over to Dropbox to free up space on your phone while keeping all of your photos.  *The Dropbox app is available on iPhone, iPad, and Android. You can sign up for a free account, which gives your 2BG of storage space.

If you have any favorite organizing apps to add to the list, be sure to share them in the comments!


"I'm Ashley from 7th House on the Left - a blog where my husband, Greg, and I talk about renovating, decorating and living in our first house here in Hanover, Virginia. I’ve been an interior design enthusiast and a long-time fan of all things organizing. Yep, I was the kid with the perfectly arranged Disney stuffed animals, alphabetized coloring books and the categorized and color-coded sticker book. When I'm not busy writing or doing projects around the house, I love classic TV shows (particularly I Love Lucy) and curling up with Greg, Bentley (our 9-pound Pomeranian), a blanket and a good black and white classic movie – I’m a complete sucker for Audrey Hepburn, Doris Day, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant films. I'm thrilled and honored to be a part of the IHeart Organizing team and excited to get to work!"

You know what gets me all revved up and excited to tackle my next project?  Seeing what someone else has organized.  Simple inspiration at its finest.  It could be anything from a junk drawer to a linen closet and even a storage ottoman.  In fact, when I first read Ashley's post for today, the first thing I did was go organize my Wii remotes.  Don't you love how that works?

Ashley is the talent behind the blog 7th House on the Left, and she is visiting here today to share how she recently organized a storage ottoman in her living room, which is game central station!


For the last few months, I’ve been on a personal mission to simplify our home. Honestly, I feel like I say that all the time - and I probably do - but this time around feels a bit different. Everything from decorative accessories to kitchen gadgets are being reevaluated and either organized, Craigslisted or donated. I don’t know if it’s the changing of the seasons or the fact that I had a birthday a few weeks ago (“another year older, another year wiser”, right?), but I’m on a mission to move towards a more simplified way of living.

Sometimes, it’s really easy for me to get carried away even when it comes to organizing. I often tend to overthink things and end up making it way more complicated than it should be. Often times, after organizing a space, I’m often asked, “Well, does it actually stay that organized?”. Sometimes, the answer is “no”, sometimes “yes”. But I’ve found the common denominator in the spaces that stay organized is simplicity.


As I mentioned, I had a birthday earlier this month and my aunt gave me this awesome and oh-so-functional storage ottoman. I love the classic color and it will incorporate really well with our new living room layout that’s currently in progress. Knowing the ottoman would be kept in our living room, I was excited to put it to work and organize something purposeful. After a few minutes of simple organizing, here’s what made sense for our little family of 2.5 (the .5 being our 8 pound dog, Bentley):


The storage ottoman is now home to our favorite blankets, Wii games / accessories, card games, assorted small games and “my tray” - which I will explain in a minute.


Over on the left, we have a few cozy blankets stashed away for movie nights. (The striped quilt is from Joss & Main and the plaid throw is from Target) Not only do I love having these on hand because Fall nights, a cup of hot tea and a good black & white movie are the best, but it’s also nice to have the cheerful colors saying “hello” each time we open the ottoman. (Yes, it’s the little things!)


Right next to the blankets (and under the tray), I stashed two good-sized storage boxes with lids. First of all, I must say, I love these boxes. You know how it is when you come across that perfect storage container that you just can’t get enough of? Well, these were my obsession late this summer. Every time I was in Target, I went to the storage section to hunt them down and purchased one or two more just in case they decided not to carry them in the store year-around. I ended up purchasing 12 of them - yes… twelve. Just as I feared, they have since stopped carrying them, so I’m glad I stocked up. However, I have seen a few in the clearance section from time to time, so if you end up coming across them, I highly recommend picking up a few (or twelve).

Sorry, back to the project at hand… I designated one box to small “coffee table games” and one to Wii games and accessories.


We used to keep our small games and Wii accessories in storage boxes in the foyer. However, now that we have this new piece of storage furniture in the living room, this is a much more suitable and practical place to keep them. Along with the controls and accessories, I also included a small bowl of extra batteries and condensed all of our games into one small disc case. Even though this storage solution for the games is so much more efficient, for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of all of the cases. So, I ended up putting them in a plastic storage container and stashed it in the attic. Does anyone else do that or am I just being crazy?


The other storage box now houses our small games - or what we call “coffee table games” like cards, Bananagrams, Zip-It (so. much. fun!) and 20 Questions. We store all of our larger games and board games in the foyer closet nearby.


Both my and Greg’s family have a lot of fun playing cards when the we get together. About a year ago, I started started keeping track of our scores in a little spiral notebook. Along with the scores, I always write down the date, who’s playing, where we are, who’s birthday it is or what big thing happened that day. Without realizing it, it’s kind of turned into a fun little diary of family fun and is now one of our favorite sentimental possessions.


Now for “my tray”, as I call it. This is something I’ve just recently started doing and enjoy it so much I’ve been telling all of my gal friends to make one too. haha! I’m the type of person who is always making lists, doodling, or brainstorming; so this has been a perfect addition to my life. Ninety percent of the time when Greg and I are watching Netflix, the news or just generally having some down time, I have a notebook and a pen with me. Rather than having random things of mine float around the living room, I decided to make a designated space for all of my “down time stuff”. So, I pulled out a tray and turned it into “my tray”.

One thing I love about this concept is you can change out the contents with whatever is going on in your life at the time. For instance, I’ve recently decided to make a conscious effort to write/send more cards. (Snail mail is the best!) So, I have a small stack of blank thank you cards to remind myself to write a card or two when I have some down time. Aside from the notecards, my tray is currently housing the latest issue of HGTV magazine, a notebook with blank pages (perfect for drafting out ideas for new art/products), a fine-tip Sharpie, the book I’m currently reading and blank note cards. I have found this lacquer tray from West Elm to be perfect for this because it’s large, but so very light - making it very easy to take in and out of the ottoman.


So, that’s the tour of our new storage ottoman organization. We’ve been living with it like this for a few days now and I just love the simplicity and convenience of it. Now if we can just convince Bentley it’s not his new domain.


"I'm Ashley from 7th House on the Left - a blog where my husband, Greg, and I talk about renovating, decorating and living in our first house here in Hanover, Virginia. I’ve been an interior design enthusiast and a long-time fan of all things organizing. Yep, I was the kid with the perfectly arranged Disney stuffed animals, alphabetized coloring books and the categorized and color-coded sticker book. When I'm not busy writing or doing projects around the house, I love classic TV shows (particularly I Love Lucy) and curling up with Greg, Bentley (our 9-pound Pomeranian), a blanket and a good black and white classic movie – I’m a complete sucker for Audrey Hepburn, Doris Day, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant films. I'm thrilled and honored to be a part of the IHeart Organizing team and excited to get to work!"

This summer, I challenged all of you to head outdoors and take on a project or two.  Ashley, from 7th House on the Left, went way above and beyond with her outdoor project.  Her carport transformation is stunning and jaw dropping and incredible all at the same time.  I was already in love with it, and now she is stopping by to throw some organization into the mix, sigh...  Here she is now to share more.


For the past few months, Greg and I’ve been working on turning our carport into a covered patio.  Since we have adequate driveway space behind our house for parking cars, we rarely parked in the carport simply because we liked the openness and how it gave us a sense of an “outdoor entry”.

Although, the main problem was the space was a long way from being remotely inviting and not to mention, completely lacking personality. Here’s what I’m talking about...

"I'm Ashley from 7th House on the Left - a blog where my husband, Greg, and I talk about renovating, decorating and living in our first house here in Hanover, Virginia. I’ve been an interior design enthusiast and a long-time fan of all things organizing. Yep, I was the kid with the perfectly arranged Disney stuffed animals, alphabetized coloring books and the categorized and color-coded sticker book. When I'm not busy writing or doing projects around the house, I love classic TV shows (particularly I Love Lucy) and curling up with Greg, Bentley (our 9-pound Pomeranian), a blanket and a good black and white classic movie – I’m a complete sucker for Audrey Hepburn, Doris Day, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant films. I'm thrilled and honored to be a part of the IHeart Organizing team and excited to get to work!"

I have always loved a big room overhaul, but let's be honest.  Sometimes it is the single drawers that make us the happiest.  Clutter free counters are great visually, clutter free drawers are great for sanity.

Ashley from the blog 7th House on the Left, is here today to share how she organized a drawer in her oh-so-beautiful kitchen.  I don't know about you, but seeing organized drawers always kicks me in the booty to go dump one of my own out instantly.  And I really love the reasoning behind the items in her specific drawer, it has really made me rethink the items we throw in ours.  Here she is now!



Over the past few weeks, I’ve been gearing up for Spring cleaning and organizing every single nook and cranny of our kitchen. It wasn’t extremely messy to begin with, but it needed some fine-tuning and reworking to make the space more functional and pleasant for my organization-loving self to work in. Okay, well, maybe that wasn’t the case for the notorious “junk drawer” to the left of the stove. It was an absolute mess:


As you can see, this drawer was in dire need of organization. It’s basically where everything ended up, slid around and just… remained generally unorganized. Pretty sad (and embarrassing) for a self-professed organization freak, right?


After cleaning everything out and figuring out what needed to stay in the drawer and what needed a new home, I started out with what every drawer needs: dividers! Luckily, I already had these on hand and wasn’t using them for anything else. On the bottom of each tray, I attached a Command Picture Hanging Strip to keep them in place when the drawer opens and closes. I like using the Command Strips because they don’t damage the wood finish on the inside of the drawer. Specifically, the Picture Hanging Strips are great for this because they have a velcro-like “bonding mechanism” so you can easily detach it, take it out whenever you need to and snap it back in.


I filled the first tray with the primary essentials like pens and Sharpies, Post-Its, a small measuring tape (for quick project measurements), push pins (for the cork board inside the cabinet right above the drawer - more on that here), scotch tape, a small pair of scissors, assorted washi tapes and a deck of cards (we’re just weird like that).


I filled the tray near the back of the drawer with the less-essential items: gum, mints, hand lotion and lip balm. Side note: I like keeping this particular lip balm around in the kitchen because it doubles as a salve for minor burns - and I tend to be a bit accident prone from time to time, haha. I left one compartment open for my rings/jewelry when I’m cooking or working on a project.


Nestled between the dividers is a stack of small notepads. Now, I know these are extremely common (you can get a pack of 5 for $5 at Staples or pretty much any office supply store), but I love these things. It seems like every time I’m in an office supply store, I’m picking up a set (or two). They’re the perfect size to jot out lists, projects and ideas. I always spruce up the binding on the top with a piece of washi tape.


Oh, and in the very back of the drawer, we keep a box cutter for hard-to-open packages. It’s particularly handy here in the kitchen, since the peninsula is the place where we sort through the mail, open packages, and unpack anything we bring home from shopping trips.

So, there you have it, the transformation of our embarrassing “junk drawer”. Now that it’s neatly organized and functional, it doesn’t make me cringe every time I open the drawer to get a pen. Now, since it’s not junky anymore, we just have to come up with another name for it! Happy organizing, everyone!


"I'm Ashley from 7th House on the Left - a blog where my husband, Greg, and I talk about renovating, decorating and living in our first house here in Hanover, Virginia. I’ve been an interior design enthusiast and a long-time fan of all things organizing. Yep, I was the kid with the perfectly arranged Disney stuffed animals, alphabetized coloring books and the categorized and color-coded sticker book. When I'm not busy writing or doing projects around the house, I love classic TV shows (particularly I Love Lucy) and curling up with Greg, Bentley (our 9-pound Pomeranian), a blanket and a good black and white classic movie – I’m a complete sucker for Audrey Hepburn, Doris Day, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant films. I'm thrilled and honored to be a part of the IHeart Organizing team and excited to get to work!"

Welcome to the final round of Ask the IHeart Team!  I polled you all on Facebook to find out your top organizing questions and then the team and I compiled our answers for one, gigantic amazing post!  Are you ready for this?  Start the Pump Up The Jam music and let's get started!



How can I encourage my spouse to keep things tidy after I spend the time organizing them?

This is actually a funny one because of how we handle laundry. I do the laundry for the family and often get irritated when the clothes don't quite make it to the laundry room. We have an upstairs laundry room and it's super easy for everyone to toss their clothes in a hamper. My husband tends to use his closet floor as his "laundry basket." I got tired of nagging and didn't want to cause friction. I made a cute little sign that says, "Your laundry service has been terminated." It's just become a big joke. So if things are really crazy in the closet, I will set that sign on his pile and nothing needs to be said. I'll hear an, "Uh-oh" from the closet and within a day it's totally clean again. The man doesn't want to do his own laundry so he happily complies!
- Courtney, A Thoughtful Place






I think I lucked out in that my husband's probably more of a clean freak than me, and that's no understatement. We do however work together a lot to problem solve trouble spots in our home and that makes a huge difference. We both have ownership of it. When we're both on board it's a lot easier, but being patient helps in times of conflict. I love this organizing project we worked on together and I learned a lot.
- Anneke, This, That & Life



It has taken me years to finally come to peace with the fact that my hubby just doesn't have the same organizing and cleaning ambitions that I do.  It is such a give and take, as are many things in marriage.  By sitting down and agreeing on which one of us owns specific tasks around the house, we have solved a lot of frustrations and problems.  And when it comes to organizing, I try to put in solutions that work around his daily habits.  I just look at each problematic area as a fun mystery to solve.  And if I try to implement a solution that doesn't seem to be working for him, there is no harm in trying again.  Of course, it is always a good idea to get their ideas and solutions and input as well.  Lastly, it is all about picking your battles.  Some things just are not worth mentioning, I am pretty sure he keeps his lips sealed about a few things I do that drive him crazy, so I try to offer the same respect.  You can catch more of our answer in the video found in our cleaning plan post here. 
- Jen, IHeart Organizing




When it comes to organizing, where do you pinch pennies and where do you splurge?

Gosh. I don't think I really splurge. I tend to use what I have. Although the Ikea Expedit is my all time favorite furniture piece. I use them in various rooms in our house. Here it is in my daughter's room. Keeping all of her toys and fun items in the bins makes cleaning up so much easier.




If it's an item I know will get a lot of use or last a long time, I'll spend a little more money.  For small things or things that aren't always visible, like file folders or drawer organizers, I'll save my money and go the inexpensive route.
- Chelsea, Two Twenty One



I like really good, sturdy baskets and have splurged on them in the past.  I think it makes it worth splurging on something when the organizational element becomes part of the decor and you know you'll use it for many years.  For instance, I have for coordinating baskets in our mudroom.  I like the dark color, the large weave, and the baskets were the perfect size and shape.  I bought them at Target.

I like to save money on inexpensive magazine storage because you can paint or cover them anyway.  In my home office, I covered teal magazine holders with floral gift wrap.
- Megan, Honey We're Home

 






We always try to pinch pennies, but if it's a specialty product that would easily solve a lot of the issues I'm trying to fix, or if it's really beautiful, way more durable than anything I could rig, or more time/cost-effective to buy it, then I'll spend the money. It usually just depends on how many other projects we have going on at the time! I love that we saved so much money fixing up our porch ourselves, but I also really love some of the store-bought solutions we have, like our Ikea storage benches & the pull-out drawers in our kitchen cabinets. I think we usually spend money on the "quick fix" little things & pinch pennies to DIY the bigger projects, where we're saving hundreds of dollars in return for the time we're investing.
- Casey, Pretty Organized 



I think it's safe to say I pinch pennies on furniture when I can. I occasionally buy new items as seen here in our side table and ottoman, but I definitely find used or refinished items when possible. The chairs in this photo were found on Craigslist, but again, they were literally brand new for half the cost. Score! Dressers, hutches, console tables, night stands....that's my thing. With that said, I don't mind splurging on things like clear totes and containers, baskets, buying a nice label machine, etc.  
- Anneke, This, That & Life  



I penny pinch when it comes to containers and baskets. The dollar store is my best friend! I also try and DIY where I can-- like the remote control pillow and sewing caddy. But when it comes to furniture like bookshelves and dressers, I like to spend a little more, knowing that they will last a long time. 
- Palak, Make it Handmade 

 


Although we try and save whenever possible when it comes to storage, there are times when I am recovering boxes and times when I am investing in something that I use on a daily basis.  I ask myself a few simple questions when determining a budget for storage:

1. How often will the item be used?  If it is a low wear item, then I can most likely try my hand at DIYing it and not worrying about it falling apart a few days later.
2. Is the piece versatile?  I am a lot more likely to invest in an item that can work in more than one way or in multiple spaces around the home.  Our storage and organizing needs are constantly changing, so it is important to invest in versatile storage that can evolve with us.  
3. How long will we need/use the storage?  If the storage is something I foresee us needing for 15 years, then I am willing to throw a little money at it.  It is less expensive in the long run if you don't have to replace something every few years.  If it is to solve a problem that is just a "phase" in our life, again, I look for something that will be versatile, or we just get out the hammer and drill.  

There are endless ways to save money on storage, try and pretend to be Sabrina Soto from the High, Low Project for a day.  The Elfa System from The Container Store is great, but there are also pieces at IKEA that function in a very similar way for a fraction of the price.  Custom Closets are fabulous, but you can go to a big box store and purchase stackable Closetmaid pieces to create a custom closet on your own.  Craigslist is becoming a bit of an obsession for me, as is eBay.  Second hand doesn't bother me, I love a good deal and items with a little bit of character.   A little creative thinking will get you a long way!
- Jen, IHeart Organizing




What is your favorite tip for staying organized during the holidays?

The day after Christmas, I'm ready to have my house holiday-free, and am always tempted to just chuck things in boxes. But instead, I take the extra time and effort to organize the decor in sturdy, plastic bins. I wrap lights and garlands around paper towel tubes, group like ornaments, etc...then label each of the bins. This makes storing them during the off-season easier, and is so nice to discover when the next holiday season rolls around!
- Cassie, Hi Sugarplum! 

 


When I'm decorating and putting holiday items out, I'll put the everyday decor items in the box the holiday items are stored in.  That way I don't have extra clutter hanging around.  When it's time to store the holiday decor, I get the totes out and put the everyday decor back where it belongs.
- Chelsea, Two Twenty One



I have learned to put away my Christmas decor in a very organized way so that it's not a mess for the next year.  It makes pulling it out that much more fun.  I use giant green tubs with red lids and label them.
- Megan, Honey We're Home 






I Christmas shop almost all year round. That way I am not forced into the mall in December. Nothing drains you of holiday spirit faster than a mall parking lot in December.  
- Ashli, Mini Manor Blog




We have really simplified gift-giving lately. With friends, we've kind of made a rule that we do experiences, not gifts (go out to dinner, etc). With my hubby's huge family, we just draw one person's name from a hat & spoil the bejeezus out of them. It makes shopping a lot easier when you don't have to stress about finding the perfect, thoughtful gift for all 5,000 people in your life! I have a very easy set-up for my gift wrap station, and everything either gets wrapped in white kraft paper or popped in a bag, then I store each group of gifts in a separate storage tub (one for my family, one for Leif's family), so it's easy to grab & go when we are making our rounds. 




I wish I was of more help here, but we keep things pretty minimal and laid back. I limit our Christmas decor to 2-3 Christmas totes. You know the red ones with the green lids? But really you can use any large storage totes. I wrap our lights around cardboard rectangles with notches on each end and saved a ton of money. 
- Anneke, This, That & Life  



As someone who sews and knits, my best advice for staying on top of things during the holidays is to not take on too much. Starting last year, I took the Happy Holidays pledge-- and pledged to not knit or sew gifts for the holidays. This leaves me with much, much less holiday stress, and much more time for hanging out with family. (I still sew gifts through out the rest of the year, though!) 
- Palak, Make it Handmade 




My new Holiday Planning Binder is rockin' it for us this year!  I am loving having everything in one spot, and love even more that I have caught my kiddos and hubby using it and looking through it as well.  Pinterest is a great way to keep gift ideas and home decor ideas organized.  To find all of my favorite holiday storage solutions, check out this post here.
- Jen, IHeart Organizing




What is your favorite tablet or organizing app?




  




If you could share one time saving/organizing tip with the world, what would it be?



On a larger scale, I think systems save us from falling down the crazy train road. Whether it's a system for going through homework or filing artwork, we really try to have systems in place so that everyone knows how things are done. The systems save us time and keep us from drowning in piles. Silly things such as coming home from school. The children know they have to wash their hands, unpack their backpacks, and hang everything up in the mudroom. While they are doing that, I prepare a snack and they grab a place mat and go straight to the table. Things like that take a couple of weeks to set in place but then everything runs so much more smoothly.
- Courtney, A Thoughtful Place



I love the kitchen timer method. If you’re having trouble designating time to de-cluttering or organizing a space, try setting a timer for 20 minutes and commit to working on it the entire time until the buzzer goes off. Then set it again for five or ten minutes and reward yourself with a little Pinterest action or a change of scenery by taking the dog out for a quick walk. When the timer goes off again, set it for another 20 minutes and get back to work. You’d be surprised what you can get done in 20 minutes!
- Ashley, 7th House on the Left 



There is really no one tip, because what works best for me, might not work for you. So my tip is to find the systems that work for your home and family, a system you will actually use and stick to...and keep doing it! It may take some trial and error, but keep tweaking until it's perfect for you. Our Family Command Center went through a few growing pains before it finally molded into an efficient and helpful space for us!
- Cassie, Hi Sugarplum! 



 

Use a planner, whether it's on your phone or an actual pen and paper planner.  I'd be lost without mine.
- Chelsea, Two Twenty One
 



Hands down, my Master List saves my life on a weekly basis and I calendar everything!  The idea behind the master list is to do a "brain dump" onto paper and then sort it into categories.  The brain dump allows me to stop worrying about one item or whether I'm forgetting something.  I draft mine on the computer, then print it out, updating it weekly.  I'm old fashioned in that I like this paper list and I feel so good crossing things off my list.  
- Megan, Honey We're Home 




Robotic Vacuum Cleaners are a great investment. Truly. I'll admit I used to think that they were some sort of Back-to-the-Future type kitschy invention (thank God they don't run on Plutonium or lightening), but can now say I'm a happy convert. You simply switch them on (or schedule them!) and let them work their magic. My little robot saves me hours per week in cleaning, and keeps my floors looking like new on a daily basis (and with a Border Collie constantly running around, that's no easy feat). I'll admit they are an investment, but I see it as investing in all the time you get back to do other, more enjoyable, things. 
- Serena, Pretty Fluffy 


 


My number one organizing tip would have to be:  organize it where it drops. Putting hooks for backpacks in the mudroom but your kids come through the front door and drop their backpacks makes no sense and you will just end up frustrated.  The best chance is to organize things where they land. A console table with a bowl in the exact spot your husband drops his keys everyday. A hook by the front door to hang your purse. Things like that. 
- Ashli, Mini Manor Blog




As humans, I believe we can feasibly only take on so much. There is a balance of knowing how much you can manage without it managing you. If you're life is being overtaken by the "things" or "tasks" of your life, you need to either reduce those things and/or let something/someone else help you.  Be willing to let go of things or control. I know there's more to the nitty gritty of it all, but for example: 



Stay inspired! Perusing blogs like IHeart Organizing help me keep motivated and keep me from feeling alone in my battle against clutter. I pick up so many great ideas and time saving tips that it brings the joy back into organizing! 
- Palak, Make it Handmade 



Spend 15 minutes at the end of the day to pick up the house.  So simple yet often forgotten and overlooked.  15 minutes is not a lot of time to do a full house sweep, picking up pillows in the living room, wiping down the bathroom with a cleaning wipe, wiping down the kitchen and taking care of any piles.  I like to start my day with a clean slate, it clears my mind and sets me up for success!
- Jen, IHeart Organizing



A giant THANK YOU goes out to each of the contributors who provided so much inspiration to us all in 2013, and for taking time to answer these questions today!  I always say, twelve heads are better than one, and these gals think of everything!  So blessed to have them on my team and part of my life.

Thank YOU to all that participated and took time to ask questions.  I have kept note of all of the commonly asked questions, so if they weren't answered today, that doesn't mean I won't address them in the future.