Amber’s Home and Office Organizing Blog index
June 2009 archives
My garage sale
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Wow, what a weekend. I’m still exhausted and it’s Tuesday! We had a garage sale here at my house. Seven families crammed all their stuff into my 2 car garage, apron, lawn and sidewalk. My new neighbors couldn’t believe how much stuff we had to sell. I must admit we were uber organized with out efforts- every family…
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Donating Items to Chairity
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Last spring a few friends from church and my husband and I volunteered at a Resale Shop called New To You. I’m forever dropping off donations for clients at local resale shops, Good Wills, and Salvation Army locations so I thought it would be neat and helpful to understand what happens once we drop off all of our unwanted thing…
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Donating Items to Chairity Part 2
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Friday, June 5, 2009
Three great local charities are worth mentioning as we talk about doning items. The first is Dress For Success. This organization assists low income women looking for jobs. It has more than 70 affliates all over the coutry as well as Canada, Great Britian and New Zealand. They accept business clothing, coats, shoes, handbags, briefcases, and o…
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Swap Parties- The New Thing
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Monday, June 8, 2009
In the last week I’ve read several newspaper articles and watched segments on the news about Swap parties and groups. As people watch their nickels and dimes because of the slow economy, they are becoming resourceful in finding gently used or new items from their friends and neighbors. How it works: a group of people- moms, friends, or f…
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Magazine/Newspaper Nut?
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Someone recently asked me- So are you one of those people that throws the newspaper out the very next day if no one reads it? I was a little offended but let it roll off my back because I get a lot of crazy questions like that. And for the record I leave the paper lay around for about 2 days- in a neat stack of course :) But for those of …
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Garage Systems
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Friday, June 12, 2009
Summertime is a great time to organize the garage. You can purchase very simple systems to very eleborate systems to store and containerize your sports equipment, bikes, and gardening tools, etc. Normally professional organizers just organize the contents. I have in the past installed the simple, user friendly systems. So I’d highly recommend…
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Treasure Hunt and Dump
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Treasure Hunt and Dump is my slogan and solution in the following situation. Often times while organizing toys rooms or kid’s rooms, we (normally a mom and myself) come across large containers chest, Rubbermaid bins, or oversized baskets/bags which are full of toys. After pulling out the big toys, recognizable large items, and misce…
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Procrastination-When does it stop?
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Thursday, June 18, 2009
We all can admit we’ve procrastinated at different levels or degrees through out or years- in high school by studying the “night before”, in college by starting the exam paper too late, and now as adults by waiting a little too long to pay the bills, clean the house, start the laundry or do the dishes. …
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Do It Yourself Organizing
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Friday, June 19, 2009
Today I visited with another family that wants to organize it all on their own but wants a Professional Organizer’s opinion, thoughts, ideas, product knowledge and feedback. So that’s just what I gave them. We walked through the whole home talking and talking and talking some more. I took 4 pages of notes and emailed them a typed up wri…
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Space Bags- Good Idea or Bad Idea?
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Monday, June 22, 2009
Space Bags have been on the market awhile now and most people know all about them. I was skeptical when they first came out and never really was a big advocate for them. Many people asked my opinion if I would recommend them and never really had an opinion. Until recently. Just a week ago we returned from a vacation where we had to use them to make…
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Organize instead of Shop
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Tuesday, June 23, 2009
By now you’ve dug out all your tanks, T-shirts, skirts, and shorts. Before you run out to do some summer clothes shopping, organize first. It may just save you money or even a trip to the store. In a recent research study, Standford University in California, found that just by rearranging and organizing clothes in a closet,&nbs…
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Organizing Quote- Author Chris Crouch
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Wednesday, June 24, 2009
I really enjoyed reading Getting Organized by Chris Crouch. The chapters were short and to the point and it was an easy read. One quote I keep coming back to and which I really do enjoy is on page 40. “It may not seem like a big deal to toss that piece of paper in a stack on the corner of your desk . But stacks turn into piles and piles…
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Organizing Quote #2- Author Chris Couch
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Thursday, June 25, 2009
OK, just one more. I know I shared a quote yesterday. But here’s another good one that you really should think about. On Page 50- “Getting Organized is more about decision making than cleaning-up. You can clean up your office and get temporarily organized, but the clutter will quickly return if you don’t have good habits to consis…
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Budgets Made Simple
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Friday, June 26, 2009
I think many people over complicate living on a budget and putting together a budget. Before organizing, I was a bookkeeper and to this day I still love numbers, math, and budgets. They just make sense and I don’t think I could ever live without a budget. It helps focus my husband and I on long term goals. So if you’re interested in set…
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Security and Stuff
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Monday, June 29, 2009
This morning while I was reading, I came across some outspoken views on security and stuff. Let me know if you agree or disagree. On Security: “Money might last, but the sense of earthly security doesn’t. Soon we grow insecure with our present means of security and demand something more... or something different. All this world and it…
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Get Things Off the Floor
Posted by Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Yesterday I was organizing a garage and shed. It was beautiful weather I might add- perfect for organizing anything outside. First we sorted- keep, donate, and toss. Then we swept out the garage. Finally we put things back BUT wrote an extensive shopping and project list. The goal was to get as much stuff off the floor as possible. This will give t…
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