August 2011

Thursday 08.25.11

There's a Monster Under My Bed?

Two days ago, the East Coast had a rare earthquake scare and that very same night, this midwest girl's bed shook in San Francisco.  You would think that I would immediately know that I was experiencing my first small earthquake but no.. I thought there was someone under my bed! Seriously, I even got up and checked.  As organizers in San Francisco, we are finding that most of the homes that we work in all have a small area designated to earthquake preparedness.  And by small, we mean water jugs full of water, dry food, blankets, flashlights, trash cans on wheels, emergency kits, etc., etc.  WE have quickly learned that one flashlight next to our bed doesn't count as prepared for an earthquake.  It does work fine to scare the monsters though!

Since we like everything to have a designated place and a lot of the items need in an earthquake are small, we thought we would share some suggestions for ways to store your earthquake essentials.  

Earthquake backpack, San Francisco, organization, Emergency Kit, NEAT Method

We suggest putting them in a waterproof backpack so that it can be easily transportable and stored in compact spaces.  Trust me, we tried to find a cute pink one to no avail, so green will have to do!

Earthquake pack, San Francisco, organization, Emergency Kit, NEAT Method

Another option would be a storage cart on wheels if you have more items than the amount that would fill a backpack.

First Aid Kit, Earthquake, Organize, NEAT Method,

Or, for those of you who are minimalists, we love this retro first aid kit!

For more information on what you should have in your earthquake kit, visit this site

Thursday 08.04.11

Top 3 Things Women Hoard: What Every Man Should Know Before Moving In

Ladies, ladies, ladies.  Did you really think we were going to point the finger at the men for being the only ones unorganized??  Think again.  Even our good friend Giulana Rancic is trying to help women get rid of some things to make their relationships better.  Men, CAREFULLY forward this email to your girl.  Women, if you are ready to accept that you are indeed part of the problem, but you do not know where to start, here are the, “Three C’s” of what women hoard.

#1 Women Hoard Clothes

 

Hoarders, Hoarding, Women, Closet, Unorganized, Organizers NEAT Method

We know that clothes is the obvious choice here, but lets be serious… nine times out of ten women DO hoard clothes!  Hanging on to clothing that you no longer wear makes it hard to see what you do wear.  Over time your style is naturally going to evolve, so ask yourself, “what is my style?”  Some items in your closet are not going to fit into that category so get them out!  One fantastic idea is to host a clothing swap with your friends.  Break open the bubbly and see if you can find new treasures.  Inevitably there will be many items at the end of the party that are unclaimed and they can be brought to Goodwill.

#2 Women Hoard Cosmetics

 

Makeup, NARS, Chanel, Bobbi Brown, NEAT Method, Organize Makeup

Your purple eye shadow is from 1980 and if it is not... well then get rid of it anyways.  Women tend to purchase makeup and then hang onto it FOREVER.  InStyle did a fabulous article regarding this matter that every woman should read.  Even the NEAT team had to say goodbye to a few things after learning about the expiration dates of different cosmetics (See!  We're not perfect!)  Keep in mind as you look through your old cosmetics, most men prefer women with a fresh, natural face.

#3 Women hoard cards 

 

Cards, Greeting Cards, Organize Cards, Organizers, NEAT Method

Women tend to be more sentimental than most men.  We cry during commercials and are easily offended when our significant other does not like something that we own.  With this sentimental feeling comes the endless pile of greeting cards.  Card offenders, you know what we are talking about.  Every holiday season the cards come in and by February, you have them still stacked in a pile, hiding behind something else.  Every birthday you display your cards on a mantle or shelf but then weeks later you quickly put them in a drawer because you do not want to throw them away.  We completely understand the attachment but you must learn how to wrangle your emotional side.  We suggest finding a desk tray that you love and using that as a “catch all” for your cards.  To add a cute touch, tie the cards up with twine to give it an organized look.  Once the tray is full, take some time to look through the cards and decide which ones you can part with.

Alright ladies and gents, it is time to ORGANIZE.  Acknowledging typical problem areas is a great way to freshen up your space AND avoid an unnecessary argument.  Let us know how you do!

Photo 1 found here  Photo 2 found here Photo 3 found here

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