My Crazy Entryway

In case you missed my tweet, I recently adopted a little doggy, Gabby, from the Humane Society. Before Gabby came into my life, there were really only two items that came and went with me everyday - my purse and my lap top bag. I kept my keys and wallet in my purse so I knew I could just grab it and go. My entryway was always organized and clean with only these two items.

However, Gabby has added some items to my coming and going routine: leash, poop bags, rain coat, towel for drying off wet paws, etc. All this was starting to pile up on my dining table (the first flat surface you see when you walk in the door). Plus, I kept losing my keys that I no longer just left in purse but took with me on quick bathroom walks. It was driving me crazy because I like to leave my table set with my grandmother's china to show it off and now the china was over shadowed by a huge thing of clutter.

 

I went out and bought two cheap over the door hooks to fix this problem. The first one went on the back of the door and out of site with my rain coat and towel on it. The second hung out in front and has a place for my keys, my purse, Gabby's leash, poop bags and even a hook for Gabby's traveling water bowl (no she is not spoiled AT ALL).

 

This simple fix has really changed my life. It makes everything easy to get and when I walk into my apartment I no longer see chaos but my grandmother's beautiful china. Best of all, it took 5 minutes to complete :)

Q&A with Stephanie Shalofsky - Professional Organizer

Stephanie Shalofsky – Professional Organizer - New York, NY www.theorganizingzone.com

How long have you been a professional organizer? 
2 years

What inspired you to become a professional organizer? 
I decided to become a Professional Organizer after reading an article about NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) in The New York Times 3 years ago.  At that time, I had already decided to start my own business but hadn’t settled on a specific type of business.  As I was reading the article, I realized that this was the perfect opportunity for me…..I had the personality, skills and prior work/personal experience required to be a Professional Organizer.

I have always enjoyed sharing my knowledge and experience with family, friends and colleagues. Professional Organizing has provided me with an opportunity make a difference in my client’s lives.

What is the most common organizing challenge people have? 
I have been finding that the biggest challenge faced by many is actually making the decision to get organized.  Once they have started the process of hiring a Professional Organizer, the momentum typically keeps them moving forward.

If you had to pick ‘your’ biggest organizing challenge, what would it be?
My biggest challenge is not utilizing some of the tools (Outlook) I have at hand to keep my task list and e-mail as organized as they could be.

What one tip would you give to people who are trying to get organized?
Focus on a specific area limiting the amount of time that you devote to getting organized in any given day.

How can potential clients get in touch with you?
They can e-mail me at Stephanie@theorganizingzone.com or call 917-375-0631.

Organizing a Spaghetti Fundraiser

As many of you know, I went on a construction mission trip last year down to the Dominican Republic.  I wasn't able to go again this year, but I wanted to help the team going raise funds for building supplies, so a friend and I decided to host a spaghetti dinner.

I wanted to share my tips for cooking for 30 people and staying organized....

1 - Pick something easy and that is cost efficient.  I picked pasta because it took almost the same work to make it for a huge group vs. a small group.   Also, I was able to plan ahead and buy sauce and noodles on sale since they kept well.  I started about 2 months before I was planning on hosting and capitalized on store BOGOs and Super Double Coupons.

2 - Add a simple homemade touch.  I picked simple items to add to store-bought sauce, such as ground beef and veggies.   Make the items going into the sauce the evening before.

Here is how I did this:
-For meat sauce, I browned the meat and refrigerated it in a Premier (seen in 2nd photo on left of stove)
-For veggies sauce, I sauteed onions, tomatoes, and zucchini.

That way, the day of, I was able to toss the ingredients plus store-bought pasta sauce into the microwave in a 14 cup Premier to get warm since the stove was fully used for different pasta types. Since I work until 5pm, this was really helpful in saving time.

3- Give a range of time for people to stop by. This minimized the seats needed, because people came over a 3 hour span of time.  Also, if the weather is good, utilize inside and outside seating so that people can spread out.

4- Provide a "on the go" option for people in a rush or with other commitments that wanted to support yet couldn't sit for awhile.  We sold 3 dinners this way by putting them in TakeAlongs.

5- Provide a shoebox or other box for silent donations, so people are able to freely give what they would like.  For this purpose we suggested the amount you would spend on groceries or eating out on a weeknight.

Overall, it was a great success.  Let me know if you have any tips for organizing fundraisers for future ones!

$300 Worth Of Coins - Yeah Roughneck Can Handle That

I love seeing our products in use! I'm that person who immediately walks into someone's house and starts looking for Rubbermaid products. Yes, it does drive my friend's crazy but they love me anyway :)

Sometimes consumers will send us a letter or photo about how great one of our products is and we love that. Sometimes we come across them on the internet and a link gets past around the office. I just received this link and HAD to share it.

The man in the video (as seen on WVEC News) carted in over $300 worth of coins to pay his taxes in...guess what...a Roughneck tote. Not only is this unique but it really shows how durable our Roughneck totes are. Think about how heavy all those coins are. I wonder if our engineering team will allow us to use the phrase: "Strong enough to hold 30,000 pennies"...I'll work on that one :)

Closet Installation Tip - FastTrack

FastTrack Closet System is an alternate installation to our Direct Mount system, which uses back clips, support braces, and other hardware.  It is much easier to level the shelving and allows you to move shelving as needed. 

Below are some tips on FastTrack Closet Installation that should make assembly easier.  It is important to know that the 12" and 16" FreeSlide and Wardrobe shelving both use a 12" bracket.

1. Install the FastTrack mounting rail into the wall. Be sure to ensure that the rail is level. It is our recommendation to install into as many studs as possible and to use drywall anchors where studs are not available. * Install the hang rail at least 2" above the desired height of the top shelf.

2. Hang the FastTrack uprights on the mounting rail.  As long as the mounting rail is level, the uprights will be level. The uprights can be installed at a maximum of 36" apart, but we usually recommend 24" apart.  The uprights can be installed into studs, or into the drywall using a drywall anchor.

3. Attach the FastTrack brackets into the uprights. Hold the bracket at a 45 degree angle and align the bracket slots with the holes in the uprights. Insert the bracket into the upright and slowly angle it down until the bracket is level. You may need to tap it down using a rubber mallet to lock the bracket into place.

4. Install the shelf onto the brackets. Set the shelf on the brackets, aligning the wires from front to back in the bracket slots. Placing your hands on top of the shelf, push down and in so that the line wires (which run left to right) will insert into the notches on the brackets. If one of the line wires is not completely lined up, you will need to pull the whole shelf out and reinstall.

Below is a photo layout of how to install your shelf into the bracket: