 A child's bedroom isn't just for sleeping. It's where children start and end their day. Where they find their sense of style. It's a space that's their own, where they can let their identity shine. It's often where they play, read bedtime stories snuggled up with a parent, and where they feel a sense of safety and control. Your kid may try to convince you that they love a messy bedroom where you can't walk without stepping on a toy, but the truth is that kids thrive on routine, structure, and an organized environment. Today we're sharing how we organize kids' bedrooms and how to keep them tidy after we leave! Step #1: Assess the SpaceThe first step is taking a step back and assessing the space. As parents it's hectic - and we don't stop and think how a space could be tweaked to function better, but it's so important to! Are you utilizing the vertical space for storage with something like a shelf or cube storage system? Could you adjust closet rods so your daughter's dresses aren't dragging on the bottom? Is there excess furniture like a second dresser or rocking chair from infant days that is just taking up space and could be taken out of the room? Functionality is important, especially when it comes to teaching kids independence, which helps build self-confidence. Are clothes low enough that your child can reach and help pick out their outfits? Can they pick out their underwear and socks on their own? Are they able to locate their hairbrush? Children can start dressing themselves and picking out clothes surprisingly early (starting around age 2 with help). Set them up for success by building the room around their abilities.  Step #2: Sort the RoomLooking at a floor covered with who knows what can be overwhelming. Our trick is to sort like with like. It helps to start with trash: snack wrappers, all the pieces of colored-on scrap paper, broken toys, and any other unusable items. The next sweep is for items that don't belong in that room. Blankets and pillows dragged from the living room? Toys from the playroom? Take it out. (Learn how to organize their playroom next, now that all their toys are back there and out of their bedrooms!) Anything that's left in the room, sort into broad categories: clothes, shoes, toys, books, misc. Make a donate pile for unwanted items and outgrown clothes. Find homes for the remaining items. Utilize labeled bins or baskets to help you and your child keep tidy. Kids who can't read yet can learn to remember where items go without labels or you can consider labels with photos of the item/category. Remember to keep child-accessibility in mind. Ideally we want to teach our kids to tidy on their own without our help, so our pro organizers keep things in reach and systems simple.  Step #3: Create the RoutineNow that the space is organized, sometimes the harder part is to keep it that way. When our team organizes, we keep systems super simple, such as large baskets for toys and books. At a minimum, a great time to make a tidy-up routine is before house cleaners come or before guests or friends come over. Emphasize that we want our space to be tidy and welcoming for guests. It's OK for a few items to be left out, but a daily tidy routine is even more ideal. If it's daily, it will literally take seconds to complete because you never let it get too disheveled. You can make it part of the bedtime routine to do a quick tidy up. When kids are younger you can tidy with them. Ask your kiddo to pick a category to pick up ("Do you want books or toys?") so they have a choice. Picking up by category is much easier for a child to understand than just "clean up your mess!" If they need extra buy-in, you can put on a fun song and say "Let's see how much we can tidy up before the song is over!" A visual bedtime routine list can help younger kids too. You can get free clipart online and add it to a Google doc to print for things like brushing teeth, going potty, bathing, getting into PJs, tidying up the room, bedtime stories, song, then bed. A visual map can help so much to combat bedtime resistance.  Step #4: Set the ExampleKids are little sponges who somehow are always listening and observing us. They learn how to live by how we live. I hated cleaning the house by myself when I was growing up, but I loved doing it when my dad did it with me. I didn't feel alone and like it was a punishment. Instead, it was a time to bond with him. If your kids see you tidying up, they'll learn by example and want to tidy too. After tidying their bedrooms with my kids, I like to say something like "Wow, this looks amazing and feels so calm now! Don't you think?" Pointing out the benefits of a tidy space can help them see and appreciate it too. The more you tidy, the quicker it is and less of a huge deal too. There might be pushback at first, but the more you do it, it will be seen as a simple and quick everyday task. No more drama and big emotions (usually!)  You've got this! It doesn't have to be a painful experience! I see some organized bedrooms in your future, kept tidy by responsible little ones who love their calm haven. Once their rooms are organized and systems are in place, it will be so much easier to keep tidy.
Please reach out if you need that initial help to put you and your kiddos on the right path. And if you're curious about our organizing services, download our organizing guide to learn more! See you soon, Sandi
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 Do you dream of spending your summer nights walking in the sand and then coming home to your stunning beachfront home? So do we! Our organizers got to experience a little taste of paradise recently. Take a peek at this jaw-dropping beach home we transformed for our lovely clients. Our Professional, Perfected ProcessAfter we organized their primary residence in Cary, NC, the clients asked us to travel to their beach home to get organized there too! They spent summers at the beach when the kids were off school - and it was difficult for them to get organized while moving from one home to the other. They would leave items behind at one home, buy duplicates for the pantry, and not remember what was where. Although the beach home was very large, at 18,000 square feet, it didn't have as much storage as their primary residence. They needed our organizing expertise to make the most of the storage space they had. Because the home is right on the beach, they asked that we use plastic organizing products (such as pantry bins and closet baskets) since anything woven or metal could easily rust or get mildewy. We had so much fun making the LARGE product list. It was the biggest order we have ever placed, coming in at about $8,000. As a reminder, we purchase all products in advance, handle any returns, and then only bill clients for what we end up implementing. Our organizing team came in with grit and gusto! Team members organized for 8-10 hours per day because they had traveled to the site and wanted to accomplish as much as possible per day. The project took 4-5 organizers 3 days total (about 120 organizer hours). What a transformation!  Our Custom, Completed CreationOur favorite areas to organize were the kitchen/pantry and primary closet. There was a gorgeous gray wet bar where we organized all the stemware and drinking accoutrements. Our clients are ready to host! All the kitchen drawers were carefully curated with bamboo drawer organizers. The pantry got many plastic bins, turntables, can shelves, and chalkboard labels. Because it is all plastic, our clients won't have to worry about moisture sticking around from the sea breeze. And because everything is labeled, beach house guests can easily find and put back what they use too. This keeps the organization more maintainable long-term.  The primary closet had a stellar shoe and purse collection. The husband has a large shoe collection at home as well, so it was important for him to be able to see all his shoes and easily decide which ones to take with him. See his primary residence closet and impressive shoe collection here.  We used plastic bins in the closet as well to contain all of his toiletries. It's so much more visually appealing and he can easily see how much he has of each item. No more buying items for the beach house to find out you already have 10 of them!  Our Happy HomeownersOur clients were very happy with the finished results. They couldn't believe how much we got done in that time and loved that we were in and out quickly so they could get back to having guests and enjoying the beach. They originally thought we would need to come back another weekend, but our organizers powered through and completed the project ahead of schedule. Our clients were able to see what they had easily, and their large family and guests can find and put items back easily because everything is labeled. The transition between their Cary home and beach home was way less stressful. No more missing shoes or swimsuits!  I love that our organizing business is so versatile. One day we're helping someone declutter before transitioning into assisted living and the next we're organizing a beach home that belongs on HGTV. The best part of our job is connecting with our clients and making their busy lives a little less stressful.
You don't have to have a celebrity-level home to work with us. We just love to help clients get organized. If you'd like to learn more about our organizing process and what it's like to work with us, download our organizing guide here. Until next time, Sandi  Whether due to positive or negative reasons, change is hard. Change can bring stress and a sense of disarray to your life. Whether you're moving to a new home, welcoming a baby, caring for growing children, becoming empty nesters, retiring, or transitioning to senior living, these major life changes can throw you for a loop. Our team of professional organizers specializes in helping clients going through these life transitions. We take away the overwhelm so you can focus on what makes you happy. Why Get Organized When Life Feels So Overwhelming?When you're preparing to move, you may feel so overwhelmed that you just want to pack everything up quickly and deal with it at the new home. But then at the new home you're still overwhelmed. You want to put items into cabinets and deal with organizing everything later - but later doesn't usually come. Or maybe you've just received a houseful of items from a passed loved one and your first instinct is to put it all into storage to deal with later. It's human nature to push off difficult decisions until the future, but the weight of those decisions still weighs on you. You know you have to deal with it eventually and it's on your mind much more than you'd like! Deciding to deal with it now and get organized is proactive and will make the transition much smoother. With an organizer there to guide you, you can make the tough decisions, release the past, and prepare for life going forward. We will ask the tricky questions about if items serve you and if they're something you want to bring into the next chapter. Emotions will be felt and that's OK. Processing them now will help you feel better and create more mental and physical space for the future.  Change of Any Kind Calls for ReorganizationYou're so excited to welcome your baby soon, but there are gift bags, baby paraphernalia, and itty bitty cute clothes everywhere. Nothing is set up for the baby's room and your energy left the chat weeks ago. This is definitely not a workout/guest room anymore - it needs to transform into a nursery stat! Hiring a professional organizer can give you peace of mind when the idea of getting organized alone just feels like too much. We're here to put order back in your home and make you feel like someone is on your side and looking out for you. We can organize nurseries with new baskets, hangers, dividers, and systems. We can declutter as baby grows out of clothes (or store them in labeled bins if there will be more future kiddos!). We're here with you along the way to keep things organized and tidy.  When You're Feeling Stressed, Start with Systems You KnowInstead of letting the stress take over and focusing on all the things that don't work in your life and home, focus on the systems and habits that do work. We can build on those! For example, if we're unpacking your new home and it worked in your old home to take your shoes off in the mudroom, we can add a shoe rack there instead of in your coat closet. If you like clear bins because you can see what's inside, we won't bring deep wicker baskets, we'll bring clear! We like to hear from clients what already works for them, so we can integrate those systems into our new organization (and recommend our own best practices too, of course!). During life changes, it can help to mentally grab on to those little pieces of confidence. There are plenty of things you're already doing right!  Release Yourself from Expectations; Be OK with Just EnoughChange will happen. We can't plan and prepare for everything. Sometimes it's best to let go of previous expectations and be OK with "organized enough." The last thing you need when unpacking your home is to feel like everything must be perfect and set up like a magazine. If you know things will be a little chaotic for a while and can lean into that discomfort, you'll be able to get to the other side of the change less frazzled. Relieve the pressure valve just a little bit so that you don't pop! When you hire our team to help, we'll bring a sense of order to your home and life that you desperately need. It will allow you to relax even more and trust that things will get done. You have enough other things to worry about! We're not perfect either of course (no one is), but organizing is our passion and you're going to love your (nearly perfect) organized home.  Sorting, Purging, and Decluttering As Self-CareYou've worked hard your entire life. Now it's time to retire and transition into senior living. You're ready to make friends, take morning walks, and read a good book (book club anyone?) There's just one problem: You have thousands of memories in your home and have accumulated more than you'd like to admit over the years. Please be kind to yourself. Decluttering and preparing to downsize can be a long and arduous process. Start small and give yourself plenty of time. This is the perfect time to work with an organizer (retirement gift to yourself?). We'll do all the hard physical labor and will only pull you in for the decisions. We can work in shorter sessions so it's not too overwhelming. We even take donations away for you and bring you the donations receipt after. Think of it as some long-deserved self-care by working side by side with an organizer and not doing this alone. The task won't feel insurmountable when you have a smiling face there to motivate you along the way. And when it's time to move, we'll pack your boxes with care and unpack and set up your new home too. Learn more about why to hire a pro organizer for unpacking after a move here.  At Hello Simplified, we know that major life changes can be stressful and overwhelming. We get it and we've been there too. That's why we've made it our mission to help clients experiencing these life transitions. We want to bring you peace and help your change be as smooth and organized as possible.
Please reach out if you're feeling like the change you're going through is too much. We're here to help. Download our organizing guide to see what it's like to work with us. Warmly, Sandi  Moving is not your cup of tea. You've been dreading it for months. You've done your best to declutter and pack before the move, but realize in a panic that you have zero plans for when you arrive at your new home. How are you going to do this on your own (and with that never-ending back pain)? Today we'll share how our team of organizers will unpack and set up your new home in a functional and maintainable way. Let's go! Reason #1: Our Unpacking Service Removes the OverwhelmYou've finally arrived in your new home. You want to feel relieved but you're about ready to lose it. Boxes are towering over you and you can't find a single thing you need. Why did you label everything "miscellaneous"?! Then you remember your friend mentioned that professional organizers can do the unpacking for you ... hey, that's us! It's hard to unpack a kitchen when you've just moved and have no energy left. Fear no more! Take the kids to play (or yourself to a coffee shop!) while we work our magic and unpack your home in just a few short days. We'll even create a product list for you, then do all shopping, and make any returns. No buying tons of bins that don't fit your pantry when you get home.  Reason #2: Our Unpacking Service Makes Sense of Your StuffWhen your home is filled with moving boxes and the moving truck pulls away, you may feel lost and don't know where to start. As professional organizers, we make sense of your stuff. We start with a conversation to learn more about how you labeled boxes. If you labeled boxes generally and they're not in the correct rooms, we'll sort through boxes and make sure they all get to where they belong. If you used pro organizers to pack your boxes (highly recommended for the most streamlined process), everything will have been clearly labeled with the room the boxes are going to in the new house, not where they were in the old house. We give packing clients the option of an inventory of your boxes with box numbers and basic contents. This helps us confirm before unpacking that all necessary boxes are in the room (25 kitchen boxes listed and we only have 22 in the room, let's go find those 3 rogue boxes!). In the unfortunate event that your moving company misplaced boxes, our inventory helps us identify which ones are missing and what was in them. The inventory can also be helpful if you're looking for a specific item to unpack (where are the bed linens so we can sleep?!). Read our five packing and unpacking tips here.  Reason #3: Our Unpacking Service Prioritizes Essential SpacesWhen unpacking, certain rooms are more important to unpack first than others. Who cares if your garage is fully unpacked and organized if your kitchen and bedrooms are unusable? When unpacking, our first priority room is usually the kitchen (the heart of the home), then bedrooms/closets, then bathrooms. Everyone needs to eat, sleep, and get ready in the morning. Creature comforts in place will help you enjoy your new home faster. If you'd like different rooms unpacked first, let us know and we'll start there.  Reason #4: Our Unpacking Service Gets You Settled QuicklyWe recommend contacting us a couple of months before your move so you can get on our schedule and enjoy your new home ASAP once moved in. But it's never too late! Some clients contact us months after they've moved in to their new home if they still have moving boxes cluttering their living spaces that need unpacking. When unpacking, we like to send in a team of 2-4+ organizers so we're out of your hair as quickly as possible. We can have your main rooms of the home (kitchen, pantry, bedrooms, closets, and bathrooms) unpacked within a few days. We will work with you to prioritize what spaces you want done first. Then the rest of the home goes quickly too. If we come daily, you'll have your new home completely unpacked and organized within a few days to a week or so.  Reason #5: Our Unpacking Service Finishes What it StartsOur organizers don't just unpack your boxes and leave everything for you to deal with. We strategically decide where your items should go and organize it all into maintainable systems. Bins will be labeled, clothes will be hung by type and color, and you'll easily be able to find what you're looking for. We'll do a walkthrough and show you where everything is and make any tweaks you would like. We can create a list of our expert product recommendations for your spaces, do all shopping, and make any returns. We also take any donations away for you, and we have trusted service providers we can recommend for any additional tasks/needs for your home.  Are you getting excited yet? Your new and organized home is calling!
If you're ready for a move that feels easy and effortless and want to learn more about working with a professional organizer, download our organizing guide. Warmly, Sandi  Do you dream of clear countertops and clothes neatly hung on velvet hangers? Of not tripping over toys every time you walk across your living room floor? We would all love an organized home, but who has the time or energy to make it happen? You've heard of professional organizers, but they seem expensive and you don't want them throwing all your stuff away. Today we'll be busting 5 common organizing myths so you feel more confident calling in a pro! Myth #1: Professional Organizers Are Judgmental of Your Home's AppearanceAt Hello Simplified we have absolutely zero judgment. We understand that houses get messy, cluttered, and in need of some TLC. That's why you're calling us! We actually ask that clients don't tidy or clean up before our in-home consultations because it will help us serve you better and help us know what systems need to be put into place. If you always have a pile of shoes in your mudroom, but hide it all away before we visit, we won't know that you need a solution, such as a shoe rack by your door. Read more about our in-home consultation process here. We have seen it all! We are in houses every day and are there to help you. We often get excited the more clutter there is because we know there will be a big transformation and we get to help you feel less stressed in your home.  Myth #2: Pro Organizers Are Way Too Expensive for Most PeopleWe have clients from all different financial backgrounds and have accessible, reasonable pricing. The thing our clients have in common is that they know the value of a tidy and organized home. Your mental health and feeling less stressed in your space is priceless. This single investment can change your home and life moving forward. Organizing can actually pay for itself by saving you time, money, and energy long-term. You can use the time you would spend organizing (or time worrying about having to get organized) to be with family, do extra work, or relax. With an organized home you will spend less time searching for items and buy a lot less duplicate items because you'll know what you already have. Learn more about our pricing here.  Myth #3: Home Organizers Make You Get Rid of All Your StuffThe final decision to keep or part with an item is always yours. We are like your coach and motivator; we can discuss the benefits of decluttering, but we won't force you to do anything, or throw your items away without your permission. We don't ever want clients to get rid of items they use regularly or love. We will gently persuade you to question some items that you're holding on to out of guilt because you "might" use them someday or because you haven't had the motivation to sort through them. The reality is that we all have too much stuff. As organizers we know and see first hand the benefits of decluttering. We want to give you that gift. But no, it doesn't mean you need to get rid of everything! Every little bit helps. When you let go of the excess, there's enough room for items to have a home, to create maintainable systems, and to be able to find and put items away with ease.  Myth #4: Organizing Companies Require You to Provide Your Own ProductsWe make things as easy as possible for our clients and provide all organizing products needed! Pantry and kitchen projects start off with an optional fun, and very brief, quiz to get an idea of your style. For all spaces that need products, we will put together a product list of our expertly chosen items catered to your unique needs. All you have to do is give us the OK once you see the list (and some clients just say they trust us and don't need to see it). Then we do all ordering and/or picking up of supplies. After the organizing is complete, we will handle all returns (we like to overbuy to make sure we're always prepared). Then we'll invoice you for only the products that were used. If you need additional products, we'll handle those too. Super easy!  Products for a pantry we organized in Cary, NC. Myth #5: Organizing Pros Transform Your Home in a Single DayAlthough we've been called magical, we unfortunately can't sweep in and unpack or organize an entire home in one day. But we are extremely efficient! Think about the amount of years you've lived in your home or the years of items in boxes ready to unpack. These things take time if they're going to be done properly. For example, a big part of what we do is decluttering with the client. There are so many decisions for clients to make, and we don't want to rush the process or overwhelm clients. This is such an important transformation of your home, and worthwhile transformations take time. If you'd like us out of your hair as quickly as possible, our team of talented organizers can get the job done 2-5 times faster than a single organizer would! (Just not a whole home in one day! 😉) Or if you prefer to take it slower one on one with a single organizer, we're happy to do that too. We're here to help in the way that works best for you and your individual needs.  We hope that after reading these 5 myths you feel a little more comfortable giving us a call. We want to help as many people as we can to feel less stressed in their spaces and love where they live! If you'd like to learn more about working with our Hello Simplified professional organizers, download our Organizing Guide! Warmly, Sandi |
About UsAt Hello Simplified, we specialize in organizing, decluttering, packing and unpacking services. Read through for tips on how we help our clients feel less overwhelmed and more in control of their busy lives and homes during major life changes. Archives
September 2024
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