Situation
My client had fluctuating weight issues and did not want to get rid of any clothes in the off chance that her size changed. She had massive amounts of clothes that were too big and clothes that were too small. This created a major problem.  She had so many clothes that she could not walk into or even put a foot into her walk-in closet!

Over the course of 30 years, she had also added gift bags, memorabilia and more unrelated items to this huge closet.

Solution
We slowly dug our way into her closet by pulling out bins and sorting into donate, save for future and wear now outfits. We also moved all gift items to another closet that was set up as a gift closet.

In order to determine which clothes to keep I asked this client several questions.
1.    Do you still like the style?
2.    Can you see yourself wearing this now?
3.    Do you think it will flatter you once you do lose or gain weight?
4.    Is it as good as you are?
5.    Does this item fit your current lifestyle and figure?

My point with question number 4 is this: if any article of clothing is cheaply made, ill-fitting or simply worn out – should it really take up precious space in your closet? You are all better than old, tired, ill-fitting and worn out clothes! I leanred this one from my mother. She never had much money growing up but she always wore clothes that fit well and were clean and pressed. She spent a lot of time learning how to sew and alter her clothes for her body and even more time at the ironing board.

In this era, most of us do not have the time to sew and press but we can still follow mom’s example and pay to have our clothes tailored and pressed. It makes a HUGE impact on how you feel and how you are acknowledged in the world.

When you ask yourself question number #5, be honest. Most often the clothes we purchased over 5 years ago have nothing to do with our current attitudes or lifestyle.

By the time this closet was organized, we had one bin of small clothes and one bin of oversize clothes tucked away for possible future reference.
The only clothes saved were ones that were perfect for her coloring and current lifestyle as a retired world traveler.

The only clothes that remained hanging in her closet were items that fit her now. This way, she could walk in and feel good about herself and easily find a perfect outfit to wear in a snap!

If you want to make a shift in your life, think about making a physical shift with your wardrobe. Life is about constant change and there is no easier way to change your outlook and your life than to change your clothes.

So, go ahead and purge your closet of the dust bunnies and old sweaters lying in a heap. You will feel better and like my client’s closet, look at what amazing results can happen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbUl8M_tYCQ

Holiday Cards – Consider not sending holiday cards at all this year. There is not a law that says you have to send holiday cards every year ~ year in and year out…
If you choose to send cards, consider downsizing your list from the typical 150 to 50. There are options to the usual hand-written snail mail. If you are in the mood to shake it up, try one of these options. I guarantee, your stress level will take a dive into a feeling of calm and serene.

Consider these alternatives:
New Years cards – Save stress. Mail them out anytime between the 26th and Mid January.

eCards – Save money (example Blue Mountain.com)

Fulfillment House – Save time. Send in your photo, let them do the rest. (Snapfish.com)

Card Party – Make it fun. Grab your girlfriends and some snacks and gather around to address envelopes and holiday issues at the same time!

Before / After Case Study:

Challenge:

Too many supplies, duplicates and who knows what else? The client was unable to find any supply that she needed without pulling everything out of the closet first. The space was not used to it’s fullest potential and items were jammed inside. Does this look like one of your closets?

Solution:

We sorted the office supplies into containers and created a working storage closet for extra supplies. This saved money by eliminating the purchase of duplicate supplies. This also helped my client to quickly create custom portfolios for upcoming client meetings and keep on top of client follow-up with note cards.

Now everything has a home and is stored “like with like”. Items are easily identifiable because they are stored in clear boxes with marked with labels.

What Our Clients Say:

“Now I do not buy duplicate supplies and I know where to find the ones that I already own. No more hide and seek games, I can get down to business.”

D Severn

Before / After Case Study:

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Situation:
This closet was packed full of clothes that represented all seasons. It was overwhelming to look at and did not function when dirty clothes were added to the mix.

The closet was too crowded to change in so the owner often changed in her bedroom which left clothes dropped around the room. One issue with the bedroom that did not help the closet was that.

Solution:

We separated the off-season and special occasion clothes and stored them in an under-the-bed box.

I removed the floor shelf and instead maximized the space on the built-in corner shelf by folding shirts into smaller sizes and adding bins for socks and undergarments.

Once the closet had enough space to walk into and change clothes in, clothes were conveniently re-hung after wearing or placed directly into the dirty clothes hamper. This saved the bedroom floor from constant chaos and clothes from needless wrinkles and soiling. This also meant fewer trips to the laundry saving time, money and frustration.

What Our Clients Say:

“I’ve tried many things over the years to help my daughter. She has been chronically disorganized and I was suspicious that it was causing a number of failures in her life.

I called Kathi after finding her website one worrisome night at 4:00 a.m. (But I called later in the morning!)

At the time we were sponsoring talk therapy. I realized that our daughter sitting on a sofa in a therapist’s office talking about her problems was too far removed from the actual things weighing her down. I realized that our adult daughter needed practical hands-on intervention.

So Kathi came in and she and my daughter went through mounds of chaos and disorganization, including her storage unit. Now when she moves on she will not carry many of these problems in physical form. Her life is running much smoother and I feel that she is in a much better place to succeed.”

Vicki, San Diego

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Situation:

Toys has overtaken the closet. Too many toys stored that were no longer in vogue with the kids. Mom had no idea what to keep or what to toss or what was even in there!

Solution:

We emptied the entire closet and grouped the contents into piles and bins, like with like. We then went through each section of items and determined if we had duplicates, of which there were many because of two daughters close in age. One of the duplicates, if not both, were donated immediately if the item in question was no longer used regularly.

After sorting through each item and placing it with similar items, we were able to containerize each collection individually. This way, several bins with lids held large amounts of small parts. We also gained the ability to stack so everything would fit onto the shelves within.

Many books were donated to a local non-profit reading program. A craft section was set up along with a reference library. Baby toys were placed on the top shelf for younger visiting relatives and friends. Stuffed animals and costumes now live in easy-to-use large hampers.

A few weeks after the adult re-organizing session, I worked with the girls to determine what was working and not working in the new organizing system. This way they would buy into the process of putting things back where they “live” or belong. We moved a few things around based on their unique preferences, and now it is totally customized for their projects and play habits!

What Our Clients Say:

“Now we have room for all of the toys. Before there was no room and no possible way to get in or put things away so it all overflowed onto the floor. Now we can go in and know what is there and know where to find it because it hasn’t moved. Everything goes back to it’s home after it is used and things are being used now more than ever!

Katy P, San DIego

Before / After Case Study:

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Situation:

Two kids and numerous parties to attend throughout the year. A large closet was used to hide gifts with no real structure within for wrapping paper, gifts, ribbons etc.

Solution:

Create an official gift closet! We installed a wall to wall shelf at waist level in the interior of the closet. Below the shelf are plastic bins, one for each child and other family members, one for spur of the moment hostess gifts another for spare kid party gifts.

A tall kitchen trashcan holds wrapping paper rolls. Two long shelves above the new counter hold bins for bows, ribbon, greeting cards and packing materials. A large board mounted on the inside of the door is a holding zone for invitations and information on upcoming events.

What Our Clients Say:

“Kathi created a “project” closet out of our hall closet. It was useless space filled with umbrellas, coats, presents, etc. all piled on top of each other. I actually had no idea of what exactly was in there. She created an area that I can do all my wrapping, which had previously been stuck under my bed, and store all of my gifts. It also has enough space to store all of my photo albums and scrap booking. This one closet has made such a difference in my daily routine. I have one place that I keep all of my necessities away from the kids. It works great! “

Kristen, Bonsall

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Here is a common phenomena that occurs in the closet of the American woman:too many shoes and not enough space! To solve this problem, I worked with my client to donate 15 pairs of shoes that either didn’t fit, were out of style or too tired to wear. We also discarded three rogue shoes without mates.

I then installed 5 vertical hanging shoe shelves to hold the remaining 50 pairs of shoes. The boots now live easily above her shoes on the top shelf. I inserted old magazines in the boots to keep their shape and absorb moisture.Sweaters with sweaters, purses with purses, plastic drawer bins organized and we were done!

Before / After Case Study:

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This closet challenge was a result of downsizing into a smaller home. We purged a few items and organized the remaining clothes into categories. The redesign included moving the dresser to one side, adding a high/low bar to double the hanging space, and installing a few hanging shelves for shoes.

What Our Clients Say:
“Your enthusiasm and energy made this project very enjoyable. You were
really good with creating systems and finding the space for all of my
clothes. I love my new closets.”

Ruth Rinek, La Jolla