July Newsletter #1

Wednesdays With Wendy - July Newsletter # 1

July 9, 2008

Hi Everyone!

I hope you are having a great week so far and ready to enjoy another
Wednesdays With Wendy NEWSLETTER!

As my friend/client, I value your opinion! So, please let me know what you
think! All comments and constructive criticisms are welcome!

Today, I will be starting a "Home Organizing" series and sharing some
helpful tips and ides on how to get rid of all that clutter and start your
new and improved, organized life!

The topic I will be sharing with you today is CLOSET ORGANIZING!

Please feel free to email me with your own home organizing tips and I
will share them in the next post!
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D-I-Y Closet Organization Tips-
Turn your closet from disastrous to dazzling

Even if the term "walk-in closet" is an oxymoron in your house, you can
reclaim your space and have nary a worry that an avalanche will occur every
time you open the closet door.

First things first, though. Organizing your closet isn't a one-shot deal.
Either you need to vow that you won't let your household leftovers squeeze
out your clothes, or you have to resign yourself to at least a semi-annual
organizing fest.

You can always hire a closet organizer or buy expensive organizing systems,
but if you're on a budget or are just a do-it-yourselfer, here are 19 tips
to help you tidy up.

1. Set aside two to four hours to tackle a small closet; four to six hours
to wrestle a walk-in into shape. If a friend can be coerced into helping you
- or at least keeping you company - so much the better.

2. Buy a few plastic bins from your local discount store and collect some
large, sturdy cardboard boxes. These will come in handy when you begin to
sort and store.

3. If you find that your plus-size clothes slip off of their wire hangers
and end up scattered on the floor of your closet, consider investing in some
extra-large hangers and foam hanger covers, which will prevent slippage.
Find a fixture store (also called display stores, they sell racks, tags,
etc. to retail stores) that's open to the public, and pick up 100 hangers
for around $30 and 100 foam covers for about $10. The cost is worth it in
terms of the time you'll save by not having to iron those wrinkled blouses.
Take your flimsy wire hangers back to the dry cleaner for recycling.

4. Before you start, decide what types of items you want to store in the
closet. Clothes and shoes only? Wrapping paper? Your bowling ball? Unfolded
laundry? A zillion of your kid's school papers? Plan ahead and create
storage space elsewhere for items that will be evicted from your closet.

5. Ready to dig in? In a systemized way, take everything that's not on a
hanger out of your closet. Go from the top of the closet to the bottom, from
the floor up, or go from right to left.

6. As you remove each item, sort it into one of five piles: trash, giveaway,
projects, storage or closet. The trash pile is self-evident - toss it into
the garbage bin. Giveaways are those items you no longer need, but can be of
use to a family member, a friend or a charity. Projects are those articles
that need further action on your part - shoes that need new soles,
decorative pillows that need mending, etc. Storage consists of things you
want to keep, but not in your closet. The pieces in your closet pile will go
back into your closet once you've finished organizing.

7. Take a look at your shoes. Haven't worn them in over a year, and won't in
the foreseeable future? They're either trash or giveaways. Are they special
occasion shoes that you'll wear again? Box them up and label them.

8. Once you've gotten this far, you're more than halfway there! Now you're
down to the clothes on their hangers. This is the tough part, but boldness
and bravery are necessary to achieve your goal.

9. Go through each piece, one at a time, with as much objectivity as you can
muster. Does the item fit you at your present size? If not, immediately
place it into either the giveaway or trash pile with nary a backward glance.
Your self-esteem doesn't need nagging thoughts of "Maybe someday..." and
besides, you're trying to reclaim your closet space for the person you are
today.

10. Have you worn it in the past year? If the answer is no and it's still in
good shape, the piece goes in the giveaway pile. It doesn't matter if it
still has the price tag on it - if you loved it and it looked good on you,
you would have worn it by now.

11. Has it seen better days? Be brutally honest. That ratty old bathrobe may
have brought you emotional comfort, but are you really ever going to wear it
again? If you still can't bear to toss it into the trash, put it in the
storage pile - but get it out of your closet!

12. How does it really look? This is where a friend can come in handy. If
that orange suit makes you look like a pumpkin, do yourself a favor by
putting it in the giveaway pile. On the other hand, that chunky sweater may
look terrific, and it's back in season to boot!

13. Once you've sorted through everything in your closet, it's time to
assess your progress and put everything in its proper place. Organize your
hanging clothes by their function: sportswear, casual, career, special
occasion. Within each function, group like items together: blouses, skirts,
pants, jackets. Within these groups, organize by color.

14. Now you can dispose of your five piles. Dump the trash and be done with
it.

15. Sort the giveaway pile into items to distribute to people you know, and
put the rest in a large carton or trash bag. Local women's shelters are
always looking for plus-size casual clothes, and programs like The Working
Wardrobe, which helps low-income women move from welfare to work, will take
plus-size career clothes off of your hands in a flash.

16. Sort your projects pile into appropriate categories, and put them in a
bin or box. Take time to reserve a day on your calendar when you will tackle
those tasks.

17. Group the items in the storage pile by the location where they will be
stored. Box up the things that are going into longer-term storage and label
the boxes. Then, put all of the items in their proper places.

18. Now that you've reclaimed your closet space, you should have plenty of
room to put away the things from your closet pile. Make sure to label any
boxes, so you'll know what's inside and you won't have to dig the next time
you need something.

19. If your closet is only as big as a shoebox, you may need to take
additional steps to create more space. Consider over-the-door organizers,
wall hooks and multi-level rods. Remember that the space under your bed can
be utilized as long-term storage space. If you're ambitious, you can create
a second shelf in the closet, or convert your narrow shelf into a deeper
shelf by utilizing a wider board on the existing shelf guide bar.

Helpful Closet Storage Ideas-
Every Budget, Every Need

Bedroom Closets

Look at the items that will go back into the closet. Is the pile mostly
clothes, or odds and ends? Do you have tons of shoes? Sweaters? Belts and
ties? Lots more short items than full-length clothing? There are
organizational helpers available for every storage need and every budget:

* Turn the top, catch-all shelf into a series of shelves that stretch to
the ceiling. That will keep items separated and allow you to retrieve things
easily, without pulling a stack of boxes down on your head.

* Increase space for short items by installing double-decker rods in a
portion of each closet. Closetmaid makes economical closet organizer
solutions to fit into any size closet.

* Go a bit farther and install special modules in a portion of the
closet--with slots and shelves for shoes, cubbies or drawers for clothes
that should be folded, and built-ins for other special items.

* Do-it-Yourselfers can try this wooden closet organizer project. If
you're not into DIY, look for wooden closet organizer components at your local home building store.

* Walk-in closets offer all sorts of organizational possibilities. Closetmaid and Rubbermaid both offer storage ideas on their Web sites.

* It won't help organization, but installing cedar panels or hanging
cedar blocks in the closet helps repel insects and makes the closet smell great.

Other Home Closets-

Inspect every closet in your home as if you are seeing it for the first
time. What will a buyer think when she opens the doors? How can you improve
your storage potential?

* Use little totes and bins to help you keep small items under control
in a bathroom or linen closet.

* Stackable baskets are a nice addition to a kitchen pantry, and can be
used to store all types of items, including food staples.

* Is your garage large enough to add a series of closets along one wall?
Or economical shelving? Storage helps turn a cluttered garage into a
usable space that will actually hold a car!

* How about the basement? If it's dry, can you add closets or shelves
down there? Use a dehumidifier to reduce moisture levels if necessary.

*info provided by about.com and bbwmagazine.com*


I hope that you will find this information helpful for your own closet
organizing!

Please e-mail me at Wendy@SeaCoastRealty.com if you would like to
share your tips, ideas, or success stories!

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CARTUS RELOCATION - Referral Network

Did you know that I can help your family and friends buy or sell real
estate anywhere in the United States!

Since Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty is affiliated with CARTUS- the
world's largest relocation network -

I can connect your loved ones with a relocation expert ANYWHERE in the
country!

So, the next time you know someone thinking of buying or selling, CALL
ME!

I'll make sure they receive the same courteous and professional service I
provide for my clients!
___________________________________________________

I hope you have enjoyed this newsletter! Have a FUN and SAFE weekend!

As always, if I can help with any of your real estate needs, please don't
hesitate to call or email!
_
Cell - (910) 279-3983

Office - (910) 202-3627

Fax - (910) 795-4268

Wendy@SeaCoastRealty.com

WendyInWilmington.com