It Takes Time to Make Time – Tip #1

Business owners have long heard it takes money to make money.  The thought being you have to invest in your business to get ahead.  The same rings true for our time.  It truly takes time to make time.  You have to be willing to invest a little up front to get more out of your time.  Time management has always been a hard pill for most to swallow.  How can you manage something that isn’t tangible?    I look at it more along the lines of there are portions of the day when I wish the time would slow down (late for pick up at school and I am begging the clock not to tick away) or when it seems to go by so slowly (when I arrive early for pick up without something to read or do).  How can we manage ourselves to make sure our time is used wisely?

My next few posts will deal with how to take time to make time.  These aren’t time management tips per se but more organizing ideas will help you to find more time in the long run.

Tip #1  Clean Out Your Closet

We all know, fashion diva or not, what it is like to be in a hurry to get dressed.  It seems like when you are pressed for time nothing looks good, fits or is clean!  Mornings are hard enough, and it seems as though the minutes we have in the morning tick more like seconds.  Having your closet organized can be a great way to find more time in your day.  If you take the time to sort out your clothes, purge what you no longer wear (or fit into) and group the clothes you have left into categories, you will:

• Easily find what you are looking for
• Have clothes that fit and look good ready to put together
• Know what you have and what you need

Who doesn’t want to look good when they walk out the door?  Getting dressed should not occupy that much time in our day, but if you have ever stood in front of your closet and thought, “I have nothing to wear”, you know how fast time can be sucked away.  For ease and convenience, it is important to find clothes that are easy to mix and match.  Think staples and uniforms.

• Choose bottoms and tops that can easily be put together to create a whole new look.  Beware of the hard to match tops and bottoms…you wind up with lots of unworn clothing.
• Choose what you like to wear.  You will always have “go-to” outfits that will be quick and easy to throw on.  These become a “uniform” of sorts.   A child who wears a uniform to school doesn’t have to think before they get dressed!  Why do you think they still exist in schools? – ease and convenience.
• Choose clothing that fits.  Tailor items which almost fit, but need a little adjustment.  If the clothes don’t fit, you won’t wear them!

I also want to include accessories in this tip.  A boring white shirt can be brought back to life with a fabulous necklace.  A plain black dress can look different if you wear different accessories with it every time.  Shoes can transform an outfit from OK to WOW in no time flat.  (no shoe pun intended!)  The same as organizing your clothes, organize your accessories and shoes.  The easier it is to see what you have, the more likely you will wear it.

For more ideas of organizing your closet and accessories check out my other posts:

http://afreshstartblog.wordpress.com/category/closet-organizing/

http://afreshstartblog.wordpress.com/category/jewelry-organizing/

Organizing your closet will free up many minutes on a daily basis.  A little hard work upfront will go a long way.  But remember it is an on going process.  A closet is a boundary.  You must limit what goes in.  The one-in-one-out rule is very important to remember when shopping!

I want you all to know that every tip given here is not the only solution to an organizing dilemma.  They are suggestions to help you get started on a path to organization.  No two people are alike and no two spaces are alike.  If you have tried something I have suggested and it doesn’t seem to be a good fit, write a comment and I will try to offer another solution.  By all means, I want you all to have the Fresh Start feeling that organizing gives you.  I am here to help!

Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend, But Only if You Can Find Them! A Guide to Organizing your Jewelry

Photos courtesy of Erin Markland with Stella and Dot www.gotstella.com

Whether you are dripping in diamonds or collecting costume jewelry, it does you no good to have it if you don’t wear it. Most women don’t wear their jewelry because it is just too complicated to find it. There are the balls of necklaces that are so complicated to untangle you would rather write a thesis on nuclear fusion than deal with it, the lost earring collection, and bracelets that need repair.

The proper storage of your jewelry is not only important to keep it in good condition, but also so you can wear what you have. Even if you spent $5 on a pair of earrings, it is a waste of money if they sit in a drawer or box.

Drawer:

You can use containers specifically for jewelry as shown below, or even kitchen/bathroom drawer organizers work well too. The benefit of the ones designed specifically for jewelry is the lining keeps the jewelry protected, but the cost of the standard drawer organizers can be significantly less.

Wall:

With how beautiful jewelry is today, you can treat it like art and decorate a wall with it. Use bulletin boards to hang and display. Keep it simple though. Decorative bulletin boards will look cluttered and confusing and will not show off your treasures, nor will you be able to quickly see what you have. Also, consider peg racks or hooks. I great way to separate your necklaces and bracelets. Utilizing both is great. Earrings just poke into the cork, smaller necklaces and bracelets can be hung on the board with push pins (stick to clear so you it doesn’t interfere with the color/design of your jewelry. Then hang the chunkier necklaces and bracelets on the pegs. Arrange by color or style, which ever way makes most sense to you.

Closet:

The Container Store and Ikea, among others, sell closet organizing systems with portions of the closet designated for jewelry. They have beautiful “trays” that pull out like a drawer and allow you to see your jewelry up close. The only problem with these trays is that they only work if you have a large closet to designate that much space to. If space is an issue, try going vertical with hanging jewelry organizers. These allow you to see what you have, but keep items separated for ease in retrieval.

On Top of Dresser or Counter Top:

Decorative storage is widely available to hold your jewelry. Keep in mind though, what you wear. If you are trendy and wear the large chunky necklaces, traditional jewelry boxes won’t do. They are built for small delicate jewelry and you will only fit one necklace inside. Make sure the items you choose will fit what you use!

Cabinet:

Drawer organizers that stack are useful in a cabinet, but you will have to pull it all out to see what you have. . Also, any of the counter top containers mentioned above will work as well, but since they will be out of sight, the expense for the beautiful containers is somewhat wasted. 3M hooks that are removable can be attached to cabinet doors that are not opened more often than looking at jewelry. Otherwise the necklaces and bracelets will bang against the door and risk damage. Also, clear acrylic containers are great because not only can you stack them, but you can see through them to know what you have! I have used clear double sided adhesive tape to hold them in place when stacked.

Accessories are the finishing touches to your outfit. You have spent money on jewelry, organize it so you can see what you have and actually use it. No more tangled messes – get out there and look like the super model you were meant to be!