"Simplify It" in our closets today at the "Organize It Party"

I'm so glad you have joined us at the "Organize It" Party. Today we will chat about how to "Simplify It" when it comes to our Closets. My goal this week is to organize two closets, the little boys closet that is beginning to look more like a toy box then a closet, and the under the staircase closet or could be re-named the cave, it is overfilled with suitcases, household decor, leftover party supplies and well I'm just not sure what else has found a home in this cave, but I will soon find out as I begin to "Simplify It" by de-cluttering my closests this week.

Do you have a closet or Two that need you to "Simplify It"?

Come on now and let's view today's video clip as Megan Carter shares her closet organizing secrets with us, then move along to read what Molly Gold has to share on organizing on organizing closets.

Don't forget to open today's GIFT and grab your FREEBie party favors. Have fun as you "Simplify It" Today at the "Organize It" Party.





FREEbie Party Pavor

FREEbie mini Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser.

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Closet Organizing 101 - Save Your Closets and the Planet
By Molly Gold, Creator of the GO MOM!� Planner
"Reduce, Reuse and Recycle" is becoming the motto in households around the world. The perfect place to start is in your own closets. How many kid's toys, clothes or other household items are still in perfectly good condition, but gathering dust in the closet? Clear out the clutter in your closets and you are sure to find items perfect for your next garage sale or items to sell on Craigslist or eBay. You'll be teaching your kids the value of recycling instead of letting your old items fill up a landfill while earning a little extra cash.
Want to get a bigger turnout at your yard sale? Convince your neighbors to clean out their closets and you can have a neighbor yard sale. Make sure that any items not sold in the yard sale are donated to a local charity or schedule a date for the Purple Heart to do a pickup (find out more at www.purpleheartpickup.org) and you just have to leave your items at the curb.
Now that you've set your goal, it is time to get down to the nitty-gritty of organizing those closets.
Before you even think about buying new storage bins or lining up those bags for donations, get out your calendar and to do list. Make a list each closet you'd like to tackle and then take a quick inventory of what's currently going on in that area.

• Ask questions like are things folded neatly and easily located?
• Are they labeled or color coded?
• Are they organized by season or room?
• Do they have enough shelving and hanging space or is there too much of one or another that yields too much unused space that isn't maximized?

After taking inventory, make a list for each closet of supplies you think you might need in order to complete the project. Then look to your calendar and find time to first shop for functional items you might need, such as storage boxes, etc. and then time to actually tackle the closet.
Bedroom: If you haven't worn it in a year, donate it to someone who will. After purging every item, then designate specific areas for related items, such as shoes, accessories, evening wear, etc. Those things don't need to be intermingled with your everyday needs. Then organize in a way that makes sense to you...I prefer by season and within that, by clothing type such long sleeve shirts, dress shirts, blue jeans etc. And go vertical, installing a second hanging bar if need be to make things easily stored while easily accessed. Favorite products...clear storage boxes of any kind, using hanging shoe organizers as accessories organizers, shelf spacers that keep folded items neatly contained, and a hanger organizer to return dry-cleaning hangers to your cleaners with each visit.
Linen: Again, you need to edit items well worn that aren't used for cleaning or for more beds than you actually have. A good rule of thumb is no more than 3 bedding sets per room, including one flannel for winter nights and cool cotton as the others. Same is true for bathrooms. And you really only need one or two sets of both for guests because when need be, you can use extras from the others. When you store items, take a moment to label the shelves with markers such as Sam's room, Master Bath, etc. Then as you put items away, you and anyone else will know exactly where they go. Just like your closet, separate linens by season and special occasion, putting those needed most often within easiest reach. One neat way to contain items that you want to reach easily is to use storage boxes with pull out drawers. This is particularly useful for odd shaped items or things that need corralling. It also allows you to neatly stack when you need to. Reserve the top shelf for things you don't often use and consider storing such things in protective coverings, such as putting your summer duvet cover in a storage bag to make sure its not dusty when you pull it out next time.
When it comes to closets of any kind, movable shelves and/or rods are a wonderful feature to allow you flexibility as your storage needs change. But even when things are static, you can almost always find baskets, storage boxes made from plastic or other items, shelf spacers, and additional shelving that will add to your layout and maximize your space. Just remember to take inventory, schedule shopping and the project, measure for dimensions prior to purchasing any supplies, sort, and when you return items, think season, occasion, function, location, and color. And don't hesitate to line wood shelves...it will protect anything stored on them from snagging should there be a rough patch and will brighten your view every time you see it.

GO MOM!^® INC Founder, Molly Gold, is a mother of three and the creator of The GO MOM!^® product line. Gold is known for her keen insights into Family Scheduling and has been featured both in print and on air media alike. She is a Family Balance Contributor and Blogger at www.PreciousMoms.com as well as Family Scheduling Expert at www.BlueSuitMom.com. She was a featured Family Time Management Expert for Time Makeover on Fine Living Network and served as the 2007 Home Management Expert on Kenmore.com. Gold's work has most recently been featured in print in Scholastic Parent & Child, Southern Living, Pregnancy & Newborn, Pregnancy, Family Circle, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Cooking Light, Parents, Women's Health, and Family Fun Magazines, on air with NBC's Today Show Weekend Edition, and as a contributing author in "The Experts Guide to the Baby Years," Ettus.






Time to open another GIFT (giveaway)

Talking Dirty With the Queen of Clean : second edition By: Linda Cobb

NOW UPDATED WITH MORE EASY, TIME-SAVING TIPS FOR TURNING YOUR HOME INTO A SPARKLING PALACE!

The down-to-earth housekeeping guide that brought the Queen of Clean® into your home is now better than ever! As always, her marvelous collection of tips and shortcuts gives you the keys to conquering dust, rust, stains, gum, clogs, odor, mildew, smudges, scratches, allergens, pet problems, and water damage. And she works her magic with the hidden cleansing powers of natural, inexpensive ingredients such as baking soda, lemon juice, petroleum jelly, tea, vinegar and more. Never be a slave to housework again!

24/7 MOMS is giving away Talking Dirty With the Queen of Clean book . To enter for your chance to win, enter your name and email address in the box below you will be signed up for today's giveaway as well as be added to the 24/7 MOMS E-list (if you are not already a 24/7 MOMS subscriber). Drawing to be held on February 1, 2009






Another FREEbie Party Favor

Marcia Francois, the Organising Queen is collaborating with Beth Dargis, Simplicity Coach extraordinaire, from My Simpler Life to bring you a free teleseminar called…
5 steps to a saner, simpler life

Thursday 29th January from 11am to 12pm EST (that's 6 - 7pm South African time).

Go to this link to sign up for the free call.

(if you can't make it to the call "live", don't worry - we'll send the recording to all those who signed up within an hour of the call ending)
Stop by tomorrow for some great " Manage It" Ideas.