Posts by Jill Annis | Simply Organized
Choosing the right hangers for an organized closet
Wire hangers aren’t your only options for keeping your clothing clean, wrinkle-free and off the floor. Let’s go over the different hanger options and their functions. Wire hangers, in my opinion, have one function, transporting clothing from the dry cleaner to your home. After the items are home, switch to another type of hanger if…
Read MoreWhat to do if your refrigerator is a kitchen eyesore
The refrigerator, a container for perishable food, needs organizing like any other area of your home. There are some common mistakes we make with our refrigerators that often create waste and turn it into a kitchen eyesore. Keeping things for too long. Perishable items have a shorter lifespan than pantry items. Before heading to the grocery…
Read MoreHow to keep cool about back to school AND save money
Depending on how you’re summer has been going, you’re either excited or sad about this whole back to school thing. Here are some tips to reduce a bit of the stress associated with this time of year and make this time of year kinder to your budget. Schedule a doctor’s appointment. Most sports require a yearly physical…
Read MoreHow to stay organized on a family road trip
Are you planning a summer road trip? Here are some ways you can make a family road trip more enjoyable, and less crazy. Thoroughly declutter your vehicle before packing for the trip. Remove unnecessary items, i.e. trash, mail, work stuff, sports gear and stray clothing. Have your car serviced a few weeks before your trip. Better…
Read MoreTips for moving your college student with ease
Do you or will you have multiple children in college? Besides the obvious financial expenses, you’ve probably spent time and energy helping them move several times a year. Our daughter’s moves went smoothly, thanks to my husband’s extraordinary packing skills. Although she would deny this, our daughter took pretty much everything she owned to college. It…
Read MoreHow to organize kid’s hobby and craft supplies
Got kids? If so, you no doubt also have the stuff needed for their hobbies and activities — musical instruments, sports equipment, dancewear, and art supplies — scattered throughout your home. Organize it all with these tips. Get the kids to help you round up the stuff and then categorize it by activity. If that’s…
Read MoreSmart packing tips for your next road trip
My husband and I enjoyed taking road trips to Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, the Tetons and to Yosemite prior to having our daughter. She then joined us as we traveled to Maine, North Carolina and Yellowstone/Tetons. We love seeing the U.S. from the road. The trips have been more relaxing when we brought along the following items. Food…
Read MoreBe prepared for an emergency with this simple card
Emergency medical professionals want to provide the best treatment possible to their patients and also let your loved ones know you are experiencing a crisis. This is very difficult to do when you are unresponsive. Make their job easier by taking the advice of my medical professional friend who suggests everyone carry an “in case…
Read MoreOrganizing dos and don’ts for gardening tools
Ready to get your gardening groove back on, but you’re unable to find your tools? A little organization will enable you to spend more time in the soil and less time searching. Here are the dos and don’ts of organizing gardening tools. Do make it a habit to weed out your supplies on a regular basis.…
Read MoreOrganizing a profitable garage sale
Does the thought of holding a garage sale give you goosebumps or cause you to break out into a cold sweat? Garage sales were an annual event during my childhood. My mom thought they were fun and would select household items throughout the year to set aside for the summer sale. My tips will help…
Read MoreUnique and fun gift ideas for graduates
Do you have a family member or friend graduating this year? Here are some unique and fun gift ideas for every graduate, that will be clutter-free and useful. Cold hard cash is always appreciated. If you want a clever way to present the cash, the Internet is a good place to search for ideas. (My…
Read More3 Common mistakes made when organizing children’s outdoor toys & equipment
Steer clear of three common mistakes when organizing children’s outdoor toys. 1. Adding without subtracting. Edit their toys once or twice a year (spring and fall). Start by gathering their outdoor equipment and placing it in one area. Now your family has a visual inventory and will notice if there are any unnecessary multiples. Schools and…
Read MoreHelp with Organizing School Papers
It’s not easy to stay on top of school papers. It enters your home via backpacks and then migrates to the kitchen counter and table. What do you do to prevent a paper pile up? My No. 1 suggestion is to be choosy about the papers you keep. Consider these questions. Can you find the…
Read MoreBest tips for storing your linens
Besides your everyday linens, you may be the owner of holiday-themed towels, table linens and seasonal bedding. There are options, besides closets, for storing and organizing linens. Have you looked under your beds lately? There could be less important items under there that you’ve forgotten about and no longer want to own. If you decide…
Read MoreThe Importance of Being Ready to Let Go
How do you work up the courage to let some of your belongings go? If you contact me for hands-on organizing assistance, I will ask you if you’re ready to let go and edit your things. It’s crucial for you to be in the right frame of mind in order to have a less cluttered,…
Read MoreBest Tips for Downsizing Seniors with Love
Downsizing for a loved one before a move to assisted living or other senior housing is more challenging when he or she isn’t able to wholly participate in the downsizing process. You can get through it with the following measures. Start sooner rather than later when helping sort and edit things. Shorter work sessions are…
Read More12 Days of Simple yet Meaningful Gift Ideas
Gifts can be meaningful and fun without adding more stuff to the recipient’s life. If this is important to you but you need some inspiration, use this list. Many of these gifts are available online which is perfect for last-minute shoppers. Days of Meaningful, Clever Gift Ideas A one-year membership to Amazon Prime for music,…
Read MoreClever and simple gifts that don’t add clutter
What do you give the person who has everything…..or the person that literally has EVERY-thing?! You may be reluctant to add more stuff to their life but want to express your love or gratitude. Consider gifts that are temporary, for example, consumables or seasonal plants that have a short lifespan (especially at my house…
Read MoreStart Tackling Basement Clutter Without Freaking Out
Homeowners in the Midwest are fortunate to have additional living and storage space in our basements. Basements can also be the most cluttered space in our homes because they are a super convenient area to squirrel away things we are undecided about. But basements have limits, and even though the clutter is hidden, it…
Read MoreTreasure the memories, free yourself from the stuff
It isn’t easy to part with furniture, antiques, collectibles and other inherited family heirlooms. That’s OK unless your sentimentality has maxed out your basement storage or required long-term rental of an off-site storage unit. You would think it would be simple to let these family pieces go when they don’t fit in our space or…
Read MoreOrganize and create a convenient workout space in your home
In addition to hands-on organizing with my clients, my other life-long passion is nutrition and working out. I’m not talking about hardcore, sweat-fest workouts (I don’t like to sweat) but workouts that keep me strong and healthy. My office is also my workout space because I find it more convenient. I don’t have to…
Read MoreTips to make your grocery shopping a more pleasant experience
If you arrive home from the grocery store with bags full of food, but there’s nothing in the bags that will help you put together dinner, perhaps these tips will help you. A trip to the grocery store without a list, AKA winging it, will undoubtedly cost you more time and money. I promise…
Read MoreThings to do before your baby moves in
Organize and prepare your home a few weeks in advance of your baby’s arrival so you’re able to snuggle with your new family member as much as possible. Shop early for essentials — delivery dates are only an estimate. If you’re a mom-to-be in a nesting phase, use it to your advantage instead of wasting…
Read MoreHow to simplify your laundry routine
Laundry … it’s tedious and non-ending and the last thing most of us want to do on a weekend. If it accumulates quickly, change your routine in order to keep up with the piles rather than catching up on weekends. Here are some tips to simplify and streamline laundry: Maybe life has thrown you the…
Read MoreGood reasons for not buying things ahead of time
We all have things in our home that we have purchased for the future. These may be items for a new home, a project, or future children. They were probably on sale or simply caught your eye. It’s OK to think ahead and prepare for the future but sometimes we can get carried away and…
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