The New Year. What does that mean to you? At Good Order, we find it to be a chance for a fresh start–a chance to hit the reset button, set goals, put forth an intention for the year ahead, hibernate and regroup after the holiday chaos, and, last but not least, it means a chance to get ORGANIZED.
As we’ve grown our business, we’ve found that January, February and March are our busiest months as it seems that people are at their most motivated during that period between New Year’s Day and “spring cleaning”. (Obviously, we help folks throughout the year but there sure seems to be a peak in the late winter and early spring.)
A few years ago, Nicki and I teamed up and have slowly built this fun little business in Downers Grove, Illinois. To say it’s a dream come true is an understatement. We love what we do and we have so much fun doing it. For us, sitting in someone’s closet folding t-shirts and giggling is one of the most fun things to do.
We are two busy moms on the go (Nicki has two boys who are in the 2nd and 4th grades, and I have a 3rd-grade boy and a girl in Kindergarten) and we find that being organized just helps things run smoothly.
Below are a few hacks we have found to help the rookies to the veterans (and everyone between) to stay organized:
~ Keep your counter free from clutter! We believe in this idea so much we actually think it helps set a more calm tone for your entire home.
~Implement a kid-friendly system for all of their stuff: (sports gear, school paperwork, backpacks, lunch boxes, etc.) No system is wrong. Actually, the simpler, the better. The goal is to have a place for all the kid stuff and an easy system which also helps keep the kids accountable. (That’s not to say that even my kids always follow our system–the crap dropped in my own front hall is a testament to that, but I digress.)
~Toy organization can be managed with baskets and bins: See the product link below about our love for all baskets and bins. They look nice and make clean up time a breeze. My basket next to my piano that holds all of our Magna-Tiles has been a real game-changer.
~The laundry solution: Nicki and I are freaks of nature and actually enjoy doing laundry but that’s mostly because we don’t let it pile up and get out of control. Our laundry rooms are our happy place; we put our detergent in glass jars, Nicki is about to add wallpaper to hers, and I have my great-grandmother’s old sewing machine in mine and use it like a folding table.
~ Clothing Tip: Put a bin in each closet for items that are too small, pretty worn or simply not being used anymore. When the bin is full, donate the items.
~Practical Pantry Organization: Put food items like flour, pasta, and nuts in airtight containers. Snacks like granola bars can go in wired baskets or something similar.
Below are some products that we swear by, many we personally use and frequently recommend to our clients.
- velvet hangers – Double bonus-these not only save space but they also look so pretty. We have found them to be cheapest in bulk on Amazon, I have switched over to black ones throughout my home. (Except for my daughter’s room, she has pink velvet ones because why the heck not?)
- oxo bins – These are the bins I use in my pantry.
- boon art organizer – Our friend gets the credit here. She runs art classes out of her home and, when Nicki and I had our kids attend her classes, we were both obsessed. My daughter is into all the crafts these days and this little organizer helps keep all her things tidy. She pulls it out frequently and takes it over to our dining room table and turns into a little Georgia O’Keefe.
- baskets or bins – Any basket or bin will do. We really have never met one we didn’t like. Homegoods is one of our favorite spots to shop for them. Good selection (usually) and good prices too.
- elfa gift wrap station – So, neither of us own this but I hope to have a craft room in my house in my next life. I love wrapping presents but, between the paper, ribbon, and boxes, it can all take up some space. People swear by this product. For now, I just keep my gift wrap in plastic bins in my linen closet and that works too.
- jewelry organizers – Nicki has the most amazing master closet ever, complete with built-in drawers for jewelry storage. I swoon. There are so many great jewelry storage options out there to help keep it all organized. I find, if you don’t organize it, you end up with a lump of tangled necklaces and forget about some of the cool a&* sh*% you have collected over the years.
- file boxes for an office – Papers. Papers. Papers. Am I right? We helped a client organize her office a few months back and recommended these beautiful file boxes for her. We love them.
Good Order is a full-service home organization company. They can organize any area in your home–closets, pantries, offices, bedrooms, playrooms, and more.
Nicki and Emily are neighbors and friends who have a passion for organization. They love to live light and truly believe that less is more. As two busy moms on the go, they find that an organized home is the key to living stress-free (or at least as much as possible).
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