Come see me Saturday, February 26 at Finders Keepers Furnishings

Join me this Saturday morning, February 26th at 9:30 a.m. as I wrap up the Finders Keepers free "Get Organized" lecture series.  This two month series has featured several members of the National Association of Professional Organizers, Georgia Chapter.

Saturday's presentation entitled "Making Room for Purpose and Passion" covers ways to make room, literally and figuratively, for more fun, creativity, purpose and passion in your life.  We will discuss everything from cutting clutter to dumping toxic relationships to reclaiming what YOU want more of in your space and in your day-to-day life. 

This workshop will begin at 9:30 a.m. sharp (we organizers like to respect your time) at Finders Keepers Furnishings.  Seats are first come, first serve, and there is also plenty of standing room available for overflow.  When I spoke in January we had a standing-room-only crowd! 

For questions, please call Finders Keepers at (404) 377-1944 or go to http://www.fkconsign.com/Finders-Keepers-Furnishings.html

I hope to see you there!!

Closet Switch-a-Roo Time

If you saw my tiny closets, you would understand why I have to keep a whole season's worth of my clothes in the attic. Each fall when the temperature drops, I haul down three or four plastic bins of sassy sweaters and warm wools. I love pulling out what feels like a whole new wardrobe after not seeing it for six months.

Part of this ritual also involves me trying on most of the "new" fall/winter clothes to make sure they still fit and to see which pieces continue to earn the right to live in the prime real estate of my closet. To make the grade, the piece has to fit well, be comfy, and make me feel pretty. Along the way, if I realize that I need a something to complete an outfit, I write it on a list that stays in my purse. Yes, it's a time consuming process, but worth the effort and I only have to do it twice a year.

Those clothes that don't make the grade end up either being thrown away, donated, or resold at Finders Keepers consignment shop. The way I look at it, if a piece isn't working for me, I may as well put it back into circulation and make more room in my closet.

If you are an organizing client of mine and I've set up your Finders Keepers account for you, this is your reminder that Finders Keepers is now accepting fall clothing consignments. Drop offs are limited to 30 items and must be on hangers unless you are a donate. Donates may drop off 50 items. Here are the guidelines for what not to bring:

• Knock off purses
• Double breasted or big boxy blazers
• Pleated, tapered, or stirrup pants
• Too-light wash denim
• Big oversize sweaters
• Too worn or pilly sweaters
• Denim or corduroy jumpers
• Turtlenecks with embroidered necks
• Outdated or colored leather
• Altered clothing
• Anything with big shoulder pads

Now that I've taken all of my consignments in, I know that everything in my closet fits. Now if only this freakishly warm Atlanta weather would cool off, I could start wearing some of these clothes.

If you or someone you know needs help organizing closets this season, give me a call!

There's Money Hidden in Your Closet

We've all got them. Those items of clothing that hang in our closets but never get worn. The reasons we don't wear these space-stealers are varied....maybe the jeans are too snug, the jacket fits weird, the sweater is scratchy, the color makes us look like death. So why do we let these clothes take up valuable real estate in our closets even though they never see the light of day? Maybe it's because they used to fit but, after weight fluctuations, not so much now. Maybe some were gifts or bought during an impulsive buying frenzy.

Regardless, I have a suggestion that will put cash in your pocket and free up room for the clothes you do love and wear. Consignment stores! As many of my hands-on organizing clients know, I'm a huge fan of consignment stores, and my favorite local shop is Finders Keepers in Avondale Estates, GA. One of the services I offer to my Organizing Makeover clients is to sign them up with an account at Finders Keepers so that they can offload those clothes and household items that they no longer use or love. The store generally accepts those clothing items that are in style and in great shape. Please be aware that Finders Keepers has really stringent quality standards, so "great" means "like new."

Right now, Finders Keepers is accepting spring consignments. Shoes and handbags are great sellers, and they sell every designer handbag they get. To find out more about their sign-up schedule for new consigners, store policies, and payback percentages, give them a call at (404) 296-0285 or go to their web site.

Just try not to come home with more than you drop off!!