Archive for March, 2010

Winter wardrobe storage tips courtesy of Garde Robe, the luxury wardrobe storage & valet service.

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

 

Spring is finally here.  It’s time to switch your closets from winter to spring wardrobes.   Proper handling and maintenance of your off-season garments is critical as it can extend the life of certain pieces by several years. Therefore, the wardrobe storage experts at Garde Robe created this introductory summary to help you.

  • Always make sure garments are properly cleaned prior to storing them for an extended period of time.  Even if the garment looks clean, if it has been worn it may have bacteria and or body oils that will damage the fabric if left untreated for several months.  You should always remove your dry cleaner’s clear plastic bags immediately as these bags trap gasses that can cause discoloration and don’t allow the garment to breathe properly.
  • Purchase and use the proper storage supplies.  Acid-free tissue, breathable garment bags and canvas boxes are inexpensive and vital to maintaining a garment’s pristine condition.  Boot trees and toe shapers for footwear and appropriate hangers are also highly recommended.
  • Proper storage conditions and ventilation is essential.  Garments should not be subjected to dust, sunlight, humidity or drastic changes in temperature, so basements and attics are not recommended in most cases.  Proper spacing between garments must also be taken into account – never crowd garments into a small area in the back of the closet because they need to breathe.  Be extra cautious when storing leather and suede as these fabrics can bleed into one another – use acid-free tissue to separate these garments.  Never store furs at home as they must be stored in special cold storage units.  Always use a reputable furrier and have the fur revitalized as needed.
  • Fold all knits with acid-free tissue to avoid creasing the individual fibers and place them in a breathable box with the heaviest ones on the bottom.  Material damaging insects such as moths will be attracted to cashmere and other natural fibers, especially if bacteria are present.  Placing cedar and lavender sachets in the boxes works as a deterrent and is far more pleasant than moth balls.  However, the sachets often contain oils so be cautious to avoid direct contact between the sachets and garments.  Heavily beaded garments should also be folded with tissue and not hung in most cases.
  • Hanging garments require proper hangers and breathable garment bags.  Hanger selection should take into account the type of garment and its weight.  Heavy garments such as winter coats should be stored on strong, padded hangers.  In most cases, pants and slacks should be hung from the hem or cuffs to avoid creasing.  Take advantage of a garment’s support straps or loops to avoid stretching.

Named “Best Secret Service” by New York magazine, Garde Robe is the first and only luxury wardrobe storage and valet service.  Ideal for city residents with extensive clothing and footwear collections and/or inadequate closet space, Garde Robe provides climate-controlled luxury storage for off-season or infrequently worn clothing, shoes and accessories, professional photography and online wardrobe catalogs, complimentary same-day pick up and delivery, luggage-packing and shipping services, and more.

Garde Robe – (212) 255-3163

Posted in clothes/shoes, products/resources, seasonal, storage | Comments Off

Waste not; want not: Recycle your electronics & celebrate Earth Day’s 40th anniversary.

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

According to the E.P.A., electronic waste contributes 70% of the toxins found in landfills, while only contributing 1% of the volume of materials in landfills.  Electronic waste contains many toxic materials including lead, mercury, cadmium, phosphors and flame-retardants. Recycling your electronics waste decreases energy and water use, reduces pollution, and keeps hazardous chemicals out of our air and water.

A recently passed law makes it illegal for New York City residents to dispose of electronic items, starting July 1, 2010. If you have electronics you no longer use or need, you can dispose of them responsibly by participating in an upcoming electronic waste recycling event. These events are co-sponsored by the Lower East Side Ecology Center and Earth Day NY.

What you can recycle (in working or non-working condition):

  • Computers (laptops & desktops, servers, mainframes)
  • Monitors
  • Printers, scanners, fax-machines, copiers
  • Network devices (routers, hubs, modems, etc.)
  • Peripherals (keyboards, mice, cables, etc.)
  • Components (hard drives, CD-ROMs, circuit boards, power supplies, etc.)
  • TVs, VCRs, & DVD Players
  • Audio-visual equipment
  • Cell phones, pagers, PDAs
  • Telecommunication (phones, answering machines, etc.)

PLEASE NOTE: no home appliances (microwaves or refrigerators) or electronics from businesses will be accepted.

LOCATIONS:

Brooklyn:
April 17, 2010 > 10:00am – 4:00pm
Habana Outpost, South Portland Avenue and Fulton Street, Ft. Greene

April 25, 2010 > 10:00am – 4:00pm
PS 29 School Yard, Baltic Street Between Henry and Clinton Streets, Cobble Hill

Manhattan:
March 28, 2010 > 10:00am – 4:00pm
Union Square, 17th Street and Broadway

April 10, 2010 > 10:00am – 4:00pm
Tekserve, 119 W 23rd Street, Chelsea

April 18, 2010 > 10:00am – 4:00pm
Morningside Park, Morningside Avenue between 113th and 114th Streets, Harlem

Queens:
April 11, 2010 > 10:00am – 4:00pm
Travers Park, 78th Street between Northern Blvd & 34th Ave., Jackson Heights

Roosevelt Island:
April 03, 2010 > 10:00am – 4:00pm
Roosevelt Island, Good Shepherd Plaza, 543 Main Street, Roosevelt Island

For more information, please visit the Lower East Side Ecology Center’s website.

Posted in environmentally friendly, reduce/reuse/recycle | Comments Off

Etsy, the handmade marketplace

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

As an organizer, I often advocate reducing the amount of “stuff” we own. As a former craftsperson, however, I know the creativity, fun, joy and beauty to be found in handmade objects crafted with love. Since most people don’t want to live like monks, if you value the handmade you might want to know about Etsy.

According to their website, “Etsy is the world’s most vibrant handmade marketplace. Etsy celebrates individual creativity in design and craftsmanship by connecting unique people, stories and items in a playful and meaningful way. Etsy provides a marketplace for crafters, artists and collectors to sell their handmade creations, vintage goods and crafting supplies…Our mission is to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers…Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice..The Etsy community spans the globe with buyers and sellers coming from more than 150 countries.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Beanie Babies for Baghdad

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

Started in 2003 by then MAJ Jim Barker, Beanies for Baghdad – a civilian organization based in Evansville, Indiana now in its 7th year – acts as a bridge between U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, the children of Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan and people who want to help make the world a better place.

Barker, of Whitewood, South Dakota, was one of thousands of Soldiers in Baghdad when Operation Iraqi Freedom began in 2003. During that tour, Barker frequently interacted with the local population and noticed that he never saw any children with toys of their own.

“On one occasion, I threw a beanie baby named ‘Courage’ that my sister sent me into my bag. That day, we were at an elementary school. I saw a little girl about 4-years old named Sarah, and I called her over,” he recalled.

Barker gave “Courage” to Sarah and her reaction to the gift told him that he wanted to do more. From that simple act of kindness grew a nationwide effort back home to send Beanie Babies and other toys, clothing, toiletries and school supplies to American troops in Iraq so they could distribute them in Baghdad and other communities. Two generous individuals volunteered to publish a web site at their own expense and, on May 4, 2003, Beanies for Baghdad was born.

According to the Beanies for Baghdad website, “Children in general like the same things everywhere. Many of these children have nothing so anything is a big deal to them.” They would appreciate donations of the following:

•    Beanie Babies
•    Stuffed animals
•    School supplies
•    Frisbees
•    Balls
•    Sporting equipment in general
•    Small cars (i.e. Hot Wheels or Matchbox)

Items should be gently used and in good or new condition. No religious materials, please. Pack your contributions in a sturdy box, contact the charity at info@beaniesforbaghdad.com and tell them you have a donation to make. They will send you the addresses of two servicemen in need of beanies, etc. Choose an address, make a label and mail your package. Donors are responsible for shipping costs to the military postal service; military postal service is less expensive than overseas shipping costs. Both the shipping costs and value of the items donated are tax deductible.

Rather than having unused and unneeded items sitting in a drawer or closet somewhere just taking up space, please consider sending them to Beanies for Baghdad and helping U.S. troops and the young children of war torn countries who have suffered so much and have so little happiness in their life.

Posted in donate/charities/thriftshops, reduce/reuse/recycle | Comments Off

“I sometimes go in my closet, shut the door, and sit down on the floor because it’s so amazing!”

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

If there’s anything that makes a Professional Organizer happy, it’s having a happy, thankful client. This client  of mine expressed herself in such a charming, heartfelt way that reading her email about how much she loved her new calm, organized closet more than made my day.

Most women I know love shoes, but shoes can be some of the most difficult items to make easily accessible in a closet, especially if you have a lot of them. To maximize the available space, we used two different types of shoe organizers. One was a floor-to-ceiling wall mounted Elfa system (pictured above) installed on an inside wall of the walk-in closet and the other was a 30-pair over-the-door shoe organizer (pictured left) installed on the inside of the door. These two space saving items allowed my client to neatly and efficiently store several dozen pairs of shoes and have easy access to them.

But  keep in mind that shoe bags aren’t just for shoes anymore. Over-the-door style shoe bags with clear pockets (pictured below) are some of the most creative and versatile organizing containers I know. They’re inexpensive, hold up well to abuse and work almost anywhere you’ve got a wall or a door. The clear pockets let you quickly see what’s inside each one and clean up easily with just a wipe of a damp cloth or sponge. Keep your socks and pantyhose in the pockets and you’ll make getting your feet dressed in the morning a snap! They’re also great for storing rolled belts, scarves and other accessories.

People often complain that they don’t have enough closet space in their homes. The truth really is that most homes aren’t closet poor, they simply have poorly organized closets. By creatively and effectively using all the available closet space you have and the right storage products, you can make getting dressed and out the door in the morning a breeze!

Shoe organizers are available at the Container Store.

Posted in closets, clothes/shoes, clutter, disorganization, products/resources, small spaces | Comments Off

National Organize Your Home Office Day & National Clutter Awareness Week

Friday, March 5th, 2010


Here’s the definition of clutter that I like: Clutter is postponed decision making. Can you relate? I thought so. Certain decisions you avoid making, for one reason or another, create clutter. De-cluttering will be difficult – if not impossible – until you face them and take the necessary action. I sometimes jokingly say to clients that I do organizing, not magic. Believe me, if I had one, I would be happy to wave a magic wand and make everyone’s clutter disappear!

Tuesday, March 9 is National Organize Your Home Office Day and National Clutter Awareness Week is March 15-19. Most of you are probably fully “aware” of your clutter and don’t really need an official National Week to notice it or an official National Day to know that your desk needs organizing. However, they provide a reminder and an opportunity to actually take the time to think about how clutter affects your life – and the lives of those around you – and DO something about it. Doing something about it means learning new habits and behaviors that help you get and stay organized. It also means getting yourself help if you need it.

You need the right plan and the right products to successfully get organized. Asking someone you feel close to to help you is a valid approach and it can be effective IF they are able, willing and have the time and the skills. If no such person exists, a Professional Organizer can provide both and do it quickly, efficiently and discreetly. A good organizer knows what works and – just as importantly – what doesn’t. For these reasons, many people prefer the specialized skills and training that a Professional Organizer has to offer. Just as you would consult a doctor, lawyer, financial planner, auto mechanic, personal trainer, etc., you can feel confident turning to a Professional Organizer for reliable, skilled and confidential help if you’re having trouble getting or staying organized. There’s no substitute for being guided by an expert in the field who will calmly help you without judgment, provide you with motivation and keep you focused and on track.

Posted in clutter, disorganization, home offices | Comments Off