Home office organization is necessary in order for your mind to feel calm enough to function well in your home office.

“It was a pleasure working with Vicki. The most helpful thing I learned was organizing my home office paperwork. I can quickly file and find anything now. The ‘sticky notes’ and paper piles previously covering my desk have now been eliminated. The information she taught me has been very helpful.” –Linda in Highland, Utah

“Before I worked with Vicki it took me a great deal of time to find what I needed in my office. Now I know where everything is kept. I now have an attractive, organized space where I get many things accomplished. Order in my office has brought me peace and happiness. I’m now in control, not my things in control of me.” —Norma in Provo, Utah

For additional helps, here are some helpful links to pages and posts on my website and blog:

1. Home office productivity includes making sure your to-do list gets done
2. Home office organization should definately include organizing your MOST IMPORTANT papers – your vital documents
3. Home office organization includes organizing your desk
4. Home office organization includes organizing your paper clutter
5. Home office organization includes organizing the papers in your file cabinet

In the podcast, home office organizing,  which I recorded today. I talked you through the important parts of home office organization. Then in my show page blog I gave you some great information about how to fine tune those items I discussed generally in the podcast. Listen and look for even more great information.

Home office organization is key to peace and order in your life. Don’t give up if you have not yet succeeded! Click here to see before and after photos of home office spaces I have organized, click here. Contact me if you have tried and found you need professional organizing help. I organize by-your-side throughout Utah and by phone and transfered photos nationwide. Leave a comment at the top of this post and tell us your favorite home office organization tip!

I have organized enough kitchen pantry storage spaces to consider it one of my specialties. I worked recently with Heidi, a Park City, Utah client in need of some organizing help with her kitchen pantry. She had tried but struggled with space ratio and the pantry categories she needed. After working beside me for an afternoon she came to know that organizing her kitchen pantry storage area was actually easy. Heidi found me by watching the KSL TV segment I did that focused on organizing kitchen spaces. To view that segment, click the arrow on the video below.

Finding solutions to kitchen pantry storage frightens many women. They feel a little overwhelmed by it. I consider a kitchen pantry to be one of the easiest home spaces to put in order because you already have narrowed down your main use for that space – FOOD STORAGE.

To simplify the process for you, I suggest you listen to my podcast numbered 044 titled Organizing your Kitchen Pantry; then use my SPARK formula found here. Please understand that step 1 of my SPARK formula - Sort your items into Categories – is the hardest part. Many people are concerned with having the categories right. For my clients I provide a list of 30 category options and they choose the 10-15 most applicable to THEIR kitchen pantry storage needs. Brainstorm to find those that fit your kitchen pantry storage needs and pick those most applicable.

These photographs were taken AFTER I organized the pantry spaces for some of my clients. As you view them look for:

• the strategies I implimented and
• the containers I used to organize their kitchen pantry storage areas.

“I had a good time with Vicki as we concentrated our efforts on getting my pantry put together in an orderly and logical way. It was helpful to have an objective set of eyes see for me what was obvious, but I had been missing. The finished product is liberating, and inspires me to move to other areas that need the same kind of detailed attention. I love the sense of having power over my things instead of the other way around.”—Leslie in Provo, UT

Listed here are some other articles I’ve written that might interest you:

• Kitchen Pantry Storage – Will it work this time?
• More “able” kitchen pantry storage solutions
• Organize my Freezer
• Organized Food Taste Tests
• KITCHEN Table of Condiments

Organizing your kitchen pantry is a project you can begin and end in a day. Home storage areas like a pantry are easy to maintain through daily maintenance.

IF you find you need one-on-one help to truly understand how to organize any home space, please contact me. If you try and “just don’t get it” I can work alongside you if you live in Utah or with photos and phone conversations if you live outside Utah. Professional organizing help allows you to be sure you fully understand the steps to organize once and for all. This is your day to live a better life. Why not begin with your kitchen pantry storage?

Contact Utah professional organizing expert, Vicki Winterton, by calling 801-623-8411 or email Vicki by clicking here.

Leave a comment at the top of this post if you feel you can add useful information for future visitors. Thanks for stopping by!

All mothers are working mothers. ~Author Unknown

Childrens bedroom storage options is one of the most requested presentation topics I receive as a Utah located professional organizer. Young mothers throughout Utah have hired me to help them figure out how to improve their childrens bedroom storage systems. I am currently working alongside 3 young mothers on their childrens bedroom storage areas. Maria in Springville, Utah needs help with her family’s playroom and childrens bedroom storage areas. Jen in Cedar Hills, Utah needs ideas for her childrens bedroom storage and was even more concerned with her downstairs playroom. Mandi in Sandy, Utah needs help with laundry room workability and her 5 childrens bedroom storage areas.

Jen put it best when I asked her why she had contacted me. She stated that she had invested lots of money in her undergraduate and post graduate education. She was now a mother and homemaker and felt SHE was worth the little bit of money she would now invest (through me) in her current life’s work. I am grateful I get to help Jen, Maria and Mandi set up home systems that simplify their current lives. These systems allow them to free up more of their valuable time in the things they value most.

Today I  recorded show number 042 titled How to Organize your Kids Bedroom Storage. Read through my notes here and then click the link above to listen. My tips will help YOU with your childrens bedroom storage options by spelling out the step by step formula for childrens bedroom storage organization.

I promised my show listeners some favorite product ideas for children’s bedroom storage. I will list one idea for each of a few categories listed below. Please realize that there are many more options. You will need to look at your needs first and then find a product that will help fill those storage needs for your chilren’s bedroom. Storage preferences are very individual.  What works beautifully for one person may not work for another. Consider these product suggestions a starting point:

Childrens Bedroom Storage Toy Console much like is used in a Kindergarten classroom

Childrens Craft Tote = An electricians bag (be sure to remove the shoulder strap)

Childrens Bedroom Storage Hat Rack – Over the door help for caps, shoes and purses

Childrens Bedroom Storage Box4Blox

Lucky you, I have even more tips on organizing your childrens bedroom storage areas. Click this link to take a look.

Of all the rooms in your house your kid’s rooms are the ones that change the most over time.  Remember, your child’s room may be in your house…but IT IS your child’s room. Ask for their input and ideas. They will be much more willing to help maintain the space if THEY contributed to the rooms overall design and set up.

Because this article interested you, these might be just what you are looking for:

• Organizing Closets
• Summer Programs for your Kids
• Organizing a Blended Family

If you need help organizing childrens bedroom storage or any other home storage area, call me for a free 20 minute phone analysis at 801-623-8411. I service the Salt Lake and Utah Valley areas of Utah and anywhere in the nation virtually. Our rates are reasonable because we believe we win when you feel you have received a good value.

For garden enthusiasts, garden tool storage is very exciting. Whether an enthusiast or not, keeping your garden tool storage neat and organized allows you to more easily get the curb appeal you want.  Your yard and garden areas are a great asset to the overall look of your home. Even apartment dwellers can grow a flower garden or vegetable garden by planting a window box or patio box.

As an organizing expert, I was recently invited back by KSL TV to help their viewers understand how to organize their garden tools by introducing my garden tool storage formula and favorite garden tool storage containers. I used my 4M organizing formula to move viewers through the process of organizing their garden tool storage spaces and products. A brief synopsis of that formula is listed here:

Minimize by deleting your broken tools and those you no longer need or use.

Measure (take stock of) what tools you have & decide on an area to store your gardening tools.

Maximize the storage space by defining tool categories, then contain tools in garden tool storage products.

Maintain your garden tool storage space by labeling and retaining.

I promised the KSL TV viewers a few lists and links.  Click on the green links below to find the garden tool storage information you want:

Vicki’s Garden Tool Storage Categories List

Vicki’s Garden Tool Storage Check-out List

Vicki’s Favorite Garden Tool Storage Products and Buying Links

Once you have organized your tools and garden tool storage spaces you are ready for this years planting season. Organizing your garden tool storage so your tools are ready when you need them is worth your while. Prepare your tools and garden tool storage areas now and enjoy the “fruits” of your labors for seasons to come. Organizing your home spaces saves you time and money. Now that’s something to plant, cultivate and nurture!

To view our family’s favorite garden tools, click here.

To listen to my online talk show Organize your Spring Yard Care (show #34) click here.

Because I have years of experience organizing home spaces of all varieties I know that organizing your garden tool storage and other home spaces saves you valuable time and money.  I offer you a FREE 20 minute phone analysis for you to decide if I might help you. Contact me by clicking here.

Thanks to a donation by LOWES (a $50 gift card) AND Tools Away (a $30 wall organizing system), a random drawing took place on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 3:45 p.m. and the following names were drawn out of a hat…so to speak: Nikki & Sheila who both left comments here on this blog. Congratulations you two! Check back often for more great give aways.

To view my 7 minute video on Studio 5 click here.

The key to spring cleaning is to declutter first, organize what you decide to keep, and only then begin your spring cleaning projects. Here are my four steps to success as you start the spring cleaning process:

1. Divide the Clearing Out and the Cleaning Up into two entirely different projects as you begin.

To begin the spring cleaning process round up a pen and notebook. Walk through your home and make a list of 3 spaces that need your attention as you begin the spring cleaning. Of those 3, begin in the room where you spend the most time. That room will give you the greatest satisfaction. Decluttering is ALWAYS the first step. Why deep clean things you will not end up keeping? Round up 3 large labeled boxes or bags, Label them 1) Give away, 2) Put away, 3) Throw away. When you run across things you are not sure about, ask yourself these two questions: “Do I truly love this?” and “Is this item useful to me in my current life?”

2. Organize What’s Left before you begin your spring cleaning. Purging is the 1st part of my formula. Organizing what’s left is the other half. There are 3 key elements in maintaining your newly organized spaces:

■ Store your kept items where they will be used.

■ Label the container and/or the space so others know where to return the used items.

■ Adopt the something in/something out philosophy.

3. Now you can begin spring cleaning once the purging and organizing are completed. Professional organizers are not professional housecleaners; none-the-less I have learned some cleaning tricks in my years of working side by side with my clients. Here are a few spring cleaning suggestions:

■ Use the North to South approach or you will sabotage your efforts. Start at the top and work down to the floor.

■ Schedule blocks of time to clean and then be sure you honor those appointments with yourself.

■ Get others involved in the project. At my home we understand the “If you live here, you work here” philosophy. Those large projects become very doable when others join in and help.

4. I have made a list of some of my favorite spring cleaning products. Click here to view my spring cleaning recommended products.

Decluttering, organizing AND spring cleaning,  are about being aware of your surroundings. Because you lead a complicated and pressure filled life, clutter and grime build up. Grab a notebook today and begin your week of decluttering. It will make your spring cleaning a breeze. When our surroundings are organized and newly cleaned, your life feels at peace. Now isn’t that’s refreshing?

To listen to my online podcast dealing with this topic, click here and look for show number 035 titled Organize your Spring Cleaning.

To view my 6 minute Spring Cleaning Video, click here.

Do you know what to do in the early spring to prepare your spring landscape for the upcoming seasons? This week I invited my hubby Gary to be a guest expert on my online organizing show. He taught  about preparing your trees, lawn and planting beds in relation to spring landscaping plans. I invited Gary because he is a self taught spring landscape groomer and does such a good job with our yard that I knew he had some great information  to share with my listeners. Below I have posted some photos and links of the spring landscape and general yard care products he mentioned. I also included some spring landscape or yard-care tools he uses but didn’t have time to mention on the show. I will post his spring landscape top yard-care tools and tips under the 3 categories he suggested.

1. Spring landscape products for your Trees:

Fiskars 12′ Low Prof Tree Pruner

Fiskars EZ Reach Stik Tree Pruner

2. Gary mentioned that you organize your spring landscape preparations for your Lawn by doing the following in the order listed:

• Aerate
• Weed Control/Fertilizer combo
• Pest Control

One of Gary’s favorite lawn care tools is the Sthil BG 55 Handheld Blower

3. Spring landscape tips for your Planter Beds:

Ames True Temper 8″ Poly Shrub Rake for leaf removal in shrubs

Corona 6″ ByPass Pruner for pruning up to 1″ stems on bushes and flowers

Planning for and organizing your spring landscape care  is well worth the effort invested. Gary starts early with his spring landscape plans, usually the very first of March, and our yard is evidence of his tender spring landscape care-giving year after year. Thanks honey. I appreciate you!

If you would like to listen to Gary’s tips, click here and look for show number 034 titled Organize your Spring Yard Care.

To view my TV segment Organize your Garden Tools click here.

Organize your Vital Records

In a nutshell, your most important papers are called vital records. Organizing important papers is essential and your vital records need to be easily assessable for them to be any good to you. Vital Records are papers with information that is crucial about you, your family, your home, your finances, your health, and your history. (Think: marriage certificates, social security cards, military discharge papers, life insurance policies, etc.) Most of us have had occasion to need specific information and documents at a moment’s notice. Maybe you’ve already thought about gathering your vital records together, but have never gotten around to it. Or, maybe you’ve tried to gather and organize your most important papers, but have gotten stuck. Some of the “roadblocks” to accomplishing this task are:

•we don’t know where to start or what to look for

•we’re not sure what needs to be kept

•the prospect of collecting all the data is overwhelming OR

•there is just too much paper to go through

Well, now is the time to begin Organizing your Vital Records with my 3 Step ACT formula:

First, ASSESS by taking a look at where you are and asking yourself:

1. Why haven’t I done this before?

2. Why do I need to get going on this project?

3. Where am I stuck and why?

4. What is the most important 1st thing I can do today to get all my vital documents in place?

You may recognize some emotional and accountability issues as you begin gathering these important papers—but don’t let them discourage you.

Next, CREATE  – Decide on a planning strategy. To begin the planning stage, I typically begin with six general document categories, then we sub-categorize those according to the needs of my client. Once you have decided on a plan, calendar the task. Begin with a beginning and completion date. Be realistic about the time you will need to invest in organizing your vital records. I would suggest you plan anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months to complete this organizing task. Be sure to work on gathering the needed information each week. Consider options for storage of your vital records by making sure your items are secured.

Step 3 in my organizing formula is TACKLE. This is the step most people actually associate with the project: digging in to the paper, sorting, categorizing, etc.

Your vital records can be housed on-site or off-site. Choose a container that will protect them from damage. For me this includes archival plastic sheets and a waterproof, fireproof portable safe. The labeling is critical! You also need to decide on a location for final storage of these important papers. Some considerations include: a home safe, off-site storage, a safety deposit box, etc.

As circumstances change, so will some of your vital documents (examples: durable financial power of attorney, health care power of attorney, or living will). It’s a great idea to review your important documents ‘collection’ yearly. Be sure to let someone you trust know WHERE these important papers are kept, then review them together.

Often, we are left to deal with emergencies without the necessary knowledge and paperwork to make decisions and move forward. In times of tragedy, we find ourselves with mountains of important papers instead of being able to take the necessary time to reflect and mourn. Organizing your vital records is a MOST IMPORTANT organizing project. I am sure that the time and money you invest NOW in completing this project will offer you the security and calm of knowing where ALL your important papers are located. You don’t want to worry about retrieval of these important documents at a time when your emotions run high.

Peace of mind is worth a little time NOW, isn’t it? If you need my experience and help in Organizing YOUR Important Papers, please contact me. This project is one you want to make sure is done correctly.

Available for purchase in September 2010, my VITAL RECORDS ORGANIZER which can be purchased in the WIN store online. For further information listen now to my online show, The Organized Woman Show. Show number 031 deals with this very topic.

I was hired last year by a Doctor who lives in the Provo / Orem area of Utah and knew he needed professional  help with garage organizing. He realized that clutter is a stress creator and the condition of his garage was affecting the quality of his life. At our first meeting I asked him what pushed him to call me and he said, “I feel real frustration when I drive into my garage every day.” He realized that letting go of the excess and organizing what was left would allow him to feel more positive about his daily return home.

Because the garage is one of a few home spaces where we place our “I might need this someday” stuff, garage organizing is quite simple. When I work with clients I bring with me a list of all the possible garage organizing categories and we start sorting their items into categories purging and deleting as we go. You can organize your garage by looking at your gathered items and decide on these main categories.

Realize, that when I refer to your garage, anything that I share with you can be applied to any home storage area including your attic, basement or outdoor shed. To hear my online talk show dealing with garage organizing AND to learn my SPARK formula for organizing ANY home storage area, visit www.TheOrganizedWomanShow.com. In that show I promise you some photos of a few of my favorite garage organization products. I am always good on my promises. Here you go:

Schulte’s freedomrail line makes a complete garage storage solution.

Ceiling Shelves for storage of Yard Furniture or Holiday Decor. (pulley driven baskets to raise and lower ceiling stored items)

Tool Rack – to get tools off the garage floor.

Sporting Goods – For winter ski’s & tennis rackets – Two 1” dowel pieces cut 12 to 24” long and then anchored to a 2 X 4 wood piece and attached to the garage wall.   You slide your skis in with the curved tips out and the tennis racket with the webbed net up.  For Bicycles:  2 bike gravity stand $70    Bike Hoist Pulley System    $25    LOW BUDET:  2 Large ceiling Cup Hooks per bike

Through garage organizing you can turn your garage into the garage of your dreams. Realize that even your home storage areas require monthly and yearly upkeep. I recommend to my clients that they get the whole family involved and plan to spend 3 hours yearly doing a purge and clean. Who knows, after YOUR garage organizing session, you may even be able to easily get your car inside. Now, wouldn’t that be delightful?

If you are tired of your garage disorder and would like some professional organizing help, contact us today for help with your garage organizing. We offer a FREE 20 minute phone analysis.

Home Organizing Workshops

Join Vicki for any or all of the 3 classes she will be teaching during the month of January 2010 in conjunction with National Get Organized Month. The class information is listed below. If you have any questions about the Utah professional orgainzer, Vicki Winterton, and her organizing classes please contact us.

“I just wanted to say thank you for your time in teaching me about time management. As you promised, the “Action File” has changed my life. I’m able to stay on top of the paper mess that comes into my home. I knew the importance of daily maintenance prior to your class (I only learned this in the last year!), but you’ve taught me how to perform daily maintenance on the paper mess, not just tidying the house. Wow! What a great thing!” –Diane, 2009 UVUcommunity education class

For many years, I stored my own Christmas decorations in any one of  the 14 holiday boxes lining my garage shelves.  I often felt overwhelmed at the prospect of getting all those Christmas Storage boxes emptied before Christmas and restocked after the holidays. Then I developed a better system that now makes holiday decorating and take-down much simpler. My Christmas storage has become manageable.

I was an invited guest writer for my local newspaper, The Daily Herald, last year and wrote a full article containing my formula for boxing up ANY holiday.  Click here to read the full details of the article dated 12/2008 and titled, Packing up the Holidays OR listen to my online talk show number 024 titled Christmas Storage by clicking this link.

You can do this…It takes just a little longer as you pack up your holiday decor, but saves you lots of stress and time each year from here on in. Organizing your Christmas storage is worth your time and effort this year…YOU CAN DO THIS!

Please leave a comment sharing a tip on how you have simplified your holiday storage. We love to hear from you!