Marla Dee - Clear & Simple

Organize Your Garage

Make room to park your car in the garage!

The garage is the “quick in the moment” dumping ground

for stuff going in and out of the house.

– Marla Dee

Twenty-five percent of people with 2-car garages don’t park in them at all. A third can only park one car, largely due to garage clutter. (U.S. Dept. of Energy study) and 24% of homeowners are embarrassed to leave their garage doors open. (Impulse Research survey).

Use the Clear & Simple Way to clutter clear your garage. You’ll love parking your car there, enjoy having things organized and might even want to show it off!

SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© For Your Garage Guide

SEE IT – Take a look at where you are now. Answer the questions for the whole garage including specific areas such as tool and equipment storage.

What’s working? You can be specific or general.
What do you like (if anything) about the look, feel and function?
Are there things you know you want to change?
What isn’t working? What don’t you like?
Is there stuff that doesn’t belong here, like donations and past time stuff?
Be honest… is your garage a dumping ground because you just don’t know what else to do with the stuff?

MAP IT – Make a written plan for what you want the most for this space. The garage is often the first place we see/enter as we arrive home. It matters.

How do you want your garage to look, feel and function?
Create an online board of images that inspire you.
Create a mind map showing all the elements you want.
What do you want most from your garage? (i.e. to park cars, storage for tools, yard equipment, outdoor gear, etc.)
Allow yourself to think differently about the garage. For example, would you appreciate having the walls finished? Look at pictures for inspiration.
What do you want to add to your garage, like shelves and containers?

DO IT – Take the steps to make it happen. Look on your calendar and set up time for the transformation!

Choose an area to start with. For the garage specifically, we suggest breaking things down into categories and tackling one at a time (i.e. yard tool and equipment, hand and power tools, sports equipment, outdoor gear, decorations, home maintenance items, donations).
Go through the S.T.A.C.K.S.© System for the category (Sort, Toss, Assign, Contain, Keep it up, Simplify). By following S.T.A.C.K.S.© the project will be easier and you will save money. Go to www.clearsimple.com/steps/.
Enjoy shopping for the shelves and containers you want and need.

Once you complete each category, take time to celebrate. We know you will feel a sense of freedom as you move through each one.

SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© For Your Garage Guide

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Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Marla Dee, Kate Fehr, Organize Your Garage, Organize Your Car, Container Store, elfa

Your Guides to a simpler life, Marla Dee & Kate Fehr.

We love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.

Clutter Clear Your Garage

by Marla Dee

Here are 3 simple ways that can be done in under an hour!

Does your garage function how you most want and need?

Is your garage dumping ground for all the things you don’t know what to do with?

What would your ideal garage space look and feel like?

Marla Dee

Can you park your car in your garage? Or is it full of moving boxes that were never unpacked, yard tools and equipment, piles of stuff you planned on selling in a garage sale, flat sports balls and other old toys, bags of clothes that no longer fit anyone, outdoor gear you don’t have time to use, broken household items that you keep asking your partner to fix, and leftovers from home remodeling projects. The list goes on and on. The garage is the “quick in the moment” dumping ground for stuff going in and out of the house. It is scary how fast the clutter builds up and sad how long it stays. We will start the transformation with some clutter clearing.

Clutter clearing can be simpler by starting small. Take a look at the following three options that can be done in less than an hour. This will get you started and keep you from getting lost in the details. Keep in mind we will take you through SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© for the whole garage next. Choose one of the following ideas, schedule the time, turn on music and dive in. Have boxes and bags on hand for what goes elsewhere, donations, trash, and goes to someone else.

01 – HOUR OF POWER

Get together your family team and turn this into a game! Set the timer for an hour, give everyonetrash bags and donation boxes. The idea is to go after the obvious trash and the we are ready to get rid of this stuff. Don’t get lost in a deep sort right now. You might be surprised how much garbage has built up. When the hour is up, reward the winner and congratulate each other.

02 – CLEAR & SWEEP THE FLOOR

The garage tends to get dirty and grungy!. It is amazing how fabulous it feels just to clear and clean the floor. You don’t have to take long or get lost in dealing with stuff. Let it be good enough to just clear away the big areas of the easy stuff, sweep and possibly hose off the floor. You might feel so good that you want to do another small project.

03 – DONATE THE DONATIONS

This can be another easy and surprising way to clear clutter. The garage is a popular place for all the bags and boxes of donations that left the house but piled up here. Sometimes there are years worth just taking up valuable space. Why not schedule an afternoon, gather all the boxes and take them to your favorite donation place. Or you can call and arrange for a pickup.*

When you are done, take some deep breaths and take in how different your garage feels. Celebrate what you have done. It can be fun to take pictures of all the stuff leaving. *Keep in mind that some companies will pick up your donations if you can schedule it ahead of time.

FIND MORE GARAGE FUN HERE

SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© Garage Guide

Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Marla Dee, Kate Fehr, Organize Your Garage

SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© Car Guide

Your Guides, Marla Dee and Kate Fehr.

We love teaching The Clear & Simple Way© to get organized, so you know where to start, what to do, and how to keep it up!

Celebrate Your Kitchen & Pantry

by CS Team

Take time to celebrate the big and little things!

We love everything about our kitchen now! We spend more time there than anywhere else. I’m so glad we took the time to do it right!

B.P.

You deserve to celebrate!

This year of 2020 we are helping you transform all areas of your life and space. This month we have focused on clutter clearing, organizing and beautifying your kitchen! We hope this month has been fun and transformative. If you want all the juicy blogs and more – read here. And remember you can use the one page Kitchen Guide we designed just for you.

Here are some fun ideas for celebrating.

Host a PARTY! Invite your friends, cook a great meal and have a blast.
Share your story – Take pictures and please share them on Social Media. We want to celebrate with you. Use #CSOrganizeKitchen.
Deep Clean – Hire someone to come do a deep clean for you? Oh yes!!
Paint – Get a fresh paint job in a color you love!
Beauty – Add fresh flowers or fruit to the center of your countertop!
Containers – Take your kitchen to the ultimate level by getting the most practical and beautiful containers. Check out some of our favorites below:

Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Organize Your Kitchen, Organize Your Pantry, Container Store, elfa

The elfa System, by The Container Store, is our favorite for the pantry (and other storage areas). You can customize where you want your shelves, add different sizes of drawers, add freestanding units under shelves, and other smart functions. All elfa components are adjustable, so the solution is completely flexible! Note: remember to use the back of the pantry door.

Talk about handy! For use on a cabinet shelf or beneath a sink, these handled storage baskets make it easy to store like items together and then grab them all at one time. They are ideal for storing sauce packets, spices, nuts and snacks, or baking supplies in upper and lower cabinets. The comfortable handle at the front of the basket allows you to pull the basket out to gain full access to the contents.

Remember the inside of your drawers. Rather than throwing all the stuff inside and opening to a distaster every time, pick out containers that work. By choosing the material, color and function that works for your drawers, you will be happy every time you open them. You can have wood, clear, or colored containers. Have fun!

Click here for The Container Store’s full array of drawer organizers.

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Your Guides, Marla Dee and Kate Fehr.

We love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.

Organize Your Pantry

by CS Team

An organized pantry means a happy, healthy family!

Cleaning is my favorite way to relax. I clear things out and get rid of the stuff I don’t need. When the food pantry and the refrigerator are organized, I feel less stressed.

Jennifer Morrison

Take a look inside your pantry just for fun! Can you find what you want and put away the groceries? It seems the food just builds up and before you know it there are years worth of expired food, random stuff shoved onto shelves and no space for the new to come in. Let’s use See it. Map it. Do it. to transform your pantry. When it is organized:

You will spend less money
Eating healthy is easier
Cooking is more enjoyable

Get Your Kitchen Steps GUIDE

SEE IT – Take a look at where you are now. Have each person answer the questions below. When you are done, take time to share with each other.

What’s working? You can be specific or general.
What do you love about the look, feel and function?
Are there things you know you want to change?
What isn’t working? What don’t you like?
Do you have easy access to everything? Are shelves labeled?
Are there things in your pantry that don’t belong there?
Are you storing items besides food, like servings dishes, and appliances?

MAP IT – Make a written plan for what you want. Go after what you really desire. The energy in your pantry contributes to how you eat and how you feel about yourself, your body and your health.

How do you want your pantry to look, feel and function?
Create an online board of images that inspire you.
Create a mind map showing all the elements you want.
Do you to store items such as serving dishes, and small appliances?
Do you have a system for rotating new food purchases and using the older items first, like FIFO (first in, first out)?

DO IT – Take the steps to make it happen. Look on your calendar and set up time for the transformation! You are going to love this.

Choose which area you want to start with. We suggest starting small and building up from there. For example, you could clear out expired food and then do different categories such as canned goods, snacks, etc.
Go through the S.T.A.C.K.S.© System for the area (Sort, Toss, Assign, Contain, Keep it up, Simplify). By following S.T.A.C.K.S.© the project will be easier and you will save money. Go to www.clearsimple.com/systems.
Shop for the shelving and containers you really want and need.

Once you complete each part of the project, take time to celebrate. We are certain you will feel empowered around food choices and enjoy cooking for yourself and loved ones.

Download the Kitchen Steps Guide

Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Organize Your Pantry

Your Guide, Marla Dee.

I love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.

Organize Your Kitchen

by CS Team

An organized kitchen is a happy kitchen!

It’s in the kitchen where the warmth of shared memories,

laughter and life create a recipe that spans generations.

– Yuvraj Kakodiya

The kitchen is the gathering place for family and friends. It is the place we go to nurture our bodies and connections. Because so much lands and happens in the kitchen it can get chaotic quickly. How often have you cleared the kitchen counter only to have it be cluttered up the next day?

SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© is the 3-step organizing system that works for all the areas of your space and life. Let’s use it to transform your kitchen. Remember you can start small with one area and then move to others.

SEE IT – Take a look at where you are now. Have each person answer the questions below for the whole kitchen and then other areas such as the pantry. When you are done, take time to share with each other.

What’s working? You can be specific or general.
What do you love about the look, feel and function?
Are there things you know you want to change?
What isn’t working? What don’t you like?
Is there stuff that doesn’t belong here, like paper piles on the counter?
Are you doing things other than cooking and eating in your kitchen?

MAP IT – Make a written plan for what you want. Go after what you really desire. The kitchen is often a central gathering and connecting place.

How do you want your kitchen to look, feel and function?
Create an online board of images that inspire you.
Create a mind map showing all the elements you want.
Do you prefer completely clear countertops or to have some items out?
What colors would make you happy? What kind of decor?
What do you want to add to your kitchen, like new dishes or containers?

DO IT – Take the steps to make it happen. Look on your calendar and set up time for the transformation!

Choose an area to start with. We suggest starting small and building up from there. For example, you could start with the countertops and junk drawer, then go to other drawers, cupboards, refrigerator and end with the pantry.
Go through the S.T.A.C.K.S.© System for the area (Sort, Toss, Assign, Contain, Keep it up, Simplify). By following S.T.A.C.K.S.© the project will be easier and you will save money. Go to www.clearsimple.com/systems.
Enjoy shopping for the containers you want and need.
Once you complete each area, take time to celebrate. We know you will enjoy cooking and being in your kitchen. How fun would it be to schedule a family date night in your happy space?

Get the Kitchen Steps Guide

Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Organize Your Kitchen

Your Guide, Marla Dee.

I love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.