• "The money I spent having Marla sort out and organize my closets came back to me twofold. Not only did I end up with a fantastically coordinated wardrobe and an organized closet that's the envy of all my friends, but the money I got back from consigning several outfits and selling old jewelry more than paid for the service and convenience of having a professional help me do something I couldn't do myself." Frances Anderson/Naples, FL

  Want to buy something new? You'll have to ditch two things before you do. The "Two for One" rule works!
• When shopping, it's always a good idea to bring along a friend whom you can trust to tell you if "your butt looks big." If something doesn't fit in the store, it never will, so don't buy it!
• Have that same trustworthy friend take a few photos of some of the outfits currently hanging in your closet. If you don't like how you look in something, get rid of it!
• Price tags still hanging from the sleeves of clothes in your closet? Give yourself six months to wear 'em or pitch 'em! (Note: consignment stores typically offer more for never-worn clothing w/tags)
• Keep an empty shopping bag in your closet; every time you put something on only to take it off again because you don't like the color, fit or style, put it in the bag to be donated or consigned
• Only a pregnant woman should be seen in public wearing an Empire waist dress
• Avoid buying items that are N.A.P. — "Not Age Appropriate"
• Hang costume jewelry on easy-to-use stick-um hooks inside your medicine cabinet
• "Vintage" is a misnomer for things that are old and out of style. Unless it's original Dior, Chanel, Schiaparelli, Valentino or Pucci or a really fine piece of antique jewelry; don't fool yourself, it's time to clean out the old and start anew
• Tis' better to buy one good item instead of ten "great deals," which you know you won't wear anyway
• Avoid buying the same item in a rainbow of different colors. Variety is the spice of life!
• Your mother was right! You'll save lots of time and frustration in the morning if you layout your clothes the night before
• No room for handbags on the closet shelves? Try stuffing your handbags with tissue paper and hanging them in a decorative manner instead. You'll have lots more shelf space this way
• Keep shoes in tip-top shape by stuffing tissue tightly into the toes of all closed-toe shoes, or better yet, invest in some old fashioned shoe trees — they work!
• Iron your clothes before hanging them back up in the closet
• Whenever possible, hang everything on the same kind of hanger and in the same direction
• If you don't wear something, don't keep it! Simplify your life — donate, sell, consign or pitch!

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• Keep your air conditioning running at all times and check air ducts for debris
• Leave closet doors slightly ajar or even better, leave them open all the way
• Wire hangers are not the culprit! In fact, wire hangers allow clothing to breath, which is a good thing
• The strip of colored foam that comes on some dry cleaning hangers should be removed immediately. Given time, the foam will disintegrate and stain your clothing
• Mold thrives in plastic. Remove clothing from the plastic dry cleaning bags immediately
• Place one or more containers of DampRid® moisture packs in each closet and empty once a week
• Clothes need to breathe. Aim to have one inch of space between each article of clothing; using your hand as a gauge, place one finger between each hanger to create sufficient space in between
• Before hanging something back up, carefully check for spots and stains. Stains left
  unattended for too long will "set" and cause irreversible damage
  

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• Hire a professional organizer to help you organize and prepare your home to be sold!
• Clean-out and straighten-up your closets and storage rooms. When homebuyers see a messy, jam-packed closet, all they can think about is how there won't be enough room for their stuff
• By organizing and tidying-up your closets, you create the illusion that your home has so much space that you can barely fill it
• Hanging all of your clothes on wire hangers will make your closets appear more spacious
• First impressions count! Give the front door a fresh coat of paint
• Plant a row of flowering plants along the pathway leading up to the front door
• Have all of the windows professionally washed and have your carpets cleaned
• Check the ceiling fans and chandeliers - make sure they're clean and dust-free!
• Use potpourri or scented oils to give each room a pleasant aroma — at the end of the day, homebuyers will remember your house as the home that smelled so nice
• Pack up "half" of everything that's cluttering your closets, countertops, pantry, kitchen and garage, etc. After that's done, pack up "half" of the remaining items. You'll be left with a clean canvas that will give prospective homebuyers the chance to imagine how they would live in your home
• The other benefit of packing up "half & half" is that you'll have a head start on preparing to move, which will ultimately save you time, money and aggravation
• Rearrange the furniture to highlight the views and increase traffic flow
• In larger rooms, turn one wall into an accent wall by painting it a different color than the rest
• You want the homebuyer to look at your home and not at the pictures on your refrigerator. Remove recipes, photos and anything personal from the front and sides
• Keep personal photos and memorabilia to a minimum throughout your home. There will be plenty of time to enjoy these things in your new home; now is not the time to be sentimental
• Pack away any controversial photos, artwork, books and personal items. It's a good idea to keep politics, religion and personal affiliations out of the picture altogether
• Pack up as many books as possible. Crowded bookshelves make a room look small, dark and cramped
• Be sure to put away any and all personal papers and correspondence. It's human nature to "sneak a peek" if something is left out
• Empty space on tabletops and countertops is a good thing. If you get the urge to accessorize, make it simple by grouping no more than three items together in one place
• Fresh flowers on the dining room table are a nice touch. Skip the plastic "fresh" floral arrangements
• Bake brownies the morning of an Open House. Homes that smell "just like grandma's" appeal to the inner-most desires of most homebuyers
• On the day your home is being shown, set the stage by turning on all the lights, opening the blinds and playing some soft background music; these little touches will help the prospective homebuyer imagine what it would be like to live in the home

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Improve Your Productivity at Home and Work

By streamlining your home and office work environments, you'll see an immediate improvement in your personal and professional productivity, leaving you more time to get out from behind your desk to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

• "The first time I walked into my home office, I felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off my chest. Sorting through the mail and bills is no longer a chore because I know exactly where everything goes. Plus, with the automated systems Marla set-up, all I have to do is balance my checkbook once a month." Patty Drace/St. Louis, MO & Naples, FL

  Hire a professional organizer to help organize your office space and create easy-to-use systems custom tailored to your individual needs and objectives
• Contrary to popular belief, tackling the "small stuff" first is the easiest way to clear your desk and make way for the bigger projects. This "reverse prioritizing" system really works!
• Purchase an inexpensive label maker. Not only will your files look neat and orderly, but you'll know where everything goes, making it easier to keep track of your papers
• Use clear project folders for each project you're working on. Label each folder with the project name; when the job is complete, you can reuse the folder simply by printing out a new label
• Create a one-page schedule outlining all monthly, quarterly and annual payments (ex: utilities, Internet and insurance, etc.) so you can keep track of what bills get paid and when. This information will come in handy when figuring out your annual budget
• Simplify your life by having as many payments as possible automatically deducted from your checking account. Or better yet, charge everything to one credit card and earn mileage or bonus points; either way, you'll be able to keep track of your paid bills without missing a beat
• Consolidate your credit cards! Rather than playing "musical credit cards," limit use to one or two cards at most
• Save a tree and your sanity, too. If a company has an online catalog, send an e-mail requesting that they unsubscribe you from all future hard-copy mailings
• You need to keep copies of your annual tax returns, but aside from that, if your financial advisor, accountant or broker keeps copies of the back-up statements and transactions, why are you also keeping copies?
• The same applies to bank and utility statements. If you can acquire a copy via the Internet, you don't need to save a hard copy
• Keep copies of all insurance policies (auto, umbrella, homeowners & flood, etc.) in separately marked files for easy access. Make sure to keep these files handy, especially in case of a hurricane
• Create a "To Read" file for magazine articles and other things you know you want to read but don't have the time to catch up on right now. Once you've read the article, either file it or toss it
• Create a "Warranties & Instructions" file for your small and large appliances and attach a copy of the original receipt to each warranty. If something stops working, everything you need (warranty, instructions & bill of sale) will be easy to find
• Rather than scribbling notes on scraps of paper that tend to get misplaced anyway, buy a non-spiral, journal-style notebook to write down your telephone messages, ideas and "Things To Do" lists
• Not sure how long to save back-up paperwork? Click this link IRS Publication 552 and find out how long the IRS has to audit your tax returns.
• Spruce up your work space by treating yourself to a few attractive desk accessories and picture frames, as well as a label maker, new stapler, tape dispenser, pen/pencil holder and some fresh Pendaflex® files and file folders

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Packing for a long or short trip — here's how

The aftermath of 9/11, coupled with the demise of the airline industry, has forever altered the way we travel. But with a little creative planning, you can send some of the most annoying inconveniences of airline travel packing.

• Remember, no matter where you travel in the world, you'll find laundry and dry cleaning facilities
• Limit yourself to three pairs of shoes, one everyday handbag and one evening bag and, depending upon the season, pack either a raincoat or an overcoat
• No matter if you're going away for one, two, three weeks or more, limit what you take to one-week's worth of clothing. With a little imaginative accessorizing, you can wear the same outfit more than once
• Make a chart dividing each day of your trip into two parts: day and night. Then fill-in the blanks with a list detailing exactly what you plan on wearing each day and night (be specific, right down to the undergarments, shoes, jewelry and accessories you'll be wearing with each outfit). Before packing, revisit this list at least twice and decide what to edit and what to add
• To avoid over packing, be sure to pack only those clothes you know you love
• Clothing should be easy to pack, easy to clean and easy to mix & match. Stick to the basics like black, white and tan, and pick one accent color for all of your accessories — pashmima, silk scarf (tie for men), cardigan, evening sandals, costume jewelry, belts and sexy camisole — to add "POP" to your travel wardrobe
• To avoid a pile of unsightly wrinkles upon opening your suitcase, neatly fold clothing in a compact manner and slip inside plastic dry cleaning bags, or separate pieces with tissue paper
• As you pack, take photographs to document the things you're putting in your suitcase. That way, if your luggage is lost or stolen, it will be easy to estimate the value of the contents
• Never pack valuables in checked luggage. The airlines won't take responsibility for loss of or damage to jewelry, artwork, electronics or cameras that were packed in your checked baggage
• Instead of lugging a lot of heavy books on your trip, consider purchasing an electronic book, such as a Kindle™, and downloading your reading material before you depart
• Photocopy your passport and visa, vaccination certificate, airline tickets and itinerary; also take an extra passport-sized photo with you. Keep these items in a safe place; if something is lost or stolen, having copies will speed up the replacement process
• Photocopy your credit and debit cards. Keep in a safe place along with the contact fax and phone numbers. If your cards are lost or stolen, you'll have the information you need readily available
• Lock your suitcases with a TSA-approved lock
• Be sure to update the information on your luggage tags; also pack a copy of your itinerary and extra ID inside your luggage. If your bags are lost, the airlines will have access to your contact information
• Upon returning from a trip, immediately refill any jars and bottles and replenish any missing items in your travel kit; preparing your toiletries in advance will save you time and aggravation when it's time to pack for your next adventure

 

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