What's In Your Closet?

Thursday, April 22nd 2010 @ 12:57 PM    post viewed 169 times

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Closets full? Dreading cleaning them out? Don’t know where to start? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

First of all…you must purge.

Considering what most closets look like…you probably have too many clothes…period.

So decide which clothes

(a) Still fit

(b) Are in style

(c) Are in season.

Ask yourself:

• When you wore or used it last?
• When will you wear or use it again?
• Who could use this if you gave it away? 

Find a charity you like and start donating your excesses. Others not only want your discards, but many may need them.

Steps in sorting:

• Discard….things that have no further use. There will not be many.
• Donate/recycle…clothes, shoes, hats, etc. suitable to give to a friend, donate to charity or take to a consignment store. Do not save clothes that you have had for years that don’t fit. When you lose the weight…you deserve new clothes.
• Keep/use…these items are then placed where they can be seen & used.
  • In the closet you dress from daily, separate the pants, skirts, shirts, blouses, etc. This will make it easier to get dressed without frustration.
  • Do not store furs, suede or leather in plastic. These items need to “breathe” and should be placed in cloth coverings or cloth bags. Old pillowcases work well here. Simply, cut an opening in the closed end and slip it over the hanger.
  • Do not store shoes in plastic shoeboxes. Ventilation is key here. Use the box they came in or buy cardboard boxes. Video/Photo boxes may work here.
  • Use plastic hangers for blouses, shirts, jackets, etc. Wire hangers are not kind to the shoulders of clothes and allow too many clothes to be crammed into a smaller space. They are “wrinkle magnets”.
  • Use clip hangers for pants, skirts, shorts, etc. They take up less space in the closet and eliminate creases in pant legs. I don’t recommend hangers that hold several articles of clothing. They allow too many clothes to be packed into a smaller place, again causing wrinkles.
  • Hatboxes, of various sizes, can be used to store out of season purses or shoes and can also serve as decorative items in the bedroom or on a closet shelf.
  • Belt & tie racks are good. Just keep them simple and easily accessible.
  • Purge regularly getting rid of articles you don’t wear or use.
  • Special occasion wear (fancy dresses, jackets, tuxedos, etc) should be stored away from your “active” use closet.
  • Storing seasonal clothing in another closet or in containers on a shelf, will allow more active closet space and make it easier to find what you need…with less wrinkles and less stress.

Maintenance tips:

Once your closet is looking good, you will need a maintenance plan. It won’t stay that way without your continuing attention.

• Buy new clothing, etc. on a replacement basis only. One item in…one item out!
• Don’t buy it just because it is on sale, if you don’t NEED it. Ask yourself, “Would I have paid full price for this?” Then, if you really want/need the item…follow step 1. above…one in & one out!
• Purge your closet regularly. Doing it when the seasons change is easy to remember. Get rid of the items you find you have not been wearing.
• Remember someone else can use your discards. Knowing it is going to a good cause helps in purging. If you have trouble deciding what to keep, ask a friend to help you decide. This should be a friend who is up to date on fashion and will not allow you to keep something that is out of style just because you paid a lot of money for it!

Now go see what’s lurking in your closets!

 

© Ann Gambrell 2010

Ann Gambrell, of Creative Time-Plus, is an Organizational Consultant. She is a founder of the National Association Of Professional Organizers, working with clients desiring more time and peace in their lives since 1985. Ann has been teaching organizing classes to the public for over 20 years and facilitates Clutter Support Groups in the South Bay area. You may contact her at gambrellann@aol.com to receive her free monthly organizing Ezine: Tips, Inc.

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Is There A Medical Record Keeper In The House?

Saturday, April 10th 2010 @ 11:30 AM    post viewed 162 times

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Is There A Medical Record Keeper In The House? by Ann Gambrell 

It will soon be back to school time and a good time for getting the family medical records and health insurance paperwork in shape. If you had trouble locating your child's immunization records for school last year, or can't find the insurance benefits booklet, take a deep breath, relax and read on.

There are two main areas of medical record keeping:

1. Personal Medical Records and Medical Insurance Information Articles on health & medical problems or treatments, clipped from magazines or picked up at your local pharmacy, which should not to be kept in these files. File them under Health Information. Rather than clipping and filing articles, I recommend buying a good family medical handbook at a bookstore. It makes for easy reference and eliminates clipping and updating clipped articles in that file folder or worse yet...stuffed in a drawer with all the other clippings including recipes, travel ideas, restaurants, etc.
2. Next, the Medical Insurance Information section of your files should contain your family’s medical, dental and vision insurance policies and the accompanying claim forms, benefits booklets, physicians directory, etc. Settled claims are filed here in a separate folder for one year, and then placed into inactive storage boxes. Active claims and paperwork can be filed in a separate category entitled Financial, until settled. 

When updated information is received from your insurance company regarding new benefits and coverage, be sure to discard the outdated booklets. Keep a separate file folder for each insurance company and their paperwork.

The second category of record keeping is Personal Medical Records where file folders, labeled with the first name of each family member, contain their personal medical data. Information includes records of immunizations, physical exams, lab results, pap smears, mammograms, dental records, allergies, etc., for future reference. If anyone in the family takes a number of medications...make a list and have photocopies available for medical or hospital visits. It helps to make the “updated medical information” portion of your medical appointment go easier and smoother. The information will be easily accessible and could prove to be very helpful. You might also consider giving a list to your dentist, gynecologist and others who did not order these prescriptions. Their treatment may differ after having this information.

Birth, death and adoption certificates should be kept in a separate folder labeled Special Records.... or you may choose to keep the original copies in a bank safe deposit box.

Oh, and don't forget a file for your household pets, which could include immunizations & other veterinary records, animal licensing paperwork, boarding or pet sitter information and any other record keeping.

© Ann Gambrell

Editor's Note:  Ann Gambrell is an organizational consultant and speaker available to inform and entertain audiences.  She facilitates weekday and Saturday Clutter Support Groups and teaches organizing classes through the Torrance Adult School. To learn more, phone Ann at 310-212-0917 or request her for FREE monthly email tips email gambrellann@aol.com.  You will be glad you did!

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