Sunday, December 31, 2017

Holiday Decoration Storage

If you are in the NYC metro area today, you are experiencing freezing temperatures and the remnants of yesterday’s lovely snow. I have my stack of magazines and endless cups of tea standing by to avoid going outside. However, I have had a lazy week so I am getting a jump start on taking down my holiday decorations. I am not much of a decorator, favoring the 'less is more' philosophy so clearing up will be brief.If you are of the other persuasion, ‘more is more,' then putting away decorations could take a few days. However you choose to decorate, the important thing is making sure everything you have is in usable shape and put away carefully. 

While stores like The Container Store have special containers for decoration storage, I have some additional tips that won’t break the bank especially after a busy spending season.

Inspect all of your dishes, ornaments, etc. and look for chips, cracks, and signs of wear. If items can be repaired and still work, then by all means do that. Otherwise it might be time to pare down or replace your decoration inventory. Holiday sales are happening now so it’s a great time to stock up and avoid holiday shopping crowds next year. If everything is in good shape it is important to preserve them for future seasons. For fragile decorations, I suggest wrapping in bubble wrap and storing in Ziploc bags (depending on the size of the item) or sturdy gift boxes. Linens should be washed and can be housed also in Ziploc or cloth bags with some lavender sachets to keep out moths. Dishes and glassware should be stored in zipped quilted cases. Use egg cartons to store fragile ornaments. 

Check out your interior and exterior lights to see if they are working properly. Make sure you replace burnt out or broken bulbs. Once you have determined they are in good order, don’t just toss them in a box only to deal with a tangled mess next year. Instead, save the headaches and carefully wrap the strands around pieces of cardboard. If you have multiple lights for multiple locations, label the cardboard according to use. 

Cover hanging decorations like wreaths, in large trash bags or reusable cloth or nylon laundry bags and hang on hooks in your storage area or mount uncovered on a heavy duty rod so they're off the floor. 

Group like items together to save time and label. 

Now that everything is wrapped or contained, it’s a good idea to house all holiday related items in one bin or designated area. I suggest using clear bins so you can see the contents or use red/green or blue bins to designate the holiday contents. Whichever method you use, make sure you post an inventory on the outside of each box so you can access items easily next year as well return items to their designated home post holidays. 

And finally, one item that seems to puzzle people on how to handle is holiday cards. Some like to hold onto them, others just toss. If you are going to keep them, curate your collection and limit the number you keep; perhaps scan them and then discard the actual card. If you are going to toss, consider recycling or re-purposing. Just note that the St. Jude's Hospital re-purposing program has been discontinued.


Enjoy the last remaining hours of 2017 and have a wonderful and hopefully organized New Year!


 2017. Rosemary Flannery. All Rights Reserved.

Thursday, December 28, 2017

It's That Time of Year

With 2018 around the corner, our thoughts focus on positive changes for the new year. One of the top resolutions is to get organized and many publications are posting their ideas on how to succeed.The kitchen is one area that is easy to tackle if you’re housebound by this cold snap. Here is a post from Apartment Therapy that has influenced me today. While I didn’t get rid of much, I was able to rearrange some things in a more practical manner. 

Need help reaching your organizing goals?  Get in touch as we’re now taking bookings for January. 

Best wishes for a peaceful and healthy New Year!





2017. Rosemary Flannery. All Rights Reserved.

Friday, December 15, 2017

It's Not Too Late!

With Hannukah in progress and Christmas and New Year around the corner, you may start to panic as you realize you have so much to accomplish before the holidays. Know that you are not alone. If you need help, I am still taking bookings to ready your home or office for holiday events. 

And of course don’t forget, personal organizing is a wonderful gift for the people in your life who have too much of everything! Contact me re: gift services. 



2017. Rosemary Flannery. All Rights Reserved.

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Holiday Talk Reprise Postponed until 12/16

Hello from the snowy, NJ Shore. Due to this unexpected weather, we decided to postpone my holiday organizing talk until Sat. Dec 16 at 11:30am at the Hazlet Township Public Library.

Hope to see you all there. In the meantime, stay warm and cozy!



2017. Rosemary Flannery. All Rights Reserved.

Monday, December 4, 2017

Holiday Talk Reprise

The holiday season is in full swing so if you are already starting to panic, stop by my holiday organizing talk at the Hazlet Library (251 Middle Rd, Hazlet, NJ 07730) this Saturday, Dec. 9 at 2pm. After hearing my tips, you will be on the road to Zen.

Hope to see you there.



2017. Rosemary Flannery. All Rights Reserved.

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Holiday Organizing Talk

For those of you who missed my recent talk at the Eastern Branch Library,I will be doing it again - this time at the Hazlet Library (251 Middle Rd, Hazlet, NJ 07730on Saturday, December 9 from 2-2pm.

 Come armed with your decluttering questions as I will be addressing general issues afterwards.

Hope to see you there.

In the meantime, take some deep breaths as you gear up for a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving!


2017. Rosemary Flannery. All Rights Reserved.

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

National Clear Out Your Refrigerator Day

Who knew??


With Thanksgiving a week away, many of you who are cooking may find this article helpful. And for those of us who don’t cook, it is a great reminder to clear out our fridge periodically.






2017. Rosemary Flannery. All Rights Reserved.

Monday, November 13, 2017

Donation Resources

Many thanks to everyone who came to the Eastern Branch Library yesterday to find out how to stay organized through the holidays. Afterward, we had a great exchange of donation resources in the Monmouth County area. If you live locally and are looking for a place to donate items, please check out the updated resources section on my blog.


And don't forget, with the upcoming holiday season, personal organizing time makes a great gift and doesn't take up any room!!



2017. Rosemary Flannery. All Rights Reserved.

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Hope to see you tomorrow


If you can’t make it and need help facing the holiday season, I'm always available in person or via Face Time/Skype.






Saturday, November 4, 2017

Clothing For Good


Yesterday, my cousin asked me where she could donate clothing. I had some local sources but here are some additional recommendations from Apartment Therapy. I hope you will consider these organizations the next time you do a closet clear out.



http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-best-charities-to-donate-your-stuff-after-you-declutter-251488?utm_source=at_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=11042017&recip_id=279162





2017. Rosemary Flannery. All Rights Reserved.



Saturday, September 16, 2017

Change of Season


I am a summer person and wait sooooo long for the season to arrive only to have it fly by like it did this summer! While we still technically have a few more weeks of the season, it seems everyone uses the benchmark of Labor Day and back-to-school as a time to re-assess one's space and get organized. Traditionally, the new year is the time most people associate with clearing out since the weather is cold and generally keeps many people inside. However, I feel decluttering and organizing has no schedule - it is something that is done when one's life situation changes, i.e. moving, personal loss, renovation, etc. or it's time to say ENOUGH!!

As I drive around my area, there are lots of estate and garage sales happening so the owners can get rid of their excess items. Even Apartment Therapy was onboard for organizing with their September Sweep. Each day they offered readers a new, simple challenge to get their space in shape. Recently, they posted  25 Things To Get Rid of This Fall

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/25-things-to-get-rid-of-this-fall-249079?utm_source=at_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=09102017&recip_id=279162


Some of the items I agree with but others, not so much. However, it is a good jump start to clear your path to happiness. What are you doing to clear out and get organized?


2017. Rosemary Flannery. All Rights Reserved.




SAVE THE DATE

Mark your schedules!


On Sunday, November 12, I will be speaking at the Eastern Branch Library in Shrewsbury, NJ at 2pm
http://www.monmouthcountylib.org/index.php/about-us/branches#EB


I will be talking about staying organized for the holidays as well as answering general decluttering questions.

Hope to see you there!!





2017. Rosemary Flannery. All Rights Reserved.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

I'm BAAACK!!

Hello Readers:

I know I have been very quiet this year. I decided to return to my previous life as a freelance producer  - it was an opportunity I just couldn't turn down. Most of the time I was overseeing the redesign of a childrens' network, Sprout. sproutonline.com  that then decided it wanted to age up and become an entirely new network, Universal Kids universalkids.com
Needless to say some weeks were rollercoasters with 24/7 schedules and my brain was just fried.

After I finished the TV gig, I took on something more up my alley. For the last 6 months I have been working steadily consulting on the interior design and experiential aspect for a new seasonal rental business in my hometown, SummerHouse  njsummerhouse.com   We opened in August to catch the rest of the summer tourists and expect to stay open until end of October or maybe longer depending on the temperatures outside!

This project gave me another opportunity to use my design eye for input on colors, space layout, shop for all soft goods, toiletries, and even plant some lavender for a calming environment. My marketing skills were put to work writing web content and leave-behind materials - all adding up to a comfortable user experience.

As many of you know, while not a certified interior designer, I do consult with clients and advise them on ideas to improve their space once it is decluttered or before undertaking a renovation. I love working with GC's to come up with creative ideas that will ultimately add some panache and practicality to my clients' homes. Sometimes another set of eyes can really make a difference!!



2017. Rosemary Flannery. All Rights Reserved.