Protect the Wood
Organize Paint
While working on those projects around the house this summer, keep the wood stir stick used to stir the paint. Let it dry and with a magic marker write the name of paint and location where it was used. This will be a handy reference in the future.
This client moved into a condo with only a pegboard in the garage. It became the perfect location to organize tools. Shelves and a wall rack found an easy home for all the items that needed storage.
Dress up your entry
Downsizing for the move into a retirement community should be looked on as a treasure hunt. Not a sad time but a time to reclaim the past long forgotten. During a recent project we discovered letters written to a new bride in 1945. Over 50 love letters long forgotten were placed in plastic protector sheets and a treasured binder was created. After loosing her husband during the past year, wonderful memories were brought back to life.
If you know someone in an assisted living community or at home that has hearing difficulties, tell them about this Rocketfish wireless speaker from Best Buy. The speaker sits beside you and it is simple to use. Just turn the dial on the top for volume control. This has been used and enjoyed by our clients.
Phone 323-571-2134
China can still be beautifully displayed even if storage space is limited. In this condo a family heirloom – an antique pie safe – becomes the home for the china.
Recently I was interviewed as an organizing and closet design expert by Jennie Matteucci for an article in HGTV.com. As we start a New Year this is the perfect time to clear the clutter from our past and make room for an organized 2012.
Check out the article links below and if you need help getting organzied around your home, give us a call.
Closet Planning Guide Intro:
http://http://www.hgtvremodels.com/interiors/what-you-should-know-about-closets/index.html
5 Steps To Organizing Your Closet:
http://www.hgtvremodels.com/interiors/5-steps-to-organizing-your-closet/index.html
Creating A Closet That Fits Your Needs:
http://www.hgtvremodels.com/interiors/a-closet-that-fits-your-needs/index.html
Styles of closets:
http://www.hgtvremodels.com/interiors/top-3-styles-of-closets/index.html
Save time this coming year by only having what you want and use. Get It Together LA! can make your home peaceful, clam, and organzied.
Organized Toys in Shelves
Santa is bringing more toys soon, so now is the time to be sure there will be plenty of room. So let’s organized the play room.
When sharing with brothers and sisters set up zones in the room so each child has their own space. In this play room the son has white shelves from The Container Store for his toys and books.
Sister's Toys Have Their Own Home
His sister has green shelves on the other side of the room for her dolls, toys, and library. The play table in the center is where they create crafts and enjoying playtime together.
Let your kids get involved in the editing process. Many times children get excited to know that their toys will be enjoyed by those less fortunate when donating to Goodwill or National Council of Jewish Women in Los Angeles. If the kids are too young, use gentle judgement when the little ones are way and let go of the toys that are not being used. This allows more room for the ones that are special and makes it easier for the kids to play with their favoriates.
And a great final tip for the holidays; Christmas morning ask the kids to let go of one toy to give more room for all the presents under the tree. It is a great way to teach organizing skill to last for years to come!
Make the Entry "Pop" With Color
You may have a valuable property, but do buyers want it upon the first look?
All it takes is chipped paint or an empty porch to give an impression that cannot be improved no matter what is inside.
Keep the outdoor “clutter” away just as you would inside. Touch up areas needing painting and clean furniture. Make use of plants for added “pop of color” and replace old, worn cushions.
If planting beds are overgrown, replace with mulch and easy to maintain ground cover. Have gardens at their peak during beautiful summer months. It does not take much to have your property the most desirable in the area.
This Knoxville – Tennessee River – property is available through Tom Pettitt, Realty Executives, 865-588-3232.
My Father
The following has nothing to do with organizing, except to remind all to share funeral wishes before it’s too late. My dad, Joe McKenry, is now gone and this past week I did his planning for him. It was an honor. For those who were not at our Celebration Service I would like to share my words from Friday…
“We are here to celebrate not morn. Speaking tonight seemed like a good idea while waiting for the “red eye” at 1:30 am at LAX last Sunday morning. Besides the obvious reasons this is difficult, I know mother has great anxiety I might say something inappropriate. After all I am my dad’s son and still mom’s baby even at 51.
I am so thankful for that “royal wedding” in September of 1940 as the princess of one of Knoxville’s prominate Baptist ministers married the soon to be King of Chickens of East Tennessee. I loved the story of how soon after they married they lived in New London Connecticut as dad was in the service. Like many newlyweds money was tight and work was hard. The dishes had been piling up and after a long day of work, mother came home to find dad trying to help. The week’s dishes were soaking in the bathtub. After that they decided she would manage the kitchen.
I remember those snow days, when I was a kid we would all ride our horses in the field beside our home. Or dad would pull all my friends on top of the frozen street in a small row boat behind his old Ford tractor. What fun we had at the football games when we would take the boat to Neyland Stadium. Then there were the holidays when we gathered around the table and enjoyed Mother’s delicious meals. He loved every minute and every bit of mom’s cooking.
When I graduated from college I joined the family business. It was the early 80’s and with Jody and Betsy living next door, all of us working together, I really thought we were the Ewing’s of Knoxville. The only difference was the chicken money was nothing like the oil money on Dallas! Like the Ewing’s we all worked, played, and argued together: and loved each other in our own way.
Dad was a people’s person people person. We would go out to eat, and mom and I would always wonder how long it would take to get to the car? If he did not know someone, that would not stop him. Almost every time he would walk up to a stranger and say “Don’t I know you” and soon he did!
I can remember lunches at Regas. Dad would get so upset if someone was a bit shy and not engage in conversation. There was one person I recall – whose name you would know – that just did not speak. It was dad’s missions to go out of his way each day to engage him and eventually not only did this person speak to us he joined us most days for lunch.
Then there were the 2 most influential men in dad’s life. 60 years ago he spent the day with Billy Graham. To hear that story it was just like dad spent a day in heaven. The other man was, of course, Colonel Sanders. As a kid I was so proud to know my dad knew someone on television. The colonel even came to dinner with I was in the 4th grade. Dad always enjoyed sharing those 2 experiences. Even while trying to recover from his strokes this year at Patricia Neal, those 2 men were often the topic of conversation.
I am going to miss him recounting so many funny experiences. The last I would like to share he told 2 years ago when Maxine, Newton, Jennifer and Stuart visited. At a deacon’s retreat a certain pastor was frustrated that some were suggesting the sermons be just a little shorter. Dad explained to his minister friend in his own home spun way, “Now I love cherry pie, but only a piece at a time. If I eat a whole pie I will get sick!”
Well tonight I think we are going to want more than one piece of pie as we remember the greatest dad, most loving husband, and best friend to so many. What a life we are celebrating. Mother, Betsy, Jody – who left us 2 years ago - and I would like to thank you all for being a special part of dad’s life.”
Thank you to Dick Anderson, Judge Cliff Shirley, Sam Venable, Dick Williams, Chaplin Brad Hood, Dr. William Shields, Tennessee National Guard, Mary Elanor Pickle, and Jennifer Asbury for being a part of this weekend.
