Project Recap: Closet Close-Up

Need: Maximize the space in a linen and utility closet and make it accessible for young children

Solution: Install organizing solutions that would utilize the depth of the utility closet and implement streamlined folding techniques in the linen closet. Labels were a necessity!

Method:

1.     Pulled everything out of each closet

2.     Categorized contents

3. Reviewed and edited all categories – discard expired products, stained linens, and items that are no longer used.

4. Identified storage solutions that could be reused (three-tier drawer unit, plastic shoe boxes, bamboo drawer organizers)

5. This household has young children so we needed to take into consideration the products that the children would need access to, like sunscreen, band aids, and towels. These items were put aside for the lower shelving.

6. Installed deep drawers for easy access for the kids while utilizing the depth of the closet. Since this closet contained a lot of products with labels, to cut down on the visual clutter, we chose a drawer with a cloudy façade to subtly conceal the products.

7. We folded linens uniformly and kept the linens stack low for easy retrieval.

8. We chose to print labels on clear tape for a subtle directory.

Pro Tip:  

Utility Closet: Drawer inserts are key when using these drawers. These inserts keep products upright, so your products don’t topple over when you open the drawers.

Linen Closet: We like to stuff a set of bed sheets inside one of the matching pillow cases. Who doesn’t want to open a cute linen package when it’s time to make the bed?

Product Links:

The Container Store: Like-it Modular Drawers

The Container Store: Like-it Modular Drawer Organizers

The Container Store: White Elfa Mesh Drawer

The Container Store: Gray Under Bed Storage Bag

Target: Sterilite Three- Drawer Cart

Linnen Closet Before & Afters

Supply Closet Before & Afters

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Behind the Scenes: Supplies

After every job, we clean out our supply bags because inevitably the bags get trashed during a job. Tidy Nest team members are working so quickly and using a ton of supplies, that by the end of a project our bags are certified disaster zones.

We like to tackle this task like any other project - pull everything out, categorize, toss obvious trash, replenish low supplies, add new supplies.

We absolutely love these Umbra Rectangular Navy Crunch Bins from The Container Store. They hold everything we need, fold up flat when not in use and the blue denim look hides wear and tear. Plus the braided handles gives the bags a little extra flare. All the supplies are contained in Shannon’s favorite Zippered Vinyl & Mesh Pouches.

Some unexpected items in our supply kits include:

• Shoe covers

• Flashlight

• First aid kit

• Goo-gone

• Fanny packs (they’re super helpful and can end up saving you time)

Our Must have items in a supply kit:

• Shannon: post-its, fanny pack, laminator, step-stool, water

• Jared: trash bags, first aid kit, binder clips, Velcro cable ties, folding table

• Taylor: staging signs, sorting cubes, disinfectant wipes,  label maker, tea

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Product Spotlight: Garden Bucket Caddy

Spring organizing doesn’t have to be all indoors. It’s the perfect time to edit your outdoor tools and garden supplies. We were frustrated with this floppy tote - it didn’t stand up, you couldn’t find anything in the center section and the tools kept falling out of the outside pockets. So we ditched it for this more sturdy and practical caddy from Friskars. All you need is an empty 5 gallon bucket with a lid. The canvas caddy attaches snuggly  around the top of the bucket. There are 10 deep compartments of various widths perfect for clippers, scissors, gloves, plant labels and twine. The inside of the bucket houses the larger tools and the super sharp knives and clippers.

Pro tip: Put the top on the bucket and you have a seat for weeding!

Link: Fiskars Garden Bucket Caddy (bucket not included)

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10 Tips for a Tidy Spring

Spring is always a great time for home organizing projects. While Tidy Nest has been busy on-site helping our clients get ready for spring, we wanted to share some easy spring tasks that you can tackle on your own!

Here are our Top 10 Tips to get your home ready for Spring:

1. When switching out your winter clothes, use weather-tight bins to ensure your clothing is protected from moisture, dirt and pests.

2. This is a great time to identify the items you didn’t wear this season and donate or give to someone else who will enjoy them.

3. Add cedar & lavender sachets to your closet and storage bins to get rid of any musty odors. These are easy to DIY, or to find at an Arts & Crafts store or from Amazon.

4. Go through your pantry and discard any expired items and donate any non-perishable items you don’t use.

5. Take everything out of your refrigerator, discard any expired items, wipe everything down and add some baskets or see-through containers to corral loose items like kids’ snacks, fruit or that hot sauce collection.

6. Edit your food container collection, recycle anything that doesn’t have a top!

7. Find your sunscreen from last summer and check the expiration date. If it’s expired, you can actually use it as shaving cream, unless it looks and smells funky...then toss it!

8. Wipe down all your winter boots and shoes and store them in shoe containers to avoid dust and mold. Be sure to add one of your cedar & lavender sachets to keep the shoes smelling fresh. You’ll add years on to your shoes’ lifespan!

9. Pull out all your outdoor garden supplies, wipe everything down and take stock of what you have / don’t have so you’re not overbuying on that first trip to the nursery!

10. Clean out your car! Replace the snow brushes for the picnic blanket, throw away all those old receipts and food wrappers, and remove all the contents from your car console.

From your home, to your garden and your car, you’ll find yourself more inspired by the spaces you’ll be frequenting this Spring!

Happy Organizing!

-Tidy Nest Team

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Project Recap: Art Cart

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BEFORE

Tidy Nest was hired to create a system for the abundance of art supplies in a playroom. Art and office supplies are Shannon’s all time favorite items so she could not have been been more excited to tackle this project (plus it was for her five-year-old niece).

Need: The parents wanted to create a functional system for their children’s growing art supply collection. This system needed to be child-friendly and encourage creativity. There also needed to be a system for the children’s already-created and work-in-progress projects… a typical problem for parents.

Solution: Introduce containment for all supplies using child-friendly organizational products.

Method:

1. Removed all contents and sorted the supplies (yes, even the loose pom poms and jem stones)

2. Edited all supplies - duplicates went into back stock, broken or dried out supplies were discarded

3. Decanted supplies like paint, markers, crayons, etc.

4. Installed organizing solutions - we selected plastic and acrylic containment for easy cleanup (plus they are lightweight). Shannon wanted to introduce some more color to the already colorful playroom so she chose Jade Y-weave baskets from Target.

5. Labeled baskets and shelving for easy clean-up! We went with handwritten chalk labels for the playful look!

6. Collected all art projects both finished and in the works. finished projects were added to a binder with sheet protectors, works-in-progress were corralled in a basket on a bakers rack.

AFTER

Pro Tip: Use Artkive Box or the Artkive App:

Artkive will send you a box that you can fill up with your kids’ art, you send back to Artkive, they'll professionally photograph it and turn it into a stunning, keepsake book. If you have time to photograph the art yourself, just download the Artkive app!

Click to learn more about the Box or the App!

Products (Click The Links Below):

• Target: Jade Y-Weave baskets

• Amazon: 10 Piece No Spill Paint Cups with Colored Lids and 10 Piece Large Round Brush Set with Plastic Handles

• Amazon: Crayola Ultimate Crayon Collection with Caddy

• Amazon: Utility Caddy

• Amazon: Two-Way Paper Organizer

• Amazon: Vertical File Folder Storage

• The Container Store: Smart Tote & Inserts
  

Click through for more project photos

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Getting To Know The Tidy Nest Team

Jared | Co-Founder & Chief Executive Organizer

What’s your favorite space to organize? And what’s the hardest space you’ve ever tackled? My favorite space to organize is a home office. I’ve spent so much of my career working with entrepreneurs whose work spaces looked like they should have been quarantined. In that particular line of work, you have to wear so many different hats and keep track of many different kinds of information; so if you have a disorganized space, you’re creating unnecessary stress and landmines for yourself. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or just working from home, having a welcoming and  organized office space can completely change the way you approach your work and improve your actual health by reducing stress.

The hardest space I’ve ever tackled is definitely a basement storage room which contained about 30 years of family history. From trunks full of photos, files, legal documents, books and trinkets, to furniture, artwork, holiday decorations, sporting equipment, mattresses, boxes of random items from a second home, and old but expensive sound equipment -- just about every item required several steps to edit and the project took weeks. With that said, it was probably the most rewarding job I’ve done as well.

What’s the one item you must have when organizing? A staging table. Most items we’re editing are in drawers, cupboards, shelves, etc… so I find it most helpful to have a big table where we can group those items together and edit the entire collection versus editing piecemeal.

What do you like to do when you’re not organizing? When it’s warm, anything outside. Most other times I’m probably seeing live music.

What’s your go-to song to get motivated? Right now, probably the Allman’s studio version of Jessica.

What’s one tip you have to stay on track during a project? My number one tip is to divide and conquer. If you break down an organizational project by sub-projects and create a to do list in chronological order, you can track your incremental progress in real time. If you’re staring down a project in its entirety, chances are you won’t even start it.