Now that we’re officially in the New Year, many of us have goals and resolutions in place for a better year.  One of the top 5 New Year’s Resolutions is getting organized and the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) has named January “Get Organized Month(SM)”. When you’re more organized you can get things done in a timely manner, find the things you need and generally feel less stressed.  So who wouldn’t want to be more organized? 

Although containers, bins, shelves and baskets won’t make you organized, they can certainly help you to contain all of the important things you need.  Containers will also help you to create the systems you need in your home so that you’ll be more organized, and more importantly, remain organized!  Here are a few organizing products and organizational systems that may help you on the road to organization.

Food dispenser

Wicker storage chest

Jewelry organizer

Laundry sorter - 4 bags

Handbag purse organizer

Wall cubby organizer

So, when do you plan to start decluttering?  Pick one space today, and focus on getting that one space decluttered and organized.   Starting with one space helps to prevent overwhelm.  But if you feel overwhelmed regardless, enlist the help of a friend or hire a professional organizer.  According to NAPO, “Professional organizers can help you deal with everything from your paper to your professional responsibilities and give you parameters on what to keep, what to toss, and where to take action.”

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer, speaker and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007 and is presently the “Ask the Organizer” expert. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops and group presentations. Jacquie is also the author of Take Control of Your Clutter Before it Takes Control of You: 101 Tips to Success.  Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com 

With a little over a week before Christmas day, last minute shoppers will be crowding the shopping malls this weekend trying to find the perfect gift.  Sometimes it’s just easier to save time and shop online.   Even though you may pay a little for shipping, you are less likely to impulse shop as much as when you shop in a physical store, saving you money in the long run.

Many online stores have special shipping deals and guarantee delivery by December 24th if you get your orders in now and select overnight or 2nd day shipping.  However, it’s important to check the store’s policy first before placing your order.  Sometimes a quick phone call or email will get you the answer you need in order to avoid disappointment. 

If shopping at the last minute creates undue stress for you, make a decision today to be more organized next year by planning your holiday shopping earlier!  Here are some gift ideas from Home Storage Warehouse :

All of the above gift items can be found in the following departments at Home Storage Warehouse:

All Occasion Gifts
Jewelry Storage
Men’s Dresser Valets
Cosmetic Organizers
Pet Organizers
Wine Storage

Another option is to purchase gift certificates.  Gift certificates can be shipped quickly and are usually always in stock.

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer, speaker and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007 and is presently the “Ask the Organizer” expert. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops and group presentations. Jacquie also writes a column at the Baltimore Examiner, called Organized Families.  Contact Jacquie by clicking here. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips and learn more about her presentations at www.castawaytheclutter.com

Jewelry boxes can be a special place for young girls to store and organize their jewelry, trinkets and valued possessions.  Many jewelry boxes are adorned with pretty pink ballerina designs that most girls will love. The fact that jewelry boxes are also functional and keeps their jewelry organized is a plus, but it’s not usually why girls love them!

A jewelry box, that is also musical, can be a special gift that any young girl would love.  If she loves ballerinas, there are many ballerina musical jewelry boxes to choose from.  I remember having a musical jewelry box as a child and it was something that I cherished for many years. I loved watching the ballerina spin as the music played. 

If you want to give a gift that your daughter or grand-daughter enjoy for many years to come, consider getting a musical jewelry box.  Click here to learn more about these girls jewelry gift boxes. 

Whether the man in your life wears business attire every day or is strictly business casual, busy mornings are always going to be easier when his clothing is prepared and laid out the night before.  So, wouldn’t it great to set him up with a perfect, easy to use system that organizes and stores his outfit, ready to wear and without the worry of wrinkling?  A valet stand is the answer and will likely be a welcome gift for your father, husband, brother or friend. 

So, what is a valet stand?  According to the dictionary, a valet is a man’s male servant who performs personal services, e.g. taking care of clothing.  This would be nice, but not very realistic in today’s society!  So a valet stand is essentially the “do-it-yourself” version of a real valet. 

Basically, a valet stand is a wonderful organizing tool made to hold a suit, jacket and pants or other personal accessories.  There are also valet chairs which have storage inside the seat, or a drawer beneath the seat.  Some valets even have built-in charging stations for your cell phone, iPod or other mobile electronic device.

Valet stands are usually stand-alone items, so it’s important that you have additional space, ideally near the closet or dressing area. However, if space is an issue, try a folding valet which will fold flat when not in use.  

With Father’s day only a few weeks away, this is the perfect time to purchase this wonderful and practical gift for dad, or another man in your life.  Plus, there are plenty of options to choose from, in many different finishes.  You’ll find a selection of both traditional and modern styles and designs to suit all tastes. Check out the following.

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer, speaker and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops and group presentations. Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com and register for an organizing workshop.

If dad has no particular place to place his keys, change, jewelry or other accessories, he probably spends a lot of time looking for his keys and other items because he can’t remember where he put them. With Father’s day around the corner, this is a great time to find the perfect gift. Consider getting dad a dresser or table top valet. Dresser top valets will hold all of the small bits and pieces that are emptied from pockets at the end of the day.

As most of us know, some dads need all the help they can get when it comes to getting organized! They often mean well and would truly like to be more organized, but simply don’t know how. Instead of nagging, we can provide them with storage that already have built-in systems, especially designed with men in mind.

Dresser valets come in all designs, shapes and sizes and look great too. More importantly, it will guarantee a less stressful exit in the mornings for the men in your life!

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops and group presentations. Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit Visit www.castawaytheclutter.com to learn more about her services, request a speaking engagement, register for an organizing workshop or sign up for her free organizing tips.

Click here to find many more jewelry boxes, chest and organizers at Home Storage Warehouse.

Are you frustrated with your jewelry always in a tangled mess? Like your clothing, your jewelry should be organized and ready to wear at a moment’s notice. If you love to buy jewelry and have a large collection, then it’s even more important that it’s kept organized and tangle-free. Fortunately, there are a lot of options available in the marketplace for organizing your jewelry. There are jewelry organizers for drawers, jewelry organizers for vanities, plus jewelry boxes for men and women, jewelry armoires, jewelry trees, jewelry trays and jewelry bags. There’s truly no excuse for not having organized jewelry!

There are so many benefits to having your earrings, necklaces, bracelets, bangles, watches, rings and chains organized. This is particularly important if you purchase matching sets like I do. I love buying the earrings to match the necklace. It makes dressing so much easier. But it’s no good if I can’t find the set when I’m ready to wear it!

So what jewelry organizers should you choose? There are dozens to choose from, but today I’m going to talk about acrylic jewelry organizers. Acrylic organizers are extremely sturdy and are perfect to store and organize jewelry because you can quickly see what you have. They are attractive enough to be stored on top of your dresser or vanity and can be easily cleaned with soap and water. There’s an acrylic jewelry organizer for any type of jewelry and some combination organizers. A jewerly organizer is also a great gift idea for Mother’s Day. Some acrylic organizers are classically designed and almost look like crystal. Here’s a few Mother’s Day gift ideas to consider.

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops and group presentations. Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com and register for an organizing workshop.