For Mother’s Day, what do you give to the mom who appears to have it all?  What do you give to the picky mom?  What do you give to the mom with a lot of clutter? 

Mother’s Day is a day to say thank you to a special mom, but sometimes it’s hard to know what to buy.  A trip to the salon to have her hair or nails done is nice, but maybe she already visits the salon regularly.  

Giving a gift certificate to a store that carries a wide range of goods is a great way to let her decide what she needs, or would like to have. Even if the mom doesn’t have a lot of clutter, almost everyone can improve organization in at least one area of their home, so think about a gift certificate to an organization product store like Home Storage Warehouse.  Home Storage Warehouse offers organizing products for every room in the home that meets the needs of most households.  The mom can then shop when she is ready and find something that she will truly love or need, instead of accepting a gift that could otherwise end up as clutter.

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 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 get a free organizing goals worksheet when you sign up for her organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com

One of the top frustrations for moms is the never ending feeling of being disorganized and, of course, lack of time.  Learning some new time management techniques is helpful, but often it is not enough.  Having very specific organizational systems in place in your home can make all the difference between staying organized and just getting by.   Buying more stuff is not the answer, because now you have more things to clean and maintain.  The key is to buy organization products that will help you to keep the stuff that you are actually using, organized. 

With Mother’s Day coming up, it’s a good time to think about gift ideas that will not create clutter, either for you, or to give as a gift to another mom.  When considering a gift for a mom, think about what they need.  Gift ideas, like jewelry boxes, purses and bags, including laptop bags, plus make-up organizers and photo frames, make great gifts, but can also create clutter if they are not used or needed.  So what do you need this year? Or what gift can you give, that is not only functional, but will also be appreciated?  Here are some gift ideas that are beautiful and will also help to tame the clutter!

Jewelry box: Store and organize earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings and watches.  Pick the size and style that will store all of the jewelry that you or your giftee wears, otherwise most of it will be stored “next to” the jewelry box, instead of inside the jewelry box!  Sound familiar?

Purses and Bags: These are hard to choose for someone, unless you know the person well.  Of course, if it’s for yourself, it will be easy and you can ask a loved one to purchase a specific purse or bag for you.  One type of bag that many moms can use today is a computer laptop bag or sleeve.  These come in a variety of styles and designs and may be a welcomed gift.  Check out the selection at Home Storage Warehouse.

Make-up Organizers:  Does the mom love make-up and have trouble keeping it all organized?  Then a make-up organizer might just be the perfect gift.  If storage is not an issue for her, then consider make-up organizers  which fit nicely inside drawers or on cabinet or cupboard shelves.  This will keep their make-up organized, but without the visual clutter. 

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, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space by solving the many issues and challenges that create clutter.  Jacquie also 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 get a free organizing goals worksheet when you sign up for her 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

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.