It’s no secret that I like to shop.  And if I can score an amazing deal then I’ve really hit the jackpot!  Now that online shopping has become mainstream – heck, even my Mom is doing it, I’ve learned a few things about how to find stuff and how to score the best deal, including free shipping.

Pretty much every store is constantly offering discounts, coupons and pretty much weekly sales.  There’s no reason to ever pay full price for anything, unless you absolutely have no time to do a little comparison shopping, or you simply don’t care.

The first step is to sign up for ebates.  I can’t believe I just learned about this website.  It’s essentially a portal to countless online stores.  By simply clicking through ebates to your store/s of choice, you will earn a percentage on each purchase.  Ebates sends members a quarterly check. So now I can get paid to shop — sign me up baby!

In addition to ebates sign up for emails from your favorite stores.  They might appear in your inbox a little more frequently than you’d like, but you can quickly delete the ones you aren’t interested in. You can save anywhere from 20-50% on a regular basis. You may also want to get a couple of credit cards from stores you frequent on a regular basis.  Bloomingdales, Gap/Banana/Old Navy, and Nordstrom all have enticing rewards programs.  Spend a certain amount of money and you’ll earn rewards coupons to be used as cash in each store. Combine the percentage offers with your rewards coupons and you will score some really great deals.

I also like to do a general google search for an item to see who has the best price. I simply “google” a description of the item, including the brand name, color and name of the item. For example, “Sam Edelman black Petty booties”.  All sites who carry this product will pop up and you can quickly decipher who has the item in your desired size and color and who has the best price (including shipping). This is also a great way to find something that seems to be sold out at your go-to stores. Don’t be afraid to buy something from a site you’ve never heard of.

With all this online shopping, the shipping fees can sometimes be a little hefty. My goal is to always score free shipping.  Oftentimes websites will offer free shipping with a minimum purchase.  It typically ranges from $50 – $150, though free shipping coupons are also frequently offered, many times in combination with a promotion. Some sites have a flat rate of $5.00 regardless of the amount of purchase, but this is more the exception than the rule.  Let’s say you wish to buy something at J Crew and they aren’t offering free shipping. Save the item in your cart on the J Crew site and then google “J Crew free shipping code” and see what sites pop up and their offers.

I’ve found that Retailmenot.com, coupons.com, and dealspl.us have the most reliable coupons.  Incidentally, these sites offer all kinds of discount codes, not just free shipping. If you can’t find a free shipping code and you still want the J Crew item without paying too much to get it, you have two other options.  One is to buy more items to meet the free shipping threshold (then simply return the unwanted items at the store), or two, go to J Crew and order the item over the phone at the store.  Obviously if the store has the item in stock there is no need to place an order. J Crew, Anthropologie and many others stores offer free shipping when you place an order directly from their stores.

Many of you probably know that Nordstrom “will not be undersold”.  If you find an item that Nordstrom carries at another store for a better price they will match that price. The clincher is that Nordstrom must have the exact color and your size in stock in order to give you the deal.  You simply call their 800 number with the item number and website where you found it and they will verify the information. They will then take your order over the phone.  Nordstrom also offers free shipping and returns on all purchases, with no minimum purchase.

Over the last several years a number of websites have cropped up that offer daily sales on designer goods from clothing to home goods to travel deals. Some of my favorites include Rue La La, Hautelook, MyHabit, and Gilt. Gilt also has a site called Gilt City with offers tailored to certain cities. I’ve found great deals on jewelry, cooking classes, fitness classes and travel.  Their shipping fees are fairly reasonable and they also offer free shipping for a year for a set price.  This may make sense if you shop a particular site frequently.

You can also shop for drugstore items online now too and sometimes get a better deal than at CVS or Walgreens. The combined sites of drugstore.com and beauty.com combine shopping for vitamins and mascara into one simple transaction. Just yesterday I earned $5 ebates dollars shopping at drugstore.com in addition to earning my drugstore.com $$ to be used on future purchases. Woo hoo!!

What online deals have you found?

Everyday I come across cool new products, many of which make it easier to get organized or simplify daily tasks. Who doesn’t love that!

For those of you with kids heading off to college and doing laundry, maybe for the first time, dormify.com has designed a nifty backpack laundry bag, complete with a detergent holder.

While I’m generally not a proponent of having lots of kitchen gadgets, this pineapple slicer works like a charm.  Just be careful not to cut yourself on the sharp blade!

Do you love tall boots as much as I do?  Do you hate how they don’t stay rigid in your closet? Me too. I’ve got two solutions for you.  The first comes to you from our  good friends at Real Simple and is free (if you have two empty wine bottles). I may have a few extra if you need ’em…….

image courtesy of Real Simple

Another option comes from a new company called Keeper Goods.  These beautiful, handmade boot supporters are simply lovely. They are a bit pricey, but a nice indulgence for your favorite boots.

Always eating on the go and in need of utensils? Welcome to the Spork — a spoon, knife and fork in one.  Another invention that is so duh, why didn’t I think of that?

Even though it’s only mid-August, it’s back-to-school for many and time for kids to get back into a daily routine.  Here is a pad designed to help kids keep track of homework assignments and backpack contents.

Another new product with lots of uses, for kids and adults alike is the smart store system from the Container Store. Multifunctional, you can choose from four sizes of open totes and then select inserts and trays to organize the items inside.  Ideal for craft supplies, cleaning supplies, office items, toys and more.

Hope your weekend is fun.  Let me know if you come across any cool products that make your life just a little bit easier.

Summer is nearly here (YAY!!!) and that means vacation, trips and traveling for many of us. With the process of traveling becoming more onerous each passing year, we all need to figure out how to streamline our own processes to lessen the stress we encounter as we embark on what should be a FUN trip.

Not only do we have to be strategic about packing (what to bring, what not to bring), how to pack, etc., we also need to have all our travel documents organized and accessible, especially for big trips. If you are traveling to multiple cities, with lots of transportation, hotels, tickets to museums, restaurant and hotel reservations, it’s important to have all your ducks in a row, and then some!

A client just arrived in Europe for a multi-city/country tour with her three teenage daughters.  Along the way, two of her daughters will be splitting off to attend summer programs.  As a single Mom in charge of this clan, my client wanted to make sure she had all the travel documents super organized so she can find anything at a moments notice.

She asked me to figure out how to make this happen. Of course I was happy to oblige. First we decided to create a Master Itinerary that would provide an overview as well as details for each leg of the trip.  Utilizing Excel, I created a table for flight information, ground transportation, hotel and restaurant reservations, museum and other tour ticket information.

Next, I recommended that we create Destination Sheets for each leg of the trip. Each destination sheet includes the information from the Master Itinerary for that leg as well as more detailed information including ideas/recommendations for things to see, restaurants, web links, etc.

Lastly, we also created two additional sheets.  The first was a Contacts Sheet so she could have one place to quickly find all phone numbers and emails for hotels, drivers and other folks she would be contacting on the trip.  The other was a General Information Sheet which included travel insurance policy information for each person, travel schedules for her daughter’s side trips and other miscellaneous information.

To keep all these papers organized and easily accessible we used  Staples Poly File Folders. Using a labelmaker, a label was created for each folder  identifying the destination, e.g. “BERLIN.”

I also suggested that my client use Staples poly zip envelopes to store everyones passports and tickets for museums and transportation.  Of course I labeled these envelopes as well so they can be quickly found.  These envelopes can be purchased individually or several to a pack.  When not in use during travel, they are perfect for corralling all your coupons and gift certificates.

Lastly, we needed a larger plastic envelope to house all the file folders and two small zip folders.  We used Staples Legal Poly File Envelope which worked perfectly.  Essentially it is the legal size version of the zip envelope pictured above and it can also be purchased individually or several to a pack.

Whether you’re embarking on a major trip or just a quick weekend jaunt, I hope these tips will make your travel easy and organized.

Next we’ll tackle packing!!

Now that I follow a number of blogs and have become quite the Pinterest addict, I frequently come across clever new products, some that are clearly of the organizing kind, others, just things that make life a little easier.  Here is a round-up of products I thought you might like.

Hoodie Buddie

Problem: the annoyance of trying to find your headphones (or just untangling the mess).  Solution: headphones built into your hoodie.  How cool is this?

Hoodie Buddie

The earbuds are attached to the hood tie with an interior cord that runs into the front pocket, ready to be plugged into any mobile device.  It’s machine washable, buds and all.  It comes in a variety of colors and styles.  Check it out.

Clinique Black Honey Lip Duo

Clinique Black Honey Lip Duo

Who woulda thought I would once again be sporting my very first lip gloss from junior high days. All the rage back in the 70’s, Clinique’s Black Honey Lipgloss has certainly stood the test of time. Clinique has re-packaged this timeless product into a two-fer (gloss & lipstick) with their Black Honey Lip Duo. Pretty cool. Pretty handy dandy.

IKEA Expedit

Not a new product, but certainly a versatile, affordable and attractive storage solution that can be used in a myriad of ways.  From playrooms to offices or even living rooms, the Expedit is a great option.

IKEA Expedit shelving

Home Office

Binder Clips

Not the sexiest of products, but don’t we all just love our binder clips.  Pier One has come out with some clever pre-labeled versions which seem to hit all the right notes.  Colorful, clever and about as fun as a binder clip can be.

Baskets

Whiles using baskets as an organizing tool is nothing new, they continue to be both a functional and aesthetically pleasing solution.  Baskets are great for corralling so many things: dog toys, shoes, magazines, remote controls, just to name a few.  You can find baskets in all kinds of shapes, sizes, colors and price points — from Target to Crate and Barrel.  Here are a few of my current favorites.

Don’t you just love the color combination of these baskets?  So fresh, contemporary and fun.

As pictured, this basket is great for dog toys, but could also be perfect for small toys, or flip flops.

I love that this basket has a built-in chalkboard label.  Great in the garden, deck or even a playroom.

Smith & Hawken for Target

These taller baskets are a fabulous decorative element on their own; they don’t even need “stuff” in them.

Here is a new product from The Container Store.  A wall-mounted system, it’s a clever solution if you are short on space and want a visual representation of your office supplies, while keeping things tidy. I think this could work easily as well in a craftroom or child’s bedroom above their desk.

Urbio Office, The Container Store

Have you come across any noteworthy organizing products lately?  Please share your finds.

Paper seems to be the number one organizing challenge for most people.  Think about it. Paper enters our lives six days a week via the postman.  Decisions are required on each piece of mail.  For the pieces that aren’t immediately recycled or identified for shredding, further action is then required. Then there are the emails, paper-ish items you pick up when you’re out and about, schoolwork and artwork your children bring home.  Are you nodding your head yet?

Even my most organized friends sometimes struggle with finding the right system or maintaining an existing system. Heck, even I don’t really enjoy filing.  I may pile paid bills and other papers for several weeks until I feel like filing them — as utterly shocking as that may be.

I believe there are two things you need when it comes to having an organized office or office space:

1. A Simple File System (that works for you)

2. Commitment to using the File System

Filing isn’t just for putting papers away; it’s also for retrieval. Keeping it simple and not too complicated will make it so much easier for you to maintain and use your system. I like to use a series of tabs and corresponding file folder labels. Let’s use the category “Insurance” as an example.  We all have at least one insurance policy and need to access it to pay a premium or file a claim.  Create a tab labeled “Insurance” and file folders labeled with each type of policy you own (Auto, Life, Homeowners, Renters, Medical, etc).  Each year clean out the file or files, keeping only the current policies and paid statements and shred the older versions.

Create your tabs with the Insurance model in mind.  I have found that other typical “Tab” categories may include: Credit Cards, Medical, Travel, Auto, Utilities, Phones & Cable/Internet, Computers, etc. Go through all of your paperwork including monthly bills, insurance policies and other paperwork to identify the Tabs you need. Beyond the monthly bills you may wish to file articles to read/keep, restaurants to try, etc. The key is to create files that you can easily retrieve.  The system can be as creative as you like as long as it works for you.

Having a filing cabinet or some facsimile is critical to keeping the files orderly and accessible.

There are so many options out there, depending upon your space and budget. If you work from home you may want to keep files on your desk for current projects. Some options include:

desktop files

Here’s are some ideas for keeping files, mail or other papers nearby but not cluttering up your desk.

Another incentive for filing is to use some stylish file folders, boxes and other office products.  Kinda like decorating your desk.

Obviously a lot of things can now be stored electronically, obviating the need for a paper file.  I have found Pinterest to be a fun way to store everything from decorating ideas to recipes. You can either create your own pins or repin items found on other people’s boards.  Once you pin something to your own board you simply click on that pin to go to original website.  At that point you can either purchase the item, print the recipe, or get more information.

Once you’ve established a filing sytem make sure that you set aside time for filing. It may only take five minutes a week to do your filing so think about it as a break from doing something else. With a system in place you’ll be surprised how quickly you can find things and how quickly they can be stored.  My clients who formerly were overwhelmed by paper, now easily maintain their filing systems and almost seem to enjoy the task!

At the end of year clean out your files and prepare any new files you need for the coming year. This is also a good way to pull what you need to prepare for tax season.  Remember to shred items with open accounts (bank, investments, credit cards), your social security number and other personal data you wish to remain private.

Do you have filing sytem that works for you?  What are your tricks and tips for keeping your papers in check?

Perhaps you hold onto stuff “just in case” you might need it someday.  This is a common behavior.  There is some practicality to this thought…a bit of a waste not, want not philosophy.  While I am all over that philosophy, many of us end up holding onto a whole lot of stuff that never ends up being “needed”, or worse yet, we don’t even remember that we have it.

Over time the “I might need it someday” stuff turns into clutter that doesn’t serve any purpose in your life. In her book entitled “The Happiness Project” Gretchen Rubin highlights eight of the most common kinds of clutter:

1.            Nostalgic Clutter – relics of your past.  Decide what is truly sentimental versus just a relic.

2.            Conversation Clutter – useful products, just not useful to you.

3.            Bargain Clutter – but it was such a great deal.  It’s only a great deal if you use it, wear it or gift it.

4.            Crutch Clutter – Things you keep but shouldn’t, like worn out clothing with holes and stains.

5.            Aspirational Clutter – Things you aspire to use, but never do.  This would fall into the category of DIY projects, learning a new skill or sport.  Be honest with yourself, are you really going to use the ab-buster you bought on HSN?

6.            Outgrown Clutter – This is the opposite of aspirational clutter where you’ve used something so much it no longer works or its seen better days.  Probably the sweats you’re wearing right now as you read this article.

7.            Buyer’s Remorse Clutter – Hey, we’ve all made those mistake purchases.  Why have that reminder in your closet when someone else could be enjoying it?  Isn’t that what eBay is for?

8.            Forgot I Owned it Clutter – This sort of sums it all up.  If you start to have so many types of clutter you can’t find the things you truly like and want to use.

Since today marks the first day of Spring (and the birthday of this blog author), what is a more perfect opportunity to sort through the “someday” pile or piles? Don’t we all want to be surrounded by things that add value to our lives, versus those that just take up space or represent clutter?

While it may seem daunting to start this task, the process is so cathartic I guarantee you will be thrilled with the results.  If you can’t bear the idea of tackling this by yourself ask a friend to help.  Who knows, it could even be fun!

Start small.  Choose a small closet or area that you know needs your attention.  Put on some music, dress in comfy clothes and grab supplies. You’ll need some trash bags or large shopping bags for lightweight and soft items, and boxes for breakables and rags for cleaning shelves, etc. Pull everything out of the closet or drawers and sort each item into categories.  Designate areas of the room for each category: KEEP, DONATE, TRASH, and SELL.

Once you’ve categorized everything, decide how you want to organize what you are keeping.  Will these items stay in the same place?  Do the items need to be redistributed around the house?  Do you need storage containers to make these items easier to find in the future?  Think about how you can maximize the storage in the closet or space.  Put like items together and label the containers for easy retrieval. Utilize the vertical space.  There are so many over the door hooks and storage options that can maximize vertical space.

For the donation items drop them off at your charity of choice that day or call for a pick-up.  Try to recycle any items identified as trash (paper, plastic, etc.). If you’re planning to have a garage sale, designate a space to store these items. Choose a date now for the garage sale.  You don’t want to trade one kind of clutter for another by clearing out a closet only to dump everything in your garage until you decide to have a yard sale “someday.”

If you are selling items either on ebay or Craig’s List take photos and list them asap.  Again, you don’t want to create new clutter that becomes another “someday” I will sell it pile.

As you go through this process remember that as you are clearing out the physical clutter you are also clearing away emotional and mental clutter, making space for the good stuff.  So spring forward today, not someday!

I keep reading titles of articles that say “New Year, New You” as if there was something wrong with the current you. While we always want to be our best selves, set new goals, try new things… most of us don’t need an entire makeover.

One of the other dominant themes this month is organization.  Of course I support this theme and the desire by many to either get organized or be more organized. So how can you kick-off the New Year on the right foot and start the process of being more organized? I say start small, with a room or task you can accomplish in a few hours.

Perhaps you’d like to start in your bathroom with your cosmetics and other beauty products. Most of us don’t have a lot of time to get ready each day so having what you need within easy reach is one easy way to reduce stress.

Step 1: Throw out all expired products

Did you know that makeup and other beauty products have expiration dates? Unfortunately many of these items have a relatively short shelf life, some only a few months.  Check out these guidelines published by Real Simple magazine.

Now that you know the shelf life of all your beauty products, let’s start cleaning out everything that’s expired, never been used and talking up that valuable real estate in your bathroom drawers and cabinets.

Step 2: Empty all drawers, cabinets and other storage containers

Place items into one of the following piles:

• Everyday items. These items are the bread and butter of your daily routine, your go-to products that deserve prime real estate in your bathroom.
• Special occasion products. The glittery nail polish and false eyelashes or anything reserved for a night on the town.
• Rarely or never used.  This would be a lipstick or eye shadow that looked good in the store but didn’t pass muster in the light of day.
• Hidden gems. Many times in the organizing process we find something otherwise thought to be lost. 
• Duplicates.  Anything you bought in multiples to use once the original has been depleted.
• Appliances & accessories. Hair dryers, flat irons, curling irons, hairbrushes, pony-tail holders and make-up brushes.

Step 3: Review the piles

• Pitch anything that is expired or has never been used.  No need to keep reminding yourself of a mistake purchase.
• Toss anything that is broken or missing a top.  Broken powders to topless lipsticks will create a mess in your makeup bag, or worse yet, ruin a nice handbag.
• Go through your makeup brushes.  Keep only those in decent shape and wash them before giving them a new home.  A little dish soap and water will give them a new life.
• Same with hairbrushes.  Keep only one of each type and wash them as well.
• Find a small cosmetics bag or Ziploc bag for the rarely used makeup and label it so you quickly find it.

Step 4: Organize

How you organize your remaining products really depends on the space you have and how much stuff you wish to remain on the counter.  Here are some general guidelines that you can adjust to your space and personal preference.

Makeup and small toiletries

If you have one or more drawers in your bathroom then take advantage of this space by having your make-up in one drawer and other toiletries, like toothpaste, facial cleansers, etc. in another.  Use clear drawer dividers like these from the Container Store, keeping like items together.

clear drawer dividers

If you need to use the countertop for your makeup you can store your streamlined products in a corner cosmetic organizer.  If you prefer bamboo to acrylic, try this one.  I’ve come across a few DIY solutions for makeup brushes that I think are both cute and practical.

DIY solution for makeup brushes

Larger toiletries

Utilize the space in upper or lower cupboards for larger items, like mouthwash, body lotion and hair products. Open plastic bins are a great way to corral these items and keep them easily accessible. 

Hair appliances/brushes

If possible place these items in a cupboard and/or drawer to free up counter space and keep things uncluttered.  If you would like to corral them in one container (that can be kept either on the countertop or elsewhere), try something like this.

My new favorite cosmetics line – Jouer Cosmetics

A few years ago I became a big fan of a cosmetic company called Jouer.  You’re probably not familiar with them as until recently this L.A. based company only sold their products at Henry Bendel in NYC and online.  Jouer products are now available at select Nordstrom stores and I was fortunate to attend their opening at Nordstrom Santa Monica Place.

Designed for the woman on the go, this four-in-one palette snaps back to back and side to side, for the ultimate customization and ideal for travel. How clever is that? You can create your own palette of colors by visiting Nordstrom Santa Monica or Jouercosmetics.com.

Now that all your beauty products are nicely organized in their new homes, it’s time to pamper yourself a bit.  Why not draw a bubble bath and relax.  After all, you deserve it after all your hard work!

As always, I love to hear your comments.  Please let me know how you organize your beauty essentials.

It’s a rainy Saturday here in L.A., perfect weather to stay home and do a little organizing. With the holidays winding down, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed and stressed from all the hubbub. De-cluttering can actually help you detox and recover from the holiday frenzy and give you a kick-start on the New Year.

I just spent the morning in my home office and thought I would share some tips to get you started. Paperwork is a great place to start because we need to get our files in order for 2013. While I’m not going to focus on filing systems today (don’t worry, we’ll tackle that topic early next year), here are three easy ways to cut clutter in preparation for the new year.

1. Shreddables

Go through your files and pull everything out you no longer need.  If it needs to be shredded, put it in a box.  If you have a reasonable amount of papers shred them yourself. If not, go online and find a shredding event in your area.  For a nominal fee or sometimes for free, you can take your shredding to a community drop-off center. These events are held periodically across the country.  Items that need to be shredded include anything with an open account number (bank & credit card statements, etc.), anything with your social security number or personal information you wish to keep private. All other papers can be put in the recycle bin.

2. Charity Donation

Though this category isn’t paper, it’s timely. Monday, December 31st is the last day to make a charitable donation for 2012.  Go through your closets and pull out anything that no longer serves a purpose in your life. It could be clothes that don’t fit or you don’t wear, linens you no longer use, dishes & small appliances taking up valuable real estate in your kitchen, etc. You get the idea. If you don’t have time to go through your whole house, pick a closet or area that is easy for you to make quick decisions. It will feel good to clear out these items, plus you’ll get an extra tax deduction.

3. Magazines and Catalogues

Gather up all magazines and catalogues that you’ve read and/or don’t need and put them in the recycle bin. If there is a particular article you wish to read simply tear it out of the magazine and set it aside. If there are items in the catalogue you wish to buy, tear out the pages and then go online to shop. This is so easy and will clear clutter in no time.

Let me know what area you decided to tackle this weekend and how you felt once the project was completed.

Until next time,

Happy 7th night of Hanukkah and Merry Christmas…only 10 shopping days left. Have you ever thought of buying gifts to help someone get organized?  I’m not talking your file folders and plastic bins people, please.  I’m talking about a slew of nifty gadgets and tools that are so giftworthy you’ll want to keep them for yourself.

Little Black Dress Jewelry Organizer

Sounds glamorous, no?  This product is one of the top-sellers at The Container Store and truly is the answer to corralling all your jewelry in one spot.  As you can see, it really looks like a LBD and hangs in your closet, allowing for easy retrieval and storing.  No more tangled necklace messes, or searches for your favorite earrings as you’re running out the door.  I used one of these in a video shoot yesterday and decided to keep it…score for me!

Little Black Dress Jewelry Organizer

Cord Catch

A great stocking stuffer, this little dude keeps your smartphone, ipad or ipod charging cord from falling to the floor everytime you unplug it from the device. For a whopping $6.99 this little guy will serve you your giftee well.

OXO Cord Catch

Tablet & Reader Stand

Need a gift for the cook or chef in your life? Yes, I would love one of these (oops, forgot you’re not buying a gift for me) to keep my ipad free from flying onions and other gooey substances.

Tablet & Reader Stand

in.bag jewelry case

Another great stocking stuffer, this little case is the perfect travel companion for jewelry on a trip.  Simply choose some pieces from your LBD and insert them into the little attached pouches found inside the case.  Each pouch has a zipper and clear front so you can easily find the piece you want in a jiffy. Sold separately are earring stays.

in.bag Jewelry Case

Travel Dog Bowl & Case

Perhaps you need a gift for your furry child. The case holds the bowl that can be used for water or food, plus a standard roll of poop bags.  If Montana didn’t already have something similar she would be getting one of these on the 8th night of Hanukkah.

Travel Dog Bowl & Case

Nosy

It took a lot of effort but I really sniffed this one out…HA, HA! Maybe you know someone who is always misplacing their glasses, ahem, Mr. Kamm. So cute, this little guy will keep your glasses in place, elevated and protected from scratches. While having not actually tested this product I can’t vouch that it works for all types of glasses.  At $4.99 it’s probably worth the risk of purchase.

Nosy Eyeglass Holder

All of these products can be found at The Container Store and no, I was not compensated for this post, but should be, don’t ya think?

Get on your shopping on, and Happy Organized Holidays.

Wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving.  Remember, the calories don’t count on holidays!