March into spring cleaning with these free organization workshops!

March into Spring Cleaning: Winning the war on paper.

Paper. Stacks of paper. Loose sheets. Wadded up balls. A bundle of week old mail. And where did you stick that really-important-gotta-keep-this-somewhere-safe tax form? If that sounds like you, then stop shuffling through those mounds on your desk and check out the schedule below of FREE organization workshops that will help you show paper who’s boss (it’s you, by the way,) and reclaim your desk for life.

This series of free workshops will be hosted by Finders Keepers Furnishings, located at: 2753 E. College Ave., Decatur GA 30030

Thursday, March 8^th from 1pm-2pm:  Creating an Organized Work Space with Gigi Miller:  In this one hour interactive workshop, attendees will learn how to create and maintain an organized (clutter-free) work space, eliminate paper clutter, set up filing systems, create storage solutions and incorporate organization into their daily routines.

About the Presenter:  Gigi K. Miller is the owner of Vision Organizing, an Atlanta based Professional Organizing and Consulting company that creates customized organizing solutions for home, work, and life that are simple, practical, and easy to maintain. Her motto:  Live simple. Live organized. Live well. For additional information, please visit www.VisionOrganizing.com.

Saturday, March 10^th from 9:30am – 10:30am:  Tax Talk with Jim Connelly of H&R Block: Deductions, audits, and the IRS, oh my! Does tax season make you feel like holing up in the cellar and waiting for the storm to pass? A little know-how will help pave a yellow brick road through your taxes. Jim Connelly, CPA and Master Tax Advisor at H&R Block will discuss schedule A itemized deductions, potential for audit, and what to do if you owe the IRS.

About the presenter: Jim has 9 years tax preparation service and specializes in personal tax returns including: investments, rental homes, retirement income, itemized deductions, and education credits.

Wednesday, March 14^th from 1pm-2pm: “Mail Management” with Renee Kutner:  Ever wish you could nail your mailbox shut so you didn’t have to deal with more paper marching its way through your front door every day? The bad news: the mailman would probably just stick it on your doorstep. The good news: there’s a better (and legal) way to gain control of the never-ending parade of new paper. Learn how to manage your snail-mail during this hour long free workshop.

About the presenter: Renee is the founder of Peace by Piece Organizing. She is also a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. Learn more about Renee on her website: http://www.peacebypieceorganizing.com/.

Saturday, March 17^th 9:30am-10:30am: Getting Control of Your Household Papers with Jonda Beattie and Diane Quintana. Is the thought of organizing the papers and documents shoved in every drawer and stacked on every surface as daunting as the idea of driving cattle from here to the west coast? Well pull on your boots and giddy on up to this free workshop. Learn how to lasso your daily influx of papers and corral those pesky manuals, warranties, and other important documents. About the presenters:

Jonda has appeared as a consultant on episodes of television shows Buried Alive and Hoarding. She is the founder of Time Space Organization and is a member of NAPO (The National Association of Professional Organizers) and ICD (The Institute for Challenging Disorganization.) Diane is the founder of DNQ Solutions. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing in metropolitan Atlanta and in working with people challenged by chronic disorganization. She is also a member of NAPO, ICD, and the Atlanta Hoarding Task Force.

Saturday, March 24^th from 9:30am – 10:30am: Closet Chaos to Closet Confidence with Bonnie Kallenberg: Take a break, bandage any hard-won paper cuts, and venture to a place that papers dare not go… your wardrobe. Or do you dare not spend more time in your closet than you have to? Your clothes should be a source of inspiration, not frustration Learn how to love your wardrobe at this free workshop with Bonnie, the owner of Finders Keepers Consignment Stores.

About the presenter: With 20+ years of consignment experience under her favorite belt, Bonnie has evaluated a lot (and I mean a lot of clothes.) But did you know she got her start in retail as a buyer for Davidsons Department store? She’s made a living by screening fashion for quality and style since 1982. Learn more about Bonnie on her stores’ website: www.fkconsign.com.

Saturday, March 24th, 12pm - 2pm: You’re invited to a Shredding Event! What better way to show paper who’s boss by telling it where to go and how to there? In this case: on a secure truck bound for one really big shredder. Celebrate your victory by safely destroying old documents during this shred event at Finders Keepers Furnishings. Cost: $6 per box (computer-paper sized boxes please)

Workshop schedule and bios (January 26th - February 1st)

Free Workshop Schedule

Thursday, January 26th at 1:30pm - Closet Organizing with Renee Kutner: Are you constantly running late in the mornings because you spent too long looking for the clothes you want to wear?  Do you trip over a pile of shoes to reach the outfit you're trying to put on? Your closet should be inspirational - not stressful. Renee of Peace by Piece Organizing will teach you a few simple steps to make your closet a place of wow instead of woe. Learn more about Renee on her company's website: http://www.peacebypieceorganizing.com/

Saturday, January 28th at 9:30am - Kitchen Organization Made Simple with Gigi Miller: During this workshop, Gigi Miller of Vision Organizing will teach you how to plan your space, choose the right organizing products, and address problem areas such Tupperware clutter/pantry overload/junk drawers. Each participant will receive a workshop handout outlining Gigi's 5 steps for getting organized in the kitchen and helpful tips for maintaining your space. And....there will be a special give-away for one lucky member! Learn more about Gigi on her company's website: http://www.visionorganizing.com/.

Wednesday, February 1st at 10am - De-Stressing and Decluttering with Renee Kutner:
Renee is back to help you learn how to conquer your clutter for good. During this workshop, Renee will help you answer these three basic questions: What should I keep?  What should I do with the stuff I keep?  What should I do with the stuff I don't keep? Learn how to answer those easy questions and you'll be able to declutter without all the stress! Learn more about Renee's company on their website: http://www.peacebypieceorganzing.com/.

About Renee: They say you should do what you love. It just so happens that Renée Kutner loves doing something many people find daunting, and even dreadful: organizing. So she founded Peace by Piece Organizing to bring order to chaos, and peace to our otherwise hectic lives. Ask anyone who’s crossed Renée’s professional path and they’ll tell you no one they know could get so much done with so little on their desk. It became a trademark of sorts — so much so that starting early in her career, years before envisioning the formation of Peace by Piece Organizing,  Renée was conducting workshops for peers and supervisors alike on efficient time and project management. Renée is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and the Georgia chapter of NAPO. For more please visit my website: http://www.peacebypieceorganizing.com/

About Gigi: Gigi serves as the Marketing Director for The National Association of Professional Organizers- Georgia (NAPO-GA) and is the owner of Vision Organizing, an Atlanta based company that works with individuals and businesses.  As a Professional Organizer, Gigi utilizes her highly honed organizational skills towards helping others realize the benefits of living an organized life. Vision Organizing's mission is to create customized solutions for home, work, and life that are simple, practical, and easy to maintain. For additional information, please visit www.VisionOrganizing.com.

A HUGE thank you to NAPO-GA and a couple of its associate members..

It all began in the back of the room at the January re-scheduled NAPO-GA meeting. A new associate member, Doug from MonkeyBarStorage had set up an awesome display with before and after pictures from a garage overhaul. “I want THAT garage” I whined. There was nothing on the floor, everything was neatly placed on super sturdy shelving and versatile poles and hooks.

Doug and I set up an appointment for an estimate when my husband was out of town. My plan? To redo our 2-car garage that barely fit my husband’s 1973 Mustang convertible into one of these picture perfect photographed garages that would house 2 cars AND all of the stuff.

Day 1: Doug came out and listened to me. He gave me a quote. He rearranged his entire week so we could do this when my husband was out of town for the week.

Day 2: Doug planned to arrive at noon to begin the project. I had to have everything down off of the existing shelves and pulled to the center of the garage, leaving a 5 foot perimeter for his installation. I enlisted Kanu, who works for me, and we began at 8:00 am and had it all down by 10:00. I called Doug and let him know we were ahead of schedule.

I took a picture of the pile and regretted not taking a real “before” of odd assorted shelving piled with stuff and every inch of floor space covered by something. He started working. I went to Big Lots to get 10 matching bins….so my garage would look like catalog. Doug worked until about 5, taking down all of the old shelving and getting everything ready to install the Monkey Bar System.

Day 3: I enlisted the organizational help of Betsy (Parke’s sister) and Haji, who works for me. This was a day of many decisions:
What to
1. Throw Away
2. Give Away
3. Take to Charity
4. Take to Finders Keepers to sell
5. Keep and organize

To make the cut for #5, it had to pass the test of “do I want this in my “new” garage?” We touched every single item in the pile and made a decision on each thing. We made multiple trips to Second Life Thrift Store and Finders Keepers. We call in another NAPO-GA Associate member, Just Trash It, to come pick up the huge pile at the end of our driveway because I was not totally sure that the City of Avondale Estates would pick up so much junk at one time. Just Trash It was great! They told me to fill the partially full paint cans with kitty litter so they could take them….all 50 of them, along with old shelving, wood, broken items and an old hot tub that hadn’t worked in years. Yes, I was on a mission. Just Trash It made 2 trips and the fee was very reasonable for everything they did.

Doug continued to hang shelving in 4 foot sections. Each 4 ft. section guaranteed to hold 1000 lbs!

Our good friend David, a carpenter, came and picked up some items he could use for remodels or for “re-purposing” so those things didn’t end up in the landfill.

We sorted the “keeps” into bins:
1. magic (it’s Parke’s hobby)
2. camping
3. Finders Keepers paperwork for long-term storage
4. Sporting goods
5. Yard stuff and equipment

I even had room to bring up a lot of stuff that had been stored in my basement! Now my basement is much cleaner….but that’s a blog for another day!

Doug positioned various items in the “keep” pile unto the storage system to show me how to use the hooks, which come in about 8 sizes. We started putting everything onto the shelves and learned that the height was perfect for 2 bins high or 3 copy paper boxes high. Everything fit and everything is off the floor….and guess what….It looks just like the catalog picture….don’t you think so?

And finally I just want to say that I could not have done this without the inspiration from being an associate member of NAPO-GA, the help of other associate members of NAPO-GA, Just Trash It and MonkeyBarStorage, the brawn of Haji and Kanu, and the tireless energy and encouragement from Betsy.

Parke was thrilled and more importantly….totally amazed at his new garage which now houses not one car but 2!

stuff... stuff... stuff

yes, all of that was in my garage.

sorting begins!

MonkeyBarStorage to the rescue!

ahh, a nice, clean slate!

Just Trash It had their work cut out for them...

Y'all were amazing!

It's safe to say that I "Got Organized" with NAPO-GA :)

A job well done... and a really good night's sleep ahead

I love surprises!

Taming your Jewelry Jungle

Jewelry is a great way to add a quick finish to any outfit. But it's not so simple to throw on a necklace when it's hopelessly tangled with two other chains and bobbles. And that perfect pair of earrings isn't so perfect when you can only find one of them. Jewelry may seem like a small thing, but when you can't find it or detangle it, that perfect touch can turn into a source of stress and wasted time. During this Saturday's free workshop at Finders Keepers Furnishings, NAPO member Helen Preston will give you simple tips to organize your jewelry with the space that you have, and will help you learn how to keep it that way. This workshop will begin at 9:30 am sharp. Learn more about Helen on her website: http://www.riseandorganize.com/.

Meet Helen this Saturday!

Did you know? Finders Keepers Furnishings has three large cases filled with fantastic jewelry: costume pieces, fine jewelry, gem stones, vintage, and more!

Free Workshop: Kitchen Organization Made Simple

Kitchens see a lot of action every day: from fast and furious breakfasts to dinner clean-up (or clean later...) And more often than not, this daily use happens in frantic fashion as we rush to whatever we have to do next. This lends itself to time lost as we perform a search and rescue operation just to locate the matching lid to the tupperware we need for the night's leftovers. Finders Keepers Furnishings's free Saturday workshop series continues this Saturday with NAPO member GiGi Miller as she reveals a few neat and tidy tricks of the trade to successfully reclaim your kitchen.

Learn more about GiGi and her business: Vision Organizing on her website: http://www.visionorganizing.com/

This workshop will begin at 9:30am sharp and seats are first come, first serve.

Before

After

Meet GiGi this Saturday

NAPO... GO... what??

In a world of ever-increasing acronyms, these may not be so familiar: GO or NAPO. Allow me to translate! GO is the abbreviation for Get Organized, and January is officially "Get Organized" month. This is where NAPO comes in: the National Association of Professional Organizers. Whether you need someone to light a fire under your organization goals or want to tackle it yourself, it's likely you can make some money off of things you're ready to part with. Check out this video that a NAPO member and Bonnie Kallenberg, owner of Finders Keepers Consignment Stores made to tell you about consignment:

Finders Keepers Saturday Workshop Series is Back!

It can plague any home - and it probably followed you into 2011: stuff. Knick-knacks, clothing, clutter, papers, receipts. We stash away an old jumbled pile - out of sight, out of mind - only to have to face it again in the future. Stop making more work for yourself and G.O. this January, which is Get Organized month. Finders Keepers Saturday Workshops are back to help you jumpstart your goals, and we're bringing you four of Atlanta's savviest organizational professionals who will teach you how to make the process easier and more effective.

January 8th: Creative Order
Suellen Germani, certified Life Coach and Organizer, will help you clear the road to your goals by helping you identify and eliminate your "Life Clutter," which often claims the time, space, and energy that could instead be used to pursue your passions. Her workshop will outline four key elements to developing an organized lifestyle, which includes exploring the important emotional aspect surrounding our "stuff." Learn more on her website: http://www.creativeorder.com/

January 15th: Chaos to Comfort
Susan Fox is a true warrior of stuff and can help you declare battle on the piles of I'll-get-to-it-when-I-can-or-when-I-figure-out-where-to-stick-it clutter taking over your house. Learn how to reclaim every inch of your home and make the space you have work harder for you. Susan's service, Chaos 2 Comfort, has been written up in the Wall Street Journal for her organizational know-how. Learn more on her website: http://www.chaos2comfort.net/

January 22nd: Creating your own Sanctuary
Carey Lynn Quinn practices what she preaches: our mental states mirror our external environments. Maintaining tranquility and order within is easier when your surroundings work towards that sanctuary instead of creating more stress. With a desire to share the secrets of serenity, she began OrganizeAtlanta in 2005. Carey Lynn will (neatly) spill the beans on a few critical steps to turn your own home into a place to truly recharge, regroup, and relax.

January 29th: The Magic Suitcase
Professional organizer and author Jonda Beattie knows that there's nothing small about downsizing. Whether you're facing this major life decision now or considering it for the future, this workshop will help outline how to make this transition a successful time in your life by exploring how to get started, pitfalls to avoid, and rewards that can be achieved at the end of that long - and often intimidating - road. Learn more on her website: http://www.timespaceorg.com/

Workshops will begin at 9:30am each Saturday in January and are hosted at our Furnishings location: 2753 E. College Ave., Decatur, GA 30030. Call for details: 404-377-1944. We hope to see you there!

p.s.
Finders Keepers Consignment Inc. is a proud member of NAPO - the National Association of Professional Organizers.