Tiny Little Baskets

I'm getting ready for a short four-day vacation to visit a dear friend, so this is a quick little post and you won't see anything for a few days.

But take a look at these lovely little baskets, made in Glasgow from recycled thread. Thanks to the person behind tiny little stitches for her Etsy store, showcasing the knitted items made by her mum.

The larger of the two baskets is 13 cm tall and wide - a smidgen more than 5 inches.

Update: How to NOT Lose Your Eyelasses

Do you misplace your glasses - putting them in danger of being not just lost, but stepped upon or otherwise squished? Since I last wrote about eyeglass holders, I've found some more interesting options.

The Jewelry Box Connection has some attractive boxes - plain or patterned, in a number of colors - that hold three pairs of glasses.




Bright Hope International provides this soapstone eyeglass holder made in Kenya; you can get the same design in wood, too.




For a more prosaic option, see these holders (in tapestry or black vinyl) from Miles Kimball.




And then there are the Optipets (Opticat and Optipup) from Visipak Gifts, seemingly intended for displays in eyeglass stores, but also available for individual purchase (rather than in cases of 12) from 4readers.com and Eye Care Fashion.

Wearing Black: The Benefits of a Simplified Wardrobe

In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz writes of how many choices we face every day, and how that can be a curse rather than a blessing; freedom of choice can become "tyranny of choice."

I thought of that today while reading author Neil Gaiman's journal, where he writes about the simplicity of black:

You know, the main reason I've been wearing more or less the same thing for about 20 years is that I don't ever have to wonder what to wear. It makes life easy.

My assistant Lorraine just asked me what I wanted to wear to the Beowulf premieres in the UK and the US and I realised with a sort of creeping horror that I didn't know. I already wore a tuxedo-and-bow-tie to the US Stardust Premiere, and I wore a leather jacket black tee shirt and and black jeans to the UK Stardust premiere. That pretty much completely exhausts my range.

In ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life, authors Judith Kolberg and Kathleen Nadeau also write about organizing your wardrobe around one color. They give the example of a woman, Karen, whose winter wardrobe uses black as the central (but not the only) color.

"Simplifying my wardrobe has brought many benefits," says Karen. "I save money on clothes. I save time on shopping. I have more room in my closets. And the anxiety of knowing what to wear is over. I'm so much less overwhelmed."

Blog Anniversary: One Year Old

As of yesterday, I've been writing this blog for a year - and this is post #364. It hardly seems possible!

Thank you to everyone who has provided support and encouragement, asked a question, posted a comment, or pointed me to some neat product or technique.


[photo by sluggo]

The Hook Box Hits the U.S.

The Hook Box is such a practical product! It got a lot of attention back in February on design blogs such as Apartment Therapy: Los Angeles and Design*Sponge - but it didn't seem to be available for purchase.

But my new holiday gift catalog from Design Within Reach arrived yesterday - and there was the Hookbox. (I don't see it on their web site yet, though.)

Brace yourself for the price: $270.

Update on December 13, 2007: It's on sale for $98 right now. Thanks to swissmiss for pointing that out.

Update on September 21, 2008: The Hookbox is no longer available from Design Within Reach.

Once More: Making the Most of Children's Art

I wrote about options for preserving your child's best art work earlier this month - but now fellow organizer Jennie Glasscock from Austin has pointed me to another company that can help.

Artimus Art will create an on-line gallery of your child's art, and also produce a customized book of selected pieces.

Paper Shredders Don't Have to be Boring

Want a cute shredder? You're in luck; surprisingly, there are a number of choices. The obvious starting point for all things cute is Hello Kitty, so here's the Hello Kitty shredder from Sanrio. [Via Hello Kitty Hell]




And here's another Hello Kitty shredder - one that's easier to purchase for those of us who don't read Japanese. The same company also sells a Winnie-the-Pooh shredder.




These cow and frog hand-cranked paper shredders look like fun, but I can't figure out how you'd buy them. [via Shiny Shiny]




But you can get an elephant or a hippo combination shredder/pencil sharpener from a number of on-line stores, including the San Diego Zoo's store, Perpetual Kid, and Karma Kiss.




Pandas are right up there with Hello Kitty on the cuteness scale - so here's a panda shredder to complete this shredder collection. (This store also sells the hippo and elephant shredders.)


Related Posts:
Oddest Shredder Ever
Staples MAILMATE Shredder
The Spoon Sisters
A Simple Shredder

File Folders: Moving Beyond Manila

Not everyone responds to color the same way - but I despise plain manila file folders. If you're like me, here are some other options.




1. Colored file folders. I like ones with a straight cut tab (one that runs the whole length of the folder) because I can use longer file names on the labels. I also like reinforced (also called two-ply) tabs because they are more durable. You can find some with 10% recycled content from Esselte or Smead; Smead has more choice of colors. If you want normal 1/3 cut tabs, you have many more options.




2. See Jane Work has a wonderful selection of file folders from various manufacturers in all sorts of patterns, from polka dots to Paris maps.




3. The Macbeth Collection offers file folders in patterns ranging from flowers to zebra stripes.




4. Colorful Images has over 60 file folders designs: flamingos, orchids, sea life, horses - and so much more.




5. Cavallini & Co. makes some delightful file folders with birds, butterflies, and other images. You can buy them online or at stores around the world.




6. Current has these dots die cut file folders.




7. Papersource has some nice file folder sets with patterns and matching solid colors.




8. Gina B. Designs has eight different file folder patterns, and you can buy them online.




9. Blueink Studios has some wonderful folders - these French chickens are my favorites, but patterns include florals, cats, dogs and much more.




10. Punch Studio makes two types of folders: Mary Engelbreit drawings and the dreamier kinds of pictures shown above. You can buy them at CreateForLess. Rose Lane Cottage also carries some of them - as well as a number of other attractive folders, including the ones from Blueink Studios. Mary Engelbreit file folders can also be bought on her own web site.

Smith & Hawken Wants You to Get Organized

When I saw the above on the Smith & Hawken home page a few weeks ago, I got curious as to what organizing-related products they might sell. And while Smith & Hawken will never be a major source of such supplies, they did have a few nice items.




These chicken coop cubbies were one item that caught my eye. (You can also get chicken coop cubbies from Sundance.)




There are a couple of nice cedar hutches intended for storing garden tools. That's the deluxe version; there's also a single hutch which is just the part to the right in the picture above.




And Smith & Hawken is one of many places you can buy tree, garland, and wreath storage bags. Amazingly enough, Smith & Hawken didn't manage to fit their red wellies into this picture.

Be Your Own Professional Organizer, Part 2: Containerize

Containers (or all sorts) are some of your best friends when getting organized. They help you make the most of your space, and make it easier to get your hands on the item you want.

Containers come in many forms, including:
- Plastic bins
- Canisters
- Baskets
- Tins
- Bookshelves
- Filing cabinets
- File folders
- 3-ring binders and lever arch binders
- Closets
- Cabinets and drawers
- Wine racks
- Tool and tackle boxes

Here are a few things to keep in mind when selecting containers.

1. Try to keep containers only about 75% full. It's much easier to pull something out and put something away if the container isn't close to overflowing! That applies to clothes closet rods, file cabinet drawers, etc.

2. When space is an issue, square containers make better use of that space than do round ones. Consider that when picking your food storage containers.

3. Containers can provide us with self-limiting mechanisms. Personally, I only have so much bookshelf space (and it's a goodly amount); if I get more books than will fit, I need to move some along. Similarly, I have a box for old letters I want to keep - and that's all the space I'm dedicating to those letters.

4. You don't necessarily have to buy new containers - and you can be creative! Shoe boxes and such can work fine sometimes. I've used gift bags as containers in someone's kitchen. A fancy candy box from Joseph Schmidt (see example above) holds name tags and such right by my front door, so I can grab what I need as I leave home.

5. If you do buy new containers, there are more and more green options: products made from recycled materials, for example.

6. If you are storing things for posterity (photos, children's art, your wedding gown, etc.) be sure to pick appropriate containers. Spending the additional money for archival quality products can be a good investment.

Related Post:
Part 1: Decide What to Keep

Electronics Recycling Gets Interesting

Within the European Union, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive makes producers of electronics more responsible for proper disposal. In the UK, regulations went into effect this year.

When we think about electronics recycling, most of us think about computers, televisions, and similar items.

But LoveHoney reminds us that vibrators are electronics, too - and they have a special Rabbit Amnesty program set up for recycling of their rabbit vibrators. (There's no word about recycling of the other vibrators they sell.)

There's a fun video at Gizmodo Australia where a rabbit explains all about the program, including the half-price off on a replacement vibrator, and the donation made to the World Land Trust for each vibrator recycled through the program. No pictures of vibrators - just the rabbit.

[via Ideal Bite]

What's That Old Flag Stamp Worth?

In the course of decluttering, it's common to find old stamps with no postage value printed on them. The official term for these is nondenominated, and the U.S. post office has a web site listing these stamps and their value. [Thanks to fellow organizer Susan Kousek for the pointer.]

Linns.com also has this information - with nicer pictures of the stamps.

October 21 update: In the UK, non-denominated stamps are known as non-value indicators, or NVIs. But those in the UK don't need to worry about the stamps' value. As gbstamps.com points out, "When NVI’s were first introduced, stamps inscribed 1st sold for 19p. They can still be used today for that service, although the rate for first-class mail as this is written in 2004 is 28p." The new U.S. Forever stamp works the same way as British NVIs.

Three Tips for Getting Your Time in Balance

I've been reading Nothing's Too Small to Make a Difference, by Wanda Urbanska and Frank Levering; here are three concepts I'd like to share.

1. Margin

"The accelerated pace of our lives - along with the lack of what Wisconsin physician and author Richard A. Swenson calls 'margin' - has become an accepted fact of modern life. Margin is a mental, physical, and emotional condition that is the opposite of overload. It is that cushion of time that allows us to maneuver gracefully through our lives; it is the reserve of energy, emotion, and time held for unanticipated situations and crises."

2. Pauses

"We used to call them breaks. Coffee breaks. Lunch breaks. . . . at least get out of your chair and stretch for a few minutes several times a day. Get out on the street and walk around the building. Any pause out of your day will be helpful."

3. Picking Your Spots

For all of us who tend to want to read and learn about everything, quoting journalism professor and executive editor of the Business Journal, Justin Catanoso - and commenting on his approach:

"One of his techniques is to write off sections of the world. 'I know it sounds callous, but I just don't follow South America, for instance. So I don't read articles about that area. On the foreign front, I follow the Mideast closely.' Allow yourself permission not to know something about everything. Freely admit to gaps in your knowledge. Follow closely your areas of interest."

Small Space Organizing: Living in a Bus

You think you have space constraints? Try making your home in a bus! When reader Louise commented on an earlier post, I found the blog that she and Sean use to keep friends and family updated about their travels.

While the travel stories are great fun to read, there are also a number of reflections on making the most of a small space, especially on Small Space Saturdays. But the following was part of a much longer post Sean wrote for Blog Action Day:

Living in a 300 square foot space means that one simply can not accumulate "stuff." If I buy three new shirts, then three old shirts have to go to the Goodwill (or the trash -- I tend to wear my clothes out). When we bought a new pot recently, the old one went on eBay.

Since we have mostly nice things, and we are mostly happy with them, the idea of giving or throwing them away is a powerful disincentive to bringing anything different into our lives. As a consequence, we have generally "checked out" of the American consumer culture. We simply do not buy very much "stuff." When we do, it is a real treat -- I just bought a new GPS to replace a five-year-old unit that wouldn't fit where I needed it (the old one, and all its clunky accessories, was sold on eBay). Louise treated herself to new towels for her birthday yesterday (the old ones will be donated someplace).

Best wishes to Sean and Louise - maybe I'll get to meet them someday if they swing by their own stomping grounds out here in California.

Leaving Your Shoes at the Door

Whether you have an official shoes off policy (a growing trend) or just tend to kick them off at the doorway, you don't want the shoes to sit in an unruly pile. Here are some of the options for entryway shoe storage.

Wall-Mounted Shoes Racks




1. From j-me in London comes this rack that lets you shoes float above the floor; available in two lengths. You can buy it in the U.S. from a number of vendors, including Generate. If the dimensions aren't quite right for your space, you can follow Megan's lead and make your own. [via swissmiss]



2. Charlotte Tangye Design also does a fun wall-mounted shoe rack. They are made in England, but worldwide shipping is available.


Wood Shoe Racks and Shelves



3. When it comes to basic shoes racks, these mahogany shelves from Frontgate are some of the most attractive I'm seen.




4. This solid oak shoe and boot rack comes from Brundlefly.


Benches with Shoe Storage



5. Brookstone has this boot bench, which also has a place for scarves, gloves and such.




6. Home Decorators has a number of benches with shoe cubbies.




7. Problem Solvers has this cedar bench and shoe rack, which folds for easy storage.




8. Here's a bench with tilt-out shoe storage, from Touch of Class.




9. If you want your shoe bench to be a real work of art, look at the tansu style wood benches from Woodistry.


More Options



10. Brookstone has storage cubbies that could be used for shoes - and used for something else at a future time.




11. Home Decorators sells a Craftsman shoe storage cabinet.




12. And if you want top of the line, you can get a custom shoe storage tansu from Berkeley Mills.


Just for Fun



13. Felis de Pass bring us shoeparking - a sticker stuck to the floor, giving the shoes an assigned parking spot.




14. Green Tea Design calls this a shoe bench, and it seems to be a lovely piece - but what attracted my eye was the cat.

[stone sold by StoneWise]

Environmental Tip: Mothballs, Be Gone!

Today is Blog Action Day, uniting bloggers around the world in writing about the environment.

When Dosh Dosh pointed me to The Daily Green, and I saw the July tip that explains why mothballs are such a bad idea, I knew I had my topic for today. Who wants to bring such nasty chemicals into his or her home? The tip also lists the many alternatives that can be used.

Martha Stewart also weighs in against mothballs, saying, "These can thwart infestations but come with many drawbacks, so you're probably better off without them."

Furthermore, Martha points out that "nothing discourages clothes moths and carpet beetles more than keeping your woolen items clean and storing them correctly." "Before you pack up winter clothing for storage, wash or dry-clean garments that have been worn. This rids them of moth and beetle eggs and also eliminates perspiration remnants and food spills, which attract and nourish pests."

Purdue University notes that mothballs can be especially dangerous to children. The ASPCA warns that mothballs can be poisonous to animals.

And remember that mothballs are considered a hazardous waste - so if you need to get rid of some, please dispose of them properly.

More environmental posts:
Donating and Recycling
Green Alternatives

[image from The Monster in the Closet, at Environmental Health Perspectives]

ADHD - a Medical (Not a Moral) Issue

ADDitude Magazine was full of good stuff this month - many touching on a common theme.

Here's a quote from Dr. Ned Hallowell, talking about how important it is to "understand yourself in medical, as opposed to moral, terns. Before they were diagnosed, most adults with ADHD carried in their hearts what amounted to a 'moral diagnosis' of being 'bad' or 'irresponsible.' When you replace that moral diagnosis with the correct medical diagnosis, you can start to lift the burden of self-condemnation."

Along with this we have the reader poll asking, "What was your primary emotion upon learning that you or your child has ADD?" The answers were
- 56% relief
- 16% regret (at not knowing sooner)
- 13% optimism
- 9% sadness (their unique qualities are a "disorder")
- 6% shame

And author and speaker Jonathan Mooney writes of his classroom experiences as a child with ADHD.

"... I felt that I was bad, almost morally defective. That feeling ate away at my sense of self like battery acid. In fact, it ruined it. As I grew up, and put my early schooling into perspective, the narrow definition of how schoolchildren are supposed to behave came to infuriate me."

"My second-grade teacher, named Mrs. C., would stop the class, point at me, and say 'Jon, what is wrong with you?" In that moment, the myth that good kids sit still - and bad kids don't - labeled me as a kid with a problem."

"In my elementary school, the entire class got a clear message: Stop being yourself or get out of the classroom. Many kids take that lesson and get out of school for good. You can't change who you are, and you shouldn't be asked to."

Agog Over Gump's: Storage Options Galore

Fantasy time! The latest Gump's catalog arrived yesterday, and there are all sorts of containers to ogle.

These accessory bags are meant to store jewelry, cosmetics, or toiletries.




OK, these are actually lidded candles - but once the candles have been burned, you have lovely Limoges porcelain jars to use.




And then there's this jewelry chest.




And once I went onto the web site, I noticed this animal basin that could hold any number of things.




I went on to browse the chests & cabinets collection, full of stunning pieces like this two-drawer chest.




And finally I stopped to admire the Halcyon Days boxes, including this one. (You can see many more products by this company on the Halcyon Days web site.)

Two Beautiful Blue Baskets

VivaTerra brings us this basket made from renewable, strong African grasses.




And Novica brings us this beaded rattan basket made by Wayan Sukerni in Indonesia.

Both VivaTerra and Novica support local artisans around the world.

Related Posts:
Baskets: When Plastic Bins Just Won't Do
Baskets: Storage Can Be Beautiful

20 Unusual Umbrella Stands from $41 to $700

Now that the rains have begun in the San Francisco Bay Area, umbrella stands are catching my attention. You can certainly get fine ones at places like Stacks and Stacks, Bellacor, or even Amazon.com - but here are some more unusual options, in a wide range of prices.

1. Italian ceramic umbrella holders are available from a number of sources, and can be stunning. The bird of paradise umbrella stand shown above, made from Majolica glazed pottery, is just one example.




2. Here's another Italian ceramic umbrella stand in a very different style.




3. And Higuera Imports has an interesting selection of umbrella stands from Deruta, Italy.




4. Moving over to the U.K., here's a willow umbrella basket. There's a version without a handle, too. This is one of the less expensive options listed here.




5. And here's a willow umbrella basket in an urn shape.




6. This unusually shaped willow umbrella holder is made by a French master vanneur, or basketmaker.




7. And of course you can also get umbrella baskets made in the USA. The one above comes from Baskets by PamW costs $41; other sources are The Basket Man, Annie's Amish Baskets, and Peterboro Basket Company.




8. Want a modern looks? Here's the Aki umbrella stand, available in seven different colors. [via Apartment Therapy: Chicago]




9. The Splash umbrella stand is made from rubber; it's available in seven colors. [via Fabulously Green]




10. This umbrella stand is made in Finland; it's birch, with a brass tray. It was designed by Alvar Aalto.




11. Here's a bamboo umbrella stand; there's also a smaller version.



12. And here's a leather umbrella stand; it's only available in red. Update Feb. 27, 2009: Unfortunately, this umbrella stand doesn't seem to be available any more; if you're hooked on red leather, here's another alternative.




13. These French copper umbrella stands sure look stunning.




14. The Raining in Sils umbrella stand is made of aluminum, and shaped like a Swiss cross. [via Bonluxat]




15. The Magnuson Group has a number of umbrella stands worth a look.




16. The Well Appointed House has many umbrella stands in all sorts of styles; it was hard to select just one image!




17. Mary Alice Hadley made this umbrella stand.




18. Want to go green? This umbrella stand is hand-carved from reclaimed root balls.




19. Designer Stephen Cheetham came up with a great idea - hang your umbrella over a plant, so the dripping water is useful! [via Treehugger]




20. This one is not for sale - but I just couldn't resist showing you the Kliban cat umbrella stand.


Did you guess which one cost $700? It's the Italian ceramic listed at #2; the other Italian pieces cost much less.




And here's one more, just because I couldn't resist showing what you can get for $1,999: an Italian ceramic umbrella stand from Neiman Marcus.

Be Your Own Professional Organizer, Part 1: Decide What to Keep

I'm starting a new series, where I'll walk through some of the organizing basics I cover with many of my clients.

One of the first steps is sorting through all the stuff, and deciding what to keep and what to discard. The idea isn't to take everything you own and shove it into plastic containers with labels! Determine what's really important to keep in your life, and let the rest go.

General Approaches

1. Start with a vision in mind. As Peter Walsh says in It's All Too Much, "Imagine the life you want to live."

2. Pick a place to start.

3. Ask yourself the right questions. (see also Questions to Help Eliminate Clutter)

4. Give yourself permission to let go.

5. Consider eliminating the shoulds: books you should read, etc.

6. And here's one more critical piece of advice: if sorting through everything feels overwhelming, recruit some help! Even professional organizers hire other professional organizers. But the right person to help you could be a neighbor or friend; maybe you can return the favor and help your helper do his or her own de-cluttering. It's generally best to have someone who has no emotional attachment to the stuff - a close relative is usually not the best choice. Look for someone who is compassionate, someone you can trust - and someone who will challenge you (in a nice way) if you seem to be making too few "this can go" decisions.

Working with someone else can keep you focused on the task and help you make good choices. (Example: You may want someone who can honestly say, "That outfit just doesn't do much for you." You probably already know that, but hearing it from someone else can still help.) And if you pick the right person it's just a whole lot more fun than sorting through it all on your own.

7. And no matter how tempting it is, don't discard someone else's stuff unless the person has given you permission to do so. You may think your partner needs to get rid of all sorts of things - but that's not your decision to make. Similarly, involve your children in sorting through the toys and deciding which to keep. (Yes, some children may be too young for this - but involve them as soon as possible.)


For specific types of items:

8. You may not need all the paper you have - in files, in piles to be filed, etc.

9. The sentimental stuff can be a challenge - save some of the sentimental, but be selective.

10. Clearing out the bookshelves is another one that's tough for lots of folks. It helps to allow yourself to give up on books you don't like.

11. You might let go of some magazines, too.

12. Consider whether you need all the owner's manuals you have.

[photo by Susan Tansil]

New on My Bookshelf: Sorted!

Australian professional organizer Lissanne Oliver was kind enough to send me a copy of her new book - and I'm glad she did!

Part of the fun in reading this book was simply observing the differences in language and products from country to country. I now know about Texta, op shops, and blu tack.

But I also liked her insights and her way with words. Here are two examples:

The truth is that organised people do not have the organising fairies visit. Organised people spend time planning and often have routines in place.

Don't hoard generic gifts such as perfumed talcum powder, body wash and little candles or picture frames. A gift with no thought is no gift at all; it's landfill.

The book provides general principles and techniques, but the bulk of the material is a collection of 42 "recipes" for organizing every part of your life, from e-mail to paper to memorabilia to suitcases to pantries.

Lissanne may be the only organizer I know who has never owned a file cabinet - which illustrates that there's no one right way to get organized! (She prefers lever arch files - another product you don't often see in the U.S.) And that leads to my one minor quibble with the book: sometimes it presents a single way to organize something, when I would rather see a series of options that someone can choose among.

But there's much wisdom in this book, and it's a fun read. I can't wait to meet Lissanne (hopefully at the next NAPO conference) and get her to sign my copy!

Junk Mail Management, Dutch Style

The Dutch may . . . choose not to get junk mail. They have a simple solution: mailbox stickers. If they want to receive mail addressed only to "resident," they post a "Ja" decal, meaning "yes." If they don't want unsolicited fliers, ads, and credit-card offers, they post a "Nee" sticker, for "no."
--Quoted from Rick Steves' weekly column

Actually, it's a bit more complex than that. As explained on the Linux Journal, "the first JA (Yes) or NEE (No) indicates the person's preference for receiving unaddressed, flyer-type advertisements. The second JA or NEE is the preference for receiving free publications. Stickers in all combinations of yes/no are available."

You can read more about this great idea on the Stop Junk Mail Blog - which is mostly focused on the U.K., but the founder of that web site is a Dutchman who worked as a postman in the Netherlands.

Creative Storage Containers: Coal Scuttles

Coal scuttles were designed to store coal near the fireplace or stove where it would be used. A recent article by antiques experts Ralph and Terry Kovel suggested the scuttles could now be used to hold magazines, or to serve as small tables.

But when I look at pictures on the web (like the one above from GoAntiques.com), many of the coal scuttles I see seem like they'd be useful in sort of the same way some baskets are - for storing all sorts of things, from kitty toys to yarn.

Elegant and Expensive: Storage Pots by Vincent Van Duysen

Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen designed these hand-thrown earthenware storage pots with sandblasted oak lids. I first saw them mentioned in Gourmet magazine in December 2005; the price listed was $165 each, from Matin.

You can read more about these pots (and see more lovely pictures) at The Style Files, When Objects Work (text and pictures), and at Van Duysen's own web site (click on projects and then on products).

Making the Most of Children's Art

Of course you can save your child's best artwork in a scrapbook or an archival-quality box. But for a few special treasures, you may want to do more.

I've already written about ForKeeps, which will create a book of your child's best artwork.

And my July 2007 newsletter mentioned Scribble Couture, which lets you create a clutch or tote bag from your child's artwork.

But now, thanks to Parent Hacks, I also know about The Kinder Studio. Here's what they do, in their own words:

We specialize in reproducing children's art. Let us transform your kid's paintings and drawings into matted, framed, exhibit-worthy masterpieces. You send us the art, we do the rest.

They can also create note cards from your child's creation, rather than a framed print.

Tea Tins - Not Just for Tea

Beautiful storage containers can be used for so many things! Consider the tea tin - great for storing tea, but also good for cotton balls in the bathroom, pens on your desk in the office (given the right-shape tin with the lid removed), paper clips, hair accessories, and so much more.

OK, the one above is an expensive ($225) antique from Huxtin's of London, but there are many delightful options for much less. Here are eight options.




1. Rishi-Tea has many beautiful tea tins, including these washi paper covered tins with traditional Japanese patterns.




2. EnjoyingTea.com has a few interesting tins, too.




3. The Dragonwater Tea Company sells the magic dragon tin.




4. Blue Moon Tea has this tulip tea tin in three shapes: a square tin, a round tin, and this deluxe caddy.




5. Some companies sell their teas in lovely tins that scream out for additional uses once the tea has been enjoyed. Williamson fine teas in the elephant tins are just one example.




6. Zhena's gypsy teas come in tins with their gypsy image.




7. Ahmad Tea of London has tins with a London scene. They also have four round tins worth a look.




8. And Atelier LZC, based in Paris, has lovely tins - with organic fair trade tea, too! [via Oh Joy!]


[post inspired by: How to store loose leaf teas]

Hoarding Hits the Small Screen

Hoarding provides the dramatic images that TV shows crave: the boxes piled high, the rooms with only a tiny path through the maze of stuff, the medical papers stored in the dryer "so I'll know where they're at."

But I was pleased to note that two recent shows about hoarding provided both compassion and information. Hoarding was given a sympathetic human face, and hoarders were shown working with therapists and professional organizers.

On Fox News - Chicago you can see the story of Katie: the original story and a later follow-up.

And The Learning Channel had a show called Help! I'm a Hoarder, which you can see on the Helping Hoarders web site.

However, as fellow organizer Ariane Benefit points out, TLC missed an opportunity to point hoarders and those who care about them to the many resources available - which she goes on to list.

Back to Basics: Step Files

I don't carry a whole lot of organizing tools in my car - but one thing I always have with me is a step file, also known as an incline sorter. These are often useful for action files - those with stuff you need to work on now - or very soon. They might hold bills to pay, notes on calls to be returned, phone numbers to be entered into your computer, items to discuss with a colleague or spouse, information related to your current hot project, etc.

That's a basic step file from Fellowes shown above; you can find something similar at any decent office supplies store.




If you want something fancier than the common plastic or wire versions, there's this lovely one from WoodWorx, available in three different wood finishes.




And there are a few more variations on the theme. One is the StationMate from Ultimate Office.




And there's also this vertical file, available at The Container Store. Thanks to fellow organizer Suzanne Chilson of simplified living organizational services for the pointer to this one.

October 2007 Organizing Tips and More

My October newsletter is now available.

Tip of the Month: Permission to Let Go

Donation Idea of the Month: Furniture Banks

Updates from Prior Newsletters:

- Stitch'T is another company that will make a custom quilt from your old T-shirts; see examples above (and many more on their web site - I only wish the pictures were a bit bigger)

- You can still donate toys to children in Iraq