![\"\"](\"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/cluttered-woman.jpg\")
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Enter Krista Colvin<\/a>,\u00a0lifestyle expert,\u00a0Founder of Organize in Style<\/a>\u00a0LLC and creator of The Shebang<\/a>, The Smart Woman’s Guide to Doing It All,\u00a0who sees\u00a0your clutter as a canvas for crafting a well organized masterpiece that’s as eco-friendly as it is stylish.\u00a0\u00a0Best\u00a0of all,\u00a0she offers practical\u00a0solutions that\u00a0are easy to implement — and maintain — and will\u00a0save you precious hours to boot.\u00a0 With Krista’s help, the only thing you’ll need to think about is what to do with all that extra time!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n After teaching high school for 13 years, I decided to take what I dubbed my “Domestic Diva” leave of absence. A year into it, I got antsy. It was while watching HGTV that I discovered professional organizing as a profession. From there I launched Organize in Style, my consulting and hands-on organizing business then later developed The Shebang!, my online lifestyle management program. I love the instant gratification clients feel, plus\u00a0express. They say \u201cthank you\u201d immediately vs. my high school students. It usually took them till graduation or their 1st quarter at college!<\/p>\n Why do you think it’s so difficult for people to stay organized? What’s the one main tip you offer clients to help them remain focused in their organizing efforts?<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s difficult to stay organized because we are busy living life to its fullest! We are constantly bringing items into our homes\u00a0and offices. Think of clutter as just a pile of decisions you have yet to make. The key to staying organized is to make those decisions. Sometimes those decisions are quick and easy while other items require more thought. But make at least some decisions every day.<\/p>\n Successful organizers create personalized systems for their clients. I believe everyone has their own organizing style and a Stepford approach to organizing just doesn\u2019t cut it. I also believe that people are secretly afraid of professional organizers because they think we will throw everything away. Au contraire! We simply press you to answer your own questions i.e.; \u201cDo I really need\/use\/cherish this?\u201d It\u2019s far from scary and clients quickly comment that it\u2019s actually fun. I know fun isn\u2019t what you\u2019d thought, now is it? But it\u2019s true… I guarantee it!<\/p>\n Your blog talks about how being organized is a lifestyle that can help you effectively manage all areas of your life — and that you can do it in style. Do you have any specific areas on which you focus? What’s the biggest challenge that typically prompts people to seek the services of a professional organizer like you?<\/strong><\/p>\n The Shebang<\/a>\u00a0focuses on getting it, plus\u00a0keeping it together amongst all things SHE\u2026 self | home | personal\/professional endeavors. I believe you can do it all, just not in 1 day or 1 week\u2026 but we want to do it all now<\/em>. It\u2019s the perfectionist in us and the desire for instant gratification. Having a plan takes the overwhelm out of getting organized, and sets you on a course for achieving your goals.<\/p>\n The majority of my new clients call when they are ready to take their business — or their home —\u00a0to the next level. An entrepreneur may be in their 3rd year of business or have recently moved into a new space. Another client may be fed up with the lack of systems in their home or want to make their space function and look fabulous. But the biggest issue is always paper\u2026 paper, paper, paper. “Help! I’m drowning in paper!”<\/p>\n The first step is getting to know the client\u2019s organizing — and\u00a0personal<\/em> style. Then comes the fun part — getting creative with the use of \u201cout of the box\u201d storage items. I love using vintage items to organize. A tea cup can serve as a paperclip holder. An old metal cash box can become a \u201cbill box.” Look for items that can be used for incoming mail or magazine and catalog holders. An old bread box can be a clever way to hide your kitchen office clutter —\u00a0i.e. pens, scissor, pad of paper etc.\u00a0 I did a segment<\/a> on organizing with vintage items that offers more great tips as part of a reuse\/recycle approach to organizing.<\/p>\n What green organizing tips can you share? Is this a big part of your business?<\/strong><\/p>\n Being green is integrated into\u00a0my basic organizing\u00a0process:<\/p>\n Know what you\u2019ve got.<\/em> <\/strong>I love it when a client says happily, \u201cI\u2019ve been looking for that.\u201d Tt\u2019s much better than hearing \u201cDang, I couldn\u2019t find this so I bought a new one last week\u201d.<\/p>\n Use what you have.<\/em> <\/strong>Gather up all the \u00bd full shampoos, gels, etc. Place them in a shower caddy and use them up. Try to see how many meals you can conjure up with the food in your fridge, freezer, and pantry.<\/p>\n Make a “love it or leave it” basket.<\/em> <\/strong>Your girlfriends or babysitter may love the smell of the lotion you loathe or adore the stationary you no longer fancy. Give them easy access and feel good about your decision to let it go.<\/p>\n Spread the love.<\/em> <\/strong>The old camera, old phone, old sheets, and so on and so on are perfectly good, but they aren\u2019t good to anyone sitting in the closet. Pick your favorite charitable recipient and make a monthly visit.<\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t that lovely?”<\/em>\u00a0 <\/strong>Get in the habit of not bringing the “lovelies” home. Instead, try picking up the item, and in your best sweet drawl, utter adoringly,\u00a0\u201coh, isn\u2019t that lovely\u201d then gently placing it back down and\u00a0 keep smiling as you walk away!<\/p>\n Being organized allows you to dream big dreams! Once you\u2019ve got the little things under control, you can tackle the big items that come your way. And of course, save oodles of time and money.<\/p>\n Think of the areas you use on a daily basis. Organize these first and you\u2019ll free up time while feeling less anxious. Mail centers and often used spaces like the bathroom, kitchen and\u00a0pantry fall into this category.<\/p>\n Your services extend beyond basic room organization to crafts and meal planning — and even TO DO lists and entertaining. Why did you decide to take this comprehensive approach? Do clients engage you for specific services or do you offer a total package?<\/strong><\/p>\n After completing projects with clients, I realized they were anxious to keep their spaces looking and feeling fabulous and functional. They wanted a plan. An easy<\/em> plan. It\u2019s not just stuff that overwhelms people… it\u2019s life, the over committing, the perfection misconception, and trying to entertain on a 5-star level. Having a plan where you know you will focus on all these areas in a particular time frame — and with a particular, achievable\u00a0<\/em>—\u00a0<\/em>goal in mind\u00a0will take a majority of the stress out of it.<\/p>\n Most projects begin with a consultation which includes creating an overall plan for their space. Together, we determine where to start and where my help is most needed vs. the DIY list. I prefer to focus on one area at a time, allowing the client time to adjust to, and feel comfortable managing,\u00a0the newly implemented system.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n I\u2019m not sure if it\u2019s the media hype or the fact that we are so over all the holiday d\u00e9cor that creates the New Year organizing craze. But it\u2019s definitely a time when people are seeking information. About 2 weeks into January, the calls really start flooding in. People just want it done and don’t have the time or patience for the DIY phase. Transitional periods, whether it be moving or having a 2nd child or taking a business to the next , typically prompts a majority of\u00a0calls.<\/p>\n But anytime is a good time to start. Your success depends on the system you\u2019ve chosen to implement. The more simple the system the more likely you are to stick with it.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n \n <\/strong><\/p>\n What’s your dream organizing job? Do you have visions of being the next Martha Stewart? Where do you hope to take your expertise?<\/strong><\/p>\n Ooooh, my dream job. I\u2019d love to consult with builders and have them implement my savvy storage solutions into their homes, and feature them in the models.<\/p>\n As far as being Martha Stewart, I did before I had kids! Now I\u2019m much more Erma (as in Bombeck) sprinkled with a touch of Martha glitter. Visions of Martha make me feel like I need to be perfect and frankly, I lock my keys in my car every so often so I just aim to be the best me<\/em>!<\/p>\n I\u2019d love to design organizing products and have my own little cable show. The products would be functional and fabulous and the show\u2026 well, it would have to include coffee\u00a0and my girlfriends, two of the essentials I can not live without. Oh, and lipstick!<\/p>\n \n Create simple routines and\u00a0schedules\u2026\u00a0not necessarily to be so rigid and\u00a0followed to a \u201cT\u201d but as a base for staying sane!<\/p>\n How can readers get in touch with you if they want to contract your services? Besides your blog, where would you send them to learn more about the wonderful world of organizing?<\/strong><\/p>\n Email or a simple phone call! Krista@organizeinstyle.com<\/a>\u00a0or 360.921.2843<\/p>\n My\u00a0favorite\u00a0organizing sites are\u00a0www.Unclutterer.com<\/a> and www.thehomeofficeorganizer.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Whether you decide to follow Krista’s\u00a0blog for more\u00a0great organizing tips\u00a0or enlist her services directly,\u00a0the possibilities of an organized, stress-free new year await you.\u00a0 And\u00a0it will not only make you feel good<\/em>, it will give you time you can spend looking good<\/em>.\u00a0 There’s a sale on eco-friendly boots at\u00a0Simple Shoes<\/a>, and you can use\u00a0the shoebox to house\u00a0receipts and bills or whip it up into something eco-fabulously crafty that would make Danny Seo<\/a>\u00a0green with envy.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One of the biggest challenges most people face is staying organized.\u00a0 It’s also one of the biggest new year’s resolutions for those who resolve to start their new year off clutter-free.\u00a0 But, for many, it’s an elusive process that either starts off strong and fizzles out, or seems so daunting a task that they don’t […] More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":1815,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false},"categories":[45,7,91],"tags":[1537,3023,1767,3024,123,166,3025,2404,3026,3027,300,3028,3029,3030,3031,3032,3033,3034,3035,3036,3037,2646,3038,3039],"apple_news_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/cluttered-woman.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1814"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1814"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1814\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/krista_colvin_closeup_square.jpg\")
You are an organizing diva, and manage the Organize in Style blog in addition to creating The Shebang, The Smart Woman’s Guide to Doing it All. How did you get into organizing and what do you love most about it?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/woman-closet_organize.jpg\")
Is there a secret to being a successful organizer?<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/eco-organize_boxes.jpg\")
Our readers embrace a green lifestyle. Do your services include eco-friendly tips and tricks for organizing stylishly — and responsibly?<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/organized-kitchen.jpg\")
What are some of the benefits of being organized? What areas of the house do you think offer the greatest benefits?<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/organized_sweing-room.jpg\")
Are there certain times of the year (like New Year’s!) or life events (such as getting married, moving etc.) that prompt people to contact you? Do you have a particular time of year or life event that you recommend is a good time to start getting organized that offers the greatest chance of sticking with it?<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/organized_schedule.gif\")
If readers could only focus on ONE organizing effort in 2009, what would you recommend it be?<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/kristacolvin_long_shot.jpg\")
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