Reclaim your space from the ghosts of clutter past! – Bee Organized

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The Things That Haunt Your Home

The Things That Haunt Your Home

by My Store Admin in Buzz Tips

You know those things lurking in the dark corners of your home—the ones you swear you will use someday, but instead they just gather dust and give you the heebie-jeebies every time you notice them? We’re not talking about ghosts or ghouls—we’re talking about the clutter that refuses to leave!

From ancient cords to mysterious kitchen tools, from special occasion shoes to the costume your youngest hasn’t been able to fit into since preschool, these items haunt your basement, attic, and everywhere in between like poltergeists. And just like in any scary story, the first step to breaking the curse is to shine a light on what’s really hiding there.

This October, we’re discussing the most spine-chilling items that tend to haunt our clients’ houses. We know that what people hold on to is closely tied to their Organizing Profile. (If you don’t know or remember your Organizing Profile, you can take our short Profile Quiz!) Understanding your profile can help you lift the spell these items have over you—and reclaim your space from the ghosts of clutter past!

The Space Giver: Keeper of Other People’s Skeletons

What haunts you:

  • Boxes of your grown kids’ memorabilia
  • Your neighbor’s motorcycle because your garage is bigger
  • Your sister’s crates “just while she’s getting her new apartment sorted out”
  • Family heirlooms you don’t want but feel bad giving away
  • Why you keep it: You feel guilty saying “no”.

Decluttering spells:

  • Set a “pick-up by” date for all of the stored items that aren’t yours.
  • Offer to help your loved ones sort through the items you are storing for them—and to find new homes for the things they don’t want back.
  • Remember that your home isn’t a haunted storage unit—you are allowed to reclaim your space!

The Memory Keeper: Haunted by the Past

What haunts you:

  • Large-format canvasses
  • Framed pictures
  • Envelopes and cards from Christmases past
  • Special event programs
  • Costumes
  • Special event clothing (wedding guest dress, prom gown)
  • Cassettes, CDs and DVDs from yesteryear
  • Sentimental hats and event T-shirts
  • Entire sets of china or dishes
  • Yearbooks

Why you keep it: Every item feels like it holds a piece of the past—and getting rid of it feels like erasing the memory.

Decluttering spells:

  • Keep one talisman from a set—for example, hold on to one teacup instead of the whole china set.
  • Snap photos of sentimental items so they can live in the cloud instead of your attic.
  • Display only what you truly love and donate the rest to a good home.
  • Create a memory box with a defined limit (one crate or one shelf). This lets you honor the past without drowning in it!

The Money-Minded: Cursed by the Cost

What haunts you:

  • Unused exercise equipment
  • Hobby supplies like craft kits, art materials, musical instruments, sports gear
  • Kitchen gadgets
  • Expensive makeup and beauty products
  • Jewelry
  • Things that are too valuable to use—like special glasses or dishes
  • Special occasion clothes that no longer fit

Why you keep it: Throwing it away feels like throwing money away.

Decluttering spells:

  • Remember that money is a sunk cost—so keeping the item doesn’t get the money back.
  • You can sell high-value items to recoup some of the cost.
  • Flip the script! Remind yourself that space has value too. Keeping things you don’t use is like paying rent to store ghosts.

The Just-in-Caser: Prepared for the Zombie Apocalypse

What haunts you:

  • Expired medications and vitamins
  • Duplicate appliances
  • Condiment packets
  • Storage containers without lids (and lids without storage containers!)
  • 17 contact lens cases
  • Stacks and stacks of instruction manuals
  • Office supplies
  • Extra screws and allen wrenches
  • Vacuum attachments you’ve never even tried to use

Why you keep it: "What if I need it someday?"

Decluttering spells:

  • Store things at the store—and don’t buy them until you truly need them. If you can replace the item for less than $20 or in less than 20 minutes, you don’t need to keep it.
  • Keep a reasonable limit on duplicates (do you really need 48 extra lightbulbs?)
  • Remember: In the event of a Zombie apocalypse, extra potato mashers won’t save you anyway.

The Acquirer: Victim of the Siren Song of the Sale

What haunts you:

  • Decorative seasonal items
  • Reusable shopping bags
  • Cleaning supplies
  • Gardening pots and containers
  • Cute packages of themed food (like pumpkin-and-ghost-shaped pasta!)
  • Clothes you never wear

Why you keep it: The thrill of acquiring is addictive and every deal feels too good to pass up.

Decluttering spells:

  • Ask yourself: Would I buy this again at full price today?
  • Pause before buying to allow the spell to wear off. If the item still calls to you after 24 hours, consider buying it—otherwise, let it fade into the mist.

The Crammer-Jammer-Stacker: The Master of the Monster Closet

What haunts you:

  • Mystery cords
  • Piles of office supplies
  • Half-used candles
  • Seasonal decor that never gets displayed
  • Vases
  • Receipts and old paperwork
  • Office supplies
  • Water bottles and coffee tumblers
  • Pillowcases from sheet sets you threw away long ago

Why you keep it: Out of sight, out of mind—until the closet door bursts open in the middle of the night!

Decluttering spells:

  • Empty one hidden space at a time—you’ve got to face your monster head on!
  • Use clear bins with labels so nothing can hide from the light.
  • If you haven’t used it in a year or more, it’s not worth keeping in the dungeon.

The Aspirer: Bewitched by the Someday Self

What haunts you:

  • Unopened art supplies
  • Musical instruments you’ve never learned
  • Exercise gear for a routine you never started
  • Golf clubs
  • Unread books
  • Specialty baking pans and kitchen appliances
  • Stack of cookbooks for cuisines you’ve never made

Why you keep it: The items represent a dream or version of yourself that you want to be someday.

Decluttering spells:

  • Keep only the supplies for one active project or hobby at a time.
  • Donate or sell items for hobbies and activities you’ve lost interest in—let them enchant someone else!
  • Create a future wish list instead of stockpiling items you may never use.

Clutter has many disguises—nostalgia, guilt, just-in-case thinking—but the end result is the same: Your home feels more like a haunted house than a haven. By understanding your Organizing Profile and why you keep the items you keep, you can banish the fear of getting rid of what’s haunting you and make room for the life you want now.

And if the clutter feels too scary to face alone … you know you can call in the Bees!

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The Ultimate Guide to Fridge & Freezer Food Storage

The Ultimate Guide to Fridge & Freezer Food Storage

This spring, the Environmental Protection Agency released its latest estimates of how much food Americans waste each year. According to their research, the average family of four spends $3,000 per year on food that ends up in the garbage. For every three grocery bags you carry into the kitchen, one of them ends up in a landfill. Ouch! The good news is that the overwhelming majority of this wasted food and money is within our control. A chaotic fridge and freezer makes it harder to track what you have, easier to buy unnecessary duplicates, and much more likely for you to forget about food until it’s covered in fascinating mold specimens. We have advice on how to whip your refrigerator into shape—and how to change your behaviour surrounding food so that you can make the most of your grocery budget! But First—Purge and Wipe Every successful fridge reset starts with a clean slate! Take everything out of your fridge and freezer, arrange it by type on your kitchen counter, and toss out everything that is obviously spoiled, expired, or just plain unrecognizable. Then, wipe down each shelf, wall, and drawer. It sounds so simple, but depending on how long you’ve let it go, this could take an hour or more, so pop in some high-energy music or your favorite podcast and get to work. When it’s clean, line the bottoms of drawers with paper towels so that your next clean-out goes more quickly. Organize for Visibility The golden rule of refrigerator organization is that if you can’t see it, you won’t eat it—and that’s how good food goes bad. Here are a few of our favorite tips for keeping the fridge organized: Make an EAT FIRST shelf or bin—This is where you should place leftovers and any items reaching the end of their lifespan. Make sure it’s clearly labeled and in your direct line of sight! Create and label zones—Group similar things together so that you can see what you have, avoid buying duplicates, and reduce time searching endlessly for ingredients. In the fridge, consider zones for condiments, easy-to-grab snacks, dairy, beverages, fruits/veggies, and meal prep ingredients. In the freezer, we often start with zones for fruits/veggies, sweets, proteins, pre-made meals, and grains. Label everything—How many times have you put something in the freezer and think you’ll remember what it is only to find it two months later and think you’ve never seen it before? Make a rule for yourself that you can’t stick anything in the fridge or freezer that isn’t labeled. We like to keep a roll of masking tape and a Sharpie near the fridge. Just be sure to stick your label on the side, not the top, so that it’s easy to spot. Use clear glass containers—We rarely urge you to buy a bunch of new organizing products when so many of the things you already own can be repurposed. But if you don’t have clear glass bins or containers for fridge storage, they are worth every single penny. You will quickly recoup any money you spend on clear bins with less wasted food! Freeze bags flat—Whether it’s leftover soup, pureed tomatoes from your summer harvest, or bags of frozen veggies, freezing items flat will save space in your freezer and allow you to see what you have immediately. Lengthen Your Food’s Lifespan Another way to reduce your family’s food waste is to help your items last as long as they can! Here are a few pieces of advice that you can put into action: Manage your temperature—According to the FDA, our freezers should be set to 0℉ and our refrigerators should be set to 40℉ or below. If you suspect your fridge isn’t keeping your items as cool as it should, you can pick up an appliance thermometer for less than $10 at a home improvement or big box store. Lower shelves tend to be cooler, so that’s where you should keep your meat and dairy products. And the temperature of the door fluctuates the most, so that’s a great place to store things that aren’t too fussy, like condiments, pickles, nut butters, and non-dairy beverages. Preserve your herbs—Fresh herbs are such a delight, but since we rarely use an entire container for one recipe, they are at the top of the list for items that are lost in the fridge and then ultimately wasted. For fresh herbs, either store them in a glass of water in the fridge like a bouquet of fragrant flowers or roll them in a damp paper towel and seal in a freezer bag. Use mason jars with airtight lids—Remember that oxygen is the enemy of food preservation. The more airtight your containers are, the longer your food will stay fresh. That’s why leftovers stored in a glass jar with a reusable airtight lid will last significantly longer than something stored in a zipper bag or container with a loose-fitting lid. Stock from the back—When you unpack groceries, make sure you take the extra minutes to tuck new items behind the older items in your fridge or freezer, rather than just shoving them wherever you can fit them in the front. If you just bought a new box of 12 yogurt cups from Costco, make sure each and every one is tucked behind the 3 cups you still have left from your last trip. Prevent the squish—Damaged food spoils faster, so hang on to a few clamshell containers from spinach or berries—they’re perfect for protecting delicate items like peaches that come home in a produce bag and would quickly bruise in the mosh pit of your fridge. Manage humidity—Things that like to wilt dramatically (think leafy greens, carrots, and cucumbers) need high humidity to stay fresh. Either keep them wrapped up or put them in a high-humidity produce drawer in your fridge. Keep things growing—If you’ve got a sunny spot in your kitchen, use it to keep your greens growing. If you’ve got the root ends of green onions, celery, or even romaine lettuce, pop them in a glass with an inch of water and set it on your kitchen counter. Change the water every day or two and you’ll be amazed to see fresh growth appear—ready to snip and enjoy as needed! Use Every Last Bit A little creativity goes a long way when it comes to using up odds and ends in your fridge and panty. Here are a few of our go-to methods: Second chance meals—Miscellaneous leftovers of protein, vegetables, and cheeses are the perfect addition to pastas, soups, omelettes or frittatas, and sauces. These everything-but-the-kitchen-sink dishes often turn out to be family favorites! Smoothies—The last big spoonful of yogurt. A couple of inches of orange juice or milk in the bottom of the jug. The browning banana on the counter. The six strawberries someone didn’t eat from their packed lunch. We love the flexibility of smoothies for making delicious treats out of things that are just taking up space or on their last legs! Croutons—Stale bread makes AMAZING fresh croutons. Take whatever you’ve got—whole wheat, bagels, sourdough, hot dog buns—and cut it into one-inch cubes, saute the cubes on medium heat for 10-15 minutes with a couple cloves of garlic, salt, and butter or olive oil, and you will be shocked at how utterly delicious croutons can be! Herb ice—Dice leftover herbs, tightly pack the herbs into ice cube trays, add water or olive oil, freeze, then toss the frozen flavor cubes into a freezer-safe bag or jar. Don’t forget to label them! Now you’ve got a wonderful flavor boost you can add into soups and sauces all year long. Keep a USE IT UP list—Keep a dry-erase board and marker near the fridge. Keep a running list of items that you’ve only partially used or will soon expire so that you remember to use that half container of feta or the rest of the cilantro before it winds up in the garbage! Shop Mindfully Shop from a list, not from your heart (or stomach!). Keep a grocery list in the kitchen and make sure everyone who lives there knows to add items to the list when they run low or run out. Knowing exactly what you need when you go to the store (rather than just guessing) keeps you from buying the fifth jar of mustard just in case. Reset weekly—We’ve talked before about the importance of a Weekly Reset in your kitchen. If you are doing this, you will know how many meals will need to be prepared at home and how many people will be eating at each meal. Are you hosting any guests this week? Are you eating any meals out? Will any of the meals in your plan create ideal leftovers? Having a finger on the pulse of what you can expect each day will help you only buy the groceries you need when you shop. One Last Thing… It may not be glamorous, but if your fridge feels like it’s working too hard—or isn’t cold enough—it might be time to check the coils. Pet hair and dust bunnies can clog airflow. Give the coils underneath or behind your fridge a quick vacuum so it can keep your food cooler for longer. If this sounds daunting to you, watch a YouTube video or two first! A clean, organized fridge and freezer is one of the most underrated ways to save time, money, and stress in your week. It means fewer wasted groceries, more delicious meals, and the confidence of knowing exactly what you have on hand. You’ve got this! And remember—if your fridge project turns into a whole-kitchen project, you know you can always call in the Bees!

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BEEing Productive: How to Manage Your Tasks and Time

BEEing Productive: How to Manage Your Tasks and Time

Most of us have a love/hate relationship with To-Do Lists. A good list can help us make the most of our days, but a disorganized list can be so overwhelming that we are paralyzed and get nothing done. Remember that good task and time management isn’t about doing everything! It’s about doing the right things at the right time in a way that actually works for you. Our goal is for you to be intentional about how you spend your days—not just react to what comes up—so that you can prioritize what matters the most to you. Getting your To-Do List and calendar organized will help you make better decisions, carve out space for the people and activities you love, leave behind guilt about unfinished tasks, get more done in less time, and give you permission to say NO to excessive demands on your time. Why We Struggle With To-Do Lists While most of us agree that a To-Do List is a helpful way to keep track of tasks, the struggle of managing it is real. Sometimes the problem is that the list is so long that it’s demoralizing to even make eye contact with. Sometimes the problem is that you have an abundance of lists—on your desk, in your planner, on a sticky note, on a napkin in your purse, in your phone, and in an email to yourself. Or maybe the items on your To-Do List feel random and semi-optional, so you just keep moving them from list to list without ever actually getting them done. Read on for our best strategies for taking charge of your tasks and time! Strategies for Managing Your TASKS Prioritize your list—Some things matter more than others, so make sure the most critical items are at the top. Many task-management apps give you the option of assigning an importance level to each task. Follow the two-minute rule—If the task takes less than two minutes to complete (think sorting the mail or RSVPing for an event), don’t waste your time writing it on your list. Just do it. Categorize your list—Putting everything from all of the hats you wear onto the same list is overwhelming. Think of ways to categorize your tasks so that they make sense to you. Does it make sense to divide items between personal and work? Or to divide personal items between home projects (upkeep, repairs), people (birthday presents, communication), travel (bookings, planning), or other groupings? Keep tasks small—Don’t write Paint bedroom on your To-Do List. It’s waaaay too big and will never get done. Break down larger projects into bite-size pieces. Instead of Paint bedroom, maybe your list would include Remove items from walls, Buy drop cloths, Cover or move furniture, choose paint color, etc. Clearly outlining steps in a bigger project makes it easier to picture the entire process and therefore easier to accomplish. Give everything a due date—Even if it’s just an estimate, having a deadline for when tasks should be finished can prevent headaches (and late fees and missed opportunities) in the long run. Use verbs—Items on your list should be written with a verb to help you quickly remember the task precisely. For example, writing Vegetable garden on your list isn’t as useful as adding a verb like Fertilize, Water, Weed, or Harvest. Estimate times for tasks—Next to each item on your list, estimate how many minutes/hours the task will take. This makes you more likely to jump into a task and gives you a more realistic understanding of how much you can accomplish in a day. Batch similar tasks—Every time you switch between tasks or projects, your brain needs time to catch up and adjust. If several items on your list are similar in nature, doing them in the same block of time can help you be more efficient. Watering all of your house plants at one time is more efficient and takes up less mental space than watering a couple of plants each day. Reset Weekly—We’ve long championed the idea of a Weekly Reset to keep your home and calendar managed. Think through the tasks and calendar events for the week ahead so that you minimize last-minute scrambles. Try a method or app—Don’t be shy about trying one of the many methods for managing your tasks. Some folks swear by the 1-3-5 method, which prompts you to attempt to accomplish one big task, three medium tasks, and five small tasks each day. Others keep a Primary List where they keep track of everything that needs to be done, but then select a few items each morning for their Daily List. And check out task management apps or software that might be a good fit for your needs. Strategies for Managing Your TIME Block your time—Divide your day into set chunks of time and assign specific tasks or types of work to each block. Instead of reacting to your To-Do List throughout the day, you can plan in advance when you’ll tackle certain responsibilities. Treat your time blocks like appointments so that you can protect the time from distractions and overbooking! Create themed days—Reserve certain days of the week for specific types of tasks. For example, maybe you pick a specific day to run all or most of your errands. Or maybe you dedicate Mondays and Thursdays to catching up on email and working through small items and the other days for projects that require deep thinking. Protect buffer zones—Try setting your default meeting times to 25 or 50 minutes instead of the usual 30 or 60. Building in a few extra minutes between meetings helps reduce stress, giving you time to switch spaces, manage quick needs, and get organized for what’s next. Schedule pre-and post-meeting blocks—Many meetings require time before and after to be truly productive, whether it’s reviewing documents, preparing your thoughts, taking notes, or following up. Don’t forget to schedule that prep and wrap-up time directly in your calendar. Color-code—If you use a Google or other digital calendar, use colors to divide between categories (family, work, appointments, etc.) or to divide between family members so that you can better understand what your day looks like at a glance. Reset Weekly—As we mentioned above, schedule a time for yourself to reset your calendar each week. You will be so much more ready to handle whatever curveballs life throws at you if you have a clear understanding of what is already planned each day. Try a method or app—There are a multitude of time-management and calendar methods and apps. One favorite is the Pomodoro Method, which asks you to select a task, set a timer for 25 minutes, and work on the task without interruption until the timer rings. Take a five minute break to move your body, and then repeat the cycle. After four work sessions, take a longer break. The method encourages focus because you work in short, dedicated sprints while building in rest time to prevent mental fatigue. You need realistic, workable systems that serve you and that reinforce your values and goals. Think about your life and what matters the most to you—and make sure that you see those things show up on your To-Do List and your calendar. Do you value giving back to the community? Then schedule weekly volunteering. Did your doctor advise you to get some exercise most days? Pick the most likely time that will work for you and get it in your planner! Do you wish you kept in better touch with people? Timeblock a couple of hours each week just for sending emails or Zooming with loved ones. You don’t need a perfect system—you just need one that supports the life you want to live. So take some time this week to look at your list and your calendar. Is what matters most to you showing up there? If not, it’s time to make some space. And if you ever feel stuck or overwhelmed, you can always call in the Bees!

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Organizing as Self-Care? Yes, Really.

Organizing as Self-Care? Yes, Really.

We know that much of the time and energy that our clients spend organizing is in service to the entire household. Whether you are reorganizing your garage, getting ready for the holidays, or preparing for an epic family road trip, so much of the organizational work that you are doing is to support everyone else. And that is perfectly fine and often necessary. But today, we are here to tell you that every so often, you need to turn your organizational energy toward something that benefits just you. People often think of self-care as something extra—a luxury we squeeze in when the rest of the To Do List is checked off. But self-care doesn’t always take the form of a bubble bath or a spa day. Sometimes, it’s carving out a little bit of time to think about those small spaces that have an outsized impact on your day-to-day life. Organizing the spaces that serve your unique routines can help you start and end the day with more peace and less friction. It’s not selfish to organize a space that only you use. It’s restorative. It’s empowering. And it’s long overdue. Bite-Size Ideas for Caring for Yourself The goal is NOT to exhaust yourself in order to care for yourself! Instead, pick a few very small projects that have a significant effect on your daily routines and wellbeing. Focus on easy, small spaces that bug YOU the most—that affect YOU rather than the other people who live in your home. What could you do with that spot with a few minutes of your time and a little bit of self-compassion? Nightstand—It’s one of the last things you see before you sleep and one of the first things you see when you wake up. But is it both functional and peaceful for you? Get rid of everything on your nightstand that doesn’t serve you, and then gather and organize the things that do. Perhaps you could stock a little basket with hand lotion, lip balm, a notepad and pen, a sleep mask, ear plugs, melatonin, and anything else that suits your individual needs. Maybe if you took away the clutter, there would be space for something that calms you, like a framed photo or scented candle. Bathroom Counter or Vanity—This is another space where you begin and end your day, so why not have it intentionally serve you? Toss any products that you rarely use and return anything that doesn’t need to be there to its home. Decide what would work best to keep your most-used items contained but accessible—perhaps a drawer insert, clear bin, or small shelf. If you have the space, add a small touch (or two!) that helps you start your day on the right foot, whether it’s a little potted plant or your favorite quote taped to the mirror. Coffee or Tea Station—Whether you prefer a steamy mug of Earl Grey, a plain cup of Joe, or an elaborate concoction of sweeteners and creamers, your coffee/tea station should feel like a morning gift to yourself. Toss or donate travel mugs and coffee cups that you don’t love, use, or need, and relocate anything that doesn’t belong. Use a tray, drawer, or cute bin to store all the bits and pieces—coffee, tea, sweeteners, stir sticks, filters, and more. Add something that is meaningful to you, such as a sugar bowl from your grandmother’s tea set or a tiny vase of flowers. When everything is in its place, your daily ritual will feel less rushed and more restorative. A Cozy Reading Nook—This one might take a bit longer to pull off, but if you are a reader, this is worth the effort! Look around your home for an under-utilized corner or nook that you could claim as you own. All you need is space for a comfy chair, a small side table, and a lamp. If you want to go all out, add a shelf or two for your favorite books. If you don’t want to take this splurge too far, Facebook Marketplace is a wonderful resource for affordably sourcing your missing pieces. Other Spaces Just for You—Maybe what really needs tender loving care is your desk, your purse or bag, the driver’s area of your car, or your underwear drawer. Whichever space you decide to improve for yourself, follow the same general process as our examples above: 1) Remove all of the items that don’t serve you in that space; 2) Organize the remaining items in a way that is tailored to how you use the items; and 3) Add one or two things that bring you a sense of joy or peace. If you’ve flown recently, you’ll remember the flight attendant saying that if the oxygen masks drop, make sure you put your own mask on first so that you are able to help others. The same principle applies to your organizational life. Giving yourself a few spaces that work for you instead of against you will give you more time, energy, and patience throughout the day to handle setbacks and help those around you. Pick one drawer, one nook, one tiny corner of your day-to-day life that could use a little love. Remove what doesn’t serve you, organize what does, and add a dash of joy for good measure. And if you need help along the way, you know you can call in the Bees!

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