Archives for August 2007

The clutter-free DJ set up

If you DJ, you probably have a ton of CDs and/or albums to haul back and forth whenever you need to set up for a job. The amount of space and work you can save by storing your music digitally has been covered here in the past, but how does one harness their music for DJ purposes?

Enter the iDJ2 by Numark. The iDJ2 is a great way to free yourself from all the hard lifting that goes into transporting all of those CDs and albums. Yeah, the old school DJs will scoff at the pretend turntables on this device, but the iDJ2 also has audio inputs for a microphone, CD player, and turntables if you can’t give up the older technology just yet.

iDJ2 overview via the Numark website:

The Numark iDJ2 is the only iPod mixing console that provides full control of your music with real–time scratching (via two jog wheels), a stunning color screen and Numark’s exclusive crate management. Keylock insures that DJs can easily change tempo without affecting pitch. The iDJ2 features a fresh and innovative new iPod docking system that allows users to play and mix two songs simultaneously from a single iPod without the need of a computer. Users can also hook up multiple mass storage devices including additional iPods, thumb drives, and external USB hard drives through rear panel USB ports. In addition to USB connectivity, the iDJ2 comes complete with line inputs for audio sources including a microphone, CD players and turntables.

This is an extraordinary mixing console and portable DJ system with professional DJ features like balanced outputs, pitch control, key lock, seamless looping, and full cueing. DJs can easily manage their music library using the iDJ2′s highly intuitive graphic interface and the full-color LCD screen offers crystal-clear visual track–profiling.

iPod Direct Mode turns iDJ2 into the ultimate iPod player, allowing you play any music from your iPod, including songs purchased from the iTunes music store.

iDJ2′s unique Crate feature allows easy organization of songs to be played and supports multiple file formats including MP3, WAV and AAC (unprotected). The iDJ2 also supports iPod docking and charging, to keep the music playing and the party going all night long.

If you DJ on a regular basis, at the very least, the iDJ2 is worth a look.

(via Engaget)

Posted by Matt on Aug 20, 2007 | 3 Comments | Tweet This

Baby toy alternatives

As I wrote the post on managing your child’s toy collection, I realized how many things we used as an alternative to toys. Here are some everyday items in your house that can double as a toy for your adventurous little one. My daughter is fifteen months old right now, a peak time for such alternatives. Admittedly, these solutions may not be right for your older child.

Laundry basket: Our daughter either gets into and out of the laundry basket over and over again or she wants to be pushed around in it as she sits inside. She also torments our cat as it relaxes in the laundry basket. She likes to push the basket around the room and crash into things too. It can also double as a place for all of her regular toys.

Boxes: My daughter loves to throw things into boxes, so before we throw any old shoe boxes away we give them to her to play with until she destroys them.

Measuring cups: This is a nice alternative to the plastic keys she has. From five to ten months old she loved playing with her measuring cups. She doesn’t really like them these days.

Bottled water: Shaking a bottle of water keeps her occupied for quite some time on long car trips. Just make sure the cap is on tightly.

Cups: Nesting plastic cups can keep her entranced for fifteen to twenty minutes, and that is like an eternity for our daughter who is moving non-stop.

Keys: Give your kid a set of keys, but just make sure to remove the door lock contraption from the ring. Kids love pressing buttons and the panic button is usually red which is even more appealing.

Cellphone: Playing with an old cellphone lets her mimic her parents. We removed the battery from an old one and she pretends to talk to someone (most likely Elmo).

Blankets and pillows: They can be used to make tents or tunnels with some help from the furniture.

Obviously, these aren’t going to replace every toy, but they can offset the accumulation of more toys.

Posted by Matt on Aug 18, 2007 | 24 Comments | Tweet This

Are floor mats added as we age?

My late grandmother was notorious for carpeting her floor with mats. There were mats in front of her couch, at the kitchen sink, in the bathroom, at the foot of each bed, and underneath her rocking chair. She was also a big fan of the runner. She used runners for all the high traffic areas of her small house.

I’m not sure why she felt the need to protect her floor so much, but the mats and runners were definitely a tripping hazard. Luckily she never tripped over one of them. Currently, my mother-in-law has taken the floor mat torch and ran with it. She has mats all over her home and I’m not exactly sure why. Upon entry to almost every room there is a floor mat. She also feels the need to place one in front of her couch. Does the need for floor mats increase with age? Are we all doomed to clutter our floors with mats in our golden years? I’m at a loss to figure out what the need is here.

As you age please resist the urge to protect your floor from day-to-day traffic. The floor mats and runners can be used, but don’t over use them. The main entrance to the home can use a mat along with one in front of the kitchen sink, but in front of every piece of furniture? That’s where the problems start. If you currently feel the need to over use the floor mat, you may want to purge your collection. You may also want to institute a no shoes policy upon entry to your home. This will cut back on wear and tear on your floors and carpets. Also, you may want to equip your chairs with protectors to save your wood floors from scratches rather relying on the dreaded floor mat.

Posted by Matt on Aug 17, 2007 | 22 Comments | Tweet This

Resource list for inherited clutter

Inherited clutter can be described as objects that legally come into your possession or responsibility after the loss of a loved one or when a family member is transitioned into a retirement community or nursing home. Addressing these objects can be difficult and highly emotional. Provided is a small resource list of printed materials and an organization that may be of benefit to you:

Feel welcome to provide additional resources in the comments.

Posted by Erin on Aug 17, 2007 | 2 Comments | Tweet This

iMuffs remove personal cable clutter

When I go out for a walk I usually have a lot of stuff in my pockets. The last thing I need is a wire getting in the way. I usually walk with my iPod, headphones, wallet, camera, and cell phone. I recently talked to an owner of a set of iMuffs and he seemed genuinely happy about his purchase. I am considering investing in a pair.

From the product description:

Throw your iPod in your backpack and listen to your music wirelessly! No more cords to untangle or snag. Enjoy CD quality sound up to 30′ (10m) away thanks to the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) and Bluetooth 2.0.

When your Bluetooth phone rings, the iMuffs automatically pause your iPod and ring in the headphones, and let you talk through the integrated microphone.

The price is a bit steep and I’ve heard there are some problems with the reliability of the wireless transmission. Anyone have any feedback on this product? I hate wires, but I’d hate to purchase these headphones and regret it soon after.

Posted by Matt on Aug 16, 2007 | 7 Comments | Tweet This

Managing collegiate paperwork

Reader Cody wrote to us a few weeks ago asking if we had any back-to-school advice for college students. Matt started our response to this question by addressing ways to organize a dorm room. Now, I’m going to discuss managing the constant flow of paperwork associated with college life.

My first piece of advice is to get your hands on Captio’s CollegeCase or a similar product. I wish I would have had something like this back in my undergraduate days. In times of emergencies, being this organized would have really helped. If you’re ever burglarized, in a car wreck, curious as to which cafeterias your meal plan includes, you can find all of these answers in one well-designed notebook.

Continue reading this post »

Posted by Erin on Aug 16, 2007 | 21 Comments | Tweet This

Wall mounted system for storing fishing poles

Like to fish? Have plans to clean and organize your garage? I ran across this storage device while at the Container Store over the weekend and thought it was sleek and efficient. Upon inspection of the product, I discovered that it also could work as a way to store fencing foils and pool sticks. It would probably be easy, too, to make one out of wood planks if you have access to a drill press and jigsaw. Just a storage idea to pass along …

Posted by Erin on Aug 16, 2007 | 5 Comments | Tweet This

Unitasker Wednesday: Spinney the wind-up hopping desk sculpture

Unitaskers usually at least take on one task, but this thing barely qualifies as a unitasker. I guess its “task” is hopping on your desk and entertaining you. If you are easily entertained this thing may capture your attention for hours, but if you are a normal grown adult you will probably grow tired of this desktop toy in about a minute.

You know all the high powered corporate big wigs haven’t arrived until they’ve scored their own personal Spinney. Yes, it may knock over something on your desk while hopping around, but it is so cool. Nothing says, “I’m a successful corporate power player.” like a wind-up hopping sculpture.

It reminds me of the tiny crawling robots in the 1984 Tom Selleck/Gene Simmons movie Runaway. Surely, Spinney isn’t programmed to kill. Or is it!?!

**Unitasker Wednesday posts humorously poke fun at the single-use items that seem to find their way into our homes.

Posted by Matt on Aug 15, 2007 | 6 Comments | Tweet This

Reader question: How should I store my fabric stash?

Reader Zora sent us the following question:

I sew my own clothing; I also quilt, make lace, crochet, etc. I have a 20 year accumulation of cloth, scraps, and supplies that is exquisitely organized (labeled boxes, labeled plastic drawers). If I had a dedicated sewing room, it would all fit nicely there. But I don’t. It’s all neatly stacked in the spare room, which I must clear out so I can rent it. Advice for fabriholics?

Zora, I understand the stash and hopefully can provide you with some help on this matter. I, too, sew (as is evident in the workspace post) and have a fabric stash. Fabric, yarn, fiber, thread and canvas hoarding, along with pattern and supply accumulation is a common problem among fiber artists. (The most unbelievable stash I’ve ever seen photographed is showcased here. It’s a yarn stash, but the hoarding concept is the same.) The advice that I’m giving can be applied to anyone wanting to get his or her stash in order.

Mindset: There is not a limited supply of fabric in the world. Plants continue to produce cotton, worms spin silk, sheep have wool, and there are fabric manufacturers and retailers willing to produce and sell you gorgeous fabrics. If any of these processes cease to exist, you will have larger concerns than obtaining fabric.

That being said, it is ridiculous to assume that a serious artist will have no stash. A friend may appear at your door with a batik fabric from a trip to India. If you can’t think of a project to start immediately, you now have a stash on your hands.

Therefore, I suggest that your stash be a limited size. Determine the size of your stash based on two factors: 1. How much you can sew in a set time period (I suggest having no more than six months or a year of projects), and 2. How much you can carry in one load. If you cannot carry the whole of your stash, then it is too big. You would never be able to save it in an emergency if you couldn’t carry it, so why have more than you could reasonably save?

Continue reading this post »

Posted by Erin on Aug 15, 2007 | 20 Comments | Tweet This

Peter Walsh was in a barbershop Quartet® in Skokie, Illinois

Peter WalshAbout eight miles west of Skokie, anyway.

Uncluttering guru Peter Walsh invited us to cover the kickoff of his nine city “The Organized Home” tour yesterday at the Niles Wal*Mart, where he taught customers the basics of uncluttering, and introduced a new line of Quartet® organizational tools.

As host of TLC’s Clean Sweep and author of the New York Times Bestseller It’s All Too Much, Walsh uses his wit and no-nonsense style to help people discover and eliminate the sources of their own clutter, which typically include what he calls “memory clutter” and “I might need it one day clutter.”

In addition to addressing the reasons for clutter, Peter offers some creative organizational products developed by Quartet®. The magnetic white boards are a home office favorite, allowing you to utilize a single point of capture for scribbled notes, post-its, and other random items, as well as that collection of souvenir magnets Walsh would no doubt scold you for allowing to stick around.

The new products are only available at Wal*Mart brick-n-mortars for now, but they’re quite nice, very useful, and worth the trip. And if you’re nearby any of the following locations, stop in and say “hi” to Peter for us.

  • Minneapolis (Aug. 15) – 10240 Hudson Rd. from 2 to 5 p.m.
  • Denver (Aug. 16) – 4400 Front St. from 2 to 5 p.m.
  • Atlanta (Aug. 21) – 12182 Hwy 92 from 2 to 5 p.m.
  • Dallas (Aug. 22) – 6001 Central Expressway from 2 to 5 p.m.
  • Houston (Aug. 23) – 1313 Fry Rd. from 1 to 4 p.m.
  • Boston (Aug. 28) – 300 Colony Place from 2 to 5 p.m.
  • East New Jersey (Aug. 29) – 101 Nassau Park Blvd. from 2 to 5 p.m.
  • Long Island (Aug. 30) – 1220 Old Country Rd. from 2 to 5 p.m.

The Organized Home Tour

Posted by Brian on Aug 15, 2007 | 11 Comments | Tweet This

After the yard sale

Well, the yard sale was a great success. The most important thing we succeeded in doing was getting rid of a ton of stuff we don’t use anymore. (In some cases, it was stuff we never used.) I was expecting to sell about $200 worth of our stuff. We ended up selling $500 so that was a pleasant surprise.

Some highlights and more tips:

  • The most expensive item we sold was an Ikea chair for $37. It was a chair we purchased a few years ago that never found a place in our home.
  • My wife set all the toys and child-centered items on low tables at kid’s eye level. It proved to work very well. All of my baseball cards were gone in the first few hours.
  • We found out that “National Garage Sale Day” was on August 10. Our sale was on Saturday the 11th along with numerous others in my parent’s neighborhood. We were not hurting for customers. The weather cooperated which also helped our sale become a success.
  • Everything we didn’t sell was immediately packed up in a truck and taken to the local Goodwill. We only had one truck load to transport.
  • The sale started at 7 am, but our first customer was there at 6:40 am. We also sold a couple large furniture items to neighbors that took a sneak peek at our sale the night before.
  • Some one stole a bag of old t-shirts from us, their lack of payment was made up by the fact that they uncluttered our lives a bit more.
  • Don’t be afraid to give stuff away. We gave quite a few things away for free. Usually, it was a toy but we did get rid of a love seat that saved us an extra trip to the Goodwill.

All in all, the sale was a great success. We got rid of tons of stuff that we didn’t need. I would definitely do it again, but hopefully we won’t accumulate that much stuff again.

Posted by Matt on Aug 14, 2007 | 9 Comments | Tweet This

Uncluttered ideas from the 2008 Ikea Catalog

The 2008 Ikea Catalog arrived in my mailbox over the weekend. I don’t really understand how it’s the 2008 catalog when it arrives in August and is only valid through June of next year, but I try not to think about those details. Instead, I focus on the joy that is contained within the catalog. There are so many space-saving and organization products inside the 370-page book that my heart goes pitter-patter just looking at it. Here are a few of my favorites (new and old):

Page 139: The Mandal headboard for $149, which contains adjustable shelves and can be stacked (as on page 126 of the catalog) to create a wall of shelving.

Page 77: The new Muddus drop-leaf table for $49.99 can be used as a space-saving table or alternate work surface in the kitchen.

Page 55: The Inreda book-ends, at a price of $4.99 for two, make labeling your bookshelf a breeze. They slide onto any flat surface and the label box hangs over the ledge of the shelf.

If you didn’t get a copy of the Ikea Catalog in the mail, check it out online here in its entirety.

Posted by Erin on Aug 14, 2007 | 13 Comments | Tweet This

Board game clutter

Some people have closets full of board games. My wife worked with a board gamer who had a closet literally jam packed full of board games and some of the boxes were in pieces. He would receive a new board game for every birthday and Christmas.

The board game itself isn’t really the space hog. The box the game comes in is the culprit. So what does one do to remedy the space that your board games eat up? The solution is rather simple.

First, take each game’s loose pieces and instructions and place them into a ziploc bag. Label each bag with the name of the game. Try and store all your different bags in a large box, but be sure to sort them in some kind of system so they are easy to retrieve. (Alphabetically, seems to make sense.) You may want to use file marking labels for the tops of the bags.

Second, stack all the boards together and label them accordingly. You may want to label the edge of the board as if it were a book in the library. Simply use a piece of masking tape and stick it on the fold. This will make finding the board you need very easy. Note: Some board games don’t fold neatly. So you may want to leave them in their boxes. (e.g. Life, Trouble, etc.)

This solution is quite simple and it will save you tons of space if you are a hard core board gamer.

Posted by Matt on Aug 13, 2007 | 22 Comments | Tweet This

Hide your ironing board

Where do you put your ironing board when it is not in use? If you have a designated spot where you do all of your ironing you may want to check out the Wall Mount Ironing Board. You can hide your ironing board in plain sight and no longer keep it under your bed, in the closet, or in the middle of your laundry room. Other clutter-free storage options for your ironing board include wall-mounted holders, like what you might find in a hotel closet, and over-the-door holders, with or without accessory storage.

All of these options are better than the one that my wife and I currently have–ours just sits on the floor in the middle of our laundry room. I’m eager to give one of these alternatives a try.

Posted by Matt on Aug 13, 2007 | 17 Comments | Tweet This

Megapixel arms race

Shopping for a new digital camera? The amount of megapixels that one can opt for is increasing rather quickly. The Panasonic Lumix FX100S is a tiny little point and shoot that casual users can easily use to shoot photos that are 12 megapixels. Is that really necessary? The amount of space those photos will occupy on your hard drive is quite large, and most casual users really don’t print large format photos. Most prints are most likely 4X6 or 5×7, so 12 megapixels is quite a bit of overkill.

So why would one opt for a camera with so much overkill? Does the high number of megapixels give one the bragging rights to win the race? The sensor inside the camera is much more important to the way a photo looks. The size of the photo is determined by the amount of megapixels the camera is capable of producing. Don’t go for the megapixel hype when you don’t have the disk space to store your large digital photos. Either opt for something more reasonable for your photographing needs or set your 12 megapixel camera down to a more manageable 5 megapixel setting. You will save on disk space and your prints will not suffer in the least.

Posted by Matt on Aug 12, 2007 | 15 Comments | Tweet This

Redefining the sofabed

Sofabeds are wonderful space-savers, but this is ridiculous. The Doc sofa bed has a mechanism that transforms the sofa into a bunk bed complete with a hideaway ladder and safety rail. It’s available from BonBon Trading.

(Via Furniture Fashion. Hat tip Desmond.)

Posted by Jerry on Aug 11, 2007 | 13 Comments | Tweet This

Helping parents downsize their home

An AARP Magazine article from earlier this year effectively addresses the topic of transitioning a parent from a family home to a retirement community or nursing facility.

“If it’s your child [helping with the process], it’s twice as irritating,” agrees [Terry] Prince [a Sacramento professional organizer]. “It’s a lot easier when it’s a third party.” Much of her work involves simply listening to her clients talk about their stuff, a ritual that the kids may no longer have the patience for. You also have to avoid the drastic measures that many exasperated family members might take when faced with an overloaded home, a stubborn parent, and a moving deadline—just throwing everything out on the curb. At a time of life when loss of control is a painful reality, forced decluttering can be devastating. “Clients need to make the decisions themselves,” Prince says. If you throw things out for them, “they’re not going to feel happy. They’ll feel violated.”

See the full article from the January/February 2007 issue “Conquering Clutter” written by David Dudley here. The article contains many suggestions and insights on this emotional topic.

Thanks to my mom for pointing us to the article!

Posted by Erin on Aug 10, 2007 | 5 Comments | Tweet This

Porch and patio storage

If you have an outdoor area where you spend a fair amount of time, there are sure to be items that permanently reside outside. Our back patio has a table and chairs. The chairs have cushions and we prefer to store them when not in use. The Suncast Deck Box is an easy solution that can handle quite a bit of storage. If you don’t have seat cushions to store, you can opt for the smaller option. There isn’t much of a point hauling outdoor items in and out of your home every time you need to use them. Both these storage solutions securely protect your items from the elements.

In the event that you have more people than available seating the sturdy storage boxes also double as benches. The cushions from our chairs take up quite a bit of space in our larger unit, but we still have room for our modest garden tool and barbecue utensil sets.

Posted by Matt on Aug 10, 2007 | 4 Comments | Tweet This

Be organized after an auto accident

I have a friend who has unfortunately been involved in two car accidents recently. When the accidents occurred, she was obviously disoriented and under a great deal of anxiety. Days later, after being able to think about what had happened, she wished that she would have been more organized during the events. After both accidents, she realized that she had forgotten to write down important information like the license plate numbers of the other cars.

Wanting not to be caught off guard again, she created a worksheet to keep in the glove compartment of her car in the same folder as her insurance card and registration. (If you do not have Adobe Reader, you can download it here.) This is a situation when being organized can help you greatly.

Also, she recommends carrying a small, digital camera with you to photograph the scene. A disposable camera in your glove compartment could function the same purpose if you aren’t in the habit of carrying a small camera with you.

Now, let us hope that you never have to use this worksheet! If you do, however, rest assured that you’ll be organized and you won’t forget to gather any important information.

Posted by Erin on Aug 10, 2007 | 11 Comments | Tweet This

Keyless entry = less keys

Reader Ralph writes in with a tip that may well belong in a Extreme Minimalism Monday post. He writes,

I hated carrying around my keys so I installed combination door lock deadbolts on my house doors. ”Look ma! No more keys!” … There’s also no need to give spare/emergency keys to family, they just know the code.

He points us to this keyless lock solution from Codelock. Not sure keys bother me that much, but if they bother you, pair this with keyless entry in your car and you’re home free.

Posted by Jerry on Aug 9, 2007 | 19 Comments | Tweet This