Be Creative

Is this for real?!  Chairs as shelves... holy moly! 

Talk about fun and inventive ways to create more shelving in your home!

Learn more fun tips from See Jane Work's learning page and blog.

~Leah

Confession

Okay, this one was a little embarrassing for me,

but I have vowed to be honest with my readers... 

I am a receipt hoarder!!!

It's true.  I decided to go through my stuff from working at the Container Store.

 I kept my notes from closet design training, my old name tags, cute notes from coworkers (my fiance included!), and all of my reviews.  

But then I found my receipts!  EVERY SINGLE ONE from the last five years of obsessive shopping for organizing products.  This enormous pile not only proves that I am a receipt hoarder, but that I have purchased way too many things from that store!  

Well, it only took 20 minutes to go through that pile of stuff and now it is all reorganized in a smaller folder.  I also tossed out all of the receipts.  Go me!

So, friends, if you see me driving up to the store (and you truly care about me) turn me away! 

Unless I am shopping for my clients.  They give me a great excuse to go to my favorite place.  

~Leah

Organizing hangover

Lately, I have been getting the urge to organize late at night... 

For some reason, 10:00pm seems like the perfect time to start a huge filing project,

to re-do all my bins of bathroom essentials, or to move my kitchen utensils.  

I've always advised my clients to organize when "the mood takes them," and to just follow their natural habits.  If you are a morning person, don't start a big project in the afternoon.  You will just wind up wanting to take a nap in the middle of your bins and labels!  

But my recent late night energy spurts have been making it very hard to wake up in the morning.  Every day, I stumble to my coffee (delivered by my lovely fiance) and shake my head.  

I am hoping this new habit will end soon... I hate feeling groggy in the morning!  

~Leah

(photo credit: memohelen)

We want your shoes!

The local chapter of the National Association for Professional Organizers (NAPO)

is hosting a shoe drive this Saturday, October 15th to benefit Soles 4 Souls.  

Find out more about this amazing organization here.

Drop off new or used shoes in any condition (except wet) at 

Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla.

 Any size, style or condition of shoes can be used, even shoes without a match!

This is a great opportunity to clear out your closets and help disadvantaged kids.

Drop off shoes and enter to win great prizes! Tell your friends, neighbors, classmates and family.

I'll be there in the morning, so come by and say hi!

~Leah

Confession

Two obsessions have come together:

Ellen and Portia DeGeneres.... and organized shoes!!!

This photo of their closet came from Architectural Digest...

click here to see more photos of their beautiful home. 

Aaahhh, swoon!

~Leah

Busy, busy

Hello!!!  I am so sorry for my absence lately...

I have been busy working with some lovely clients, 

one of them being my incredible grandmother.

The gate to my grandmother's personal vineyard

We spent a few days going through her memorabilia and photos together.  

It was truly amazing to see all the things she has kept, including her war rationing booklet,

love letters from my grandfather when they were in their 20's, and original photos of our 

large Italian family.  We also giggled and reminisced... 

Some cool things I got to take home

Three generations... my great-great grandfather is in the middle

I was so glad that I could spend that time with her and assist her with some of her most 

treasured possessions.  I sometimes have to pinch myself that this is what I get paid to do!!

And now I am home and ready to share many more organizing stories 

and confessions with all of you. 

Please, catch me up on what you have been up to! 

~Leah