Belt Organizing with Hangers and Hooks

When I pinned a scarf and sunglasses hanger similar to this a long while ago, it reminded me of a yarn-tying craft I used to do at summer day camps when I was young. Anyone remember doing these?

We would use  plastic hangers and tie the yarn all the way around the hanger, then garnish it with a perfect handmade fluff ball. Boy, were we proud! 

 Well, not only did I think that hanging belts would be another great closet item to organize, I thought tying yarn around it would help to keep the hooks from sliding. 

I will show you step-by-step how to complete this project.

Supplies/Cost

Crochet Yarn (or any yarn on the heavier end), $3-$6

Wooden Hangers, $4 for 8pk

Scissors, $0

Shower Hooks, $1 at the dollar store

Project Length

1 1/2 hours?

The best thing about this particular project is that you can do it completely at your own pace. 

First, ball about half of your yarn...a little time consuming but will make this-and future projects-so much easier.

You'll begin by holding the hanger updide down between your legs...unless you can come up with a more genius was of stabilizing the hanger, that is.

You'll tie a knot as tight as possible (see figure 1). Don't worry about the small piece of yarn leftover from the knot because you'll be able to just knot over that as you go.
The next step can be mirrored, according to your comfort. Hold the ball of yarn in one hand while holding a little slack in the other. The yarn should cross over the hanger rod (see figure 2).
Next, bring the ball of yarn around (under) the hanger rod and through the opening made by the rod and yarn slack (see figures 3 & 4). 

 Then, pull taut, making sure that excess yarn from the original knot is laying down and will be covered by this-and subsequent-knots. What we're essentially doing is repeatedly knotting. 

It is possible that you'll notice your knots going diagonally after every three or four ties...just twist back toward the middle and it'll be fine. 

Continue knotting until you've reached the other end of the rod. Give yourself about six inches and cut the yarn so you may tie a few knots to hold your work. Cut away excess yarn.

Finally, group your belts-or scarves or hats-how you see fit and use as many shower hooks necessary to hang your items! Command hooks work very well to hang your finished project.

I got a little creative with the last hanger I did and tied around the rest of the hanger as well. Also, as you can see in this pic, it might be necessary to do two hangers if you have so many items your project is cluttered.

I'd love to know how yours turns out!

...As Long As You Come Back to It

by Chedel Townsend

My girlfriend periodically informs me of the mess that is her closet...or office...or wherever the biggest mess is at the moment. She explains how stacks of papers just continue to pile up around her. I've told her on multiple occasions, "it's okay, as long as you come back to it." Of course she responds with, "That's the problem, I never come back to it." Funny. Hey, no one is perfect, how do you think I came up with the reassuring statement of coming back to it? I have to tell myself the same thing when things get out of hand at my own house.

Being, or becoming, organized requires a mindset or lifestyle change-much like eating healthy-which doesn't come overnight. You definitely have to have the "want-to" to work at it (my eating well is still a work in progress, by the way :-).

The key is to come up with a plan and system that suits you. For me it has always come naturally: clothes and shoes are sorted by color, style, and weather; mail is by priority; files are by category and how easily they need to be accessed. As for those items that I know I'll have to come back to? They don't even get set down without at least being separated by final destination and/or priority. So maybe you pick a day of the week to sort and file? Maybe you set a reminder on your phone? I found that house chores and tidying naturally fell on Wednesdays, so I went with it. You have to find little ways to make things easier on yourself. Baby steps. And I'll be honest, it has been ten times harder with a whole family to keep organized.

My favorite organizing blog, I'm an Organizing Junkie,"
has a 52-week organizing planner to follow.
Laura lays out a plan to tackle projects
weekly, for one whole year.


TipJunkie.com (where I will soon be a contributor), is a collective of how-tos, printables, and craft & recipe ideas. The site provides a personal assistant organizing planner focused on making the most out of each day in life, not just organizing a thing or room or two.
Both Tip Junkie and Pinterest offer organizing ideas if you are at a loss for storage advice once you get it all sorted.

So now that you've joined a group, followed a blog, or sought out the services of a professional, you're afraid you won't be able to find the time or motivation to keep it organized. At some point (like trying junk foods after you've eaten healthy for a long period) you'll find a natural distaste for clutter and general disorganization. Being organized will come easy...like muscle memory. You'll commit to the change and challenge yourself to maintain every day, but in the inevitable event your organization gets a little out of hand, don't worry...as long as you come back to it.

Your Thirty-One Independent Consultant

by Chedel Townsend

As most of my close friends and family know, I've taken on the venture of selling products by Thirty-One Gifts. I have been using these products every day for a couple of years now and cannot live without them!

The company provides AMAZING products for everyone-whether you're looking for organizational items, shopping for style, or need the perfect gift!

Thirty-One Gifts was formed with a goal of helping women by providing them with products to simplify their busy lives and giving them the opportunity to own their own businesses. With inspiration from Proverbs 31, the company believes heavily in the encouragement and celebration of women and all that they do.

(adapted from www.thirtyonegifts.com/our-story)

When I decided to start selling, about five or six months ago, I figured that even if I didn't make a whole lot at it, I would at least have a little extra income and a significant discount on the many products I would be purchasing in the future...not to mention all the items I would receive in the enrollment kit!

I use the products for home, office, and travel and for my organization projects.

One of the best things about joining this team has been all of the inspiring women I've met and the constant encouragement we give each other.

Many of us are busy, and inundated with activities, commitments, and day-to-day tasks. Take my word for it, the Thirty-One products are well worth it to avoid the burden and annoyance of living in clutter. These products also allow us to sometimes splurge and spoil ourselves  :-) 

Here are a few items at work, in one of my recent reorgs...

As you shop through the catalog (physical or online), be mindful of the recipients you're purchasing for; what do they do for a living or for fun? How can they benefit from each product?  In each catalog, Thirty-One is very good about helping you visualize solutions sets for each type of occupation and extra-curricular activity.

Remember, if you see more than two items you can't live without, consider hosting a party; more than 4 or 5, consider becoming a consultant!

Start browsing the catalog now at www.mythirtyone.com/chedelt. 

You can also look to Pinterest for additional ideas for product use and gift-giving ideas. 

Happy Shopping!

New Organizing Services

By Chedel Townsend

Back in college I made the mistake of organizing my girlfriend's dorm room. It was a completely self-serving act as I was tired of not being able to see the floor, let alone walk across it-every time I came to visit. Needless to say, I was roped in to reorganizing for her on several occasions after that first time, including one here recently. She had been telling me for the last couple of years that if I lived closer she would pay to utilize my skills on a more regular basis and urged me to start marketing these skills-to which I just rolled my eyes and thanked her for the compliment.

In the meantime, I dabbled in the Household Management specialty where I had a chance to do a pantry reorganization for a family, to rave reviews.  I also had done a few other small jobs for friends and family. So this time, when my girlfriend asked me a little more seriously to do a closet reorg on my next visit-and then told me there was someone else who wanted to utilize my services while I was in town-I thought, "Wow, I need to create a business plan!"

So here I am, now with a few reorgs under my belt and working toward membership with the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and certification through the Board of Certification for Professional Organizers (BCPO). 

A description of my services and rates, products I use and love, as well as a gallery of a few "Before & After" photos can be found here, on my website (under construction).