rePURPOSE: What to Trash, What to Treasure

Tackling a Mess in Stages

2012-02-26T22:00:00.000-08:00

This family moved a ton of stuff into their garage temporarily during a remodel. They must have been in a hurry because it appears things were randomly stashed with no attempt to create zones for like items.

The remodel is finished and now they have to move it all back in. What a good opportunity to evaluate, eliminate and integrate their belongings.

We started the move with some big items - the file cabinets above and the clothes racks below - and did it in stages.

Most of the clothes - costumes for theatrical productions - were consolidated into one rack:

Then, after emptying the file cabinets we removed a tall one from the home office closet...

..and replaced it with three smaller, matching ones...

...which in turn inspired the owners to whittle down the costume collection and hang it above these shorter file cabinets.

Project Plus: one pleasing closet with easy to find papers and costumes.

Project Minus: reams of paper, two clothes racks, several bags of clothes and an ugly file cabinet - which I guess makes this a Project Plus.

Check back for the progress on the rest of the garage.

rePURPOSING Things: Tools, Golf Club and What Else?

2012-02-19T18:09:00.000-08:00

Sacramento is brimming with clever bike racks. Here is a new one on the refurbished R Street Corridor.

I spot a golf club and crescent wrenches. What else do you see?

rePURPOSING Things: Shipping Containers

2012-02-12T22:00:00.000-08:00

This was across 15th Street from Space 4 Art in San Diego's East Village.

It took me a minute to realize that it was a home, complete with courtyard entry.

It fits right into the industrial area and is a fabulous example of large-scale repurposing!

rePURPOSING Things: Shopping Cart

2012-02-05T22:00:00.000-08:00

I am not in any way suggesting you appropriate one from a store but if I found myself the owner of a discarded shopping cart I would most certainly change it into a chair.

I came across this at an art opening in San Diego's East Village. It is remarkably comfortable - all it needs is a little seat cushion to soften the wire grid - and fits the body well. And is it fun! After a few beers it was hard to resist a little roll around.

iPhone photos by Lisa Vella

rePURPOSING Things: Kitchen Gear

2012-01-29T22:00:00.000-08:00

If you have been on your own for awhile you probably have all the kitchen gear and utensils you need. What do you do when someone gives you new ones?

I love how this home chef used her duplicates to make a lighting statement in her kitchen and honor the giver.

rePURPOSING Things: Bicycles

2012-01-22T22:00:00.000-08:00

I really like this fence at bicycle-themed OneSpeed restaurant in East Sacramento.

Looks as if they used most parts of a bike in it.

And the parts they didn't use for the fence they used for - what else? - a bicycle rack!

rePURPOSING Things: Legos

2012-01-15T22:00:00.000-08:00

Renee is a busy working mom. She was frustrated wasting time looking for a pen and paper when she had to take a note near her phone. Looking at her kids' Legos she got the idea to make this:

She was able to customize all the compartments she needs with bricks by the cup from the Lego store. You could easily make this using one small brick bucket, about $7. A large bucket is $14.99. Or just commandeer your kids' Legos.

rePURPOSING Things: Building Materials

2012-01-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

I saw this attractive fence at the office parking lot of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Central Valley in Sacramento, California. At first I didn't realize what materials they used; I just liked the design.

On closer inspection I saw it was rebar & I- beams! Very clever and perfect for their organization.

rePURPOSING THINGS: You Guess What This Was

2012-01-01T22:00:00.000-08:00

What was this before it was a chandelier?

With a little muslin and electrical cord this agricultural basket has a new life illuminating an old farm table. What a perfect pairing.

rePURPOSING Things: Picture Frame

2011-12-25T22:00:00.000-08:00

The crafter we met earlier put her skills to good use creating a functional framed piece of art:

She rePurposed both a frame and some pegs to create this very sweet home for her threads.

Finishing What She Started

2011-12-18T22:00:00.000-08:00

Remember the craft room we were cleaning out? It looked like this:

When I went back to help again it looked like this:

This is one of the many things I love about rePurpose - once I get someone started they invariably get on a roll and complete the job themselves. You get in a rhythm evaluating, eliminating and integrating and you just keep going.

She went from this...

...to this:

She was able to let go of some craft supplies she is no longer interested in, made plans to complete a few projects and got inspired to try some new ones now that she has a bit of space to stretch out in.

Nothing makes me happier than inspiring someone to take control of their environment. My work here is done.

rePURPOSING things: Antique Ceiling Light Fixture

2011-12-11T22:00:00.000-08:00

Replaced when she remodeled, the owner wanted to keep this out of the dump and decided she liked the shape. She turned it upside down and - voila! - one-of-a-kind a jewelry holder. Besides holding her earrings, it holds happy memories of the home she loves.

Quick Closet Clean Out

2011-12-04T22:00:00.000-08:00

This Nevada City house is bursting with materials for the couples huge array of projects and interests. Although it is stimulating to visit, guests can stumble on the stuff.

Our objective was to make room behind closed doors to store some things that were taking over their living area.

The hall closet seemed like the best candidate for this. It was fairly well organized but it could be better. Plus we suspected it housed things that the couple no longer needed.

And we were right. We emptied it, evaluated all the contents and eliminated quite a bit. Boxes were packed for garage sale, recycle, return and donate.

We were able to get the bedding off the floor and onto the shelves, use the floor space for luggage and, with the freed-up space, store the folding tables that had been stacked in the hall way.

Not only did they gain some serenity in the living area, but now they know where everything is.

Total time: 1 hour.

Corner to Corner Craft Room Clean-up

2011-11-27T22:00:00.000-08:00

A few days ago we finished the first corner of this room. The edge of the clean and neat bookshelf can be seen on the far right. Now we are moving around the room counter clockwise.

The next thing to tackle is this cute hutch. It sits in front of the window and blocks the light and, along with the printer table, takes up space that could be used for relaxing or for guest seating. The owner has decided that the best thing is to remove it altogether so we need to relocate or discard all it holds.

We did it! She consolidated the jewelry displays with others on the first bookcase, tossed a bunch of stuff and identified an entire stack of hardback craft and decorating books she can sell. Now the hutch is ready for sale, too. Someone is going to love it.

Next: remove the printer table.

We made space for the printer on the desk and wound up with more light from the unblocked window and room for a bench she already owned. It is great spot to TEMPORARILY stack items to take to classes and to read a book to her grandkids.

We have conquered the northeast corner! Total time: one hour.

Next up: the northwest corner desk. Stay tuned.

A New View

2011-11-20T22:00:00.000-08:00

Talk about rePurposing! Look at this table and guess what it is made from...

...broken car windows! Encased in whole glass are shards from Ford escorts, a Taurus and a 63 Buick Riviera rear window.

The creator is in the media and entertainment industry so using stage truss for the legs was a stroke of genius.

He is wants to fill it up with more broken glass but I think it is brilliant - in all definitions of the word - just the way it is.

Craft Corner Clean-up

2011-11-13T22:00:00.000-08:00

Oooh this challenge is really FUN! This woman has her own craft room filled with lots of fun.. and lots of goodies that she needs to sort, purge and organize:

She does everything: sewing, scrap booking, jewelry making, paper crafting, flower arranging, wedding planning, you name it. She sells her work and even sells supplies to other crafters. But her sweet little studio was overflowing and she needed to get it under control. Her goal was to create some open space to work on her projects and to have easy access to the supplies and materials she sells.

Our strategy was to tackle it in manageable chunks. So we started with the top half of this corner bookshelf:

It is amazing what a bookshelf can hold. We discarded these piles of recycling, donations, yard sale items - plus another box of things to return to family members.

Then we had the pleasure of emptying another shelf in her bedroom of the supplies it held and moving it here:

Wow. Look at the difference! Room to breathe! Total time: 2 hours.

Stay tuned for solutions for the rest of her sweet craft room.

Saving the Shirts

2011-11-06T22:00:00.000-08:00

This client had a baby while she and her husband were on assignment in London. When they moved back home his button-down business shirts were far too formal for the casual California life style. They decided to commemorate their happy time in London by commissioning a quilt for their baby.

Here are the shirts...

cut into strips...

pieced...

and quilted.

The fee for this transformation was donated to Shakti Rising http://www.shaktirisingnp.com, an organization that transforms the lives of young women. Their motto is "Create Change" and this is just what we did with these shirts.

reThinking the Kitchen Cabinets

2011-01-21T15:45:00.000-08:00

When the owners of this kitchen moved in, they put things in the cabinets where they thought - at the time - they should go. Food storage in an corner under-counter turntable...

... and the pots and pans next to the stove.

This certainly seems logical but after months of frustration trying to find small cans in a crowded corner it was time to rethink this arrangement,

Simply swapping the two areas made life easier. The pans and small appliances were easy to the see in the corner cabinet...

...and there was much easier access to the the canned foods now that they are on the pull out shelf.

Digging Out the Paper Piles

2010-12-19T16:52:00.001-08:00

If you are like most people I bet you have a least one stack of papers waiting to be dealt with. This client had several with sentimental family papers she gathered over the years.

She tackled a pile, sorted them and surprised relatives with a package of memories selected just for them.

rePURPOSING Things: Holiday Socks

2010-12-12T22:00:00.000-08:00

Maybe someone gave you some holiday socks and you're not a holiday sock kind of person. An unexpected way to re-gift them is as a wine bag. They would be cute as wrap for any kind bottled product like root beer, spirits, olive oil or even shampoo.

rePURPOSING Things: Cards

2010-12-05T22:00:00.000-08:00

Just in time for gift giving, here is a quick and satisfying rePurpose project that will save money and the environment and make you look very clever indeed.

These gift tags - formerly art announcement cards - were made with a 2" hole punch. Use a standard hole punch for the ribbon and you are good to go. Personal and classy, the card stock possibilities are limitless: greeting cards, playing cards, old calendars, postcards.

Better yet, make a stack and give the gift cards as a gift themselves!

Photos Under Control

2010-11-28T22:00:00.000-08:00

The picture below is pretty typical of most homes I visit. Memories are stashed away in boxes and bags and you can't lay your hands on the one photo your want for the upcoming wedding or memorial service. The photo collection has grown too large to even begin to try to organize it.

This is a case where technology can be your friend. If you scan your photos, when you import them into your computer the organizing possibilities are limitless. The same photo can go into multiple albums. A photo of Cousin Ryan at the Coliseum can go into albums for Summer Vacations, Italy, Family, Ryan, etc. And sharing them with friends is easy and free by posting them on-line or emailing them.

You may be tempted to balk at paying for scanning but ask yourself how much you spent developing all those pictures in the first place. It is wasted money if you can't find the photo you want. And scanning them on a home scanner would take a lifetime.

The service I like for photo scanning is scanmyphotos.com. They have a pre-paid box that holds about 2,000 photos. Just put them in size order and in no time at all the pile above will be reduced to a single CD.

For slides I had great results ScanCafe.

When you get your order back, hard as it may seem, toss the originals. And then enjoy your new free space.

Fall Garden De-cluttering

2010-11-21T22:00:00.002-08:00

Although her tools were neatly organized, this avid gardener spent too much of her precious time roaming her yard looking for just the right pot for each plant. They were stashed under the eaves in random places around the house. Here they are mixed in with compost piles.

In less than an hour we gathered all the pots from around the yard and put like with like for an easier gardening experience. We stored the various bags of potting soil in a large garbage container and put it all next to the compost pile. Now everything is within easy reach for the next potting job.

2010-11-14T21:48:00.000-08:00

Hello Fall!

Its time to put your warm weather clothes away and get out your winter ones.

If you used the the hanger trick this is where it comes in handy. Remove the items on the backwards hangers. Then inspect your winter clothes for wear and fit. Those that don't make the cut can join your summer rejects for donation or re-sale.

To make the spring wardrobe switch easier, be sure to use the hanger trick on the clothes you keep.

Here' s a testimonial from Lisa in Menlo Park:

Every time I opened my closet I was filled with dread. I couldn't make decisions about what to wear every morning, because nothing was organized and a lot of it didn't fit. I used to really love coordinating new outfits and felt good about how I looked when I left the house in the morning. But dressing became a chore, and my outlook and appearance was beginning to reflect it.

I had moved and downsized and had tough decisions to make about paring down my wardrobe. Indecisive and reluctant to face reality, I actually had a rack of clothes in my bedroom and was using part of my daughter's closet. I also had gained weight and was storing three or four sizes of clothes -- wishful thinking! It just added to the clutter. Normally a decisive person, I was having a difficult time parting with quality clothing that seemed in good shape. But I was no longer able to judge what looked good. Procrastination ruled and my closet was a mess for almost two years.

Enter Catherine, who was frank about outdated styles. (Shoulder pads? Gone. Ankle-length dresses? Gone. Clothes from the 80s and early 90s, out of there.) She also was not hesitant to tell me what looked good and didn't. And she was efficient -- tackling one closet section at a time, making huge progress in one hour increments.

We separated everything into piles: Toss, donate, consign, and to accommodate my real reluctance, store in the garage my favorite pieces until that day that a diet may actually get me back to a size 6.

I couldn't have done it without her firm guidance. Now, I can open my closet in the morning and have fewer decisions. I don't waste time digging through things that looked good long ago. I know what is there fits, looks good and I am starting to get creative again about outfits. It's a huge relief to look at a less cluttered, more organized space. The first step was admitting I needed some help!

Garage Miracle

2010-11-07T23:21:00.000-08:00

You've seen them, people who have gads of organizing products from the Container Store and still can't find anything. Maybe you are one yourself. One reason I rarely advise clients to purchase organizing gear is that products do not make people organized. People make people organized. You can usually make sense of your stuff with what you have on hand.

Here is a big exception: Fast Track by Rubbermaid. Look at this garage! It is neat and things are up off the floor and easy to find.

This easy-to-install handing unit has tool-specific hooks you can add to it. This one is holding:
2 bistro chairs
1 beach chair
1 folding stool
1 long outdoor extension cord
1 weed trimmer
1 garden fork
1 shovel
2 leaf rakes
1 kneeling pad
1 hedge trimmer
1 stepladder
1 large framed camping backpack

And all in four feet of space!