I have ADD.  Consequently, certain things, even if relatively simple, can overwhelm me. That’s why I can’t cook – too many details involved – chop this, braise that, a pinch of this, don’t forget the garlic toast!  Friends who come over for dinner expect that I will have brought something in, and prefer it that way, LOL!   It’s ironic that I love organizing, it’s almost a hobby, and most of my home and garage are very well organized, but for some reason, the linen closet in my bathroom threw me into a tizzy every time I tried to address it.

Gail Gray, a professional organizer and owner of A Fresh Start, is a member of a professional organization I belong to for women business owners, Savor the Success.   The Orange County Register sent out a query looking to do a story on a professional organizer, and follow her through a job. The small business public relations company she uses, PublicityPro’s, was able to set it up.  I offered up my disheveled bathroom linen closet.

Gail showed up with a variety of baskets,  containers and wire shelf stands to see which would work best.  She completely cleared out the closet and grouped the contents into ‘categories’ or things of a ‘like’ kind.  After a couple of hours, this is what she accomplished:

Top Half of Cabinet

BEFORE

AFTER

A tip from Gail – keep your sheet sets together by taking one pillowcase and open it.  Slide in the folded sheets and remaining pillowcase(s), and fold the end of the outer pillow case over.  There! No need to go through separate stacks of pillow cases, flat sheets, and fitted sheets to pull the set together.  Take a look at the top shelf on the right. It’s hard to see in this picture, but Gail also suggested to put a note on each sheet set, secured with a a safety pin, to identify which set was which. Is that a good idea or what?  I chose to do this only for the set of linens at the top of the shelf,  “Guest Linens”.  The rest I could easily identify by sight.

Bottom Half of Cabinet

BEFORE

“Out of clutter, find Simplicity. From discord, find Harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
— Albert Einstein, scientist

AFTER

Do you know what it is to look for something and go right to it?  That nothing is being knocked over as you look or reach for it?  I love how it looks and makes me feel, giving me a sense of peace, a feeling that all is in order.

I secretly want her to leave her husband and kids and move in with me.  I think I could keep her busy organizing every nook and cranny of my home.  Until then, I have to be satisfied looking forward to our next appointment date when she will set up a more productive workspace in my small home office.  I can‘t wait!!

Gail just happens to be on the cover of OC Family Magazine this month.  Click here. Then click at top of page to Page 8-Page 9.  You’ll see a picture of her on the left with her two young sons.  Don’t make the mistake I did living with a cluttered space that weighed me down,  wasted time looking for things, a source of frustration that chipped away at my sense of personal power reflecting back my inability to get it done.  An Organizer will direct the effort, sorting items, creating order out of chaos.

If you’re interested in getting a consultation with Gail, her contact info is here,  A Fresh Start.