Maps "After"

I spent about 5 hours working on these maps today. I measured the shelves to make sure that my containers were going to fit. I found them at the Container Store.
I used file folders and cut them to make my dividers.
For each state or country, I alphabetized the cities. For the states or countries that he had the most maps for I made dividers for the cities. New York got an entire container itself!! Italy was another big one along with California.
I had a lot of fun and can't wait until he sees it. His maps have never been organized like this before.

Maps!

I am going to be working on a project of organizing my clients many many maps! We decided that this was something that I could do at home as he has already sorted through what he wanted to get rid of. He has gotten rid of many of them, but has told me that he does not want to part with any more of them. He says, "You don't mess with a man and his maps!" Hee hee I have been able to get him to get rid of the duplicates I am finding though.
These are just your typical fold up state maps, many from the USA and many from other countries.

We discussed the fact that they may be outdated and if he was going to travel, would he go get one of his existing maps or would he end up buying a new one. He admitted that he would probably buy a new one, but still does not want to part with this maps.
That is his decision. I can suggest what I think would be best, but they are his, and its his decision. So I am going to organize what he has, so that maybe if he is going on a trip and can quickly go and find one of his maps, he WILL use them.
I love the organizing...so it is all fun for me!

Garage "Before"

I have been working since the beginning of May with a client to unpack, sort and organize his home.
There has been a lot to go through and we are going through it bit by bit. This is the garage after it has been sorted from boxes and storage units but "before" it has been organized.
I will be working on it soon and can't wait. To me this is the fun part.
Once you have sorted through what you want to keep, what you want to donate and what needs to be just thrown away...then you can decide how you are going to organize it. You will have the "volume" of the stuff and can make those decisions.
Until you know how much you have it is difficult to plan your attack on how to organize it.

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Columbus Blogging Buddies

Please check out my Columbus Blogging Buddies!!


1) Lacie from Peanut Butter and Pickles Reviews blog has great giveaways and lots of them! Lacie was the one who first oriented me to blogging. I saw her blog and all the sidebar buttons and spent the next several hours checking things out. But she was so sweet and helped me so much to learn how to do everything!


2) Thrifty and Chic Mom - Ellen has a blog that can help you find great couponing deals and freebies. She gives you a step by step on how to make a Coupon album also. (This is how I made mine)


3) Ali from Blessed Treehouse writes a very comical view on many things. She gives some great tips and ideas on how to do things "green". I met Ali on twitter and we ended up going to a blogging conference together, meeting for the first time when I picked her up to drive to TN.


4) Marcy from Stretching A Buck blog also has a blog that can help you save money, give you the weekly coupon deals and freebies.



5) Denise from Musings from Mommyland takes you on a journey of raising a premie baby. She has many links to other premie blogs.

6) Ellie from Elaborating with Ellie is the anchor newswoman for First at Four with Ellie Merritt. She is great! She had me on her show. She has had Ellen from Thrifty and Chic Mom on before. She also has Marcy from Stretching a Buck and Tara from Deal Seeking Mom on every Monday to tell the weekly coupon and freebie deals.

7) Christina from A Mommy Story has some great articles to read on her blog.

8) Tara from Deal Seeking Mom is on Ellie's news show every other Monday. Her blog is also a blog on how to save money and the great coupon deals you can get. She is a Walmart 11 mom and has had many wonderful opportunities come her way through her blog and Walmart.

Basement

Today was a "reorganize that absolutely terrible" basement day. I have been so busy with one of my current organizing jobs, that my own house has suffered. Mainly my basement. I don't have to go down there too often, so its easy to ignore. We get clothes out and things for vacation and then they get just set at the bottom of the stairs and end up spread out and not put back in their proper places. See..even a Professional Organizer can have a mess in her home! I am not OCD about cleaning (I actually wish I was). But I do want a place for everything. My basement will not take me long to clean. There is some sorting, and I am getting rid of some old crafting supplies that I am not using anymore, but over all it is just putting things back on the shelves and taking out old boxes.
As you can see I do not have some fancy system with matching containers. I have bought things over the years including the shelves and bins. I much prefer the clear plastic ones so you can see what is in them. But I still have some of the others and I am gradually transferring over to clear. I do label everything so it makes it easy to find things also. Some of the shelves I have are better than others, but you don't have to spend oodles of money on supplies to be organized.
I do recommend if you are planning on buying shelves and or bins, that you measure. Measure the space between shelves and also the width of space on the shelves. I have many bins that will not fit side by side, and several that will only fit on a top shelf because they are too tall. Learn from my mistakes!
I still have finish up cleaning and vacuuming to do, but it feels so much better to have floor space again!

Beginnings

Hi, I am Sandy Jenney!
I am a professional organizer and love it!
About 7 years ago I was going to start my business, but life and times were tough at that point and I just wasn't at a good starting point. I have tried to figure out for years something that I can do on my own and to be my own boss. I have come up with many ideas and have made some crafts to sell along the way....but when life fell back together for me a couple years ago I seriously sat myself down and tried to figure out what I was really good at and loved. Organizing was my answer. I have organized myself and my home for years and helped many friends along the way.
Thus began "Organize with Sandy". I began reading everything I could get my hands on and went to several training classes, along with joining National Association for Professional Organizers. (It is so cool to be with other people who have the same passion as you....meetings are organized, start on time, people are prepared...just amazing!). I have also joined Faithful Organizers and love their forum online. So much of the information that I read on actual organizing, I already knew or already did...so that made me feel good. But there were many tips that I learned and continue to learn that have been invaluable. From the business stand point I learned so much from a weekend training class that I attended in MI. Judy Warmington and Treva were great and gave me all the beginnings and information to actually get the business going. I am now in my 2nd year as a business and have been very busy.
I also sell pouchees on my site and through the Online Organizing Store. I discovered them at a local church bazaar and just loved them myself (otherwise I would never sell them). That is just something fun that I thought other people would love as much as I do.
Then the 3rd thing that I have gotten going lately is my button business. I had a client tell me that she was just thinking of me. She was going through some things and kept saying to herself, "What would Sandy Say? Would she want me to kept it, donate it or pitch it?" From that I realized there was very little "fun" stuff for organizers to buy. I came up with some buttons and mirrors and key chains for organizers to start off with. From there it is spreading out to kids sports, school and gifts.
I work part time right now at a pediatricians office. I have worked there on and off for 20 years.
I married Dave in November of 2006. We met online (of all places huh?) and have a fantastic relationship. (Ladies there may be a time for those of you who have unfortunately gone through a divorce and think that life is over, like I did......that you will do the same as I did and actually sincerely thank your ex husband for leaving you!). I have 4 boys, Joe who is 25, Drew is 22, John is 20 and Tim is 15. Dave (who is the same age as me, he just started later) also has 4 children. His Drew (yes...two Drew's) is 14, and he has 7 year old triplets, Alex, Zach and Elise. We have 1 girl out of our 8. Five of the 8 live at home. We have his kids half the time, every other week.
When we got married they moved into my house (which I had downsized when I moved to the same town that my now husband lived). So I had to really organize this place, so we can all fit and function. We would like to buy or build a new home, ...but with the market the way it is, we are currently staying put.
We just got back from our first vacation with all of Daves kids. The triplets had never been out of Ohio, never been to the mountains or the ocean. His oldest had also never been to the ocean. Along with my 15 year old son the 7 of us went first to Gaitlinburg, TN for 3 days and then to Myrtle Beach for 3 days. We had a great time!! Everything was new for the little ones. Heck, they had never stopped at a rest stop even! The picture of Dave and I is on the beach. I just got my hair cut yesterday. I am back to the short style again. I tried growing it long, but I think I am just too old.
Ok..that is me in a nutshell!!
Blogging is also a beginning for me...this should be fun!
Thanks for reading,
Sandy

FUMI affiliate information

When I find a product I love, I find it very easy to promote it. I have been asking FUMI to add an affiliate program and I am thrilled they did.
If you would like to be an affiliate of the FUMI pursehook and the other products then you can sign up below.
You can receive 20% commission from any that sell off of your link and you can also make 10% off of anyone that signs up under you. It's all good!!
Promote the Affiliate Program, earn commissions off your sub-affiliates!

Work On It Wednesday

Organizing - Weight Loss - Exercise - Cleaning - Prayer Life - Menu Planning

Do you have any of these issues that you need to work on? Or is there something else?
Staying accountable to other people can be what it takes for most of us to stay on track. So here is your chance. You can have your own personal blog world keep you accountable to what you are trying to accomplish.
Place this button on your blog (link it back to my blog) and then each Wednesday update us as to how you are doing on your personal journey.

Each week I will award Sandy's Gem of the Week award to one post that really "hits" me that week. If you win my award that week, you can copy and paste it on your blog in a post or on your sidebar and link it back with linky love!


1) Sign up on Mr. Linky with your Blog name. (This will bring visitors to your blog)
2) Copy and Paste the "Work On it Wednesday" button on your post each Wednesday when you update us as to how your project is going, or if you are working on something different each week. You can also place it on your sidebar if you would like. (Be sure to link it back to my site where ever you use it.
3) Please do not start a Mr. Linky on your blog for Work On It Wednesday.

Blogs I love and Return the Bloggy Love

Share my Recipe Sunday

I love simple and easy recipes especially ones that are family friendly and lower calorie!!

Do you have some favorite recipes? Would you like to share them with others and also bring some traffic to your blog? Then you have come to the right place.
Pick up this button, leave your recipe for others to share and you will accomplish both! Be sure to come back each week and add a new recipe!!
I will also be giving out my "Sandy's Gem of the week award" to my favorite recipe for the week!!

If you want to pick up a recipe look around and take one. You may post it to your blog as long as you link it back to this site with this button but your must give the person who added the recipe credit by also posting the link to their blog in your post with the recipe.

If you want to pick up a recipe to post on your blog there are a couple of rules:
1) Pick up the button and post it with your post to link back here. Also please give the creator of the recipe credit by using their name with a link to their site. Do not post their recipe without giving them credit.
2) Please do not start a Share my Recipe Sunday list on your blog. It needs to be linked here please.

To post your recipe here is how to do it:
1) Add your name onto the Mr. Linky with the link to your site and the name of your recipe.
Post your recipe on your site with the Share Your Recipe Button with it. Link the button back to my site please. That way others can add onto the list and pick up recipes and share theirs.

2) You must be willing to let others share your recipe on their blogs. It will increase the traffic to your site.

3) Mr. Linky will be continuous. Your name my appear several times on the list if you submit several recipes. Be sure to make your link to your specific recipe, not your site in general.
This will give others coming to the site all of the recipes to choose from, not just one weeks worth.