Month: May 2007

  • Organized Living is Reborn Through Schulte Corporation

    Organized_living_logo

    A new organizing superstore has been re-born.  Schulte has purchased the defunct Organized Living website and made it their own.  Super!

    The Organized Living (see old picture, below, right) chain expanded operations in 2004 with a failing strategy– too much expansion, with too many bills.  We mourned the day the Grove location in Los Angeles closed.  It was a Professional Organizer’s paradise with wonderful products, a fun staff, and an extraordinarily supportive general manager.

    The_old_organized_living A year after Organized Living filed for Chapter 11, their biggest supplier of closet and garage systems (and 12-year old vendor) was owed over $750,000.

    But Schulte Corporation saw value in the Organized Living name, and purchased the website.  The company now combines their expertise with the retail experience of Organized Living, and offers consumers storage solutions beyond the closet.

    The new Organized Living includes an eCommerce Web site along with an upcoming Cincinnati-based 9,000 square foot Design Center and a separate Retail Store.  The two locations open summer, 2007.

    No firm news yet, but talk is that the company hopes to open 25 stores.  Might they be wanting to compete with Container Store, Organize.com, Stack and Stacks, Lillian Vernon and Organizes-It?  Gosh we’re getting a headache listing all this competition.  With all these choices, why aren’t we more organized?  Hmmmm?

    We invite you to add your thoughts.

    Source:  Organized Living and Cincinnati Business Courier

    John_trosko_2

  • 3,500 lbs. of Bat Guano Found in Attic

    Attic

    An upstate New York couple’s lack of follow up gave them one big surprise, and one big supersize bill.

    They’re weren’t storing holiday ornaments, out-of-season clothes, old football trophies or childhood rocking horses in their attic.  It was something much worse.

    Indeed some are storing more than they think.  And if you haven’t been in your attic lately, we dare you to read this story and post a comment about what you’d do.  If you have a weak stomach, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

    (more…)

  • Staples Now Offers Shredding Via Shred Station

    We stopped by a local Los Angeles Staples today to return some unused client supplies and was pleasantly surprised by a new discovery.

    Staples is now offering shredding.  THIS is a good thing!  Don't you agree?

    ShredStation is a secure collection depository at your local Staples, providing a convenient way to avoid spending hours shredding documents.  The depository is serviced by a local certified document destruction company that assists local banks and government offices protecting their information assets.  The company assures you of total security and peace of mind.

    The best service they offer is a document of destruction, which is imperative for a professional organizing firm like OrganizingLA.

    We want to prove to the client that we actually shredded the documents, and avoid liability.  If you're in small (or big) business, you'll want to shred documents that include client information, legal documents, payroll reports, invoices, social security numbers, job applications, bank account data, canceled checks and classified information.  For just $5 bucks, you can stuff a large envelope which can fit about 200 pages.  The resulting shredded paper is recycled.  See the video if you'd like more information.

    UPDATE 11/4/2010: Readers have told us that Staples no longer offers shredding drop off services. We recommend you do a web search with the terms "shredding service" "drop off" and insert your city name like "Los Angeles" or "Pacific Palisades" or "Santa Monica" or "Studio City" — that should get you what you need. As a professional organizer, we suggest also that you can count on your local box store/shipping center/mail box joint to offer smaller shredding services for about $20 bucks for a file size box.

    Check it out:  ShredStation

    We love this idea for ourselves and our clients.  What are your thoughts?

    Related Posts:

    John_trosko

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  • Hugh Hefner Starts to Clear His Closet

    Hugh_hefnerHugh Hefner is doing a closet-clearing of his own this month, auctioning velvet smoking jackets and numerous paisley silk robes through QLu.

    Hugh_hefners_robe_2The new celebrity auction website robe-tacular will benefit The Hugh M. Hefner Foundation, which funds documentary films, supports issues related to freedom of speech and civil liberties as well as reproductive rights and health issues.

    "For most men, parting with an old bathrobe is no big deal. But when you’re Hugh Hefner, getting rid of a few paisley silk robes and velvet smoking jackets seems to have men around the country salivating. That’s because owning an authentic robe straight from the Playboy Mansion owner’s closet, brings men closer to replicating Hef’s lavish lifestyle-if only in their minds."

    Source:  PR Newswire

    John_trosko

  • A Short Note From a Blog Reader

    We were sincerely touched upon receipt of this reader note, in response to a post we did last February for an organizing product safety recall.

    "Thank you for the blog piece on the trunk.  As a funeral director I experienced the unfortunate result that comes from designs that don’t take children in mind.  Where is the first place a child goes playing hide and seek?  You guessed it.

    You have done a great service by carrying this article.  Thanks."

    Fortunately, we haven’t had to post any more organizing product safety recalls, even though we’re on a weekly notification list.  We guess that’s a good thing.  If you hear of one, please e-mail us.

    John_trosko_2

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  • Martha Stewart Crafts Premieres On-line And In-store

    Storage_and_organization_from_marth

    Holly over at Decor8 mentioned today that Martha Stewart’s craft supplies site has gone live.

    The site (which is a clever reincarnation of Martha-by-Mail) offers over 500 products for do-it-yourself-ers, including two pages of organizing supplies (some are pictured, above).

    We’re not too impressed with the regular array of photo and art boxes, although the colors sound delicious (walnut, cloud, and persimmon).  We’re sure though that more products are on the way, and more may be available soon.  The wrapping and food packaging department are neat.

    Departments on Martha Stewart Crafts include:

    • Embellishments and accents
    • Tools and adhesives
    • Paper and stationary
    • Storage and organization
    • Wrapping and food packaging
    • Scrapbooking and albums
    • Kits
    • Entertaining
    • For kids

    The products, (first mentioned in our blog on March 8) were inspired by Martha’s love of crafting.  They’re on sale now on the website, and through Michaels nationwide.

    For all the crafters reading, we’d love to hear thoughts.  How does Martha’s new motto "Crafting will never be the same, now it has a brand name" ring for you?

    John_trosko

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“John Trosko offers creative solutions for clearing cluttered spaces while spilling Hollywood habitués’ domestic obsessions.”

– Cristina Tudino, Self Magazine

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