Month: December 2010

  • John Shares Professional Gift Wrapping Room Secrets With The Wall Street Journal

    Wall street journal masthead logo

    John is featured in today's (Thursday, December 23rd) Wall Street Journal in a Life & Culture piece on gift wrapping rooms.

    We are deeply honored and excited! The article has made the WSJ home page as an "Editor's Pick" AND we're quoted twice in the photo slideshow. The article begins:

    "Anyone wanting to buy all the gifts in "The Twelve Days of Christmas" should prepare to do a lot of wrapping—364 presents if all items mentioned in the entire song are wrapped."

    —-> Beyond Gifts, More Homes Make Room for Wrapping

    —-> Make Room For Wrapping – Photo Slideshow

    Gift wrapping room
    Two Organizing Clients Featured in the Piece:

    Two of our Los Angeles professional organizing clients are featured in the WSJ piece: Linda Howard and Sally Horchow. Each have extraordinary skills at entertaining, performing charity work, planning parties with a purpose and a dedication to the well-being of their friends and families. Much of their passion for life is portrayed through gift-giving.

    Our mentions:

    "Through his business, OrganizingLA, John Trosko has helped more than 100 clients set up, remodel or better organize wrapping rooms or wrapping closets. "It's kind of like a man cave" for women, he says."

    "Mr. Trosko says a well-organized wrapping room needs either a basket or rollers for dispensing paper, a drawer where tissue can lay flat, a drawer for tools like scissors, glue and tape and space to organize spools of ribbon and other decorative items. Shelves for gifts awaiting wrapping are also helpful, as is a calendar listing upcoming birthdays and social engagements."

    Also Featured:

    The article also features Candy Spelling, Kate's Paperie in New York, California Closets, consumer Agatha Wallen of Redlands, California, Homebuilder KB Home, Martha Stewart and Dean Jones, owner of Realogics Sotheby's International Realty in Seattle.

    Send an email to John Trosko, author of this post to john@organizingla.com

    Image above courtesy California Closets

    Read More:

    Beyond Gifts, More Homes Make Room for Wrapping

    Make Room For Wrapping (Photo Slideshow)

    Like this post?

    Click this link to receive our updates sent directly to your email box, Facebook or Twitter —– > click here to subscribe.

    John_trosko_67

    Follow us on Twitter!

    , ,

  • Comedian Tom Arnold Celebrates One Year of Complimentary Home Organization

    Ashley Groussman Tom Arnold

    Actor and Comedian Tom Arnold has hit the organization jack-pot.

    Often, it seems, we're attracted to the complete opposite. One is "messy" and one is "overly" neat. And while that situation makes life colorful, it can also make life challenging. But in some cases, the two can be completely complementary, like in the case of Arnold and his new wife, Ashley Groussman. Groussman is a professional home organizer based here in Los Angeles.

    This month, the happy organized couple is celebrating their one-year wedding anniversary. They met through mutual friends and were married in Maui in a “vintage Oriental style wedding,” Thanksgiving weekend, 2009 alongside Helen Hunt, Mike Myers, Dax Shepard and 100 guests. They courted for over a year and according to Arnold:

    “I knew that if I could get Ashley to fall in love with me, I’d never have to worry about anything else as long as I lived.”

    Arnold, never one to hold back his thoughts, has already landed Groussman client work even before they got married. According to a August, 2009 article in the New York Times:

    "In an interview, [Arnold] said he had recently landed work for his fiancée, Ashley Groussman, a home organizer, at Courtney Love’s house. “She said it was a complete mess,” he said. “And she cleaned it up and went back the next day and it was a mess again. I told her I wanted her to work for Courtney so I wouldn’t be the craziest person she knows.”"

    We all agree we love happy endings. We especially enjoy hearing couples embracing each others traits. In any case, we're sure Mr. Arnold is enjoying the additional time he's saving being more organized. Perhaps he will spend all that additional time on his newly announced first-ever comedy special to air on Showtime New Year's Eve?

    You may not be married to a professional organizer, but what are your thoughts on partnering with someone who is a complete opposite? What tricks can you share with our readers on how you handle the daily struggles?

    Read More:

    New York Times – Inteview with Tom Arnold

    TV Guide – Tom Arnold married for fourth time

    David Letterman Video – Bed, Bath and Tom Arnold

    Like this post?

    Click this link to receive our updates sent directly to your email box, Facebook or Twitter —– > click here to subscribe.

    John_trosko_67

    Follow us on Twitter!

  • How Brad Pitt Convinced Me to Sell My Silver—and Simplify My Life

    Brad pitt professional organizer

    Read one woman's inspiring account of how Brad Pitt inspired her to sell, survive, and surf into a simpler life.

    Originally published in the May/June, 2008 issue of Organize Magazine, OrganizingLA has received exclusive permission to publish this essay by author Melissa Stanton. A former senior editor at People Magazine, Stanton wrote The Stay-at-Home Survival Guide: Field-tested strategies for staying smart, sane, and connected while caring for your kids, published by Seal Press/Perseus Books. She has never personally met the actor.

    "While Brad Pitt’s “small pile of clothes” ideal isn’t fully achievable for me—nor, I expect, for him—the thought of it has helped lighten my load."

    (more…)

    , ,

  • Even in Hollywood, The Linen Closet Is No Place To Be A Carpentry Snob

    At_the_Linen_Closet_1665

    In 1661, Pieter de Hooch painted this grand classic image of a woman standing with her maid while she took clean linen from an ornate freestanding closet inlaid with ebony and "surmounted" by porcelain.

     

    Well, the linen closet is still the place for function and storage. Yet, in our opinion, no place for a carpentry snob. After all, behind closed doors who's really going to care? Well, maybe, maybe not. Not every space demands grand, custom cabinetry, even in Hollywood.


    Wire Shelving – The Quick Fix?


    If you're looking for a quick fix to store your flannels, we'd suggest you go for metal or wire "ventilated" shelving. Wire shelving allows for proper air circulation to pass around your sheets, pillow cases, guest toiletries, extra blankets and towels. And with the right accessories, you can create a space both functional and beautiful (even if you are the only one enjoying it).

    Shulte wire shelving

    Closet Maid, Shulte Storage and Elfa handle wire shelving. You'll want to think about designing the space with L-shaped shelves, or U-shaped wrapping the closet. Keep the shelves minimally deep, no more than 18-inches. When fitted sheets fold up to 1 square foot, who wants a 2.5 foot deep shelf? You'll waste space. Also, if your space is smaller, and you're looking up close to view the contents, we'd suggest you do shop for wire shelves, you'll see through through the shelves and up into the contents above.

     

    Accessories:


    Collapsible-linen-closet-storage

     

    If you can't stay organized with these collapsible linen closet storage pieces from KangaRoom, there's something wrong.

     

    Linenclosetlabels

     

    If you do have wood shelves, you can dress them up with these brass labels from Paxton Hardware.

     

    Hanginglabelholdersballarddesign

     

    Who wouldn't love these Ballard Designs antique bronze hanging labels for your linen closet baskets. Crafted of metal with a slot for your own labels and a hole for a ribbon or twine hanger (not included).

     

    Blanket bags

    There is something oddly interesting about these blanket bags. They're boxey and create a sense of order without fussing and folding. These from Collections Etc. don't seem too cheap, even though they're crafted from clear plastic and polyester.

     

    What elements of a linen closet are important to you? Design? Function? Beauty? Share your thoughts with us by commenting below.

     

    Like this post? Click this link to receive our updates sent directly to your email box, Facebook or Twitter —– > click here to subscribe.


    John_trosko_67

    Follow us on Twitter!
     

  • Be the Architect of Your Desk

    Office Organizing
    December is an excellent time for business owners and employees to focus on office organizing.

    Incoming phone calls, requests and work seem to slow down. Why not take some extra time to catch yourself up. Better yet, why not spend some extra time in-between egg nog and organize the top of your desk?

    Any successful business person will tell you that productivity is paramount. You should make a commitment throughout your career to design and maintain an uncluttered work space. More and more businesses demand it because it sends a quiet, positive professional message to your colleagues and clients but more importantly, it shows you value the work and are a proud contributor.

    However, America’s desktops tend to look like a dump-truck. The truth is, it doesn’t really take a MacGyver to put all the pieces together to form a cohesive, productive work space.

    Don’t dread the desktop:

    If you want to push your productivity, think of your desk as prime real estate. Clear off your entire desktop. Think like an Architect and rebuild the desk top with only the most essential, frequently used items (preferably every day). Don’t squirrel away unnecessary supplies in your desk and only store what you need for 3-4 weeks inside the desk. Avoid using a desk without even one or two simple drawers.

    Store non-essential items far away:

    Store items that you use on a monthly basis away from your table top work space, preferably on a shelf or a drawer away from your desk. Items you use infrequently, store them in a closet, large container, under your bed, or in the credenza or bookcase across the hall.

    There is no reason to be maniacal about your space. Keep your space casual but considered. Everything kept should serve an important capacity. As your needs change (and they will) be smart, review your supplies once or twice a year and clear out useless or duplicate items.

    This post is part of a mini-series of professional office organizing tips created for an interview with Men's Life Today.

    Photo used courtesy creative commons, Chez Larsson photostream on Flickr

    Read More:

    Men's Life Today Interviews John on the Basics of Office Organization

    John_trosko_3

    Follow us on Twitter!

    , ,

  • Shame on the Producers of A&E’s Storage Wars For Telling One Side of the Story

    Storage Wars Spike TV A & E

    We often discuss with organizing clients the pros and cons of putting personal possessions into paid warehouse storage.

    In our opinion, it's only a win-win when the relationship is short in situations such as:

    • Home Construction: You're involved in a home renovation (and need to clear the house so workers can kick up construction dust);
    • Working out of State: You're leaving to go out of state or the country (many folks in Hollywood work overseas for film and music projects for extended periods of time and rent out their homes);
    • Quick Home Sale: In-between living arrangements (our current economy has created some tricky relocation scenarios

    Storage Wars Premieres on A&E:

    Alg_storage_wars_dotsons Storage Wars is a new disturbing A&E produced reality program chronicling four tough guys on a California road show searching for gold, fine paintings, valuables, collectibles and treasures in storage units where the owners have fallen on hard times and have had to abandon the units through repossession. The Producers have chosen to focus on these ruff-and-tuff men (one of them, Dan Dotson, is feature left), licking their chops, working towards the American Dream and portraying them as brave and noble "saving" or "rescuing" the stuff.

    We agree with Kevin McDonough, entertainment critic for South Coast Today of South Coast, Massachusetts. McDonough doesn't appreciate unbalanced treatment either:

    ""Storage War$" offers not a nanosecond of reflection on the fate of the people whose possessions are looted in this legal but entirely predatory fashion. It's rather interesting — to use a kind word — for A&E to treat the victims of recent hard times as so much roadkill and make heroes and TV stars out of the vultures who close in for the deal."

    And to top it off, The New York Daily News, does acknowledge these treasure hunters as definitely not warm and fuzzy, but they're doing work they love and searching for the American Dream. Shame on the Producers for only talking about these so-called "heroes." They need to interview the victims who have lost the ownership and gain a more balanced view.

    We just think this is wrong to prey on people who have fallen on hard times whether or not the owners are wasting money on useless storage facilities. What do you think?

    Read More:

    Merciless clutter vultures wage 'War$' – South Coast Today

    Four guys bid on the American Dream via 'Storage Wars' in new A&E storage-locker gambling show – New York Daily News

    John_trosko_3
    Follow us on Twitter!

    ,

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

– Cristina Tudino, Self Magazine

We Order L.A.

About John

Contact John

(323) 512-7039 – office phone

Mail, email and general contact page

Inquire About Professional Organizing Services

Send us topic ideas for this blog

Submit a media request

Follow Us

Resource Page

Organizing children (tba)

Organizing men

Organizing your car (tba)

Organizing celebrities

Organizing your home (tba)

Organizing your garage (tba)

Organizing your move (tba)

Organizing your office

Start Here

Services and Fees

Organization With Heart: Our Company’s Charitable Activities

Try This System for Organizing Yourself

Thoughts on Effective Decisions – Why are People So Prone to Clutter?

Read Our Client Testimonials

How to Keep Yourself Organized

How to Hire a Professional Organizer

What Sets Our Organizing Skills Apart?

How Did John Trosko Become a Productivity Expert?

Associations

Top Publicity