OrganizingLA Blog

Chelsea Handler's New Bel-Air Closet: A Room with a View

While the Nation celebrates Thanksgiving, Chelsea Handler is celebrating her first home in Los Angeles.

Announcing the closing of escrow on Twitter last month, Handler bought a contemporary, 6-bedroom, 7-bath estate in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Bel-Air. This year, the politically incorrect star of E!'s Chelsea Lately has a lot to be thankful for. Not only has she become a popular comic and personality, she has a new closet fit for a queen.

While it appears the picture above is an MLS image for the listing, we think Handler should keep the room as it is.

What do we love about Chelsea's new closet?

• A lack of pretentiousness (very elegant and clean);
• Glossy varnished hardwood floors;
• Bookcases under the windows showcasing footwear;
• A comfy-looking yet sturdy chair to pull up high boots, slip on heels and tie athletic shoes;
• A built-in dresser for lingerie, tights and jewelry;
• A minimal amount of personal items, decor and furniture;
• Space to wheel a garment rack when changing over seasons;
• And for goodness sakes, the view!

If Chelsea were to hire us, what would we suggest to enhance her closet?

• Add an island in the middle of the space (as long as the island does not block the view);
• Add some long-hang space for gowns, dresses and long coats;
• Poliform boxes on the top shelf, for out of season storage items;
• Some really graphic wallpaper, with a feminine touch, perhaps pink or chartreuse (minimizing the obvious masculine elements in the room);
• Add a mirror (not sure if she already has one in there);
• Substitute the lonely chair for a blue velvet loveseat.

Happy Thanksgiving to Chelsea and to all our readers. What are you thankful for this organized year? Please share your comments.

image courtesy Big Screen Little Screen

Read More:

Follow Chelsea Hander on Twitter

Chelsea Lately on E!

Chelsea Lately buys her first home in Holmby Hills - Casa Sugar

Chelsea Handler buys her first home in Bel-Air - Realtor Christophe Choo

Experts' Guide to Doing Things Faster - Organize Your Closet (our book contribution)

Chelsea Handler - Home for the Holidays (The Real Estalker)

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

What does it take to operate an effective, productive office?

This was the question recently when we participated in an office effectiveness interview with Thomas P. Farley, career writer for Men's Life Today. The piece was particularly exciting because the interview was syndicated to dozens of television and news sites around the United States. You can check out the short interview here. So what does it take to form a productive, cohesive work space? Here are some quick tips from the piece:

• Think of your desk as prime real estate, clear the clutter.
• Don't squirrel away unnecessary supplies
• Use a desk with (at least) one or two pencil drawers.
• Store infrequently used items in a closet, large container, under your bed, or in a bookcase.

And there's more, including some deeper insight on the no-always-so-bad "in" and "out" baskets and an essential list of supplies to stock. No matter if you are new to the business world or a seasoned pro, we'd like to think you'll pick up some valuable advice Thomas and I put together.

Men's Life Today is an entertaining, grooming, fitness, lifestyle and career site sponsored by Gillette. Members of the editorial team include professionals who've written for Esquire, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness and Playboy.

So, how you do you organize your office? Share your comment below for our readers.

Stay Tuned:

This week and next, when we have time in-between working with organizing clients, we'll be posting more of our interview with Thomas.

Read More:

Men's Life Today - How to Organize Your Desk, Expert Q & A with John Trosko

What Manners Most -  Site of Thomas P. Farley, lifestyle and manners expert

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Experimental Reality Show Takes Away Clutter From Contestants

 

We had a conversation the other day with a professional organizing client.

The stuff in our home and office, in our closets, basements, pantries, desktops and garages tells a story of who we are. Sometimes that stuff gets in the way of hopes and dreams (and let's be honest, sometimes it may serve us well). So the question is, "What would happen if your house burned down, or someone magically hauled everything away while we were in dreamland, sleeping safely in your bed?" Interesting conversation indeed. Sometimes we wonder the same thing.

Filming has begun for HGTV Canada's "Consumed." Designed as "Survivor" for clutter - 13 families will play part in an experiment of less stuff, less clutter for 30 days. They will live with pared down belongings while cameras film their progress of what their lives will be like with less.

HGTV is flying Los Angeles-based Professional Organizer Jill Pollack up to Mainland to oversee the decluttering. Families will receive Pollack's assistance, coaching and leadership during the process. If they "survive" the 30-day clutter-less challenge, the families will get the opportunity to take a cold, hard look at their home and habits and to review the stored-up clutter making final decisions to keep, recycle, donate, or dispose.

Show Host Pollack is a former television producer turned organizing pro. Her consulting clients include Desperate Housewives actresses Marcia Cross and Felicity Huffman, actress and poker champion Jennifer Tilly and the late Brittany Murphy. Pollack has a Bachelors in Psychology from Columbia University and a Masters in Journalism from NYU. Sounds like the perfect person to lead the experiment.

So readers, in the absence of clutter, what opportunities do you see for positive change? We'd love to hear your thoughts below.

Read More:

Langley Advance - Clearing Clutter

Too Much Stuff - TV Casting Call for HGTV's Consumed (pdf flyer)

Sneak Peak of Consumed (video from YouTube)

Related Posts:

David Freeman - A Perfect Mess 12/2006

Nadia Geller - Meet the newest organizer on television (12/2007)

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John is Featured in December Consumer Reports ShopSmart Magazine

If you're looking for "quick fixes for spills, stains and other party snaufus" look no further than December's ShopSmart Magazine.

John is featured alongside a "panel of pros" including Betty Fraser (our friend, client and celebrity and Top Chef Star) and Vern Yip (interior designer and HGTV Host).

Other experts featured (and listed on left) include Laurie Burns (tabletop expert), Caroline Carter (home stager), Kimberly Kennedy (Atlanta Hospitality Expert and author), Elizabeth Mascali and Dawn Sandomeno (lifestyle authors), Pat Slaven (Consumer Reports cleaning expert) and Michelle Verdigets (New Orleans-based Interior Designer).

The magazine is available at newstand's Nationwide. We're featured on page 39, 40 and 41 with tips on splurging on dripless candles (page 39) and the proper way to store your precious holiday ornaments (page 41). They even mentioned our book "The Experts' Guide To Doing Things Faster" on the panel list column, page 40.

ShopSmart Magazine features unbiased product reviews, shopping tips on how to get the most out of products and "best of the best" lists. The Consumer Reports publication is available nationwide at major retailers including Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, Borders, Kroger, Safeway and Publix.

If you have any tips for organizing holiday snafus please share them below. We'll feature them in a future holiday blog post.

Read More:

Consumer Reports ShopSmart Magazine

Related Posts:

Top Chef 2 stars OrganizingLA Client Betty Fraser (10/06)

Vern Yip wants to give your office a makeover (7/07)

Video: Spring is the perfect time to organize Christmas (4/07)

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Angelina Jolie's Teeny-Tiny Hollywood Closet

The media would like to portray celebrities as having extreme wardrobes with enormous closets to house their stashes of prized Christian Louboutin platform pumps, Ferragamo flats, Gucci galoshes, Louis Vuitton luggage and Tiffany Tiaras.

While this is certainly the case with many so-called Hollywood "divas," we've really seen the opposite. More often then not, celeb closets are typically cramped and in desperate need of even the most basic storage boxes, drawer dividers, huggable hangers and double hang closet rods, not to mention a little weeding.

A blog post from Hollywood gossip columnist Janet Charlton notes her amusement when she read December's issue of Vogue with Angelina Jolie. Jolie now claims to have a "tiny" closet just like the rest of us, and her partner Brad Pitt kids her about it. How does she do it?  Jolie wears all-black so her shoes match every dress and every blouse goes with every pair of slacks.

"I’ve a very tiny closet. Brad’s [Pitt] always laughing at me. Some days, yes, I have the nightgown that looks like a dress that I can sleep in and pick the kids up at school. And maybe take a meeting if I switch into heels.”

What do you think? Does function meet fabulous here? Could you take a hint from Jolie and wear your nightgown out in a night-on-the-town?

Image courtesy The Telegraph

Read More:

Angelina Jolie Claims She Has A Small Closet - Janet Charlton's Hollywood

The Other Angelina - Vogue, December 2010

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