NAPO-LA’s October Volunteer of the Month award was given to Erin Haas for all the time she spends posting NAPO-LA events and news on the many social networking websites.

Erin’s Simple Solutions and NAPO-LA’s Online Ambassador

What is your business name and website?

Erin’s Simple Solutions, www.erinssimplesolutions.com.

Where do you live and where do you do business?

I live in Los Angeles near Culver City and do business anywhere in the greater Los Angeles area.

How did you get into organizing as a profession?

I used to work as a designer for many different theaters in Atlanta and found that I preferred organizing the props storage areas rather than doing the work I was supposed to do! After two theaters hired me to organize their storage areas, I officially had the organizing bug.

Where are you from originally?

I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin (population 7,000), which I hated at the time but appreciate more and more every time I go home to visit.

What are your main organizing interests or specialties?

I love residential organizing and staging rooms so that they have more functionality, flow and style.

What do you like to do when you aren’t organizing?

I volunteer with Tails of the City Animal Rescue helping dogs find new homes (let me know if you’re looking for a furry friend)! I also love making homemade greeting cards and crocheting.

I have been married to my husband Steve for almost six years and we have two furry children: a chihuahua “Mrs. Miyagi” and a cat “Elli.”

How did you come to join NAPO and/or NAPO-LA?

I joined NAPO in 2008 after Chris McKenry invited me to check it out. I really enjoy the comradery and supportive nature of the members and the opportunities to learn more about organizing and growing my business.

What has been your experience volunteering in NAPO-LA?

Volunteering is a great way to get to know other NAPO members and to make the most of your membership. By contributing my time to NAPO, I have become more involved in the organizing community and have made life-long friendships.

Anything else we should know about you?

As part of my business, I also assist other professional organizers.

I myself am not a big fan of carrying around a paper planner/datebook, however when I’m at my desk I DO like to have a paper to-do list in front of me to help keep me focused. This planner lets you write in the date-so it never becomes outdated and you can start using it any time of year without wasting any months.  I especially love this product and company for bringing a bit of  humor and sarcasm into my work day with a space specifically to jot down your “Snowball in Hell” notes.  It also feels GREAT at the end of the week to rip the page off and start your next week with a clean slate!

Your pet food supply does not have to be an eyesore in your kitchen or pantry.  Keep dry pet food fresh while keeping pesky bugs out by using airtight containers.  Always use clear containers for fast identification and store them close to your pet’s food bowls for convenient feedings.

Label the containers with helpful info for kids and pet sitters; Dog Food, 1 cup/morning, 1 cup/evening.

Keep the appropriate measuring cups right in the container to avoid over feeding.

Here are a few easy tips to start tackling the stack.

1.  Cancel subscriptions to magazines and catalogs you lost interest in or don’t have time to read.  This usually requires a phone call or visit to their website, but will only take a minute or two.  You’ll save some cash as well as a few trees.

2.  Toss out old catalogs, newspapers and magazines when the new one arrives so you only have the latest, up to date issue.  Old information is so last week… literally!

3.  As you page through your magazines, cut out interesting articles you may want to reference in the future and put them in file folders or a 3-ring binder with clear sheet protectors.

If there are small or oddly shaped clippings, use an acid free photo album with magnetic (sticky) pages for fast filing.  Don’t forget to keep like with like - categorize using removable post-its or file tabs for speedy retrieval. This works especially great for crafting and holiday inspirations, organizing tips and decorating ideas.  When you’re done, recycle what’s left of the magazine.

An alternative to the recycle bin is donating your gently used issues to a nearby hospital, doctor’s office, or any place of business that has a waiting room in need of more current news.

If you are having a cookout you can easily cary your condiments and napkins to the back yard by using a 6-pack cardboard container from your favorite spirits.  You can also reuse  glass condiment jars to hold utensils, toothpicks, corn cob holders or anything else you need to make your backyard barbeque a success.  Jazz them up by tying ribbon around them or paint a fun pattern on the outside.  If you must use paper plates and plastic cups, consider buying a product made from recycled materials, or that is easily recyclable.  Check the bottom of the plastic cup for the recycle symbol and a number.  The lower the number on a plastic item, the easier is it to recycle it!

An empty juice pouch box, made of a heavy corrugated cardboard, works great. First use packing or duck tape to close up the open end of the box.  Using a utility knife, carefully cut out one side of the box for your opening.  For an added touch, you could decorate your box by painting, decoupaging, or covering it in your favorite wrapping paper. Fill with an assortment of on the go snacks and you’ve got a handy container you can easily pull out of the pantry and will save you some shelf space.  Some other containers that would also work great are clear, plastic shoe boxes (for easy clean up) or any bin made of all natural material like bamboo, wicker or even newspaper.  When possible, choose a product that is eco-friendly, either made from a recycled material or can be recycled, and that is made in the U.S.A.  Remember to use what you have first, then buy if needed.

Time

Money: Next time you’re out shopping you’ll have a better idea of what you already have in your closet and you won’t need to buy duplicates. When all the pants are hanging together, you can SEE that you have 5 pair of jeans, 3 pair of black dress pants and 4 pair of khaki golf shorts. No need to buy more!

Here are some quick and easy closet organizing tips you can work on today. Organize your clothing by type then color. For example, keep all your formal dress shirts together and in order of color. Then do the same for your business casual shirts, polo shirts and so on. You may be surprised to find you have multiples of the same color shirt and you didn’t even know it! Consider investing in a quality pant hanger for ease in hanging as well as saving a few inches of space underneath each pair. In the photo you can see the pant hangers allow for extra shoe storage underneath. Stop using old hangers to store your belts and scarves. They take up valuable hanging space and if you want the one at the bottom you have to remove the whole stack to get to it. Inexpensive hooks added to the inside of the closet add more storage and make it much easier to grab the belt you want. Use that hard to reach upper shelf in your closet for long term or seasonal storage like bulky summer hats, formal evening bags and shoes, or thick winter sweaters. Always make the most convenient places to reach your “everyday” storage spots and the hard to reach places for your rarely used items. Make your closet work best for you!