The Challenge: Reclaiming The Lost Art Of Spacing Out
I’m one of those people that had the old basic cell phone for the longest time. Then about 7 years ago,my techy husband (boyfriend at the time), gives me his old smartphone. Well, I haven’t stopped using smartphones since! Like most ofus, I’m constantly checking email, facebook, or the news. You know you are addicted when you drive back home just to get your cell phone or you go into panic mode when you can’t find it. In fact, a study from the research group Flurry, found that we spend an average of almost 3 hours a day on mobile devices.
So the host of WNYC‘s New Tech City, Manoush Zomorodi, launched a challenge called “Bored and Brilliant: Reclaiming The Lost Art Of Spacing Out,” to see what happens when we spend less time on our phones for a week. Her idea came about from studies like the one from U.K. psychologist, Sandi Mann, who asked subjects to do something really boring and then try a creative task. Such studies showed that our best ideas come about when we allow ourselves to be bored and to daydream. I got curious about what would happen to me if I decreased my phone usage for a week. Would I become more creative or calm?
Even though the official challenge just finished a day ago, you can still sign up. so, I just did! Apparently, you start by tracking your phone usage with either the Break Free app (for Android phones) or the Moment app (for iPhones). Based on your baseline, your goal is to reduce it in a week. You get an email everyday for the week with a daily challenge. Feel free to join me.
I’ll let you know what it feels like after the challenge!
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Concierge Storage Service Local Business CrateAway for Seattle Downtown Residents
Concierge Storage Service Local Business CrateAway for Seattle Downtown Residents
A local business is offering another solution to deal with a problem often faced by urban residents, clutter and storage. CrateAway is a concierge storage service with pickup and delivery for busy residents with too much stuff, too little time and not enough space. Their mission is to help make urban life better, affordable and convenient for downtown residents.
According to the Self Storage Association, the need for self-storage keeps growing. Currently, it’s a $24 billion industry and one in 10 people in America rent a storage unit. As people move to urban areas, they choose location and downtown life while sacrificing some space.
CrateAway recognizes that even with residents who have storage as part of their units, they may outgrow their storage space if they live in their building long enough. Local founder, Ben Dehghan, created the new business a year ago so residents who just need a little extra storage do not have to worry about paying for a whole storage unit, which can cost $75-80. Residents only have to pay for what they store at just $5 a box per month. Along with the free pickup and delivery service at just $5 a box back, CrateAway serves as the concierge of storage.
Their customers free up their precious living space by storing their extra books, holiday decorations, summer clothes, bikes and sports equipment. They not only are able to store boxes, but anything a one-person courier can carry such as snowboards and strollers. The service not only helps urban residents who are busy, they can help residents who are downsizing, have growing families, deal with physical challenges or choose not to have a car. Their customers also enjoy how CrateAway’s mobile app keeps a digital inventory of their stuff.
Focused on customer service and making urban life convenient, CrateAway made storing with them simple. Just sign up through the their app or online website, pack the items needed to store, and schedule for the free pickup. The items are picked up, transported and stored in their secure, climate-controlled warehouse. Residents can use their own boxes or CrateAway can bring them free plastic crates for storage. Whenever residents want a box back, residents just go on their phone app, computer or call/email/text and CrateAway will deliver it same or next day.
The holidays is not only for a time for family, but it's also a great time to remind us to be in touch with the giving spirit. Last year, we talked about our visit to our neighborhood food bank. This year, we wanted to write about our visit to the Puget Sound Blood Center.
Our friend, Jody McPeak, has been volunteering at blood centers for years. "It's such a unique way of giving," she noted, "because only you can give your blood." She also notes that she loves meeting people at the blood center because only a certain kind of people would put in such time to give. It's a such a life saving gift and we all know someone who has been through treatment or surgery that has needed blood.
I love her take on why giving blood is important. For me, I'm always feeling guilty when I don't give blood since I know that blood from those with Asian ancestry is especially needed. It's not easy with a busy schedule to always donate, but with Jody's inspiring words recently and my own idea of taking my young daughter to give her a foundation of "helping people," I thought I would go to a blood center.
I called to make an appointment at the Northgate site. You can also make an appointment online or just drop in. As I drove to the Center, I got this rush - that good feeling inside when you KNOW you are doing something that is directly going to help someone. I arrived and everyone was super friendly. The longest part is just filling out the paperwork. They have to make sure you are healthy enough to donate by going over your history. it took about 10 minutes for set up. The actual blood draw was only 5 minutes! Then, it's yummy sugar time. Jody was there, so she had candied popcorn for us. My daughter got to see the whole thing and that it was not scary at all. I did feel a bit weird for about 5-6 hours afterwards, but was fine the next day.
The great thing about donating blood is that you don't need to have any money to give and the time is comparatively minimal. If the holiday season is inspiring you, just know that there are many ways you can give. Blood donation is just one special way.
You can check out a blood center near you here or you can look at the blood mobile calendar to see if it will be in your neighborhood.
Photo by Pennsylvania National Guard on Creative Commons from Flickr
Happy October...I hope you’ve had a chance to enjoy the sunny weather before the rain rolled in this week! Today we have a special Customer Spotlight! Meet Larissa Martin, a young military wife who was dealing with settling into her new home alone while her husband, Nick, was away on business. We were so happy to be there for Larissa and Nick during their stressful time of transition. Here's Larissa and Nick's story.
Linh Ngo: Thanks for chatting with us, Larissa! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your husband.
Larissa Martin: Seattle was the first place we lived together after doing long distance for many years - one of the reasons it's special to us!
Linh: So, after some years doing a long distance relationship, you were able to finally settle down in Seattle together! Such a sweet story. How long have you lived in the Seattle area?
Larissa: Nick lived in Seattle for almost two years. I lived in Seattle for 6 months.
Linh: Military families seemed to be always in transition. Just when you got settled in Seattle, Nick got his next assignment. Where is that?
Larissa: We now live in Ketchikan, Alaska.
Linh: You said Seattle was the first place you lived together which has made it a special place. What was your favorite local family/couple-friendly thing to do?
Larissa: We loved going to Lenny's Place in Greenlake for trivia on Tuesdays!
Linh: There's so many things to do at Greenlake. Good to know that Lenny's has Trivia on Tuesdays! What about your favorite date night?
Larissa: We are both baseball fans so we enjoyed going to the Mariners games! Safeco is a great stadium!
Linh: The view at Safeco is fantastic and definitely a beautiful stadium. You have it right, there! Ok, share with us a recent local family adventure.
Larissa: We rented a boat with a few of our friends and spent a day on Lake Washington - amazing weather and so much fun!
Linh: Isn't it nice with so many things on the water we can do here? Ok, so how did you get connected with us?
Larissa: We were transitioning between apartments and we needed a space to put extra items until we were settled in our new place.
Linh: Sounds stressful. How did we help?
Larissa: I had just moved to Seattle and needed to move Nick out of his previous place while he was underway. I couldn't move everything by myself so the "pick up/drop off" feature made the decision to go with CrateAway super easy!
Linh: I remember it was a wet Seattle afternoon, so we are so glad we can do the transport part so you didn't have to. What did you like best about us?
Larissa: I had never used a company like this before so I had a ton of questions - I called, emailed and texted Linh and she was really helpful and accommodating to our unique situation. Being able to talk to someone for an app-based service is pretty unique but it helped me feel super comfortable with using CrateAway.
And delivery was no problem, even within less than 24 hours notice. Ben and Linh excel in customer service. Would recommend them to anyone who needs a quick and easy storage solution!
Linh: Thanks, Larissa! We always say - if we can do it, we will always try. Beyond storage, we think that what we are truly about is helping people. So do other military families have similar challenges you had?
Larissa: As you may or may not know, the military pays moving companies to help families move from one unit/base to another. However, if a service member decides they want to move while assigned to a unit or gets stationed for a second tour at that unit, they do not have access to those resources. Because military tours (Coast Guard for us) can last up to four years at one unit, I am sure plenty of military personnel go through transitions in which they need to change their living arrangements. Two friends of ours moved multiple times in just two years while assigned to the unit in Seattle! CrateAway would have been much easier and safer for them to use than for them to move themselves or require the help of their friends.
There you have it– Larissa's story. Even though we can't store large items like couches, we can definitely store most anything that a one-person courier can carry like bikes, snowboards, or strollers.
Thanks for letting us feature you on our blog, Larissa! And may your new chapter in life with your husband, Nick, bring you fun adventures and deep contentment.
Photo by Servando Miramontes on Creative Commons at Flickr
We saw Stephanie Owen speak at the Seattle Chapter National Association of Professional Organizers monthly meeting. Her background as a family therapist and successful business woman allowed her to give great advice and inspiration. Her talk was about procrastination and we are lucky to have Stephanie Owen guest blog for us today.
If you like what she has to say, you can visit her website for more information at pleaseaholics.com.
The 5 Step Procrastination Cure
Procrastination impacts everyone at one time or another. This distracting habit hinders your progress toward your best life. When you’re putting something off, you probably spend a ridiculous amount of time lecturing yourself about what you “should” be doing. “Shoulding” wastes time and energy. Spending energy and time badgering yourself about what you should be doing gives the illusion you’re accomplishing something. However in reality you’re spinning your wheels, which accomplishes nothing. Just because it’s a verb doesn’t make it an action.
I’ve developed a 5 step procrastination cure. The very important first step is detailed in this article. In a few short minutes you’ll determine why you’re procrastinating AND what to do about it. Plus, learn the one word you need to eliminate from your vocabulary.
The Procrastination Cure: Step 1 – Why and What To Do About It
You procrastinate for one of two reasons.
1. You don’t want to
2. You’re afraid to
I learned this part of the remedy for procrastination from my husband, Cliff. When we were in college I would occasionally put off schoolwork in favor of watching TV. Of course I’d pause to complain about how I “should” be studying. I didn’t even really enjoy the show because I spend so much time distracted with thoughts of the work I “should” be accomplishing. Finally, Cliff said, “Just pick one. Either choose to watch TV, stop complaining and enjoy it, OR shut off the TV and study.” Irritating, but wise.
If you find procrastination gets in the way of climbing the steps that will lead to your dreams (or finishing your taxes or confronting your co-worker or whatever) follow these steps:
Determine WHY you’re procrastinating. Do you not want to? OR Are you afraid to?
If you don’t want to you have several options:
Hire someone else to do it.
Choose not to do it and accept responsibility for the consequences. (No excuses!)
Suck it up and do it anyway. Take the first small step today!
If fear is fueling your procrastination, follow these steps:
Speak your truth out loud. (I’m afraid of being rejected.)
Ask yourself, “What experience from your past does this remind you of?”
Remind yourself you did the best you knew how to do when handling this kind of fear in the past. Be kind and compassionate with yourself, as you would a small, scared child. Let go of your connection to this past pain. Take a deep breath and let it out. Repeat to yourself, “I forgive and let go.”
If the fear persists, ask yourself, “What would I do if I weren’t afraid?” Take the first step today. Feel the fear and do it anyway. We don’t always get to be comfortable along this journey. (Also, consider checking in with me about more tools I can offer you.)
2. Remove the word “should” from your vocabulary.
Replace it with “will” or “choose not to”.
For example, eliminate “I should get started on that grant application.” Instead, say, “I will get started on that grant application this afternoon.” OR “I choose not to get started on that grant application.” Be accountable and responsible for what you say you “will” or “choose to” do. Stop “shoulding” and take action today!
Just this first step will help get the ball rolling. However, putting all 5 steps of The Procrastination Cure, into full swing will transform your life. Your best life is waiting…don’t put it off any longer!
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Yesterday was the first day of Seattle's first ever bike sharing program, Pronto! Now, not only can you save money, stay healthy and leave less of a carbon footprint in our community, you don't even have to deal with the maintenance or the space storing challenge of owning your own bike! Instead, this new program allows you to share bikes with your neighbors. Seattle is now joining the ranks other cities such as Denver, Minneapolis, Boston and New York City and many more.
We'll have to wait and see if this idea of shared biking takes off. The Seattle PI talks about how it works. And GeekWire staff reporter, Taylor Soper, actually tried it out yesterday. He said it was a lot of fun sans the first day program hiccups.
If you happen to try out Pronto, let us know what you think!
Photo by Millerm217 from Creative Commons on Flickr
When the weather starts to turn in September to Fall, I know I start to spend more time indoors. And with the holiday season just around the corner, I will be having family visiting in the few months to come. The last thing I need is clutter. Here are three reasons why decluttering now allows you to relax in your own home, maximize your living space and enjoy entertaining holiday guests.
At some point, the disorganization in my living space can create disorganization in my mind. Having stuff piling up and seeing the continual mess around the home is a mental and emotional drain. Seeing those piles reminds you of things you need to do, constantly distracting you from whatever you wanted to focus on today. All this clutter in your mind drains your energy and motivation. You don’t have the energy to cook, plan or do other activities. All the while, the physical clutter outside of your mind and around you negatively impacts your productivity, making it difficult to find what you need to complete the task at hand.
Photo by Jen Collins from Creative Commons at Flickr
2. Clutter Keeps You From Moving Forward
So, I was going through a round of cleaning out our second bedroom and went through some boxes. Some of these things made me smile while others stirred up longings of precious moments that I could not get back, but each of them brought me out of my life and into my past. As I started going through the sentimental, the cards, ticket stubs, my mind wasn’t here anymore… but back there. Don’t get me wrong, sentimental items aren’t evil and we all need some connection, but having too many items can be stifling and immobilizing. It follows you everywhere, trips you up, and prevents you from doing things you'd rather be doing because it's there, in the way, hiding the items you really need to be using to enjoy your life!
3. Clutter Costs Money
It also costs you money. Have you had the experience of knowing you had something tucked away somewhere, but can’t seem to find it so after combing through your space, you end up having to buy another one or you end up buying an item only to find the same item in your home afterwards because you forgot you had it?
You may have your own reasons to declutter for the holiday season. What speaks to you?
Photo by Woodleywonderworks from Creative Commons on Flickr
Living in Seattle, one of the things we all appreciate is when the sun comes out. Summer is the best time in Seattle. There are so many outdoor places to go to whether it's the parks, the outdoor community pools, the hiking trails or to the beaches. We also like to take advantage of summer eating as well. Here are some simple ways to maximize healthy summer eating.
Barbecues and summer go together like hand and glove. It's the perfect time to hang out in the yard when the sun is shining and the weather is warm. We like to make extra and invite friends and family to come over. The great thing about grilling is that it makes food delicious and it happens to be a healthy way of cooking, too!
Photo by Bertholf from Creative Commons on Flickr
Fruits and vegetables
Being in modern times in a developing country, we are so lucky to be able to get most fruits and vegetables all year round. But still, the warms months are when you see the most variety and the food is the cheapest compared to all the other seasons. So, summer is a great time to max out on the vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants you can get from fruits and vegetables.
Here's some ways you can prepare those great eats. Grilling is not just for meats and seafood, you can easily throw those vegetables on the barbecue with a bit of seasoning. Of course, the healthiest would be to have fruits and vegetables raw. You can have them as a snack or mix them into all kinds of salads. My husband likes to be creative and use his culinary skills to make up whatever salad combinations comes to his mind. Don't forget you can juice fruits and vegetables, too. Once refrigerated, you can enjoy a nice, cold, refreshing drink. Our daughter, takes up after her dad and enjoys carrot juice. Yes, I feel very fortunate about that she doesn't mind vegetables. Finally, as the summer season comes to a close, you might even consider pickling some of the seasonal vegetables.
Photo by Ted Eytan from Creative Commons on Flickr
Happy Mandela Day! Otherwise known as Nelson Mandela International Day held each year on the date of his birthday, July 18. The day remembers Mandela’s achievements in working towards conflict resolution, democracy, human rights, peace, and reconciliation.
His life has been described as an evolution from militant freedom fighter, to prisoner, to unifying figure and eventual elder statesman -- in the process inspiring people around the world.
Here are some inspirational quotes from Mandela to allow you to live to your fullest potential.
Photo by BK from Creative Commons on Flickr
The Impossible
Photo by BK from Creative Commons on Flickr
Courage
Photo by Patricia Mellin from Creative Commons on Flickr
Resilience
Photo by Lucas Garcia from Creative Commons on Flickr
Photo by Moyan Brenn from Creative Commons on Flickr
It's summer and vacation time. We thought we would share our packing list essentials to help your packing go a little easier. There are lots of packing lists out there and it can get confusing. Many try to list the most 'complete' rather than the most sensible. Of course, every traveller and situation is different, and there's no perfect way to pack nor a way that works for everyone. However, this is usually what I try to start with and I'm sharing this as just one example.
The big thing here is just keep it as simple as you can and skip the "what ifs". Strangely, people tend to worry about not covering every imaginable contingency, but what you should really be worried about is not travelling like a mule! Remember that if you do forget something (beyond your passport or bank cards), you can always buy it at your destination.
Photo by Leslie from Creative Commons on Flickr
Clothes
Below is a list of the clothes I travel with. I also keep a plastic bag for my dirty clothes. Keep in mind, Ben and I like to travel to sunny places so the packing basics are more for those places. If I were going to a cold climate this list would be a little different, though not too much.
6 tops (give or take), with mix of short and long sleeve
Underwear x7
Socks x3
Shorts x2
Jeans
Sweater
Bathing suit
Pair of tennis shoes for walking/hiking
Pair of flip flops
Pair of nice shoes (optional)
Electronics
Smartphone
Camera & batteries
Chargers and USB cables
Important Documents
Emergency dollars
Passport
Bank card
Credit card
Insurance card
ID card/driver’s license
Other items
Toiletries
First aid kit (ibuprofen, imodium, some plasters/band-aids, antibacterial gel anti-mosquito spray)
earplugs
sun lotion
Secondary daypack
Travel book
If you do bring a laptop, bring a lightweight one if possible. The Macbook Air is arguably the ultimate travel laptop (as it's lightweight and has amazing battery life), though it's not in everyone's price range. There are cheaper PC ultrabooks offering similar benefits. Or you can bring an iPad instead of a computer to keep it super light and is a better budget solution. Kindles are great if you are going to a vacation destination where you just want to be on the beach and read. You get all the books you want without physically having to lug them around.
Pro Tips
Don't fuss too much about forgetting something (apart from of course your passport, bank cards and other essentials). Anything else you happen to forget you can always buy at your destination.
Resist buying lots of heavy souvenirs. Ask yourself if you really, really need to buy them.
Use a travel money pouch or the safe in the nice hotels for your important documents, cards, electronics and money.
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Me and some Dutch guys in 2010 - tallest people in the world!
My husband and I enjoy traveling. Besides traveling in the States, we have gone to other countries including many of the European nations, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, China, and Vietnam, Jamaica, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic and Mexico, of course. Along the way, through trial and error we figured out some ways to travel and pack simply to make the best of our vacation.
Ben at happy hour in Shanghai, China - 2008.
But minimalist packing isn't just about saving time or money — it's about a traveling lifestyle. We like to travel and feel like we can take advantage of all the wonderful things traveling offers. Being able to travel light means you can be ready for the next adventure or surprise around the corner whether it’s changing location, doing something at the last minute or having great encounters with people. With the least amount of bags, you're mobile and in control, giving signals to others that you are ready to engage with the people and new culture around you.
You may already know if you have gone on our site that we provide a free CrateAway app that lets you organize all the stuff you store so you can track your belongings on your phone or computer. That way, you would know where to find your stored belongings at the touch a button anytime.
We also wanted to share some other great free organizing and time saving apps that we saw on Real Simple. My favorite is Key Ring which stores all of your rewards information and lets you scan your phone in the store. Finally! I can actually use those reward cards instead of misplacing the card, having them fall off my key chain, or cluttering my key chain. Apparently, you can put other types of cards like your gym membership card on the Key Ring app too for easy scanning.
Photo by Christian Arballo from Creative Commons on Flickr
Growing a business can feel like I’m working 24-7. The last couple of days were jam-packed with activity, meetings, emails, and phone calls while running daily operations. I stayed calm, but the stress levels were definitely higher than I care for.
Here’s what works for me:
Deep Breathing and Mindfulness. For deep breathing, just take a deep breath. Breathe in so you inflate your stomach like a balloon. (People when stressed breathe incorrectly from their chest). Hold it. Now let it out … slowly. You can even try counting to 10 as you let out your breath. Feel the tension and stress flowing out of you with your breath. Repeat 3-10 times, as necessary. For a mindfulness session, you don’t need to be trained to have a short, relaxing meditation session. Just sit somewhere quiet, close your eyes, relax, and focus on your breathing. Try to concentrate on it coming into your body, and then going out. When other things pop into your head (they will, inevitably), just acknowledge them (don’t try to force them out) and allow them to leave, and then focus again on your breathing. Do this for as long as you can, and then take a couple of cleansing breathes, and get up a new person.
Exercise. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed. Jumping on the treadmill or cross trainer for 30 minutes can blow off tension by increasing levels of "soothing" brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. But you don’t have to start big and go all out. When I’m in the middle of stress, I like to take 5, and take a walk around the building. By doing something outside, you can really maximize the impact of your activity. It could be going to the beach (Alki Beach is just 10 minutes away for me), taking an easy hike or gardening. Studies show people report feeling happier and more relaxed with outside versus inside activity! They don't know exactly why, but they think there is strong link between sunlight and mood. I know many who feel much more grounded when they are connected with nature.
It really gets the stress out of your system and gives you some quiet time to think when you exercise. The most important thing whether you do something indoors or outdoors is doing something physical that you like. For my husband and I, we love to do strength training at our local gym in SODO called Headquarters run by Joe Head. It’s not just a gym for us, but a community and a place where we can go and turn off our brains for a couple of hours and be in the moment.
Me with daughter, Maya and husband Ben, enjoying time together.
Connect & Disconnect. Being with others leads to another key component to de-stressing, which is connecting to people. It’s another way to give our minds a break, get support and have a little fun. I try to see friends and spend time with my daughter and husband regularly. The connection we make releases chemicals in our bodies. As much as we can decompress by having time with others, don’t forget to also disconnect to the online world! Turn off the phones, iPads and computers. Go offline and be in the moment of whatever you are doing whether it’s reading, being in solitude or being with friends. For me, I try to be conscious of disconnecting when enjoying eating with friends and family.
To go along with our recent blog on storing winter season items, we thought of some quick tips on snowboard and ski prep for summer storage would help. That way, you can make sure you'll be able to have your sports equipment in the best quality when you need it next winter.
FJ's got some simple advice on storing your snowboard!
For more advice on how to store skis, check out Al from the Ski Club.
IKEA Launches Tour and Shares YouTube Series to Help Homeowners Maximize Their Living Space
In April, IKEA launched the “IKEA Home Tour,” to help Americans tackle common home furnishing and design challenges in order to maximize their small spaces! The goal is to illustrate genuine solutions that make everyday life at home better. To bring this program to life, IKEA recruited coworkers from within the company to assemble a group of five passionate and talented home furnishing and design experts who left their regular jobs at IKEA stores around the country for one year to hit the road and serve as the IKEA “Home Tour Squad.”
You can get live updates from the Home Tour Squad via Twitter (@DesignbyIKEA) and Instagram (@IKEAUSA) with the hashtag #IKEAHomeTour.
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How Best to Store Winter Clothes and Other Seasonal Items
Many people find that packing up seasonal items and putting them into storage can help keep their homes more organized and make it easier to get to the items when you need them. Often one of the first steps in spring organization is to pack up your unneeded winter items. It can seem daunting at first, but following our helpful tips can make the process run smoothly.
Photo by Vicki Mundoo from Creative Commons on Flickr
Store winter clothes
Go through your wardrobe and determine what you can put away through the spring and summer months. This is also a great time to donate any of the unwanted items. For any CrateAway customer, we can take your donated items to a local charity for free. For items you want to keep, heavy winter coats, mittens, wool hats, scarves, boots, long johns and cold weather sweaters can all be stored. You may want to group like objects together, which will help save space and make unpacking easier.
Make sure all your clothing is clean and ready to be stored. You don’t want to put dirty clothing away for several months. Zip all zippers and button all buttons to make the most of space. Carefully fold your items. Plastic bins and vacuum sealed bags are popular options for clothing. You may want to throw in a dryer sheet or moth balls to keep your clothing smelling fresh.
Seasonal sports equipment
Photo by Rebecca Bollwitt from Creative Commons on Flickr
Besides clothing, sports equipment is another popular item to store in the off-season. Snowboard and ski storage can free up a lot of space since you won’t likely be using these items in the warmer months anyway. You can also store snowshoes, sleds, ice skates, hockey equipment and more.
Holiday Decorations
Photo by Justin Russell from Creative Commons on Flickr
With a little planning, you can ensure your holiday decorations — and the investment you’ve made in them — are protected for years to come.
Choose sturdy plastic boxes that can be stacked or bags you can hang on the wall to protect items against dust, dirt and bugs. Store delicate items such as candles, handmade or other valuable ornaments, in a climate controlled room. Ornaments made with natural materials (such as paper, or kid’s craft projects with dried food, pasta, etc.) should always be kept in airtight containers to keep pests away.
Use dividers for ornaments and fragile items to prevent items from breaking. For especially delicate items or odd-shaped items, bubble wrap or packing paper provides extra cushion. Wrap lights and garland securely around spools so they are easy to unwind next year.
Storing items in clear containers enables you to see what’s inside. Label the contents clearly before storing. Or you can take photos and catalog your boxes using our free CrateAway app so you know where everything goes next year. Separating your decor by category into different boxes makes decorating and packing up easier, too.
Storing winter items that you won’t need until the next snowfall will help make it easier for you to do a thorough spring cleaning and effective organization of your home. If you ever need your winter gear for a summer trip to the mountains, you can always access your stored items. For CrateAway customers, you can simply get your items delivered to your door.
CrateAway Partnering with WestSide Baby to Donate Children's Items
Sarah Schilz, Deputy Director of Westside Baby, showing off the shelves of diapers donated by community members.
So proud to be able to say we are working with WestSide Baby. We are providing FREE CrateAway customer pickup for any of donations of children's items to Westside Baby. They take clothing, toys, diapers, safety equipment and other items for children 0-12 y.o.
Current List of Most Needed Items:
EQUIPMENT -
Car Seats (that meet certain requirements)
High Chairs
Strollers
Portable Cribs
CLOTHING - (both gender)
Clothing Sizes 5 - 12 (especially Pants and Pajamas)
NEW Socks and Underwear
EVERYTHING ELSE -
Newborn Diapers
Pullups -Sizes 3T-4T and 4T-5T
Hygiene Items (Wipes, Diaper Cream, Baby Shampoo)
Childproofing/Safety Items
We got to visit Westside Baby's facility in West Seattle a couple of weeks ago and saw where they process and organize all the donated items. We also met some of the amazing staff - Sarah Schilz, Shana Allen and Jessica Ivey who showed such passion about their work because of the impact WestSide Baby makes on local children's lives.
To donate, visit www.westsidebaby.org.
Written by Linh Ngo from CrateAway
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