Liquidation...

What do you do with a house or apartment full of furniture, collections of things, kitchen items, bedding, books, art and a garage full of tools?  The family has taken out those items that they want, and now there are rooms full of the left overs.  Some things are valuable, most things are not, and a lot of it is just plain junk...


In the bay area, I suggest my clients call a Rick Hudson, of Hudson's Estate Service and Liquidation. 
Hudson's is a family that has been in the antique and estate liquidation business in the Bay Area since the 1960's.  They conduct on-site estate sales and warehouse (consignment) sales to maximize the value of estate contents while minimizing the efforts of the family, executor or beneficiary.  Their approach to estate liquidation leaves the residence ready for sale or rent in a timely manner after generating maximum revenue for the beneficiaries.

One great advantage of using a liquidator, like Hudson's, is that they take EVERYTHING away.  It means you do not have to deal with scheduling charity pick ups or pay for a junk hauler.  This works extremely well if you are on a tight schedule or you are managing an estate from a distance. 


Using a liquidator is not just for clearing out estates.  If you are moving to a smaller home or apartment, a liquidator can take those items that no longer serve or fit into your new lifestyle.


Here's my advice for getting ready to close out a home or estate:


1.  Distribute items to family and friends according to everyone's wishes.   Distribute to charity anything you want them to have.

2.  Discard useless, broken or unsellable items, like paper or the broken toaster that has been in the back of the garage for years.

3.  Check EBAY or with an appraiser to get an idea of the value of art and antiques.

4.  Make sure you have the proper agreements from all beneficiaries before giving anything away.


Planning and managing the distribution of an estate, or downsizing a home, can be time consuming and stressful, so being as ORGANIZED as possible can be a life saver. 

Thanks for the memories...

Today is the last Oprah Winfrey show, and I'll be waving goodbye along with everyone else.  Oprah did a lot for the profession of professional organizing.  She featured organizers on her show, in her magazines, and has even given them shows of their own.

I believe that she is single handedly responsible for bringing professional organizers into the consciousness of our everyday life.  Starting with Julia Morganstern, Oprah did shows on organizing homes and offices, offering Julia the opportunity for national exposure, as well as the rest of us.

More recently, Oprah teamed with Peter Walsh and they have focused not only on home organizing, but on hoarding. Peter now has his show on Oprah's OWN network.

I love Oprah's quote, "Your house should rise up to meet you."  Absolutely true, if your home is not the place you would most like to be, if it does not inspire you or make you feel good about yourself, then you need to take action and fix it.  And if you'd like the help of a professional organizer, you know where you can find one.

The French Laundry

On Sunday, May 15th, I celebrated my birthday with friends at The French Laundry.  I've been wanting to go for ages, and finally the stars aligned so that it was possible.

It's an experience, sort of a trip to Disneyland for grownups.  Everything was perfect, the weather was lovely, it's before the season starts in wine country so it wasn't too crowded, all the roses are in bloom everywhere, the vines all have foliage, so everything is super green everywhere.  Just a lovely, lovely day to be in the wine country.

The restaurant's exterior is understated and elegant.  The grounds are beautiful and the kitchen is  unlike any other restaurant kitchen I've seen.  So many people working quietly and efficiently to put out spectacular dishes.  

The interior is also elegant and understated and the first thing that you notice is how quiet it is...all the tables are full, people are eating, but there's no loud conversation or clanking of glassware and utensils - it's amazingly quiet.  

As there were 10 in our party, we had the private dining room, a large round table with a gorgeous flower arrangement in the center, lovely place settings and the famously folded napkin with clothes pin.  (Photos were taken by others and haven't been circulated yet, sorry...).

Service is out of this world, there is someone quietly refilling your glass or refolding your napkin without your realizing that they are there.  All plates are served at the same time, so it's like a ballet throughout the entire meal.  Each dish is explained in detail after it is set down for you to admire.  Wine is paired with each dish.

There were 9 courses and several "extra" surprises...

 "Beets and Leeks", Maine Lobster Tail "Pochee au Beurre Doux", French Laundry Garden Leeks, Baby Red Beets and "Mousseline Raifort"  (This was my favorite.)

Milk-Poached Four Story Hill Farm "Poularde" Hobbs' Bacon, Morel Mushrooms, English Peas and Tokyo Turnips

Andante Dairy "Nocturnes" Black Truffle Tart, Royal Blenheim Apricot, Fennel and Piedmont Hazelnuts

A special treat for the birthday girl... Chocolate and a light peanut butter whip...plus small handmade chocolates.

"Mousse Au Chocolat Blanc", Morello Cherries and Marcona Almonds

We were there for 5 hours!  Our parting "gift" was a beautiful bag with cookies, chocolates and our menus.  

I highly recommend that if there is anyway you can, it's worth experiencing this kind of dining at least once...

My thanks to Ruth and Yasuo for making this day possible for me!  And to my dear friend Peggy for sharing the day and doing the driving.  

Time for laundry...

There's a lot for an organizer to blog about in May...however, all I can think about is food. My birthday is coming up, and I've finally whined and begged enough to get my one big wish...The French Laundry. I'm counting down the days and I'll share everything with you in next weeks post.

Happily ever after...

Just a week ago we moved a friend's 80 year old mother out of her Santa Rosa double wide trailer home, and into a lovely one bedroom apartment, in a beautiful senior community, in Marin.  The move went smoothly and we settled her into her new home in one day.  

Packing up the old livingroom...

My assistant, Michelle, helping our client choose which clothes to take...

The new bedroom...

The new livingroom. Looks like a comfortable place to be...

Today the phone rang..."Mom wants out, she wants to return to her trailer."  So, we'll do it all over again.  My friend is heartbroken, knowing that her mom should not be living alone, and so far from the rest of the family... 

How much is enough...

I've been getting a lot of questions about TLC's Extreme Couponing show.  What's the story on this?  Are these people hoarders?  How many bottles of shampoo and boxes of pasta does one need?

I finally watched an episode, and while I am not Dr. Phil, I can see some obsessive/compulsive tendencies at work here:  The couponer's excessive attention to the search and finding of the coupons, then the high of the planning of the attack on the store, the frantic move through the store to gather all the products, their glee going through the checkout line, and finally, standing over their latest haul while they turn their spare rooms, attics and garages into mini-grocery stores. 

From a Professional Organizer's stand point, there's not a lot of difference between a garage full of Christmas decorations, a million past issues of National Geographic, or one full of boxes of cereal.  The extreme collection of items, the attachment to the process, and unwillingness to let go or even use the items, and the loss of the use of the space for what it was intended - all point to something that I am asked to deal with on a daily basis.

Of course, what you choose to keep in your garage is totally up to you and it doesn't make you subject to being strait-jacketed because you don't choose to park your car there.  It's only a problem is if it's a problem for you or your family. If one day you find yourself standing in the garage entry and saying "this has got to stop", and then you head for the local A&P for more...then you've got a problem.

The photo above is from TLC.  I wonder who thought plunking ONE green thing in a plastic bag on the top of the potato chips, hot dogs and bottles of peanuts, would make this all okay?

Closet Innovations...

Watch an episode of House Hunters on HGTV, and you'll see how much we Americans love closets. We simply can not get enough closet space.  But, it's not just how many closets you have, it's how efficiently organized they are that makes them highly usable and functional.

The first thing to look at is how well designed the closet is.  Most every closet can benefit from some kind of shelving and storage structure.  A good deal of my business is designing closet structures so that we can make the best use of the storage space.

Just as every families' needs are different, so every closet has it's own set of challenges, and not one particular closet product necessarily works across the board.  I have installed many different types of closet structures depending on the needs of the space. 

For those who want a true custom built-in closet system, I call on Malka Sabroe-JoHanson, of Closet Innovations.  Malka really knows her closets!  I've asked to talk to me about choosing a built-in custom closet.

Malka, when should someone consider a custom closet over a DIY closet system?

"For a substantial home improvement and to add equity to the house, it is best to have it done professionally. When done professionally, under a state license, it can add real value to the home."

What should people look for when choosing a custom closet company?

"I would say first would be the professionalism of the representative when they arrive at your house. This would be after you check their references on the internet by doing a google search.  Also, the rep should be a real closet designer and not just a salesperson trying to talk you into their product.  A closet designer knows how to adjust the design to the particular space because most spaces are not perfect.  Then you want to look at the materials and make sure they are sturdy and of good quality, not just your standard particle board."

What advice and tips can you give for designing a good closet?

"Measure and re-measure!  Know what your priorities are for the space. Do you need more hanging space than shelving or is it the other way around? How many pairs of shoes do you need to house?  Do you hang or fold your tee shirts?  Answering these questions will help you know what you need in a closet. " 

And certainly, hiring a professional organizer, like Gayle, who knows what questions to ask and how to organize the space, will help immensely and keep you from any costly mistakes."

Malka, what makes Closet Innovations a good choice for building a custom closet?

"We are local in the San Francisco Bay Area, and not a franchise.  Our construction is all done by hand.  Our designers, craftsmen and installers have more 20 years of hands-on experience. We are fully licensed and insured and all our products are backed by warranty.  We can provide hundreds of great reviews and references from happy clients.  And, most importantly, we love our work!"

Thanks, Malka!