Top 3 Things Women Hoard: What Every Man Should Know Before Moving In

Ladies, ladies, ladies.  Did you really think we were going to point the finger at the men for being the only ones unorganized??  Think again.  Even our good friend Giuliana Rancic is trying to help women get rid of some things to make their relationships better.  Men, CAREFULLY forward this email to your girl.  Women, if you are ready to accept that you are indeed part of the problem, but you do not know where to start, here are the, “Three C’s” of what women hoard.

#1 Women Hoard Clothes

We know that clothes is the obvious choice here, but lets be serious… nine times out of ten women DO hoard clothes!  Hanging on to clothing that you no longer wear makes it hard to see what you do wear.  Over time your style is naturally going to evolve, so ask yourself, “what is my style?”  Some items in your closet are not going to fit into that category so get them out!  One fantastic idea is to host a clothing swap with your friends.  Break open the bubbly and see if you can find new treasures.  Inevitably there will be many items at the end of the party that are unclaimed and they can be brought to Goodwill.

#2 Women Hoard Cosmetics

Your purple eye shadow is from 1980 and if it is not….well then get rid of it anyways.  Women tend to purchase makeup and then hang onto it FOREVER.  InStyle did a fabulous article regarding this matter that every woman should read.  Even the NEAT team had to say goodbye to a few things after learning about the expiration dates of different cosmetics (See! We’re not perfect!)  Keep in mind as you look through your old cosmetics, most men prefer women with a fresh, natural face.

#3 Women hoard cards

Women tend to be more sentimental than most men.  We cry during commercials and are easily offended when our significant other does not like something that we own.  With this sentimental feeling comes the endless pile of greeting cards.  Card offenders, you know what we are talking about.  Every holiday season the cards come in and by February, you have them still stacked in a pile, hiding behind something else.  Every birthday you display your cards on a mantle or shelf but then weeks later you quickly put them in a drawer because you do not want to throw them away.  We completely understand the attachment but you must learn how to wrangle your emotional side.  We suggest finding a desk tray  that you love and using that as a “catch all” for your cards.  To add a cute touch, tie the cards up with twine to give it an organized look.  Once the tray is full, take some time to look through the cards and decide which ones you can part with.

Alright ladies and gents, it is time to ORGANIZE.  Acknowledging typical problem areas is a great way to freshen up your space AND avoid an unnecessary argument.  Let us know how you do!

Photo 1 found here  Photo 2 found here Photo 3 found here

TOP 3 THINGS MEN HOARD: What Every Woman Should Know Before They Move In.

Like it or not, we all have things that we accumulate over time.  Most of the time this happens without us even knowing.  After working with many men, NEAT has put together the top 3 things that men tend to hoard in their homes.  Now, if you are starting to think that we are insinuating that it is all the man’s fault – you are wrong.  We will have a follow up post with the top 3 things woman hoard as well!

Men and women alike, you can thank us now.  Guys, we will help you avoid a fight when your lady friend moves in and ladies…well… you’ve been warned.

Without further adieu, the “Three C’s.”

#1.  Men hoard CORDS (hey, that rhymes).

NEAT has decided that men must have a fear that cords cannot be replaced.  When working with our male clients, we have seen cords from old televisions to first computers and old remote control cars.  NEAT’s rule is: if you haven’t used the cord in the past two years (and that is being nice).  You can likely kiss it goodbye.

#2 Men hoard COSTUMES (and we don’t mean sexy firemen ones)

Whether it is a single or married man, NEAT has found that every guy likes to keep costumes “just in case.”  I mean, who doesn’t need a go-to disco outfit right?  Chances are, if you wore the costume last year (and we aren’t judging you… grown men…) you will not want to be the same thing again this year.  Just saying…

#3 Men hoard CRAP MAIL

For some reason, we have found a trend with men and mail.  When the mail comes in, it gets glanced through for important things and then the rest is placed on a desk.  Here is a helpful hint:  When you have grabbed your mail and you are walking into your home, have a recycling bin near by.  Then, train your hand to let go of the items into that bin instead of on your desk.  Trust us, this training process will be much less painful than the argument of your “stuff being everywhere” with your lady!

Photo 1 found here :: Photo 2 found here :: Photo 3 found here

We’re Wondering…

We’re Wondering….which areas of your home cause the most stress when it comes to disorganization??? Is it your closet? Kitchen? Or….our all time favorite, the Mail?  Believe it or not, ever client gives the answer we are expecting. And from that answer….we ALWAYS have the same conclusion.  Please give your feedback where your clutter concerns lie. We need to prove that our theory works (fingers crossed) or we may be finding new professions

Eliminate Clutter – We Mean Business!

Almost every client that NEAT works with has a pile of business cards that exceeds any filing method.  Even in our own homes, we find business cards hidden all over the place.  The problem is obviously the clutter it creates, but also if you ever needed to actually contact someone that gave you a business card, the chances are slim to none that you will ever find it…. until now….

This Phone App that we came across is an organizer’s dream come true!  Card Munch is currently only available on the iPhone however they are working on a blackberry app as we speak!  We will give you the Cliff Notes on this magical app:

1. Download the App : CardMunch and create a profile

2. Take photos of your business cards using your iPhone

3. Wait a few minutes for the app to read your business cards and voila! Your business cards are organized by name AND company!

4.  Share the business cards you have collected by touching the photo of the card and Card Munch will email it for you

5. Follow up with Business contacts by touching the “follow up” button

6. ALL of your cards are SAVED on the site ONLINE!!!!

We are completely certain that you will be as amazed by this app as we are but if you don’t believe us, we will let you in on a little secret…shhhhhh…. Linkedin just bought the app (that must mean they think it is pretty useful!)

You can thank us later.

Turning Nothing Into Something!

*Photo found on Realsimple.com

Although San Francisco’s beautiful historic homes have more charm than most, they certainly lack a modern girl’s closet and storage space.  When your closet is simply too small for…well…. anything, consider converting it into an inspiring office nook.  The wallpaper certainly gives the space a true personality but a great paint color would do the trick too  We ADORE the curtain idea so when guests are over, your office space disappears!