Where to Donate Just About Everything in Indianapolis

This summer I was chatting with a woman who used to sell Creative Memories scrapbooking kits. She had boxes and boxes filling an entire walk-in closet and portion of a guest bedroom (and they'd been there for years). She no longer wanted or needed these items, but because of the large investment she made, she just couldn't bear the idea of dropping items off at a spot where items would be resold.

I made a few calls and discovered that she could bring these items down to Riley Children's Hospital. Craft supplies would be used for kids in the Child Life Zone, and the journals and scrapbooking kits would be placed in a closet that parents with little ones in to NICU would have access to, so they can document their time at the hospital.

Indy Business Owners’ Tips for an Organized Holiday

Last month, I joined forces with five other female business owners in Indianapolis to chat about our favorite online tools over on Kahunify's Blog.

This month, we are coming together to share our tips for staying focused and organized during the busiest season of the year. I could talk about organizational hacks all day long and learned so much from each of these ladies as we shared our tips. Enjoy and Happy Holidays from the Business Bloggers of Indy!

Organized | LIFE, Organized | HOLIDAYSMaria BaerDecember 18, 2017Business, Organizing Tips, Organization, HolidaysComment

The Makings of a Party Kit

Dreaming up a perfect theme to suite the guest(s) of honor, crafting a menu that keeps everyone gathered around the table and working to create an experience that puts everyone at ease are just a few of the reasons why I LOVE planning parties!

Several years ago, I worked for a company that planned corporate meetings, mainly in the pharmaceutical world. Gathering RSVPs, managing travel plans for attendees and drafting up agendas were a big part of that world. It certainly played to my love of organization and list-making, but it didn't neccesarily allow for a ton of creativity.

As I mapped out my service offerings for The Baer Minimalist, I wanted to offer people a way to have memorable parties without all of the stress. Enter Party Kits!

Organized | SPACES, Organized | HOLIDAYSMaria BaerDecember 14, 2017Stylized, Gender RevealComment

Treat Yourself...A Consumable Gift Guide

Making a list and checking it twice...I love finding the perfect gift for my family and friends whether they are naughty or nice. However, as I get older, I find that consumable gifts have become a favorite to give and receive as they can still be super indulgent and fun without adding to the clutter. Here are my top clutter-free gifts (with a hint of local flare).

Organized | HOLIDAYSMaria BaerNovember 29, 2017Gift Guide Comment

PROJECT // Polished Family Room for Four

A few months back, I was tasked with helping a family of (almost) four style their family room. They wanted a cozy, comfortable vibe, but also felt like it was time to upgrade furniture that had been moving from house to house with them since college!

Could I help pull together this room? Shop on their behalf? Style the bookshelves?

Um....yes please!

Here is a sneak peek from my very first visit - it was time to say goodbye to the maroon chair + ottoman and pull this room together!

Organized | LIFE, Organized | SPACESMaria BaerNovember 20, 2017Before/After, Stylized, Client ProjectComment

The Baer Minimalist's Pre-Vacation Organization Tips

With all sorts of travel scheduled in the coming weeks, I wanted to share a couple of tips for getting ORGANIZED prior to vacation. I’m all about ENJOYING every minute of a vacation, and for me, that means not having to worry about things at home while I’m away.

My husband and I LOVE to travel! Our relationship has taken us to six continents together, starting by meeting 13 years ago studying abroad in Wellington, New Zealand. See if you can spot us from that time period below - shouldn't be too tough!

With each of these trips, we seem to hone in on ways to ease the stress of getting out the door on vacation.

Organized | LIFEMaria BaerNovember 13, 2017Organizing Tips, Organization, Holidays, Checklist, Travel Tips Comment

10 Tips for an ORGANIZED + ENJOYABLE Holiday Season!

I absolutely adore everything about this time of year! The celebrations, the decorations, the extra time with loved ones spread across the winter months. It should be such a joyous time of year.

And yet, it can be totally stress-inducing without a little planning ahead!

So today I want to share my top 10 tips for an ORGANIZED + ENJOYABLE holiday season! I've got a few timesaver tips and a handful of hacks that will provide you with the ability to just relish in the true meaning of the season.

How California Closets is Using Virtual Reality to Help You Better Organize Your Space

I love geeking out over new technology and just learned about a concept that is going to be a total game-changer in the closet organization world.

Introducing, VIRTUAL REALITY for closet design! I can’t even WAIT to see this in action!

California Closets is introducing VR into their client experience, giving people a chance to visualize ALL of the possibilities before getting started on a project.

Organized | LIFE, Organized | SPACESMaria BaerOctober 23, 2017Technology, Master Closets, Closets, OrganizationComment

Tiny Space // Max Potential

I recently worked with a client who lives in a one-bedroom home in a really cool little pocket of Indianapolis called Fountain Square. This lucky gal is within walking distance to work, groceries, restaurants & bars. Dream life, right?!

However, this 600-square foot home has just one closet (located in the bedroom), so she’s had to be very creative when it comes to housing all of her possessions. Upon move-in she opted to have the stackable washer/dryer removed so that she’d have one more space to keep belongings.

Well, this space has become her true catch-all. In her words, “The only spot I have for major storage had become a black hole for odds and ends in my house.” She had quite the mix of electronics, toiletries, gift wrapping supplies, sheets, towels, games and and memorabilia all craving to be organized.

Books and DVDs and CDs, Oh My!

I absolutely love to read…in fact, I had a goal growing up that I would read every book in our library. Spoiler alert, this is not achievable.

I love curling up with a book in my hand and was super resistant to adapting to a Kindle when I received one as a gift years ago. But it has been a total game changer, so much so that I’ve edited the books in my home down to a couple dozen.

Going through my collection of beloved books, sparked a mission of downsizing my various collections of CDs, DVDs and magazines. It’s amazing how much space these items can take up and how they find their way into every room of a house.

But it can be challenging too, as it seems that each item evokes a memory of the past. I wanted to come up with some ways to ease the decluttering process of these beloved collections.

Organized | LIFEMaria BaerOctober 3, 2017Organizing Tips, Indianapolis Organizer, Organization, DeclutterComment

Home Maintenance Calendar

Hey gang! I wanted to share a tip for organizing your home maintenance needs - rather than just waiting for your favorite service providers to keep you in check or WORSE, coming home to appliances that have decided to fall apart in one way or another.

Something that has helped us stay organized is creating a "Home Maintenance" calendar in Google that can be shared between me and the Baer. When working with families, I always recommend creating a calendar for each family member's schedule (and the home that keeps your family safe is no exception) - it's quick, color-coded and can be turned on/off depending on what all you want to view on a particular day.

Just Get Started!

One of the benefits of working with a professional organizer is the ability to kick-start a project into gear. My approach when working with clients is to just get started.

Here are a few tips to make the process easier:

1. VISUALIZE how you want the space to look once it has been cleared of unwanted items – maybe you’ll treat yourself to a candle, turn on your favorite tunes (Leon Bridges is top of my list right now) and relax with a book. Maybe not, but do think of the sanctuary that you deserve your home to be. What does that space look like? How will you use it? Breathe easy knowing you are just a few hours away from this reality.

Organized | LIFEMaria BaerSeptember 13, 2017Organization, Pantries, Master Closets, Before/After, Indianapolis Organizer, Organizing TipsComment

The Baer Minimalist® Blog -- Tips, Tricks and Hacks on living a more ORGANIZED + STYLIZED Life