Who were your role models growing up? Maybe you looked up to your parents or grandparents, an aunt, a teacher, or maybe your neighbor down the street? I’m sure someone comes to mind for you, and you could probably tell me countless ways they’ve impacted how you live your life today.

Mary Voigt had some incredible role models growing up, sparking a passion to provide that same sense of support for others. She has been given the perfect opportunity to do so in her role as Communications Manager at Outreach Indiana, a local organization seeking to provide hope for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. While Mary has been such a positive light, she has received more in return than she ever expected.

Organized | RESOURCES, Organized | EVENTSKamy MitchellSeptember 17, 2021The Baer MinimalistDonation ResourcesComment

Four. Years.

Goodness…four years have passed in the blink of an eye. Even through a twin pregnancy, maternity leave, and a pandemic, we have persevered and year five is bound to bring even bigger and brighter things. In fact, with some of the things we have in the works, I KNOW this is going to be our favorite year ever.

As I reflect on the last four years, I think back to the moment of walking into my secure, full-time job in Spring 2017 and letting them know I was going to take a chance on myself and head down the path of entrepreneurship. They were incredible as they let me continue on in a part time capacity while I took time to get the foundation of my business set prior to launch.

From there, it was roughly two years of client sessions, product plans and organized bliss prior to finding out we were pregnant…and surprise…with twins. I felt lucky to work until 36 weeks along, at which point I found myself with two weeks to get ultra-organized in my own space. And I documented it all here.

Organized | LIFEMaria BaerAugust 26, 2021The Baer Minimalist, LLCAbout Me, HighlightsComment

The Ultimate Guide to Organize + Stylize Your Dorm Room

Now that the littles are back in school, it’s time to prep for sending your older ones off to college! Whether this is their first year leaving the nest, or they’re returning for yet another fun year on campus, these tried + true tips are sure to help get them started off on the right foot!

With Maria as a professional organizer, and myself as a recent college grad, we have put our heads together to compile what we deem the ultimate guide to organize + stylize your dorm room. Here are a few tips from the pros…

DONATION RESOURCE // Brides Against Breast Cancer

You go shopping for the perfect dress, look stunning on your big day, and then what? Likely you pack your wedding dress away to preserve it, maybe thinking your daughter will wear it one day. But nine times out of ten, daughters don’t wear their mother’s or grandmother’s gowns because they either don’t fit them or they are too outdated. We spend all of this time and energy preserving these gorgeous dresses just so they can take up space in our closets, never to be worn again.

What if there was a way to not only save space in our closets, but also make a powerful impact? Cue the lovely organization: Brides Against Breast Cancer. Founded in 1997, their mission is to provide early detection education while supporting breast cancer research efforts through their wedding dress donation program.

How to Have a Healthy Relationship with Your Possessions

Have you ever been so close to donating something, and are suddenly overwhelmed with guilt? Maybe you tell yourself, “This was a gift from so and so - I can’t get rid of it!” Or maybe it was an heirloom passed down from your grandmother? Or an item you spent a little too much money on so you feel that you have to hang on to it? If you’ve ever experienced any of this, you are not alone!

A few months back I had the honor of doing an interview with Indy Maven on this exact topic, so I thought I’d give you a glimpse into the article with some of my extended answers!

Organized | LIFE, Organized | SPACESMaria BaerJuly 16, 2021The Baer MinimalistDonation Resources, DonateComment

5 Tips for Keeping Your Organized Space Looking Fab + Fresh

Alright, you’ve tidied your space and donated items that you no longer need...now what? You may be thinking, “Maria, this is the part where we pop the bubbly and relax, right?” By all means, yes! However, there’s still one more thing to tackle...how do you keep it this way?

This may sound daunting, but trust me! It’s not that hard, especially after we’ve taken the time to put a customized system in place, and will actually make your life much easier. I’ve laid out five tips for keeping your organized space, well...organized!

If a Residential Organizer Built a House...

I had the chance to present to a group of architects, builders and designers this past week as weDesign kicked off their year. As I scoured my brain for topics that would be engaging, I thought of something I run into all. the. time. A gorgeous new build or remodel is complete, is absolutely drool-worthy, deserving of being pinned all across Pinterest…with a smidge of a storage issue when it comes time to get all the stuff put away.

If you’ve moved in the last year, you can probably relate. You start unpacking and think, where is all of my stuff going to go. Sometimes we forget to let our design be influenced by our things…which can lead to quite a bit of frustration afterward. Of course, there are tricks for maximizing space, but you never want to be left with piles of things that just don’t fit in your newly remodeled space.

So the perfect topic popped into my head…If A Residential Organizer Built a House. I joked that I might be their best client (because the level of detail would be so intense) or their worst client (because the level of detail would be so intense), but we would, no doubt, end up with a finished space that makes sense for the items calling this new space home.

Here are 5 considerations so that you, too, can end up with a finished space that is EVEN better than your initial vision:

Organized | LIFEMaria BaerJanuary 29, 2021The Baer Minimalist, LLCRenovation, Remodel, Build, New HomeComment

The Baer Minimalist's Cozy at Home Gift Guide

I absolutely LOVE finding the perfect gift for each person who graces my gift list. In a “quote normal year,” I create a budget, have a Pinterest board that I fill throughout the year with gifts ideas for each of my family members, and do a pretty good job of not overbuying. But this year is….shall we say, different.

This year, I find myself getting sucked into every Instagram ad, clicking “add to cart” way more than normal, and then feeling this crazy sense of overwhelm when I look in “Santa’s workshop” (aka, the guest bedroom), and see the growing pile of stuff. I may have to book a session with myself after the holidays just to get the house back in order.

So as I think through the final gifts on my list and try to come up with a list of my own, I’m going back to the basics. Gifts that can be consumed, or provide a new skill or fun night in. Enter the 2020 Gift List Full of Things You Can Do Safely from the Comfort of Your Home. ;)

Organized | HOLIDAYSMaria BaerDecember 4, 2020The Baer MinimalistHolidays, Gift GuideComment

The Baer Minimalist's Tips for a Seamless Move

When quarantine hits, and people are forced to stay at home more than normal, it seems like everyone and their neighbor puts a For Sale sign in their yard. Including us! We’ve got one week until the big move and I’ve loved reassessing our belongings as I pack and dreaming of all the ways we will make our new house a home.

I’ve been fortunate enough to help several families prepare for a move (in some cases, cross country; in others, down the block) and wanted to share my tips for a streamlined experience from start to finish.

How in the Heck Do I Organize My...Kid's Mementos

Over the last few years, I have helped a ton of parents make decisions on what is worth saving for their kids. We’ve tackled clothes, artwork, mementos, cards, teeth, locks of hair, you name it…

This last year, I also realized that I may be more sentimental than I had originally thought as I made decisions about what to hold onto for each of my kids throughout their first year of life. Yes, that first lock of baby hair was absolutely kept! On the flip side though, the vast majority of things were not. They’ve been donated to other families who can put them to good use right now, rather than collecting dust in my basement for the next 25 years until I can pass them off to my kids. And for that, I’m feeling pretty darn good.

Organizing Printables | A Stay Home Safe Gift for You

If we’ve ever worked together, than today’s resource probably looks familiar! Whenever I’m starting a new project with a client I pull out my handy organizing printables, which help keep track of which pile is which (because those piles can get pretty large after awhile).

I wanted to share this resource with each of you, because you may find yourself with a few minutes to tackle an organizing project of your own while we stay safe at home.

If you have the space, consider dedicating a portion of your garage for donations, or a spare closet for items that you intend to sell. Recyclables and trash can be dealt with as you go. And for those items that you wish to keep, take care of them! Put them on display, use them for more than a special occasion, tell stories about the items to your kids. Don’t let them collect dust or be boxed away for another time. Your future self with thank you!!

Get Down to Work with an Organized Desk

We are living through some intense times as of late, and my guess is a lot of you are working from home in the coming weeks. So if you are anything like me, and need a cleared-off desk to get any work accomplished, let’s chat about some ways to keep things organized.

Here are some easy tips for getting a system in place so that your desk is always ready when inspiration hits (or you simply just have to get your to-do list knocked out).

GET RID OF THE CORDS: Use a mixture of these Command Cord Bundlers and Command picture hanging strips to disguise all of your cords. Consider using the strips to attach your power strip to the side of your desk (or even underneath). Then the cord bundlers come into play to keep that tangled mess off the floor. Nothing screams “organized office” like having a cord-free environment.

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