His-And-Hers Valentine's Organizing Tips

Online, February 9, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Candy, flowers and "I-love-yous" are a nice prelude to a romantic Valentine's evening. But here's a little secret: The fairer sex can also be wooed when words of another sort are whispered softly in her ear.

"Honey, I'm going to organize the garage so you can park the car inside when it's cold." Or, "Sweetie, I know you've been after me to straighten up my side of our closet so I'll do it today."

Though admittedly women receive most of the attention on Cupid's Day, many men might melt to learn that she will finally clear off the desk, which is piled so high with stuff that he doesn't recall what the surface looks like.

Get the picture? Give a gift of organization and your better half is likely to find you irresistible. Follow this with a romantic dinner for two, and it will be a Valentine's Day to remember.

Here are some tips from professional organizer Sally Allen, CEO of A Place For Everything, to get you started:

Take back the garage. Get rid of things that don't work. Use storage containers for the items you must keep, and clearly label both the tops and sides of the containers. Consider floor-to-ceiling possibilities for shelving, racks, stackable drawers, hooks and pegboards, (and don't forget the rafters).

Create a communication center. Place a dry erase calendar and a whiteboard on the wall near your desk. Create defined areas on the whiteboard - for schedules, reminders, chores and messages - where the family can read, and attach or detach information.

Formula for a tidy desk. Keep only the things you work on daily on the top of your desk, the things you work on weekly in your desk, and the things you work on monthly around your desk. Toss or archive the rest. While you're at it, find another home for your beloved bobbleheads, plaques and tchotchkes. Uncluttered surfaces help you work more efficiently.

Sort and purge the closet. Pull everything out of the closet and arrange clothes and accessories into three piles:
1. "I love to wear it." (Return these to the closet.)
2. "I feel good in it and will maybe wear it in the future." Put clean clothes you're uncertain about in storage boxes in the attic, basement or any out-of-the way place. But, remember that clothes don't tend to improve with age.
3. "I'm willing to let go of it." Recycle these clothes by taking them to a clothing consignment shop, thrift store or your favorite charity.

The gift of organization will reap rewards far beyond Valentine's Day. Couples will find they have less stress and more time to spend with each other for date nights, a get-away at a cozy B&B, or whatever else their hearts desire.

Additional organizing tips for Valentine's Day, or any day of the year, are at APlaceForEverythingLLC.com.