organizing: Offsite Storage - 11/10/12 09:53 PM
 
Offsite Storage
Did you know that there are two different types of offsite storage?   The most common type is where you go to a facility that is either an interior or exterior group of metal or wood cages with garage type door openings and you supply your own lock.  They come in different sizes and pricing, and you have access to your items at any time during the posted times at the specific facility.
As a moving organizer, PHA feels that if you need offsite storage, you probably have too much stuff! Unless you live in a tiny studio … (2 comments)

organizing: Park-Like Living in San Francisco - 10/20/12 03:45 PM
Park-Like Living in San Francisco
While perusing Craigslist today I came across a posting for a single family residence in the Presidio that I just had to share with you... click on the photo to be taken to the craigslist post.
PHA has enjoyed packing/unpacking several clients in the Presidio who have rented officers' quarters homes.  Most of them though have not been single family homes but rather side by side duplexes. Yet, they too, enjoyed 3,000 to 3,250 square feet of living space.
Unpacking and organizing these homes has been a joy because of the large sized rooms, large closets … (6 comments)

organizing: Longing for the Good Old Days...Am I the Only One? - 10/10/12 02:59 PM
 Am I the Only One?
Who is plain fed up with retailers diminishing the excitement of the holidays? When I was a child, I remember how fun it was to get dressed up on Halloween and go trick or treating with my siblings…. This was before costumes were regularly available for sale and we had to be creative and make up our own! 
Then came fall cleaning to get the house ready for family and friends to enjoy dinner with us on Thanksgiving! Helping my Mom and Nana make stuffing, prepping veggies and then the smell of the turkey cooking … (25 comments)

organizing: 7 Things I ALWAYS find in a Junk Drawer - 02/16/12 08:15 PM
7 Things I ALWAYS find in a Junk Drawer
   and why in my opinion they don't belong there!!
 
When organizing a home after a move, or re-organizing a home to make it more functional, there is always a junk drawer that needs sorting out... Here are 7 things I ALWAYS find... and none of them belong in the junk drawer!!
outdated receipts - most receipts need to be shredded after you have received the bank or credit card statement that includes the item. Keep a folder on your box to hold these receipts until you've checked your statements.
matches … (17 comments)

organizing: 5 Easy Ways to Get Ready for Taxes - 02/04/12 07:00 PM
 


5 Easy Ways to Get Ready for Taxes.  Many small business owners and solo-preneurs focus on working their business for 12 months of the year… they sometimes don’t pay attention to their finances on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Then they get overwhelmed and stressed when trying to get organized and ready for taxes.
 
 Here’s 5 Easy Tips to help you organize your financial papers! 
 
1.       Gather all your documents into one location including bank, retirement and investment statements; pertinent receipts; business and medical insurance information; copies of last year’s tax forms, etc. 
… (7 comments)

organizing: Properly Packing a Box - 02/01/12 12:24 PM
Properly Packing a Box
 
Back in 2010 I did a series of Tips for How to Have a Stress Free Move
Part of that series was a post on how to properly pack a box.  Since I’m still seeing TV shows showing people declutter, move into new homes or pack up to get their home ready for sale, and none of those folks are packing the boxes correctly, I thought it might be time to revisit the basics. 
At PHA, we take moving and organizing very seriously….
Use the right size box for the job!  I cringe every time … (14 comments)

organizing: How Much is our Stuff Worth? - 01/31/12 03:57 PM
How Much is our Stuff Worth?
 
Dear PHA,
As you know, I’m trying to get organized.  As I try to dispose of some of my “stuff”, I realize that I have sometimes paid a lot of money for many of my things…. How do I handle that? 
Thanks, Clutter Queen
Dear Clutter Queen,
This is a very common situation!  At the time of your purchase, that item meant something to you. However, over time, our thoughts about an item change… maybe it is no longer useful,  maybe we’ve purchased a newer or upgraded version, or maybe the item has … (7 comments)

organizing: Dear PHA, If I Want to Get Organized, Do I Have to Get Rid of Everything? - 01/25/12 12:13 AM
Dear PHA, If I Want to Get Organized, Do I Have to Get Rid of Everything?
It’s January and I think it’s time for me to FINALLY get myself together and get organized. Does that mean I have to throw out the majority of what I own?  Thanks, Clutter Queen
 Dear Clutter Queen,
Absolutely not!  Being organized does not mean living without your treasures, or anything else that you love, use regularly or find beautiful. 
But, it does mean that you have a place to put everything so that everything can be put back in its place!
It’s very important … (15 comments)

organizing: Recycled Materials & Creative Art - 01/19/12 05:32 PM
Recycled Materials & Creative Art
Prior to starting PHA/Peggy Hughes Associates for my organizing and moving & relocation services, I was the Director of this wonderful Artist in Residence Program!
If you want to see some incredible art - all created from recycled materials.... visit Recology's artist reception tomorrow night beginning at 5:00 pm.
A second reception will be held on Saturday, beginning at 1:00pm.
San Francisco, CA. The Artist in Residence Program at Recology San Francisco will host an exhibition and reception for current artists-in-residence Terry Berlier, Donna Anderson Kam, and Ethan Estess on Friday, January 20, from 5-9pm and … (0 comments)

organizing: Art from Wire Hangers - 01/19/12 02:47 AM
Art from Wire Hangers
Who knew?  I recently posted my thoughts about organizing wire hangers.  You can read that post here....
One of the responses I received from my fellow CA AR member, Lloyd Binen mentioned he had seen a sculpture made from wire hangers. Since I'm the former Director of Recology's Artist in Residence program, art made from recycled materials is right up my alley!
So I did what any reasonable person would do and I googled "wire hanger sculpture" and what a treasure trove! Clicking on the picture below, titled: DOGS, will take you to the website that has … (9 comments)

organizing: Where Are Your Wire Hangers? - 01/17/12 03:56 PM
Where Are Your Wire Hangers?
 
If you're like most people, your wire hangers are either on your closet rod or on the closet floor... And, most of them will not have clothing on them! 
I personally don't care for wire hangers. I think they're too flimsey to hold clothing properly. They allow too many clothes to be crammed into a closet. And, clothing falls off them too easily.
As a moving and professional organizer, we deal with wire hangers all the time. Many of them still have the plastic film attached - even if the hanger is empty. Many more … (17 comments)

organizing: A Cool Kitchen Organizer - 01/15/12 04:48 PM
A Cool Kitchen Organizer
As a SF Professional Organizer, and a home stager, I am always on the lookout for any cool organizing tool or gadget.  And, I think I've come across something pretty nifty!
This kit, from KMN Home is available at www.drawerdecor.com. It comes in five different colors and the dividers are repositionable! How cool is that?  The bottom mat is cut to the size of your drawer, and then, based on the configuation of what you need to store - you then place the dividers as needed.
What's really neat is that if the dividers become loose, or … (15 comments)

organizing: Is It Time to Right-Size Your Life? - 01/09/12 11:24 AM
Is It Time to Right-Size Your Life?
At this time of year many folks start planning and make decisions on how they are going to better their life.  All good things.
I'd like to suggest that people take a good look at their living situation and start to think about what they really need... bigger house? smaller house?  is the house the right size but too much clutter?  house is too small but could work if rooms were reconfigured to how they are actually used?  house is too big but the thought of moving is overwhelming?
Many professional moving organizers have … (10 comments)

organizing: Another Day in the Life of an Organizer - 06/09/11 11:04 AM
Another Day in the Life of an Organizer
07:30 am     Check in with AR, read some posts, write some comments, review DRAFT post, publish
09:00 am     Start work day, meet crew so they can follow me to first task
09:45 am     Pick up stored dining room set and outdoor furniture purchased from a client who downsized
11:00 am     Arrive at storage to offload new furniture; head off to my house w/extra chairs for party this Saturday
11:45 am     Leave for noon appointment to do walk through for potential packing job
01:00 pm     Pick up printed photos of household inventory for photo … (9 comments)

organizing: Some Wine Time - 05/08/11 03:36 PM
Some Wine Time
While scotch is my drink of choice (Johnny Walker Black, thank you very much!), many of my friends and clients are wine enthusiasts!
And, living here in the SF Bay Area, while unpacking and organizing many of my West Coast clients, we regularly re-organize large wine collections.
I really enjoy cooking and entertaining, and a common dilemma is finding that perfect wine to go with a particular food dish.
I'm told there are no hard and fast rules, no matter what the so-called experts say, but some wines will just not work with some foods.
Take for instance … (12 comments)

organizing: Rain Camp Los Angeles - 05/06/11 05:42 PM
Rain Camp Los Angeles
Just purchased my tickets.... not only will this moving and relocation organizing specialist get to visit my brother and sister-in-law, I'll learn fantastic new things about blogging AND get to meet some of my LA blogging colleagues in person!
If you have never been to a Rain Camp, you are missing out on incredible education, camaderie, and just plain fun....
Looking forward to August 18th & 19th in Los Angeles! Hope to see you there.
Photo courtesy of Active Rain Camp Los Angeles
 
… (6 comments)

organizing: Estimating Moving Jobs - 05/04/11 10:06 AM
Estimating Moving Jobs
 
I have a talent for estimating .... whether it is a moving job, or an organizing job.Whether it is in San Francisco, Los Angeles or New York City. Even though each town has their own unique differences. My estimates are pretty spot on!
Recently, I bid a job for a one-bedroom condo here in San Francisco.  Since I'd be paid by the Insurance Company (another water damage claim!), I didn't have time for the movers to come in and do their own estimate.  After 11 years in business, I kind of know how long movers are going … (8 comments)

organizing: All You Need in a Desk Drawer - 04/27/11 12:24 PM
All You Need in a Desk Drawer
Last week we talked about necessary and unnecessary items in your kitchen utility drawer and the need to get rid of clutter. Same thing here.
How many ink pens do you have that actually write? How many are either out of ink, dried up because someone forgot to put the cap back on or don't even have the inside filler thingy? Instead of throwing the pen in the waste bin, it goes right back into the drawer! Like maybe it will work the next time?
And what about all those pencils? None of which … (6 comments)

organizing: Marketing Your Business - 04/03/11 01:24 PM
Marketing Your Business
While reading posts this morning from the folks who I subscribe to, I again learned something new from Barbara Todaro.... her post: a-brochure-is-the-business-card-for-a-home-do-you-do-business-without-a-card surprised me. I've never toured a home here in the San Francisco Bay Area that did not have a marketing brochure in a prominent area as you walk into the home.
It also got me thinking about my own marketing efforts. For this professional organizer, who not only does Moving and Relocation, but also regular organizing/productivity consulting, catering and staging homes for sale - it took me some time to figure out how to blend … (8 comments)

organizing: Valentine's Day - a little ditty! - 02/14/11 03:44 PM
Valentine's Day - a little ditty!
 

 
 
To those of you who are single by choice....THANK YOU! for creating such a loud and happy voice.
 
To those of you not yet in love, may Cupid today help you find your love from up above.
 
And, to those of you already a couple, enjoy each other today and always as you continue to grow your love bubble.
 
This professional organizer and moving/relocation specialist wishes everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!!
… (11 comments)

 
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Peggy Hughes - SF NYC LA

San Francisco, CA

More about me…

PHA/Peggy Hughes Associates - Professional Moving Organizer

Address: San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles

Office Phone: CallMYCELL

Cell Phone: (415) 846-0569

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