Most organising gurus will tell you that you should pack up your clothes at the end of each season and rotate in the new season’s clothes. It makes sense: why have to sort through a whole bunch of items to find something that’s seasonally appropriate, right?

But what happens when (as occurred last week here in Adelaide) our steadily dropping late-Autumn temperatures suddenly shot back up to the low 30s (celcius)? Me, I simply pulled out my summer jammies and whichever t-shirt or summer dress I felt like wearing from the same place in my closet where they can normally be found.

Not a blip on my day. Whereas it would have been an unnecessary hassle if I had to pull out a few summer outfits from storage.

Here are a few reasons why I prefer not to rotate my clothes:

• Things are always in the same place so you know where you put them and find them.
• Many clothes are versatile (eg. wear tights under your skirts in cooler weather, wear jeans all year round and layer tank tops and cardigans according to the weather).
• You don’t have to have a secondary space for storage.
• You don’t have to dig into your stored items to find clothing for travelling to different climates throughout the year.
• It saves the time of rotating your clothes four times a year.

Of course, we don’t have very extreme seasons here in Adelaide so that could play a part in why it works for me. And there may be reasons why you swear by rotating your wardrobe.

But I know that for me personally, my own experience goes against most of the advice out there so I wanted to share this reminder that it’s all about creating systems that work for you.

How about you, are you a rotater or a year-rounder when it comes to your wardrobe?

This post is sponsored by Target.

Um, yes, so this attractive display is my seen-better-days handbag and its contents in all their glory.

It was a bit of a lucky dip. You might find ten pens/lipsticks/hairties or you might find none! Plus tissues (used? unused? can’t tell), earrings, loose change, shopping lists on scraps of paper, receipts from a year ago…

Yikes, no wonder I couldn’t find anything in there.

I had been wanting to replace a couple of my existing handbags – including the one above – because they were totally worn out (it doesn’t look that bad in the pic but trust me, it was looking very daggy in the flesh leather vinyl).

What I didn’t want was for it to end up in the same mess, so I went and picked up a nifty handbag organiser from the storage department at Target. I also picked out this gorgeous red handbag (totally loving their range of women’s accessories that are on sale right now).

It’s a bit hard to see inside the depths of the black organiser, so here’s what’s in there now:

A few changes I made to keep things neat:

• I switched the loose tissues for a packet (no more scrunched-up questionable looking new tissues).
• I use a notebook to list errands to run / things to buy and tear out the page when I’m done (paper scraps be gone!).
• I’ve since started using this so I only need to carry a tiny stash of emergency lady things (can’t believe I’m sharing this on the internet).
• I’ve been better about taking out receipts (and either discarding them or saving a photo of it to Evernote).

Apart from keeping everything compartmentalised, the other obvious benefit is being able to simply plonk the insert into another handbag. Because I am way too lazy to transfer all of my daily essentials between bags for the sake of fashion.

The bag itself is super roomy; I’ve even thrown my camera in there when I didn’t want to take my whole camera bag. Plus I’ve had heaps of compliments on it which is a bonus!

What are your tips for an organised handbag?

Gift card wrapping idea by So Shelli

I love choosing gifts for loved ones. But it can be tricky if your recipient:

• struggles with clutter
• has expressed desire to unclutter
• lives far away from you
• lives in a small space
• is in a temporary living situation (eg dorm)
• is moving soon or moves frequently
• says they don’t need/want presents
• is a person who ‘has everything’

I’ve had to buy for people in all of these situations (and am in a couple of them myself) so I thought I’d do a roundup of some no-clutter gift ideas to follow up from yesterday’s worst clutter gifts post.

Tickets

Who wouldn’t want to be gifted a special night out?

• Concerts
• Movies
• Theatre
• Art exhibitions

Experiences

Experiences make wonderful and memorable gifts. Great for kids who have more than enough toys!

• Zoo trip
• Golf session
• Travel voucher
• Wine tasting

Classes

A great option but you’ll have to be sure it’s something the recipient is interested in and that they have time for it.

• Art
• Music
• Craft/sewing
• Cooking
• Cake decorating
• Photography
• Writing
• Woodworking
• Surfing

Services

Services can be some of the best uncluttered gifts. Choose from me-time treats or time-saving practical options, depending on what your recipient would appreciate most.

• Hairdressing
• Manicure / pedicure
• Massage
• House cleaning
• Car washing

IOUs

A homemade voucher is an especially good gift for new parents or if you are on a tight budget. I provided some meals to my friend after the birth of her first baby last year and she’s still talking about it as one of the most appreciated gifts.

• Homemade meal
• Babysitting
• House cleaning
• Car washing
• Preparing taxes
• House painting
• Gardening

Consumables

An oldie but a goodie. Make sure they’re nicer than your normal plonk or biccies they would buy for themselves.

• Wine
• Spirits
• Chocolates / sweets
• Chutneys / jams / sauces

Digital media

Books, music and movies used to be some of the worst clutter offenders. Not anymore!

• iTunes voucher
• Spotify / Pandora subscription
• Amazon e-books
• Software

Charitable donation

A particularly good option if your recipient is known for their social conscience, is a bit older and ‘has everything’ or is experiencing a bereavement (as an alternative to flowers). The ones where you can sign up for a particular thing are good – a pair of slippers wouldn’t have meant much to my auntie but she was chuffed knowing that someone had been given the gift of sight in her name. Select a charity that resonates with the interests of your loved one. Here are a few:

• Fred Hollows
• Oxfam
• St Vincent De Paul
• Salvo’s
• RSPCA
• Cancer Council

Gift cards / cash

Obviously they could end up buying something ‘cluttery’ with it but the choice is theirs.

Tangible gifts

If you’re like me and prefer giving tangible gifts, there are still ways to keep it uncluttered.

• To replace something else if you think they would appreciate it (eg a new lamp to replace a broken one, bonus points if it’s a versatile item that can replace more than one thing)
• Something they need and would buy anyway, such as clothes (consider making it better quality than they would buy for themselves so it still feels special)
• Something that will help get them organised (eg labels, scanner, calendar)
• Chip in with others to purchase one more substantial or better quality item (give the newlyweds one kick-arse coffee machine instead of 20 platters)
• Flowers!

So, what do you think? Anything you’d add to the list?

What are your favourite uncluttered gifts to give and receive?

P.S. Happy birthday to The Man!! The last year of our twenties and I’m sure it’ll be a good one. xxoo

So it’s Birthday Month here on Atypical Type A so there’s a lot of talk about beautiful gifts. But what about bad gifts? Specifically, gifts that are merely clutter disguised with a pretty bow.

Some might be perfectly fine gifts but are completely impractical for the recipient due to size or lifestyle. The Man and I actually received a bain marie as a wedding present from a well-meaning relative, the box touting that it was suitable for conference catering. CONFERENCES! There are two of us. In a unit. With limited kitchen storage. And no dishwasher. Any more than six guests and we are ordering pizza.

Others are ridiculously specific unitaskers that simply take up cupboard space to be used once or twice (if that). Take this Cake Pop Dipper (dual, no less!) I spotted on Unclutter for example: I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t just use a microwave, double-boiler even just a bowl over a simmering saucepan, which is how I melt chocolate. Of course, you will also need the Cake Pop Maker itself (regular or deluxe flip-over version, your choice), and possibly a Cake Pop MultiFunction (!!) Decorating Station, just in case you can’t work out how to turn on your oven or put sprinkles in a bowl.

(Sorry, rant over.)

So, generally clutteriffic gifts will fall under one of these categories:

• Something big (does your apartment-dwelling brother have room for a four-burner barbecue?)
• Something they won’t use frequently (sure a paint sprayer might be handy but I would simply borrow my parents’ if we needed it)
• Something that’s not to their taste (how often have you kept something out of guilt?)
• Something they don’t have anywhere to store (cupcake towers might be cute but I literally would not have anywhere to store one)
• Something that doesn’t suit their lifestyle (don’t give your friend with a full-time job and three little kids a slow-food cookbook with four-hour recipes)
• Something that has only one use (unitaskers such as popcorn/muffin/hotdog makers where existing kitchen basics would suffice)

Of course, your sister might really want that ice-cream maker/leaf blower/vase which is great, go ahead! But always keep in mind the home, needs and lifestyle of your loved one before buying a gift.

Tomorrow we’ll be talking about the best uncluttered gifts. Til then, give yourself a laugh by browsing the archives of Unclutterer’s Unitasker Wednesday.

Share in the comments your stories about gifts-turned-clutter.

How are we today, friends? I’m still recovering from my huge weekend at Bowerbird Bazaar – no stamina now since I turned 29 on Saturday

I wanted to tell you about an awesome project I’ve been working on and have just released. Called the Clever Hello Club, it’s a greeting card subscription service where you receive two of my Akimbo cards each month.

Some will be seasonal and others will be for life’s occasions, both big and little. I love having a stash of cards ready to go for any occasion because I hate that last-minute dash to the shops before a party, don’t you?

You can choose from either a 6 or 12 month subscription for yourself or as a gift (ahemmothersdayahem). And because I know you’re spread all over the world, I’m not charging any more for international shipping (you can’t say I don’t look after you!).

I’m currently taking orders for the first shipment which will go out in June. Join us in the Clever Hello Club!

A sneaky second post today to let you know about my new article over on Scoutie Girl.

It will actually be my last regular guest post, which is a shame because I’ve really enjoyed writing them. Ultimately, though, I realised that it wasn’t contributing to my blog goals and in order to achieve them I needed to trim some of the ‘extras’.

If you’re still interested in some of the topics I covered, do let me know and I’ll do my best to tackle them but in a way that’s more in keeping with Atypical Type A.

Click over to read the full post!

This post may be a little late for my local friends but it’s perfect for our Northern Hemisphere counterparts!

Head over to Scoutie Girl to read the full post. I hope you like it!

I don’t normally post on the weekend but I just wanted to pop in quickly to tell you something.

If you haven’t already heard, Google Reader is being phased out so if you (like me) use it to keep up with all your fave blogs, you’ll need to find an alternative. I signed up for Feedly this week and am LOVING it. Its beautiful and intuitive interface leaves Reader looking really daggy and clunky. I’ve also heard good things about Bloglovin’.

With that in mind, I thought I’d give you an update on how you can subscribe to Atypical Type A.

Subscribe with Bloglovin‘

Subscribe by RSS

Subscribe by email (or use the sign-up box in the sidebar)

Anything that I’ve forgotten that you’d like me to provide the link for?

What’s your favourite method or app for reading blogs?

This post is sponsored by Target.

Waaaay back when, The Man and I ripped out the doors and interior fit-out of the closet in the office. I never showed you the ‘after’ because, while the walls and shelves might have been all fresh and new, the storage was just as ugly a mess as before.

(By the way, don’t ask me why we have a Nintendo 64, I have no idea.)

I did get some Ikea boxes to stash all of the small things (much of my inventory of greeting cards, for example), but the bulky storage was still a problem.

We were still using boxes I had purchased while living at home ten years ago. When The Man and I moved in together, I painted over most of the girly pink and purple boxes in my favourite greeny-yellow colour – this was only ever intended to be a stopgap measure and a permanent solution was desperately needed as the paint was chipped and horrible and the cardboard was damaged.

I also wanted to switch from cardboard boxes to plastic ones, so they would be more durable and better protect the contents.

Trouble is, it can be tricky finding the perfect storage (especially if you’re on a budget). For the longest time, I had been looking for some opaque white plastic tubs (so I won’t get sick of the colour and I can hide the messy-looking contents unlike with clear boxes). I’d found a couple of options but they either had yukky coloured handles or were the wrong size for the space.

Then last week when Target asked me to put together my wishlist of favourite home decor items from their Home Sale, I finally found it: the elusive perfect white box!

After double-checking the measurements and whipped into my local store at Newton and picked up six of them. They were only $8.50ea down from $15 which is amazing value for such a versatile set of storage that will last for years and years. (Note: it says sold out on the online shop but I called my local store and they had some in stock.)

Of course, I excitedly brought them home and The Man was like, ‘yeah… they’re boxes.’ Ugh!

Anyway, I transferred all of my Christmas decorations, craft supplies etc into the new boxes and printed out some quick labels. I might make some more colourful labels later but for now I am so pleased at how neat it all looks!

GIVEAWAY WINNER

I know, what you really want to know is, who won the Target gift card giveaway?!

Our winner, selected at random, is JADE WILLIAMS! Congratulations Jade, I will email you shortly to sort out delivery. Then you’ll be able to get those frames you’re wishing for.

Thanks again to all who entered my first ever giveaway and of course big thanks to Target for sharing the love!

Today is an exciting day!

This marks my first sponsored post, which means I’ll be able to bring you bigger and better content and other awesome things like giveaways for YOU!

Can I get a WOOT WOOT?

Now, high-fiving aside, let’s get down to business. I love shopping for home decor at Target so I was delighted when they asked me to share my picks from their Massive Home Sale.

MY WISHLIST

It was hard narrowing it down but here are my picks for decorating and storage:

1. Artificial succulent in white glazed pot – The perfect way to add some greenery for brown thumbs like me.

2. 3-drawer white entertainment unit – Such a good-looking and practical piece that won’t break the bank (no, really, you won’t believe the price!).

3. Kenwood kmix toaster – Cutest toaster ever? I say yes. Check out the rainbow of colour options.

4. Wiltshire wooden pepper mill – The timeless, classic shape is made contemporary in white.

5. Woven placemats – The natural material and ‘abstract’ woven pattern will allow you to mix’n'match your colourful tableware.

6. Citronella candle in glazed pot – A citronella candle that you’ll actually want to put on your outdoor table.

7. Rattan photo frame – This casual, textural frame is simply made for your favourite beach holiday snap.

8. Potted artificial orchid – A potted white orchid has been on my wishlist for literally years. The beautiful blooms and sculptural form will look at home in any style of home.

9. 46-litre white storage container – You would think a plain white plastic storage box (not clear, not with garish bright handles) would be easy to find but I have been searching forever. My search is over – huzzah!

10. Green collapsible storage cube – The perfect little toy cube for your little one’s cubbyhole bookcase. Best of all, if your needs change you can simply fold it up until you next need it.

11. Chenille jacquard blue & green cushion – My favourite colour combo at the moment – can you tell?

12. Stripe weave chenille throw rug – Personally, I’m hanging onto the last days of summer, but let’s be honest: it will start to chill soon so get ready with a fresh throw rug.

13. Bamboo waste paper bin – You say waste paper bin, I say storage for umbrellas or toys.

14. White glass electronic bathroom scale – Finally, a bathroom scale to suit your white minimalist bathroom.

15. 4-piece towel pack green – If your towels have seen better days (I know mine have), freshen up with a fluffy new set.

So many kitchen appliances, home decor, wall art, tableware and bedding items are discounted as part of the Massive Home Sale, which ends on 20th March. If you can’t get to your local store by then, did you know they now have an online store? Music to my ears.

GIVEAWAY

Target have kindly offered a $40 voucher to one of my readers. To enter, simply leave a comment saying what is on your home wish list.

Entries close Thursday 21st March at midnight (Australian Central Daylight Time). The winner will be selected at random and announced next Friday 22nd March. (Sorry, open to Australian residents only.)

Enter now, good luck!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. Thanks to all who entered!

This post was sponsored by Target. Opinions are my own.