Marilyn Boji and Renee Sitto-Lige believe that “organization can be life-changing.”
The pair, who have been friends for 25 years, have also been business partners since 2016, as owners of Oakland County-based Organized Solutions (organizedsolutionsdetroit.com).
“We met in high school, and have been friends ever since,” Sitto-Lige says. “We got married and had kids at the same time.” Sitto-Lige worked for an interior designer and created window displays, while Boji worked for Gucci. As life with young children, work and juggling babysitters became more hectic, the friends decided to take a different path.
“We began staging a few homes for our friends who were realtors,” Sitto-Lige says. “We began building relationships with homeowners who liked how we decluttered their homes and put their belongings away.”
As Sitto-Lige and Boji got more staging jobs, clients began asking the pair to help pack and unpack when moving into new homes, and a business quickly snowballed through word of mouth and Instagram. Now Organized Solutions offer services including staging occupied homes, working with clients who are moving, packing and unpacking and organizing all areas of a home.
“Because Marilyn and I both have design backgrounds, we're able to not only create customized, functional systems, but make spaces look pretty, using organizing products to complement clients’ homes and styles—while working within their budget."
Studies show that having an organized space has a direct effect on a person’s mental wellbeing. “Everyday life tasks become easier when things are in place,” Sitto-Lige says. “Homes run like businesses. If there is a good system in place, work becomes more efficient. And every room in every house functions the same — but without an organization system, spaces become disheveled, and it becomes harder to catch up. “Any space can be organized, no matter the size,” she says. “You don't have to have a large pantry or a walk-in closet to be organized. You just need a system where everything is visible and easily accessible, which saves money in the long run — no more searching for lost items and rebuying things because you can’t find them. Being organized not only saves time and money, it maximizes space, creates clarity and makes life easier.”
With kids heading back to school before we know it, now is the time to put systems in place to make packing lunches, storage and homework as easy as possible. Here are a few of Sitto-Lige and Boji’s top tips for kid-friendly spaces:
PANTRY
An organized pantry makes packing lunch easier. Keep snacks on lower shelves so kids can reach them — and older ones can even help pack their lunches.
Ditch the ugly boxes. Decanting your pasta and cereals in air-tight containers will keep them fresh longer.
An organized pantry also saves money at the grocery store! Everything is visible so you don’t purchase items you already have.
CRAFT SPACES
Take items out of their packages, and display them in labeled baskets and bins, so everyone knows where everything goes. Plus, says Sitto-Lige, “displaying colorful items in clear containers encourages kids to get crafty.”
DRAWERS
“We don't believe in junk drawers!” Sitto-Lige says. Every single thing can have a specific home.
Homework becomes more efficient when all the supplies are at hand. Dividers are key to this space — designating the right-sized dividers for items like pens and paper clips helps reduce clutter.
CLOSETS
Keep like-items with like-items. Sweatshirts belong with sweatshirts, long sleeves with long sleeves, short sleeves with short sleeves and so forth. Doing this helps keep everything visible and makes it easier to get dressed. Coordinate clothing by color for visual appeal.
