Think you have the messiest craft/gift/art closet in the Oklahoma City metro area? Need some help getting it organized?
Send us pictures of your mess (no one will ever know it was you) to okc@therileygroup.info. We will choose one winner for a craft/gift/art closet makeover.
Deadline to submit photos is Friday, June 14. Makeover will take place on or before July15, 2013.
Posted on Friday, June 7th, 2013 in Newsworthy, Organization | No Comments »
The Riley Group is offering free professional organizational services to those affected by the recent tornadoes. This service is provided to families as they begin to relocate into temporary or permanent housing. We will offer this service as long as there is a need and volunteers are available to assist the staff in helping with inquiries.
Families may request assistance via email at okc@therileygroup.info or by phone at (405) 889-4430.
Those wishing to volunteer to help in this service may email Cassie Gage, Lead Organizational Expert, at cassie@therileygroup.info.
Posted on Monday, May 27th, 2013 in Newsworthy, Organization, Press Releases | No Comments »
Think you have the messiest linen closet in the Oklahoma City metro area? Need some help getting it organized?
Send us pictures of your mess (no one will ever know it was you) to okc@therileygroup.info. We will choose one winner for a linen closet makeover.
Deadline to submit photos is Wednesday, May 15. Makeover will take place on or before June 15, 2013.
Posted on Friday, May 3rd, 2013 in Newsworthy, Organization | No Comments »
The Riley Group, an Oklahoma City based concierge and organizational service company, is seeking a lifestyle manager to join its growing team. The selected individual must be detail oriented, highly organized, have a caretaker/nurturer personality, work well in a team environment but also a self-starter, timely, professional, be a problem solver, have a positive attitude, be personable and outgoing and have a likeable personality towards animals and children. Additional preference will be given to those applicants with computer program experience including Quickbooks and the Microsoft Office Suite.
To Apply
Please submit resume, references and availability no later than 5 p.m. CT on Friday, April 26, 2013 to valerie@therileygroup.info. Submissions following the deadline will not be accepted. Position is opened until filled.
Posted on Monday, April 22nd, 2013 in Newsworthy, Organization | No Comments »
Think your kids have the messiest playroom in the Oklahoma City metro area? Need some help getting it organized?
Send us pictures of your mess (no one will ever know it was you) to okc@therileygroup.info. We will choose one winner for a playroom makeover.
Deadline to submit photos is Friday, April 12. Makeover will take place before May 17, 2013.
Posted on Friday, April 5th, 2013 in Newsworthy, Organization | No Comments »
We’re excited to announce our new partnership with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma!
For every new client in April, The Riley Group will sponsor one child for a year in the Regional Food Bank’s Food for Kids Backpack Program, a $200 value.
ABOUT THE REGIONAL FOOD BANK
Over 675,000 Oklahomans will wake up today and wonder where their next meal will come from. Oklahoma ranks among the top five states in the nation in the number of people who are hungry, but thanks to donors, volunteers and advocates, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is”Fighting Hunger…Feeding Hope.”
Established in 1980, the Regional Food Bank is the largest private hunger-relief organization in the state of Oklahoma. In Fiscal Year 2012, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma distributed 42.2 million pounds of food and product through a network of nearly 1,000 partner agencies and schools throughout 53 central and western Oklahoma counties.
The Regional Food Bank provides enough food to feed more than 90,000 people each week – nearly half of which are children. The Regional Food Bank’s administrative costs are below four percent, which means 96 cents of every dollar donated helps to directly provide food to Oklahomans in need.
Posted on Monday, April 1st, 2013 in In The News, Newsworthy, Press Releases | No Comments »
Think you have the messiest home office in the Oklahoma City metro area? Need some help getting it organized?
Send us pictures of your mess (no one will ever know it was you) to okc@therileygroup.info. We will choose one winner for a home office makeover.
Deadline to submit photos is Friday, March 15. Makeover will take place before April 15, 2013.
Posted on Friday, March 1st, 2013 in Newsworthy, Organization | No Comments »
Planning a move in the near future? Our lead organizational expert, Cassie Gage, offers some tips and tricks to help sell your home fast in this two-part series.
With the spring home selling season just around the corner, I find myself having conversations with local realtors regarding one of the biggest things that keep homes from selling – clutter.
When I think about home selling, I look at my own house. My husband and I are doing all of the little things a realtor would tell you to do to spruce things up before you put your house on the market. In addition to making any repairs, painting, replacing flooring, the one thing you can do to make a better first impression is to clear out the STUFF.
We all have stuff. Knick-knacks. Trinkets. Collectibles. Here’s some tips and tricks that will help your home show to the best of its potential (your realtor thanks you in advance).
Cleaning
Cleaning is a form of organization, and sometimes cleaning is just a daunting task. Every two months or so, I pull my stove from it’s slot and clean the floor underneath and clean the sides of the stove. Do I like doing this? No, but I look at as something that’s necessary home maintenance – like changing air filters and having the property sprayed for bugs.
Your realtor may or may not suggest a pre-selling inspection. If you think there’s something that could be wrong, get it fixed before the buyer’s inspector finds it. I made a commitment after a year in our house to invest in quarterly bug treatments and bi-annual air condition/heating unit inspections. I get peace of mind (and a discount if something ever does go wrong and needs to be fixed).
Clean the tubs (Magic Erasers make just about anything disappear), clean the highest of windows and clean your baseboards and chair rails. Don’t forget the inside and outside of cabinets or under sinks.
Hire someone to come and do a deep clean. Have the floors professionally cleaned. Make your house shine.
Hide Your Valuables
I think this goes without saying, but I like to remind clients who are selling and having their home open to potential buyers to hide valuables. Don’t leave your most precious (or expensive) items to chance!
Storage Units
I’m not a fan of renting a storage spaces, but sometimes it’s necessary. If you’ve done everything you can do to maximize your space and you still have items you want to keep but don’t want them taking up space while your home is on the market, rent a storage unit to store them. Don’t forget your attic – but remember, your attic and other storage areas are sellable space to a potential buyer so be sure to showcase them as storage options.
Moving On Up
When you finally do sell your home and it’s time to pack up your belongings, take the necessary action to save yourself some time and stress later. If you’re doing the move yourself, be sure to properly label boxes – and don’t just start throwing stuff in a box because you’re tired. Recognize your stress level and take a break. Don’t burn out.
Tell The World
Be sure to order new address labels, move your mail and notify magazines and other services that may need to know of your move.
Still Not Sure Where to Start?
The Riley Group can help! Not only can we help you declutter your home or find the right housekeeper, we can organize your move from the packing to the unpacking. We can also coordinate a yard sell for you – start to finish or get your items posted on Craig’s List.
Just remember, when your home is on the market, it’s fair game for scrutiny. Potential buyers may not be buying the bed, but they’re going to try it out to see if it fits what they’re looking for. Remember, the same holds true with all of your other areas, as well.
Posted on Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 in Newsworthy, Organization | No Comments »
Think you have the messiest pantry in the Oklahoma City metro area? Need some help getting it organized?
Send us pictures of your mess (no one will ever know it was you) to okc@therileygroup.info. We will choose one winner for a pantry makeover.
Deadline to submit photos is Wednesday, February 6th. Pantry makeover will take place before March 1, 2013.
Posted on Friday, February 1st, 2013 in Newsworthy, Organization | No Comments »
Planning a move in the near future? Our lead organizational expert, Cassie Gage, offers some tips and tricks to help sell your home fast in this two-part series.
With the spring home selling season just around the corner, I find myself having conversations with local realtors regarding one of the biggest things that keep homes from selling – clutter.
When I think about home selling, I look at my own house. My husband and I are doing all of the little things a realtor would tell you to do to spruce things up before you put your house on the market. In addition to making any repairs, painting, replacing flooring, the one thing you can do to make a better first impression is to clear out the STUFF.
We all have stuff. Knick-knacks. Trinkets. Collectibles. Here’s some tips and tricks that will help your home show to the best of its potential (your realtor thanks you in advance).
Make Your Lists (and Check Them Twice)
There are various moving checklists available to help you make sure everything is being taken care of when it comes to your move. Ask your retailer for a list or ask us! Moving is also a good time to take an inventory of items you have (and provide your new home insurance provider with the list if the items are covered). This inventory would include photos, serial numbers, etc., and can be included in the binder mentioned in the next section.
Get the Papers in Order
I have a home binder for my own home and when I go into a home to help with paperwork, I recommend doing the same for my clients. There are two binders – one with the manuals, receipts, etc. for those items I’ve purchased that I’ll take with me when I move (mixer, ice cream maker, computers). The other is for items that will stay with the house (thermostat, fans, appliances). Organize the binder so that a potential homeowner can see you’ve kept everything in order. Sometimes appearance is everything.
Assess the value
I had an interesting conversation with my mother-in-law over Christmas regarding how each generation assesses value to an item that’s been passed down. Often, people don’t want to get rid of something because of who gave it to them. And sometimes that item is of no value because the person was just trying to get rid of it and didn’t want to throw it away.
Before determining if you should keep an item, ask yourself this: Why is this item important to me? If it’s a family heirloom keep it. If your mother gave you a desk she bought at Sears when she was in college just because she no longer has room, is it serving a purpose? If it’s just big, bulky, taking up space and has no other purpose, why not consider donating it to a worthwhile charity or having a yard sale to make some extra cash?
The same goes for items we’ve accumulated. Is it a memorabilia piece from an important vacation or something a friend gave you 20 years ago and you have no use for it other than feeling guilty if you let go of it?
When it comes to moving, the most common piece of advice I give to people – if it serves no purpose, if you don’t have room for it, if you have no substantial emotional attachment, don’t even pack it. There are organizations out there that could benefit from your donation, and you shouldn’t feel guilty for that in the least bit.
Often, people feel it’s necessary to buy products to help them organize without realizing that buying products to help organize is just buying more stuff. Assess what you have and your space before you start buying products.
Make Spaces Look Larger
Square footage means a lot to a potential buyer. Storage space means a lot to a buyer. So, how do you make a small space look bigger than it really is? Decluttering and maximizing the space used. A pantry, refrigerator and closet are probably the best examples of spaces that tend to be smaller than we’d like, yet are two spaces potential homebuyers want lots of.
Moving is a good time to make your annual charitable contribution to a local center. The first step to a clean space is to remove things that have expired (pantry and refrigerator) or things you can no longer wear (closet). Group like things together in the pantry. See if containers can eliminate bulky packaging. In the case with a pantry or bookshelves, it’s not necessary to see that every shelf is occupied with something. As in design, sometimes “white space” is a good thing.
In a closet, group together like clothing items and color-coordinate, Find a spot for unused hangers. Get things off the floor. Everything has a place. Is your linen closet overflowing with sheets and towels? How many of those do you actually need?
Still Not Sure Where to Start?
The Riley Group can help! Not only can we help you declutter your home or find the right housekeeper, we can organize your move from the packing to the unpacking. We can also coordinate a yard sell for you – start to finish or get your items posted on Craig’s List.
Just remember, when your home is on the market, it’s fair game for scrutiny. Potential buyers may not be buying the bed, but they’re going to try it out to see if it fits what they’re looking for. Remember, the same holds true with all of your other areas, as well.
Posted on Wednesday, January 30th, 2013 in Newsworthy, Organization, Uncategorized | No Comments »
