Many times when I am helping someone declutter we find things that have pieces missing.  This problem can include everything from a lost dish to a treasured place setting for your favorite china to a vanished game piece for your favorite family game.
  
Where do you find stuff like that?  Is it easy to replace or do you have to throw the whole thing away?   

I recently ran across some of this information and thought I would share it with you.

Replacing china, crystal or silver:

• China - you can find the name or some kind of identifying mark on the back of a plate.
• Crystal - take a photo of it or wrap a sheet of paper around it and make a rubbing of the design.
• Silver - take a photo or check for a trademark on the back.

Where to go:

• Replacements, Ltd. (www.replacements.com) which is located here in North Carolina claims it has the world’s largest selection of dinnerware – some of which are more than 100 years old.  
• Pattern Finders. Ltd. (www.patternfinders.com) offers a free service but only its china service is online. 
• If they don’t have what you need, they’ll notify you if your missing piece is found.

Replacing toy and game parts:

• For games that are still in production, contact the manufacturer.
• eBay is another alternative – try a web search using the toy name + “parts”

Where to go:

• Mattel, the world’s largest toy maker, has a Replacement Parts and Add-Ons Catalog in the customer service area of www.mattel.com. 
• If your Scrabble set is short some tiles, check out the world’s second-largest toy maker, Hasbro.  Go to the Replacement Parts page on www.hasbro.com. 
• If your Monopoly game needs more money go to www.hasbro.com/monopoly and you can print sheets of Monopoly money at home.
• New and used Lego parts can be found at www.toybrickbrigade.com.
• Parts for ride able toys can be found at www.kidswheels.com.

Replacing Assemble-Yourself Furniture Parts and Tools:
If you need one little widget or thing-a-ma-jig to finish putting your shelves or other pieces of furniture together it is possible to obtain those missing pieces.

• IKEA lets you pick up missing hardware right at the store or you can call their help line and have parts delivered within a few days.  IKEA can be reached at 800-434-4532.
• Hold on to your instruction sheets which list the serial numbers for each part.  Crate and Barrel can be contacted at 800-606-6387. 
• Target customer service line can be reached at 800-303-0308 and have the manufacturer’s name ready.

Hopefully these little bits of information can help you next time you need a part, piece or thing-a-ma-jig to complete something that you hold near and dear.    I’ve worked with people who are very attached to their 50 year old Monopoly game and can’t bear to part with it even though it’s missing most of its pieces.   Good news, now they won’t have to.

Unclutter your clutter!
If you are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and don't know where to start, call Stevie Organizing Services today! S.O.S. assists you in creating uncluttered space in your home or office by creating systems and a place to put things. Being organized eliminates the extra stress in your life. Contact S.O.S. for a consultation and discover a peaceful lifestyle where even small changes can make a big difference.
Stevie Organizing Services
Web site: www.organizeclutter.com
Email: help@organizeclutter.com
919-345-2846