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BATHROOMS
• Baskets, baskets, baskets. They are the greatest items for storing your "little" items that tend to collect under the bathroom sink and in your bathroom drawers and on your counter. I prefer plastic baskets as they can be easily washed should something leak or spill over.
• It is much easier to pull out one basket of like items then to weed through a whole cupboard of stuff.
• Sort like items into the baskets, i.e. mouth products- toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss; razors, blades; nail polish and remover, buffers, files, clippers; medications; suntan lotion, sun tanning goggles; soaps; eye care.
STORAGE AREAS
• Shelves, hanging holders, baskets, drawers, plastic bins are all excellent ways to store your belongings. • Built in units are also a great way to keep your things in their place and easy to find.
• Your storage area should be organized so that you may locate what you are after (avoids duplicate purchases and saves you $$) and easy to get to.
• Try adding dryer softening sheets to your boxed items to keep a fresh scent lingering (do not place directly on your items as they may stain, place onto a sheet of plastic wrap first).
• Keep like items together and keep items that are used only once or twice a year near the back.
• I like to use coloured bins i.e. red for Christmas so that I can locate all my Christmas decorations by the colour of the bin.
PLAY AREAS
• Tall plastic organizers with drawers work great for small toys, craft supplies, doll clothes, Barbie's etc. This will keep all like items sorted and together in one spot. Your children will be able to play with their toys as all parts will be in one place and this also makes for easier, faster clean - up. Yeah!
• Plastic bins are also wonderful for the larger toys that have many pieces. It will be a lot tougher to lose an important piece if the whole toy is stored in one bin.
• Shelves are a must for books, videos, DVD's, tapes. Children can reach them easily and shelves make it easier to find what they are looking for (instead of dumping out that toy box) and to put them away. *Please make sure any shelving unit is anchored to the wall to avoid unit from tipping over onto our children!*
• Toy boxes without lids are great for the stuffed animals.
• A craft table and area is a great way for your children to be creative and to keep the "mess" in one area and not throughout your house.
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BEDROOMS
• Bedrooms are NOT storage areas. De-clutter your precious closet space by removing everything but what you wear. Remove the wrapping paper, photo albums, table leafs, TV's, toys etc. You won't believe how much space you actually have for your clothes.
• Every season, go through your closets and dresser drawers and donate or consign what you have not worn over the past year. If something needs to be repaired, do it right away or take it to a professional to be done. These items are just taking up valuable space.
• If it doesn't fit, donate or consign it.
• Treat yourself to a new outfit once you have sorted through and tossed those that no longer fit or that you are no longer going to wear.
• Organize your clothes into sections- long sleeved, short sleeved and sleeveless tops, long skirts, short skirts, and pants. There are many kinds of hangers available to hang your items and save space. Don't forget that unused space at the bottom of your closet. A second hanging bar under the top one is great for skirts and tops.
• A shoe rack at the bottom of your closet is a great place to arrange your shoes and is easily visible.
ORGANIZING PHOTOGRAPHS
• Sort through your developed pictures as soon as you pick them up and discard the poor shots.
• Sort photos in chronological order or by categories like "trips".
• Give away or toss photos that have little meaning to you. • Keep the negatives only if you think you'll need them for additional copies.
• If you are storing your pictures on your personal computer, download to a CD, label and file in CD box for easy reference.
• Place into your albums with acid-free paper. Consider using 3-ring binders, which allow you to add pages to them.
REDUCING PAPER
• Purchasing a file cabinet will allow you to store files, papers, warranties, manuals, etc.
• First trash out the junk mail. Sort through your mail on the way into your home. Toss out unwanted return envelopes, inserts and keep only the statements/bills needed to be reviewed and/or paid.
• Set up your bills to be paid automatically from your account each month, and avoid unnecessary monthly statements being sent to you.
• Use your computer to manage your bills and statements. Receive statements online. This will reduce the paper into your home and free up some of your time otherwise used for paying your bills (no more late fees/interest).
• Cut down on the number of bank accounts that you have. • Reduce the number of credit cards you have to one for personal use and one for business charges.
• Respond to invitations and notices as they arrive and mark any dates on your calendar immediately (every home should have one). • Cancel some of your more obscure magazine and newspaper subscriptions. |
KITCHEN
• Remove all items from your cupboards, sorting as you go: baking ingredients, spices, cookies/crackers, can goods, baby food, snack food, packets, pasta, grains, lentils.
• Toss out stale/expired food, donate goods that your family will not use.
• Items typically purchased in bags, should be put into plastic containers (narrow not round containers work best) and return items to a clean shelf with like items.
• Spice and powdered sauce packets can be placed in a narrow plastic bin to keep them in place neatly.
• Place items not often used on the top shelves.
• Dishes, cups and mugs should be placed in a cupboard near the sink/dishwasher for easy access. Keep like items together, i.e. all plates together, bowls, mugs etc.
• Toss out any chipped mugs, cracked stained plastic cups, cracked plates etc.
• Vitamins that you use daily, place in plastic bin for organized storage and easy access (on top shelf if you have small children).
• Everyone has a junk drawer, however it doesn't have to be messy and cluttered. Plastic drawer organizers are ideal to keep little thinks in their place and easy to find. Keep your wraps, food storage bags and foil in the same drawer or in a plastic holder attached to your cupboard door (this saves you space too).
• Plastic baskets in your drawers can hold sharp knives and keep them in their place.
• Line your drawers and under the sink cupboards to keep them in good condition and pleasant looking.
• Under the cupboard mounting appliances can save you space on your counter top. Most appliances offer this choice of mounting.
• Under used appliances, bowls, serving platters etc can be stored in the cupboard above the stove, fridge, and stove drawer or in that hard to reach into cupboard.
• Having an uncluttered counter top gives you a feeling that all is in order and that everything is in its place. It not only looks good, it feels good.
DONATIONS
• Keep a "donate" box, replenish it regularly and have a charity of your choice pick it up as soon as it's full.
IN THE CAR
• Keep a pad and pencil on the dashboard so you can jot down notes or reminders as they occur to you.
• Clean out those coffee cups, take out packages, etc from your car every week.
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