Homebodies
Experts > Home Organization & Management
Organized Times
One of the
key rules in organizing and decorating is to utilize vertical space.
Often we place furniture around the room with nothing above it,
forming a nice horizontal line. There is a ton of unclaimed storage
and visually appealing space right above the furniture line! For
most organizing projects, you have four choices: hang it, put it
in a drawer, store it on the floor, or shelve it.
GETTING STARTED.
Gather several boxes labeled: To Keep, To Trash, To Sell, Undecided.
Begin sorting. Don't try to find a place for everything until your
items are sorted. Group your items by category. Decide what will
be folded, what will be placed on hangers, what will go into drawers.
By planning wisely during your sorting process, you have eliminated
the need for many storage items. Use what you have around the house,
then buy specific sizes for the articles you need to organize.
CLOSET SPACE.
Up off the floor!! Use multilevel rods for hanging items. Bins and
shelf dividers keep folded items stacked. They are inexpensive to
buy and can usually be found in discount stores or home stores.
The time you save sorting through things on the floor or in drawers
for purses and accessories will be well worth the small investment.
This will not only free up valuable drawer space, but can eliminate
the need for chest of drawers altogether.
When organizing
your closet, keep all blouses together. Sort by color, casual or
dressy, long sleeved or short sleeved. Do the same for skirts, dresses,
slacks and jeans.
KITCHEN CAPERS.
Stack it Up. Use plastic or wicker in-baskets and go vertical to
utilize counter space. Don't spread; stack. Purchase wire shelves
for pantries and cabinets at your discount store. These double the
space for dishes, pots, and pans. Lid organizers and baking tray
racks store stackable pots and pans.
HANG ON. Hang
on. Use over-the-door hangers or door-mounted holders to display
pantry items. Holders for seasoning envelopes, spice boxes, and
plastic wraps consolidate these elusive items once and for all.
You can even buy under-the-shelf organizers for paper plates, napkins,
and coffee filters.
JUNK DRAWER.
No more junk drawer? No way! Just use any type of plastic basket
or cutlery organizer for your junk drawer, and clean it out routinely.
PRETTY IS AS
PRETTY DOES. Since counter space is at a premium, don't display
all your knick-knacks on the countertop. Hang framed prints rather
than resting them on easels. Consolidate fridge photos with a magnetic
mat, or adhere a magnetic sheet to each picture creating your own
photo magnets. Store tall utensils in pottery or your favorite pitcher.
This makes your favorite things do double duty, creating more drawer
space and reducing countertop clutter.
KID CLUTTER.If
you have a two-story home, upstairs toys are not dragged downstairs,
they stay in the bedroom or playroom. Keep a few toys on a small
shelf, in a wicker basket or toy bin downstairs in the family room.
These must be cleaned up each night before bedtime. Downstairs push
or riding toys must stay downstairs and off the steps.
To further utilize
vertical space, install shelves and paint them to match the wall.
Hang toy hammocks for stuffed animals. Spray paint a long shower
tension rod, wrap with Velcro strips, and stick up stuffed animals.
Old soda crates
found at flea markets can be cleaned up, painted, and will house
treasures of all kinds: collections (shells, rocks, key rings, kids
meal toys). Smaller versions can be purchased at craft and discount
stores.
Interior decorators
encourage us to keep our collections, but to consolidate rather
than scatter them for drama. Encourage your child's creativity by
enlisting their help for novel solutions for storage. Give them
a budget, make a list of things to contain, and see what they come
up with. Perhaps they'll surprise you and suggest taking a box full
to their favorite children's charity, or have a garage sale to raise
money for newer toys. Involving your kids in the planning, prioritizing,
sorting, and containing stages ensures better (not perfect) participating
in the maintenance of clutter. And who knows? You may actually nurture
a minimalist of your own in the process. Or a packrat with incredibly
organized closets.
In the lower
grades of elementary school, the classrooms are set up in learning
centers. And to contain the clutter in the classroom, Miss Crabtree
has a strict rule of putting a toy away before taking out another
one. This may seem strict in your own home and does not work with
every child. With my own son, I have the "three toy rule":
he may play with three toys, then it's time to put them away before
dragging out another one. It works well with puzzles, books, and
other like items. If you start young, they may continue this "clean
as you go" rule throughout life.
Small plastic
shoe boxes are perfect for Legos®, Barbie® clothes and accessories,
and Hot Wheels. Find the totes a size larger with handles on the
top for easy carrying to and from the play area.
Larger tubs
hold blocks, play food and dishes, and other pieces that just seem
to multiply in the night.
Save the extra
large tubs for train sets, car tracks, doll accessories, and sports
gear.
Flat under-the-bed
boxes are wonderful for out of season clothes and toys. Most closets
are not large enough for toys and clothes, so why not store unused
toys as you would clothing: kites, beach gear, and baseball gear
is stashed during winter months; football, hockey stick, and ice
skates are stored during the summer.
By using some
of these organizing tips, you will reclaim storage space and cut
down on the clutter in your home. Use the basic principles of clutter
containing for each area in your home. By containing clutter, you'll
find yourself well on the way to becoming a bit more organized.
Debbie Williams is an organizing strategist
and parent educator who offers tools and training to help you put
your house in order. She is the author of Put Your House In Order:
Organizing Strategies Straight from the Word. Learn more at www.organizedtimes.com.
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