Organize, Pour And Keep Foods Fresh

Do you have half full bags of chips, nuts, and candies spilling over in your cabinets? I just discovered a great gadget from Copco called the Bag Cap. You attach this cap to an open bag of your favorite foods, frozen veggies or rice then snap close keeping your foods fresh. The Bag Cap can also be used as a spout. If you dont have a container to hold foods I think this is a great way to store foods, keep organized and fresh. :)

Amazon sells them. http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=bag+cap&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=4107233845&ref=pd_sl_952786jhh1_e

Laundry Room Organization

Laundry areas, in general, easily end up a place where items are stored, stashed, and procrastinated -- to do later. ☺ With small laundry rooms this becomes a huge mess really fast; however, even the largest laundry rooms can easily become a disorganized mess if the proper tools and systems are not in place. Therefore, prioritizing storage needs and determining what can realistically be accomplished is especially vital for small laundry rooms.

Small laundry rooms lack space to fold and hang clothing, a place to put dirty laundry, shelf space for detergents and such, and an area for long term drying for delicates, making it extremely difficult to stay organized. Even though an organized system to do laundry is important no matter the size of the laundry area, the first step for a small laundry area is to ensure that the tools are in place to enable the room to be organized and to save space.

1. In general, these are the items necessary for proper laundry organizing:
1. A trash bin
2. Storage containers
3. Shelves
4. A drying rack and hangers
5. Hampers and laundry baskets
6. An ironing board / folding area.

However, some of these items do not have to be in the laundry room; some can be made to take up a lot less space, and some can be used more efficiently.

1. Let's go down the list again: A trash bin for lint removal can be a very small receptacle. It doesn’t have to be a floor standing unit, but instead it can be small receptacle that can sit on a shelf.
2. Storage containers are used to keep similar items together on a shelf. I like one container for items lost in the dryer or washer like loose change, buttons, and so on. I like containers with lids to keep the dust out.
3. Adding a shelf can be extremely simple with an Over-the-Washer Shelf. This shelf attaches over a washer without tools to add a shelf for detergents and other laundry supplies.
4. Drying racks are useful to dry delicates that otherwise can be damaged in a dryer.
5. Hampers and laundry baskets should stay in the bedrooms until laundry is being done. A smaller triple sorter hamper would be ideal to keep from over loading and to keep items separated.
6. For small areas, the ironing board needs to be space saving and convenient. The Iron N' Fold is the perfect space saving ironing and folding station solution that only needs about four inches of space between the washer and dryer.

With the tools in place to organize a laundry area, the next step is to make sure that a proper system is in place to ensure that the area doesn't become a place where items are stored, stashed, and procrastinated.

Kitchen De-Clutter

If you're sticking with our goal to be able to get ready for company any day of the week in 30 minutes or less, then decluttering the kitchen is JOB ONE. The kitchen is the hub of most homes. When it's working, everything else works better--better nutrition, less weight gain from eating out all the time, easier on the budget, increased likelihood the family will hang out and eat together, and a satisfied feeling that things are well in the world.

You simply can't keep a clean, highly functioning kitchen if it's cluttered.

Key Points about Clutter in the Kitchen:

A cluttered kitchen kills the desire to cook so you eat out more.
It's hard to get kids to help set the table or unload the dishwasher when the kitchen is cluttered and disorganized.
A cluttered kitchen makes you feel like a poor life manager.
Your nutrition and that of your family suffer if your kitchen is so cluttered that it's difficult or unappealing to use.
You can't organize clutter, unless you want to keep doing it every day when the excess spills over again, and again. So you must FIRST get rid of the clutter, then get organized.
What Shape is Your Kitchen in?

You can do much to simplify and streamline your kitchen by following these three action steps:

Assess Your Kitchen Tools and Appliances.

Do you love them and use them all? Open your drawers and cabinets. Look through the tool caddie on your counter. Pick up each and every hand tool, electric tool, and gadget in your kitchen and ask these questions to help you pare down to the essentials:

Is this easy to use?
Do I frequently use it?
Is it enjoyable to use - e.g., It feels good in my hand.
Is it easy to clean?
Is it easy to store and does it earns its keep in storage space?
Do I have too many of these?
Can I do this task just as easily by hand (without the messy cleanup of a machine?)
Does this tool really make the task easier and quicker, or is it just a cool gadget?
Is it uncomplicated to use, clean and care for?
Is it clean, in good shape, and ready for action?
Eliminate the Excess and Don't Buy More.

Bathroom Organization

Bathroom, oh how you cause us problems!!

Pick an area (drawers, cabinets or closet) and start by pulling out items, put like things together and then clean the space. Shelf paper is something I like to use in drawers and closets.
Check products dates (meds etc), throw away products that you are not using, or haven't used in 3 months or more. You have to be ruthless!
Don't let the amount you paid for an item keep you from throwing it away, giving it to a friend or charity.
Organize like items together in baskets or small boxes or bins (plastic, wood etc) (I like to label them). Put all surplus products together, so there easy to find.

I keep one square basket on the bathroom counter that has the items we use the most, (hair products, brushes, q-tips etc).

I hope this helps, please send me any questions you have. :)