Tyler's Tidy Tips

Living Room Organized!

2011-02-26T09:16:00.001-06:00

1. Invite the Wastebasket

If trash tends to accumulate in the family room, adding a wastebasket might cut down on clutter. Few family rooms actually have a wastebasket in them; they're not attractive and they can smell. Counteract this by choosing a can that fits your room's decor. If you know food will be thrown away here, get one with a lid and some deodorizing trash bags. (Or have a rule that food has to be thrown away in the kitchen)

2. Keep Flat Surfaces Clutter-free

Papers, books, brochures and magazines tend to accumulate on flat surfaces all around the house, and the family room is no different. I recommend at decorative basket to hold magazines and stick to the rule of no more than 3 months worth of any magazine (if you find articles you want to keep, place them in a file to reference at a later date).
Make a quick sweep of all flat surfaces by piling papers in a bin, then sorting and purging as necessary. Take a vow, and get your family to follow it, to put papers in files rather than on the coffee table.

3. Control Out-of-Control Cords

Until the world goes wireless, we'll forever be stuck with tangled cables behind our entertainment centers. Fortunately, there are several options for taming cords in the family room. The most attractive is the slim Cableyoyo. It neatly coils up to six feet of cord and comes with an adhesive backing that sticks onto nearly any surface. A cable caddy usually sticks onto a desktop (or behind the TV console) and has a space for several cables to clamp into. Your cords will still dangle freely, however, so a cable zipper, which encloses all the cables in a tube, might be the best bet.

4. Create a Play Zone

If toys are taking over your family room, it's time to put them in timeout. Unused corners of a family room transform into great play areas because the walls serve to block encroaching clutter. Corners are also good areas to put a small bookcase or children's table. Add rolling bins for toy storage so your child doesn't have to feel confined, but is encouraged to pick up after he or she is done playing.

5. Make the Coffee Table Functional

If you have a coffee table (or forgot you had one due to the clutter) it's time to reassess its organizational capacity. Coffee tables that look great but don't have any storage for magazines, remote controls or even drink coasters, are probably making life more difficult. If you don't have the budget for a new one, consider adding low storage cubes, rolling baskets or bins to stick under the table.

6. Designate a Game Area

For a family that likes to play together, a game cabinet for board games and cards is both functional and fun. Games usually end up in a TV armoire, but it's helpful to designate a separate space for them, whether in another shelving unit, a bookcase or in plastic containers below the sofa (if the sofa has a skirt). Creating a single game space will free up other areas of the room for storage.

7. Creatively Display Photos

If you have a lot of small, photo frames that tend to clutter your family room it's time to take control by displaying them in new ways. Photo albums and collage frames are great options for storing lots of photos at once, and a digital photo frame is especially handy for those who don't use film. Don't just use the mantel or side tables; use vertical space on the wall. Organizing your photos by date or occasion in photo boxes is especially helpful for scrap-bookers, who can keep these in one central location on a bookshelf.

8. Take Advantage of Space Behind the Sofa

Organize extra blankets, pillows, candles in an accessible place — behind the sofa. It's a great place to put a trunk, cabinet or low bookcase. Plus, it gives you another surface to put a lamp or show off some treasured objects.

9. Sort Your Movie Collection

Multimedia like DVDs, and CDs are staples of the family room. Take 30 minutes to begin sorting your entire collection, making two piles: one for keeping and one for selling back or donating. If you no longer listen to the music or haven't seen the movie in ages (and don't plan on seeing it again), it's time to let go. There are plenty of options for storing your sorted collection: DVD towers, in a bookcase, ottoman or the drawers of a coffee table. Find a system that works for you.

10. Show Off Your Green Thumb

It can be a jungle in the family room if you have a green thumb. Organize your plants with a cute plant stand or several decorative pots. The type of houseplants you have will determine where you'll place them in the room, so keep that in mind when looking for a stand. Stands typically come in corner, pedestal and tiered configurations and some even have drawers so you can keep your fertilizer and watering can nearby.

11. Curb Your Collectible Enthusiasm

Collections, if you're not careful, can take over valuable storage space in a family room and can be even harder to organize. Large collections display best when bits and pieces are shown at a time (think shadow boxes) and rotated to keep the decor fresh. Cut your displayed collection in half by putting half of the pieces into an appropriately sized container and storing it in a hall closet. For added value, personal or otherwise, keep an inventory of each piece (date acquired, date of piece, description/significance) in the storage bin.

Clear out the sentimental clutter...

2011-02-04T11:06:00.002-06:00

Sentimental clutter infects our attics, basements, closets, garages, and desks. These sentimental gems can keep us from moving forward with our lives physically and emotionally. If there is so much of the past taking up space in the present, there isn’t room to grow.

The article “What is nostalgia good for?” from BBC News discusses a recent report from the financial services firm Standard Life, the book Get It Together by Damian Barr, and research conducted by psychologist Clay Routledge at North Dakota State University that may provide insight into why we accumulate so many sentimental items and have even greater difficulty letting them go:

“Most of our days are often filled with routine activities that aren’t particularly significant — shopping for groceries, commuting to work and so forth,” says Mr. Routledge.

“Nostalgia is a way for us to tap into the past experiences that we have that are quite meaningful — to remind us that our lives are worthwhile, that we are people of value, that we have good relationships, that we are happy and that life has some sense of purpose or meaning.”
Unfortunately, keeping everything from the past can have a negative impact on the future.

From the article:
But Mr. Barr warns the past can be fun in measured doses and for the right reasons.
“You shouldn’t revisit it as a way of avoiding the present or not thinking about the future. If you spend too much time thinking about the past, you are simply not going to be prepared for the future socially or emotionally.”

While highlighting the benefits of nostalgia, a 2006 report in Psychology Today magazine has warned that “overdoing reminiscence” risks an absence of joy derived from the present, and a reliance on past memories to provide happiness.

Thinking about the past could also trigger painful emotions, such as grief for lost loved ones or feeling like a has-been if recalling a distant career success. Take the time to work through these emotions.

Since we get a wallop of happiness from sentimental items, it’s okay to keep a few of the prized possessions. Make room for the handful of valuable-to-you pieces of nostalgia that aren’t actually clutter. Get rid of the rest of the stuff that holds little-to-no value, though. A quilt from your grandmother might be an object you keep, but a stick you picked up one day in her yard might be something you should trash. It’s impossible to keep every object that comes into your life, so keep what is truly important (not clutter) and clear the rest (clutter) to make room for your present and future.

A few tips for ways to let go of sentimental clutter:

▪ Snap a digital photograph of the item and keep only the image. Save these pictures securely online in a program that allows you to keep notes about the image (like Flickr or Picasa).

▪ Write a journal entry about the item before you get rid of it. The act of writing down the memory will let you think about the experience, which is usually more valuable than the object itself.

▪ Invite friends to a Nostalgia Night and video tape your conversations about the items. If your friends wish to take any of the items home with them, let the object go to a good home. What is left afterward can be recycled, given to charity, or thrown in the trash.
Make a deal with yourself to only keep sentimental items that will fit in a specific acid-free storage box or scrapbook. Deciding what will make it into the box or album can be a new happy memory itself.

A practical tip

2011-02-03T23:24:00.001-06:00

Keep cleaning out your things on a regular basis. Never hesitate to toss out, give away, or donate the things you know you're never going to use again. Rarely will you miss them once they're gone.

New look!

2011-02-01T12:13:00.002-06:00

It's finally here!! The new look! Please feel free to comment on the new look!

Taming the junk drawer!!

2011-01-26T16:28:00.003-06:00

Start by following these steps:

Dump the drawer - Rather then pulling out items, one at a time, dump it all on the counter top (on a old towel to contain the mess) to easily access the items.

Make the piles - One to toss, one to keep, one to reassign. Did you find misplaced tools in your drawer? Place in in the garage with the other tools. If your unsure to keep an item or not, toss in a nearby basket. After a month, if no one has used it, it's time to toss it.

Assess what stays - Once you determine your handy drawer's (it's new name) contents, arrange the items of like uses. E.g,: tacks, staples, and nails; rubber bands an twist ties; flashlights and batteries. Then measure the width. length, and depth of the drawer to determine the size of the organizer.

Find a system - OXO.com offers durable and snap together customization that makes it my top pick for drawer organization. Container Store also offers lots of options. Even Walmart has some pieces that might work for your drawer.

Reload the Drawer - With a clean, organized handy drawer, you will spend less time searching for (and sometimes repurchasing) everyday items we need to keep our household running smoothly.

I hope this helps you want to tame the junk drawer! Please feel free to answer questions. :)

What is lurking under your bed??

2010-10-27T20:34:00.001-05:00

Afraid to even look under your bed?? Here are some tips for turning that dust bunny haven into a useful storage space.

A well-organized area under the bed can not only provide a much needed storage space, it can also make cleaning easier. With everything in its place, you won’t have to worry about catching the vacuum cleaner on stray shoelaces or random piles. No matter if you want simple or extra fancy, the options (Amazon has lots of options) for under bed storage are endless. Turn the under-bed area into a useful part of your home.

One of the simplest and least expensive ways to organize the space under the bed is to use storage bags. You can buy low, wide bags specifically made to fit into this tight space. Some are purely plastic; others are partly canvas, but most allow you to see the contents inside and keep out the dust. Bags work well for storing items such as extra blankets, comforters, and sheets that are good to have handy, but not needed every day.

New look coming soon!

2010-10-27T20:31:00.002-05:00

Hello blog followers!

Keep your eyes peeled for a new look coming very soon to my blog.

Thank you for following Tyler's Tidy Tips!

-Tyler

Organize the purse!

2010-10-08T21:56:00.001-05:00

Actually See the Bottom of Your Purse

If your purse has become a dumping ground for every small item you encounter, it’s time to banish the stale peppermints, four shades of lipstick and old receipts. Purging and reorganizing will help you find your keys, a pen or the bridge toll in record time. Follow the tips below and carry your clutch with confidence.

1. Dump out contents onto a working surface and toss the trash. Pare down to the essentials. For example, carry one all-purpose lipstick versus several.

2. Pull out notes, reminders and receipts, and transfer critical information to your to-do list, calendar or tickler system.

3. Assess the bag’s ability to hold what is left. Is it the right size? Could you go smaller or larger? If so, it’s time to raid your closet or go shopping for a new purse.

4. Make the most of zipper pockets and open slots by assigning a specific item to each location. For example, use one pocket for your phone and another for sunglasses. Get in the habit of always returning items to their special spot.

5. Purge your purse weekly to keep it functioning at its best.

Tips:

Buy a bag with a light-colored lining. It will make the contents much easier to see.

Photocopy all your cards and keep the copies in a safe location for quick retrieval in case your purse or wallet is lost or stolen.

Never carry your Social Security card in your wallet. You will need to produce the actual card only when securing employment.

Organize all those spices!

2010-09-26T21:30:00.001-05:00

Organize Your Kitchen Spices

I have an abundance of spices, and I was finding it difficult to store them efficiently. I didn't want to stack them; for fear that they could fall. By not stacking them, I was unable to view the spices at-a-glance. I need them for cooking, so it was important that I had easy access to them. I knew about tiered spice racks and always thought they were clever. If you have the space for tiered spice I highly recommend you purchase and use. They allow you to see all your spices and store them in alphabetical order for quick location of the needed spice.

Additional Tips:
• If spice labels are difficult to view, you could create your own labels using a labelmaker .
If you don't want to use up kitchen cabinet space, you could utilize drawer or under cabinet space.

12 Tips to organize that messy desk

2010-09-19T15:12:00.002-05:00

Ok, it's time to tame that messy desk....

Here are twelve quick desk organization tips. These are things that have worked well for me and help me maintain an organized desk (most of the time). Most of them are probably applicable to others as well. If you have any suggestions of items to add please add them to the comments.

1) Get rid of pens and pencils you don’t need.
I have two types of pens I like to use, but every month or so my pencil holder gets filled up with other random writing instruments. If you aren’t going to use it, don’t feel bad about throwing it out. It is just clutter. The less clutter you have, the closer you are to having an organized desk.

2) Have a place for pocket stuff.
All the “stuff” should have a home. We women have our purses we keep all the stuff in, but men need a place for the stuff. I highly recommend a charging station. They can be purchased at stores like Office Depot, Staples, and Marshall’s. Many that I have seen offer a drawer that works great for keys, wallet, and all the lose change men come home with. ☺

3) Proximity based on frequency of use.
If you use it every day, it should be closer than something you use only a few times each week. This is common sense, but it is easy to arrange are desk for aesthetics instead of usefulness. This helps you keep an organized desk because items are located closer to you based on the probability that you will use them so fewer items need to be moved around where they can become disorganized.

4) Move electronics out of sight.
Your cable modem, wireless router, firewall, battery backup, etc. shouldn’t be on your desk. Even if you have enough room in introduces visual clutter. Once again, cutting down on clutter reduces the amount of work between a messy desk and an organized desk.

5) Easy to access files.
Without moving your chair or getting up, you should be able to grab an unused manila folder, label it and put it in your file cabinet. Easy filing is one cornerstone of good organization. The more effort it requires the more difficult it will be to stay organized.

6) Scanning documents.
This is something I’m experimenting with. I have a scanner and I’ll turn important documents into PDFs, and keep them on my computer. I use OCR so the documents are searchable. This is wonderful if you travel a lot because it keeps everything right there with you. The problem is trying to figure out what to scan and what can just be filed.

7) Cleaning supplies.
Keeping an organized desk clean helps you maintain the organization. If you clean your desk with Windex and a paper towel, make sure you have some nearby. This will help encourage you to wipe down your work surface, which will encourage you to clean it off more often. It is all about making things as easy for you as possible.

8) Scratch notepad.
During the course of the day, you will have telephone numbers, names, and addresses, order confirmations, flight numbers, etc. If you can keep these all in one place, you’ll be far more productive if you need to look something up later. I have the bad habit of grabbing a nearby envelope and writing a telephone number on it. By keeping a notebook, specifically for these types of items, I don’t lose nearly as many things. The Franklin Planner method is to keep all of this info in the diary page of the planner, which is probably an even better option.

9) Organize those wires.
It is easy to have half your desk covered with wires for various pieces of electronics. Moving some stuff off your desk can help. Some pieces of Velcro wrapped around wires can go a long ways toward cleaning things up. Also make sure that you have wires that are long enough to tuck out of the way. If they are too short you won’t be able to arrange them neatly. Sometimes wireless is an option. With more and more devices supporting bluetooth and WiFi, you may be able to get rid of some wires simply by enabling the wireless settings. It is hard to keep an organized deskwork surface when you are looking at a rats nest.

10) If you don’t have enough drawers.
To compensate, I’ve brought in a dresser for storage. I also use bookshelves with a bunch of boxes with lids to help give me some more drawer like storage. I have a two-drawer file cabinet that slides under my desk to help make better use of the space.

11) Lighting.
Make sure you have enough light on your desk. Maybe it is just me, but a bright work area is easier to keep clean than a dark one.

12) Organize as you go.
It is more efficient to stay organized as you work instead of trying to do it all at the end. You should be constantly working on keeping your desk neat. If it gets disorganized in the middle of a big project, take small steps. Clear a 1 foot by 1 foot area before you leave for the day. Make a small effort toward organization may not seem like much, but if you do it everyday, it will keep things headed in the right direction for you.

Help to Reduce Paper Waste

2010-09-04T13:40:00.002-05:00

It may be fall, but there's a blizzard out there! Of paper, that is. With the explosion of home offices and home computers (and kids using computers at home and school), the amount of paper we use seems to increase on a daily basis.

Time to Use Less Stuff!!

Reduce

-Share electronic files, voice mail and e-mail with friends and family, rather than paper copies. Save what you need to electronically, use hard copies only when really necessary.
-Scan documents into the computer and transfer information by USB flash driver.
-If you must send paper to more than one person, try printing front and back.
-Save articles etc you want to reference later on your computer instead of printing them.
-Reduce catalog clutter and third class mailings by calling the 800 number of the catalog and asking to be removed from their list, or put on a reduced list, if available. Call the Mail Preference Service for their direct mail reduction kit at 212-768-7277

Reuse

-Keep a large plastic bag next to the shredder, and fill it when the shredder basket becomes full. Use this material for packing and cushioning, eliminating the need to purchase "peanuts."
- Have the kiddos use unwanted printouts etc to color on.

Pantry, oh Pantry how you cause me grief!!

2010-08-23T23:01:00.003-05:00

In some houses, the pantry can be a place of mess and chaos. With no organization system, items are frequently lost. You may find yourself running to the grocery store to buy cornstarch, only to later find two more boxes already stashed behind the sugar. Creating a logical and simple organization system for your kitchen pantry can save you frustration and maybe even some money.

Clear it out
1. Before you can start organizing your pantry, remove all items from it and set them on the kitchen floor or table. Clean out any spills or messes in the pantry. Next, toss out any items that have passed their expiration date. If you have any items that you know you will never use (like those three cans of lima beans that no one in your family will touch), consider donating them to a food drive.

Separate
2. Begin separating the food into categories. Items like canned vegetables should go together. Canned fruits go in another pile. Put all spices and seasonings together. Make as many piles and categories as you wish. Everyone's categorization techniques will be different, so do what makes sense for you. If you bake a lot, you might want to have all the basic ingredients together, including flour, sugar, baking soda and brown sugar. Another idea is to keep bottled liquids like oil, vinegar and molasses all together so that they can stand upright and not spill.

Storage Bins
3. Count how many piles you have, and consider their sizes. Visit Marshall’s or home store and check out their selection of storage bins. You can buy plastic containers that fit perfectly on a shelf for very reasonable prices. Buy as many as you need to accommodate the different sizes of the piles. You may want to buy a few extras, just in case, and then return them later if you don't need them. Place the items from each pile neatly into their corresponding bins and arrange them on the shelves in an order that makes sense to you. I like to use a label maker to label container.

Containers Keep it Fresh
4. Good quality containers will keep your food fresher for longer. Also, a barrage of food packaging won’t greet you every time you open the pantry door. Use tall plastic or glass sealed containers to store things like dry cereal, pasta, sugar and flower. Your food will look much more uniform and organized, and will fit better on the shelf.

Make the Most of the Space
5. If your pantry is large enough, you might want to invest in a closet organization system that you can buy at HD, Lowe’s, or Container Store. (Container Store has a great over-door storage that has different size baskets. This can add more storage if you have a smaller pantry.) These customizable storage systems give you plenty of options for storing and organizing different items in practical ways. Shelf space can be doubled and better utilized.

Bring organization to your garage!!

2010-08-16T14:23:00.002-05:00

Fall is a perfect time to get your garage in order. I suggest the following 10 steps and practical tips when beginning a garage organizing project:

1. Set aside enough time to work on your project. Back-to-back days are recommended (like an entire weekend), so items that are being sorted do not have to sit out in piles for long.

Tip: Try to plan for a dry weekend, since you'll have to pull many items out of the shelter of the garage.

2. Hire an expert or have people to help work on the project, or it may turn into an overwhelming task that will be abandoned part way through.

Tip: While friends and family may be willing to help, be sure you have a plan and guidance to direct the process from start to finish.

3. Consider what categories of items you want to store in your garage. Does luggage really have to live there, or can it live in the attic or an indoor closet? Should chemicals live in the garage, or can you relegate them to the garden shed? Some typical items that are housed in the garage are recycling, sports and recreational equipment, camping gear, automotive, seasonal décor, garden and tools.

Tip: It is much easier to tackle a garage after you have organized the rest of the house. The garage tends to be a dumping ground for all the unknowns throughout the house. Once you determine the purpose of your interior storage and items have a home inside, when you organize your garage many items can be relocated inside.

4. Once you know what categories of items will live in your garage, begin pulling everything out of your garage and grouping into categories in the driveway or center of your garage. Use lots of boxes for this process.

Tip 1: Obtain boxes of all sizes, since items of all descriptions — from huge paint cans to nuts and bolts — will need to be contained.  Tip 2: Don't forget to label boxes with contents as you are grouping them.

5. Reconsider, trash or donate items that do not fit the categories.

Tip 1: Donate or trash items you don’t need.   Tip 2: Sometimes, random parts or singular items are discovered in the garage. In this case, if you want to keep them, just store with the most similar category or in a visible place so you remember you have them.

6. Once items have been consolidated by like type, purge any excess, broken or unnecessary items.

Tip: This process takes time, so allow reasonable time to accomplish this task.

7. Determine where you want each type of item to live by frequency of use and available space. Recycling should live near the entrance to the home for ease of use. Tools should live near the workbench, and so on.

Tip: Think about valuable real estate when you are considering available space. Parking space and those shelves at eye level or within reach are valuable real estate. Less valuable real estate would be very high or low shelves, and should be reserved for less frequently accessed items.

8. Install additional built-in cabinets or obtain modular storage if needed.

Tip: Home Depot or Lowe’s have many options.

9. Re-locate remaining items into their new sensible home within the garage.

Tip: Don't buy containers, bins, baskets, and boxes to organize your items until this far into the process. A big mistake people make is purchasing the fun plastic bins too early in the process, and then discovering that they don't have the correct sizes, sturdiness, etc.

10. Commit to a regular schedule of maintenance for your newly organized garage. Promptly put things away after using them, and order will truly be restored!

Tip: Get your quarterly or bi-annual garage maintenance on your calendar. If it doesn't make it onto your calendar, it is far less likely to happen.

Help my makeup has taken over!!!

2010-08-11T16:45:00.000-05:00

Makeup organization will help you take better care of your cosmetics and apply makeup faster. Here are four simple steps for makeup organization.

A gal's makeup bag can get a little scary if you don't take the time for makeup organization every six months. We're busy in the morning and putting every eye shadow and every brush in the right order just doesn't happen everyday. By clearing out the old and a little organization skills from me, it will make life a little simpler.

1. Make two groups of items: A simple way to get started is to divide everything into sections, I prefer to keep the items I use everyday (base, mascara etc) and cosmetic tools in one bag and in another bag I keep only eye shadow (I LOVE eye shadow and have lots of it!) I like to use bags that will easily stack together. I also use a label maker to label my eye shadows; this helps you locate the color you want quicker. This is a great way to store your makeup in your bathroom. You may need another bag if you have lipstick and lip liner etc, I don’t use either so I just carry my lip-gloss in my purse. I prefer bags vs. storing in a drawer-much easier to clean and when it’s time for vacation you just grab and go.
2. Examine the products. Ask yourself the following questions:
* Does it have an odor?
* Do you wear it and have you worn it in the past 3 months?
* Does it look good on you? I know that one sounds funny, but how many women do you know that is hanging on to a lipstick even though they hate it and never wear it? Yeah, I can think of five off the top of my head too.
* How old is it? Aged cosmetics are not good for anyone.
3. Clean everything. Clean your compacts, your makeup bags, cosmetics tools, any place that you keep your cosmetics and your cosmetics themselves. Makeup dust goes everywhere and over time builds up. It will be a little bit of a shock when you first see your compacts looking brand new again.
4. Make a list. Make a list of products you are running low on or need to replace. A beauty list to shop with will make it easier for you to run in and get exactly what you need.

Get yourself organized for vacation!

2010-08-07T14:00:00.002-05:00

Going on vacation is something we all look forward to, yet it can cause quite a bit of stress during the preparation. Here are some quick tips to make the process of preparing for vacation go more smoothly:

o Packing List - type up a general packing list for each member of the family. Save it as a document in your computer. When preparing to leave, print them up and hand them out. This way no one will forget toothbrushes or special medicines. :)

o To-Do List - as long as you are typing up that packing list, type up a to-do list for vacation preparation as well. Include things like "put newspaper and mail on hold" or "ask neighbor to feed fish" and "clean out fridge." Again, every time you are preparing to leave, you print this up and check off the items.

o Contact List - Keep a vacation contact list on file as well. Include emergency contact numbers, addresses for postcards, etc.

o Big Trip Preparation - if you are going away for an extended vacation or you are traveling internationally, there will be more things to do to prepare. Make a complete list of all that needs to be done (passport update, money exchange, etc). Open your calendar and break down the items so you only have a few things to do each week, leading up to your vacation. For example, passport updates should be handled 6 months out so there is no stress or rush. Money exchange can be done a few weeks out so you aren't running to the bank the day before you leave. Plan ahead so you aren't completely frazzled the week of your departure.

Organize, Pour And Keep Foods Fresh

2010-07-27T15:15:00.001-05:00

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

2010-07-24T10:46:00.002-05:00

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

2010-07-15T18:40:00.001-05:00

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

2010-07-01T21:29:00.006-05:00

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. :)

Closet Organization

2010-05-18T22:45:00.003-05:00

Closets!! Do you feel overwhelmed when you open your closets?? Here are some simple steps to help tame the closet beast.

Since we are in Texas, I recommend storing out of season clothing (unless you have a HUGE closet). I store my clothing in plastic bins with snap on lids.

1) Start by removing all items from the closet. (if you borrow or buy a rolling clothing rack it will help) Put all like items together.

2) Clean the closet from top to bottom.

3) Touch each item of clothing and ask yourself these questions: 1) Have a worn it in the last 6 months? 2) Does it have stains or holes (of any kind or shape) 3) Do I really like the way the item looks on me? (Hopefully you have a good size donation pile going!)

4) Next look through the shoes and ask yourself: 1) Do they fit well? 2) Are they in good shape? 3) Are they too outdated? (Hopefully you added more to the give away pile)

5) Look through all other items and let go of things you have not used in the past 6-9 months. Organize purses, travel bags etc into plastic bins with lids. (this way they stay dust-free) I also put extra blankets and pillows in bins.

6) Organize clothing with like thems together. You can arrange them by color too, if you want.

7) Home Depot or Lowe's has two-tier horizontal shoe organizer that I love!! They come in brown or white. You can stack them too. If you don't have floor space then I recommend the over the door storage.

8) If you keep your jewelry in the closet, Container Store sells a wire men's tie rack that works great for necklace's. For all those wonderful earrings, my sister makes beautiful framed earring holders that hang on the wall.

I hope these tips help. Please send me any questions you have!

Happy Organizing!

What do you struggle to keep Organized?

2010-01-27T22:57:00.000-06:00

What area(s) do you struggle to keep organized?

My first post

2010-01-27T22:50:00.000-06:00

My name is Tyler and I love to organize! I am writing this blog to share my organization tips.