Home organization is a step-by-step process. It will take more than a day or even a week to get everything to a manageable level, but once you do staying organized is an easier task. If you have a family, enlist their help. They can pitch in and learn a thing or two about controlling clutter in their life.
1. Start with the high traffic areas
The living room and kitchen are usually the two most used rooms in the house. Everything gets dropped on a bench, the table or the couch in these two places. Concentrate on getting everything set up the way that you like it before moving on to another room.2. Use storage containers
Over the years, the style of storage containers has upgraded to be pretty as well as functional. Instead of storing containers in stacks in the garage, purchase ones that match your décor in each room and integrate them so that no one would even notice they were being used for storage.3. Divide items into categories
You can use heavy duty trash bags for this part. Everything that you find can go into a pile: KEEP, THROW AWAY, GIVE AWAY, and RELOCATE. Items that will stay in that room are to keep. Things that you don’t need or are broken can be thrown away. Clothes or furniture still in great condition can be donated and dropped off at your local op shop. Anything that definitely belongs in another room can be labeled for relocation when you get to that room.4. Remove everything from drawers and cabinets
This is a time-consuming process but it is easier to start with an empty space and fill it instead of simply pushing things around. If you line things up on the table, someone else can help by putting the items in some type of order.5. Make use of all of your available space
In the kitchen, for example, appliances or extra containers can be stored on top of the cabinets provided they don’t extend all the way to the ceiling. That’s extra storage space without benefit of a storage container. In the bedroom, shoes and winter clothes can go into flat storage bins that slide easily under the bed or the dresser.6. Label your containers
Use masking tape and a permanent marker to identify the contents of your storage containers. Avoid writing on the actual container in case they are reused and the contents are changed. Labeling also makes for easy identification if you decide to sell or give away a container of books or something. You won’t have to open each container to locate them.Organizing your entire house takes time. But, once it is done, returning everything you use to its proper place will maintain that same level of organization.
I've been repurposing the boxes baby wipes come in to be used in the boys' wardrobes to keep their clothing organised. A sheet of scrapbook paper (or any paper really), some packing tape and a nice label and you have the beginnings of a cheap, well organised, consistent looking wardrobe. For example, in my baby's cupboard, there is a box each for bibs, chuck blankets, body suits, onesies, cot linen, blankets, spare nappies, changing needs (ie wipes, creams, nappy bags, etc). A friend commented on how nice it was to not worry about where everything for needed a change was, while she was babysitting. It was all there, nicely labeled (got a little creative on the computer to pretty it up a little too). The nappy boxes aren't wasted either. My cupboards are littered with them, keeping all sorts of stuff in order - linen, food packets, plastic food storage, toiletries, stationery, toys, everything. Haven't made them all fancy yet.....YET!!
ReplyDeleteCat litter boxes work just as well, too! Tape the top edges, spray paint whatever colour you like, and they're ready to decorate any way you choose. Get creative! Pat.
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