Closet Organization Tips!

Today a tip about closet organization.

It's very important to use ALL YOUR SPACE.

2 EASY ways to do this ARE:

1. Get a 'hanging closet rod'.  This is a closet rod that you just hang from the top one and creates an extra closet rod.  The one pictured on the bottom simply hangs from the top one.  There's no installation.  You're done!

This is especially great for kids' closets since there clothes are smaller!

This is my son's closet.  The extra closet rod creates so much space!

The second tip is this-
2.  Get a 'hanging sweater bag'.  This is on the right side of the picture.  You don't have to put sweaters in here.  I keep his swimming trunks and school gym uniforms in here.  It creates extra shelves in your closet!

I got both of these wonderful closet accessories at The Container Store, you can also check Target; both stores are great for helping you get organized!

Happy Closets Make Happy HouseHolds!

Utilize Storage Space with Shelving

Hello HouseHold Tippers!

Today we're talking about using space.

A Great Way to utilize ALL your space is with shelving.
And a Great Place to do this is in your basement/garage/storage area.
The back portion of our basement is for storage, so I went to
Target, and got 'platinum' shelving,
AND LINED THE WALLS OF STORAGE AREA!
That's right, I lined the walls with storage shelving, all in 'platinum',
and got them in varying heights to accommodate as much storage space as the wall allows.

The amount of room that I created is incredible!

I then did the same thing in our washer and dryer room, down in the basement!

Sports Equipment, all tools, and all kitchen stuff that I don't use regularly (Huge pans, special glasses), fits on these shelves!

Then, in the washer and dryer room shelving I have all holiday decorations (except Christmas).  I have a 4th of July shelf, a couple of Easter shelves... you get the idea.  This makes decorating for a holiday easy- no going up in the attic!

Use Shelving- It Makes Life Easier!

Put Your Recycling... AWAY

Today's HouseHold Tip is pretty straight-forward.

Put Your Recycling Away.

Make a Space For it.  And that space shouldn't be the back corner of your kitchen.

Create some room in a pantry or closet or 'mud room'.  I decluttered and organized to make room in one of my kitchen closets- for our recycling bin.  It's very accessible and yet, when you close the door to the closet-
it's gone :)

Note that on the right is where I keep bags to re-use too!

This is very simple, I know.  But I'm blogging it today because I have found sometimes, in my own life,

that when solutions are very simple, 

a.k.a.- I slap my forehead and think, duh,

that they can be overlooked :)

So if you already do this- 

Great for You, you HouseHold Tipper!

If you don't-

do it today,

it doesn't take too much effort,

and makes a world of difference :)

Happy HouseHold Tips!

Evaluate Your Space- in Drawers and Closets

Last Week was Decluttering Week on HouseHold Tips Blog.

In Keeping with Decluttering, we're talking about
drawers and closets today- and organizing,
because decluttering and organizing
go hand-in-hand.

First of all, closet and drawer organization are not static.  You can/should
re-evaluate how you are USING YOUR SPACE in closets and drawers
from time to time.

The BEST way, in my opinion, to organize closets and drawers,

is to EVALUATE Your Space...

Based on FREQUENCY OF USE. 

How often do I use this?

What do I use it for?

A perfect example is a kitchen closet/pantry/shelving.

I recently re-evaluated one of my kitchen closets where I store platters and special dishes and special pots.  I found I was overloading that space with 'specialty stuff' that I don't use every day or even once a week.  

So I went through every shelf, 

*and things that I rarely use went downstairs, 

*things that I don't use frequently went on the top shelf,

*things that I do use frequently went on the middle shelf,

*and things I use EVERY DAY,

went on the bottom shelf, 

which is chest-high, so readily available,

like- wipes, trashbags, GladWare containers and lunchbags.

This way, things I use every day are easy to grab,

and not stuffed in a corner;

everything is easy to find!

Remember: FREQUENCY OF USE

It'll make your Life Easier!

Happy Households!

The Fourth Step of DeCluttering

Hello HouseHold Tippers!


We Continue our Decluttering Week Here by Tackling 
the Last, and Perhaps,
the Hardest part of Decluttering-

4.  Evaluate Tchotchkes... and say, 'Good Bye'

Tchotchkes, Typically pronounced as 'Chach-Kees', (also the name of the restaurant where 'Joanna' played by Jennifer Aniston, works in the movie, 'Office Space'- where she is forced to wear 'flair'.)

just take up space.

Tchotchkes usually start off as things with a 

little bit of sentiment,

and are put on a shelf.

But then they just sit there,

and they sit there so long,

that you forget about them,

and just accept them as 'part of a room'

or part of your decorating.

I'm all for keeping sentimental treasures...

but YOU MUST

EVALUATE Tchotchkes from Time to Time.

Do I love this?

Why I do Want this?

Does this Add Something to my Room,

or Has it Become Clutter?

It's Good to Do this Same Exercise 

in even Storage Areas, like your basement...

Why am I saving this?

How often do I use this?

When was the last time I used this?

Take it slow at first,

if you need to,

but I guarantee,

once you start,

It's Liberating,

and feels very, very good!

Happy HouseHolds!

The Third Step of Decluttering

Decluttering Week Continues Here!

Today we talk about the Third Step of Decluttering-

3.  Remember, Everything Has A Place

If it doesn't have a place, make a place for it and put it away;

If you can't find a place for it,

It Has To Go.

As I wrote in my First Post about Decluttering, Everything Must Have a Place.

Use your drawers and closets, re-organize them.

Use All Your Space.

Another Post I Did, gives a Good Example of Using Coat Closet Space.

See?  Use ALL Your Space.  Even the little space in the middle of this coat closet,

between the end of the coats and the floor,

is being used.

So there you go!

You have more room than you think!

Go DeClutter :)

The Second Step of Decluttering

Hello HouseHold Tippers!


We're breaking down Decluttering this week with Basics.


Today, the second step of Decluttering-

2.  Put Baskets 'Away'

Yesterday, we talked about using baskets as 'places to put things'.

Today,

we go to the next step-

Put those baskets, 'away', on a shelf, have a 'place' for your baskets.

 

There, that was easy!

The First Step Of Decluttering

Welcome to 'Decluttering Week' here at HouseHoldTipsBlog!


Decluttering is a never-ending Household Job,


But the good news is:


It's easy if you just break-it-down...


So that's what we are doing this week;


 Let's go!

1.  Use Baskets

Baskets are a first step in Decluttering (especially if you are a Mom, like me).

Toys don't have to be everywhere, and supplies that you use everyday don't have to be left out.  Put them in a basket, or just throw them in a basket.  Baskets give  EVERYTHING - A Place.  

And that's a Big Rule of Decluttering:

Everything must have a place to be put away.

And P.S.- Invest in Nice Baskets, that are similar or match... 

it brings your room together... easily :)

Great 'Recycling Paper' Tip

I did a post on my mom blog, BananaBlueberry
almost a year ago about recycling printer paper...
and I'm adding it to today!

Firstly, about a decade ago, when I started freelancing, I realized that I could re-use paper… umm, yeah!

So all my paper that had something on just 1 side, 

I put in this light blue box.  I kept using it and using it, recycling and recycling.  I put it in my printer whenever I was printing stuff out just for myself- rough drafts, articles to read, lists, etc.

Do You Know How Long It Took to Go Through That Paper Recycling Box-

And Have it Empty?

IT TOOK 10 YEARS!… What a difference Recycling Makes! 

And now for the 'updated' recycling printer paper tip:

* Many Sheets of Paper get sent home in my son's backpack- about bake sales, or projects, or the school play, etc.

They all just have print on 1 side!  So I put them in my printer, even if they are colored,

if I'm printing something out- just for me- it makes no difference...

It's even a little fun to read an article or instructions on a blue or yellow piece of paper!

This saves trees AND money :)

Happy HouseHolds!

Have a 'Cleaning Bowl'

This Tip is pretty straight-forward,
but it's amazing how 'little tips', like this one,
make life so much easier.
And that's really what we're about here at HouseHold Tips, after all!


Have a bowl, or a stack of different size bowls that are for NOTHING,
but cleaning.
No food is ever in these bowls.
Write 'CLEANING' on them (that's what I did).

Keep them under your sink, or somewhere else very accessible.

Whenever you get some kind of stain- Get Out The Bowl,

Mix Hydrogen Peroxide and dishwashing liquid,

And soak the article of clothing,

in the bowl.

POOF!

It comes out, even BLOOD.

One of my first posts on this site was about
Hydrogen Peroxide,

and how fantastic it is as a stain remover!

So, Tip of The Day:

Have a designated 'Cleaning Bowl'; if you have it right there- you'll use it!

Easy!

Another Great Linen Closet Solution... Use White!

I've gotten a lot of response about my post on rolling your towels in the linen closet... people love the idea!  Here's another great solution to organizing towels and linens-

Use white!

If you use white towels for your bathrooms, and especially for spare towels (for company, etc.)... THEY ALWAYS MATCH!

HOLD ON- I know what you're thinking... 'White?!  How do I keep them clean and crisp?'

Since they are all white- you can throw them in the washer WITH BLEACH,

No Harm,

No Foul,

No Problem!

Thank You to Kristin,  a great Mom and extraordinary 'HouseHold Tipper'-

for this great idea...

She's so smart!

Always Improving Containers

It's great to re-use and conserve...

BUT, every so often, you should evaluate your containers.

Case in point:  my nail box to the left.

I use this all the time to touch up my nails.  And now, because HouseHold Tips are always on my mind, I thought-

"Wow.  This is old, dusty, filled with things I don't use (old bottles of nail polish) and too big."

SO, I happen to have an extra container (the 1 on the right) and transferred the nail items I do use to that

Smaller,

Cuter,

and more efficient container.

It takes up less room in the closet!

It's great to have a container for everything.

Just remember, once you have a container, your work is not done,

you can even improve your containers,

to fit your lifestyle changes.

Have a great day!

Keep A Grocery List... DURING the week

That's right! Keep a grocery list during the week. This may sound simple, it's a great thought; but if you actually do it-

It saves time AND money!

Get a small notepad, better yet- go to your local drugstore or supermarket and get a pack of small notepads.

Take 1 and devote it to grocery shopping.  Yep, this 1 is strictly for grocery lists, period.

Next, do not leave it out on a counter, or even in an out-of-the-way corner.  If you leave it out- it's OFFICIALLY CLUTTER, and we do not allow clutter here at the HouseHold Tips Blog.

It gets it's own place in a drawer or cupboard.  Find a little space that is easy to get to, and place it there, WITH it's own pen.  DONE.

Now, during the week when you're upstairs and you notice that you're low on toilet paper, you won't say to yourself, 'Remember to get toilet paper at the store next time.'  You will just write it down on your 'grocery' pad.  This way, at any given time, you have itemized things you need for your HouseHold.

You won't forget it when you're at the store, or when you're making a list right before going to the store because it is already ON THE LIST.

I have also found that making grocery lists PREVENTS over-buying, and thus, wasting food,

which as you can see by the post below, I do not like to do!

Make your Life a Little Easier.  Make the Effort to Make a Space for a List.

Pretty Soon It Will Become A Habit.

Happy HouseHolds!

Great Linen Closet Solution!

Here is a great linen closet solution!

ROLL YOUR TOWELS!

You know immediately HOW MANY you have...

And it looks nice!  No?

I love this idea, I do it with towels, as well as sheets.  It's especially good for sheets and pillow cases!!

It organizes your linen closet- presto!  

Thanks to my Mother-in-Law for introducing this idea to me!