I love being organized; that aisle of the store is my favorite! I love the cubby boxes, labels, folders, notebooks, etc. Heaven help the person who lets me go to Ikea alone! I love the end results and buying everything but I don’t actually like the ‘elbow grease’ part and doing all the work. Boooo. DIY Home Sweet Home has some simple ideas that are awesome. They will help get your space in working order quickly, cheaply, and easily. Hooray! This is the best roundup ever…
Here’s the link to DIY Home Sweet Home’s full article: DIY Home Sweet Home: 50 Insanely Clever Organizing Tips And Tricks
Organization is a problem affecting many homes up and down the country. The problem is caused because we all have too much stuff and are reluctant to throw anything away. Few people remember where they actually put their things. This guide will look at a few clever organizing ideas which will make your life that bit easier. Not only will it make your home tidier, but it should also make it easier to lay your hands on what you are actually looking for.
Today we will concentrate on organizing your home, specifically:
– Wrapping Paper
– Small Items
– Cables
– Kids coloring supplies
– Under Bed Storage
– Organizing the Kitchen
Wrapping Paper
A roll of wrapping paper is only slightly more expensive than a couple of sheets, so it makes sense to buy the rolls. The trouble is, that knowing where to store them can be a bit more difficult. A good solution is to find a small alcove in your room, perhaps at the side of a door which is wide enough for a roll of paper, then use a wire shelf on its side so that the rolls can be stood up. This could be fitted inside a closet, or even on the back of a door without too much effort. If you don’t have a wire shelf then you could achieve a similar thing by using wood or bungee cords.
Small Items
Small items, including pins, hair pins and slides are the worst because they are the easiest to lose. If they are small enough to store in a jar then the jars can be attached under a table or a desk. Secure the lids of the jar using either a screw, glue or a magnet. Then the jars can be put safely under the desk out of the way. My favorite option is to use a magnet since then the whole jar can be removed, it also makes it much easier to put the jars back as they don’t have to go in exactly the same place every time.
Cables
Cables are a nightmare that anyone with a television or computer has to endure. There are plenty of cable management systems available to buy, but why bother when you can use paper clips. Screw a couple of big binder clips onto the back of your desk and clip your cables inside. This will keep your desk much tidier.
Kids Coloring Supplies
If you have kids then you probably already know just how messy they can be. Telling them off though would probably make the situation worse, instead make tidying up after them easy. A dish drainer is perfect for storing all sorts of books and coloring supplies. The books can be stood up where plates normally drain, and the little cutlery basket is perfect for pens and pencils.
Under Bed Storage
The space under a bed is normally wasted and just collects dust. Instead you can use this for storage using all sorts of storage boxes. For a cheap and easy solution put some casters onto some old drawers and slide them under the bed. These are perfect for storing shoes, bedding and anything else you may need regular access to.
Organizing the Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the most difficult rooms in your house to keep clean since it gets so much use. All sorts of electrical gadgets and appliances get shoved into cupboards which can make it difficult to find them. Instead, try putting all of your small kitchen appliances into boxes and then sliding the whole thing into a cupboard. This should make it much easier to find the gadget that you are actually looking for.
Additional Resources: Looking for more organization ideas?
Don’t miss this article by Real Simple and also these great ideas from Martha Stewart.