Organization

Having a special place for keys, phones, and mail goes a very long way. These are the things that clutter your house, and that make you crazy when you can't find them. I keep my keys on a table by the front door; my phones on the desk in our study; and the mail/bills on a platter on a hutch in our kitchen. I didn't used to have this system, and things were much more stressful.

I give my children a 10-minute “pick-up time” every morning (to make their beds, pick up the clothes in their rooms, etc.) It just makes coming home in the evenings that much more enjoyable!

Hanging a shelf and hooks in the garage for jackets, bags, backpacks and briefcases can help keep all those things in one organized spot, rather than scattered all over the house.

Storage is key. Clear boxes are terrific because you can quickly see through them. Choose boxes that stack for space efficiency. Open bins are also great options for easy access to frequently used items.

Create a system that works for you. Design a system that will last so that you will continue to be organized. Create files, shelves, give everything a place so that there is no excuse for disorganization and clutter.

Keeping all your wires and extention cords in seperate ziplock bags makes life a lot easier when it comes to finding something. It works great for christmas lights as well.

I bought some inexpensive plastic lazy susans and put them in my pantries. I load canned and boxed goods onto each (according to type of food) so that I can just spin them around quickly to take inventory of what I have and what I need to buy.

I buy those organizer drawers for really cheap from Target and assign each drawer for something. For example, my top drawer carries books that I won't be needing until school starts. The second drawer contains all my electronics. And the bottom drawer has all my paperwork that I keep filed for any future reference. Even if the categories are completely unrelated, the best thing is that I know where to find what I need. To make things better, because they are in these drawers, they don't create a mess and look organized even if things are just packed in there. The biggest thing, I think, is just naming a location for certain things so when it comes time to finding them, you won't have to turn your entire room upside down!

Organizing can be a daunting task, but there are many easy ways to organize your home. To clean out your closet I would recommend doing a yearly cleaning up of clothes. For anything you haven't worn in a year, give it away. You will find that this adds a lot of new space and declutters your closet of unneccesary items. You can store off season clothes, and things you don't use often, underneath your bed in plastic containers. Put a label on each container so it is easy to recognize. For shoes, that are just piled up in your closet, buy a shoe rack you can hang over your door. This saves space and makes your closet a lot neater.

I bought some suede and leather boxes and storage carriers to organize my hats, scarves and gloves. My paperwork that needs filing goes into the boxes with their tops and the storage boxes sit on top of them. The nicer they are, the more you can keep them out as a part of your decor. Have filing dates with yourself one morning a weekend per month to keep on top of the task.