Day 16 of Our Fall Home Challenge: Simple Tips for Organizing Your Home

A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands. Proverbs 14:1 NLT

It looks like she could use some help!

• The first and most important step in organizing our homes is to put it away.  Ah ah ah… don’t leave it there!  Put it away!  Give everything a home, and put it there immediately.

 

• If you have a bill or something that needs your attention, but you can’t get to it right away, have an inbox to keep these things. At least it will be out of the way.

• Get rid of superfluous junk.  Simplify.  Do you really need it?  Have you used it even once this past year?  If not, throw it out!  Having less to put away makes it much easier to organize everything. I have learned to love getting rid of things that weigh me down!

• Sort books, CD’s, DVD’s, etc. by genre.  They are so much easier to find!  For example, with my books, one shelf has all my health books; another shelf has all my Bible studies; and still another has all of my music books.  For CD’s, I have country music on one shelf, worship music on another, and even a section for oldies. Of course, there is much more, but you get the general idea.

• Sort your kitchen cabinets near where the items will be used.  For example, place drinking glasses near the sink or refrigerator, coffee cups near the coffee maker, pots and pans near the stove/oven, and plates near the dishwasher.  It is more important to place things where they will be used rather than where they just fit.

• If you have kitchen appliances that you rarely use, and you have limited storage in your kitchen, rather than cramming everything into your small spaces, store these items in a storage closet or in a Rubbermaid tote in the garage or attic.  Keep only what you need on hand in your kitchen so it isn’t crowded or cluttered.  If you don’t use it at all, give it away!

• This may sound OCD, but it really will make your life easier.  Arrange cans in your pantry by type. For example, put all soups together, vegetables in another group, and sauces or canned baking supplies in another.  Also, turn each can so you can see the label and know at a glance what you have.

• Take advantage of places like The Container Store to help you get organized.  Look for baking pan organizers, spice racks, lazy Susans, racks for food storage supplies, shelves for cleaning supplies, etc. I especially love cabinets with shelves that pull out like drawers. It makes it so much easier to find what I am looking for.  Storage racks that fit inside of cabinet doors also open up so much storage space in the kitchen!

• Sort like items in your refrigerator.   In the door, I put all salad dressings on the bottom shelf, sandwich and hamburger fixings on the next (ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, relish, etc.), and sauces on the third, such as vinegar, steak sauce, Soy sauce, and lemon juice.  All drinks go together, leftovers together, and veggies together.  Now everyone can find what they are looking for.

• Don’t store leftovers unless you are sure they will be eaten.  Toss uneaten leftovers out often!  Be sure leftovers are stored in see through containers or are clearly labeled.

• When I hang my husband’s clothes, I put all of his suits together, and then his dress shirts.  His work clothes are all together to make it easier to get ready for work, and then his casual clothes are in another set.  He even likes everything lined up from light to dark colors so he can find what he needs quickly.  I even have his socks sorted by color!  It is simple to maintain, and these steps really do make life easier!

• I have an over the door shoe hanger and sort my shoes by color.  Dress shoes on the top several rows, and casual shoes on the bottom.  The ones I don’t wear as often are on the top shelf of my closet.  Summer shoes are stored in a bin in the back of my closet.

• Take advantage of under-the-bed storage for off season clothes, extra bedding, or even reading material if you are like me and keep tons of books in your bedroom.

• Having a trunk or bench with storage at the foot of your bed will also help make room for extra bedding, or whatever you need to store.

• I keep all my Bible study materials in a basket, including pens, highlighters, bookmarks, a journal, a legal pad, and of course my Bible and books.  That way it can easily be carried to my reading spot without looking cluttered.

• Get rid of everything in your room that pertains to work, bills, laundry, or clutter of any kind.  Keep your bedroom as a romantic and restful sanctuary.  See my previous blog for more ideas: “Romancing the Bedroom.”

• In the bathroom, put all toiletries out of sight. Leave the counter clutter-free.  Always put everything back after you get ready in the mornings.  However, do keep soap and lotion by the sink for frequent hand washings.

• Use baskets or small storage bins in cabinets and drawers to sort your bathroom items.  Store like items together, for example, hair products in one, make-up in another, and skin care in yet another.

• Use the last of your body wash and shampoo, and then throw the bottles away.  Don’t allow almost-used-up containers to accumulate.

• Be sure to check for outdated medicine often and throw it away!

• Keep a container, such as a plastic shoe box, stocked with first aid supplies for quick access in case of an emergency.

• Keep an assortment of wrapping paper and supplies in one portable place.  Be sure to keep it stocked.  I have a container with tape, scissors, ribbon, bags, and tissue paper in the same closet where I have rolls of wrapping paper.

• Keep stamps, envelopes, pens, checkbook, ledger book, and bills in one place to make it convenient to pay your bills.

• Keep a bunch of empty file folders in stock so that you will be prepared to file anything and everything that is important.  Be sure it is clearly labeled and alphabetized in your desk or filing cabinet.  Do you know where your birth certificate is?  Your passport?  The deed to your house?  Your medical records?  Your tax information?  Your pet’s immunization records?  Your car’s maintenance schedule?  It is all important, and you don’t want  to be hunting for papers when you need them.  Keep it organized!