Organizational Tips for Your Home
There's nothing quite like an organized and clean home, but we know it's hard to keep it that way unless you have certain systems in place to help you stay on top of it. Here are some of the best ways to set yourself up for success to maintain that fresh and accomplished feeling all the time. By the way - we've linked up examples for your in the examples so you can get a visual!
Garage and Storage Closets - The garage isn't just for your car - it's also a place that you can add shelving, bins, etc. to help keep items in it's place! You can buy either shelving units that are free standing (here's some DIY ones!) and place along the walls, or you can add shelving units (image below) directly to the walls to help keep the clutter off the ground of your garage, and make your outdoor supplies more accessible.
The same goes for any closets in your home that may be used for storage. Adding shelving in may be a bit of a project, but overall is a really easy way to add some simple organization to those items that you need to have, but don't use day to day. Menards, Home Depot, or even Target will have great options. Bonus - get some storage bins to add to the shelves to really keep everything in place. Goodbye holiday decorations all over the place!
Closets - Ever feel like your bedroom closet is getting smaller and smaller? Through the years you may notice that you feel like you have less space as you accumulate more clothes, shoes, bags, etc. It's a good idea to give your closet a good clean out at least once a year if not every season. We like to go through our closets at the end of summer and winter and get rid of the seasonal clothes that did not get worn. Donating is always our first option, but you can also have a garage sale or bring nicer items to a consignment shop if you want to get a little money out of it instead. Another good rule of thumb? Every time you buy something new, get rid of a similar item that will essentially be taking it's place. Hopefully this will make getting dressed in the morning a little less overwhelming as well. If you really don't want to get rid of much - there's other organizational hacks for organizing your items - go to this blog here for how they organized their bedroom closet.
The Big One - The Kitchen. This can be one of your biggest projects, and yet, the most satisfying and useful if you spend a lot of time cooking. Here are a few things you can do in the kitchen
Tupperware - We don't know about you, but having lids fly out of cupboards every time you go to grab some Tupperware is extremely frustrating. Try using CD holders to hold lids and then stack the containers by size (click link for source of photo). This will keep everything easy to see and won't have things flying out at you every time you need something.
Pots and Pans - This can be a similar situation as the Tupperware... Try using tension rods to help hold up the lids. It will create extra space for additional storage, and it won't be like you have a parade going through the house every time you go for a lid.
Pretty and clear containers - Mason jars have certainly become extremely popular for may uses, but they aren't the only thing that can store your food items. Clear or glass containers with lids are great for storing your favorite kitchen items - flour, sugar, nuts, trail mix, etc. Not only will they help keep everything in place, they look appealing when you are either looking for a snack or want to keep some things on the counter. Extra bonus? This is definitely a Fixer Upper look
Freezer - Using bins in a freezer can help you compartmentalize food items, or you can stand plastic baggies up to create a little more room. We love the idea of using bins to help keep misshapen items from tumbling out when you need to grab some ice...
Caddies for Spices and Mixes - Some spices come in packet formation, while thinner, they can also be easily lost amongst either items. Try using a small caddy on a wall in a pantry or on the inside of a cabinet door to store them all in so they don't get lost. In regards to your other spices - a spice rack can really help save the day so you can see labels and easily grab what you need.
Built - In's - Built in shelving can be a beautiful addition to a family room, office or bathroom. If you have the ability to add some in, this will create extra storage that doesn't stick out from the wall, and can be a great place to display your favorite books, pictures, or artwork!
Spruce up your entryway - Depending on the layout of your home, your main entryway may be the front door, or the door leading in from the garage. We can pretty much bet, however, that it becomes the point where bags, coats, shoes, and who knows what else ends up piling up every day. Adding some hooks, storage bench, or a rack for shoes can make a huge impact! Use these items to hang up your bags and coats, instead of throwing them to the floor, and store some additional out the door items - i.e. hats and gloves - in the bench or bins. The great part is, there are some extremely functional and aesthetically pleasing examples out right now so it should be easy to get some DIY inspiration, or find something in a home goods store to help! Here's one of our favorite and most versatile styles!
Bathrooms - If you already have a bathroom with plenty of storage, you are one of the lucky ones! If you don't have a lot of cabinets, or are a little tight on space, however, you may struggle with keeping everything in place and organized. Luckily, there are plenty of organizational units that can really help you keep things put away and make your bathroom guest ready all the time. Under the vanity organizers are a life saver - they can add little shelves and if you get small bins to keep items in, you will never have an excuse to put things away.Another big one is getting an over the toilet shelving/cabinet system. It's likely that that space is currently just wasted space. Instead, look for one of these units to be able to tuck items away in a cabinet, or store extra towels. It will free up extra space in other closets in your home as well!
What are your organizational hacks that we should try at home? Let us know!