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• 99 low-cost organizing tips 99 low-cost organizing tips

  

  99 low-cost organizing tips of

  Organizing tips 1-25 We know, we know: getting organized can be easier vowed than done. But even if you’re short on time (and budget), there are dozens of ways you can get your house in order. Here are 99 of our favourite low-cost organizing tips; many of them are environmentally friendly, too! 1 Use old baby-food jars to hold spices. Stash them in a drawer upside down so this recycling trick looks sleek, not cheap. 2 Store all your instruction manuals in one binder in the kitchen or pantry. 3 Collect your takeout menus in a binder. Or stuff them into a Ziploc bag and stash ‘em – where else? – in the fridge or cupboard.4 Use a cardboard six-pack container to carry condiments from kitchen to deck in BBQ-casual style. 5 Keep a tray or basket on the kitchen counter where kids can drop off permission slips and adults can put mail requiring immediate action. A second tray can handle lower-priority paperwork. 6 Don’t waste time constantly topping up cereal-sized food storage containers with dog or cat kibble. Use a metal trashcan to store one bag at a time in rodent-proof style. 7 Use a recharging station to keep your cell phone, MP3 player and other portable device cords untangled and your gadgets fully charged. 8 Can’t find fresh garlic or onions? Keep them in clean knee-high nylons. Hang in a cool, dry place. 9 Post a sheet of paper on the fridge and note groceries and supplies needing replenishing. On grocery day, just grab the sheet and go. 10 Reduce spoilage of fruits and veggies by “rotating” your crops. Put new ones underneath ones that were already in your crisper. 11 Use small jam jars to hold cotton swabs, balls and other essentials inside your bathroom vanity drawers. 12 Use an old wooden stepladder to hold bath and hand towels. 13 Cut the amount of time you spend going from linen closet to bathroom by installing extra towel storage via a hotel-style double towel bar. 14 And a stash of bath towels rolled inside a basket helps, too. 15 Store kids’ bath toys in a fine-laundry bag. Hang from the faucet ‘til fully drained. 16 Use a shower organizer and just the basics: mild shampoo, conditioner and a body wash. 17 Stash extra shower products in plastic caddies – one per family member. 18 Keep cleaning products in a caddy, too. 19 Post a sheet of paper in the bathroom and note bathroom supplies that need replenishing. On grocery day, just grab the sheet and go. 20 Assign teens and tweens their “own” towel sets by colour. Sorting laundry becomes super-easy and sharing-aversive kids are content. 21 For the living room or family room, get an ottoman or bench with hidden storage under the seat. 22 Large woven or wooden baskets stash clutter effectively, so stock up. 23 Got kids? Get large tubs that can be used to deploy toys – and quickly move them out of living spaces when company’s coming. 24 Don’t hold on to magazines. Just rip out any pages you want to keep for future reference, keep in a file folder, then recycle the rest. 25 Toss dirty socks into mesh fine-laundry bags. Orphaned socks will be a thing of the past.Image courtesy of Pottery Barn Organizing tips 26-50 26 Dollar store plastic caddies are perfect for grouping cleaning products upright in cabinets – no tipping! 27 Recycle old plastic shopping bags. Store them in an empty Kleenex box ‘til you need them. 28 Store batteries in plastic berry baskets until you’re ready to drop them off at the recycling centre. 29 Ditto for compact fluorescent bulbs and orchard fruit baskets. 30 Big, busy family? Paint one entire wall in your mudroom in chalkboard paint so everyone can easily leave messages for one another. 31 Keep one basket per person in your mudroom or front entrance, so everyone knows where to drop off/find their personal on-the-go essentials like keys, bags, homework etc. 32 Designate a back-to-car zone by your entranceway, and put anything there that requires returning to the trunk – i.e. reusable grocery bags, empties – so the next person to use the car will remember to bring them. 33 Remove the front and back from a picture frame and string rows of wire across the centre. Hang it or lean it against the wall and hook earrings onto each wire. 34 Use an old dressmaker’s dolly to hang necklaces and hook earrings into. 35 Shopaholics can put those pretty boutique bags to use by hanging them on the wall or arranging them on a shelf, where they can store scarves and belts. 36 Do a card run – birthdays, holidays, new baby etc. – once a year and store cards in a file tote. 37 Use ice cube trays to hold clips, erasers and other desk-drawer essentials. 38 Use an old wooden stepladder to hold books. 39 Use white address label stickers to label what each cord in a power bar is for. 40 Paint an oversized canvas in one bold colour and hang it from the wall. Pin a rotating collection of your kids’ artwork on it. 41 Post a sheet of paper on your bulletin board and note office supplies that need replenishing. 42 Use a canvas over-the-door shoe organizer to organize small kids toys and art supplies. 43 Those ubiquitous Danish butter cookie tins can be both an art project and art storage unit for kids. First let your child decoupage it. Then use it to hold crayons and pastels. 44 Post those novelty basketball rings above anything you want your kids to slam dunk stuff into rather than the floor: garbage cans, laundry baskets, etc. 45 For preschoolers too young to use hangers with ease, install a low bar in the closet and simply drape dresses and pants across it to keep them wrinkle-free and easily accessible. 46 Have your child plan their wardrobe one school week at a time. Store outfits within five stacking cubbies or on five combination hangers (hangers with a bar and clips to hold pants as well as a top) to streamline their morning routine. 47 Keep sheet sets organized by folding and storing the fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillowcase inside the second pillowcase. 48 If you don’t want to buy stacking shoeboxes, recycle the cardboard boxes your shoes came in by cutting out a panel at one end for visibility and ventilation. 49 Install a closet organization system: it’ll pay itself off with time and aggravation saved! 50 A well-lit wardrobe is easier to keep organized. Install a Solatube, skylight or adequate artificial light for your needs.Image courtesy of Pottery Barn Organizing tips 51-75 51 Don’t limit closet storage to hangers. Hang hooks on the door for frequently used items. 52 Tackle that kitchen junk drawer problem head on. Today. Purge, edit and keep things in place with a drawer organizer. 53 Are you a piler, not filer? That’s fine, just keep piles of paperwork organized by using folders and write-on clips. 54 Recycle leftover gift-wrap ribbons by using them to tie up extra electrical and other cords in your utility closet. 55 Dedicated tie, belt and scarf holders are closet must-haves. 56 Upgrade your address book for a classic Rolodex. They’re retro-chic and easy to keep updated. 57 Buy a framed corkboard, hang it in the kitchen and pin up favourite recipes, clipped from magazines. 58 Make space by putting your CDs in organizers, by genre. Recycle the jewel cases or put them into storage in the attic. 59 Or, purge your CD clutter once and for all by having your CDs converted to digital files at riptopia.com. Sell or donate the used CDs. 60 Buy a hotel-style hairdryer that can be installed on the wall to save space, time and energy in a small bathroom. 61 A pot-lid holder puts the vertical space behind a cabinet door to good use. 62 A wrap-organizer does the same, creating the perfect spot for plastic wrap, aluminum foil and waxed paper. 63 Organize vanity essentials on a vintage tray. Très organized and très chic. 64 Use an extra wine rack to hold rolled-up magazines. 65 Use cutlery trays in your drawers, but to save even more time, stash everyday flatware in a countertop caddy. 66 Shrink-wrap out of season clothes, blankets and duvets to save space while storing. 67 You’ll never fit sheets back into those reusable vinyl zip pouches they were sold in, but you can stash cloth napkins in them. Use one pouch per set and label the quantity with a Sharpie. 68 Buy 10 pairs of the same gym socks, to minimize sorting. 69 Do the same for your hubby. 70 Do the same for his dress socks if he can get away with always wearing the same black ones during fall/winter at least. 71 Stash kids’ art supplies on a lazy Susan so everything is easily accessible. 72 Organize household bills in an accordion file with month-by-month pockets. 73 Hold onto paint chips, fabric swatches and brochures from your last redecorating session. You never know when you’ll need to reference them. Store them in an accordion file. 74 On your mudroom wall, hammer in two nails, then string wire between them. Provide clothes pegs and have your kids hang their wet mittens and gloves to dry overnight. 75 Banish tiny piles of coins and start saving in style. Get a designer piggy bank and keep it by the entranceway, laundry or kitchen—wherever you’d like to dump your change.Image courtesy of Pottery Barn Organizing tips 76-99 76 Tired of that circa-90s cast-iron pot rack? Move it from the kitchen to the garage or potting shed and use it to keep garden tools organized. 77 Get – and use – a garden hose caddy. 78 Edit your hangers. Choose: wire, plastic or wood and unify the hangers in every closet. 79 Use pillboxes to stash your earrings and rings when traveling. 80 Use a soda-can dispenser in the fridge so you can access your pop easily without tipping. 81 Use a wall-mounted broom and mop holder, or tie ribbon loops on the end of poles and hang them from hooks in your closet, garage or utility closet. 82 Make a party kit. Stash napkins, extra glassware and plates, votive candles and holders, extra vases, cocktail picks and other necessities in an old wine crate and pull it out pre-party or pre-holiday entertaining so you don’t waste valuable cupboard space. 83 Use a binder to store all medical records and information for everyone in your family, including each pet. Use dividers for each family member and include plastic pouches or expandable pockets to contain receipts and tiny record cards. 84 Stash awkward, easy-to-misplace necessities (extra hairbrushes, lint roller) in decorative reusable tote bags. Hang them off a doorknob in every room. 85 Burn digital images to CD once a month so you’ll never lose them if your computer (gasp!) crashes. Or print them ASAP! 86 Store photos in archival-quality, acid-free boxes until you have time to organize them in albums. 87 Get a heavy-duty paper shredder for peace of mind – and efficient shredding without risk of overheating. 88 Place your shredder where you intercept daily mail. If that’s the kitchen, so be it. 89 Put a small plastic caddy in your gym bag so you can manage hair care and skincare products without dropping anything. Excess water will just drain out. 90 Stop losing lock combinations and computer passwords once and for all. Jot everyone’s codes and combinations down in a notebook and store it in your family’s fireproof lockbox. 91 Store reusable shopping bags one inside the other. 92 Always keep one cute, foldable shopping tote in each of your heavy-rotation purses so you’re never caught without. 93 Avoid the last-minute drugstore run by always having a kit of your favourite travel-sized toiletries (and common OTC meds like allergy pills) packed and waiting in your suitcase. 94 Get a gift-wrap organizer and stock up on a year’s worth of wrap and ribbons, or ready-to-fill bags and tissue. 95 If perishables regularly go to waste in your fridge, start planning weekly dinner menus. Just buy ingredients for those meals, plus lunch basics. Post the menu on your fridge so you’re on track. 96 Mount a magnetized knife rack to a wall in your utility closet or basement, to keep your most commonly used screwdrivers and wrenches handy, not buried in the toolbox. 97 Donate your battery-powered emergency flashlights and stock up on windup models so you never have to worry about replacing batteries. 98 Stop stressing over the emergency preparedness kit the Canadian government recommends all families have. Just make one and get on with your life. Visit getprepared.ca http://getprepared.ca/kit/basic_e.asp to learn what to put in it. Stash it in a rolling suitcase so it’s mobile in case you have to be, too. 99 Plan a closet cleanout once per season. Less mess makes staying organized a lot easier.Image courtesy of Pottery Barn

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  Credit

  Claire Smith

  99 low-cost organizing tips 

  Published:

  2008-08-19 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Claire Smith

  Updated:

  2008-08-19 00:00:00

• How to: Get organized with containers How to: Get organized with containers

  

  How to: Get organized with containers of

  Contain yourself: How to get organized According to Eileen Roth, organizing consultant and author of Organizing for Dummies (IDG Books Worldwide, 2001), the best space-saving storage solutions are to invest in clear, plastic storage containers. “The more loose things there are, the more disorganization exists,” she says. So pack it up and pack it away! Here, Eileen shares more tips for dumping the junk. Space-saving storageSquare containers are better than round containers; just the design of round containers wastes space (corners are cut off.) Round containers are great for storing mixing bowls or a ball basket in the garage. Use square containers for storing food, clothing and holiday items. Clear containers are best so you can see the contents. Label all containers with whatever they contain. Keep containers under the bed (you can buy containers that have wheels) for extra sweater storage. There are also clear containers for rolls of wrapping paper and bows that can go under a guest room bed. Stacking containers often save space and are more stable. Wire shelves with legs let you put one size container underneath and another size above. Stacking pullout drawers under the bathroom sink are great space savers too.Shoe containers are varied, but I don't recommend the pocket holders, as most shoes don't fit in them. Keep your shoeboxes and stack them, or buy clear containers and stack them so you can see what's inside.If you have the floor space, you can also buy stacking laminated wood shelves – so all shoes will fit regardless of the heel. Just because the closet came with one shelf doesn't mean you can't adjust the height and add another one! You can also add shelves to bedroom closets to hold sweaters, purses, folded T-shirts, sweat suits or shoes.Putting up shelves or cabinets in the laundry room will help hold laundry detergents and keep them off the floor.Buy a tool chest or at least a pegboard to hold tools in the garage. Cabinets in the garage can hold excess paper goods, summer items, car accessories, etc.Storage racks for sports equipment (golf bags, tennis rackets, hockey sticks/skates) will keep it off the floor.Buy a desk with a hutch to store books and paper over the computer. Be sure to calculate how much space the monitor, printer(s), and CPU take up. If you need space to work as a regular desk make it an L- or U-shape desk. Get a decent filing cabinet to hold papers and bills. Don't save everything. Decide what you need and get rid of the rest! Excess papers can be stored in either a cabinet in the garage or bankers boxes. Image courtesy of Pottery Barn

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  Credit

  Eileen Roth

  How to: Get organized with containers 

  Published:

  2008-08-15 09:00:00

  Author(s):

  Eileen Roth

  Updated:

  2008-08-15 09:00:00

• How to: Organize your linen closet How to: Organize your linen closet

  

  How to: Organize your linen closet of

  Get organized Is your linen closet a wasteland of tattered terry-cloth and threadbare linens? Our simple 12-step program will help you rehabilitate the space and turn it into an oasis. 1 Outfit your closet with adjustable shelves placed 10 to 12 inches apart. Leave room between the top of a stack and the shelf above for air circulation.2 Organize linens by type (bed, bath, table), then by room (master bedroom, master bath, kids’ bedrooms). In this closet, the second shelf from the top has master bed linens on the left and master bath towels on the right. The son’s linens are on the next shelf down – towels on the left, bedding in the centre. The daughter’s linens are on the bottom shelf.   Fold neatly 3 Attach peel-and-stick office labels to shelves and fabric baskets (use tags for woven ones), so everyone can find what they’re looking for.4 Colour-code linens for each member of the family. In this family, it’s crisp white towels for Mom, navy for “the boys” – Dad and son – and cheery yellow for the daughter.5 Invest in dedicated sets of linens so that you can pamper your house guests. Here, both guest bed and bath linens are stacked on the far right of the bottom two shelves. Linen essentials 6 Fold bed and bath linens so that they fit on shelves with no material overhanging. Arrange them in short stacks with the folded edge forward; the closet will look neat, and items will be easier to remove and replace.7 Stacks of face cloths tend to topple over, so corral them in a fabric box. Store them behind the stack of matching towels or between stacks.8 Use the highest shelf to store antique linens, seasonal and other seldom-used linens. Wrap sets in cellophane to protect them from dust; label each pack with the quantity, so you know how many are in each set. 9 Out-of-season quilts and throws can be stored out of the way in a basket at the bottom of the closet. last page 10 Keep a basket of fresh toiletry supplies for each bathroom in one central location. That way you can see at a glance what needs replenishing, and products won’t take up precious space in each bathroom.11 Keep nontoxic cleaning products close at hand, but away from linens, ina bucket on the floor. Hazardous items should be kept out of reach of children.12 If you have a long linen tablecloth, hang it on the back of the door, over two wooden hangers, protecting it from the wood with a double-folded layer of acid-free tissue. Add another layer of tissue on top of the cloth to protect it from dust. Alternatively, roll the cloth around a cardboard tube, then add a layer of acid-free tissue.STYLE AT HOME’s guide to household linen essentials3 sets of sheets and cases for each bed: one for the bed, one for the laundry and one for the linen closet.2 sets of shams for pillows that aren’t those used for sleeping.1 duvet or comforter for each bed.2 duvet covers for each duvet.1 lightweight coverlet for each bed.1 blanket or throw for each bed. For each bathroom: three sets of two matching hand towels.For each adult: three bath sheets or towels, and six face cloths.For each child: three bath towels, and six face cloths.For each guest: one sheet set, two shams, one duvet, one duvet cover, one blanket, one bath sheet and two face cloths.

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  Credit

  Margot Austin

  How to: Organize your linen closet 

  Published:

  2008-07-31 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Margot Austin

  Updated:

  2008-07-31 00:00:00

• Organizing 101: Front halls Organizing 101: Front halls

  

  Organizing 101: Front halls of

  Purge and organize your hallway When the seasons change, my front hall is a magnet for clutter  and dirt. When mud and dirt start to creep their way inside, it's time to declutter and reorganize so that it's easier to keep the space clean. Besides, come summer, a welcoming entryway gives my spirits a lift every time I walk through the door. PurgeThe first step in cleaning up the front hall. • Remove off-season clothing and sports equipment, like hockey gear and snowsuits, and store elsewhere. • Store infrequently used items, even skipping ropes and in-line skates, in the basement, garage or a storage locker. • How many pairs of boots and shoes are too many? If there's a fashionista in the house, limit the number of pairs kept here per person. Same goes for coats. • For each person's knapsack, briefcase or purse, hang heavy-duty hooks or wall-mounted cubbies if you have room. If not, bags go in the bedrooms.• Find a handy container for incoming mail, such as a basket or tray, and empty it at least every couple of days. OrganizeHere's what every entryway should contain.• A closet. Don't laugh -- some of us don't have one. Alternatives: a rolling coat rack, a coat stand (antique or contemporary), wall hooks or a peg rail, or an armoire in a nearby room if there's no space in the entryway.• A peg rail. It's essential, especially if you have kids. Hanging a coat on a peg is just as easy as dropping it on the floor or draping it over the banister. Position one rail high and one low in order to accommodate big and little people. No wall space or a very formal decor? Hang hooks on the back of the closet door.• Containers for mitts, scarves and hats. Choose baskets, cubbies or plastic containers. Put them on the top shelf or on the floor of the closet. I use vertical shoe racks that hang in the closet -- some cubbies hold shoes, others mitts. • A boot or shoe rack. If it fits on the floor of the closet, great, but it's OK to leave the rack in full view, too. There are many variations on the market, from simple plastic mats to perforated trays that allow boots to drip-dry. Avoid mats on which boots sit in melting muck -- it's not good for the leather, and the boots won't dry properly. A smart choice, especially in a contemporary space: put dripping footwear on a cooling rack that sits atop a deep stainless-steel baking tray. • A place to sit. It could be the bottom stair, a chair or a bench that you can slide boot racks and baskets under. If you're short on space, try a vanity stool that tucks under a demi-lune table.• A tabletop or shelf for stashing small items like keys, gloves and sunglasses when you walk through the door. • A home for keys. A plate or bowl on a shelf, a drawer in a hall table or a key rack on the wall (labelled, if you like). Tips to make your hall beautiful AND functional BeautifyThese elements will make your entryway functional and beautiful.• A dramatic wall colour or wallpaper. You can also go with a muted palette. • Good lighting: it makes a world of difference. Choose attractive overhead general lighting that's bright enough to light the entire space, lights for the closet and pretty accent lighting. Sconces are great, but a table lamp can add character and warmth and make this transitional space feel more like a furnished room.• A cabinet or dresser with doors or drawers that close. Stash items that are on their way out -- letters, dry cleaning and purchases to be returned.• An umbrella stand. This is a nice touch if you have room. Keep a few extra umbrellas, since they always disappear.Slippers. Have one pair for each family member, and extras for guests. • A mirror. Great for that last look before you step outside, plus it reflects more light into what can be a dreary space.• Artwork. Even a tiny wall space can be home to a series of framed pieces.

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  Credit

  Kathleen Dore

  Organizing 101: Front halls 

  Published:

  2008-07-28 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-28 00:00:00

• Office feng shui Office feng shui

  

  Office feng shui of

  The art of placement Envision your office -- most people see a cluttered, cramped and claustrophobic space. But as soon as you reorganize and rearrange a few vital elements, like the computer and telephone, your chaotic space will begin to evoke the response of productivity. Such a reformation is important in a generation of over-achieving entrepreneurs who see the office as home and the home as a vacation space. Darrin Zeer, author of Office Feng Shui (Chronicle Books, 2004), says applying the principles of feng shui in the office will create an organized space for an organized mind.“A clean, organized office space with everything in order allows energy to flow and frees you up to calmly mastermind your projects,” Darrin says.Darrin explains the Chinese believe energy, or ‘chi,' surges throughout all spaces and by applying the art of feng shui they can capture it, thus increasing their productivity. Natural energy is always flowing around us but it's often caught in a gridlock of disorganization and cannot be utilized. The principles of feng shui open a space up and allow this chi, like airways and light, to move through the environment, re-vitalizing it. This 5000-year-old “art of placement” is extensively used within business environments, even moguls such as Donald Trump incorporate it into their work philosophy.But your credit card doesn't require a Trump signature to ‘feng shui' your office. The mystical art is simple and inexpensive to put into practice.Ideally, you should start by releasing most of the clutter from your environment. According to Darrin this will bring clarity and allow natural energy to enter and circulate through your space. “Clutter creates stagnation, reduces your effectiveness, and leaves you feeling lethargic and confused,” Darrin says. “Instead of tackling the mess all at once, you may find it helpful and therapeutic to take little organization breaks at various points throughout your day." Feng shui tips Clearing the clutter, Darrin says, represents order and whenever we bring order into our lives we allow more space for opportunity. This cleansing also clears up space for additions and changes that you may wish to make to your office space. He suggests adding symbolic items like a Buddha or religious icon for inspiration. Other feng shui accessories you can try are moving objects like water or chimes, as they create natural energies that can be utilized. For example, wind chimes and water create calming noises that facilitate a meditative state of concentration and this will help you focus on your work. A cloth in red (the Chinese colour of prosperity) placed under the phone will help activate communication energy and get, Darrin says, the phone ringing with positive opportunities. It also adds a splash of colour to brighten your space and evoke an emotional response. Take control of your associate's emotional reaction by placing an index card with words of inspiration on your phone as a reminder to be friendly and attentive during your conversations. Or, Darrin suggests setting a small welcome mat at your cubicle or office entrance. This will encourage people to pause and announce themselves thus limiting unannounced disturbances and increasing your focus.It's also important to recognize the problems that are specific to your personal workspace. Rodika Tchi, founder of Tchi Consulting in Vancouver, B.C., suggests that you start by asking yourself questions like: Are you happy in your office? What area of your desk is most disorganized? Why? Is your space sterile and stuffy? What is your relationship with each and every object in your office? Once you recognize the problem areas you can begin to re-organize your workspace. By making some basic feng shui adjustments to your office, Rodika says you can derive emotional satisfaction and professional growth from your career. Here are a few of her feng shui tips:1. Always sit with a solid wall behind your back as this gives you support in your life. Never sit with a window behind you and sit in the direction that you find most comfortable. Quite often this is facing a window.2. Never have the main door opening into your desk as the chi coming into your office needs to be diffused. Reorganize your office and experiment with moving your furniture. 3. Attract vibrant chi into your office with fresh flowers, and energizing aromas, such as peace lily, areca, lady or bamboo palms, rubber plant, English ivy or Boston ferns. 4. Have lots of bright colours around you – this will stimulate creativity. Try hanging artwork for a splash of colour. A picture with a distant scene of nature will evoke the feeling of space. When you feel encaged, look at the picture and let go of your surroundings.But most importantly, Rodika suggests you be creative with your space. “Personalize it," she says. "Express who you are and let this expression support you.”

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  Credit

  Élise Desjardine

  Office feng shui 

  Published:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Élise Desjardine

  Updated:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

• How to: Create order in the house How to: Create order in the house

  

  How to: Create order in the house of

  Get uncluttered Clutter and disorganization are all too familiar to many of us. Many of us crave order in our lives and likewise, in our homes, but find it difficult to get on top of things and get rid of the mess. Eileen Roth, organizing consultant and author of Organizing for Dummies (IDG Books Worldwide, 2001) has a strategy to help you get started! Here, she offers her tips to eliminate clutter and clean up your home. 1 Why do we find it so hard to get (and stay) organized?Many people think organization is an inherited trait; however no DNA study has ever found a gene for being organized! It's a learned skill; it's just that no one ever taught it to you. Yes, some people are more creative than others, so they find it harder to see the logical side of organization. That doesn't mean that they can't do it. It just means that they don't know how to do it.Staying organized is actually a simple process. Once you establish a place for everything, return whatever you take out to its “home” when you're finished using it. And if you don't do it right away, set aside 30 minutes at the end of each day to put things back where they belong. If you do this every day, and not once a week, you'll find things won't pile up. Suggestion: Get family members to do this, too. Make a game of cleaning up clutter by setting a timer and seeing how fast it can be done each night. Did you beat last night's time or did it take you longer?2 Which rooms in the home are the most difficult to organize? Why?For many people the most difficult room is the basement or the attic because that's where everything that's not being used is thrown. And it often becomes a dump where things just pile up. When it's time to find something, it's somewhere in the pile. Most of those items could be purged. Decide what you use and toss the rest.Another difficult space to keep organized is the garage. Organization is made easy by adding cabinets and/or shelves along garage walls, but most people don't spend the money to do that. So things get cluttered, hard to find and dusty. Get as much as you can off the floor and wash the garage floor once in awhile. More ways to find order 3 Where is the best place to start dealing with clutter?The place to start is the place that bothers you the most. Ask yourself the following questions:Are you frustrated that you can't find anything in your kitchen? Do you have a door that you shut every time someone comes over to hide the mess? Do you waste time searching for papers in the office?Do you get frustrated trying to find anything in your basement?Is your two-car garage so full that no cars are parked in it?4 How do we know what to hang onto and what to throw out?You've heard these rules many times: Use it or lose it.If you haven't used it or worn it in a year, let it go. You're not using it any more. And don't save it for some day; someday never comes. In with the new, out with the old.If you bought a new sweater, donate an old one. Is the sentiment worth it?Is the sentimental value not worth the space it takes up? Does it frustrate you to take care of the item? If so, toss it. 5 How often should we go through our belongings and purge?The best answer to this question is purge as soon as you're done with it. That doesn't mean throw out the fork as soon as you're done eating. When you no longer use it, throw it out or give it away. The next answer is to purge every six months to a year, depending on how disorganized you are. A miserable winter day when you don't want to go outside is a great time to purge. Chances are you can go through your closet once a year, but you might need to go through your papers more often.

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  Credit

  Natalie Bahadur

  How to: Create order in the house 

  Published:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Natalie Bahadur

  Updated:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

• Organizing 101: Family photos Organizing 101: Family photos

  

  Organizing 101: Family photos of

  Home organization 101: Organizing family photos The single most useful lesson I've learned since I started this column is to keep only what you value. Still, we're human, and occasionally we neglect those things. Photo collections are a good example. They can get out of hand quickly, and the guilt those piles of smiling faces induce! All the more reason to get your collection in order, for there's no organizing project that will give you a greater sense of satisfaction or a more wonderful heirloom for family and friends. Get startedSchedule time every week or month until you're caught up.Gather all your photos. Look for strays in the basement, spare bedroom, dresser drawers – anywhere you might find them. Decide how to store photos. You'll need both long-term and more accessible storage. Options include albums, frames, photo storage boxes, computer or CD files, or a combination of these. Use same-size boxes and albums so that they'll look neat when stacked. Sort and editThese different tasks should be done at the same time. If you have a huge backlog, start sorting photos by year (or by decade and then by year, for a very big collection). An economical short-term solution for large collections is to sort photos into bankers boxes (available at office-supply stores) that are marked by year. Move pictures to more expensive archival-quality photo boxes at the organizing stage. Edit your collection down to images that mean the most to you. Sounds easy, right? Not for most of us. Photos are probably the hardest items to throw away because of their sentimental value. Julie Morgenstern, author of Organizing from the Inside Out (Henry Holt/Owl Books, 1998), advises tossing shots “that are blurry, boring, make the person in them look awful, or are duplicates.” Good suggestions, but think twice about trashing shots that aren't technically perfect but are irreplaceable because they're either evocative of or the only record of a particular event, time or person in your life. Unlike purging a clothes closet, editing a photo collection is the one time when your emotions and instincts should be your guide. Give duplicates away immediately. Organize and storeHow you organize your photos is as individual as your collection, but here's some general advice.To avoid feeling overwhelmed, organize your most recently processed photos first, then work backward.Decide how to arrange your photos for long-term storage and maintenance. Chronological order is easiest. You can also structure by events/occasions, trips, or person (the latter is great if you plan to hand down a collection eventually). Here's a method that I know works (for me, anyway). Leave photos in their original envelopes and store them chronologically in photo storage boxes. In the top right-hand corner of each envelope, label the contents with a sticker and a few key words, like “France '97.” If an envelope contains more than one topic/event, separate the items on the label using a slash. You can also label each photo using a pH-neutral pen (available at some photo-, art- and scrapbooking-supply stores). Store negatives in three-hole binders with polypropylene sleeves specially designed for negatives. Label the sleeves with the same heading as the matching prints. Albums are great for capturing special moments, events, themes or important people in your life, but most of us can't store all of our photos in them. I recommend organizing your collection in archival-quality, pH-balanced or acid-free photo-safe boxes (visit online sources, photo- or scrapbooking-supply stores) and then deciding what to highlight in albums. That will make it easy to pull favourite images out of your collection when you're ready to create an album. PreserveChoose the appropriate level of preservation for your needs and the value of your collection. All photos deteriorate eventually. For most of us, using acid-free materials to mount and store pictures will be sufficient to ensure that photos last a lifetime and can then be bequeathed.Transfer photos to a hardy medium like CDs to preserve them indefinitely. You can also post images in online albums on your own Web site. Digital cameras make this process even easier.DisplayFrame photos using acid-free materials so that no part of the photo touches the glass (a good framer will be knowledgeable about this). And remember, pictures exposed to sunlight will fade faster.

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  Credit

  Kathleen Dore

  Organizing 101: Family photos 

  Published:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

• Organizing 101: Making your home a haven Organizing 101: Making your home a haven

  

  Organizing 101: Making your home a haven of

  Getting started At its most basic level, organizing is about creating a home that functions smoothly. But for STYLE AT HOME readers, an organized environment isn't the only goal; you want a space that's beautiful and expresses who you are so that you feel at home. How do you create such a haven? Organizer Estelle Gee of Orderly Lives (orderlylives.net) and I will help you discover what best suits you, because if you don't reflect deeply on what you want your home to be, you'll never truly get home.1 WHO ARE YOU?If you want your home to reflect and nurture you, you need to know who you are. One way is to identify your values - the natural inclinations of your personality. Think of them as states of being, not activities. For instance, gardening itself isn't a value, but your garden may be where you live your values, like being creative and learning.Try this: List five values that best describe you, and think about ways to honour them in your home. Let that knowledge influence all design decisions.2 HOW DO YOU EXPERIENCE THE WORLD AROUND YOU?We take in information through our five senses (sight, sound, scent, taste and touch), which are developed to differing degrees. For instance, my senses of smell, sight and touch are strong, so in my home I try to stimulate them in positive ways. For example, when shopping for my living room rug, I walked on it in bare feet to make sure the wool was super soft and cushiony.Try this: When you admire something - say, a picturesque old barn, a wispy seed head blowing in a breeze, or a vase of roses -- instead of just assuming that you're simply responding through the sense of sight, note how it makes you feel. Do you just want to touch it? Does it evoke a scent? If you're looking at food, do you think, I want to eat that, or, what a gorgeous presentation? The point is to become more aware of which senses are most important to you, and then decorate your home so that it's a truly sensual experience.3 WHAT'S ALL THIS STUFF?In more than 10 years of helping people get organized, Estelle Gee of Orderly Lives (orderlylives.net) in Toronto has seen her share of clutter. But she's also seen the transformative effect that getting rid of stuff can have. "When you clear the external clutter, you often clear the internal confusion," she says. "I've seen clients embark on more satisfying careers, and one who reclaimed an unused guest room for a meditation space." Here are Estelle's top five tips.Try this: 1 Start small. Small steps done consistently will eventually reap big rewards. 2 Clarify your goals. Think about your plans for each room in terms of how you need it to function, and then make the space fit those goals.3 Stop clutter at the source. Shop mindfully. Ask yourself, Will this purchase enhance my life and also help me achieve my goals in terms of my space? 4 Have realistic expectations. Don't try to recreate the perfection you see in design books if you have three kids under five. Your home should be as organized as you need it to be in order to live without a lot of stress.5 Control paper. It's the No. 1 source of clutter and anxiety in terms of organizing the home, so create a system that handles paper daily so that it doesn't overwhelm you and become clutter.4 WHAT'S MY PERSONAL STYLE?Should I buy this sofa or that chaise? If you feel confused because you like too many looks or think that you don't know how to pull a cohesive look together, here's a foolproof method for finding your personal style. Take all of those inspiring decor pictures you've been collecting and make a scrapbook. See "Discover Your Style" (page 2) for tips on how to do this. Beside each picture, write what you love about it. I highly recommend this exercise, whether you're going to decorate on your own or with the help of a designer. Discover success DISCOVER YOUR VALUESHere's a list of five values, and examples of how you can make them tangible in your home.Emotions/Feelings It's crucial for you to share your feelings. Family and friends are your priority, your home nurtures those who dwell within and those who visit. Your furnishings promote comfort and are arranged to encourage conversation.Adventure You love to travel without an itinerary - even if it's just a drive in the country. Honour this value by thoughtfully displaying your photos or treasures from your travels.Beauty You're drawn to beautiful objects and exclude anything that you don't find beautiful from your home. Even a good-looking can opener has the ability to turn you on!Creativity You love to write, pursue hobbies and make art and handicrafts. You give yourself space to create and to organize the material you use in your creative play/work.Catalyst You love to get projects going and to motivate people. You have a command-central desk to organize your family's activities.DISCOVER YOUR STYLEClip magazine photos of rooms, furniture and accessories that you find inspiring. It might take a few months worth of magazines to build a collection that captures your sense of style. If you already have a very large collection, edit it down to your favourite shots.Paste all the photos in a scrapbook. Don't worry if a Parisian apartment is on one page and a pared-back contemporary home is on the next.As you paste each photo, study it carefully and write a few words on the page about what drew you to it, For example, do you love the mood? A lamp? A colour? Your note can be short: "The room is so peaceful."When finished, look through the book you've created. You may find that you have page after page of rooms that look similar. If so, you've found your style.If you still feel there's a jumble of different styles, wait a week and flip through the book again. I bet you'll find one or two clippings that synthesize the different looks you love. Let that room or home inspire your decorating plan.

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  Credit

  Kathleen Dore

  Organizing 101: Making your home a haven 

  Published:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

• How to: Reflect your personal values in... How to: Reflect your personal values in...

  

  How to: Reflect your personal values in... of

  Discovering your values Organizing your house not only makes it more functional, but also is the groundwork that must be completed if you want to turn your home into a haven -- a place where, from the moment you walk through the door, you feel at ease. So, how can you create such a place? Aside from organizing your stuff, you need to organize your thoughts and feelings about what you want you're home to be, and to do that, you need to know yourself. Here are some easy exercises that will help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself and what you want your home to be. 1 DISCOVER YOUR VALUESIf you want your home to reflect and nurture you, you need to know who you are. One way is to identify your values; natural inclinations of your personality. Think of values as states of being, not activities. For instance, gardening itself isn't a value, but your garden may be a place where you live your values, such as being creative and spiritual and enjoying learning. TRY THIS: List five values that best describe you and think about ways to honour them in your home. Let that knowledge influence all your design decisions. To get started, here's a list of possible values and how you might choose to express them in your home.ContributorYou are naturally generous and love to help people. At home, you love to welcome people hospitably. The public areas of your house reflect this. The private areas may be specially designed as a place to recharge and nurture yourself, something that's crucially important for people who give so much to others.CreatingYou love to make things; art, writing, crafts or hobbies. You honour this by giving yourself space to create and by organizing the material you use in your creative play/work.Discovery/learningYou are an explorer who is absolutely content to discover new information or new ways to do something. Books, for instance, may be a big part of your decorating and you have carefully organized and displayed your collection. Taking inventory Emotions/feelingsIt is so important to you to share your feelings. Family and friends are your priority. You have created a home that nurtures those who dwell within it and those who visit. Your furnishings promote comfort and are arranged to encourage conversation. LeadershipYou love to “rally the troops.” You are probably involved in many different volunteer or professional organizations at a high level. You need space at home to organize all of these “campaigns.”MasteryYou value being very good at what you do, whether that is your work, sport or hobby. For instance, if you love cooking and you value mastery, your kitchen will be your kingdom; the dining room is where you hold court.PleasureIt's highly important to you to experience pleasure in all its forms. This may be physical, so perhaps you've upholstered your furniture in soft, sensual fabrics like velvet and silk. Or maybe your bathroom rivals the Windsor Arms and Stillwater spas!RelatednessYou are a people person; an extrovert through and through. Your home is all about welcoming people, the more the merrier! You probably have a very special guestroom that's often actually used! Playing games and having fun might also be honoured in your home with a very well organized and cosy family room.Sensitivity/nicenessYou are sensitive and it's important that people are kind to you. Your home is welcoming and highly personal to you –- it's where you can have personal “space” to feel comfortable. Your home must feel safe to you.Spirituality/GodYou are a believer in a higher power and you may express this in your home through art choices or through a special sacred space where you can quiet your thoughts and pray or meditate.TeachingYou love to pass on knowledge. If you have children, you might have a special area for homework and projects where you can work together when they need assistance. 2 TAKE INVENTORYThis exercise raises your awareness of what objects really reflect the inner you.TRY THIS: Go through each room in your home and, as methodically as possible, categorize each item – from the sofa to the smallest vase – in terms of what it means to you. (Do only one room at a time. If you have a lot of items, this could take awhile.) For each item, ask yourself the following questions: Do I like this? What do I like about it? What does this say about me? Does it reflect who I am now or who I was 10 years ago?Then eliminate the items that do not represent you or serve you in some way. Celebrate what's left and with the knowledge gained about who you are, make future decorating decisions and purchases with confidence.

  ©

  Credit

  Kathleen Dore

  How to: Reflect your personal values in... 

  Published:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

• Organizing 101: Laundry rooms Organizing 101: Laundry rooms

  

  Organizing 101: Laundry rooms of

  Sorting and washing Love it or hate it, an organized laundry room makes doing the wash less onerous. Our breakdown of what you need and where it goes will get your space humming. The tasksCollectingPlace a hamper in each person's closet, or a laundry bag on the back of each bedroom door. For a small family, think about having just one central container. Choose hampers that can double as easy-to-carry laundry baskets. Put a container for dry clean-only items near the front door if it can be stored discreetly. SortingSet up three containers – one for lights, one for darks, and one for delicates and hand-washables – near the washer. Container options include plastic tubs on casters, hampers or attractive baskets for under the bottom shelf of a floor-to-ceiling shelving unit, or labelled laundry bags that hang on the wall or on a unit.WashingConsider a standard washer and dryer; space-saving stacked units; or front-loading ones, above which you can install a convenient folding surface. Use easy-to-reach shelves (or a locked cabinet if you have small children) for detergent and other frequently used items. Post care-label instructions over the machine, along with stain removal charts. Keep one or two small plastic tubs for handwashing. On a shelving unit, stock clear jars for storing clothes pegs, loose change and special soaps; rags for mopping up spills; mesh bags for delicates; and a container for small bottles of stain removers and related tools. Drying and storing DryingFor hang-to-dry clothes, you'll need a clothesline (retractable ones are convenient for small spaces), a drying rack or a tension rod (it can be hung in a doorway); pant, skirt and, for shirts and blouses, broad-shoulder hangers; and clothes pegs. For sweaters and other clothes that can be dried flat, use a mesh drying rack or a shelf on an adjustable plastic-coated wire shelving unit or a stainless-steel cart. Be sure to also stack some clean, fluffy towels for squeezing excess water out of sweaters.FoldingReserve a flat surface, like a table, and keep it clean and clear. If there's no space for one, a wall-mounted fold-down shelf is a good alternative.IroningWall-mount an ironing board caddy (get one that holds an iron) or a fold-down board that flips out of sight.StoringDiscourage clutter with frequent mini-cleanups; keep a garbage can in the room. Have your laundry room double as storage space for other items; for instance, create a vertical broom closet for household cleaning supplies. Hang hooks for mops, brooms, a dust pan, feather duster and vacuum hose. Add a small shelving unit for pails, cleaners and their caddy, and a container for dust rags.

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  Credit

  Kathleen Dore

  Organizing 101: Laundry rooms 

  Published:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

• 5 tips for more functional rooms 5 tips for more functional rooms

  

  5 tips for more functional rooms of

  Making it work Maximize vertical space Take advantage of wall height by adding tall bookcases, cabinets or shelves, or by hanging hooks for jackets in the hallway, clothing and toys in a child's room or pots and pans in the kitchen. Keep traffic paths clearAvoid bumping into furniture by creating an efficient layout with direct paths to commonly used zones and leaving enough space around each piece of furniture. Control clutterGet rid of items you no longer need or use, deal with paperwork as it comes in, file important items in labelled folders or boxes, and return everything to its original place when you're done with it. Add storageHouse like items – such as cleaning products or bathroom supplies – in labelled boxes or plastic bins, and for particularly unkempt areas purchase storage options like an over-the-door rack to get shoes off the floor, or a closet-size second shelving unit to stash seasonal clothing. Create a nookIf you don't have the luxury of a separate office or study, add a desk in a corner of a bedroom or living room, preferably under a window to take advantage of the natural light and to keep your back turned from distractions like the TV and bed.

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  Credit

  Heather Camlot

  5 tips for more functional rooms 

  Published:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Heather Camlot

  Updated:

  2008-07-27 00:00:00

• Organizing 101: 6 solutions for front... Organizing 101: 6 solutions for front...

  

  Organizing 101: 6 solutions for front... of

  Organizing 101: 6 solutions for front hall closets Snow in winter is inevitable, but an avalanche when you open the front hall closet door shouldn't be -- even if it's where the bulkiest winter clothing is stored, along with other household items. With these handy tips from Barb Larocque, owner of Toronto organizing store spacesolutions.ca, you'll have your front hall in order long before the nasty weather hits.• Don't pack too much into the closet, if possible; for instance, no vacuum cleaners or recycling.• Store only what's used on a daily or weekly basis. "In a climate like Canada's, you might need three or four different coats in one week," says Barb. Store all off-season clothing elsewhere, if possible.• Determine the height of the rod(s), by noting the length of your coats and the height of those who use the closet. Most coats are half- or three-quarter-length; if so, hang double rods, or use the space below the coats for baskets and shoe shelves. Generally, put the rod as high as possible to free up the lower areas for baskets and shoe shelves. "It takes two hands to reach for a basket on a high shelf, but only one to grab a coat from a high rod," says Barb.• Use pullout baskets to double storage space. "Drawerlike baskets waste no space and allow easy access to the full depth of the closet," says Barb.• Exploit the backs of doors with hooks and other accessories. They're good spots to hang kids' coats.• Put any space in the entryway outside the closet to good use, with boot racks, baskets, an attractive container for mail, or any other organizing systems suited to your specific needs.

  ©

  Credit

  Kathleen Dore

  Organizing 101: 6 solutions for front... 

  Published:

  2008-07-25 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-25 00:00:00

• Organizing 101: Garages Organizing 101: Garages

  

  Organizing 101: Garages of

  Get organized Wow, I thought, when I saw photos of Bill West's garage. Bikes and gardening tools hung on panelled walls, storage containers lined shelves, and the floor and walls were white. I thought about the clutter in my garage and decided to talk to the Colorado-based real estate agent and member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. Here's Bill's nine-step system for creating a "clean, functional and organized garage," which is also presented in his book, Your Garagenous Zone: Innovative Ideas for the Garage (Paragon Garage Company, $31), due out in September. (For details, visit garagez.com.)Operation cleanup1 When in doubt, throw it out. "Clutter really does block energy," says Bill. "Once you start throwing things out, you get energized." Go through the garage and identify items to throw or give away. Garage sales are great, but they can offer a pretty low return for the time and effort required. Sometimes it's faster and easier to give items to charity. And for a fee, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? (1800gotjunk.com), a Canadian company, will cart stuff away for you. 2 Categorize before you organize. Before buying cabinets, hooks or racks, separate items into categories like automotive, tools, gardening tools, sports equipment (which might be further broken down by type, season or family member), camping equipment and cleaning supplies. "When you store a category in a particular cabinet, it's easy to find what you need," says Bill. 3 Organize to visualize. "If you can see it, you can find it," says Bill. Make that your guiding principle when choosing organizing systems. Built-ins, such as cabinets and shelves, are especially helpful. Useful systems include a large, easily identifiable tool chest, see-through storage containers of every size (from tiny drawers for screws and nails to large-scale tubs for tents and sleeping bags), shelves for containers and racks that allow you to display frequently used items. Replace a single exposed lightbulb with track lights, and install task lights at your workbench. 4 If it's on the floor, it's time to store. Elevating everything makes cleaning the floor easier and reduces hiding spots where critters might make nests. Even Bill's tool chest is on casters so that he can wheel it out of the garage when it's time to mop. What's more, "The floor naturally slopes toward the garage door for drainage, so cabinets on the floor may never sit square, and then the doors don't open," he says. In his garage, Bill installed a panel system that was designed for retail display (StoreWall, storewall.com for info). "The panels come in wood grains and colours and are easy to install on garage walls," he says. Big and small hooks, bins, shelves and more fit into the panel's grooves and can be moved around, maximizing the system's flexibility and eliminating the need to drill a new hole every time you buy a tool. Photo courtesy of California Closets  Keep it organized The Dream Garage (thedreamgarage.net), a Markham, Ont.-based company, can also help you organize your garage with cabinetry, grid storage and more, all guaranteed for as long as you own your home. Individual lockers made of furniture-grade particleboard lockers and hung on a wall-mounted steel rail are also useful for storing sports equipment. I love this idea because even my son understands how to organize his belongings in his cubby at preschool.5 Lateral thinking maximizes vertical storage. In other words, utilize every surface for storage, including the walls, support posts and ceiling. Bill boxed the posts in his garage with the panel system and used a ceiling-mounted shelf for storing off-season tires and other objects that aren't used regularly. 6 Keep it neat, treat the concrete. Coat the floor with white or light-colour epoxy paint. The idea, he says, is to create "a light, bright, inviting environment" that makes the garage feel like a multipurpose room that's part of the house. It will be obvious when the floor needs to be cleaned, and an epoxy coating makes it easy to mop. 7 Put it away and the garage will stay that way: organized. For every action of not putting an object in its place after using it, says Bill, there is an opposite and undesirable reaction when attempting to locate that object again, resulting in time wasted. 8 Your ride belongs inside. Once you organize your garage, you'll actually have room to park in it, too. 9 Don't be hasty, practise safety. Proper ventilation and locked, elevated storage of poisonous material and dangerous power tools are just a few ideas that should be part of your garage-organizing plan.Photo courtesy of California Closets 

  ©

  Credit

  Kathleen Dore

  Organizing 101: Garages 

  Published:

  2008-07-09 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-09 00:00:00

• Organizing 101: Dining rooms Organizing 101: Dining rooms

  

  Organizing 101: Dining rooms of

  Define your dining room Today's underused (or misused) dining room holds enormous potential. Could yours double as a library, kids' craft room or home- organizing centre? If you clear out clutter and pick the right storage pieces, your dining room could function as any of those as well as a special place for meals. Define your dining roomList all the activities you do or would like to do here, such as entertain, do kids' homework, pay bills, read. Then list the supplies and furnishings you need for those activities. Keep supplies close to where they're used, so there's a better chance they'll be put away. What kind and how much storage space do you need? Can you use furniture that serves more than one purpose to accommodate a function other than dining? Clear out clutterWhat kind of stuff ends up on your table? Set up an organizing system for each item so that when it comes into the house there's a place to put it. If you only use your good china once a year, don't store it in prime real estate. Keep a few pieces on display by hanging plates on the wall or placing serving pieces on a side table; pack up the remainder in padded china containers (available at organizing and department stores) to keep it chip- and dust-free and store it in the basement. That will make room for the arts and crafts supplies or papers.Move special-occasion or infrequently used linens to the linen closet. In her book Organizing Plain & Simple (Storey Books, 2002) Donna Smallin suggests hanging tablecloths on a towel rack suspended on the inside of the closet door. Remove extra chairs; hang them on pegs in the basement (rotate chairs in use with those in storage to maintain optimum conditions for fine wood furniture and to ensure that pieces wear evenly). Storage-smart furnishings Buy storage-smart furnishingsChoose a table with drawers for stationery if you'll use it as a desk, or for silverware (line with a protective anti-tarnish cloth) if it's primarily for dining. A rustic antique table is great for kids' projects – no one will notice a few more dents. Invest in built-in storage; you can hide any configuration of shelves, drawers and cubbies behind doors. Fit cabinets with adjustable components to accommodate a wide range of items, like china, linens, a computer, micro sound system and art supplies. Retrofit a secondhand armoire with cubbies or shelves as an alternative to costly built-in shelves. Separate glassware, platters, craft materials, stacked linen and more into their own cubbies.Replace three chairs with a wooden or upholstered bench with storage underneath the seat. It's a good spot for linens or toys – and kids like squeezing onto a bench cafeteria-style, too. Dedicate a stand-alone piece of furniture to the secondary function of the room: an armoire for home office supplies, a small three-drawer chest for art supplies, even a filing cabinet for household financial papers (just slipcover the cabinet and top with a slab of glass).Install an extra-deep shelf at table height that can be used as a side table for showcasing items or serving buffets.Look for unusual antiques to repurpose; for example, line the drawers of a vintage library card catalogue with anti-tarnish cloth and store forks, spoons and so on in dedicated drawers, or hang a salvaged glass-front cabinet and display glassware and china.If your living and dining areas are combined, divide the room with a specially designed cabinet, or a side table with storage underneath (keep stuff looking neat with a row of attractive baskets).Place melamine bookshelves along an entire wall and organize china and glassware, books and whatever else you store there; hang curtains in front to hide items from view and to keep the room from looking cluttered.Make the room specialInvest in a signature item like a Venetian chandelier or a unique piece of furniture that gives you great pleasure and also lends personality to the room. Display a favourite work of art – it will provide the room with a source of beauty and act as a conversation piece. Install dimmer switches on all lighting. Add a floor lamp or a small table lamp so you can vary the mood. Wire the dining room for sound.

  ©

  Credit

  Kathleen Dore

  Organizing 101: Dining rooms 

  Published:

  2008-07-09 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-09 00:00:00

• Organizing 101: Bathrooms Organizing 101: Bathrooms

  

  Organizing 101: Bathrooms of

  Home organization 101: Organizing the bathroom My bathroom is my retreat, so why have I been neglecting it? Things look OK on the surface, but if guests have peeked in the cabinet under the sink, I'm surprised they haven't turned to stone on the spot considering the Medusa-like tangle of stuff inside: half-used shampoo bottles, a jumble of hair accessories, a curling iron, foam curlers I'm not sure I've ever used, three cans of my husband's shaving cream (and not one with a lid), and the list goes on. How can I write about organizing a bathroom when mine's such a mess, I thought. I'll just have to fix my bathroom, I decided.The amount of stuff we store in our bathrooms isn't in proportion to the size of these mostly small spaces. A wall-hung medicine cabinet and a small vanity are all the storage space that many of us have. But here's the really good news: “In most cases, bathroom clutter can be dealt with in a single two- to four-hour clutter-cleaning session,” according to Michelle Passoff in Lighten Up! Free Yourself from Clutter (Harper Perennial, 1998). With help from the experts, and fresh from my own bathroom cleanup, I've put together this five-step process.Tidy-up tactics1 Tackle one area at a time, starting with the area under the sink or the medicine cabinet -- major bathroom-clutter hot spots. Remove everything and sort into groups of similar items: shampoo with shampoo, cosmetics with cosmetics and so on. 2 Decide whether to keep or throw away each item. Continue doing this for every area of the bathroom until everything has been sorted and edited.3 Now comes the tricky part. Don't put away stuff without a new organizational system or for evermore you'll be repeating steps one to three. Michelle's advice: store small, similar items together in labelled, stackable clear plastic containers. A good idea for someone who's neat by nature, but unfortunately, that's not me. If you're more disciplined, go to Step 5; otherwise, proceed to Step 4 -- what I call Dodging the Big Black Hole.4 I don't like undersink storage: it's dark, there are no shelves and pipes get in the way. It's just a big black hole. No wonder I neglect it. I had to make this area organized and reasonably attractive (or at least not an eyesore) without spending a lot of money. First, I needed a better attitude (to see the possibilities, not the limitations). Then I had to find the right containers, so it would be easy for me to put things away. I started with a plastic caddy and put cleaning products on one side, hair stuff on the other. I then sorted seldom-used cosmetics (which I wasn't ready to toss due to complex emotional issues!) into zip-lock bags from the kitchen -- an idea I picked up from Regina Leeds' The Zen of Organizing (Alpha Books, 2002). I stowed the bags in one drawer of a three-drawer storage unit that miraculously fits in the vanity. The other two drawers hold more essentials. A basket for toilet paper sits under one edge of the claw-foot tub (this moved rolls out of the under-sink cabinet and used previously wasted space). The remaining cabinet is lined with nonslip drawer liners (from hardware stores) and stores miscellaneous items like extra soap, contact lens solution and feminine hygiene products. The system works for me, but when I told Regina, she said, “I'd rather see your hair-care products in a square plastic container with a handle on it than sharing space in the cleaning products caddy.” Her point is that each container should hold only related items, so you can deal with one category at a time. “It's not just about saving space, it's about convenience,” says Regina. I still have so much to learn!5 If you've weeded judiciously, sorted meticulously and put away items neatly but still have an overflow, increase your storage capacity by using vertical wall space for shelves, hooks and towel bars. Just remember to hang shelves close to where you'll be using the items that are stored on them. To ensure that your bathroom looks neat and organized, try not to crowd things.

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  Kathleen Dore

  Organizing 101: Bathrooms 

  Published:

  2008-07-09 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-09 00:00:00

• Clutter hot spots Clutter hot spots

  

  Clutter hot spots of

  Clutter hot spots Front entrywaysStore off-season clothing in a bedroom closet, under the bed or in the basement. Relocate sporting equipment to the garage. Limit shoes – relegate extra pairs to bedroom closets. Hang a shelf and place an attractive container for incoming mail on top. Hang small hooks for keys inside the closet. Outfit the closet with cubbies for each family member's bag or briefcase. Line up a row of identical attractive baskets (labelled; one for each family member). Use a multipurpose hanging shoe rack for shoes, small umbrellas, purses, mitts, hats, even mail. Add a dresser or console table – use drawer organizers to neatly stash keys, purses, mail, cellphones and more. 

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  Kathleen Dore

  Clutter hot spots 

  Published:

  2008-07-09 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-09 00:00:00

• Organizing 101: Stationery Organizing 101: Stationery

  

  Organizing 101: Stationery of

  Create a kit Rumours of the death of letter writing have been greatly exaggerated. We might not be writing witty missives à la Jane Austen, but many of us still send cards and letters on good old-fashioned paper. This primer on organizing stationery, greeting cards and addresses, and keeping track of birthdays and anniversaries, makes staying connected to friends and family easy. Create a kitA timely handwritten note penned on exquisite paper expresses thoughtfulness in a way an e-mail simply can't. And an organized stationery kit is a pleasure to create and makes a great gift, too. Possible containers range from a sturdy, lidded storage box to a stylish tabletop chest. Equip the kit with fine-quality blank paper and matching envelopes, single and boxed sets of blank notecards (save space by discarding boxes and tying sets with ribbons), stamps, a pen, address labels and an address book. Send cardsScanning the leftovers in the card section of the pharmacy en route to an event isn't the best way to find meaningful cards. The solution is to buy in advance, and to do that you need a system that includes reminding yourself of an event in advance, organizing and storing cards, and then sending them. The best system I know of is a greeting card binder or accordion file, which satisfies the first two steps. Create a computerized list of important dates and print on separate sheets by month. Use dividers to create monthly sections in the binder, or mark sections of the accordion file; place list in appropriate spots. Buy and store cards using multisheet sheet protectors. Include a section at the back for blank cards and additional birthday, get well, thank you and sympathy cards. Check next month's list at the end of the current month to ensure you have cards for upcoming occasions. If you use a computer or personal digital assistant, program the personal calendar system to remind you of important dates.Image courtesy of Rag & Bone Bindery  File addresses File addressesAlthough computers and PDAs are the technology of choice for many of us when it comes to storing addresses and phone numbers, every household can benefit from a card system like a Rolodex, too. Technology can fail, and without a backup or printout you'll be stuck re-entering info. Also, looking up a phone number on the computer or on a PDA can be more tedious when you're in a rush, while it's fast and easy to file business cards from household contacts like plumbers and electricians in a card system.On the flip side, if you're even a little computer-savvy, having contacts on a computer or PDA is handy for sending mass e-vites (electronic invitations), e-cards and notices (like a change of address) to customized contact lists. A PDA is also a convenient tool if you're on the go or travel frequently. In the end, it's about choosing the system that's best for your life and organizing style. Storing cardsAccording to research done by Hallmark Cards, nearly 90 per cent of mothers keep some of the Mother's Day cards they receive, and nearly half of those keep their cards in a dedicated spot, like a scrapbook or album. But if you don't even have time to put your favourite photos in an album, you'll need a simpler system for cards. The easiest method is another storage box (preferably one that coordinates with your stationery box and is stackable). Sort cards by occasion or year, and tie with ribbon. An accordion file separated into years or events also works well. Consider keeping only those cards that hold sentimental value so you can minimize the storage space you need.Image courtesy of Rag & Bone Bindery 

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  Credit

  Kathleen Dore

  Organizing 101: Stationery 

  Published:

  2008-07-07 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-07 00:00:00

• Organizing 101: Family rooms Organizing 101: Family rooms

  

  Organizing 101: Family rooms of

  Clutter control The more people using a room, the greater the chance that clutter will happen. So what's the key to making a shared space like the family room work? It's simple: carefully editing your belongings and creating a good organizing system that makes it easy for people to put things away.Clutter controls1 Make an activity/equipment list. Include every activity that takes place in the family room, and the equipment needed for it. TV viewing, for example: adequate seating, TV, DVD player, VCR, remote(s), storage for all DVDs and video tapes, TV listings. Kids' play area: toys, storage for toys and crafts, crafts table. 2 Plan activity zones. Devote separate areas to different activities. If your family room is large, place medium-height bookcases (tall ones could topple over) back to back to create a handy reading/TV zone that offers book storage on one side and a play zone with toy storage on the other. 3 Find homes for equipment. Create storage space within each activity zone. 4 Edit. Before buying any organizing equipment or furniture, go through everything, including books, magazines, CDs, videos, board games and kids' toys, and dispose of whatever you possibly can (see The Right Stuff for tips). 5 Choose furniture with storage. The armoire has become an almost ubiquitous piece in family rooms, often serving as an entertainment unit. You can also use it as a home office, crafts cupboard, or games centre for board games, puzzles and playing cards. Other furniture with great storage power: end tables with drawers and cupboards, an antique chest used as a coffee table, wall-to-wall shelving, and custom built-ins. 6 Use any oddly shaped and unused spaces. Basement rec rooms often have nooks and crannies, like under the stairs, niches in walls that accommodate wiring or ductwork, or areas where the ceiling is low. Incorporate built-ins and wall-mounted or stand-alone shelving. 7 Maintain the space. In Organizing Plain & Simple (Storey Publishing, 2002), author Donna Smallin suggests keeping a “go-to box” near the family room door. When tidying up at the end of the day, stash items that belong elsewhere in it. Every week, empty the box with family members and let them return the stuff they originally brought into the room. The right stuff The right stuffCDs, DVDs, videos Use technology to organize your music and free up storage. Transfer old CDs, tapes and albums to your computer and save them as MP3s (make backups!). Software for making MP3s is free (and legal) to download from the Internet, and cables that connect your stereo to your computer are available at electronics stores. You can also transfer audio tapes to CD, and then throw the tapes out. Sell your old formats at secondhand record stores. If you can't part with all your albums (Fleetwood Mac's Rumours holds fond memories!), keep a few favourites.Organize newer CDs, as well as DVDs and videos in appropriately sized, attractive storage boxes (be sure to get the kind with slots on the front for labels); or throw out CD jewel cases and organize discs alphabetically in CD binders; or use freestanding CD towers or wall-mounted shelves, and store DVDs and videos in drawers or on shelves in or near the entertainment unit. Books After editing your collection of old books or those you're unlikely to read, organize what's left in a way that makes sense to you, such as alphabetically or alphabetically within categories. Magazines, newspapers Keep a paper-recycling bin in the family room. Consider cancelling newspapers you don't read, or requesting weekend delivery only. You'll save money, trees and trips to the curb with the recycling box. Cancel magazines you aren't reading. Organize current issues in neat piles or in big baskets.Crafts Plastic containers specially designed for sewing, paints, knitting needles, beading and much more are available at craft stores. Designate a shelf or two for storing them.Remotes Today, there are sofas with special pockets at the back or sides for remotes; consider including pockets on a slipcover if you have one made. Or put a basket on the coffee table or on the TV for them. You can also buy multiple-compartment remote caddies to house separate audio and video remotes. Toy story Toy storyKeeping on top of toy collections is a battle. Kids outgrow things quickly, well-meaning relatives give more toys than children can play with, and toys can be awkwardly shaped, making storage difficult. Here are some tips.Use one or two toy chests for large, awkward items like monster trucks or large dolls. Don't store small items like the parts of a tea or train set in them; they'll get lost or broken and are difficult to retrieve from deep containers.Install custom built-ins in wasted space, like the shallow niche under a high window. Design units to hold books or CDs when children have outgrown their toys.Buy economical utility-grade shelving on which containers of toys can be stacked, if custom built-ins with closed storage aren't an option. Hang attractive drapery panels in front; those with grommets slide easily. Bolt shelving to the wall and the drapery rod to the shelves to avoid accidents.Organize toys into plastic bins that are see-through or translucent and are clearly labelled with pictures and words.Choose identical storage containers for a uniform look, and match the size of the container to what's stored inside. Keep some toys in the garage, basement or storage room in an easily accessible spot and rotate them occasionally. Ask generous relatives if they'd like to contribute to a new bike or museum membership instead of giving the kids more toys. If you sense hurt feelings, accept any toys graciously and donate some to a women's shelter.

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  Credit

  Kathleen Dore

  Organizing 101: Family rooms 

  Published:

  2008-07-07 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-07 00:00:00

• Organizing 101: Linen closets Organizing 101: Linen closets

  

  Organizing 101: Linen closets of

  Bed linens There's something really satisfying about organizing the linen closet. It's a manageable task, plus items look great and are easier to find when they're in neat piles. Get started with our easy step-by-step approach, which takes a few hours - even fewer if you stock only linens in your closet.Take inventory and edit1 Empty the closet. Use the floor of a nearby bedroom to separate items into categories such as bed linens, towels, table linens, knitting supplies, sewing kit and so on.2 Weed out items. As you sort, ask yourself, Could this be stored elsewhere? Where is the most convenient spot? (Remember the golden rule: Store items closest to where they'll be used.) And, of course, Do I need this? When did I last use it? When will I use it again? Your goal should be to keep only linens in the linen closet; however, you may need to store other items here, especially if you're an apartment dweller.3 Make a clean sweep. Wipe off the shelves and line them with paper (wooden shelves may have oils that will stain linens). If using scented liners, check that they're safe for linens (scented oils could stain). Acid-free tissue paper is only necessary for storing vintage linens.Organize1 Designate what will be stored on each shelf. Keep towels and sheets easily accessible; blankets, hobby materials and other less frequently used or bulky items should go on the top and bottom.2 Label the edge of each shelf, so every family member knows what goes where.3 Keep everything in sight. As you return items to shelves, ensure that everything is visible to eliminate frustrating searches.Bed linens1 How much is enough? Three sets per bed is ideal - one on the bed, one in the laundry, one extra. Six crib sets and four sets for older kids should do. Mattress and pillow covers get changed less often, so two sets per bed is sufficient. Consider donating underused sets to a shelter.2 Keep sets together. Store them by tucking the folded fitted sheet and pillowcases into a folded flat sheet. Face the folded edge of the flat sheet outward, so everything looks neat and you can grab a whole set easily.3 Divide and conquer. Organize the sheet shelf with wire shelf dividers separating stacks of different-size sets; you can also label the shelf edge to identify at a glance which stack is for which size. Use freestanding stackable wire shelves (available at organizing stores) to separate each set within size categories.4 Mark the seasons. Place items used seasonally (flannel sheets, heavy blankets) in a bedding bag (combo cloth-and-plastic bags allow you to see the contents and let fibres breathe) and store on top or bottom shelf, under a bed, or on the top shelf of a bedroom closet.Image courtesty of California Closets  Bath linens and table linens Bath linens1 Throw in the towel. Recycle old, frayed towels into rags. They're excellent for drying bathroom surfaces that you've just cleaned.2 Get set - or not. If you have the room and if you use sets of towels, store them so that the bath towel is on the bottom, and hand and face towels are on top. Otherwise, keep one basket of hand towels in each bathroom; that way if company's coming and you're rushed, you can just pull out a clean one and leave it by the sink. In the main bath, store the basket under the sink to eliminate clutter. That leaves one stack each of bath towels and face cloths on one shelf in the closet. Having same-colour towels looks neater.Table linens1 Storage. I'm a firm believer in keeping these linens in the dining room. But if there's no space, separate table linens into categories: napkins, tablecloths and runners, placemats, and seasonal and special-event linens.2 Napkins. Fold each napkin, stack and tie a ribbon around each set. Store all sets in one lidded plastic container (napkin sets don't stack well, so this way, you can grab a collection of napkins, take out the set you need and replace the rest without any danger of avalanches).3 Tablecloths and runners. These are best stored in a closet, each hung on a wooden hanger. Alternatively, fold and stack them on a shelf (place acid-free tissue paper between each cloth if they're high-quality or heirloom pieces).4 Placemats. A drawer in the kitchen or in the dining room sideboard is the ideal spot. Otherwise, place them in a lidded container on top of your napkin bin.5 Seasonal and special-event linens. Pack Christmas items in a cloth storage bag and place with your decorations. Other linens can go in a stackable plastic container; put it below the napkin bin or in a spot that you don't access regularly.Image courtesy of California Closets 

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  Credit

  Kathleen Dore

  Organizing 101: Linen closets 

  Published:

  2008-07-07 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-07-07 00:00:00

• Get organized outdoors Get organized outdoors

  

  Get organized outdoors of

  Get organized outdoors Tracy Bush knows from organizing. She started Space Control, her St. Catharines, Ont.-based business devoted to helping people get out from under all their clutter, about a year ago, and she's been downsizing and rearranging people's homes for the past three years. When Tracy makes a house call, her first step is purging. "We get rid of all obvious clutter -- garbage, newspapers, old catalogues -- you'd be surprised how much people have," she says. Next step is to clean off every flat surface. "Bills, birthday cards, mail…we don't look at it, we just put it in a box," Tracy explains. After applying this process to the entire house, the boxes themselves are examined and trimmed. "The goal is to get the space as spare as we can," says Tracy. When it comes to getting organized, this is the season to look beyond the obvious, like out the window, into the yard, the porch and your garage. And Tracy also has some ideas to get your outdoor surroundings as organized as your indoor ones. In the garageTools of the trade: pegboard; heavy-duty hooks; a multi-drawer storage cabinet• "Divide the room into areas -- one each for gardening, sports equipment, and, of course, car-related items," Tracy suggests.• Next, get stuff off the floor and onto the walls. "The cheapest and oldest method is pegboard," says Tracy, "and it works great for car tools." Use the small metal hooks to suspend wrenches and pliers, and other tools big and small. • "Put your car-cleaning supplies in one little caddy," (metal and plastic versions are widely available), "so you can carry it easily to the car," says Tracy. • Blankets, sleeping bags and other camping gear should be stored in durable plastic tubs with lids. • "Mason jars or plastic juice containers work well for holding seeds collected from your vegetable garden," says Tracy.• Coil extension cords and air hoses and hang them from hooks. In the backyard and on the porch Tools of the trade: a garden cart; a hose caddy; a folding storage bag; terracotta planters• Control your garden hose by wrapping it around an attractive shelf bracket such as a hand-gilded cast iron or wood-sculpted style. • "Buy an outdoor patio bench made of plastic, so you can put reading material and a blanket in there," says Tracy. • Keep a storage bag for sports equipment just outside the front or back door so kids can throw their soccer balls, baseball gloves and other items inside before they get into the house. • "An old distressed dresser by the barbecue or on the front porch offers a handy extra counter as well as storage for table-setting supplies, tea towels, CDs and candles, even a blanket for cool nights and your favourite magazine or book," Tracy says.Need more tips? Read Organizing 101: Garages

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