My Best Organization Tips

At our house, we're pretending that New Year's starts today. Getting all resolution-y on a Wednesday morning just doesn't happen. It's gotta be on a Monday, and now that Monday's here, we're ready to get our resolutions on (she said as she finishes her "last" cookie).  Mondays are also good days to clean and organize…two of my favorite words! I may or may not have an obsession with organization and cleanliness (which are NOT the same thing), so I thought I'd share my issues tips with you. Please feel free to add to my list in the comments! 

(1) Make your bed. Every day. When your bed is made, you're more likely to keep the rest of your room clean. Make your kids do the same! When I was a child, I couldn't leave my room in the morning until my bed was made. Our rooms stayed pretty clean. 

image from Restoration Hardware

(2) Tidy up your house before you go to bed or when you leave the house. There's nothing like starting the morning off to a clean house or coming home to a clean house. Plus, the moment your house is messy is the very moment some unexpected company will stop by. Every. Time.

(3)Try to stick to a cleaning schedule. I like to do all of my major cleaning on Monday (mopping, dusting, laundry, etc.) The rest of the week is just maintenance.

(4) Set a timer. Give yourself 30 minutes to clean. You'll be amazed at how much you can get done when you have a time limit!

(5) Consider open shelving. It's beautiful, and it can add tons of additional storage.

image from Alice Lane

(6) Don't put dishes in the sink! The dishwasher is inches away! Putting dishes is like not making the bed, it just invites additional messes! Plus, I'm not buying the "it's soaking" thing that someone in our house always claims. Cereal bowls don't need no soakin'.

(7) Use your countertop to store jars and utensil containers to make room in drawers.

(8) Provide a place for everything! This makes cleaning SO much faster and helps avoid clutter and junk drawer type spaces!

image from Better Homes & Gardens

(9) Get rid of it! If you come across something you don't use, and haven't used for a long time, it's time to part with it! Donate it or throw it away! Get it out of your house!

(10) Use hooks in closets and on the backs of doors. This keeps things off of the floor and keeps things organized!

(11) Containers, containers, containers! (See number 8!)

image from Poppy Talk

What to Store. On a Door...

...Or on the floor, or in a...I got nothin'. (And now, you're trying to think of a good word, arentcha? Let me know what you come up with.)Anywho, you may or may not know this, but I really love to organize. Love. It. People are always like, "Hey, you should come organize my house," and I'm always disappointed that they're not really serious. Don't play with my emotions, people. 

One of my top organization tips is to use your doors. We have lived in a lot of places with not a lot of storage, and our door storage has saved us. (That sounds so dramatic, but organization saves lives, friends.) There are SO many great products out there that hook on or over a door, and the best part? You can shut the closet door when you don't want to look at it. I was looking at my organization board on pinterest, and found these gems, so I thought I'd share. And, speaking of pinterest and organizing, I spent way too long some time organizing my boards, because, quite frankly, they were a hot mess, and I didn't have anything else to do (like pack up a house). I also added the pin-it button on my blog for your pinning ease. And, lastly...drawer. In a drawer... (It's a word for the end of the poem. What did you come up with?)

image from Edmund Barr via Woman's Day

image from My Sweet Savannah

image from Better Homes & Gardens

[so cheap, so easy]: Animal Jars

So, here's a phrase I did't need to hear first thing this morning: "Mommy, there's poo poo on my special bed." Little Miss wasn't joking. It was ALL over her and the bed.  (You know, the kind of messes that make you freeze, because you're not sure what to take care of first?) Thank goodness for waterproof mattress covers. Best. Invention. Ever. Poor Little Miss has a GI bug and has had an accident or two. Oh, she's so cute. Especially when she doesn't have poop all over her!

Speaking of cute and kids, check out these adorable animal jars from Me Oh My. Same idea as the PB book ends idea. I'm in love with this idea. I just need another kid and another bedroom to put them in.

image from Me Oh My

[so cheap, so easy]: Catalog Cans

Today was disgusting and rainy, and I've come to the conclusion that if I ever lived somewhere that was rainy all the time, I would be fat and depressed. I hate going out in the rain, but you know what I do like to do in the rain? Sit and eat. Not a good combination. I would like to say that on this damp and dreary day that I did something awesome and crafted, but that would be a lie unless you count taking pictures of crafts as awesome. I really wouldn't use that word with my photography. Anyway...

I made these cans ages ago. They're practically vintage. Handmade, vintage...sounds totally cool. I found the tutorial in a magazine probably about 10 years ago, made them, and have hauled them around the country with me, because I love them that much. That's also why they're a bit "worn in", if you will.

All you have to do is take pages from a catalog and cut them to the length you want. Then, you roll the paper and tape it until you have lots of rolls of paper. (Each one of these cans has about 28 rolls on it.) And last, you hot glue the rolls to the cans. Can you handle it? I think you can--no pun intended. Seriously didn't even do that on purpose. Get it? Can? See what the rain does to me?  No bueno.

Linking up at these parties. Check them out!

Somewhat Simple

Fireflies & Jellybeans

Fingerprints on the Fridge

The Shabby Nest

The Spunky Diva

Rustic Crafts

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

The Girl Creative

Today's Creative Blog

Just Plain Ol' Good Ideas

So it's the last day of the week of organization. (Technically, you still have Saturday, but we don't do that type of thing at our house on Saturdays. Saturdays are for messing up the house, or so some people in this household may think. How did you do? I can't say I did any major, life-changing projects, but I did something each day--mostly things I've been putting off. I organized Stella's bows; I cleaned out my side of the closet; I cleaned out my dresser drawers; I finally vacuumed, wiped out, AND washed the car (in a car wash, of course); and I cleaned and organized my desk, which has been the home of lots and lots of random piles of papers. I've only been in this house for a year, so I didn't have a ton of stuff to get rid of (plus, I throw things away on a daily basis, it's what we OCDers do). I also have a hard time getting rid of clothing, even if I haven't worn it for a while. Oh well, at least I made some progress!

Today I'm posting pics of good organization ideas I've come across. One reader is looking for ideas on organizing shoes, so let us know your ideas. At our house, we have a basket in the entry, and we use shoe shelves in our closet, which, by the way, aren't even tall enough for the pumps I wear, so I just have to line those up on the floor. The crown molding idea would definitely solve my problem.

And, last, but not least, check out The Scoop on Poop today. She's featuring me and my lil' ol' bloggy, [kreyv]. Oh, and one more thing...have a great weekend!!

image from Chiswick Woodworking

image from Creating Keepsakes

image from Better Homes & Gardens

image from Living in a Nutshell

image from Thea's Mania

Bins, Baskets, and Containers

Oh, how I love bins, baskets, and containers. I love the way they look, and I love the way they hide dirty, little secrets! I have tons--of bins, baskets, and containers, that is--not dirty, little secrets (sorry to disappoint, I'm just not that exciting). I just don't think you can ever have enough. The hubs and I have differing opinions on this. He thinks we have enough. Clearly, there's no such thing. In fact, I just ordered some great wire baskets. That's what he gets for being on call so much this month. I've got to occupy myself somehow after Stella goes to bed. 

image from The Decorista 

image from Better Home & Gardens

image from Centsational Girl

image from Decorology

image from Simply Seleta via Pinterest

Shelving, Shelving, Shelving

If there's no room behind closed doors, leave it out for the world to see (in a nice, pretty way, of course)! Shelving is the ultimate organization tool.  First of all, if anything is going to be on open shelving, you're going to keep it organized.  Second of all, it frees up a TON of cupboard space for things that are not so pretty.  And third of all, it's pretty and practical.  That doesn't always happen.  I say when something is pretty AND practical, you should probably go with it! (Speaking of practical, isn't the image from The Container Store genius? I love that the bottom shelf doubles as a desk!)

image from Kitchen Building

image from The Container Store via Ohdeedoh

image from Decor Pad

image from Ohdeedoh

Getting Organized with Hooks

So, how was day one of getting organized? Did you organize something? I'm not going to lie, I was a little thrown off. Jeremy was post call, so he was upstairs sleeping. That means upstairs was off-limits for the majority of the day. Upstairs is where I want to organize. I did, however, manage to organize Stella's bows--lots and lots of bows. I bought a hanging shoe organizer (that hooks to the back of a door), and put her bows in the clear compartments, organized by color...so much better! I also got rid of a ton of her old bows. My goal for today is to organize my dresser drawers. They have gotten a little unruly!

Today I'm featuring some beautifully organized mud rooms, entries, and bathrooms. It's all about the hooks, baby! I'm also a HUGE fan of hooks on the backs of doors and in closets--major space savers! Seriously, the hooks in my entry were one of the first things to go up on the wall. I don't want anyone (not mentioning names) in my household to have ANY reason to put coats and bags on the floor. They go on the hooks!

image from Better Homes & Gardens 

image from Emily A. Clark 

image from Lilac Lane Cottage 

image from My Home Ideas

Let's Get Or-gan-ized, Or-gan-ized!

You know that title was to the tune of Oliva Newton-John's, "Let's Get Physical," right? And, now you're singing it, aren't you? I don't know what it is about this weather, but it's really making me want to organize my house--go though drawers, get rid of clothes, and throw things away! I know most people do this in the spring, but apparently I wasn't feeling it then.

This week, I am going to organize one thing a day, and I challenge all of you to do the same. Just one thing. We can handle it, and think of how good we'll feel! I will also be posting beautifully organized spaces to inspire your inner cleaning goddess! (I like to make things sounds glamorous, even when they're clearly not.)

Today, I will be sharing my best organization tips. Please feel free to add to my list in the comments! 

(1) Make your bed. Every day. When your bed is made, you're more likely to keep the rest of your room clean. Make your kids do the same! When I was a child, I couldn't leave my room in the morning until my bed was made. Our rooms stayed pretty clean. 

image from Restoration Hardware

(2) Tidy up your house before you go to bed or when you leave the house. There's nothing like starting the morning off to a clean house or coming home to a clean house.

(3)Try to stick to a cleaning schedule. I like to do all of my major cleaning on Monday (mopping, dusting, laundry, etc.) The rest of the week is just maintenance.

(4) Set a timer. Give yourself 30 minutes to clean. You'll be amazed at how much you can get done when you have a time limit!

(5) Consider open shelving. It's beautiful, and it can add tons of additional storage.

image from Alice Lane

(6) Don't put dishes in the sink! The dishwasher is inches away! Putting dishes is like not making the bed, it just invites additional messes!

(7) Use your countertop to store jars and utensil containers to make room in drawers.

(8) Provide a place for everything! This makes cleaning SO much faster and helps avoid clutter and junk drawer type spaces!

image from Better Homes & Gardens

(9) Get rid of it! If you come across something you don't use, and haven't used for a long time, it's time to part with it! Donate it or throw it away! Get it out of your house!

(10) Use hooks in closets and on the backs of doors. This keeps things off of the floor and keeps things organized!

(11) Containers, containers, containers! (See number 8!)

image from Poppy Talk

Complete Preciseness

My name is Jamie, and I am OCD. Seriously, I catch myself doing things during the day and think to myself, "Self, is that necessary?" (Let's not even discuss my conversations with myself.) Ever seen Sleeping with the Enemy? Well, the bad guy likes his food cans perfectly lined up with the labels out. My cupboards look just like that, except I'm not a murderer. Today I was putting the clean kitchen towels away. Towels for cleaning go on the left. Towels for drying hands go on the right. Sounds (kinda) normal enough, right? Did I mention that I rotate my towels, so that they all get used the same amount of times? I also rotate my plates. I think you get the point.

Since there's no turning back in admitting my craziness organization, let's discuss one more issue: Stella hides her toys. It is going to drive me to insanity, people. Why do I care? Because, I can't stand having incomplete sets of things. Her magnetic numbers--she's hid the three and the four. (She always hides the three and the four.) Sure, I should be concerned that my daughter may learn to count one, two, five, six...but my real concern is, "WHERE COULD A TWO YEAR OLD POSSIBLY HIDE THOSE MAGNETS?!" Don't even get me started on the blue cube and yellow triangular blocks that are missing.

On that note, let's take a deep breath and look at these pictures of pure organization, bliss, serenity, sanity...

image from Apartment Therapy

image from Fifi Cheek

image from Martha Stewart

[so cheap, so easy]: Toy Car Display

Have I ever told you how sorry I feel for myself that I don't live near an Ikea? If not: I feel very sorry for myself, because I don't live near an Ikea. In fact, I found a great plot of land just a couple of miles from my house that would be the perfect location. I'm just sayin'.

I saw this idea on style files. This is a magnetic knife rack from Ikea. (I'm sure you can find them elsewhere, but I'm still bitter.) If I had a little boy, I would be all over this. This is fabulous in so many ways. It's organized, it's functional, and it looks great. What else do you need?

image from Style Files

Finding Your Style--With Kids

There's this story that I was told involving Jeremy, his mother's coffee table, and a screwdriver. I think you can figure out the end. There's another story about a girl who spilled fingernail polish remover on her mother's formal dining room table. (Yup, fastest way to take off a finish...er, so I'm told.) There are countless other stories involving markers, Mod Podge (Jeremy again--this time on my area rug), and whatever else kids get their hands on to destroy furniture. It happens, but I am still a firm believer that you can have both a nice house AND kids. Do you honestly think I would wait until my kids are 18 to have nice things? Didn't think so. Now, if I can just figure out how to husband proof my house...Here are my tips for finding your style with kids:

image from Pottery Barn

(1) Get Organized: I personally think it's fun to organize. I may be weird, but I do. I love containers: bins, baskets, totes, I love them all! Find containers that you like, and keep your kids' toys in them. For many of us, it's unrealistic to keep all toys in the bedroom. I need toys in the living room--because that's where I live! Really, it's just another excuse to purchase a great basket!

(2) Be Practical: Though there are hundreds of beautiful fabrics I would just LOVE to have in my home, it's not going to happen (at least not with a one-year old). On the flip side, there are tons of beautiful fabrics that are kid proof. If you are purchasing a sofa, consider micro-suede. I swear to you, this is a miracle fabric. How do I know? Not because of Stella, because of my other child, my husband. He spilled red enchilada sauce on our white couch the day we bought it. It came right out with a little soap and water. Another great tip? Look at outdoor or indoor/outdoor rugs. They can literally be sprayed off if needed.

image from Pottery Barn

image from Decor Pad

image from HGTV

(3) Be Safe: Try to restrain yourself from buying that glass end table you love or the coffee table with extra sharp corners. Instead, opt for a leather or upholstered ottoman. In our house, the ottoman is the center of most of Stella's activities. I get a little extra piece of mind knowing she's not going to gouge an eye while cruising around. (Even if she did, it would wipe right off of the micro-suede couch and indoor/outdoor rug! Ok, that wasn't funny. I hope that never happens.)

(4) Don't Lose Your Style: Your space needs to work for everyone. While your living room shouldn't look like a daycare, it also doesn't need to look like a museum. It's okay if there are signs of children, they live there, too! If you are looking to purchase your child a table and chair set, buy one that matches the style of your home--not everything has to be pastel with Disney characters (unless that's your decor, I'm not here to judge)! There are so many wonderful, contemporary-looking toys and baby equipment. Paint the tables and chairs, find a fun, retro mini-kitchen. There are even modern baby swings! If you have to have it out, make it work! (So in love with this highchair!)

image from Monolo Home

I could be SO productive, if only...

I could be oh so productive if I had an office like these--or even a desk for that matter. They are absolutely beautiful. The light, the colors, the ORGANIZATION, oh the organization! I could spend SO much money on organizational pieces. I LOVE to organize! Hi. My name is Jamie. I have OCD. No biggie.

image from Shorely Chic

image from Better Homes & Gardens

image from Apartment Therapy