Organizing Small Spaces – 7 Tips for Engaging and Functional Entryways

Last week I discussed organizing the bathroom. This installment of my Organizing Small Spaces series addresses organizing your home’s entryway.

First impressions are important, and your entry way is the first thing to greet you and your guests. It needs to be both inviting and functional by providing a spot to drop your keys, bags, and coats when you arrive home. But if it’s not organized, it’s easy for this small space to become cluttered and unused, causing frustration as you’re trying to get out the door. Follow these tips to create a useful, beautiful entryway.

• DECIDE WHAT SHOULD RESIDE IN THE ENTRYWAY – Ideally, the entryway should be a spot for coats and other outerwear, umbrellas, daily-used backpacks, purses, briefcases, cel-phone, laptop, and totes – anything you need access to as you leave your home.
• EVALUATE YOUR CURRENT STASH OF THESE ITEMS – Pare down your coat and tote bag collections. Toss broken umbrellas, gloves without mates, and boots that don’t fit. I often see entry closets and mudrooms overrun by tote bags. How many tote bags can you use at any given time. A few is all that you need. It’s time for the rest to go! Your goal here is to keep only those things you frequently use.
• REMOVE EVERYTHING ELSE – Don’t let your entryway become a catch-all for things you don’t know what to do with. (This is not the spot for the turkey roasting pan!) Sort, toss or donate things that you really don’t use or need, and assign new spots elsewhere in your home for the must-keeps.

• MAKE GOOD USE OF YOUR SPACE – Most entryways have a closet. Reevaluate its set-up. If it has a single rod across the top, could you raise it a bit and add a second rod below, doubling your hanging space. Could shelves be added above the rod or run across the depth of the closet? This makes use of storage space in the top of the closet that is often wasted. Could you add a tiered shoe rack on the floor? Or an over the door coat rack or shoe holder? I use these often to store gloves, hats and scarves. Maximize every inch of the space! While you’re at it, invest in sturdy wooden hangers so your coats hang neatly. I love to use the inside of the door to hang an over the door shoe holder to hold gloves, scarves, and hats.

• USE CONTAINERS TO CONTAIN CLUTTER – This not only makes for a neat
  

  28 Qt Clear Plastic Container

  look, but it will also help you quickly find what you need. Label baskets or containers on the shelves for out-the-door items, such as umbrellas, mittens, hats, and dog leaches.  If, due to space constraints, you must keep other types of items inthis closet as well, be sure to categorize and containerize them, labeling as you go. I use 28 quart clear containers and smaller.

• CONSIDER SPACE OUTSIDE THE CLOSET – This is especially necessary if you don’t have a closet or if it’s very small. For example, a coat rack or set of wall-mounted hooks in the entryway will work wonders if you’re short on closet space. Likewise, a pretty urn can hold umbrellas, a bench with storage under the seat can hold outerwear, and a wicker basket on the floor can hold shoes. By simply declaring a “home” and containing these items, you’ll instantly take your entryway from messy to marvelous.

• SET UP AN OUT-THE-DOOR LAUNCHING PAD – Dedicate one basket near the door for items that need to leave the house, such as library books, DVDs to be returned, dry cleaning to be dropped off, and things to be delivered to family or friends. A charging station for all the electronics is a great addition to your launching pad. That’s where I keep ours, where I charge my cel phone, camera battery and Blue Tooth.

Originally posted 2010-06-17 18:53:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

NAPO-NC Responds to Quality of Life Study with Four Success Strategies

In the spirit of GO MONTH (Get Organized) I had to share the results of this recent study on Quality of Life as it relates to organization.

Triangle – RALEIGH, NC. – In a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Professional Organizers, 96% of respondents stated that they could gain more time at home if they were better organized, and a surprising 91% claimed the same in their professional lives. In fact, 71% went so far as to state that the quality of their lives would improve if they were more organized.

Clearly these numbers indicate why so many people make “getting organized” a New Year’s resolution. For those planning to tackle their personal or professional organization in 2011, the North Carolina chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO-NC) offers the following strategies:

1. Be specific. Lori Bruhns, President of NAPO-NC, suggests that “’Getting organized’ is too vague for someone to actually tackle. Instead, we encourage people to specify ways in which they would like to become more organized, such as ‘I’d like to streamline my morning routine’ or ‘I want to leave work with a cleared desktop.’”

2. Take baby steps. NAPO-NC Treasurer Tracey Gritz, notes that “Sometimes a job seems insurmountable. Taken all at once, it may be. But, if you stop and list out all of the small steps that it takes to get to the end, you suddenly have series of very do-able tasks that will lead to the successful completion of your goal.”

3. Reward yourself. “Take the time to play a board game with your family, go out for coffee with a friend, invite people over to celebrate, or take a long bath to reflect how far you have come in the space,” states Stefanie Watkins, NAPO-NC’s Vice President.

4. Enlist support. Karen Krasner, Director of Community Relations for NAPO-NC, recommends “telling a friend or family member what you hope to accomplish and when you plan to finish. Ask them to keep you accountable by checking in with you periodically to see how it’s going.”

If you are one of the 96% of people who believe they could save time at home by being more organized, implement the above strategies and contact me! I can help with a one-on-one organizational assessment of your home or office and provide hands-on help to clear the clutter and simplify your life.  Call or e-mail: 317-867-1540 or jnusbaum (at) simplifiedspaces (dot) net.

Originally posted 2011-01-13 08:30:45. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Angie’s List Article about Janet ~ Resolve to Rid Yourself of Clutter to Expand Use of Valuable Space

The following is an article written by Angie Hicks, founder of Angie’s List, where I was interviewed. The article appeared in the Indianapolis Star, Home and Garden section on 12/26/09. I’m reprinting the article on my blog for the great tips it offers.

Find reliable contractors and doctors when you join Angie’s List today –
Use promo code LOCAL to save 15%.

********************

By Angie Hicks (Founder of Angie’s List)

About this time each year, professional organizer Janet Nusbaum sees an uptick in business. “Folks start to set new goals for the year, and getting organized is always in the top 10,” said Nusbaum. Owner of Simplified Spaces in Carmel. “They have an influx of new stuff that comes in during the holiday. Often, when I get the call, they’re feeling very overwhelmed, and they’re reaching out for some solutions.

The new year represents a fresh start and a chance to purge the old, unnecessary items in your life to free up valuable space and reduce clutter. Organizing a home office, garage or basement can be a family project that you do yourself or one in which you hire a professional like Nusbaum.

“The first step is to define what the purpose is of that space,” Nusbaum said. “If you see conflicting stuff there that doesn’t meet the purpose of that space, it needs to leave, pose of that space, it needs to leave, so all you have in that space are things that meet your vision for what you want to do (there).”

Some other things to consider before beginning a reorganization project:

• Make a list of the tasks you want to accomplish and prioritize by putting the tasks most important to you at the top of the list.
• Start small and allot an hour or two dedicated to one area to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
• Buy to replace, not to add.
• If it doesn’t fit or it’s out of fashion, donate it. If you’re reorganizing your wardrobe closet, hang pants long ways, rather than fold, which takes up twice the space. Use stacking hangers that can hold multiple garments. Organize your closets by color or by type.
• Keep only what is necessary to accommodate your family’s needs. Keep in mind that round containers take up more space than square containers.
• Purchase several large plastic storage bins with lids. Organize items according to their use and label the bins accordingly.

Nusbaum also recommends storing items closest to their point of use. “If your coffee maker is on the kitchen counter, it’s more efficient to store everything relating to making that cup of coffee right together,” she said. It saves you steps.”

Carmel resident and a Simplified Spaces client, Julie Bowen, is a self-proclaimed “neat freak” who has hired Janet to organize her home, garage and basement. Organizers can also help organize bills and other paperwork that often gets lost in the shuffle.

Bowen keeps systems in place so she, her husband and two children know where to find things when they need to put up and where they are when they need to use them.

“Our home is easier to maintain because everything has a home, Bowen said.

Fritz Klooz, owner of Innovative Garages in Avon said his company can maximize garage space with overhead storage, cabinets and grid wall systems and pulley systems.  “The idea is to get everything up off the floor of the garage so you can power wash your garage or sweep your floor a lot easier, Klooz said.

You don’t have to throw away and create additional waste when you purge. An environmentally savvy organizer will look to recycle whenever possible. Also, donations to authorized charities can be used as a tax deduction.

Angie Hicks is an Indianapolis resident and founder of Angie’s List, a national provider of consumer ratings in more than 500 categories of service.

(Because they wrote this great article about my business, I’m returning the favor by passing on their 15% coupon code)

Find reliable contractors and doctors when you join Angie’s List today – Use promo code LOCAL to save 15%.

Originally posted 2010-05-07 12:26:54. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Create an Exit Strategy and a Drop Zone

You’re running late (again) and in a panic, you’re trying to get your kids and yourself out the door to school and work. Everyone is running around frantically to find what they need to leave the house with … backpack, cel phone, address book, hat, gym shoes … Does this sound familiar?

This was the scene at our house a few years ago too. What we needed in our home, and now as a Professional Organizer, I find that most of my clients need as well, is an’ exit strategy’ and a ‘drop zone.’ This is an area where items live that need to leave the house with you, as well as where appropriate items ‘drop’ when you arrive home. Items that need consistent homes in this area are:

• A checklist for leaving the house
• List of errands to run
• Keys, cel phone, PDA
• Purse
• Backpack
• Lunch box
• Coats, boots, hats, gloves, etc.
• Briefcase, laptop
• Merchandise returns, charity drop-offs, post office run items
• Umbrella
• Dog leash
• Sports equipment / musical instruments
• Towels for wiping dirty feet
• Trash can for dropping junk mail as you enter the house

To establish your own exit strategy and drop zone, identify (make a list) all the items that are regularly brought into the house and all the items that typically need to leave the house with you each day.

Next, determine the best location (home) for these items to live, in close proximity to the door that your family typically enters and leaves the home. Often this is through the garage. In many clients’ homes, I have arranged baskets to hold cel phones, PDAs, keys. In addition, hooks as the home for backpacks, umbrellas, dog leach, keys. What has become popular in many homes is a locker system where each family member has their own “cubby” or “locker” for holding their own belongings needed. Where space and budget allow, I have often brought in a closet contractor to construct a locker/cubby system for my clients.

A helpful tool for storing hats, gloves, scarves for all family members is to add a vertical over the door shoe holder (typically used to hold shoes vertically on a closet door). The younger kids have the lower pockets, older kids the middle pockets and the adults the top pockets. This way everyone has access to their own items and they can easily be seen through the clear pockets.

With all the electronics we carry daily, it is also important to have a consistent home to charge electronics, like cel phone and PDA. There are now docking stations available for purchase that allow you to charge all your equipment in one station.

After you have identified and strategized what needs to be located in your exit / drop zone and where the best home is for these items, it is critical that you communicate your new system to all family members. When everyone knows that there is a plan, and where the home is for their belongings, they will be more likely honor that system. When there are no consistent homes for belongings, clutter ensues.

Make a “Checklist for Leaving the House” unique to your household, or purchase the “Checklist for Leaving the House” pad for sale here at: http://www.onlineorganizing.com/ProductsPage.asp?name=Checklist_For_Leaving_The_House and keep it next to the door where you exit your home. This becomes your daily checklist and reminder so you don’t have to depend on memory when you’re rushed.

The key to creating and maintaining these areas is to know what you need to store, make the space, establish consistent homes for the items, and communicate the system to all family members. Soon the stress and chaos of the morning exit and afternoon drop will be a thing of the past.

Originally posted 2008-08-19 09:48:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Organize Your Recipes

I found this great article from a fellow organizer on a topic I haven’t written about before – organizing recipes. I like Evie’s ideas, so I wanted to share them with you.

So, what do you do with all of these clippings, or perhaps you have recipes written out on scraps of paper you got from a friend or coworker sharing her favorite recipe? Here is my current system, and I must say, it is working really well for me. Maybe it will work for you too.

Get an accordion file folder and label each pocket into categories as you would your recipe box. Here is a suggested category list:

• Appetizers and Snacks
• Beef
• Beverages
• Breads & Muffins
• Cakes & Squares
• Cookies & Desserts
• Casseroles & Pasta
• Fish & Pork
• Misc. (Pickles, Sauces, Breakfasts, etc.)
• Poultry
• Salads & Vegetables
• Soups & Stews

Get a large recipe box for your cards. I found this two-drawer holder which is perfect. I use the top drawer only for “my” recipes and family recipes. Any that are in my mother’s handwriting have been laminated to protect them.

The lower drawer is for recipes I have made from TV shows, magazines, or from friends that are “keepers.”

This system works so well, that it doesn’t take long to find my recipe, it is only in one of three places:

• Recipe Cards
• Cookbooks
• Accordion Folder

If I had a larger home, I would love to designate a whole drawer with file folders to recipes, but since I have a small house, this system works really well. The accordion folder fits in the cupboard beside my cookbooks.

The system is: once I make a recipe from a cookbook or a magazine, and it is a “ten,” then I write it onto a recipe card. The cards are proven, tried and true.

Let me know what you use to organize your recipes. I am always looking for new systems and ways to improve.

Elvie Look is an Entrepreneur, Expert Organizer, Cook and Seamstress. She provides organizing solutions, tips, menus and recipes at http://www.elviesessentials.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elvie_Look

Originally posted 2011-03-19 12:07:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Moms and organizers offer tips for all things back to school

(Article appearing in the BerksMont News, PA)

For parents who have been trying to keep their youngsters occupied all summer, September often replaces Christmas as “the most wonderful time of the year!” But for those parents who don’t like rigid schedules and helping with homework, it can also translate into a time of much family stress. Either way, back to school is a time of change. Professional organizers, a growing profession nationally and locally, are often called in to help families in times of transition.

As a professional organizer and a mother of three school-aged children, Debbie Lillard knows this transition all too well. Debbie Lillard started her organizing business, Space to Spare, in 2003.

She is an active member of the National Association of Professional Organizers Greater Philadelphia Chapter (www.NAPO-GPC.org) and has appeared on several episodes of HGTV’s Mission Organization. Debbie’s organizing tips have been featured in such magazines as Woman’s Day, Memory Makers and House & Home. Lillard recommends the following tips to get families ready for the busy back-to-school season:

1. Early to bed, early to rise. During summer months, children tend to stay up and sleep in later. To get them back into the routine of school schedules, put the routine in place as a dry run during the last week of summer. If everyone needs to be out of the house by 8:30 a.m. on a school day, make sure everyone has dressed, eaten and brushed their teeth by that time during your trial week.

2. Shop for school supplies at home first. Once you have the list of school supplies that your children need, take a look around your house first. Folders, crayons and even notebooks that are not full from the previous year can be used again. If the crayon box is broken, use a plastic container or Ziploc bag instead. Have the kids help you and make it a scavenger hunt! Check off what you have, then take the list to the store to purchase what you still need.

3. Create file folders. While you’re shopping for those school supplies, get an extra 2-pocket folder for each child. This can be used for holding any school information that you will refer to throughout the year (i.e. school calendar, absentee notes, teacher website info, handbooks, etc.). Label each folder with a child’s name and keep these in your home office for reference.

4. Visual reminders. Once you have all the information about your child’s special classes and extra-curricular activities, put them on a chart so that each day your child knows what is happening. Kids love pictures, so use stickers or computer clip art to make your chart visually appealing and colorful. Post the chart on the refrigerator or on a centrally-located bulletin board.

5. Designate a dumping ground. It’s been a few months, so even if you had a school routine you may have to review it with your kids. Physically show your children where you want them to put papers for you, homework, shoes, backpacks, and lunch boxes when they come home from school.

6. Clear out the old to make room for new. If you haven’t done so already, clear out your child’s backpack and their school papers from last year. Any special papers or artwork you want to save should be put in a scrapbook, a portfolio or a memory box. Designate one place where your child can put papers and reports throughout the upcoming year. This could be a drawer in their desk, a plastic storage bin in their room or a large art portfolio in their closet.

7. Layout the clothes. If clothing is an issue with your child, make sure they know what they are allowed to wear each day to school. If mom or dad says pants and a short sleeved shirt, then let the child choose which ones. In order to do this, make sure their clothes are accessible and simply organized in drawers or a closet.

8. Map out your activities on a family calendar. Back to school often means “back to busy,” so map it out by writing all activities on the calendar, even before your children commit to activities. Sometimes seeing it on paper helps you realize how much running around you will be doing!

9. Set up carpools. Make your life easier and save on gas and time by setting up carpools with your neighbors for school, sports and after-school activities.

10. Go through the routine with the entire family. Every family is different, so make a morning and nighttime routine that works for you. Involve as many family members as you can to spread the work of getting everyone out the door on time with everything they need. For example, if your kids are typically waiting for lunches in the morning, then pack them the night before or make it the first thing you do in the morning.

The Greater Philadelphia Chapter is part of the national nonprofit organization, NAPO, which has been active since 1985 and consists of more than 4,000 members throughout the United States and in eight other countries. For additional information or to find a professional organizer near you, visit the NAPO Web site at www.napo.org. Just click on “Find An Organizer.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I’m a NAPO member in Central Indiana and owner of Simplified Spaces Professional Organizing Solutions. I’m available to help you implement these and many more systems and strategies to clear the clutter and calm the chaos in your home and life. We also work with kids individually to help them establish organization, habits and routines for school and life success. Visit Simplified Spaces Professional Organizing Solutions for more info.

Originally posted 2010-08-28 11:23:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Let Go and Lighten Up in the New Year!

If you’ve ever said, “I’d get rid of this, if only I knew where to take it…” If this is your situation — you’re ready to let go of some belongings, but you want them to go to appropriate and worthy new homes — then I have some ideas.

But if you begin to waffle before you let go, remember that just because you paid good money for something, it might come in handy someday, someone gave it to you, or it’s beautiful or useful, doesn’t mean that it’s beautiful or useful for you right now. Pass on what you no longer need, use, or love to someone who will appreciate and use it now.

Recycle what you can…

In addition to the usual newspaper, plastics, metal, and glass that you can recycle through your city’s residential program, find out about the other special facilities that may be available to you.

These services and facilities (there might be several separate locations for various recyclables) may surprise — and delight! — you with what they accept: anything from scrap metal, copper pipe, and aluminum siding to phone books, computers, foam packing peanuts, and printer cartridges. Old paints and varnishes, poisons, aerosols, motor oil, and all manner of other icky and toxic stuff may also find a safe home if you do a little research. To dispose of cell phones and rechargeable batteries, check out Call2Recycle.

…and throw out what you must.

Let’s face it: there are some things that are so awful that they can’t even be recycled, so pitch ‘em and don’t look back. For large amounts of stuff to dump, think about coordinating a group of neighbors to share the cost of renting what becomes a “community dumpster.” Then have fun filling it up!

How about a trade?

Hold a swap party! Get a group together to exchange clothes, toys, CDs, tools, or craft materials; or check out Swapstyle.com, an international, online, virtual swap party.

Donating feels great!

It’s also easy, and it puts items into the hands of those who will benefit greatly from them.

* Friends and relatives are good folks to start with, especially if you have exceptional stuff, sentimental items, or family heirlooms that shouldn’t be tossed or donated to just any old place. You can feel good knowing that the people you’ve selected to receive these special items will love them as much as you do. (Just make sure that they really do want your cast-offs so that you aren’t creating a clutter problem for them.)

* Groups you belong to — a faith community, school group, club, or sports team — may hold rummage sales where you can share your abundance and benefit a group you care about at the same time.

* Charities such as Goodwill, the Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul, and Easter Seals accept donations of many things; plus, they may even pick up your discards right from your house. And listen up, all you sewing fans: Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul also accept fabric scraps.

* Other charities have specific “wish list” needs that you may be able to fulfill with things you’d like to get rid of anyway. Try contacting the United Way to see if any of their member organizations have such needs.

* Excess Access keeps useful stuff out of landfills and links donors with charities.

* Childcare centers, preschools, grade schools, camps, or after-school programs may enjoy your extra toys and art/craft materials, while libraries, nursing homes, or hospitals may welcome your books, CDs, magazines, videos, and DVDs. Children’s groups may also like your fancy “dress-up clothes.”

* High school, college, and community theater groups may love your old bridesmaid or prom dresses, dance-recital and Halloween costumes, and antique furniture or period housewares to use as set dcor or props.

* Speaking of bridesmaid and prom dresses, investigate the Glass Slipper Project, a Chicago-based organization that provides disadvantaged teens with prom dresses.

* And how about your wedding gown? The nuptial police really will not come after you if you donate it (or sell or consign it, for that matter), and the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation’s Brides against Breast Cancer program even makes it easy.

* Do you have excess building materials? Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore accepts usable cabinets, lumber, windows, hardware, fixtures, lights, flooring, and more, while Rebuilding Together, a nonprofit group that repairs the homes of low-income families, is looking for your extra tools.

* Women’s and children’s clothing and shoes, as well as toys, may find a welcome home at a women’s domestic-abuse shelter, while men’s clothing will benefit men in homeless shelters. Consider also Dress for Success, a national group that assists low-income women looking for work.

* The Lions Club or New Eyes for the Needy will take your old eyeglasses.

* There are food pantries in most communities that feed an ever-growing population of citizens without enough to eat, and they’d welcome your monetary or nonperishable-food donations.

Giving things away can also take other forms…

* Check out the Freecycle Network, a national movement with (many!) local groups that connect those who want to give away their stuff for free with those who want to take it off their hands.

* Or put together a Circulation Celebration: On a specified day, people take anything they no longer want to a central location, and anyone who wants it can take it, with no money exchanged at all. It’s truly intended to just move things around — no profit motive at all.

* If nothing else, set something out to the curb with a big “FREE! TAKE ME!” sign on it. I’ll bet it walks.

Maybe you’d like some cash for your goods?

Garage sales — especially ones with several families or a whole neighborhood participating — are a time-honored method, but there are others:

* Sell your general merchandise and collectibles — just about anything, really — through eBay, the huge, sell-it-yourself, online auction site. If you’re a little low tech or strapped for time, work with a service that sells your possessions online and then ships them for you for a commission or fee.

* There’s also Craigslist, a free, giant, online version of a local newspaper’s classified ads.

* If antiques are your bag, consult an antiques mall about selling your wares for a fee or commission.

* Take your books, CDs, videos, DVDs, and video games to resale stores that buy them outright.

* Clothes, shoes, and accessories may fetch a fine price at resale shops that either buy them outright or pay you a commission after they sell. Most accept women’s clothing, but some also sell — or even specialize in — children’s, teens’, men’s, or vintage clothing; household and decorative items; and furniture. These may also be the right places to take dance-recital costumes and Halloween costumes prior to Halloween.

* Likewise, there are consignment and resale shops that deal solely in musical instruments, toys and other children’s goods, and sports equipment — great for selling and buying, since the kiddos keep growing!

But what if you have painful or sentimental things — love letters from a failed relationship, or your child’s first dinosaur diorama — that aren’t exactly the kinds of things you’d donate or sell?

* First be very certain that you’re ready to say goodbye. Visualize yourself letting go of the item and see how it feels. If you feel liberated and wonderful, go ahead. If you feel regretful and sad, wait awhile and try visualizing the release later.

* If you’re not ready to let go, perhaps put these items in one big box so that they’re not scattered all over, ready to emotionally ambush you every time you see them. You can even inject a little humor to help you detach by labeling the box something like My Big, Bad Box of Horrible, Awful, Icky, Very Sad Things.

* If/when you are ready to let go, take some pictures if they’ll help you to release your mental hold on the objects. The photos will spark your memories, so you may not need to keep the physical objects themselves.

* Create a little ceremony, or share a story about the item with someone close to you, to send it off with the dignity and respect that it deserves as an important, although perhaps bittersweet, part of your past.

* And lastly, this suggestion may strike you as a little “out there” — or perhaps as just right: have a “ritual burn.” Take your painful souvenirs, alone, to a quiet place where you can safely burn them. As you prepare and light a fire, think about what they mean to you. Place them into the fire, watch the flames and smoke curling up, and feel your emotional burden lifting, liberating you from these painful connections.

Sending your belongings to worthy recipients — with dignity and respect — can help you to feel good about letting go of them. Here’s to lightening up and moving on in 2011!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paula_Apfelbach

Originally posted 2011-02-05 18:02:21. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Ten Home Decor Items that Combine Flair with Functionality

When organizing your home, you typically desire an uncluttered and neat look, but you also want it to look nice.  There are so many options available that are well designed and fit into almost any décor.  There is something to fit any taste.

1.  Baskets are always a popular organizational item.  If they are wood baskets, they give a nice natural look to the room. They are handy for holding all kinds of things, from makeup to toys. I prefer square baskets without a handle. YoIf you want items to stand upright in the basket (like toiletries), look for baskets with minimal weaving on the inside bottom of the basket. Too much weaving will cause items to continually fall over. 

2.  Shoe organizers are an item no family should be without.  Who doesn’t get tired of either tripping over shoes dropped at the front door or not being able to find the mate to the kids’ shoes as you are getting ready to head out the door?  There are different styles available, from shoe racks that fit in the bottom of a closet to those that hang on the back of a door. I prefer a clear organizer that fits over a door (canvas works well too), allowing you to see shoes vertically rather than having to look under clothing racks. The canvas may look more attractive, but clear is more functional. Over the door shoe organizers can be used in the coat closet as well for storing gloves and hats. I use one there in my home ~ my gloves are stored in the highest row, oldest daughter’s are in the middle rows and youngest daughter’s are in the bottom rows.

3.  Closet organizers are becoming big business; as a matter of fact there are companies dedicated to helping you design the perfect closet organizer for your home.  They can be as simple as plastic or metal adjustable shelves, or beautiful wood cabinets that are built to fit in your closet.  They can have shelves, drawers, wire baskets, and places to hang clothes and baskets.

4.  Desktop organizers are a must-have for any home office or homework area.  In addition to the standard pencil can and paper clip holders, there are nice wood pieces that are great for sorting mail and important papers.  I use this exact desk top organizer on my desk. It holds many of the items that we often line up on our desktop, which takes up more space. Just be sure that any organizer you add to your desktop serves a specific purpose and is not just adding to desktop clutter.

5.  Clothes trees or hooks can add an old-fashioned flair to any room.  There are also more modern designs to choose from.  They can be used near an entry for guests’ coats, or in the bedrooms as a great place for kids to put their PJ’s, robes, or even a towel after a bath. Again, make sure that this home decor item is really serving a purpose and not just becoming the catch all and adding to a room’s clutter.

6.  Multi-functional furniture with drawers can be great in homes with limited space.  There are couches and beds that have drawers built into the bases that make great places to store out of season clothes or toys.  There are also coffee tables that come with built in storage. 

7.  Video and audio storage are often wonderfully crafted pieces of furniture.  They can be incorporated into a media center in the home, or used as a stand-alone piece.  Some of them are designed to look like antique pieces of furniture. 

8.  Jewelry boxes are a practical way to not only organize and protect all your precious pieces, but many are almost as beautiful to look at as your jewelry.  You can find hand-carved pieces, or boxes with inlay.  They look great on a dresser.

9.  Carts with wheels are a handy form of storage, as they can be used anywhere in the house.  Plus, if you don’t need it all the time, they can be tucked away in a closet, pantry or corner.  They can have drawers or shelves and offer additional workspace. They are great for kitchens, closets and offices.

10.  Caddies are great for things that may need to travel from room to room.  They can be nice looking buckets or baskets. There are also fabric caddies that have pockets that can be hung on the wall. These can be found in a wide variety of styles. They are great in kids’ rooms for storing small treasures. We use a caddy to store toys that the kids move around the house, and for cleaning supplies for each floor in our home. In the caddy, the supplies have a specific home, and will stay organized even when they are being transported from room to room.

No matter what your taste is in decorating, it’s pretty easy to find great accents to your home that add not only to the form, but to the function of your life.

Originally posted 2009-02-05 14:47:10. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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