National Get Organized Week is upon us, which can be a huge motivation for anyone looking to get the house in order before the snow begins to fall. With this amazing week dedicated to getting your home in tip top shape, you’re sure to find some inspiration in these ten tips. Best of all, you won’t have to spend a fortune on supplies to get you organized with these tips. Rather, you will be able to use items from your own home to cut down on the clutter and make things so much easier to find. So, don’t get flustered yet, as these ten ideas are sure to make Get Organized Week a little fun.
1. Shelves
When it comes to the home, shelves are probably the best thing you can do. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have books or a lot of space in your home, as shelving is the perfect way to ensure you can declutter and look organized for a very low price. If you don’t want to put a lot of elbow grease into this concept, then the best thing you can do is purchase the shelves. Usually, tall shelves from a department store like Walmart range around $30 and smaller shelves are a mere half the price. So, you can purchase a few without breaking the bank. You might also consider building your own shelves to help keep back the costs and to ensure they are sturdy enough to last for years. You shouldn’t disregard hanging shelves either. This can be perfect for nick-knacks and lighter books. Once you get your shelves up, use them for all sorts of things. You can even buy decorative bins to store your junk items without creating an eyesore.
2. Hang Things Up
When it comes to clutter, hanging things up can be one of your best defenses in getting rid of it. This is especially true when it comes to the kitchen. For instance, if you don’t have a lot of décor on the walls you might consider hanging up your pots and pans. Not only will it look rustic and chic, but it will also give you access to the items you need in a hurry. You might also consider hanging up some of your kitchen utensils, unless you have an abundance of them or don’t think they would look great on the wall. Another option is to hang up your mugs under the cabinets. This can be simply done with a small hook and will add a cute look that makes mornings a breeze. This method comes in handy in the garage too, as you can put things like shovels, hoes and even tools on the wall, as long as they are secured properly. Try to do the same in the home when you come across things that might look great hung up. You can even hang old toys from the ceiling to add a cute look to a child’s bedroom or playroom.
3. Control Cords
One of the biggest reasons why a space looks cluttered has to do with the visible cords. These are definitely an eyesore that is hard to control. If you have children then they may cause even more problems for you. So, this Get Organized Week, you might want to handle the cord issue once and for all. The first trick for this problem is to use a toilet roll. You can cut holes in a toilet roll to feed the cords through, which will prevent them from getting all tangled up. You can also wrap up the cords and hide them in a toilet roll to keep them from going all over the place. Best of all, you can paint the toilet roll to suit your own personal style. Another option is to use twist ties. This will allow you to get rid of some of the slack that the cords have, so they won’t hang all over the place. If you don’t like the unsightly look of the cords, then buy tape that pairs well with your work space, this can hide the appearance. You can also create a back board for your desk that will keep the cords out of your sight. This can be done with cardboard or old wood. You can even paint it to suit your needs.
4. Pantry
The pantry can be a place of nightmares when it comes to organizing. Often, things get shoved in, so you don’t know where anything is. This can cause cooking and cleaning to take even longer than it needs to. One of the first things you can do to ease this problem is grab some old sofa boxes. The twelve pack boxes should allow you to store your bulk cans in one area. This will allow you to grab what you need in mere seconds. You can even stack these boxes to take up even less space in your pantry. Spices are another big problem when it comes to the pantry. If you have a lot then it might be impossible to find anything you need. You can always place your spices in a shoe box or two and place labels on the top of them. If you don’t have a lot of spices, or you only frequently use a few of them then you can add a magnet to the back and place it on the side of the refrigerator. If you don’t like the way this looks, then add a magnet to an old baby food jar and transfer the spice there. You can even buy chalkboard paint to add some style to the jar and to make labeling a breeze. Another great option is to use cereal containers to stack your favorite breakfast supplies and snacks.
5. Freezer
If your freezer doesn’t have a lot of storage space then you’re probably in for a big headache. You can easily organize your freezer though, even if it doesn’t have the shelves you desire. One of the best options is to add a small curtain rod. You can find these at the dollar store as they are designed for bathroom and basement windows. This can easily be adjusted to the top of the freezer. From there, you can hang all of your food that comes in a bag. This is especially great for anyone that does food prepping. A quick way to add shelves into your freezer is to pick up some plate stands. These are designed for stacking plates in your shelf, but they’re perfect for allowing you to stack foods in the freezer without having to fear an avalanche every time you open the door.
6. Office/Craft Supplies
Office and craft supplies can take over a room quickly if your let them. Rather than buying storage for these items, it might be wise to take to your recycling bin to help keep your area neat and tidy. For instance, you can place a wide variety of supplies in oatmeal containers. These long cylinders are perfect for yarn, markers, sewing supplies and so much more. If you have lots of scrapbook paper, sticker sheets, patterns and other similar products then a cereal box can be your best friend. These will keep the items in order and flat, so they’ll look their best when it is time to use them. Mason jars are also the perfect storage item, especially if you don’t want the item easily accessible. Plus, you can later transform your mason jars into a craft when the mood strikes. Smaller items like sequences, beads, paperclips and more can be stored in a berry container for convenience.
7. Condense closet
Closets are one of the most disorganized places in a home, more often than not. There are a lot of simple tricks you can use to get your closet in order though. For starters, you can use the tabs off of your favorite canned drinks to stack your hangers. This will allow you to store three or more items in one spot, so your closet won’t be overflowing with clothing items. This especially comes in handy with pants. Your shoes can be stacked up to help prevent overflow too, but if you want the closet to look well put together then you might want to get a shoe organizer. These can be purchased for a fairly cheap price, but you can also build your own to save some money. There are lots of DIY ideas out there, so look around to see which suits your style. If you have a lot of linens in the closet then place them in a trash bag. You can suck the air out with a vacuum to help the items take up less space.
8. Toys
You have probably had a few moments of frustration over the toys in your home. Luckily, there’s a lot of great ways to work on organizing these items. One of the best bets is to invest in storage bins, but if you don’t want to spend money then consider using shoe boxes or wooden boxes that you build yourself. You can color coat these items to help children place specific toys in specific areas. Smaller items can be placed in oatmeal containers or even plastic bottles to help keep them in one space. If your child enjoys action figures or dolls like Barbie, then you might consider hanging a shoe organizer on the back of the door. These toys fit perfectly in the slots and will keep them off of the floor.
9. Invest in Storage Containers
One of the best ways to get your home in shape is to invest a little money in storage containers. These items can make the home look cleaner and will help keep all of your items organized. You can always save on your budget by buying one storage container at a time. This will also allow you to organize slowly, so the job isn’t too overwhelming. Luckily, most storage containers don’t cost a lot of money either. You can also purchase containers that fit into tight spaces. For instance, you can buy or make a container that fits next to the refrigerator, which doubles as a space for spices or canned goods. There are also bins that fit perfectly under couches and beds to store away items like magazines or clothing.
10. Minimize
Of course, one of the fastest ways to combat clutter and disorganization is to actually cut back on the items you have. You might want to take this week to go through your excess items and see if any of it actually brings you joy. If it doesn’t improve your life in one way or another then get rid of it. You can sell it, donate it or even toss it. When you get rid of your excess clutter, you might feel a lot better about your home’s environment. It will also help you organize the things you do have, so you can enjoy the space you live in even more.
National Get Organized Week is the perfect time to jump on the tasks you’ve been planning on working on for some time. This week will help you prep for the cold weather and ensure your home is functioning like a well-oiled machine. It may even help you find new hiding places for all of your kids’ holiday gifts.
