Home Organization

Tip: Organize Child´s Bedroom
The best way to organize a child´s bedroom so that it will stay that way is to provide plenty of storage area, and ensure that everything has a place. If each toy, item of clothing or knick-knack has a place, then your child can put them back after each use. Make sure that the storage is child-friendly and easy to reach. Place hooks and containers at a lower than average height, and set aside regular times to tidy up, before the mess gets out of hand. Here are some links that might also be of help for you.

Tip: Magazine Storage
To eliminate clutter in your house, stop yourself from saving endless back issues of your favorite magazines. Define what it is you want out of the magazine and cut it out. File it while it is still in your hand. Now, recycle the rest.

Tip: Cleaning in a Hurry
If visitors are coming and you need to tidy up in a hurry, make do with cleaning the hallway, tidying obvious clutter, and throwing away dead flowers. Straighten cushions, chairs and rugs to create the impression of order. Spray room freshener and dim the lighting.

Tip: Keep Supplies Handy
Store your cleaning products and equipment close to where you will use them. Duplicate supplies, if need be, to save time and energy. Or, keep your supplies in a tray or basket that you can carry from a central storage spot.

When cleaning around the house, carry a bucket or basket filled with all the cleaning materials you might need. This eliminates trips back and forth, and saves time.

If you live in a multi-level home, store a set of cleaning supplies on each floor. This saves you from transporting these from floor to floor, and you will always have supplies handy.

Tip: Balancing Act
Trying to balane work, home, kids and a spouse can certainly be overwhelming. Don´t try to do everything yourself. You don´t have to be a superparent, and it is OK to ask for help. You are not the only one in your house, so you should not be responsible for everything in the house. Delegate household chores, and be sure to get your spouse to do his or her fair share. Older kids must be able to do their share as well. Most importantly, don´t sweat the small things, and enjoy your life and your children NOW, while you still can. Does it really matter if there is dust on your shelves? Will anyone care 10 years down the road? Probably not, so relax, do what you can, but also enjoy your life and take care of yourself.

Tip: Organized Closet
To keep your closet neat and tidy, place all the things you use most often between waist and eye level. Don´t place heavy items you use often, such as your vacuum cleaner, behind less-used items. Put seldom-used items higher in the closet, but not out of reach (for most people this is about 10 inches above their head).

Tip: Large Photo Storage
Here is an idea for storing those large, yet outdated family portraits. Use a large zippered artist`s portfolio. This enables you to store many large portraits upright and dust free.

Tip: Organizing a Cluttered Room
Designate one area or room where the inevitable clutter can accumulate. For example, a place where the puzzles can be left out, where a sewing machine can stay open or where model airplanes can wait for completion. A room with a door that can be closed is ideal.

Place containers in the areas of your house where clutter normally collects. For example, place a large toy box in the playroom, a basket for newspapers and magazines in the living room, a file cabinet for mail that otherwise may collect on the kitchen counter or hall table.

As you travel throughout your house on a daily basis, never walk through your house empty-handed. Pick up and put away as you go. This will save much time in the long run, and you will never have a huge job to do all at once. You can also try to train each family member to never leave a room empty handed, taking either an article of clothing or toy back to his or her respective rooms.

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