Organizing Tips
Use vertical space to optimize your storage space.
Use Vertical Space
- Make use of vertical space. Buy shelving units to keep your items off the floor. This will help protect them from water damage and allow for air movement in and around containers, reducing the build-up of mould. Choose shelves that are 24” deep, if your room permits.
Create Zones
- Divide your storage into zones – sports equipment, decorations, household items, electronics, and memorabilia – categories that best suit the items you wish to store.
Use Plastic Storage Bins
- Use plastic storage bins to protect your items from moisture. Use clear bins, labelling them so you can easily see what is inside.
Measure your Space then buy the Shelving Units
- If you need five shelves you may find that two storage units – one with two shelves the other with three shelves – fit the space better.
Need a Deep Shelf for Large items
- Two 24” storage units laced together will make a 48” deep shelf to hold hockey bags.
Secure 2 shelves together to make a place for storing large items
Leave Space for Tall Items to Stand
6. Place two storage units side by side, with a space in between, to create a support for golf bags.
Add your Advise
What product have you found to help keep your basement organized?
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. She guides and supports you to be accountable for your time, to complete projects and to reach your goals. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Set up your laundry room to suit your needs
Collection Area
- Keep a central collection area for your laundry close to where people change. The main bathroom, near the bedrooms, is often a good choice. Keep three hampers – one each for light, medium and dark colours Make sure everyone knows to empty pockets, because no one else is going to check.
Treat Stains
- Keep a stain remover nearby so that everyone can treat the stains on their clothing. Children may need help with the most difficult, like blood. Use shampoo without conditioner on grease stains. Once stains are treated, fold the clothing to prevent stain remover from touching the hamper. Remember to place clothing in the correct laundry hamper.
Make a Space for Folding
- Have a table or space available so you can fold and pile items as they are removed from the dryer.
Have a Rack for Hanging Clothes
- Have a place to hang up clothes – a line, door hooks or a free-standing wire rack.
Keep Supplies Handy
- Establish a laundry supply shelf or cupboard. Be sure to have a variety of supplies available so you can easily handle any stain – detergent, bleach, shampoo, stain remover, and a bar of laundry soap for quick hand-washing items. Include a basin so you can conveniently soak or hand wash items.
Add Your Advice in the Comments
What do you do to make laundry easy in your home?
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. She guides and supports you to be accountable for your time, to complete projects and to reach your goals. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Spring is in the air
Perhaps Spring Cleaning should be thought of as Winter Clean up. To make your life easier start by sorting through the things you are going to store for next winter. If they are:
- broken, get rid of them
- if they were not used donate them
- if you have outgrown their use, clothing or toys, donate them
Sometimes donation sites will not take winter items in the spring. If you are finding it hard to donate your winter items, box them up and label them to donate next winter. When you see those items next winter they will be ready to leave your house making your life easier.
Now that your space is empty and ready for spring and summer items apply the same rules:
- if they are broken, get rid of them
- if you didn’t use them last year donate them
- if you have outgrown their use, clothing or toys, donate them
Donate these items early in the season so donation sites can sell them when people are looking for these types of items.
Finally, you have the things you want to use this spring. Store them close to where you use them for example,
- gardening items can be stored in the garage, a shed or near the backdoor
- patio items, dishes, candles, table cloths, and napkins can be all stored together so it is easy to entertain
- toys for playing with outside, chalk, bubbles, sand toys, trucks, bikes, scooters can be stored so it is easy for children to get them and put them away without help. This makes cleaning up before they come inside quick and easy.
Make your life easy by keeping only the things you need and love and find the best spot to store them so you can get them out quickly and put them away easily.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of physical activity to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you in managing your time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Harold Taylor’s, Taylor Time Newsletter June 2015 gave this great advice on storage space. I hope you enjoy it.
If you have more drawer space in your dressers and cabinets than you need, the number of items stored there will increase to fill the space available (Parkinson’s Law).
When you sort through your belongings and donate or scrap the sweaters, blouses, scarves and other clothing items you never use, re-purpose the drawer for those non-clothing items that are causing your closets and other storage areas to overflow. You are re-purposing when you use closet hangar space to hang a shoe holder to free up floor space, or when you remove the bottom shelves of a linen closet to store your golf clubs or use a kitchen drawer to house your toolkit. Don’t feel that you have to use all storage areas for the purpose they were originally intended.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. She guides and supports you to be accountable for your time, to complete projects and to reach your goals. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
At the National Home Show in Toronto I learned about this great product for the do-it-yourself photo people. Oceans Sales Ltd is based in Calgary, Alberta sells a box that contains 3 frames, 3 4A letter printable canvas, canvas tape and instructions. You take the picture, print the picture and mount it in the frame. In just a short time you can have your pictures hanging on your wall. The product is called photo2canvas http://www.oceansales.ca/our-products/wellness-leisure/smart-living-photo-gallery-kit.html
This award winning frame system allows you to create your own professional quality canvas printed from your home printer using “Living hinge frame technology” and your own digital photos.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you in managing your time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Beware of the location of personal information
Here are some tips from Crime Stoppers published May 13, 2013
An estimated 10 million people each year become victims of identity theft. There are things each of us can do to help prevent becoming one.
- Try not to leave mail in your mailbox for long.
- When sending mail out that contains any kind of account information, it’s best to drop it off directly into a postal box rather than leave it in your mailbox for your carrier.
- Pay attention to when your regular bills or account statements are due to arrive and follow up if they are late. Thieves have been known to submit “change of address” forms to divert mailings. Your account information, including utilities, can then be used to set up phony accounts in your name or run up charges.
- Virtually any document containing more personal identifiers than your name and address can be used by an identity thief and should be shredded. It can be stolen from your purse or wallet, your trash or even your home.
- Be mindful of where you place bank and credit card statements within your residence if you employ outside help or are having work done inside.
- When you are required or asked by a company to provide your Social Insurance number, don’t be afraid to ask why they need it and what their policy is to protect it. Businesses are required by law to properly dispose of your personal information.
For more information, visit MichianaCrimeStoppers.com
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. She guides and supports you to be accountable for your time, to complete projects and to reach your goals. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
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