After our real estate team helps you negotiate the best possible price for your new home, now it’s time to settle in! In this post I’d like to share some clever organization tips you may not have thought of in the past.
MAIL & MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS:
Your junk drawer is already packed with, well, junk. Set up an actual in-box for all of your papers — mail, receipts, and your kid’s notes from school — and sort through the pile once a week. When a guest comes, simply pop on the lid to hide the clutter.
Take advantage of your kitchen cabinets by turning the backs into an organization station. “Sort everything into categories and file in pocket organizers, which stick on the inside of kitchen cabinet doors,” said Leslie Josel, creator of Order Out of Chaos. This means you’ll be able to track down Mom’s beloved recipe without digging through a junk drawer.
While I’m speaking of receipts: WALLET:
Although paperless receipts are slowly but surely becoming the norm, there are still plenty of retailers and restaurants that give out the paper kind. “Save receipts on the fly with Shoeboxed, an app that lets you photograph store slips or forward e-mail receipts,” says Donna Smallin, author of Clear the Clutter, Find Happiness. Once uploaded, you can categorize receipts and easily find them on the searchable server.
PANTRY:
Stock shelves like the grocery store does. By placing the newest boxes, containers, and cans behind the older stuff, you’ll use the older food first. Keep track of what you actually have by placing dry foods (including cereals, beans, nuts, and flour) in labeled or clear containers.
KITCHEN COUNTERS:
Cluttered countertops are a cook’s nightmare. Grouping kitchen gear by color lets you reap the benefits of an organized kitchen without the stress of visible clutter. Amp things up a notch by taking everything off the counters and storing them on open shelves.
KITCHEN TOOLS:
Detangle kitchen tools with drawer dividers. Adjustable dividers such as expandable utensil organizers can accommodate big, small, and awkwardly shaped tools. You’ll finally be able to find your ice cream scoop in peace!
GROCERY SHOPPING: (My personal favorite of these tips!)
Turn the inside of a cabinet into a makeshift shopping station with an adhesive pocket for coupons and chalkboard decal for shopping lists – write down what you use on the chalkboard decals as they empty, or when a recipe calls for something you forgot to get last time! And hey, you can even include your home’s wifi password for the next time the kids’ friends come over or Grandma’s staying over to keep an eye on them while you’re off having some much needed respite with your significant other!
BATHROOM SINK:
“Assign each family member his or her own color and use this as an organizing principle all over the house — each person’s toothbrush, towel, and laundry hamper can be coordinated in the designated shade, making it easy for everyone to find their own stuff and (more importantly) put it away,” Sharon Tindell, chief merchandising officer, The Container Store suggests. Start small with the bathroom (toothbrushes!) and then expand.
LINEN CLOSET:
You can never have enough sheets and towels … until your closet is overflowing with mismatched but well-loved linens. Instead of tucking them away in baskets or trying to shove them onto the invariably too-high shelf above, place everything straight on the shelves so that you can see exactly what you have. Use shelf dividers to keep everything separated and prevent stacks from toppling over. Another great tip: Store sheets sets (assuming you actually get them folded so that they will fit) within the pillowcase to take the stress out of making the bed.
And tune-in next time for more great organization tips which will cover the Toy Room, Garage, Etc.!!!