What are your top 3 organizational tricks?

[spaceman]

In a nutshell?

[MaMa2005]

The Desk Apprentice

Lots of labeled duotang/two pocket folders

Labeled cardboard magazine holders

[Lisa in Jax]

Household or school?

 

Assuming that you meant household, here are mine:

 

1. Open the mail over the recycling bin so

the extra paper doesn't live on my counter for days/weeks.

 

2. Change to "electronic" bills where possible (less filing/paper).

 

3. Store all "like" items together.

 

4. If possible, store items where they're used most.

 

5. Fold extra sheet sets so that the fitted sheet, top sheet and one pillow case will fit inside the other pillow case. That way, they stay together (no hunting for matches!) and the linen closet stays neat, too. :)

 

Lisa

[KristinaBreece]

Household or school?

 

Assuming that you meant household, here are mine:

 

1. Open the mail over the recycling bin so

the extra paper doesn't live on my counter for days/weeks.

 

2. Change to "electronic" bills where possible (less filing/paper).

 

3. Store all "like" items together.

 

4. If possible, store items where they're used most.

 

5. Fold extra sheet sets so that the fitted sheet, top sheet and one pillow case will fit inside the other pillow case. That way, they stay together (no hunting for matches!) and the linen closet stays neat, too. :)

 

Lisa

 

I like!

[Lara in Colo]

I do the sheet thing too!!

 

I have things together in containers as sets, I have plastic "shoebox" size containers that I put:

 

All my makeup in : easy to get out/put away

 

all the skinned knee stuff in: ointment, bandages, antiseptic--kids can get it and put it away (Idon't care if the bandage trash stays in it-I'll gladly clean it out vs picking up tiny papers)

 

A larger container for the paper plates, napkins and plastic silverware

 

 

I have the out of season clothes/blankets/ coats in boxes under the beds (they take up most of the under the bed space so double bonus--no extra storage space needed and less time picking up the childrens rooms)

 

I keep the extra blankets we use for picnics and such in spare pillow shams with a plastic liner (for wet grass), this is easier to load and carry to the park (also to keep in the car)

 

I have all the bills in a file basket on a shelf, very easy to find and easy to put away fast.

[praisefor3]

Just have time to list one:

 

We live and breathe by google calendar. I have about 10 different categories on the calendar - each a different color. One for each kid's activities, one for family, one for just mom, one for just dad, one for schooling records, one for health (who had a fever, what medicine was taken, etc.) etc. We access the calendar by any computer and by our phones. As each child gets old enough we give them access to the calendars and allow them to add to some of them. I do keep one of the calendars totally private for my own use.

[Pretty in Pink]

1. Declutter...often. Get rid of all of the extra stuff.

2. Recycle all of those extra papers, workbooks, magazines, etc. Having a recycle bin handy at all times is great for nipping paper clutter in the bud as it comes in, rather than letting it pile up.

3. Goodwill. Keep a donationion box handy at all times. You'll be surprised at how much you use it.

[meggie]

1) I use plantoeat.com to organize my recipes and menu planning stuffs. (I am in no way affiliated with them, I just love their service).

 

2)Keep things in baskets. I have baskets in the linen closet for washclothes, pillow cases and hand towels. I have baskets above the kitchen sink (absolutely no way one of my kids could reach it) for vitamins and medicines and matches and extracts, etc.

 

3)Chore checklist lite on my android. It tells me what I need to do everyday, every week, twice a month, and every month. Everyday I write my chores on a $3 white board and cross off as I go.

 

4) (more than 3, sorry) I have four of those $3 whiteboards hung on my wall, one has my to do list, my son's to do list, my husband's to do list and a shopping list. It's in the main living area of my house, so it gets seen frequently and easy for every to use.

 

5) "A place for everything and everything in its place." You really won't be organized if you don't have a place for everything to go. "Don't put it down, put it away." Try to only deal with things once.

 

6) Stacks of papers that you have no idea what to do with? File them. Better to have them in a file box than scattered all over the house making a mess (and making an even bigger mess when you try to find one particular piece).

 

7) Desk Apprentice for my desk, not for kid's school supplies. All office supplies go in there, file folders "Things to be filed" "Things to shred" "Things to be typed up onto the computer.

 

8) Throw stuff away, throw more stuff away, throw even more stuff away.

 

If you can't tell, I'm a recovering slob. I'm not perfect at all of these yet, but these things have REALLY helped me out the past few weeks.

[Satori]

Desk Apprentices

Minimal toys

Online scheduling and planning

Google Docs and such/Evernote

Lots of bins and a warehouse, remnants of my old business I sold

[bettyandbob]

1. don't have a dh

2. don't have dc

 

wait it's probably too late for 1. or 2.

[PeterPan]

Stay off the computer. (which I don't do, haha). Less time on the computer = more time picking up.

Make a cleaning plan inspired by Flylady.

Put it in your computer's calendar program for daily reminders and DO it. Whatever is messy gets decluttered and gets added to that schedule for regular cleaning. So my desk now has nightly reminders and a monthly deep-cleaning reminder.

 

I guess you could say cleaning and organizing are one in the same for me. If you spend time in the space decluttering it, you'll have less to clean. When you're in there to clean, you'll see the organization you need and improve it. But you can't organize clutter.

 

As far as organizing living, well again that's all on the computer. Ical on the mac. Everything goes in there, everything. Love it.

[MrsKriknav]

Just have time to list one:

 

We live and breathe by google calendar. I have about 10 different categories on the calendar - each a different color. One for each kid's activities, one for family, one for just mom, one for just dad, one for schooling records, one for health (who had a fever, what medicine was taken, etc.) etc. We access the calendar by any computer and by our phones. As each child gets old enough we give them access to the calendars and allow them to add to some of them. I do keep one of the calendars totally private for my own use.

 

:iagree:

[RainbowSprinkles]

:lurk5:Great thread! Thanks for sharing your tips!

[amo_mea_filiis.]

If you can't tell, I'm a recovering slob.

 

Love it! Stealing it! LOL

[specialmama]

Because I'm a perfectionist, I often don't clean or unclutter because in my faulty reasoning, I think if I don't have the time to do it right, why bother at all. It doesn't work. :glare: I've had to force myself to stay focused on ONE SMALL area (ie: over the dishwasher) and don't stop till it's immaculate. Then I can look back on that area and feel great about tackling the next area. Kinda like eating an elephant. This method has helped me focus and be successful.

Edited June 1, 2011 by specialmama

[LibraryLover]

Clean as you go, don't walk out of room without picking up that glass or that piece of paper on the sofa

Don't buy what you don't need

Realize that people living in a space will look like people are living in a space, so don't waste precious time fretting when you could be enjoying

[WishboneDawn]

1. Eat a good breakfast. Sounds unrelated but it's key.

 

2. Use a daily notebook to write down anything and everything that needs to be done.

 

3. Reusable sticky tabs to stick in workbooks/textbooks/TGs and mark the current page.

[Mommyfaithe]

If in doubt...throw it out!

If you have to keep it...put it away..or file it NOW!

A stitch in time does save nine..IOW, just do it now...it is easier than later.

 

Faithe

[Patches]

:bigear::bigear:

Thanks for these great tips. I'm off to Staples. (I'm a slob... and trying to recover!)

[KatDilan]

1. Whenever I move from one room to another. I take something with me to put away.

2. Ditto on the other posters perpetual donation box!

3. Filing cabinets for the homeschooling, because there's so much "stuff" besides books and the drawers hold and HIDE it all!

 

Lots of great tips so far.:lurk5:

Edited June 1, 2011 by KatDilan

[trailofsparks]

3. Goodwill. Keep a donationion box handy at all times. You'll be surprised at how much you use it.

 

I don't think I'll be surprised! What a great idea! Definitely should have discovered this need on my own.:lol:

[kalanamak]

Declutter, stay on top of it [organizing], make everyone else in the house do so, too.

[HS Mom in NC]

1. Get rid of everything you can.

2. Find reasons not to bring more things into your home.

3. The more frequently it is used, the more accessible it should be. The less frequently it is used, the less accessible it should be.

[Plaid Dad]

1. Radically declutter.

2. Have a place for everything.

3. When you are done using something, return it to its place immediately.

[Deb in NZ]

***Put out-of-season duvet inners, quilts, etc. in old pillow cases. This allows them to 'breathe' while allowing you to grab the one you need without ending up with the whole contents of the linen closet tumbling out. I, also, pin on tags on the duvet inners to tell at a glance what season inner it is.

 

***Have a bag for each activity. My dc had a bag for swimming, a bag for scouts, bags for soccer/hockey/gymnastics/sailing, a bag for music, etc. Things were returned to the appropriate bag after washing & on days when we had multiple activities, we only needed to grab the bags needed, not try to remember where the swimsuits were & if dd had her band music, etc. Even with older dc I still find this handy.

 

***I have a small box on a shelf in my kitchen that I put mail that comes for dd. The box also holds prepaid envelopes & printed labels with dd's address. Dh adds interesting newspaper clippings as he finds them & I send off an envelope to dd every week or so.

[dragons in the flower bed]

1. Radically declutter.

2. Have a place for everything.

3. When you are done using something, return it to its place immediately.

 

:iagree: Those things.

 

You don't need so much stuff. After it's gone, you won't remember why you wanted it, either. Four days of clothing. Three types of toys. A single drinking vessel for everyone in the family.

 

My life changed when I implemented the old saying, "a place for everything and everything in it's place." Friends started to look at me with wonder, saying they just didn't know how I did it. It felt like the house was doing the housework, though. All I did was make sure there was an "away" for everything.

[Night Elf]

1. Get rid of unnecessary or redundant items.

 

2. Realistic 'homes' for everything. In other words, if you have boxes of stuff stacked in the corner because you don't have anywhere to put those items, then you need to step back and take a serious look at your priorities of the items you're choosing to keep in your home.

 

3. I go through our stuff 2 or 3 times a year and get rid of things we no longer need. If there is one place that has become the dumping ground for all unwanted or unused items in your home, this is the day you organize it. Mine is our downstairs storage room. I go through it and pull out all the things I want to donate, like the floor lamp and comforter that dd didn't want anymore because she got new stuff for her room. But MOST importantly, anything I keep must fit nicely in that room in an organized manner. As soon as I let one box sit in the corner, others will gather around it and I would have to start all over again.

[Perry]

I have a small wicker basket on my kitchen desk, where I keep a manilla folder for each child (they attend ps), one for each extracurricular (dance, swimming, etc.), one labeled "To Do" and one labeled "To File".

 

If it doesn't belong in one of those folders, I toss it.

 

Makes it really easy to find what I need.

[ChemMommy]

 

5. Fold extra sheet sets so that the fitted sheet, top sheet and one pillow case will fit inside the other pillow case. That way, they stay together (no hunting for matches!) and the linen closet stays neat, too. :)

 

Lisa

 

 

That's downright brilliant!!

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

Throw it away (or recycle it) or put it away. Do both immediately-if you wait the mess starts.

[Dawn in OH]

Binders

Labels

Plastic storage bins

[NancyNellen]

(1) Everyone does chores twice a day, every day.

(2) Take care of mail, email, phone calls as they come in...no procrastinating.

(3) Train the children to put the last toys away before taking out anything new (everything is labeled and has it's spot, so this is easy for them to do.)

[NancyNellen]

OK, I'm adding a fourth...

 

STAIR BASKET!: I keep a stair basket at the bottom of the stairs. Anything that belongs upstairs that gets found downstairs during the day gets tossed in. At evening chore time one of my little guys empties it and puts everything in it's home. (Sometimes we make this fun by timing him and seeing how quickly he can do it :-)

[KidsHappen]

1. Radically declutter.

2. Have a place for everything.

3. When you are done using something, return it to its place immediately.

 

:iagree: This is basically my plan. Put it where it goes. If it doesn't have a place, ask yourself if you need it. If not, get rid of it. If you do but it doesn't have a place, find a logical place for it based on where and how often you use it. If you have multiple of items, once again ask yourself if you need them. Four sets of sheets, maybe not but five pairs of scissors, yes. One for every place they a regularly used so that they are nto constantly lost.

[A.Balaban]

This is something we are constantly struggling with in our apartment. We live in a 2-bedroom apartment with only four rooms and a bathroom. We have WAY too much stuff, and a storage unit (5x10) that is stuffed full. We went through it last summer and got rid of a bunch of stuff, but the fact is we just do not have enough room for everything.

 

Every time I tell DF I want to declutter, he gets angry at me and acts like a 2-yr old. He gets all negative and says "Fine, just throw our lives away!" and so I am trapped. I can't clean the house, because it is too cluttered, and I can't declutter becuase my DF won't let me.

 

I just don't know what to do.

[Daisy Mommy]

1) Storage space (place for all things)

2) Decorative storage

3) Upkeep! (getting things done right away instead of letting it build up)

[ChrissySC]

1. don't have a dh

2. don't have dc

 

wait it's probably too late for 1. or 2.

 

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Negin]

Just have time to list one:

We live and breathe by google calendar. I have about 10 different categories on the calendar - each a different color. One for each kid's activities, one for family, one for just mom, one for just dad, one for schooling records, one for health (who had a fever, what medicine was taken, etc.) etc. We access the calendar by any computer and by our phones. As each child gets old enough we give them access to the calendars and allow them to add to some of them. I do keep one of the calendars totally private for my own use.

I like this. Our tendency is to only use Google Calendar for our travel itineraries, but this is a good reminder to use it all the time.

 

1. don't have a dh

2. don't have dc

 

wait it's probably too late for 1. or 2.

:smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5:

 

Because I'm a perfectionist, I often don't clean or unclutter because in my faulty reasoning, I think if I don't have the time to do it right, why bother at all. It doesn't work.

Unfortunately, I'm the same way. :glare:

 

Great tips, fabulous thread. :)

[desertmum]

Love it! Stealing it! LOL

 

 

Me too! :lol:

[laundrycrisis]

Every time I tell DF I want to declutter, he gets angry at me and acts like a 2-yr old. He gets all negative and says "Fine, just throw our lives away!" and so I am trapped. I can't clean the house, because it is too cluttered, and I can't declutter becuase my DF won't let me.

 

I just don't know what to do.

 

This is basically how I react when my DH wants the house decluttered. The problems is it's my stuff and our homeschooling stuff he's looking at and I'm a control freak about my stuff and anything for homeschooling. He gets half the basement for all of his stuff. I don't have a place in the house for mine. I don't want him moving any of it around because I will never find what I need again. I also want to declutter but I want to do it myself. I need some unbroken, undistracted time to work on it, with nobody talking or moving around in the space and NO TV and nobody calling me on the phone to give me updates on the kids, what I want for dinner, can I buy this, etc, which I never ever get.

 

Anyway, my organizational ideas...every time I go upstairs or downtairs I carry something. Once a week I load up a laundry basket of toys that have migrated to the wrong part of the house and move them back and put them away. I sort the mail and recycle immediately. I keep a running donation box.

 

This thread has inspired me to work on our dumping zones - the kitchen island and coffee table.

[Alessandra]

Many of the above, plus:

 

scan paperwork (notes from school, handouts from field trips, etc) & toss the original

 

save recipes, newspaper articles by googling + 'save as' rather than by clipping

 

cut back magazine subscriptions

[happypamama]

-Have a system -- bins, boxes, files, whatever you need -- and make it work for you. Tweak it until it does. If it's not easy to use, you won't use it well.

 

-Sort the mail the second it comes in the door. Recycle/throw away (our town doesn't recycle paper!) anything you don't need. I don't keep catalogs very often either, and I go paperless when possible for bills and such too.

 

-Do a little every day, or at least frequently. Update my Quicken program at least every week, clean up the toys every day, etc.

 

-Get good at doing stuff in 5 or 10 minute increments.

 

-I think it's FlyLady that says something like, "if a job will only take 30 seconds, do it now." I like that.

 

-Stay off the computer!

[TheCoffeeChick]

I haven't read the rest yet - sorry if these are repeats ...

 

1. Make sure everything has a home. If you can't find a home for something, you really don't need it.

Example: When you gather the mail, don't throw it in a pile to sort later, place the bills in the appropriate file, toss out the junk, and file or use all other pieces. Or you find a good deal on peanut butter and buy a case - do you REALLY have the space to store it?

* And put everything in its home now, rather than waiting for later.

 

2. You don't need as many multiples of items as you think.

Examples: We have 4 people in our house - so that means 8 bath towels. 4 to use now, and 4 to use while the others are in the wash or for guests. 6 sets of sheets - 3 on our beds and 3 for while those are in the wash. (Also, I store the extra set between the boxsprings and matress on each bed, that way they are not taking up any space I could use for something else.)

This mindset can be applied to almost everything in your house. Clothes (Really, how many pairs of socks and underwear does one person need? :tongue_smilie:), books (I know, almost blasphemy here!), dishes, even cleaning supplies (I've pretty much paired down to vinegar, baking soda, and bleach). I've even pared down my small kitchen appliances - ones that were only used a few times a year, I gave away (bread maker, waffle maker, sandwich maker, hand mixer... yes, my MIL was always giving me some sort of "maker" for Christmas. ;)).

 

3. Do NOT keep something with the idea that maybe, someday you'll be able to find a use for it. All it will do is collect junk. If it's not useful NOW, give it to someone who will use it. Also, go through your storage at least once a year (if not more) and toss out things that you really don't need.

 

I am brutal when it comes to purging. I don't keep too many things for "sentimental" reasons. It drives my dh batty sometimes, but he is appreciative of the fact that we don't have clutter and we can still fit all our items into one U-Haul truck when we move (which is pretty often).

Edited July 28, 2011 by BramFam
Really, English is my first language :P

[mom2denj]

I am loving this thread, there are some great ideas!

 

I like the idea of a daily notebook to keep on my desk, and I just started a google calendar account.

 

I love, love, love the desk apprentice, but I have NO room for it! I wil not get the desk apprentice, I will not get the desk apprentice, I will not get the desk apprentice, I will not get the desk apprentice, I will not get the desk apprentice!! I still really want it!

 

My organizational dream is to put together a rotating weekly dinner menu. I have been trying to get one together for about 5 years. I get frustrated and I put it away and then I will get it out again 6 months later and I forget where I put it all and blah, blah, blah........

[Peela]

Every time I tell DF I want to declutter, he gets angry at me and acts like a 2-yr old. He gets all negative and says "Fine, just throw our lives away!" and so I am trapped. I can't clean the house, because it is too cluttered, and I can't declutter becuase my DF won't let me.

I just don't know what to do.

 

It's a common issue- "stuff" can really trigger deep emotions for people and usually one partner is the hoarder and the other the one who likes the clear spaces. The way i deal with it is that I declutter all my things as much as I can- anything I consider "mine", even though we have been together for 20 years, is also mine to declutter. Then, I declutter what are my areas...since i do most of the cooking, I have a right to have an uncluttered kitchen to cook in. So, I have a storage area for things i know that dh values, such as a certain pot or his valuable but never used art deco plates....and I keep in the main cupboards only things we regularly use in the kitchen. THen I will declutter communal areas to some extent- and put dh's things in one place. I once decluttered a bookshelf that had a lot of ornaments I was so tired of....that was a big mistake as he considered that "his" shelf...so, I then put them all back and added anything else form around the house- he now feels secure that he has his things in that place- but I have other areas clear of "stuff".

2 people sharing a space need to find a compromise- I can no longer bear too much clutter...so some spaces in our home are clutter free, but others are not.

 

 

As for my tips-

1. Clear surfaces make a home feel less cluttered, so I try to keep the dining room table, floors, the kitchen benches etc clear of clutter and just a plain space- maybe with a vase of flowers, but mostly surfaces are just bare. Considering we have a lot of pictures on the walls and ornaments, it is some compensation.

 

2. I do a bit here and there. I learned how little time it really takes to, for example, unpack the dishwasher (2 minutes while the kettle is boiling for tea in the morning), sweep the floor, swish and swipe the bathroom, put on a load of washing. Baby steps. I used to be intimidated by how much there always was to do and it would freeze me into doing nothing. Now I know that just doing something, no matter what, is a lot better than ignoring it and hoping it will go away. By the same token, putting aside 15 minutes for housework can be very productive- I especially like to do that just for picking up and tidying around the place.

 

3. As others have said, regularly declutter. Its addictive once you get started and learn to enjoy the empty spaces in the home and how much easier it is to keep clean and tidy.

[elegantlion]

1. toss it out if it's trash/Donate it if you're not using it.

2. Put it away/clean it up

3. A place for everything and everything in its place

[SBP]

I haven't read all the replies, but I'm tempted to say just (1) declutter, (2) declutter, (3) declutter :)

 

That really is the most important thing for me. If I don't need it/haven't used it in a few months, it goes. Having fewer things makes organization SO much easier.

 

One of my favorite inexpensive organizational items, though, are the over the door shoe holders (the kind with the clear vinyl pockets.) Our bathrooms are fairly small, so I have one of these in my closet and use it to store all the various medications/first aid supplies. Each family member has a pocket for their personal medications, and then the rest are organized according to what they're for - cough, cold, fever reducers, antacids/stomach relief, band-aids etc. It's so easy to see what we have, and easy, too, to go through once every few months and throw out things that are out of date. No more drawers crammed with icky medicines, and no more buying things I already have but can't find.

 

I have another one out in the garage that holds my various painting/DIY project supplies - brushes, putty knives, spackle, caulk, tape measures, level, plastic gloves, etc. It's a great way to corral all those smaller items and make use of vertical space while still keeping the items visible and easy to find.

 

The kids each have one in their rooms, and they've used them for different things over the years (but seldom for shoes, oddly enough). My son kept his favorite action figures in his when he was younger, and my daughter now keeps accessories, mostly, in hers. It's a great way to store gloves, belts, tights, and even some jewelry.

 

Not sure I can think of a number three, but I'm looking forward to reading through this thread. I love organizational tips :)

 

SBP

 

 

ETA: We switched from the Google calendar to Cozi, but I absolutely agree that online calendars are one of the best inventions EVER. Now I can't remember how I functioned without one.

Edited July 28, 2011 by SBP

[lcelmer]

1. don't have a dh

2. don't have dc

 

wait it's probably too late for 1. or 2.

:lol:

[laughing lioness]

1. Family meeting once a week. Everyone has thier calendars with them and everyone goes over work schedules, who has what car when, pick up and drop off times, etc.

 

2. Overplan for school and gather/label/organize all supplies before the "new" year starts.

[Jayne J]

1. Getting rid of whatever you can--throw away just a little more than you are comfortable with. I have never missed anything that I agonized over.

 

2. A folder with a weekly menu/calendar clipped to the front and any papers/reminders needed for the week inside. It helps me keep track of all the things I need to remember to do/buy/finish/find/send.

 

3. Finally--Toy Jail. We have clean ups before lunch, dinner and bedtime. Anything not put away goes into toy jail to be redeemed with a chore. Anything not redeemed at the end of the week is tossed. (see 1 above...:D)