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[Bev]

can anyone give helpful tips on organizing things.  So far I am seperating things into some bins I bought from wal-mart. I have different sizes. I have some for computer stuff. Some for memorabilia. I also got a free filing cabinet so I am placing school books and papers in it. But I still have some things in boxes.

[Clementine]

The first thing I do when trying to get organized is to make sure that I have de-cluttered everything I don't need.  The things I want to keep must have a place, or I get rid of them.   I would recommend that you go to www.flylady.net and check out her suggestions for getting your home organized.  It's free and you don't have to subscribe to the daily emails if you don't want. 

[RunAmokFarm]

Clementine,

 I don't think the url you posted was typed in correctly --  Did you mean www.flylady.com? 
J 

[mishy]

It is actually .net, but "lady" was misspelled.  So.... http://www.flylady.net/
happy zoning.....and decluttering while you're zoned. 
 

[Whiterock]

My problem, in this area, is not knowing where to put things. I can declutter and sort but after I get things sorted into different bins, I'm stumped. So I just have bins and boxes of stuff sitting around. It's not junk, it's stuff I use or would use more often if I could get to them easily. I really feel that if someone would come in and organize my house -- meaning they set up areas and systems for the various activities that are needed or important in our home, like Homeschooling; Sewing; Arts & Crafts; Office/Paperwork; Cooking; Gardening; Herbs & Healthcare; Laundry; etc. Then I could keep it up. I'm fairly good at following a system. If I know "this falls into ____ category and those things go here... and more specifically, this item's home is this specific spot" then I am almost obsessive compulsive about it... to the point of getting really irritated when other people in the house don't follow the system as well.

Embarrassing tidbit: Once, early in my marriage, I actually labled where everything was supposed to go in the bathroom because I was tired of dh not putting things back. I was really mad that he expected it to be clean when I was the only one making the effort to keep it that way. I have an all or nothing tendency and so when I get that frustrated, I usually either stay mad at everyone all the time (and I do something like the above, or I try to keep it to myself and get depressed) or I just let it go and stop caring about keeping everything clean, because I'd rather be messy than angry all the time.

Now that the children are older they are a lot more help, though. And they need some organization in their lives. I need it for my sanity. And dh needs a sane wife and home. I have tried so hard, so many times, for so many years, that I am at my wits end and desperately want professional help. I'm saving up my bday, Christmas, etc. money so that, hopefully, I can hire a professional organizer to help me set everything up. I don't just mean clean up but ORGANIZE things in a way that make stuff easy to get out and put up and where everything makes sense!

Ok, I'm just ranting now. Time to stop. Sorry that none of this is coherent but it is an emotional subject for me.

WR

[In Christ]

How cool is this?   I was actually going to start this same topic, but I have tried FlyLady, and I get the Menus for Moms, and I have begged and prayed for help (from the LORD, not family).   I have so much paper clutter, then there is the sewing/crocheting/knitting stuff, and school books galore.  I have a lot of books actually.  Dh hates books so I keep giving many away or hiding them by putting up shelves in closets.  I also "made" some shelves to hold all our school books not currently in use in our garage, you would not believe three shelves that are at least 4 ft. long full of just school textbooks and a set of encyclopedias.  (they are old milk crates and cabinet doors). Anyway,
Both of my children tested EXTREMELY allergic to household dust, my daughters was actually Off the Charts allergic.  Dh, being so wonderful did put hardwood floors in the livingroom and hall, but the bedrooms still have older carpet that he wants to change out, but that means we have to empty them....I can't imagine doing this with as much stuff as we have. 
I want to give as much away as possible, but there are a lot of things I just like having around....board games for now and for my grandchildren (one day).  And some children's books that were mine and my brothers and then my children's and hopefully we'll read to the next generation....I do weed them out though...there is a lot we had that aren't worthy for reading now even though we liked them KWIM?
So, I pile up the papers for a while then I go through and throw stuf away...I have two filing cabinets, but rarely file, not sure where or how to put some stuff. 
I called and checked on professional organizzers and the price was outrageous....so I would love to be able to learn to do this and then help others physcially organize their home, I wouldn't charge those insane prices either ; )   But the Lord hasn't led me there yet  : )
I just want my hubby to come home and think, WOW, what a great wife I have, she really does care that I work so hard for this place and she takes such good care of it.  That would thrill my heart if I made him feel like that!
I am a clean fanatic, (except mopping) but the clutter hides the fact that I keep everything CLEAN!  My child is sure that I am Monk's twin....or I have OCD.  We don't have any animals in the house and we take our shoes off at the door and that helps with the floors being dirty....I mopped the other day and the water was clean, but we hadn't mopped for a LONG time....I mean, the kitchen/DR had been many many weeks and the LR/hall it been over a year and a half...all because I didn't know how to care for the hardwood floors and dh had me scared I would ruin them so I Just kept the dust and loose dirt up vacuuming, but never mopped.  I thought that mop water would be nasty, it was so clean...but help! CLUTTER everywhere....
Thanks for letting me ramble and don't tell anyone I didn't mop for so long    They would never believe the water was as clean as it was 

[Clementine]

It is actually .net, but "lady" was misspelled.  So.... http://www.flylady.net/
happy zoning.....and decluttering while you're zoned. 
 

Oops, thanks for helping me out!   

[rainygladness]

When I grow up I wanna be a professional organizer!  hehe
I LOVE to organize, cleaning is a close second.  (What kind of nut am I?) 
Seriously, tho, I don't think of it as a disorder, but as a gift.   We're all unique and talented.  (There, I feel better now.    )

If you want things more organized you're going to have to be brutally honest with yourself and make sure you need all the stuff you have left after you thought you were done whittling down.  (Did that make sense?) 
I actually do this semi annually and I'm always surprised that each and every time, I have things to get rid of.  We don't realize how much comes IN our homes regularly (birthdays, Christmas, walmart, etc. - here a little there a little.)  And how much we think we're going to use 'if only'.  Truth is, I think the less I have the happier I am (and the less there is to clean, dust, insure, take care of, repair, etc.)

I would suggest, after paring down to essentials, consider raising up the master bed a few inches (they sell risers at bed, bath and beyond for $10) and utilizing the space under there more efficiently with long plastic tubs on casters.  The average Queen or King size bed could easily house 3-4 of these tubs per side of the bed.  Each tub could contain a set of hobbies (one for yarns, one for crafts, etc).  Then label the side facing you with the contents.  You could do this with the kids beds too. 
They also sell overhead storage racks for garage ceilings.  Dh got some at Sam's club a couple years ago and he LOVES them.  He keeps camping, fishing and Christmas stuff up there.  Way better than an attic crawl space!

Bedroom closets can house a lot when you put shelving in them, too.  My hubby bought sheets of solid pine at the hardware store, cut them to fit the depth of the closet and gave me 5 rows of shelves.  I was able to keep my painting easel, canvases, paints, sewing machine, board games and out of season decorations in there.  Helped a LOT.
Hubby's helped immensely by adding a shelf here, a book case there; whatever I thought would "do the trick".

Sometimes I try to think of what would be important enough for me to save if the house were on fire.  Other times, I look at my hobbies and try to determine which ones give me the most pleasure.  I have found that answer to be one or two.  The rest sort of just sit around.
It's a mental process, first.  So give yourself time and do the thinking first.  The rest will follow.  One of my favorite reads are the queen of clean books (probably could be found at the library).  She's got cleaning and organizing tips that have been a real help to me.

[ARW2]

Wow, rainygladness, you sound just like me!! I have to say organizing and cleaning are my passion. I seriously like doing it and when my friends say they are overwhelmed or need to organize I offer to help because I like it that much!! Unfortunately they never take me up on it.. I don't think they believe me Anyway, I completely agree with you about being brutally honest about what you really need and don't need. Less is more when you are trying to be organized. Seriously if you get rid of all those "one day I'll need this" items you will use more of the "I need this today" items! Organizing and purging all of those items you don't need or use very often is so refreshing. Also, there are some organizations that will come to your house and pick up what you want to get rid of and  in turn you will be giving to people in need. If you are looking for inexpensive places to purchase organizing items from Ross normally has some pretty deals. I buy hanging shelves for the kids closets from there since their clothes are so small and short it is utilizing more space that way. They also have cheap shoe organizers and cute bins for stuffed animals, clothes, or more. As for office type things wall sorters work great for filing. That way you are not using floor space.  I hope this helps!

[Bev]

I am kinda of a simple lady meaning I dont go out an dbuy alot of junk. But somehow I still end up with it. people always give me stuff too.  Alot of it, is my husbands stuff. He is in Kuwait right now so I got into all of these dusty cardboard boxes of his and placed them in colorful neat little storage bins.  I placed all his metals in a special tin. All his coins in a neat little box. All his hunting stuff in a bin.  It was complete chaos before i did this.  He got a little upset because he doesnt like his stuff messed with. He has always been that way you just dont touch his stuff. I reminded him of a funny story , when we lived in military housing he would stack so much of his work stuff and other junk on top of the fridge. One day I got two plastic pink buckets (they were from the hospital after I had a baby)  well I organized all his stuff neatly in them.  Then I respectfully placed the bins back on the fridge.  He came home that night and was soooooooooo mad that I touched his stuff and made it neat he wondered how he would ever find anything.  The funny thing that happened afterwards is that he got so protective over those pink buckets and would be upset if his stuff was NOT in it.  He kept them neat and organized and ended up loving it.  He still has them too and I was really afraid to go near them when I organized his stuff. He is just nervous I will mess something up with him being gone.  But I reminded him of the pink buckets and he laughed I told him that now I organized his stuff and he will be possesive of his storage bins.    Thanks for all of the advice.  I think guys just like having their stuff a certain way. My husband takes care of all teh bills and he had a letter holder crammed with so much junk mail and bills that I went thru it and organized it so neat for him one day. I stapled receipts to the bills that were payed for easy filing etc...he got so mad and said "I wont ever be able to function Now!"

He cracks me up.

[rainygladness]

Your husband is lucky to have you,  Bev.  Not everyone would be able to gracefully handle that kind of reaction after doing something helpful like that.
You are respectful of his things, yet you also lovingly try to help meet his need for organization (whether he realizes it or not, it is a need).  Good for you!  

[smfmommy]

I just got this notice from Urban Homemaker and thought it might be of interest to some here.

=============================================================== 
Getting and Staying Organized with Karen Ehman
Thursday, February 21, 2008 – 9:00 ET
Continuing Education for Moms Seminar
===============================================================

February 21, 2008 – Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized - Author Karen Ehman, a sought after speaker for Proverbs 31 Ministries, will get you started with organizing your home, getting rid of clutter, planning menus, avoiding overcommitment, and tailoring a system that works for your personality.  Emilie Barnes says, “Karen will answer your dilemmas about how to de-clutter your life and your home.”  With spring just a month away, now is the  time to start thinking Spring Cleaning!

Here is the contact information:

Date:    Thursday, February 21, 2008

Scheduled Start Time:     9:00 PM EST, 8:00 CST, 7:00 PM MST, 6:00 PST (Adjust for your time zone, please.)     

Dial-in Number:           1-605-475-4150       

Participant Access Code:    754074

If you have never participated in a phone seminar before, here is how it works:

1. You dial in the phone number below to the seminar. (You pay only for the phone call.)
2. Key in the seminar access code.
3. Introduce yourself, it you wish.
4. Bring a notebook to take notes, a cup of tea, and have your questions ready.
5. Don't worry about background noise, we will mute that out.

The only cost is the long distance phone call.

 

[littlemama24]

I need help in this area... I LOVE to organize, but am running out of ideas.  I can't go buy any more totes or bins right now so that is out.  We also have very limited closets or cupboards for things.  My two biggest contention areas right now are my boys' toys (which we've gone through a few times now and helped them give things away) and the linen closet/game and toy closet.  I wish it were only a linen closet because that stuff is jammed onto the top two shelves to make room for all the puzzles, games, and boxed things like that.  I have reorganized those games more times than I'd care to share and fixed the boxes, etc but they never stay that way.  I think it is partially my boys' hasty way of putting things back and forgetting to put ALL the pieces back in the RIGHT boxes, but I also think it is the place they are kept.  Anyway, is it possible to reorganize these types of things WITHOUT throwing everything away and WITHOUT spending $ on bins and buckets? 

I love to get rid of things ... it isn't a clutter issue - it is a storage issue...

[smfmommy]

One thing I have done for puzzles and games that the boxes have been destroyed is to put them in big zip lock bags.  I cut out the picture for the puzzles and place it in the bag too.  I have one basket that has many puzzles this way.  I have also done this for a few of the games.  The pieces go in a bag which then go in a basket and the game board goes below the basket on the shelf.  Some of those game boxes waste a LOT of space.

You would have to buy bags and maybe reorganize to get a bin or two to put it all in but it shouldn't cost too much.

Hope this helps,
 

[Siege]

You beat me to it! As I hit "Post" it said you had replied and you beat me to it!

I second smfmommy in the baggie idea. Puzzles and little game pieces go into bags. Also, if a puzzle is missing a piece, out it goes. With toys, I rotate them. I keep some out and some in bins, tucked away. Every 6 to 8 months we go throught the toys and rotate some out.

Baskets are great for the puzzle bags to go in. I have a movable cupboard thingy from Target that houses the boys' games. I limit it to the games that will fit. CJ

[kcb]

Shall we start this up again for spring?  I have three ideas that I use regularly:

1.  I limit some "catagories" (like clothes, kids junk, toys, Christmas decorations, etc.) to a certain amount of space.  For instance, if the new sweater doesn't fit into my dresser, then something has to go!  And if your new rock doesn't fit into your "special box" then get rid of something.

2.  I always keep a bag to give away.  And I'm always throwing stuff into it!   Periodically, it goes to the local second-hand store.  I also keep a bag for "pre-trash."  This is mostly a collection of toys that don't get attention, along with pre-school papers and crafts.  If no one asks for anything, it eventually goes into the real trash or giveaway bag.

3.  I try to store things *close* to where they will be used.  At least it should be in the same room.  This makes it easier to put away.

  

[littlemama24]

I recently got a great book from the library called "The Home Organizers Workbook" (or something along those lines  ).  It was a spiral bound magazine layout style of a book with a lot of great tips on organizing your home.  It asked you a bunch of questions and then guides you to organizing solutions based on your answers to those questions.  It was nice that it didn't assume EVERY family needs to have their home the same way.  It left plenty of room for what matters to different people.  I thought that was very important.  My mother and I, for example, have different personalities when it comes to cleaning and organizing.  What works for her doesn't for me and vice versa.  We would each need different coaching and ideas to feel satisfied with a home organization overhaul.  This book provided that.  Perhaps you could check your library for this book or something similar.   :)hth

[healthyinOhio]

Okay, I need some creative suggestions on how to organize the families shoes.  Here is my scenario:

We use our back door, predominately, and so we take our shoes off when we come in.  The door leads to my kitchen.  I have 3 rugs in my kitchen.  One on the right side for the kids shoes, one on the left for me and dh shoes, and one in the middle for decoration.
I cannot get ANYONE in the house to put the shoes on the designated rugs.    Everyone likes to toss them on the main rug, where everyone always trips over them. (Well, the kids have gotten real good at putting them in the right spot, but I can't say so well about the other guy. lol)
Also, we have migrated from taking off a pair of shoes, to having about 3-4 pairs each on the rugs at all times, instead of just the pair we are wearing for the day. 
My kitchen is crowded, because it is small, so I cannot add a big box for shoes.  I don't have a door for an over the door shoe hanger.  Does anyone have a few suggestions as to how to handle my shoe dilemma?  Thanks!

[BJ_BOBBI_JO]

I got some old but not large sized wooden shelves from an aunt and put them out in our enclosed porch by the door. This is where we put the shoes.  Before we got the wooden shelves we used one of those light weight metal shelves that you'd find in a garage or something. It doesn't have to be a big wide shelf. We pile shoes on top of eachother  ont he shelves but I don't care as long as they are on those shelves and not on the floor for us to all fall over and for the dogs to chew up.

[kcb]

Shoes . . . We do use a box.  It is a large-size plastic bin.  But to save space, I put it UP on a low shoe-shelf.  The kids use the bin, and the parents' shoes go on the floor and shelf underneath.

If you take shoes off when you enter (as we do, mostly), I don't see how the shoes can avoid accumulating at the door.  Is there perhaps a usable spot in the next room, to store multiple pairs of shoes?

Hey, it just occurred to me:  our family is only medium-sized, with 5 shoe-wearers and a baby.  What do you LARGE families do about shoes at the door? ? ? ? ? !   

[healthyinOhio]

I just may get some shelving.  I would just have to rearrange everything in my kitchen to fit it in.  Space is limited.
Yeah, what does lotsaboys do with shoes? 

[leslieincali]

One thing that we have done is make "Let's put all the shoes away" part of the evening routine. We have a back porch now and a closet by the front door so we don't do it anymore. Everyone would grab their shoes on the way to their bedrooms. Easier than carpentry and re-organization.  Now I have Mom's wicked box. If I find any of your stuff abandoned in the house(you've obviousely moved on), it goes in moms box. At the end of the week when allowance is given, you're charged a re-shelving fee. Dad is exempt cause he makes the money!

[lotsaboys]

Yeah, what does lotsaboys do with shoes? 

I trip over them. 
 
We have no entry way, mud room, garage, closed porch, or any wonderful thing like that.
Clean shoes are in a hanging pocket thing on a door and lined up along the wall. Dirty boots stay on the rug inside the door.

I like the wicked mom box!!

[BJ_BOBBI_JO]

I like the wicked mom box!!

I do too. In fact I'm going to talk to my husband about us possibly implementing that into our already existing thing we got going on with the kids.

For me to organize I rake a room.



Yes I said rake. Just as one would rake leaves. I use this rake thingy and rake every little thing into the middle of the room and start sorting.

I make piles.

Sounds funny don't it? Piles.

I sit on the floor and start making piles out of the big pile I raked. A pile for trash, one for books, one for toys, shoes, and all that junk. Then we start putting each small pile away. This helps me get things better organized so I can put things away where they belong. Other wise it all gets thrown into an unorganized messy cluttered spot.

[healthyinOhio]

In fact I'm going to talk to my husband about us possibly implementing that into our already existing thing we got going on with the kids.

Hey, why?  I thought  shelving the shoes worked?  It doesn't work does it? LOL 

[BJ_BOBBI_JO]

LOL. How did you know? LOL.. Just joking. 

With that puppy of yours I bet he will be chewing on your shoes as well. I remember how mad I would get at my puppy last year when he would chew up the kids shoes. Now that we keep them on shelves the crazy dog cant get to them.  He is better about that anyways now.
We actually made putting their shoes on the shelves a priority and they get punished for not putting their shoes on the shelves. We had to do that because every single time we  wanted to go somewhere we would have to spend a long time searching for shoes. It was so frustrating.

 Now my problem is the toys, stuffed animals. Oh and did I mention the stuffed animals? UG. They are everywhere. And all the candy wrappers from their grandma. I always find them hidden in the couch cousins and under the furniture.
We have been downsizing this summer. Since Christmas is around the corner we are washing the toys up and giving them to those church places that give the stuff out for free to others. 

[kcb]

I like the wicked mom box!!

LOL!   Is the mom wicked, or is it the box that's wicked?       

I need to get one of those.  (Or *be* one of those?)   

[khix]

Here is a picture of what we use for the kid's shoes. 

It's a wire/metal 4-tier shelf, and we have it by the door.  We got it at Walmart several years back.

It's not beautiful, but it's functional.

[rejoicing]

We only keep one pair of shoes at the door--all others go into our bedroom--me and hubby's under our clothes in the closet and the kids on those over-the-door shoe-pockety thingies! Every now and again I need to remind the kids, but it works! I've actually been debating doing away with all of the shoes at the door (except wet and muddy of course)

When things start to look cluttered and jumbled I usually grab a box and throw everything out of place in it--then I can go through it at my convenience, but its not everywhere and messy, KWIM?

I am in the process of a MAJOR declutter/simplify right now. We have been thinking about our priorities, and Hubby says its time  So keep these good organizing ideas coming!

[leslieincali]

I like the wicked mom box!



I can't take credit for the idea. My dear friend and titus 2 woman invented the box and her kids named it!

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