Organizing Tips from Our Readers
The best organization tip I have is to tackle things while they are small rather than waiting until they are big. Sounds simplistic? Well, it really does work. For example- I do laundry every day. I give everyone in the family their own 'basket' and they put it away every day. The time spent is a smaller amount versus waiting until it stacks up and trying to get everything done on one long day. Also, you don't have to own as many clothes or have the stress of someone waiting for something to be washed and cleaned due to letting the laundry stack up. This same principle applies to picking up clutter in the house each day (toys, newspapers, dishes etc) as well as disciplining children. If you tackle the problems while they are small- and give everyone a part of the solution, the problems just don't have a way to stack up. I have children from 9 to 21 and all of us are responsible for keeping our house an organized home. -- Sheri, 45, from TX
I am the mother of six children, age 4 to 13 years and staying organized is a necessity, not an option. I keep a calendar on the wall in the kitchen -
More-time moms purchased from Costco - and I write any appointments, activities, hot-lunch days, etc on this calendar. Anything that pertains to family is
on this calendar. I keep a daytimer in the office which pertains more to my schedule - extra chores I wish to try and squeeze in for the week, phone calls
I need to return, etc. One of the best organizational tips which I have incorporated is regarding clothes. Since I had the first four children in four
years, three months and they were all boys figuring out whose clothes were whose was a nightmare. The solution was to put dots or lines with a permanent
marker on the tags of the clothes, one for the oldest, add a line when it is passed to the second child, a third line when the clothing passes to the third,
etc. Sorting laundry to put away is a breeze. Another tip is look at what your family's particular problem is and devise a solution that works for your family. For example, getting everyone out the door into the suburban to get to school was a nightmare due to everyone rooting through a box of mitts, toques, etc. The solution was to buy a tower of baskets for the porch so that each child had a basket to put their hats and mitts in as well as install coathooks, one for each child's backpack and jacket. Hope these are helpful! -- Gaye, 39, from Alberta
I post a list of family and friends birthdays/anniversaries on the refrigerator right next to the calendar. I created the list in Microsoft Excel and also added a formula to calculate the age/how many years married using the present year. This way, I don't have to guess incorrectly and I can send a card out that is personalized. -- Michelle, 34, from NY
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I use the see through over-the-door shoe racks as a catch-all in my kitchen/laundry room area. I hang them on the wall behind the door and fill every pocket with all of those things that get shoved into a junk drawer, never to be seen again. I also hang on over the front closet door to hold mittens, hats, etc. Keeps the closet floor much neater.
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I put (and try to keep) all of my kids' toys in clear plastic totes and rotate them so that the kids have "new" toys to play with all the time. I have even labeled them to keep them even more organized (trains, Little People, Musical toys, etc). -- Rena, 34, from OH
I keep a folder with a yearly list of birthdays for friends and family. I shop for clearance items and sales all year. As I find an item for a particular person I write it in my list. It only takes a minute to jot it down and it keeps me well organized regarding what I have and may still need. I also write down any "boy" or "girl" gifts I may have for an unexpected party that one of my children is invited to. I keep everything in a big closet and when a birthday pops up I am ready with a gift! My system usually saves my family 50% to 75% of the original cost AND searching for something at the last minute. -- Andrea, 34, from NJ
I am an organization freak! And I organize everything- here are some of my best ideas. For quick clean up with a decorative look around your home use lined baskets. I keep them in every room. They are especially helpful for keeping toys neatly organized. I also keep baskets/tubs with cleaning supplies under the kitchen and bathroom sinks. This way I have the cleaning supplies used in that room handy and I can quickly grab the basket and start cleaning. While my daughter is taking a bath I clean the bathroom while I watch her play. In my daughters' room I keep baskets for toys, diapers, bibs, baby items, art supplies, etc. For storing clothes as kids grow out of them- I use tubs and mark them with the sizes or also the diaper boxes you get at Sam's as they already have the sizes on them! Happy Organizing! -- April 25, from IA
Last year I started a family binder that I keep handy in the kitchen. The plastic insert on the front is where I keep a list of our most commonly used phone numbers. Then I use sheet protectors on the inside and keep school related information, kids sport schedules, clinic information, important newsletters, my grocery lists that I just need to highlight, and other various info that I want to be able to find quickly. It's been wonderful for me and my family! -- Jenny, 36, from MN
When those magazines start piling up and you don't know what to do with them, get a 3-ring binder and tear out the pages you want, recipes, holiday ideas, kids stuff etc. slip them into a page protector, make divider pages and voila! You condense all your magazines into 1 binder. I have a kids binder, a gardening binder and a house binder - it really eliminates all the magazines laying around!!
Another tip is just to go through EVERYTHING every couple of months. We live in a very small house and if everything is not in it's place where it belongs, it can get out of control very quickly!! I am constantly re-organizing and condensing throughout the year. -- Nicki, 33, from MN
Minnesotans know that two and sometimes three pairs of hats, mittens and scarves are necessary for each family member. But that adds up to a lot of winter wear. My friend had a great idea for keeping track of such items. Buy a narrow, rubber-drawer unit with wheels on the bottom. Label each drawer with family members' names and store their warm wear in their own drawer every time. No lost mittens, no last-minute searching for the right hat -- it's great! -- Gay, 40, from MN
Clear storage bins. I am an avid bin user, but I would get slightly frustrated when I would keep things in bins and then not remember what I put into the bins. So if you buy bins, make sure they are clear and see-through-it makes finding things so much easier! -- Cheryl, 36, from TX
I reuse the plastic tubs that my son's diaper wipes come in to store arts & crafts supplies, after washing & drying them out first! They stack wonderfully on his shelf and help keep small items like crayons or sheets of stickers from getting "lost!" -- Christine, 36, from MA
Instead of toy boxes, I buy the clear plastic drawers: Walmart has some really deep portable ones, and label each one by category, for example, people and animals, transportation, phones; you get the idea. Then I cut small pictures from magazines, or better yet, the box that the toys came out of so that my four year old, my husband, or babysitters know how to put things back. It keeps it organized and is easier to clean up the toys. -- Lauren, 28, from PA
We have a blended family, so to end a lot of confusion and fighting I color-coded all of their towels blankets sheets etc. Each kid gets their favorite color: purple, blue, yellow, etc. and there is no more of the,"It's not mine!" when I find a towel on the floor. -- Kim, 33, from NY
I find that it's helpful if most things have a place that they belong in. I do my best to put most things away, even if it's just by letting it pile up a bit, & then going through it once a week. I am very big on folders & special drawers for things. For example, I have what I call my junk-drawer in my bedroom, & one in my kitchen. Plus, I have a drawer for arts & crafts & a photo/photo album drawer. When it comes to the folders, I keep a wide variety of things in them. -- Angie, 37, from MD
I pay bills as they come in so I am never late on them and than I file them in a file cabinet and is coded by name. For ex, al bank statements go into the bank file. Also I keep all receipts in an envelope so I don't lose any of them. -- Margarita, 34, from MI
I keep a magnetic list on the side of my refrigerator. Whenever I'm low or run out of something I use, I immediately write it on the list. I keep a separate list for grocery, and another for household items at Target or Wal-Mart. This way I always have a grocery list handy when I'm running out the door to the store, and I never find myself completely out of a necessity. -- Lisa, 33, from AZ
I use a software program called Chore Genie. It's a program that you enter in your chores that you do daily, monthly, quarterly etc. It takes time to enter them in but once that is done, you print out your chores for the day, week whatever and then you go at it!! You can also enter in your husband's and kiddos' chores too. I just love it. -- Geri, 44, from IL
I work outside the home and have a 3 year-old daughter. Some of the things that I do to stay organized include:
Lay out her clothes on her desk and she has recently started dressing herself (I supervise)
Pack her lunch for preschool at night
When preparing the lunches, I make a lot of containers at once. (carrot & celery sticks, cheese cubes, etc.)
Then I can grab one of each for her lunch each night through the week.
I created a 'checklist' on the word processor, printed it out and drew pictures of the items next to the words. When she balks at doing something (combing her hair), I point to the checklist and ask her what step comes next. This does not always work - but it usually helps. It also prevents mom/dad from forgetting something (papers, backpack, lunchbox, snowsuit & boots, etc.) There is SO MUCH to lug! -- Deborah, 35, from NY
As a first time mother I have found that my son grows out of his clothing so fast. In order to keep his closet organized and his clothing size up to date, I keep a storage tote in his closet and when he has out grown something I immediately put it in the storage tote. Once the tote is full I label it with the size and put it into storage. I then start over with a new tote. -- Keri, 26, from OH
I have 4 school aged kids. Each child has a crate in the pantry for their back pack, current books, gym clothes, Awana books etc. I'll admit they don't always walk in the door and put their back pack away but at least we have one general place to gather the "STUFF" and if I find a school book or paper, I know where to put it where they'll find it. -- Diane, 41, from IL
My best organization tip might seem simple but you would be amazed how many people don't follow it. EVERYTHING MUST HAVE A HOME! You will never put it away if you don't know where it goes. All those piles that build up on surfaces will disappear if things have a home and you know where to put them. -- Beth, 30, from TX
One major organization tip that I have for parents of little ones is to hang an over-the-door-pocket-hangar on the back of your child's closet door. I keep all the little things that get lost in the house in those pockets, such as pacifier clips, gloves, hats, belts, favorite teething rings, special hot wheels cars that get to go shopping with us, and more. My 3 year old son even knows right where his favorite hats are because they are all easily seen through the clear pockets. -- Danielle, 27, from TX
I have 5 children ages 3 1/2-10 years old. To help us all, (but mainly me:)) we have a large dry-erase board on the side of the fridge with everyone's
name on it and the days of the week. that is all in permanent marker. The rest of the scheduled stuff is in dry-erase markers. Each week it is updated.
I have a regular calendar beside the phone in the kitchen and all stuff is also recorded on that. I also have what I call my life-saver. It is a 3 ring
binder in which every piece of paper from a club, sport or school goes into. The schedules all start from this and any important upcoming dates or even
homework assignments or projects is put in here. That way there is no way one of the kids can say.."but I didn't know..."I also am in very close contact
with all the teachers and group leaders, so I am aware of all that happens or is upcoming. Some say that I am nuts, but with 5 kids and something on every
night, it seems, we have to be. We also have our meals planned for the week ahead and chore lists posted on the fridge. It saves fighting! -- Martha, 40, from Ontario
I have cork squares attached right on my fridge for each child's important school papers. This way there is no forgetting meetings, tests, etc. plus they can display their A+ work! -- Christina, 37, from NY
To save space and money I took all my son's out-grown clothes and put them in garbage bags and then used my vacuum cleaner's hose and it sucked all the air out and made them flat. Then I twisted the bag several times and used a zip tie to close off the bag. (A rubber band works well too.) This is them same technique as in those space-age bags! -Stacey, 28, from OH
I keep recipes I clip out of magazines organized in a small photo album I got at the dollar store. It's the perfect size for index cards, too, so I can hand write those I find online. -- Sylvia from Ontario
I hold onto all my receipts in a recipe box. Not only can I track my spending but receipts are also invaluable for getting price adjustments. Many chain stores offer price adjustments on items that have gone on sale recently or identical items that are on at a competing store. Be sure to check the store's policy before a purchase and/or check the receipt for guidelines. Many corporate offices of companies do not let associates know when markdowns will occur in the future. Most, if not all, stores require the original receipt or invoice in order to do a price adjustment. So be sure to hold onto those receipts!!! -- Rebecca from WA
My six-month-old son is rapidly growing through stages of clothing. I purchase his diapers at a warehouse store boxes that contains 120 diapers. As I reorganize his clothing, removing smaller sizes, I store the clothes in the box his diapers came in that corresponds to the clothing size. For example, 0-3 month clothes in the diaper size 1-2 box, and 3-6 month clothes in the the size 3 box. -- Laura from WA
Rather than throwing away the tubs from my 13 month old son's babywipes, I use them to store his toys in. On his toy shelf, we keep his toy cars in one, rattles and noise makers in another, soft toys in another, etc. He actually knows which tub to get down to find the toy
he's looking for! This is a great way to teach him that his toys have their own home, and when he's old enough to help clean up his room, he'll know to put his toys in tubs, rather than in a big pile! -- Rebecca from DE
When my youngest finally got potty-trained, I still couldn't bear to part with the changing table, it was in great shape. So I moved it to the basement where it now holds all my laundry supplies on the bottom 2 shelves (instead of the top of the dryer). The top tray is where I now fold and place neatly folded clothes to take upstairs instead of cramming them into the laundry basket. -- Allison from MI
I was so tired with all the paper that was beginning to take over my office/library area that I have started to cut the article that I wanted out. I then open my writing program and paste into it. I then save it to the computer or disk. saves a lot of paper filing and mess. -- Jackie from NM
I have discovered a very good way to store four packs of nine rolls of toilet paper in a very small space. I bought two stackable wire racks at Walmart and placed them at the bottom of the linen closet. I then placed all four packs of toilet paper there after I pressed down down and making them more compact so that they fit on the shelves. There was extra space at the top of the top shelf and I put rolls of pressed rolls there across. And under the vanity in the corner in the front, I placed four rolls one on top of the other (also pressed in half making it take up very little space. I did this in the two bathrooms, so I was able to buy five packs of nine rolls and not take up so much space. (One roll on the toilet paper holder and the four under the vanity) By the way, they look very neat piled up. -- Esther from TX
I was always finding little bits of misc. paper in the bottom of my purse. Now I keep a used film contained in my purse for those chewing gum papers, straw wrappers and other little pieces of paper. I call it my garbage can in a purse. It has a tight fitting lid, so nothing spills. I just occasionally empty it. -- Sally from KY
I found the best way to keep my spices neat was to put them all in a shoe box or similar container (I happen to have a little basket in just the right dimensions) and write the name of the spice on the lid with permanent marker. This way, it doesn't really matter that all the jars aren't exactly the same size or shape. I pull out my box/basket and can see the spices I have at a glance and put them away neatly very quickly. -- Maria from FL
I have another tip for storing plastic grocery bags. I use the empty baby wipe containers. I roll them up and stuff as many as I can in the container. That way I can pull them out one at a time. I keep some in the baby's room, the bathrooms for lining garbage cans and in the car. -- Arria, AZ
Saving Childrens' Artwork
Reduce large artwork to a much smaller size on a color copier and make magnets or mount in a scrapbook -- Jenn
I buy the plain white binders as they have a plastic cover that you can slip things into. I use the teacher's welcome letter, photos, or notes from friends to decorate the cover. They are so fun and cheap, too! -- Dawn
I use my old baby wipe containers for storing craft stuff in. Being that it's so small, it fits nicely into my laundry cupboard (where I've turned it into my craft storage). Also, you can easily label on them. I also organize all the stamps I never use (lol) so I know which bin they are all in. For example, all my Christmas stamps are in one container, etc. Since I don't have a jewelry box for all my jewelry, I also use these for storing in my closet. -- Matycat ** I use the empty wipes containers to put little socks that are so hard to hold onto in one, tights in another, and even her headbands in another! They work great! -- Amy from TX
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