Monday, January 12, 2009

How I Organize All Our Stuff!

Are you ready to join the party? Show us all ways you organize your things around your home and link to your blog at Thrifty Decor Chick.

This half bath had no storage at all- it even has a pedestal sink. We added a wall cabinet and the floor cabinet that fits behind the door. It stores hair accessories, cleaners, and toiletries.



I store our medicines above the refrigerator in clear shoe box size boxes. They are seperated and labeled by cough and cold, aches, and first aid.



My munchkin pantry. It is in the space under the stairs. Every inch is covered with shelves.
I buy the Sams animal cookies for the containers. They fit perfectly on the floor under the lowest shelf. I store flour, sugar, and rice in them.



I have a battery organizer mounted behind the laundry room door. It has a battery tester. I bought rechargeable batteries so we would not have to keep buying batteries.


My husband made a pedestal for the washing machine and dryer. I put my baskets under them. Dirty clotes go under the washer and the dryer basket is empty until you unload the dryer.



This used to be in our family room to store our tv. Now it is in our bedroom for a tv and craft supplies. I have organizers in the drawers for office supplies.

I store table linens and candles in my buffet that sits in the foyer. I stand trays and platters in the side cabinets.


My office nook area. I used stackable drawers and a door to make a desk. I then have the yellow desk that has two huge drawers. I put craft items in the stackable desk: gift bags, ribbon, paint, material, patterns, my pleater for smocking, etc.

I use the top shelf in the closet by the garage door to put extra food . A little messy at the moment.



I put all our hats and mittens in a door shoe bag.

This is one of the sections of my desk. See the paint and ribbon? The paint is in a shoe box so you can grab the whole thing and go somewhere else out of my room to paint.


Our kitchen table has four drawers for napkins.


Mack's toys are in this basket by the fireplace.
I cut out magazine inspiration photos and file them in folders. I have decorating by catagory of the room like Family room, kitchen, bedroom, bath. I have one for craft projects, clothing, gardening, parties, recipes, etc. I have a three ring hole punch that I make holes into the cutout then put in a binder so that I can flip through them like a magazine. If they rip I repair the rip with those sticker like hole thingies.


I have drawers for school supplies under the cabinet near the fireplace.
Buy furniture with storage. Our daily school books and teacher's manuals are in this big drawer.


I took all our movies out of the cases and put them in this so we can take them in the car when we travel.

I think the biggest thing is not to waste room or have rooms that you do not need. We have our son in the "dining room" of the house. I have a huge foyer so we moved my table and buffet into the foyer. I can pull the chairs in and use it for dining if I need to. But, it is not sitting the rest of the year taking up space we needed.
We had five kids in two bedrooms until this house. In the boys room we had bunk beds with a built in chest and desk and a captains bed with drawers underneath. The girls used a daybed. Add double rods in closets. Use door shoe bags for things. Put big baskets in closets for toys or things. Use small chests as nightstands. Put boxes under beds. Think vertical- buy a chest of drawers over a dresser. Add shelves above their beds for trophies or their collectables. Add bookshelves in a dining room for a library feel. We have a bench on the window side of the table and can seat an extra kid instead of having two chairs. I had a coat hook shelf with 5 pegs in our bath and had the kids names monogrammed on Ralph Lauren white towels - they kept their towel hanging on the wall. Now, those stinkin shoes!












15 comments:

Chablis said...

great ideas. I have a magazing binder too! Love that thing. I am really lovin' the pedestal under your washer and dryer. I'm thinking up my presentation to my husband right now.

Thrifty Decor Chick said...

Wow...I love them all. The best is the containers for the medicine. We keep them in the kitchen too and it's driving me nuts. I've seen the DVD/CD thing about five times today so I'm definitely doing that!!

The Masked Mommy said...

You had a lot of good ideas! We live in a small townhouse with 2 kids, and I'm working on replacing all of our furniture with furniture that stores things. 2 things on my list are a coffee table with storage, and a bench with storage.

Domestic Goddess..Diva sometimes said...

You have so many great ideas! You used every inch of space on your home. Your pantry makes me smile. Ahh to have a big pantry! :)

ellie mae said...

What great ideas! I really like the mittens and hats organizing idea!!

Tami said...

Do you throw away all the cases to your DVDs and CDs? I just don't know if I can do it like that but they are definitely taking up lots of space and so are the VHS tapes. You just don't even want to know how many we have. But my kids really do watch them all the time.

Southerner said...

Tami- I put the cases into the attic. I did not want to throw away the movie cases in case I ever sell them. But, it took a whole cabinet of DVD's and condensed them into one binder.

Valarie Lea said...

I really like the over the door shoe thing for the gloves and stuff. I am so doing that!

I am also going to do the pain in the shoe box. I already have it in the same kind of drawer thing.

Anonymous said...

Great ideas . . . I was wondering about those dvd cases - have you checked them to make sure they don't melt in the attic from summer heat? I am sure that would happen to me!!! ha ha

Great ideas though!!! I just may have to borrow some of them!

Squid Girl said...

Using rechargeable batteries is a great idea as they last longer than alkaline batteries. The initial investment may be more than ourchasing alkalines but you waste a lot less, they last a lot longer and rechargeable batteries CAN be recycled after they've finally worn out. The average lifespan of a rechargeable battery is between 2-5 yrs. depending on the frequency of use and proper handling (i.e. heat, cold, damage). Visit call2recycle.org for drop-off locations. You'll see many convenient well known national retailers participating in this program. The webiste also has an educational section where you can learn more about battery history, technology, safe/easy experiments for kids and the benefits of recycling.

Beki - TheRustedChain said...

My goodness, that inspires me to go tackle some of my things that need organized!

Nicolle said...

I found you through Thrifty Decor Chick's blog. You have some great ideas! I think I am going to go tackle my pantry today! I enjoyed looking at your blog. :)

The Wagner Family said...

Please come to my house next!

Michelle said...

Wish you could come to my house just to get me started...thats one of my resolutions...I plan to pick a room and keep going until its finished...then move to the next one!

Jerralea said...

I love all your ideas! Especially the pedestal under the washer & dryer!