Organizing Tips from Carol Keller in The
Hillsboro Argus
Kitchen and Pantry Organization
Our kitchens function as
the hub of the household and therein lies the problem!! There is so much
activity going on all the time, that it is difficult to maintain a high
level of organization that works for everyone.
Ask yourself: How can my kitchen and
pantry be more efficient? What is not working or
what is missing? Do I have adequate storage
space?
Once you have analyzed
your kitchen and discovered the problem areas, you can find solutions to
create a kitchen and pantry that is efficient and easy to maintain.
The first step toward
organizing your kitchen is to sort and purge every cupboard, drawer and
cabinet. You will have three choices as to what to do with each item and
those are: keep it, donate it, or throw it away.
Begin with the food:
Check expiration dates
and get rid of anything that has passed the expiration date. What you are keeping
should be grouped into like categories to be put away later.
Group all your small
appliances, cooking and baking supplies so you can really see what you have.
Consider donating any duplicates
Appliances that are not
used on a regular basis can be stored somewhere else in the
house. Throw away anything that
does not work or has missing parts.
Limit your plastic storage
containers to one small shelf or drawer.
Clean out the junk drawer
and keep only the items that are really useful.
Remove all your dishes,
glasses, mugs and serving pieces. How many mugs do you really need? Throw
away any chipped or cracked pieces and make a list of what you want to
replace.
Now is a good time to really clean all the
cupboards, drawers and cabinets. You might also want to install new shelf
liners.
The next step is to create
zones according to the activities that take place in the kitchen.
The cooking and baking supplies should be stored near the stove.
The food should be organized by type and grouped together in the pantry. You might want to
consider some storage containers to keep small items together and all dry
goods should be stored in airtight containers.
The dishes, glassware and
mugs should be near the dishwasher.
Once you have decided on
the zones there are some other ideas to consider:
Would pull out shelves
be helpful?
Would turntables provide
better access in the cupboards?
Drawer organizers are
beneficial in keeping items separated. Would a hanging pot
holder free up needed space in the cupboards?
Take the time now to
acquire any of the above items that will help provide efficient storage for
all areas of the kitchen and pantry.
Now is the fun part. You
get to put everything back in its proper place! You now have a clean and
efficient kitchen and pantry that will be easy for everyone in the household
to maintain.
If you need assistance
with your kitchen organizing, call Carol with Organizing Experts at
503-681-8191 or visit her website at
www.OrganizingExperts.com for more information.
Spring Cleaning Time
Since our spring has arrived early, it’s time once
again to organize our closets. I am going to focus on the master bedroom
closet, but this process will work for any closet in your house.
The first step is to identify exactly what should
“live” in your closet. If you have items like photographs, books, or
memorabilia that are taking up valuable space, move them to another area of
the house. If you have the luxury of having a spare closet, separate your
clothes according to spring/summer and fall/winter and put your fall/winter
clothes in the spare closet now. Once you have decided what the function of
the closet is, you can now start the next step which is sorting and
purging.
This step is the most difficult and most time consuming
but very necessary. Look at each article of clothing and decide if you are
going to keep it, donate it, give it away or throw it away. Ask yourself the
following questions to help you decide what to do with each piece of
clothing.
Does it still fit? Have I worn it in the last year? Is it still in style? Do I love it?
If you can’t answer yes to those questions, then you
should probably let it go. The items that are obviously stained beyond being
able to be cleaned, have broken zippers or have missing buttons should be
thrown away. The items that no longer fit or have not been worn should be
donated. Find a charity of your choice to donate your useable items.
Now you should be left with the items you are keeping.
This is a good time to evaluate your now empty closet! Do you have the
correct kind of hanging space? Do you need shelves or drawers? Do you need
storage containers? I also recommend that you replace any wire hangers with
either plastic or wooden hangers. Take this time to purchase a closet system
that will fit your particular needs. You might also want to clean your
closet thoroughly and maybe even give it a new coat of paint.
Now comes the fun part!! Putting everything back in the
closet in an orderly manner. Separate your clothes into the following
categories: pants, tops, skirts, dresses and suits. Hang the like items
together so that you know how many you have of each category. You can also
hang like colors together which will save you time when deciding what to
wear.
Your shoes, belts, scarves and purses also need a
specific place in the closet. Shoe shelves work well for getting the shoes
off the floor. Small bins or baskets are good for keeping your accessories
together in one place. There are specialty hangers for ties and belts that
are great space savers.
Now step back and admire and evaluate your newly
organized closet. I suggest living with it for a couple of weeks before
making any changes. Make a note of what is working and what is not working
and then re-arrange if necessary.
If you need assistance with your closets, call Carol
with Organizing Experts at 503-681-8191 or visit her website at
www.OrganizingExperts.com for more information.
New Years Resolution-Get my life organized
Is this the year you are finally going to get organized but don't know
where to start? I have some tips to help you organize your thoughts and get
your process off to a productive start. First, make a list of all
areas of your life that are not as productive as you would like. Some
examples might include, your schedule, your morning and evening routine, or
children' activities. Create a list of all the
areas in your house that contain too much stuff or areas where the storage
is inadequate. Walk from room to room and
imagine how you would like each room to look.
Once you have a list of your concerns, take some time to think about the
reasons why the disorganization is occurring. Has something happened in
your life that changed your routine? What or who is a barrier to
getting the organization you desire? Are your expectations
realistic?
Now you will need to do some prioritizing. Which area is the most
important to get organized so that you can really enjoy and appreciate your
home? Which areas can wait a month
or two? Create a schedule to begin
your organizing process. Taking some time everyday will help keep you
motivated and you will see positive progress which will inspire you to keep
going.
Wherever you decided to begin, the following process will provide the
steps to organize any drawer, closet or room in your home. Begin in one section and
sort through every item in the room and decide if you should keep it, donate
it or throw it away. If you are keeping something, group it with other like
items. Purge items that no longer
serve a purpose in your life today. Keeping this thought in mind will help
when you have items that have emotional value, were gifts or if you have
multiples of something. The next step is to assign a
permanent home for everything you are keeping. You might need to get
creative, but remember that the home should be logical and easy to maintain. Finally, find containers for
these items and label the containers if necessary.
Now step back and evaluate your newly organized space and ask yourself,
is everything as you would like it? Can you find everything you need
quickly? Is it easy to maintain the organization? You will need to live with
your changes for a couple of weeks to decide if it really is working for
you. This process will take some time, but if you follow your schedule and
your priorities, you will have your life organized according to your plan.
Good luck and have fun!
Carol Keller of Hillsboro operates Organizing Experts. She can be reached
at 503-681-8191 or at
Last month the topic included tips for preparing your house for fall and
winter. This month we will continue that process into the garage.
The first step is to evaluate what already exists in the garage.
Are you able to get your car or cars inside everyday?
Can you locate the tools you need when you need them?
Are the garden tools readily available?
Can the kids access their toys easily?
The answers to these questions will give you a place to start. Make a
list by categories of everything that currently is in the garage.
The next step is the sort and purge process.
You will need to evaluate every item in the garage and decide whether you
want to keep it, throw it away, donate it or sell it. This process takes the
most time and requires the most effort on your part. Set aside a specific
time to begin this process and stay focused. Try to think critically about
how much you really need to keep.
The third step is to assign a home to all the items you are keeping.
Create areas in the garage for each of the categories you created
earlier. Each area should be very specific as to what is going to "live"
there.
Now is the fun part! You get to choose containers for everything that is
staying. Now that all the categories have a specific space, you need to
decide how to best use the space you have. Clear plastic bins with lids work
especially well in the garage. Measure the space you have so that you know
how many and what size bins you need.
Once everything is contained and in its rightful place, evaluate if you
have room for the items you wanted to keep.
Now can you get your car or cars inside everyday?
Can you locate the tools that you need when you need them?
Are the garden tools readily available?
Can the kids access their toys easily?
Hopefully the answer to these questions now is, YES! You might want to
live with your newly organized garage for a couple of weeks to see if it
really is how you want it to be. This is always a work in progress, so don't
think it has to be perfect. As your life changes, your organizing needs will
change as well. Enjoy your newly organized garage!
Carol Keller of Hillsboro operates Organizing Experts. She can be reached
at 503-681-8191 or through her website at
www.organizingexperts.com
Organize in, out for
fall, winter
Just like we do in the spring, now is the time to prepare our homes and
outdoor areas for the fall and winter.
Here are some tips to make the process more productive for you and your
family.
Outside:
Evaluate the outdoor furniture. Should it be replaced or does it need
to be repaired? Are the cushions in good condition or do they need to be
replaced?
Decide how the furniture is going to be stored for the winter. Do you
have room in the garage or outdoor shed? Do you need to buy covers if the
furniture stays outside?
Prepare the barbecue for winter storage. Clean it and cover it so that
next spring it will be ready for that first barbecue of the season.
Outside toys-where will they be stored? Are they still in good
condition and are they still age appropriate for the children?
In the house:
Activities will now move indoors with the winter weather.
Things that you might want to have available for the family: games,
books, puzzles, favorite movies.
The tip for last month centered on back to school. Make sure that each
child has an organized and accessible place to do their homework.
Create a routine for each evening before going to bed. Make sure that
all completed homework is in the backpack, the lunch is ready and the
clothes have been decided on.
Create a similar routine for each morning. Breakfast is at the same
time, and if the above items were taken care of the night before, then the
morning should be much calmer.
Taking time to evaluate your outdoor and indoor needs now will prevent
problems in the next few months when the focus will be on the upcoming
holidays! Have fun and good organizing.
Carol Keller of Hillsboro operates Organizing Experts. She can be
reached at 503-681-8191 or through her website at
www.organizingexperts.com .
Back to school: Time to get
organized
Now is the time to get you and your children ready to go back to school.
In order to avoid the last minute confusion, following are some tips that
will help the entire family.
Organize each child's room by sorting through all their clothes, books,
toys and music that are currently being stored. You will have three
categories for each item.
Things to keep:
1. Clothes that still fit. Evaluate what each child might need for school
and create a shopping list.
2. Toys and games that are still being used and are complete.
3. Books that are still age appropriate.
4. Music that they currently like and listen to.
Things to donate:
1. Clothes that are in good shape but do not fit anyone.
2. Books that are in good shape that they have out grown.
3. Games and toys that are complete that they have out grown.
Things to throw-away:
1. Anything broken or torn and not repairable.
2. Recycle old papers that are not useful.
3. Replace binders that are broken down.
4. Games with pieces missing.
Now that you have sorted and purged, everything that is left needs a
permanent home. Create zones in the room and assign a home for each item
that is appropriate in each zone.
Be creative with your storage solutions. If the clothes that are to be
kept can be folded and stored in the dresser, you might want to install a
desk and shelves in the closet.
All of the artwork that comes home can be stored in an under bed plastic
container.
All homework related items should be stored on the desk. There are
numerous desktop storage containers available that will keep all the pens,
pencils, glue sticks and papers in one place.
The shelving units can store toys in baskets as well as the books.
I have one final tip for the family. Create a "command center" where you
can track the activities for each family member. Buy the largest calendar
that will fit on your wall and pick a different colored pen to write
everything that is scheduled for each person on that one calendar. A small
container for file folders is also handy to keep near the calendar so you
can have a place for all the papers that come home from school.
Color code the file folders as you did with the colored pens.
If you follow these steps now, you and your family will be ready for that
first day of school and you can experience a calm and peaceful routine.
Carol Keller of Hillsboro operates Organizing Experts. She can be reached
at 503-681-8191 or at organizingexperts.com.
Vacation time: Are you ready?
The 4th of July has come and gone. July is the month for picnics, summer
camps and vacations.
If your family camps, now is a good time to assemble all of the camping
supplies and assess what needs to be replaced, repaired or cleaned.
Separate everything into three categories: To be replaced: create a
shopping list of items needed; to be repaired or cleaned: decide who is
going to do this; and to throw away or donate: where will these items go and
who will take them away
Once you have everything in good working order, create a space to store
all of it together in one area of the garage or attic. You might want to
purchase some clear plastic tubs in order to contain all of the smaller
items.
Sleeping bags, tents and tarps also store well in large clear plastic
tubs. I recommend the clear type so that you can see what is in each one.
You might also want to label each tub as to the contents.
Organizing all your camping gear in plastic tubs will also make it easier
to load everything into the car or van. You will have everything you need
and it will pack well into your vehicle.
One more tip: Assemble a basic emergency medical kit to have on hand in
case of any emergency whether it is an allergic reaction or a cut or scrape.
Determine what your family requires and prepare for those incidents.
At the end of the season, repeat the earlier assessment so that when next
summer rolls around, you will be ready to go camping at a moments notice.
Happy camping and good organizing.
Carol Keller of Hillsboro owns and operates Organizing Experts. She can
be reached at 503-681-8191 or through her website at organizingexperts.com.
It's summer: Time to
organize clothes, toys, books
June is here, which means that summer is arriving soon and school is
ending, so now is a great time to sort through all your children's
clothes, books and toys.
Take inventory of your children's clothes and what they need for the
summer. Let them participate in the decision making so that there will be
no surprises.
Sort and purge the items that no longer fit.
If they are in good shape, either give them to someone you know or
donate them to an agency you like.
If they are worn, torn or stained throw them away.
Once you know what you are keeping, then you can make a list of what
needs to be purchased for summer.
This is also a good time to re-organize their closets and book shelves.
Keep books on the shelf for summer reading.
You might want to make a list of books to check out from the library
for a summer reading project.
Donate the books that they have out-grown or that you do not want to
keep.
Toys can be an ongoing problem with what to keep and what to give away.
Sort through the current toys and decide which ones are special,
age-specific, or collectible.
Keep all of the above and then go through the same process that you did
with the clothes.
If they are in good shape, either give them away or donate them.
If they are broken or have missing parts, throw them away.
If you go through this process now, you will have your children
organized for the summer. Have fun and good organizing.
Carol Keller of Hillsboro operates Organizing Experts. She can be
reached at 503-681-8191 or through her website at
www.organizingexperts.com
Messy entryway? Try hooks, shelves
Are you tired of tripping over things that were dropped on the floor as
you enter the house?
Whether the family members enter from the front door or through the
garage into a utility room, it seems that there are shoes, backpacks, books,
purses or even mail on the floor.
Following are some suggestions to get the "stuff" off the floor and into
some storage containers.
1. Invest in some fun and decorative wall hooks for each family member to
hang backpacks, hats or coats on. Place them at appropriate heights for each
person.
2. Shelving always helps create more storage. Several shelves will
provide much needed space for books, purses, mail and briefcases. These can
be mounted on the wall above the hooks to maximize wall space.
3. Shoes are always a problem. Shoe racks are available in a variety of
styles that will house several pairs of shoes at a time. There are racks
that sit on the floor or bags that hang on the back of a door. You might
even want a cupboard installed that will hide the shoes completely.
Taking these simples steps will eliminate the annoying piles of stuff at
the entryway. This also works with everyone's habits rather than changing
them by providing a simple solution which should be easy to maintain.
The supplies for this project can be found at department stores,
organization specialty shops and home remodeling centers. You don't have to
spend a fortune to achieve the look you want and you will have a
clutter-free entry.
Carol Keller of Hillsboro operates Organizing Experts. She can be reached
at 503-681-8191 or through her website at
www.organizingexperts.com.
Clearing clutter: Mail
Wonder what to do with the mail that comes into the house everyday?
Most people receive way too much junk mail, but somehow it manages to stay
in the house which contributes to the clutter.
Here are some suggestions for eliminating the mail problem:
1. Designate one small container to store the mail until there is time
to open it.
2. Open and sort the mail everyday or at least every two days. Don't
let it stack up so that it becomes overwhelming.
3. Discard the junk mail to a recycling bin. Shred anything with name,
address or any account number on it (Identity theft is everywhere).
4. Put the bills to be paid in a container or file near where you will
be writing the checks to be mailed. You might want a tickler file to
separate them by due date or a similar system that makes sense to you.
5. Mail to read at a later time needs to have its own container as
well. This can be a basket, shelf space, a drawer or whatever works in
your home. Don't leave it out to clutter the house.
6. If you keep catalogues (in case you might order something), make
sure to discard the old one when the current one arrives.
7. Magazines with articles you want to read can add to the overall mail
problem. Cut out the articles you want to keep and then discard the
magazine. You might want to create your own notebook of recipes,
decorating tips, yard care ideas, etc.
8. If you follow these simple steps everyday, you will eliminate an
annoying source of clutter.
Good luck and have fun with this one.
Carol Keller of Hillsboro operates Organizing Experts. She can be
reached at: carol@organizingexperts.com or 503-681-8191.
