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Newsletter Archives
December 2009
Wrapping It Up
November 2009
Prepare the Pantry
October 2009
Costumes & Decorations
September 2009
Enough
August 2009
Help for the Home Office
July 2009
Getting Crafty
June 2009
A Better Bedroom
May 2009
Eco Organizing
April 2009
Getting Ready to Garden
March 2009
The Path To Clutter
February 2009
Easing Into Downsizing
January 2009
Organizing For Renovation
December 2008
Organizing For Next Year
November 2008
More Of My Favorite Organizing Tools
October 2008
Making Life Easier
September 2008
Clearing The Closet
August 2008
How To Let Go Of Stuff
July 2008
Managing Medical Records
June 2008
Road Trip Organizing
May 2008
Collections Instead of Clutter
April 2008
Getting Ready for Tax Time
March 2008
Where to Begin
February 2008
When You Want to Help
January 2008
Top Ten Causes of Disorganization
December 2007
Organize for Air Travel
November 2007
Organize for Small Spaces
October 2007
When Life Happens, Reorganize
September 2007
Bathroom Organizing
August 2007
Paper Organizing
July 2007
Uncluttered Kids' Rooms
June 2007
Top Ten Organizing Tools
May 2007
Grapple The Garage
April 2007
Managing Your Time
March 2007
Spring Organizing
February 2007
Help for Caregivers of Aging Parents
January 2007
National Get Organized Month
December 2006
Year End Organizing
November 2006
Give Thanks for Being Organized
October 2006
Holiday Kitchen Organization
September 2006
In Case of a Weather Emergency - Organize!
August 2006
Back to School Organizing
July 2006
Declare your Independence from Summer Clutter
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ORGANIZING TIPS OF THE MONTH: NOVEMBER 2007
Organizing for Small Spaces
Whether you live in a dorm room or a large house, there always seems to be at least one space that is not configured to fit your needs. The things you have to store will not fit where you need them to go. Laundry room, closet, or kitchen - you will find an organizing challenge. Need ideas on conquering space? Give me a call or email with your questions.
- Often closets are fitted only with a shelf and a hanging bar. The configuration is fine if all you have are long hanging clothes. If not, consider installing shelves in one section - either attached or a freestanding unit. Shelves hold a lot of folded clothes, bins of underwear, toiletries, even your overflow of books.
- Make use of hooks. They hold everything from keys to coats. They are also decorative. Use 3M Command hooks for places where you cannot drill holes. They come in a variety of weight limits and are easily removed without marring walls or doors.
- The ever-popular clear plastic bins are invaluable in small spaces. Label them and tuck them up on high shelves or under the bed. Use them as sliding drawers in vanity cabinets, linen closets, or under the kitchen sink. Make sure you group like items.
- Use vertical space. A wall unit with shelves and/or cabinets can hold decorative items and books. But they also can be filled with baskets, canvas bins, and other attractive containers to hold items which easily clutter a small space - office supplies, small computer components, camera equipment, magazines, craft supplies, memorabilia. Again, label the contents.
- In the laundry area, use hooks to hold brooms, mops, and dusters. Use shelves and cabinets for cleaning supplies. If the washer and dryer fill the whole space, consider using a freestanding cabinet to store detergent and other cleaning items in an adjacent hall or room.
- No room to store jewelry? Hang a small bulletin board and use stick pins to hold necklaces and bracelets neatly. You could also use a hinged shadowbox in the same manner.The storage solution then does double duty as an art piece.
- If you have more shoes than closet floor space, either install a shoe rack on the closet wall or door; or use shoe rack shelves on the floor. Either way you will free up floor space by storing shoes more efficiently.
- There is often wasted space in the corners where kitchen cabinets meet. Such spaces are black holes where anything stored there gets lost in dark corners. Lazy Susan turntables help bring items in the corners forward. Install a press-on battery operated light inside the cabinet to help illuminate what is stored there. Or use that no-man's land space to store only single large items that are rarely used, such as roasting pans or waffle irons.
- Buy quantities which fit your storage space. If you have limited laundry room storage, take a pass on the warehouse store size detergent. The same is true of the 30-roll pack of toilet tissue in a one bedroom apartment.
- Before you make a purchase, ask yourself if the item has a space in your home. And ask yourself if the item will be clutter. Be honest, even if you have to pass up the One Day Only Extra 15% Off sale.
©All Sorted Out, 2007 All Rights Reserved
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