can we share household organizational tips?

[bellebud]

I'm in an organizational mood lately - I would love to read what other people do in their homes...

I just hung a shoe organizer on the mudroom door (where all our coats and shoes are), for the kids hats and gloves and scarves. My sil has a shoe organizer hanging in her craftroom, w/ markers, crayons, craft supplies, etc, in it.

what do you do w/ books and magazines for adults and kids? i have a lot and even though i'm always throwing away, they seem to multiply overnight when we're sleeping.

anyone want to share any types of tips???

wanted to add a cleaning tip I love that I got from flylady - I keep a toilet brush next to each toilet, in a bowl-type holder that is filled w/ toilet cleaner (i actually just have vinegar since i have kids and pets and would worry), and I swish the bowls for 3 seconds every few days when i happen to be in there (the kids are doing it too now since it's so easy). I also keep a tub of clorox wipes in each bathroom and do a very quick wipe down (it really only takes about 60 seconds) now and then, so I never have to "really" clean any of the bathrooms. I just can't and won't do a few hours of cleaning on a saturday or something (like my mom always did). I just hate it sooo much, breaking it up during the week, even when i'm rushing around busy, has made my house more clean than it ever was w/ me waiting to do the "big" cleaning (that never happened on a regular basis). so any good cleaning tips would be appreciated too!

 

[teresajoy]

That's a good idea about the toilet brush. I don't have any organizational tips, but I'd love to thear what others do!

 

[peanut1967]

I have a spray bottle with 1 part vinigar and 2 parts water and then any glass that goes in the dishwasher gets a spraying, even the heavy duty pyrex when full of stains...it makes them come up so much better.

Put bicarb in a pot in your fridge to absorb smells.

Angie

 

[madmom1030]

I put a clear shoe organizer on my dds bathroom door to hold of the hair stuff, brushes, rubberbands, headbands, etc. It keeps it off the floor and the vanity and they can see what we have with out digging around for it.

We also do the clorox wipes in the bathroom everyday. DD 8 does their bathroom for me everyday, one less thing I have to do.

 

[PaulaSue]

I LOVE Flylady!!!

I try to follow many of her hints plus some other web sites. I have so much less clutter now with 3 growing kids than I did with 1 baby.

I love the cleaning out the frig every Wed and cleaning hot spots before I leave each room.

 

[adnil530]

I'm in an organizational mood lately - I would love to read what other people do in their homes...


what do you do w/ books and magazines for adults and kids? i have a lot and even though i'm always throwing away, they seem to multiply overnight when we're sleeping.

anyone want to share any types of tips???

We have a local food pantry that feeds homeless people. We donate our magazines to them. You can check with your local soup kitchen to see what they can use. We place them in a paper bag and try to deliver once a month. If they cannot use them, try local preschools. They can use them to cut out pictures/photos. Hospitals/clinics can use them for their waiting rooms.

I wish I had some oraganizational tips, but I am too disorganized to have any. I need a personal organizor to come to my home and help me.

WAIT...I finally seperated business cards (paper cards) from credit cards/id's (plastic cards including medical, id's etc) in my wallet and it cut my wallet size down considerably. Lots of clutter in my wallet was eliminated. Hope you can use that one

 

[Debbie7452]

This might sound kind of weird but I made a "file" for each kid (I have four) and I put papers that pertain to that child in the file folder. Stuff like the permission slips, school info, practice schedules, certificates, even fundraiser forms...WHATEVER. Before I started this, I could never find stuff the kids needed to turn in because it was scattered all over. This helps a little...

Actually, I keep files for a lot of things...I have a church file, charity receipts file, medical receipts file WHY do I still have several mountains of loose papers everywhere? I sound so organized!