Organizing Tips

Kitchen

Think about how many plastic food storage containers you will actually use. How many fit nicely in your cupboard and how many can you fit in your refrigerator. Most people collect too many cottage cheese containers and butter tubs.

Set up a message center and small office in your kitchen if that is where you tend to collect phone calls and paper.

Entryway

Place a small shelf and hooks to hang keys and collect coins and other small objects.

General Living Areas

Have a couple of clutter collection baskets placed strategically throughout your house. This is a convenient way to gather up items that need to be moved to other levels or areas of the house. Each week, schedule time to distribute these items to their proper homes.

Garage, Attic, Basement

Consider using buckets and trash bins to store items in. This works especially well for gathering all the equipment for a specific game or sport. The entire bucket can be brought outdoors for play, then returned to it’s permanent home in the garage. They can be hung on hooks from the rafters.

Bathroom

Attach a plastic, wall-mount file pocket to the wall to hold reading materials. This keeps them off the floor and easy to reach.

Time Management

Schedule 10-15 minutes every morning to plan your day. If morning doesn’t work well for you, schedule the time the evening before to plan the next day. Being prepared will help you stay on time and on track. This tip will help you get the important details off of your mind so you can sleep more restfully.

If you have children, schedule one-on-one time with each of them, kind of like a date with your children. This can be as simple as going for a walk or having a special lunch together, or more involved like a camping trip or special vacation.

Children and Teens

Allow kids to help with household chores. There is something they can do to help at nearly every age. Very young children will need more direction and help, but as they get older, they will have the skills they need to become more independent.

Make picking up toys a game. Do it with them, entice them with a reward, and play music or sing songs.