Tips and Tricks to Keep Your Home Neat and Tidy
January is “Get Organized” month! It is cold outside, there is snow, and putting on your jacket, mittens, hats, etc. makes getting out the door a big task. So let’s stay home today and, you got it, get organized! Follow these tips and tricks for each room to keep yourself organized in your Demlang home.
Keeping Clutter out of the Laundry Room & Mud Room
If you are going to get one room organized, this is this one! The Laundry Room is the space where your family throws their dirty laundry, drops their backpacks and bags, and kicks off their muddy shoes. And, in a Demlang home, even our spacious and well-laid out Command Centers can use tidying up every once in a while. This is a great location to put lockers for each of your family members. Then in each locker, put hooks, a calendar or reminder/to-do list, inbox, and drawer or basket.
- Hooks – hanging up jackets, sweatshirts, bags
- Calendar, Reminder/To-Do List – appointments, practice, chores, permission slips
- Inbox – lunch money, mail
- Drawer or Basket – mittens, hats
Back Hall Drop Shelf for Keys, Mail, and More!
Similar to the Command Center/Mud Room, the drop shelf gets overused and cluttered quickly. Using the lockers for individual needs and reminders is great, but you also need a place to keep all family activities together so you don’t double book yourself. Keeping a calendar of everything your family needs to know is also important. This is also a great place for key hooks, mail slots, and a bulletin board.
- Calendar – color coded for each family member’s appointments, activities, anniversary/birthday reminders, etc.
- Key Hooks – never lose your keys again!
- Mail Slots – have multiple slots to keep your bills, cards, and invitations separate
- Bulletin Board – reminders and notes, save the dates, drawings from your kids
An Organized Home Office
Let’s face it, the home office often turns into the room where you “hide” things when company is coming over. Everything that was on the drop shelf, is now crammed into a drawer and forgotten about, the bills are piled up, and your to-do list ends up on the bottom. Don’t forget to purge every once in a while!
- Binders – account information, bills, budget, medical information, etc.
- Floating Shelves – books, binders, and a knick knack or two
- Tracker / Calendar – when bills need to be paid and when you paid them
Linen Closet Organization
While your guests may never see the inside of your linen closet, keeping this spot organized will help you stay in your cleaning groove and find things quickly and easily. The best way to fold sheets and towels seem to vary. One of the greatest tips for organizing your linen closet is to put the folded sheets and pillowcases into one pillowcase. It’s the easiest way to keep the matching sheets together – no more digging!
- Baskets – towels (if you roll them), hair supplies, sheets organized by size, extra/overstock supplies (toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, etc.)
- Jars – Q-tips, cotton balls, bath salts
- Small Drawer Unit – band aids, ointments and creams, tweezers, nail clippers
Kitchen and Pantry Organization
It seems like everything you buy from the store comes in a different shape and size, and your pantry looks like a failed Tetris game. You’ll also have to make a decision on what type of items belong in the pantry: is it for food only, or would you keep baggies, Tupperware, and garbage bags in there?
- Jars – an assortment of sizes for homemade seasoning mixes, loose leaf tea, nuts, trail mix, rice, flour, and more
- Baskets – keep your spices all in one place, snacks, baking supplies, canned goods, and anything else you can think – don’t forget to label
- Plastic Containers – for all of those items that come in odd shaped packaging such as chips, goldfish crackers, cookies, etc.
Use these tips and tricks as a starting point for your home organization. If something doesn’t quite work for you, do some research and see what will. Your home is for living as well as entertaining, so keep it organized and be ready for anything or anyone!
And…of course, organizing starts with having enough closet, cabinet, and storage space! If you find your home too tight to tidy, call Demlang Builders or visit one of our models to see how organized your life could be a new home!
