Organizing in the New Year (ONY)-Closets

Our month-long series continues today on  
ONY.
Organizing in the New Year
 focuses on one area each week,
keeping these intentions in mind:

~Purge if necessary,
because you can't create your dream
if it's cluttered with things you don't use.
Keep in mind, one object in, one object out.
If it doesn't do something for you, 
pass it on to someone else who can use it.  
It's all good.

~Use what you have to create a more streamlined home 
that still has your special touch.
Repurposing functional items adds to their value.
If they make your life easier or help you feel more comfortable, 
they are worth keeping.

~Try moving everyday items to different rooms
and use your creativity to use them in a new way.
The worst that can happen is that 
you find it doesn't quite work in the new application.  
Just start over!

If you are working toward more order in your life,
I hope these posts will help you jump start your vision.

The best advice I can give you is to
just start somewhere.

Closets are one of my favorite things to organize.
There's just so much potential!

 

Baskets are a wonderful way to corral linens.
This small linen closet was reorganized here.

 



Two sheet sets for each bedroom and a few extra towels and washcloths
are more than adequate for our family of three.
When sheets or towels are replaced,
 the used items are donated to the local animal shelter.

 The master bedroom closet in our home is actually a walk-through.
It spans the bathroom on the other side of this wall.
Even though the size is generous, 
it's important to use the space efficiently.



 

 Including a linen closet in the master bedroom is a great idea.
Sheets for this room can be kept here,
and there is ample room on the shelves for miscellaneous items.
(An emergency kit and an extra flashlight are housed here too.)


 

Color coding your wardrobe is a real time-saver.
Especially when time is limited, 
it makes it that much easier to find exactly what you want to wear.



Placing a small mason jar filled with baking soda in the closet keeps things fresh.

Acrylic cubes can be used for shoes, gloves or mittens,
scarves, or even small toys in a child's room.
Don't be afraid to think of new uses for storage items.


 

This is a tool caddy,
slated to house all those loose nuts and bolts in a garage.
Instead, we used it as an initial place to store Lil' Guy's Lego bricks.
Then, we came up with a better idea.



You can see that this could easily be placed in a closet
to make a built-in work area for homework or creating.
Using the closet in that way frees up space in the room.
See our final solution here.




 Here's where you can find a complete closet makeover we did for Sister
a few years ago when we went to visit her on vacation.



Getting started is the hardest part.  
One closet in your home could be a great jumping off place.
Start small, even if it's just a shelf or purging the clothes 
that no longer fit or work for your family.
It feels mighty satisfying to open those closet doors, 
knowing that what's inside is a little bit of order.
Consider this your challenge to organize one of your closets this weekend!

Read more about this series here:

ONY-bathrooms
ONY-office

Organizing in the New Year (ONY)-Bathrooms

The onset of a new year is a great time to organize.
Not that I need an excuse, it always makes me feel good
to get things more efficiently placed.
I hope you'll join me for a series called,
ONY
Organizing in the New Year.
We'll focus on one area each week,
keeping these intentions in mind:

~Purge if necessary,
because you can't create your dream
if it's cluttered with things you don't use.
Keep in mind, one object in, one object out.
If it doesn't do something for you, 
pass it on to someone else who can use it.  
It's all good.

~Use what you have to create a more streamlined home 
that still has your special touch.
Repurposing functional items adds to their value.
If they make your life easier or help you feel more comfortable, 
they are worth keeping.

~Try moving everyday items to different rooms
and use your creativity to use them in a new way.
The worst that can happen is that 
you find it doesn't quite work in the new application.  
Just start over!

If you are working toward more order in your life,
I hope these posts will help you jump start your vision.
The best advice I can give you is to
just start somewhere. 





 Today we'll target the bathroom.

Here are a few things you can do to make things more orderly.
You can do one or all of them.
Another idea is to set a timer for 20 minutes,
and complete what you can in the allotted time.
Find what works for you and enjoy the process.
Stay focused on your goals and know that
with each effort, you are adding functionality and order
that will save you time, money and energy in the long run.

~Go through your medicine cabinet(s)and

toss out any medicines that are expired.

~Examine your make-up and if you don't remember when you bought it, you need to start over.

Write the date somewhere on the new item(s) you bring in.

~Rethink your storage and add bins, crates or baskets to store products underneath a sink.

~Consider adding storage by putting in a shelving unit or mounting baskets on the wall.

~Use everyday glass jars for storing daily-used items

like cotton swabs and brushes.

 

~Use glass or metal loaf pans to corral toiletries in drawers.

~Add a towel bar or tension rod with baskets to house bath toys.

 

 source

~Add towel bars to the back of a door to hang damp clothes or dry delicates or add more towels.

source

~Refresh drawers with a sprig of rosemary, thyme or some essential oils on a cotton ball.

I'd love to hear how it goes!  
Please feel free to add the bathroom organization ideas or projects 
you are tackling in the comment section.
Now, let's get organized!

Wrapping Revisited

While I'm taking care of my back,

enjoy this post from the past.

Have a wonderful weekend!

I don't know about anyone else,

but I always prefer a gift that is homemade. 

Whether edible, wearable, or useable,

those gifts that someone takes the time

to create just for me are treasured. 

With so many people facing uncertainty

in the workforce, 

it makes sense to rein in and start getting

back to basics with our gift-giving.  

It's not only more meaningful, 

but it makes fiscal sense.

As in life, it comes down to quality over quantity. 

A delicious loaf of home-baked bread 

still warm from the oven,

a hand-knit scarf or winter hat, 

or a fun cookie recipe in a jar

that the receiver can enjoy composing with others,

are all ways to show you care deeply about someone

while adding comfort 

and maybe even a little joy to their life.

Not much more comforting than freshly-baked bread!

http://christmas.organizedhome.com/recipes/gifts-in-a-jar

http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/giftsinjar.html

I've been making these gifts-in-a-jar for years. 

 I've made bath salts,

cornbread mix, cookies, brownies, and soup mixes.  

The finished product ends up looking like sand art, 

as you layer the ingredients in canning jars.  

No one I've ever given one of these to 

has been less than amazed at the idea.  

It's not mine, but I'm happy to pass it along!

 I enjoy making my own wrapping paper 
for the holidays. 

Here I took some scraps of wrapping paper 
from gifts last year

and glued them onto butcher paper, 
making sure to cut around the "Pooh" characters

(our 9-year old friend would probably not appreciate it as much 
had they been included).



  
I included this coupon for his mom so that she can spend one day  just doing something for herself. 
 She is a single mom and an avid reader 
who doesn't often get time alone

with her thoughts and loves being surrounded 
by great books!

  
This is the stamped paper 
I have been making for years.  
It's so easy and a great project for kids to help with.  
One year we had a distinct stamp 
for each person's gifts under the tree

so that at a glance, 
everyone could tell which presents were theirs!

 These stamps have been collected over the years 
and come in a myriad of shapes and sizes.

They can also be used for greeting cards, 
decorating shirts or bags

and creating a table runner for the holiday table.

It's a fun way to keep the kids happy 
while they await company or the first course!

Just lay out the white or brown butcher paper 
and let your creativity flow!



We don't have a fireplace (yet), 

so hubby created this makeshift hearth.

I think Santa still has to use the front door, 

but at least we don't

have to worry about our stockings burning!

Have a wonderful holiday however you choose to celebrate.

May you be "wrapped up" in blessings this holiday season!

************

Today's the last day of our 

Christmas Cookie Tag Series!

Check out what Jackie's baking.

 

One Simple Thing-Think Outside the Box!

One of the great things about getting organized

is the feeling of satisfaction,

knowing that the space being created

will save time, effort and sometimes money.

An added challenge is to use what you already have.

We try to repurpose around here as much as we can.

Keeping an open mind 

and thinking about new possibilities

for existing storage items can be its own reward.

You've heard the expression,

"think outside the box"?

Honey, I LIVE outside the box,

so for me it's not as much of a stretch.

Take this cigar box.

I've had it for years and used it for storing 

some treasured letters

(people used to hand write letters to one another before the internet!).

The box came from my dad's store moons ago.

He had a magazine stand 

that carried a variety of items,

including smoking materials.

Although I've never been a fan of smoking,

these boxes come in handy 

if a sturdy container is needed.

We had been keeping all of our family videos 

in this open shelving.

It worked well, as it was easy to read the titles

and was readily accessible.

The problem with open storage like this

is that dust finds its way into every crevice.

With Lil' Guy's allergies, we try to keep our home

as dust-free as possible.

The cigar box is the perfect solution

since it closes to keep out the dust.

There was more than enough space for our videos.

The tapes are kept in chronological order

to make it easier to locate just what is needed.

Eventually, we'll get around to

modernizing our video storage, 

but for now, this works for us.

Nice to know that inside that sturdy wooden case

is a lifetime of treasured memories.

It makes me smile whenever I walk by it.

One Simple Thing

 Shared on

Tuesday Tidings-Kid's Menu

One of the many blessings of being a homeschooling family,

is getting to each lunch at home together daily.

Not only does it allow us to enjoy each other's company,

it fosters a feeling of independence.

My son is learning how to make real food

and becoming more responsible for his own choices.

I found a way to make it easier for both of us

so that we can enjoy our family noontime meal.

 

A simple menu was printed up

with most of the dishes he enjoys on a regular basis.

Taking into consideration his multiple allergies,

the selections are all safe for him to eat.

He just has to pick one.  

It's posted right next to his seat at the table.

I had to add my own twist to the menu.
I'm like that...

What a blessing to be able to spend so much time
with my favorite person in the world.
 The menu gives me one less thing to have to decide
and gives him a feeling of control
about his own health and well-being.
It's a win-win! 



Organize It! link party