Organizing products won’t keep your home or business organized. It is a trap many people fall into. They buy a bunch of products with no idea of what they actually have or need. Organizing actually takes habits and maintenance on your part. There are many products on the market now for organizing. Some are fairly pricey. As someone who loves efficiency, this seems unnecessary. I always tried to use items my clients already own. But sometimes client really need to buy items to help organize a space.
Here are some inexpensive tips about a variety of topics.
- Sometimes you want to save money and sometimes you want to save time. Save both by getting a metal trashcan to store large bags of dog or cat food at a time. You get to buy in bulk and save time by not refilling a smaller container. It is mouse proof too.
- Keeping fresh garlic and onions in knee-highs. You can hang them in a cool dry place and then can be washed.
- Under the sink in your kitchen or bathroom (if you don’t have small children), use a tension rod. On it you can hang rags and spray bottles.
- I think every man of a certain generation has used baby bottles with the lids attached to a shelf to organize nuts, bolts, nails and screws. This idea can be used to organize craft supplies, small toys or other items.
- If you have shoe boxes and a pair of scissors, you have custom sized drawer dividers. Just cut to the length and width you need.
- Glass jars are great organizational tools. They are ready made clear open storage. Clean them first and then fill different sizes with pencils, pens, crayons or whatever you want.
- Go digital. Use shared Google docs, Box and Dropbox. For contracts use DocuSign, HelloSign, eSignLive or others.
- Reduce incoming mail by registering and following the steps at www.dmachoice.org
- Streamlining your morning for free by preparing the night before by making lunches, putting backpacks or work bags together and in front of the door you go out in the morning, picking out clothes for the next day (grown up too).
- Buy all the same color and brand of socks for young boys. Don’t even need to fold them out of the laundry because any two makes a pair.
- Put you shredder and a recycling bin where you open your daily mail. Don’t have a shredder? Go by one and read my last blog!
