Child’s Bedroom Transformed

We were so excited to get started on this bedroom that I forgot to take before pictures. Let me describe the before: the bed and floor were full of stuffed animals and other toys, moving around the room was difficult and trying to find a specific toy was overwhelming. Getting to items in the closet was tricky.

This young man made a list of his favorite toys, which were kept in the room. The rest of the toys were removed. His special toys were containerized by category and labeled. He loves having the floor space for playing. He can put his toys away, now that he has defined homes for them. And I witnessed his enthusiasm as he hung up his shirts and put them in his closet.

This is what I love about my work. The effect of our work in the room is much greater than the actual organizing. Imagine, now this child can put away his toys and find the clothes he wants. I believe every parent will agree with me – this is priceless!

Overflowing Kitchen Drawers?

Kitchen drawers tend to collect clutter. Why? They are convenient. Items we don't know where to put are tossed in kitchen drawers. Small objects not wanted on countertops are slid into drawers. Small items that we are afraid to throw away, even though we don't know what the items are for, get tossed in kitchen drawers. Here are some ways to prevent kitchen drawers from becoming stuffed:

• Use dividers to separate items. In a drawer with all utensils, sort by type: spatulas, knives, measuring cups, slotted spoons. You will be amazed how much this helps in finding the utensil needed.
  
• Assign a specific spot for each item.
  
• Hot pads & utensils for cooking near stove
• Knives by the food prep area
• Flatware & serving utensils near eating space
• Dish clothes & towels by the sink
  
• Store items used only during the holidays. Storing those extra serving spoons and holiday towels used only a few times a year will free up space for those often used items.
  
• Keep a minimum of tools and hardware in the kitchen.
  
• Those little things that may be important, but you are not sure what for, are taking up your prime storage space. If you aren't ready to toss them, store those little pieces and parts in a small container in the garage or basement. If you haven't figured out what they are for in a year, it's time to get rid of them.

Organizing a kitchen drawer takes a short amount of time and will make using your kitchen so much more enjoyable! Which drawer in your kitchen bothers you the most? Take 30 minutes and transform that drawer into a functional space. You'll love it!

Quick Spring Cleaning Projects

It's beautiful outside today. I've got a bit of spring fever.

I started by going through my "mismatched socks" bin. This is where I toss those socks that come out of the dryer without a match. When the bin gets full, I sort through it, matching up the socks.

Then I moved to the cabinet above the refrigerator. I sorted through the medicines, removing some that had expired, put the glues in a cup to contain them, and emptied the vase I put stamps in for my husband. (He collects stamps. I put the stamps in his stamp box in the office.)

I was on a roll. I headed to the dining room to empty out the hutch. I tossed several candles that were spent, put a table cloth that I don't use in my donation bin, and added a container for my kid's airsoft gun accessories. Yes, I keep airsoft guns in our hutch. This is convenient storage, close to the backyard, which is the only place they are allowed to use them.

That was all the time I had. In about an hour, I'd purged, cleaned, and organized three areas. Yippee!