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My pantry serves as our laundry room, storage room, cleaning closet, china hutch and tool shed. It can get a little crazy up in here. There’s lots going on.
We have two huge bookshelves (twice the width you see here) for holding everything, as well as the big filing cabinet, which holds all of our bigger tools.
A while back we installed two pegboard panels above the tool cabinet. I usually say that everything should be put away for a clean, uncluttered look. But sometimes, especially in a small space, things can get buried quickly. Making this pegboard has made my life so much more efficient.
Since the pantry door is usually open I wanted the pegboard wall to be as clean and simple-looking as possible. I thought about painting the pegboard a cool color at first, but I didn’t want it to stick out more than it already does, so I left the white. But I did spray paint all the organizational hardware the same rose gold color.
It’s subtle, but I like the little bit of shine.
I also use about a dozen clear tupperware bins. I bought them at Home Depot for a dollar each.
I have them labeled with these cute chalkboard labels from Martha Stewart’s label line for Avery.
Each bin holds something small and specific, like upholstery staples or tape or wall anchors.
Another thing that helps keep this room running smoothly is my little whiteboard. I jot down things on this board that we’re running out. They’re usually things I wouldn’t remember while making a shopping list (like laundry detergent or light bulbs).
Other things that make the room special to me- the persian rug I bought in Belgium for just a few euros (I think it was only three!) and the pair of porcelain animal hooks I got in Delaware at the Amish flea market. We usually hang aprons from these and the girls adore them.
The pantry is sort of like the command center of our home. It’s been surprisingly good to us these past two years (not that I won’t be excited for a little more space when we move!). I think this room was a great learning experience for me and reminded me how well a space can function when it is well-organized.
So, I’d love to hear about your best organizing tip. What do you do to keep your challenge spaces tidy and running smoothly? Share your tip in the comments section for a chance to win a whopping $500 in gift cards! $250 to Target AND $250 to the Container Store!
Contest ends June 24. Rules can be read in full here. Good luck!
I can't take credit for this, because I saw it on Pinterest, but I LOVE it–putting foil, parchment paper, etc. upright in a magazine holder. Saves a lot of space and frustration.
I have a toy basket in almost every room of the house. Every night I stash all of the toys from each room into the basket. Every few days a choose a basket and put toys in their original home. It has made cleaning so much more manageable.
I use clear containers in my craft/tool closet to help find things.
The best trick I have is to have a place for everything and everything in its place. If I don't have a place for it, it's gotta go!
I use clear containers in my craft/tool closet to help find things.
Wow! Love this giveaway…great help just in time for moving…again! My best tip is one I learned from my mother, "Don't put it down, put it away!" Hence, a pretty organized and uncluttered home. Thanks again!
All drawers need dividers – even for t-shirts. i hate having to reorganize drawers, so all drawers have some kind of plastic or wood tray. if its the junk drawer in the kitchen – it's all cubed and organized and all is viewable. the lingerie drawer – that's divided by rows so that different types of under garmets stay in their proper place. even dividers between stacks of shirts keep things in line, and keeps things from getting wrinkled.
thanks!! and my fingers are crossed! im moving in with my boyfriend and could really use those giftcards!!
hallie
hallie_theglamlamb@yahoo.com
I try to make things convenient to put away/clean, like having a tray near the entrance for keys and pocket change, a whiteboard on the fridge for a grocery list, and cleaning supplies stashed everywhere.
I do a walkthrough of the house every day and return clutter to its original place. We also use a lot of pretty baskets and boxes around the house to control clutter…for example I have an antique candle pedestal on my credenza to drop our keys on when we walk through the door. The best tip I have is just to be aware of where it is convenient to drop/retrieve things, and then try to create storage solutions around that…like shoe storage by the door, etc. That way you create systems that are actually functional and that less organized members of the household will participate in as well :)
I have a small closet but lots of sweaters. My closet is very high, too, so I have a long shelf over my hanging clothes. I went to the Container Store and got 6 of those plastic crates and stacked them on top of each other. I stack at least 10 sweaters in each, by color and thickness. The stacks stay organized and don't tip over. I have a little step stool that allows me to reach the higher ones. Plus, they are super easy to move around if needed!
well, my best way I keep organized is to go through my stuff once a year and throw out anything I haven't worn or used within a year!
I have a challenging kitchen with very little cabinet space – not enough for my dishes. So I installed 3 shelves into the window frame to keep all my glass tableware on. It's a totally needed space-saver and the glass looks great when the sun shines through it.
Thanks! Jana
I keep my spaces tidy in two primary ways. The first is- recognize what I really love. If I don't love it, give it to goodwill (or don't buy it in the first place!). The second is- after I use a space, clean up what I used in that space. It helps that my family knows that they all need to clean up after themselves!
I am a huge fan of organization, and living in a small space makes it a necessity for me! I try to have a place for everything, and put things away with similar things so I can remember easily where something of a given nature might be found. But something that I find particularly helpful is going through what I have and purging every once in awhile. It is so easy for me to keep little scraps of this or that, thinking that one day I'll use it. And I almost never do! And keeping little things I'll never use takes up precious room for things I might actually use one day. So when my organization system starts to feel cluttered, I know it's time to purge!
The best tip I have to put things away as soon as you are done with them. I mean as soon as.
mholubasch at sbc global dot net
I use pegboard to hang all my necklaces so they will be out so I can see them and put them together with my different outfits. I wear them so much more now.
What an organized space. I'm impressed. You've sold me on using a pegboard for tools. I'm all for having a landing station at your front door. I always sort through my mail right away and the junk goes in the trash. I also clean as I cook.
No storage space AT ALL in our apt, so pretty cloth bins and wicker baskets are our saviors. We also do every-other-month closet cleanouts to keep our "stuff" to a minimum.
shanahattis at gmail dot com
my favorite organization tool is to keep a small basket in the family room. When I'm doing a quick clean up I toss everything that doesn't belong in that particular space in the basket. When I'm done picking up and straightening then the kids and I tackle the chore of emptying the basket. It saves a lot of time running from room to room while trying to tidy up for company or just before bedtime!
Living with 3 little boys and a husband, I feel like I am constantly folding and putting away clothes. So in our laundry room I purchased bins for each family member labeled with those cute chalkboard labels. As I fold, each person's basket gets filled. The oldest and my hubby (of course) take their baskets and unload. It has made things work much more smoothly… and my laundry room is not overflowing with full baskets:)
With an ongoing reno, it's hard to stay organized! I try to purge on a regular basis and have a box to add items that can be donated-when it's full, it do a Goodwill run!
the one thing that has worked for me is baskets with tags to keep our linens organized in the closet!
The best tips I ever get are from this site! Cleaning a tiny bit each day as well as keeping a storage basket in the living room to toss all the toys in at the end of the day. Totally works.
I honestly don't have any tips. . I should read through all the comments so I can get some!
It's so fun to get organizing ideas from others! Organization is something I really have to work at-it's just not in my genes. A couple of things have helped. Hooks in the kitchen, garage, laundry area (which in is our garage) in each bedroom and bathroom. Hooks on my husband and my level. Hooks on the kids level. Big ones, and small ones. There is no reason for backpacks, sweaters, keys or purses to be on the floor or counter if there's a hook for them. In our garage I did something similar to the pegboard. I hung a big old screen I got at the Alameda Flea and filled it with different sized "S" hooks. The "S" hooks hold paint brushes and other tools. I found my old bike basket I wasn't using and hung that on the bottom of the screen to hold sand paper, stir sticks, and paint roller pads. I can see everything which helps me!
I make sure I put things back in their rightful spots right when i'm finished with them.
holliister at gmail dot com
my helpful hint is to purge at least every three months. this includes clothes, kitchen stuff, and just general messes like piles of paper, etc. it helps so much and always makes me feel relieved after i've done it.
I definitely use every bit of storage space in our small apartment too. I love baskets and bins for hiding clutter (mostly toys!)
I make sure the "junk" drawer is sectioned off with those clear small plastic bins from organized living. making sure everything in the drawer has a place keeps our junk drawer looking oh, so organized!
I'm terrible at keeping things neat and tidy. Fortunately my husband is a neat freak. I try to keep my clutter and messes roughly organized in my closet so he can keep our communal areas organized.
I love those Martha Stewart chalkboard tags! I am going to have to get some of those! I have a small house with a two year old, a baby, and a husband who needs an office (but shares the living room), so organization keeps my head above water. I really love baskets for storing things. They are cute way to contain the clutter. I'm also trying to think up ways to be more creative with the space we have. Thanks for the tips!
We have an under the steps closet in our kitchen that was always cluttered even after we added hooks and shelving. Our girl's backpacks and shoes always ended up outside the closet. My awesome husband took the closet door off and designed a built-in cubbie. He placed the cubbie on casters so we can still access the additional storage space behind the cubbie too. It's just a big rolling box that fits inside the closet and appears to be a built-in cabinet. He's brilliant! Now our girl's backpacks, shoes and everything else is stored in the cubbie and off of the floor!
To have a tray on every table is my best organizing tip. It really helps on keeping clutter looking organized and tidy.
I love those Martha Stewart chalkboard tags! I am going to have to get some of those! I have a small house with a two year old, a baby, and a husband who needs an office (but shares the living room), so organization keeps my head above water. I really love baskets for storing things. They are cute way to contain the clutter. I'm also trying to think up ways to be more creative with the space we have. Thanks for the tips!
I love those Martha Stewart chalkboard tags! I am going to have to get some of those! I have a small house with a two year old, a baby, and a husband who needs an office (but shares the living room), so organization keeps my head above water. I really love baskets for storing things. They are cute way to contain the clutter. I'm also trying to think up ways to be more creative with the space we have. Thanks for the tips!
I use baskets in almost every room of the house!
I speed-clean everyday to keep my house clean enough and then I deep clean about once a month one or two things that are in need. keeps my house from getting cluttered and too hard to handle with 4 kids!
Hi Jenny, I usually do plastic boxes with labels, and my most recent organization project was hanging hooks on the wall of my closet to hang necklaces from. My bracelets and earrings have homes in individually slotted trays. I also tend to like baskets because they are pretty.
Baskets. We use wire baskets everywhere in our home! Spices, canned goods in the kitchen, and our bathroom houses about 45 containers! Also, we're minimalists, which helps!
I have to admit that I am not very organized. I swear, I try! This might actually help me stay that way if everything had a place.
Thanks for hosting!
Just thought of another one- we were drowning in little plastic happymeal/goody bag/prize type toys. I started throwing them away and my kids caught on and got really upset (everyone told me they wouldn't notice!) I hated feeling guilty about throwing them away, but didn't want them accumulating, so I gave each of my girls a "treasure box" which they keep under their bed. When its time to pick up they have to put everything away (anything left behind is fair game for the vacuum) and little disposable type toys that don't fit in a category with other toys we own go in the treasure box. They can fill their box with whatever they want (as long as it won't smell or attract critters) but when it gets too full they have to decide what to get rid of and I promised not open it.
Trays to corral everything! And I have plans for pegboard organization in the future…
Living in a loft with virtually no walls and even fewer closets, I have become a huge fan of large storage furniture pieces. I have turned flea market pieces into great storage finds such as an old armoire to a shoe closet. Why not enjoy some of my best "collectables" in the living room?!
I live by the "everything has a place" mantra. I can stay organized & clean if everything has a place to go. If something doesn't have a home, then inevitably it ends up messy!
I really struggle with this. I think that the best thing that I have learned over the years and three kids later is to always declutter. Purge, purge, then purge some more even if you just did it the month before. It's amazing how fast everything accumilates!
I really struggle with this. I think that the best thing that I have learned over the years and three kids later is to always declutter. Purge, purge, then purge some more even if you just did it the month before. It's amazing how fast everything accumilates!
I have a notebook that I carry in my purse with me everywhere. It holds my calendar and lists about everything that's going on…it organizes my life!
my tip is for sorting mail. I have created cute storage baskets labeled: file, recycle, and action required. I have these wire baskets hung on the wall so when I come in the back with mail I can sort them quickly and easily!
To keep my pantry and fridge organized I always dump everything that is old or has less than 1 serving left. They take up space and just get shoved to the back when new food comes in.
Great giveaway!!
Katie
clean as you go – that's the best tip that i never do. if i'd follow it my life would be so much easier! and cleaner too!