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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!
Right now, I keep the ingredients I use the most, most accessible. I have pastas and dog treats and wheat flour all on the countertop. I use some pretty glass jars which distracts from the mess that is inside the kitchen cabinets.
Baskets and bins! and I always try to buy straight sided ones so that they can be lined up on a shelf with no waste of space between them. I hate the little gaps left by slanted side baskets. In tight spaces every inch counts!
Don't be afraid to throw away stuff! Little things add up to big clutter- and who has room for that??
We recently splurged on a couple of closet systems from the Container Store and they have changed my life! Yes, they were pricey but when storage is minimal it is so essential to be organized. The real secret though is that I continually edit what we have, taking the time to keep the closets neat and getting rid of extra junk!
The biggest surprise I had when I got married in January is how much laundry my husband has! The only way I can stay on top of it is to have 3 laundry baskets in our closet: one for whites, one for darks and one for nice clothes that need special attention or to go to the dry cleaners! Makes it easy to throw a load in and I finally don't feel like I'm spending all of my time sorting, washing, and folding laundry. (I can't imagine what it's like with kiddos!)
My city kitchen is small and for a amateur baker like myself I've learned the more I hang my tools from the bottom and insides of the cabinets, bowls on the walls, and pots from the ceiling the more functional it is and easier to have everything at a hands reach.
First rule of organization: a place for everything and everything in its place! We have to get creative about those spaces in our small home–CDs and DVDs stored in books under a skirted chair; a pop-up trundle under my son's twin bed creates and instant guest room for two (he sleeps on an air mattress in our room); shoe organizers on every closet door (for stuff other than shoes); a long, shallow built-in china cabinet my husband built that takes little floor space but holds everything from china to linens to craft supplies. I think finding practical storage in a small space is a creative challenge! And with small children, always a work in progress!
I use lots of individual containers to keep everything in it's place. I am about to head to Target to pick up some more of the fabric bins for my girls' playroom. The toys are out of control!
angnehama at hot mail dot com
My tip…purge, purge, purge. (Then buy new stuff at target and the container store..:) ) maureen ssdmmf@yahoo.com
My tip…purge, purge, purge. (Then buy new stuff at target and the container store..:) ) maureen ssdmmf@yahoo.com
Since I'm a military wife my tip involves routinely paring down what you want and getting rid of what you don't! I love to use old shoeboxes as out-of-sight storage and plastic containers and baskets to keep things orderly.
I wish I had an organizing secret – I'm still learning and improving how to organize (and trying to get my husband to comply!). I totally agree with having a place for everything, I just have to actually go through the entire house and create those places!!
This is the simplest most basic unearth shattering tip ever but from someone who has been organizationally challenged her whole life, I finally learned that I must buy something to store/organize the item when I buy the item itself. That way when it gets unruly, I don't get stressed and my house doesn't get messy. It already has a home. It helps cut down on what needs organizing and what is already taken care of.
oh goodness after reading these comments i'm clearly completely unorganized and inefficient. my tip would be win a $500 give away to container store and target.
Recently I gutted our pantry and started over organizing all the loose ingredients in different sized canning jars. It's a small change but as an avid cook it helps to see how much of each ingredient we have on hand and allows us to fit more ingredients into our cupboard without the bulky packaging.
Chalk board labels are the way to go, I love pretty storage containers from Target too! We really have hardly any kitchen space, so they mean a world of difference!
If I didn't have clear shoebox size boxes for the screws/tape/flashlights and other ephemera of life, I'd go crazy!
Living in a dorm, I've found my best tip is to come up with a system early and keep up with it. Everything needs a true place, or else it ends up all over!
I live in a not so big apartment, and I have learned to utilize every available space. Under the bed provides ample storage, with containers from the Container Store. I store seasonal clothes there.
Bins and baskets and bowls! And trying to train my kids (and myself) to put things away when we're done with it.
My tips are simple and familiar:
1) purge regularly;
2) have a place for everything;
3) continually pick up during the day.
It makes life so much simpler!
with kids, i think the challenge is organizing their stuff…. i have all of their toys in open style containers that make it easy for them to reach and put away. (not that it always happens, anyhow, but theoretically… )
I have no major tips…orginization is a learning process for me, I have I long ways to go to perfect any system in our house. A little daily cleaning and staying on top of laundry, keeps me from feeling overwhelmed.
Using dryer sheets for dusting! especially when just out of the dryer, its a great dust collector. I also use them in my shoes or drawers for a nicer scent. love it!
My tip is to organize once a week and don't let it get out of control. I have to designate a day each week to clean up and organize my stuff because if I don't my house gets hectic and then I feel stressed!
Bins and baskets for toys and shoes! We have little Red Wing crock in the kitchen for dirty dishtowels and I love to label food containers right before they go in the refrigerator with a sharpie (it scrubs right off!).
My husband and i live in a tiny apartment as well and we have learned that if we don't stay on top of things it can get out of control very quickly! I love to organize and find myself constantly organizing and reorganizing our spaces to make sure they we are utilizing every inch of our tiny apartment! My favorite tip: utilize bins/boxes. When everything has a place it makes it easier to keep it contained. Thanks for the opportunity to win such a create gift!
I purge toys, books and clothes twice a year – in the spring and fall when I'm switching out clothes for the season. It helps keep the closets, toy boxes and shelves clean and organized.
My husband and i live in a tiny apartment as well and we have learned that if we don't stay on top of things it can get out of control very quickly! I love to organize and find myself constantly organizing and reorganizing our spaces to make sure they we are utilizing every inch of our tiny apartment! My favorite tip: utilize bins/boxes. When everything has a place it makes it easier to keep it contained. Thanks for the opportunity to win such a create gift!
The only way I can keep the bathroom/shower tile clean and sparkling is to keep a bleach pen and a magic eraser in the shower. Every day after I shower I spend two minutes wiping down the tile and spot bleaching the grout.
Doing a little bit each day is the only way I can keep it looking clean. I also try to use the same approach with tidying: just tidy as soon as I see something out of place instead of waiting to do it all on one day at the end of the week. rachel[dot]rasband[at]gmail.com
I think the only true key to staying organized is diligence. It does not matter what your system is, it only works if everything is put away properly every time.
I keep a clear plastic shoe holder with pockets on the back of my pantry door for those things that I can never find when I need them. Also, I use hanging sweater holders in my closet for storing shoes. Now I want a pegboard!
I try to do a twice yearly clean out of all my closets and drawers. Otherwise the organization is lost. It feels good to get rid of the old and get these organized.
My best tip is to follow this adage: A place and purpose for everything. First, purge, purge, purge. Once you have things down to just what you actually need and use…find a home for everything :)
We have a tiny apartment which doubles as a home daycare. I am always needing new supplies and new bins for them! The thing that helps me to keep that space organized is having the bins color coded and each type of toy/art supply/instrument, etc. has it's own bin. All the cars go in a blue bin, all of the instruments go in a yellow bin. This helps me and the kids keep the space tidy and accessible! And the kids learn their colors, ha!
The only places in my home in TRULY organized are my kitchen and my closet. Organizing the kitchen was just a matter of taking the time to do it when we moved in to our house and then insisting things be put away exactly as they were. As for my closet, I organize everything by type (tanks, short sleeve shirts, etc.) then within each type, by color. It not only helps me find the item I'm looking for quickly but it also speeds up the process of putting things away. Plus it looks cool!!
I use tons of plastic bins, all labeled and hidden under beds and at the top of our closets. I also use all the decorative boxes and trays around my small house to store things I use all the time. And I'm attempting to keep the house ready for guests at any time by pickIng up and doing one chore per day (but I'm not always successful :))
Still working on finding a system for our pantry/laundry room that sticks. Having pretty glass bottles for baking supplies/flours with printed labels so far has worked for us, but I need to buy more.
Thanks!
nhvombaur at gmail dot com
I woke up at 4 this morning and saw this post but I couldn't think of anything. I think my closets are the best organized spot with clothes organized by season, item and color. Although today I'm going to tackle my bookshelves.
If I don't use it within a year, it generally gets thrown out. It really helps conserve the little space we have!
I keep notebooks for most of our papers and I try to go through things often to keep down the clutter.
I have to have a specific space for everything or it just gets moved from surface to surface. Drives me crazy.
Unfortunately, we don't have a lot of storage space in our apartment, so I really have to maximize what we have. I make sure to use EVERY inch of our tall (but narrow) closets by adding extra shelves, pretty labeled stacking boxes, and hanging organizers on the backs of doors. It's kind of amazing what I can fit in there ;)
justine.lorelle [at] gmail.com
I just installed wire shelving in my oldest son's closet and bought several plastic bins to corral all the toys. His room stays cleaner because we only get out one or two bins at a time.
Love your laundry room/utility room organization! You sure pack a lot of punch into a small space. One of my favorite organization projects would have to be under the kitchen sink. I have used a tension bar to run from one side of the cabinet to another. That is where I hang all of my cleaning bottles. It sure has helped give me some extra space below!
My best tip is to purge down to only what you need. Then, it's so much easier to organize and find what you want without digging through all the extra.
I also recommend having a place for things that you use every day and tend to just dump off. We have a little bowl for our keys and my husband's wallet. There's a file box for incoming mail and a tray for outgoing.
Thanks for the chance!
I'm obsessed with kraft paper boxes from the art supply store and magazine files from The Container Store for keeping little bits neat and tidy. Extra bonus for keeping them in cabinets with glass doors.
One big thing for me is drawer organizers. I like to have little baskets in there so that you can just throw something in there but have a place to throw it so it doesn't become a jumbled mess! I also bought a coffee table from west elm that has a top that slides open where we store blankets and bedding for guests. And our 'mantle' that we got for a tv stand opens to store books, movies etc. Gotta love double duty!!
Well I have to admit I'm a bit lacking in the organizational department but thankfully my partner is the opposite. One thing I have trained myself to do however is have a dish by the door for my keys. I used to waste so much time looking for them. Now I always know they are waiting for me as I walk out the door.
I really like the chalkboard labels. i am really impressed with how well you used the space. I didn't notice laundry products or baskets in there. where do they live?
I'm redoing an old room (very small) into a playroom for my grandsons. I could have a lot of fun with this prize!!