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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!
With 3 children, our biggest challenge is toys! I have cut down on them, donating or throwing a good amount. They are sorted in a few bins on an expedit bookshelf in the family room and allow one type of toy per room (except for children bedrooms where they keep their favorite or personal toys) stored out of sight (duplos in a deep ottoman by the fireplace for instance). Since the children like to follow us around the house, they usually have a toy in the room we are to play with if they want. That with an empty basket per room for misplaced objects( read again mostly toys) are our life savers.
I live in a 690 sq ft condo with my fiance and my dog. We have lots of tricks. First, we use two big wicker ottomans instead of a traditional coffee table. We hide so many things inside them. I also added a second bar to half of the tiny closet, which has really helped.
A big part of my job is teaching my kids to help keep the house clean. I can't do it all on my own. Making sure that I have tools and techniques so that they can participate is a big deal! They like microfiber clothes and squeeges for the windows, dusters, and a vacuum light enough that they can use.
I make sure there is a place for every little thing and the pantry is loaded with tons of the exact same container, and all labeled. It looks so much cleaner and it's so much easier to find things.
Baskets! With an extrememly active 18 month old, toys are everywhere at my house. So I have baskets in nearly every room with a few toys and books that I switch up periodically, so she can roam around and play all over the house while I clean and work.
The only way I keep things smooth is to always put things back after I use it. If I don't it will sit out for forever so it needs to go immediatley back where it came from. That goes for clothes as well.
My best tip is to train your children to pick up after themselves…it takes time, but it can be done and saves me from being their maid.
What a generous giveaway!!!
Once a week, I pick a drawer or closet to organize somewhere in the house. That way I'm never doing too much but it seems like things don't have a chance to get as messy when I'm constantly cleaning them up! :)
When I purchase a new article of clothing that comes with spare buttons/thread/sequins, I staple the little platic baggie to a plain vanilla tag. I label the tag with the brand name, color and description of the article of clothing. Then, I tuck the tag into a baseball card protector pocket. I have all the pages of protectors in a 3-ring binder. If I lose a button, I simply pull the binder off the shelf, and look for the replacement. No more digging through a big basket or jar for random buttons!
Wow, I absolutely love your pantry. That was a great idea to spray paint the hardware. In our house, it's key to clean stuff out on a regular basis. Make room for the new, I guess!
I have an enormous chalkboard {5'x4 1/2'!} smack in the middle of my {open} kitchen/great room. It is our family calendar which keeps track of all our crazy lives. This way we all are aware of each others whereabouts.
I always just try to do something each day. It keeps things from getting overwhelming.
I like to use old, ugly furniture and home goods to organize. My shed was a great place to put some nasty pieces that I wouldn't use elsewhere: a cheap plywood, open back, 2-shelf stand laid on its side provides cubby space for my rakes, shovels, etc; a little wooden table provided an extra level for my potting soil and lawn sprays, while I store my tarps below; an ugly plastic planter holds my small garden hand tools; and the bottom halves of large plastic protein powder buckets are screwed to the back of the shed with the openings facing out for gardening glove storage.
Baskets. Lots and lots of baskets. We just throw things in baskets to hold them permanently or to put them away later. Keeps me sane!
I use clear plastic boxes(from container store)for my shoes and I take a polaroid of each pair and put it on the front of the box.
I'm really trying to work on this with the new house, but one thing I've discovered is that I'm super visual. If I can't see it, I don't know it's there, so I keep all of my projects in clear storage bins and I'm working on changing over our bathroom storage to baskets/glass bins.
I organize in baskets and plastic containers! It makes things so much easier. I do prefer the plastic because I can label them.
Great giveaway, Jenny!
Happy Monday.
Teresa
xoxo
A label maker is key. Along with making sure everything has a designated place to belong! Thanks!
Our reusable food storage was out of control. We were always searching for the lids which usually fall behind or underneath the stacks of containers. So I found a small basket that fits right inside the drawer and in which all lids can be kept. It is so much easier to get lunches ready and put leftovers away now that we're not tearing the kitchen apart looking for lids!
I love to stay organized with the perfect storage containers; usually its plastic bins but sometimes it could be a pretty teacup or a tall vase. Once I have the right container I am inclined to use it!
Plastic bins are great for organization!
I find that i have to a place for everything and everything in its place. One trick i borrowed from a friend- the small space under the sofa (if you have a skirt on the sofa) is the perfect size for storing your wrapping paper rolls! in a 800 sw foot home, it is all about being creative.
My closet was out of control. And living in a big city usually means not having a ton of storage space. Target has really amazing, small organization pieces that I picked up which help me a lot. A set of two small drawers holds all my of summer dresses during the winter, and stacks perfectly on top of my shoe organizer. For smaller shoes, like flip flops, I have fit several in one hole. So it's nice to be able to have all of my shoes out where I can see them. I fold and store my sweaters overhead, since I don't use them as much. And all of the scarves are folded neatly in a yaffa block so I can see the colors!
We're still working on organization. Thankfully our condo has some nice closets that we outfitted with bins and organization systems. I find it so much easier to use than a dresser!
We have an Ikea Expedit we use as a room divider… I finally got some decorative storage bins to put in things like small tools we use a lot, extension cords, extra candles, etc. It's really helped both in putting things away and in finding things when we need them, since we're not searching ten different places all over the house!
I am not good at staying on top of organizational systems, but had a professional organizer help me fit all of my clothes into the closet 10 years ago when we moved into our house. She organized clothes by color, and I have managed to keep up that system ever since. I have wooden hangers (cheap at Ikea!), so my closet always looks very organized, uniform, and calm, even when everything around it looks like chaos. It gives me hope that I can tackle other areas – which, bit by bit, I have. I've also added Container Store shelving inside old wardrobes to organize office supplies – love it.
My clothes and the kids clothes are hung by color. I find this more efficent when trying to pick out something and it looks pretty too! :0)
To throw things away! Nothing like living in 3 different places in 3 consecutive months for things to suddenly loose their sentimental value. When the decision is "pack it or pitch it" alot of stuff quickly gets pitched!
The only thing that works for me is to every now and then survey things. Over time areas buildup with junk, and so every month or so I make a point of leafing through papers, going through boxes, pawing through the closets, etc., etc. to see what can be tossed, donated, or put elsewhere.
I'm a big fan of to-do lists — I'm always leaving scraps of paper everywhere with daily things written down. I've tried apps, but there's something about using a pen to cross off a project that just feels better. I have a major to-do list — ideas of what to do in rooms, etc. — to just simple ones — 'shower, farmer's market, lunch'. sometimes the little ones make it a lot easier to mark off the big ones.
I keep a lazy susan on top of my stackable washer and dryer with all my laundry supplies on it.
I have a white board beside my pantry door and it may sound weird, but I have a couple of home binders. One is for all large & small appliance manuals, warranties, receipts, etc., so I know exactly where it is when I need it. The other one contains meal plans, home maintenance calendar, samples of cleaning schedules, etc., paint chips, punch list of short & long – term house goals, blah, blah, blah. These are probably a bit geeky, but they work in this crazy house!
I used clear plastic, hanging shoe organizers for craft supplies for my children. They can be hung on the inside of a closet or closet door. Since they are clear, everything can be seen in an instant. You can customize the size you need simply by cutting off the pockets you don't want. Also, for an elderly or sick person who isn't as mobile, I took a pretty shoe organizer and cut it in half, sewing each half to a piece of heavy, coordinating fabric that was cut to fit the top of a side table. This made a sort of saddle bag for the side table and allowed for storage and organization of the myriad of tv remotes, pen/paper, reading glasses, cell phone, etc. and they are off the table top but in easy reach. Pick me! Pick me!
My pantry is tiny and with my husband, my son and I we have a ton of different snacks. So I use the OXO sealed containers to keep things stacked on top of each other (which is space saving) and keeps everything fresh and it looks really nice when the door is open.
I have four girls and their craft items can get out of control. I bought a mid-century dresser and use it as a sofa table now. It's beautiful AND functional in that it corrals all their craft stuff. Win-win!
Because I use a wheelchair, it is key to keep things that I always use within reach, leaving upper cabinets for those things that I don't need as often. To keep my lower cabinets organized, I really work on staying organized so that everything has a place!
I have to purge. Everything. Monthly. I simply don't have the space to keep anything that we don't need.
We have a drawer in our kitchen just for tupperware lids. I've added years to my life now that I am no longer digging through cabinets looking for the right lid–they're now all in one place.
– Jen S.
Baskets. For everything, but especially the kids' books and toys!
label-maker, purging, baskets and patience in the face of clutter!
I try to make sure there is a specific place for everything so I know where to look for it!
When you look at it and see it, pick it up. We often times say we'll get something cleaned up but we don't. Piles become huge but if we just pick it up when we think about it the house stays tidy and we eliminate big messes.
This will sound silly, but I just make sure that everything has a place and that I always put it there when I tidy up. I use to just put things in their general area and they would never get back to their original home. Take the time to put the objects where they go! (:
My best tip is honestly get rid of stuff. So many times we just hold on to things and pack rat things away. Every few months I just try to go through stuff and get rid of anything I am not using or anything that isn't important. It helps get rid of clutter and allows you to see what you have
I find being diligent to toss things that are not in use to be a good organizational aid!
thanks!
linde
I love how effecient and organized it is! You've giben me some inspiration for our workspace in our basement. It's time it's gotten a makeover.
I really use the space under our beds. We live in a "small" house (1500 sq feet…huge by the world's standards) and it gets a little tight with five of us. So, I store so much stuff under our beds and cribs.
Thanks for a fun giveaway!
i just try and keep surfaces cleared. it instantly makes our home feel cleaner
Purging is the easiest way to stay organized. If I don't love it or absolutely need and use it often then it needs to go. I didn't learn this though until I had kids that exponentially added to the stuff count. So I do a little everyday and when you don't have so much stuff then it's easier for it to find its home in our home.
I just am sure to limit the amount of toys. We have three baskets and a toyu box for toys and if there is too many toys for them then we choose ones to give to GOodwill. casidyanne at hot mail dot com
I like having a basket to dump everything in that is out of place when we're expecting company on short notice or just need to tidy up. Then before going to bed I just return everything to its place.