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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!
My husband & I adopted a puppy last year and lack space for all his supplies. We installed an IKEA kitchen bar next to the front door. Now his leash, collar, treats and bags are close at hand on hooks and hanging containers.
I keep all our toys in bins in the toy room – none in the kids' bedrooms. In the morning I make their beds and their rooms stay clean.
Keep it simple. The easier things are to put away/find, the more likely I am to keep things in their place!
I like to periodically assess my belongings and donate anything that I don't love or don't need/use/want. I also make sure that my organizational system is still functioning – sometimes stuff might outgrow it's container/basket/storage box — that's when it's time to make some changes. You can't stay organized unless there's a place for everything.
I do a quick wipe down of all surfaces in my bathroom every or every other day to ensure I don't have a big mess to clean by the end of the week!
Storing sheets inside their pillow cases has proved to be a life saver for us. They are always together.
Every three months I go through my house and either throw away, recycle, or donate anything I have not needed in the last 2 years.
Labeling things after I organize is the key for me. Labeling means I can figure out whether I've stashed the super glue in the tool box or in craft room without having to tear apart both looking for it.
Everyone aspires to have an organized home and work space, but just like anything else, people need to find what their idea of organization means, because it varies person to person. My husband likes neat and tidy stacks of documents, books, etc… but I prefer things to be out of sight in a place where I can easily find them. So, we compromise and store items that we will need that day (or week) out in a neat stack, and put others away in a storage chest or drawer until needed.
Thanks for the opportunity to win. XO
Dbyrne1[at]gmail[dot]com
We have a tiny kitchen and I am a huge fan of the Container Store cabinet organizers and shelves. They make such a difference.
I love using small plastic bins that fit into drawers to keep items contained…and taking time to go through trouble spots (pantry, closet, laundray room, junk drawers) every few months to get rid of things really helps. I love giving things away that we no longer need!
Ooohh…I like those Martha labels. And I love the idea of spraying the hanging hardware!
Ooohh…I like those Martha labels. And I love the idea of spraying the hanging hardware!
I like to keep all visible surfaces clean. Nothing but a pretty bowl on the dining room table, only the absolute essentials on the kitchen countertops, etc. Walking the door and seeing all that empty space makes me feel much more relaxed.
I moved from a very large apartment in northern Virginia into DC proper a year ago and went from four HUGE closets to two very small ones. What's worked for me is putting my bed on bed risers to get a few more inches of under-the-bed storage. I also use clear plastic bins with drawers, with the handles facing outward, so I can easily lift up my bed skirt and find what I'm looking for. I have one drawer just for cords and leftover hardware pieces. For these, I put each owner's manual and leftover screws or cords or plastic bits in separate plastic sandwich bags and label them. This is especially helpful for Ikea purchases and moving a lot, which happens when you're living apartment style.
We are lucky enough to have a lot of closets and built-in drawers in our house so I try to turn each one into an organized space with different uses. One is strictly for gifts and wrapping, one for cleaning supplies, one for tools and so on. I love finding cute baskets/bins that coordinate for different spaces.
Absolutely everything must have a 'home" whether it be a bin, basket, or hook. Small spaces really make me realize how little we actually do need…and it helps me stay more tidy. Even a little mess seems 10 times worse in a small space.
Baskets, baskets, baskets! I have them all over the house, in every room. Filled with towels in the bathroom, toys in the living room and diapers and wipes in the nursery. They keep things accessible but out of sight.
Organizing my home is definitely still a work in progress, but I have a zillion craft supplies that I organized last year using clear bins and labels according to type of project. So, all of my rubber stamps and stamp pads are together, my acrylic paints and paintbrushes are together, etc. Next I will tackle all of the paper clutter we have around the house!
label, label, label! I find if I create a spot for everything when it comes time to put things away I don't have to think too much about it… just drop each item in its labeled home!
My tip is just that as you've shown, labels make all the difference — then everyone knows where to put things without asking!
Also, what are the dimensions of your storage area?
Wow! What a WONERFUL giveaway! The best tip I have is to make sure you have a place for everything. I find that my messes pile up when I don't know where to put them (and the kitchen counter seems like the best option at the time).
Baskets galore! Any place that tends to regularly attract little bits of clutter, gets a basket. It keeps our home looking tidy without fighting our natural tendency to put something "there."
I have a basket on all 3 levels of the house (basement, main and upstairs) and on Saturday I sort through them and purge, goodwill or put away whatever items have made it into the box.
The best advice I have (with four small children) is to keep on top of everything. I find that if I let things get out of control, it's REALLY difficult. We also like to involve the kids – and make it fun – win win situation!
My outdoor laundry room in my apartment is part laundry room part utility closet. I used an over the door shoe organizer to free up the limited shelf space. That helped a lot. I'm also huge into labels.
I try to involve my kids, who are little, in cleaning so they can learn to like a clean space. Not the easiest way or most efficient but it will hopefully pay off in the long run.
My best organizational item in the house is the way I put my kids clothes away. They each have 5 drawer dressers and I separate out each type of clothes into each drawer, then I roll the shirts with the design sort of facing up so you can see each shirt. That way I can see them all. I also organize all our clothes in the closet by color.
The best tip I can think of is have a place for everything, otherwise clutter collects.
Every Sunday afternoon I start and organizing frenzy to get everything cleaned up and in it's place so our week can run smoothly. I have boxes for various toys…I find the more organized I am, the more likely my son will clean up all of his toys himself. He's a good little helper!
Having a spot for everything
and
Being able to see everything
The latter I can't always literally do, so that means if I have to put something inside something else to store it, it's stored in clear containers – which is my favorite way to re-use glass jars. And I always label the outside of whatever the smaller containers are stored in so I know what's there without having to open the box or basket.
I use large plastic totes with those same chalkboard labels for extra kid clothes. We have four kids, three of which are girls so I try to keep things organized, especially clothes that they outgrow so quickly!
I use large plastic totes with those same chalkboard labels for extra kid clothes. We have four kids, three of which are girls so I try to keep things organized, especially clothes that they outgrow so quickly!
Staying organized… the key is staying on top of your systems! An organization system is only helpful if you regularly maintain it keep it running like a well-greased machine.
Thank you!
I keep a cute woven basket in every room for quick pickup and put away!
Thanks for the drawing!
I like to have glass canisters from the Container Store to keep cereals, snacks and baking needs fresh and easy to see when they need to be replaced. I try to keep my kitchen counters free from clutter.
Our apartment is small, so there has to be a place for everything. I use bins, trays, and baskets to corral our household items, and try and label what I can. We also do a purge about twice a year to keep random things from piling up.
everything has a home, put things back, purge, purge, purge…
What works best for us – since we have a room very similiar to this in the sense that it's multipurpose – pantry / laundry / tool room, is having labeled laundry bins – I like to make sure that my son's clothes go into one basket as he has a skin allergy and needs special detergent, that the dirty rags go into another as it typically is soaked with muck and has Simple Green or window cleaner on it – and then there's a basket for all else. I'm a big proponent for creating bins for everything and filling the shelves with the containers/bins, that way, even when I'm trying to stray from putting something it's place, I'm forced to find the corrent location as there's no extra room.
Jenny – great tips by the way, I love the peg board, we just bought some magnetic strips from the local hardware store, I think I may use that to keep some of the screwdrivers in an organized place.
What works best for us – since we have a room very similiar to this in the sense that it's multipurpose – pantry / laundry / tool room, is having labeled laundry bins – I like to make sure that my son's clothes go into one basket as he has a skin allergy and needs special detergent, that the dirty rags go into another as it typically is soaked with muck and has Simple Green or window cleaner on it – and then there's a basket for all else. I'm a big proponent for creating bins for everything and filling the shelves with the containers/bins, that way, even when I'm trying to stray from putting something it's place, I'm forced to find the corrent location as there's no extra room.
Jenny – great tips by the way, I love the peg board, we just bought some magnetic strips from the local hardware store, I think I may use that to keep some of the screwdrivers in an organized place.
I could use lots of help in the organization department but one thing that works for me is fabric bins. My daughter has all sorts of small toys and pretty fabric bins give me a drop point for toys. I can easily then hide away the fabric pins under the coffee table and my living room is instantly cleaner.
Not really Tupperware right? Maybe you're from Texas where all plastic is called Tupperware LOL. I didn't even know the chalkboard labels existed thanks for the share.
I use my vertical space by installing extra shelving in every closet!
I am not the best at organization, especially of small housewares, but I like to do a good deep clean and purge of expired or empty products a few times a year. It's so much easier to organize a space when you've gotten rid of the junk!!
Forgot to list my cleaning tip. Which would have to be: Pick up as you go. There are 3 of us living in this home and all things have a place. Visually scan the area you are leaving to see if something needs to go with you to keep the order. :) Not too hard.
I am forever organizing and re-organizing my closets and pantries. I coupon so I am constantly stocking up on little things that usually end up costing me nothing. So to organize my pantry I use a combination of mesh metal bins and baskets. I use label tags that hang so I can switch it up as I move things, but I love those martha chalk board labels. Everything must have a place or it gets donated or given away…I have to live by that rule!
What works best for us are bins, baskets, or nice boxes with labels. I have them in every closet, under cabinets and it our garage and it really makes me feel so much better when I open doors to see everything in a cute bin or basket. Thanks!
Setting aside time each week to do organizing is what helps me. And bins are great for everything, especially in busy areas such as the tool bench and craft areas!
this post makes me want to go home and organize BIG TIME! we have way too many 'junk drawers'. One thing I do like to do is keep cute binders around for tear sheets from magazines and recipes and such. And having a good entry table/hook for my purse, keys, mail, etc. is so helpful!
Hmm I think my biggest tip is to stash all the mess in one room, then close the door! To be honest, I like to sort and categorize things, but when it comes time to put them away, I have problems. :/ My husband is my biggest help in keeping things tidy – he is way better at it than I am!