5 Small Organizing Projects that Yield Big Results
Each of us wants to be better organized. After spending an embarrassingly long time searching for addresses for Christmas cards and looking for tax receipts, we know we have work to do. Let’s look at a few small projects that will reap big results and make your life easier.
Start at the front door or whatever door you go in and out of all the time. A set of key hooks, a tray for mail, and a small trashcan will do wonders. If used, you always will know where the keys are, and you can dump junk mail immediately. A little note of caution - don't put the trashcan under the key hooks!
Nothing helps like an orderly desk, but it is quickly overrun without a few good habits. If the wall isn't covered with pictures, shelves are a great addition. You might even add some hooks or small cubes under the shelves for often-used items, like your stapler and tape dispenser. A corkboard is another great addition, as notes are easily seen but not in the way. Filing and storage are only a few screws away with bins, hooks, and boxes to suit your needs.
The natural follow up to your desk is your file area. Assuming that you aren't opting for a four-drawer, fire resistant file cabinet, you have many options. A hanging file system can convert even a toy chest into your new go-to place for keeping records. If the dining room table is your desk, look at rolling file systems. If you don't already have one, go today and buy a fire-proof safe of the appropriate size for items like passports, insurance documents, birth certificates, and other critical documents.
Have you been parking in the driveway or working your way through a maze in the garage? This project may require more than a simple fix, especially if the laundry area is involved. Get those bikes, skis, and other sports equipment out of the way. Racks are available that hold two or three bikes on a leaning pedestal that requires only one attachment to a wall stud. Also don’t just look to the floor for storage. Many seldom-used items can be safely stored near the ceiling with simple hangers or shelving attached to studs. Pegboards with special hooks can hold everything from shovels and rakes to hammers and screwdrivers.
Every bathroom needs help. Office storage drawers can hold "most" of the things required. Where doors open against walls, offsetting hooks give some extra leeway. In fact, every wall without some sort of peg or shelf is wasted. Baskets and narrow, wire-like open shelves can fit into small spaces to hold extra linens, soaps, and cleaning supplies.
The kitchen is a project world of its own! Chances are you have very little space not already taken by cabinets, counters, and drawers. If space permits, a rolling island with drawers for knives and pans, with hooks for other items, will be a blessing. If not, "look up" again. Pots and pans can be stored easily with ready-to-install kits. The same is true of racks for stemmed glasses. For example, you can replace the wine cooler in your house or apartment with a slide out system attached to the floor. It gives you access to everything from crackers and spices to canned goods, in a way that is easy to see from both sides.
Last, but certainly not least, is the laundry area. Shelves just above the open machine lids are a must. A roll around hanging rack is next, and a flat area large enough for folding laundry is a dream. Try a hinged, drop-down sturdy shelf, if your laundry room is narrow.