Showing posts with label closet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label closet. Show all posts

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Outerwear Organization



Since this week we added "Organize Your Outwear" to the challenge list of to dos, I thought I should show how we've updated our "outwear" organization. Keep in mind, my definition of outerwear is anything you take out of the house with you on a regular basis. Shoes, coats, purses, laptop bags, diaper bags, sunglasses, etc.

I already showed you how terrible our front closet was looking up until now. Yipes. But it's in much better shape now. I organized our shoes that we wear often in the baskets in the bottom. The rest went upstairs to be put away in our shoe holders in our bedroom; more on that later. I also went through our coats.

I promise, unless the photo is supposed to have Gibson in it, I do not stage these things. I think he's trying to become famous. Sorry Gib, I don't think this is the way to get there.


Let's stay downstairs and discuss my baggage. No, not my emotional baggage. My literal baggage, the things I put my whole life in and carry around with me! We started putting a lot of things in the laundry room including our laptop bags, but once Cam arrived, it was getting way too cluttered. Between laptop bags, diaper bags, my purses, and more it was just too much. We scaled that entry area back to just purses, my diaper bag and my reusable shopping bags as those are the things I take out of the house the most.
We also still have the other shelf/mirror on the other wall that we use for car keys and our sunglasses.


However, that meant we needed a new place for the less used items. Carl came up with the idea to use the staircase wall heading down to the basement. Perfect! We used these hooks from Ikea because if they aren't being used they flip up which was important to us to avoid any potential injuries.




That's it for downstairs. We've got a place for our bags, shoes, coats, keys and more. But what about all those other shoes that aren't worn as much or perhaps are out of season? I've been using this system for years now, and granted, I let it go for a bit, but when you actually USE it, it works! The Shoes Under system just slides under our bed. I bought four of them and unfortunately have filled them all...and then some. And that's after this recent organization when I got rid of about 20 pairs of shoes. I'm not kidding. Granted, many of those shoes were very old or just flimsy flip flops.

Anyway, it started like this:


And now it's like this:







All neatly organized and each one is slid under the bed, easily accessible. I take these photos not just to show you how they look, but they also get put up on the inside of the door of the closet. That way, I know at a glance what shoes are where rather than to slide each individual holder out and look. Lazy? Maybe a little...I like to call it resourceful!

Lastly, if I take the holders out from under the bed, they are immediately replaced with my four legged friend. This photo was not staged, but it is just to show you what goes under my bed. I still haven't figured out that fascination.



Was that enough inspiration to go organize your outerwear? Hopefully, cause that's all I've got for you right now! Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

Sunday, February 28, 2010

New Year Challenge: Week Seven!


Ok, it's the last week to check in! Don't be shy. I want to hear how you did. And I'd love to hear your thoughts on it overall if you are willing to share. Here's how I did.

Entry:
Dust from top to bottom - Done!
Clean Floor- Done! (multiple times....)
Clean Windows- Done!
Clean Fixtures- Done!

Closets:
Empty, purge and organize- Done!

Plus- of course the standard maintenance of the rest of the rooms.

Luckily, these areas are kept up for the most part. I try not to let the closets get cluttered. Let's see the photographic proof! I didn't shoot all of them, but this should satisfy your visual needs.

The pantry before:

It got a little special attention by way of new canvas totes. Now my cleaning supplies and Gibson's goodies are concealed a bit better.


And then the entryway. Pretty much looks the same as always, but I promise the dust bunnies that were living under the table are gone now. They'll be back though. They always come back :(


So that's it folks! Our challenge has come to an end. I hope it helped you, even if you weren't able to complete everything, every little bit helps! Be sure to watch out for the return of the Happy House Daily Challenge as that will be coming up soon! Now that we all have clean houses, this will help to keep them that way! Are you ready for that one? I hope so! I'd love to see you around for it!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

New Year Challenge: Week Two




One week down. So, how was it? Did you make it through? Or are you stuck under a never ending pile of clothes that have escaped your closet? I'll be honest. This wasn't easy for me since I was gone half the week, but I still managed to get it done. Did you wake up each morning with a sense of refreshment while your eyes bounced around your super clean and organized room? I know mine did!

The check in for this week will go as follows, indicate which pieces of the rooms you finished. And don't be discouraged if you couldn't get it all done! Just add it to your chores this week.

For example, here is my list:

Closets emptied, cleaned and organized: Check!
Bedding removed, cleaned and replaced: Check!
Furniture & Fixtures dusted: Check!
Windows cleaned: Check!
Floors vacuumed or cleaned: Check!

Other Accomplishments:

Fresh, clean bedding:

Newly organized closet:
Socks are organized by color:


Reply in the comments with your results!


I'm sure you are just waiting on the edge of your seat wanting to know what we are going after this week, right? It's my favorite (said with the biggest eye roll this side of the Mississip).

BATHROOMS!
Shower/Tub
  • Remove all products
  • Scrub the tub
  • Organize and replace products
  • Use a daily shower cleaner to keep up on grime

Sink/Vanity
  • Remove everything from the counter tops, drawers and cupboards
  • Clean with an all purpose cleaner- including the counter, insides of drawers and cupboards
  • Organize all the goodies you removed- toss at least 3 items
  • Put all the items back

Toilet
  • Use toilet cleaner for the bowl (A great green cleaner that deodorizes as well is to just pour 2 cups of vinegar in the bowl, let sit for a couple hours or overnight, scrub with a brush and flush)
  • Use an all purpose cleaner for the exterior, don't forget the top and handle

Now, keep in mind, the goal is to deep clean everything so that we can just keep up on things. So, while we've added bathrooms this week, I don't want you neglecting your newly cleaned bedrooms! What? You thought you were done? Heck no lil lady (or man if that's the case...I don't discriminate)! So on top of your bathroom chores this week, dust and vacuum your bedrooms. Shouldn't be too difficult, they are relatively clean! Also, be certain that you are keeping up on your closet. Clothes either go in the hamper or in drawers, not on the floor!

When we check in next week, we'll see how you did on your bathrooms as well as check in to see how your bedroom is looking. So get to moving! I can't wait to hear how you all did in the first week! Keep up the good work!

Monday, December 7, 2009

Happy House Process: Weekly Outfit Prepping


Do me a quick favor. I promise it's a quick one, however, it does require movement. Go take a look at your closet, dresser, drawers, etc. (I'll just wait here.....)

How do they look? If it looks like they maybe got sick with some bad shellfish and spewed forth all over the place, I might know how to help. The closet is a chronic issue because, well, hopefully you wear clothes every day....then they need to be washed (ugh) and then they need to be folded (double ugh) and lastly...they need to be put away (quadruple ugh (yes, I skipped right over triple)).

But even with all those ughs, that's not even the worst part for me. What I dread the most are the weekday mornings when it comes time to pick out my clothes. Yup. The thought of choosing what I'm going to wear annoys me, because I know what I am going to pull out; the items that need the least amount of prep work. I despise ironing in the morning as it makes me feel rushed. So I made a deal with myself. Pick out my clothes the night prior. This will surely help, right? Well it does! But there were still nights where I was so exhausted that I would just want to climb in bed and not look in my closet. However, in the morning I would immediately regret that decision.

This Happy House Process avoids that issue though! For me, the week begins on Monday. And Sunday nights are meant for good TV and relaxing, so I have some extra time to play with for my organizing self. My new Sunday night routine (hey I haven't thrown that word at you in awhile!) includes about 20 minutes of prep to avoid any annoying workday mornings of playing the dress up game and making a mess of your closet! Simply choose all your outfits for the week on Sunday (or whatever day of the week you feel you might be able to spare the time), iron the necessary items, and hang according to outfit.



I use an over the door double hook, and hang the pants on the bottom hook with coordinating shirt on the top hook, repeat bottom, top until the whole week is lined up. The morning couldn't be any more simple when it's time to get dressed- just grab the the first two items! The coordinating is already done and wrinkles are already pressed. You aren't forced to drag out the ironing board and wait for ol smokey to heat up.



Do you find this to be an issue for you too? Are you with me? Are you willing to give it a try? Try it out for a couple weeks. I promise- your mornings will be easier, your weekday evenings will be relaxing, your closet will stay organized and you'll actually be saving time!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

New Organization Tools!

Organizing the pantry (pretty much a monthly task) was on my to do list this weekend. Rather than just organizing it the same way I have in the past, we decided to take a new approach. I wanted to make it more functional, and there was one clear area that kept hanging me up, the plastic sandwich bags, aluminum foil, cling wrap, etc. See how it was taking up way more space than necessary on the bottom shelf?



So we decided to move around some of the storage items and remove an old one from the previous owner to make room for new ones. Enter- new organization tools!



(Please don't judge the paint job- it's pretty much the only thing we haven't painted. Carl will do it the next time we have white paint out...)
If you keep yours inside a cupboard, they also make a bi-level one that would fit all these items in one, but I wanted ours to be flush against the wall.

So, now I have room for all my baking items, plus my stand mixer and food processor. Oh, it is SO much more functional now. It just makes sense!


So, the next time you decide to clean up or organize an area, think about whether it is reaching it's full potential! I know this area wasn't, but with a little :::cough cough::: common sense, it works great! I'm still kicking myself a little for not doing this sooner!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Tackle it Tuesday

Tuesday snuck up on me for sure! And I almost didn't do my Tackle it Tuesday, but then my record would be 1 for 2, and I'm just not a 50% kind of gal. So, I sat in the family room thinking of what I could tackle, and it didn't take me long. While running around getting ready for Mother's Day, there was one place that had become a catch all, our closet. We are normally very good about our closet, but we had just run out of time! Our room looked lovely, but that's because we shoved a ton of stuff in our closet that we didn't have time to deal with at the moment. You don't believe me? Here, you can see for yourself (yes, I am embarrassed to show this, but I feel it's necessary to get the full effect):




So 40 minutes of folding, hanging and sorting later, the after!




It felt so good this morning to know that the closet was organized. It's been giving me headaches trying to find something to wear, but not today! I like to keep my shirts organized by length and then color. My pants are arranged by color. Down below on the right-side are my suits, lounge pants and skirts. I've tried to keep Carl's stuff organized...but he's colorblind, so I give up. So long as it's on a hanger or folded, I don't care.

Now go tackle something!
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