An Organized Home Is a Happy Home

By Kristi Patrice Carter

You should love coming home. Home should be your tranquil getaway after a chaotic day at work. Home shouldn’t bring even more chaos! If your home is more chaotic than not, an organized home will bring you peace.

The trick to getting an organized home really relies one two main strategies—scheduling and reducing clutter. If you can work around this theme, you’ll be able to get your home organized in no time and keep it that way!

The first theme is scheduling or having a schedule for when things need to be done, especially chores. This isn’t a schedule in your mind; it’s a schedule that is put together by the entire household.

The first thing you need is a wall-mounted dry erase board with magnets. You’ve probably seen them on Supernanny, and, boy, do they do the trick. Week to week will probably be most helpful. Keep the organizer in a well-traveled area, like the kitchen, where you can discuss items that need to be addressed. Make sure you include your spouse’s issues, too, like car maintenance. Put the organizer at a level where children can see it, too. As tasks are done, they should be checked off.

So, now you have a schedule. The next thing you need to do is reduce clutter because clutter is probably one of the major household problems and typically an obstacle to cleanliness. Go through drawers and closets for old clothes and shoes. If you haven’t worn it in two years, send it to Goodwill. (Yes, platforms and bell bottoms made a comeback, but jackets with huge shoulder pads will likely never see the light of day again.)

How else can you reduce clutter?

1. Get rid of old books and magazines. Retirement homes often take those items.
2. Look around for other things you haven’t used in two years, even old pieces of furniture or old electronics, children’s toys that are outgrown. Donate items to Goodwill or put them together for a yard sale. Look in the basement for stuff you’ll never use again and clear that out—skis, yoga ball, rollerblades, manual camera equipment that you’ll never use since buying the digital camera, videos when you only own a DVD player now, old computer hardware and software from the days of the Commodore PET computer, the weight bench, the old treadmill, the 10-speed bike, camping equipment…you know the stuff.
3. Junk the junk mail and keep only essential mail.

Now that you’ve reduced some clutter and you have a scheduling system, you can look at organizers to help you get organized! Purchase organizers for:

1. Bills and other important mail.
2. Closets – organizers for clothes, shoes and other items make the best use of your closet. Garment racks and hanging shoe organizers can double your closet storage space.
3. Under-bed storage. Vacuum-sealed plastic organizers can store seasonal clothes and bedding (like fleece or heating blankets for winter) that you won’t need until next season.
4. Kitchen organizers for pantries and cabinets include those that organize pet food, herbs or pastas.
5. Turn the walls of your garage into organizers themselves with wall-mounted garage organizing systems.
6. Look at furniture with an eye toward storage. Some living room consoles are made as tables or seating options, but with a removable top to store stuff inside and out of sight. Chests also make neat storage options for comforters and blankets. Look at furniture as providing double duty when possible.
7. Drawer organizers can solve your kitchen or bedroom drawer dilemma.
8. Some storage units and storage containers are made to look like furniture while secretly encasing DVDs or other smaller items.

If you’re simply at a loss for organizing your home, take a trip to your local Container Store. Well known for storage solutions that combine organizing genius with style, this store can give you great ideas for every room. Happy organizing!