Growing up I had a few favorite books. None of them inspired me into adulthood quite like The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room. My love for organization, rearranging and redecorating started young thanks to Mama Bear and all her fierceness. I didn't so much like the part where she runs in and sets things straight or the part where they were forced to get rid of stuff, (that box labeled "TRASH" was borderline traumatic). But, like most wise Mamas....she knew what she was talking about.
And that final page! I remember lingering over it as my desire grew for a new black permanent marker. I would wonder how I could get my hands on a bunch of lovely-labeled-lidded containers. My imagination would show me what was in each box on Brother and Sister Bear's shelves. And then I would wish for the milk and cookies that Brother Bear was enjoying. I mean, just look at him sitting there livin' the good life!
Fast forward about 25 years and now I'm the one who is in charge of keeping a bustling house in order. I have to admit I don't walk around with a box labeled "TRASH" nearly as often as I should. Stuff piles up under the beds and inside the couch, closets spill out too-small shoes and too-short pants. Life gets full while the refrigerator empties. I have many places/people within our home that need my attention and I'm sometimes overwhelmed - but when I get a good round of organization completed, the sense of control and order can make the most daunting day feel manageable.
We live in an old farmhouse with 3 bedrooms and 4 children so I've naturally had to come up with a few tricks and tips that have worked for me through the years of growing a family of 6 within 1300 square feet. Here's a little rundown on how I organize what I value:
We live in an old farmhouse with 3 bedrooms and 4 children so I've naturally had to come up with a few tricks and tips that have worked for me through the years of growing a family of 6 within 1300 square feet. Here's a little rundown on how I organize what I value:
1. THINK INSIDE THE BOX
The storage/container area of your local store has every shape and size and material you could imagine. If you're overwhelmed about where and how to begin, just go and purchase a bunch of cute storage boxes and you can always return what you don't use. Bring them all home and start with one small, non-threatening area....maybe it's under your bathroom sink where everything is just thrown in. Empty every last thing and lay it all out and while you're in there give it a good wipe down. Get rid of almost empty or outdated item. Then, group like things together. Label, return to it's place and enjoy the afterglow of a job well done - but not for too long. Use that momentum and tackle something bigger! I purchased these small white boxes that fit perfectly into the linen closet. Specific labels help everyone (even the man of the house) know where to find and put any little thing.
2. MARKER, MARKER ON THE WALL
This one is for those of us that have small children (or a thing for art supplies). Grab a few mason jars and place them inside a larger box or crate, grouping individual art supplies together. Tall markers in one jar, crayons in another, glue and scissors, etc. Makes it much easier for the children to stay organized too. Yes, we all know this may last no longer than 5.2 seconds which will result in threats to never to buy them another dang marker and then we'll fill their Christmas stockings with art supplies. It's a vicious cycle, but one that can still look nice - even if only for a moment.
3. PARTY TIME
I love to throw a party, big or small for few or many. I've been collecting party items for lots of years; cake plates, cloth napkins, tablescape decor, wine glasses, tea cups, candle holders. Having a supply on hand is great, but keeping it organized and space-efficient was becoming a hassle. We have a small area beside the furnace in the basement where my husband built some shelves. I found a bunch of similar boxes and labeled them accordingly. I find that using identical boxes is nicer for the eye and is a great time-saver, minimizing my effort when getting things ready for party-day. If you don't have extra space like this, you could also place your items into smaller plastic bins and then into one large, weather-proof box. It could live in the garage or attic until needed.
4. MAKE IT PRETTY
Maybe you have a limited budget to work with when it comes to organizing. I'm here to say, you really can do a lot with a little, and make it beautiful too. Take for instance this old picture frame. I cut a piece of cardboard to fit and then glued a piece of fabric on top. Added a few tacks and you have a bulletin board. You don't have to spend much money to be surrounded by beauty - if you're going to take the time to organize you may as well make it lovely to look at. Here are my favorite labels by Cath Kidston.
5. WE'RE GOING PLACES
If you've got kids in school, or several people that you're "in charge" of, you have papers. You have schedules and homework and all that jazz. This area has been invaluable to our household for SELF MANAGEMENT! Now that our older sons can read, it is their responsibility to check out what their day holds. They have easy access to a color coded system that I fill in once a week. They know their color and where to find their information. (And yes, of course I'm still running after them with their library book on library day, but hey, a Mom can dream). I found this magnetic white board at Costco. The red-lined removable decals are from The Martha Stewart line at Staples. Beside the calendar is an easy-to-reach area that holds their homework and library books. Having a place for everything saves time, energy and sanity (three things I highly value).
6. REPURPOSED
Many things in your home can be used for purposes other than what they were intended for. For example, jewelry rests on a three tiered cake stand.
The children's small toys hide away in the drawers of our TV stand. Our TV stand is really a "credenza", marble topped with drawers lined in velvet (thanks Craigslist). It's meant to house lovely silver and luxurious linens, but for now it's home to Angry Birds, Legos and Thomas the tank engine. The stacking pair of vintage suitcases next to the credenza stores the wooden trains and tracks.
There's a bookshelf under the boys' bunkbeds. We set it on it's back, added casters in the four corners and placed a glass knob at the one end to act as a handle.
7. TRASH IT
If you don't have it, you don't have to organize it. Perhaps you don't have to "get more organized", you just need to get rid of some stuff (guilty as charged). A huge amount of clutter is often the result of keeping things you don’t use (guilty, again).
Here are a few things to consider getting rid of today:
Here are a few things to consider getting rid of today:
- Old linens and towels. January is a great time to buy new sheets and towels because they're on sale. Be nice to yourself and spend a little more on a higher thread count if you can. They'll last longer and be more enjoyable along the way.
- Magazine collections. If you're like me, you've got one too many sitting around. If you don't want to trash them, take them to your local library. Most libraries have a free bin of goodies for others to enjoy.
- Kitchen drawers and cabinets. Dive into that black hole otherwise known as the kitchen gadget drawer. You may be surprised how many "doubles" you have in there or how much of it you rarely use.
- Socks & Underwear. Instead of spending this next year pushing all those "less loved" pairs around, just get rid of them now. We all know we have some that are too tight, too big, too barely there or too scratchy! Stop skimming over them and just toss 'em!
- Makeup: take inventory of what you've got. If it's so old that you can't remember when you purchased it, throw it out. For more guidance in knowing what makeup to keep and for how long, check out this article.
Organizing can be tough and frustrating when it seems all your hard work just gets undone.
But through the years I've found that there's a stillness that can come with order. Whether or not it stays that way isn't the point. I've had to learn, and relearn, to not be discouraged by the constant undoing of my order. I guess it's just important to remember that what surrounds us does affect us inwardly. It may feel daunting to tackle the mess, but it's usually worth it in the end. And the fact is that even with all the tricks and color coordinated bins, life will still spill out onto the floor - after all it was meant to be lived, not stored!
But through the years I've found that there's a stillness that can come with order. Whether or not it stays that way isn't the point. I've had to learn, and relearn, to not be discouraged by the constant undoing of my order. I guess it's just important to remember that what surrounds us does affect us inwardly. It may feel daunting to tackle the mess, but it's usually worth it in the end. And the fact is that even with all the tricks and color coordinated bins, life will still spill out onto the floor - after all it was meant to be lived, not stored!
