Containers, Containers, Containers

If you're starting a huge organization overhaul of your house for this years' spring cleaning mission and notice that you need more storage containers, read on! There are countless different forms of containers that you can use for home, car or office storage. I'm certain that I don't even know of all of the storage containers sold in stores these days. I have a select group of favorite types of containers that I use frequently throughout my home and home office. I took a lot of pictures of containers that I use throughout my house to hopefully give you an idea of how to be more creative.


My utmost favorite container is a clear plastic storage box, shown below. Sorry to choose brands, but I really, really like Sterilite storage containers. I use the 4 quart storage box for storing random things (crafty stuff, markers, thank you cards, office supplies) under my bed. It's great (check out the picture) - it is ultra convenient and all of that stuff is contained and hidden nicely under my bed. I label each box and know exactly what I'm going to find when I open it. Other than the 4 quart storage box, I use the drawer system and many other sizes of storage boxes. They really can store anything.





Some containers that I have become a big fan of recently are bowls or coffee mugs (countless storage capabilities - paperclips, buttons, rubber bands, lip balms, sewing tools, loose screws...), gift boxes (use the largest one to store all of the smaller gift boxes that you accumulate), any type of basket or tote or bucket ( I use a cute nickel bucket to store Post-it notes and another one for greeting cards), shoe boxes (endless possibilities here - I store some small tools in one in our linen closet), old jam jars or other glass jars, cardboard boxes and deli counter containers/other reusable storage containers. Just be creative! Look around your house - I'm sure you can come up with some type of container that can benefit you and your family. Get your kids involved too. I'm sure they'd love to paint a shoe box or create a label for a storage container or proudly display their new marble and rock collection in a parent approved jar.



Specifically for your office, depending on the type of office you have, I think that drawer organizers are exceptionally fantastic, as well as small cups or bowls on your desk to store odds and ends or loose change in, not to mention filing cabinets and file trays to keep your papers organized and off of your desk, as well as a dedicated container for your emergency kit or personal materials - assign a drawer and place your items in a basket or a toiletry tote.









Above are some photos from around my home. We'll start with my Sterilite drawer set in my den- the top drawer is the "junk drawer" where the tape, batteries, envelopes, super glue, etc. belongs. Middle drawer houses the cords and wires - each cord is wound up and secured with a zip tie. This sounds a bit anal, but trust me, if all of those cords were in there without being individualized I would never get to the one I want. The bottom drawer (not pictured) is just extra paper, notebooks and folders. Next stop is the linen closet where we store some basics plus the extra household items. In the linen closet I use a 4 quart container to store medicines and first aid supplies, a perfume box to store my nail polish, a bucket to hold cleaning supplies, and a wire basket to keep my sunscreen in. Lastly is a view of my bathroom cabinet under my sink. My favorite part of that space is the platform that is on the right side. I have a bucket where I store hair products and a sectioned container that stores hair accessories, then back in the left corner is a small basket with perfumes in it. I can't imagine what the space would look like without containers!

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Get Motivated!

The hardest part of getting organized, especially if you have a long ways to go, is becoming motivated to get started. I completely understand why people procrastinate and keep putting off their organizational overhaul. Sometimes the best motivation is reaching out to family and friends and asking them if they can help you get started so you don't feel so overwhelmed. Even positive encouragement from friends can make all the difference in the world. Get your kids and spouse involved and delegate responsibilities to them and any other helpful helpers you are lucky to have.

If there is something that I am dreading doing, this can be anything, I like to create a list of what needs to be accomplished. This helps me see an outline of what I have to do, then I can make notes about when I will get it done and what needs to be done first. A list like this can be anything from organizing the junk drawer to a complete home organization kick. I like to plan ahead for these kinds of things so I have at least a day or two to get in the right frame of mind about what I am about to conquer. Consider even putting this on your calendar. I marked March 20th for my spring cleaning start date.

If you can afford to, think about going to an organizational store and purchasing some fun new storage containers, file storage items, or a new set of shelves to give you a fresh new look in the space you are organizing. If that is not in your budget consider moving some things in your house around (or look at my post about free & inexpensive organization). Look at your various storage units and shelves and see what you can switch around to create a new change. Or, if you have lots of scrap wood or other materials that you can use to construct a storage container - have at it!

Instead of dwelling about how much darn work it's going to be, consider what the new change will be and how that will positively impact your life.

Here's a story that will hopefully provide some inspiration. I have a hoarder in my family. Her home was in such bad shape that it was to be condemned. My family stepped in to go help her clean it out and remove her messy buildup and dangerous clutter. It took seven to ten of us a full day - at least 12 hours - to remove half of the piles. But, the point is that she could have never done that herself in even a week's time, so we had to get over there and help her. Sometime's that's what it takes. If you have a friend or family member like this, he will probably not reach out to you for help. It's likely that this person doesn't even see this as a problem. So, take the initiative and go over there armed with a box of trash bags and a mask and a really good attitude.

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Spring Cleaning!

Happy Spring! After the winter most of us have had it is certainly hard to believe that spring has officially arrived. The changing seasons are always a great reminder to me that I need to go through my home and clean everything out. I always take advantage of this time to get rid of the things that I no longer use or need instead of finding a spot for them in my storage areas. Spring cleaning is a very commonly used term in households, but I think that we should all do a better job of doing some seasonal cleaning, not just limiting it to spring cleaning.




My definition of spring cleaning is not just switching out the winter clothes and house wares with the spring clothes and other seasonal items. To me, spring cleaning is all about going through your home and doing a huge deep clean, de-clutter, re-organization; and the minor detail is bringing out your spring clothes and switching out the snow blower for the lawn mower.

I've never been one to accumulate too many senseless things, probably because of the number of times I've moved in my life. I can certainly understand how easy it must be to accumulate 10, 20, 30, even 60 years worth of belongings in a home that you've lived in for your entire life. This spring can be your chance to let go and get rid of some old papers, files, clothes, magazines, decor, tools, antiques and even appliances, and live in a more organized, clutter-free home.

The least stressful way to go about this, if you ask me, is to dissect your home room by room. Start with a fairly orderly room and work towards the worst areas of your home. If you start with the worst of the worst you may give up hope because it is so bad, but be reassured because it will just get easier. Spend much of one day each weekend for as long as it takes you to complete each room and when you're done do something great to reward yourself.

• Use the changing seasons to remind you that it's time to go through your belongings. Donate clothing you haven't worn in six months.

• Make a task list that will help you to outline what you need to accomplish. Prioritize it and even make a timeline. Allot a certain amount of time for each project every weekend.

• Take this time to attack the piles around your house. Go through papers, file them if they need to be saved, or recycle them if they are just collecting dust for no reason.

• Use plastic bins to keep out-of-season materials, such as clothing, decorations or miscellaneous items.

• Transition in-season home and lawn maintenance or other outdoor equipment to a more accessible place in your garage or shed. Move the out-of-season equipment to a safe spot that is out of the way.

• Tackle that bottomless pit in your house, whether it's a storage room, closet, or a corner of the basement. Go through the contents of the area and get rid of what isn't in use. Find a permanent spot for what you really do use.

• Go through your children's toys and belongings. Every last thing. Seriously. Kids grow fast - if it doesn't fit and can't be recycled to a younger sibling, donate it. If the kids' toys are broken, get out the trash can or the tool belt. If you notice toys being pushed further and further back on the shelf, or things they haven't touched in six months, donate them to charity.

• Throw a garage sale! Who doesn't need to make a few extra bucks in these tough times? That can be your incentive to get rid of more stuff.

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My Story

I like to believe that my organizational habits came from my genetics, but maybe it was just the environment I was raised in. Both of my parents are pretty organized, but not to the extent I am. I think that I combine both of their organizational strengths into one well-rounded organized individual. This blurb is hopefully to inspire you even if you didn't come from an organized home or if the organized gene skipped a generation. Don't worry, there is a point to this story. :)

The first thing I remember about my organizational habits was my "schedule" that my childhood nanny created for me when I started kindergarten. The schedule was in the form of thick cardstock with a picture and explanation of what was to happen on school days and it hung from the wall right next to my bed. I remember being mesmerized by this schedule - probably more so the pictures than anything - but I followed it and looked to it for direction when getting ready for the day.



Ok this one is totally crazy, I realize, but it's true: when I was younger my family would create chore charts, especially for the summer, and I think there was a schedule built into the chore chart, too, but I actually looked forward to doing my chores and I got really excited about the whole concept of creating a chart with my list of chores to do. Of course there were stickers involved, which probably added to the excitement.

As I got older what I looked forward to was creating my schedule for getting my homework done, working ahead on projects for school, planning out my outfits and being the social planner among my friends. When I was in grade school I never ever missed an assignment in school, nor did I turn one in late. I also noticed that in high school and certainly college when I started getting busier and busier that I was able to do better in school and that I enjoyed my time more. I think this is because I had to really balance out my schedule and fit things in and really plan ahead and maintain complete organization. That did wonders for me, apparently, especially in college. The busier I was the better my grades were (what's the psychology behind that??).

Now as an adult I in a sense have less on my plate (I realize that will change when I have kids in 873 years!) so I take this time of peace to write my blog and hopefully inspire you to become more organized.

I have a friend from college who was an overly involved student who was juggling an insane amount of classes, jobs, a fraternity and a few very time consuming student clubs/organizations and was not very organized to say the least. I'm glad he took the initiative to become more organized because he told me that over the course of a spring break one semester he read a book that was designed to help people become more organized and it was a revelation for him. Ever since then he was just about as organized as I am - it's as though the skills were there, just locked up in the back of his brain and this book held the key to open that door. I'm telling you this because even if you didn't grow up fanaticizing about making a chore chart or scheduling homework time it is still completely possible for you to become an organized individual. I know this is kind of an extreme case, but hopefully you can be inspired by him to make some changes to your life and lead a more organized life.

Again, I am just trying to promote change in your mindset to make you more aware of the possibilities and what you can do. Happy organizing!

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Free and Inexpensive Organization Ideas

Free Organization Ideas
• Cardboard boxes from local stores
• Craigslist.org on the "free stuff" section
• Swap tricks and tools with friends
• Used (and washed!) food containers or the plastic containers at the deli (just ask!)
Very, Very Inexpensive Ideas
• Craigslist.org and other similar websites (don't forget e-bay and Amazon)
• Garage sale/estate sale
• Flea market
• Check out stores that have filed for bankruptcy and are liquidating their inventory


If I had to choose my favorite free organizational idea it would definitely be cardboard boxes. They are super easy to track down - just go to pretty much any store and ask if they have a few cardboard boxes left over. I particularly like liquor store boxes because they tend to be pretty tough and sturdy. As long as you are using these boxes to help you become more organized and not just as a hiding spot for your junk this will be great. Cardboard boxes are especially great because you can stack them really easily and get them out of sight onto a shelf or in a closet and you can write on the outside exactly what the contents are. Not to mention they're free and reusable!



My idea with sending you to the free stuff section of Craigslist is that you can find bookshelves, filing cabinets and other organizational tools there (not to mention other amazing things). If you can't find anything you're interested in consider putting a posting up listing what you are looking to find. There are other websites out there that are similar to Craigslist, some more local or regional, that allow you to give things away for free or a low cost and also are designed for item or service swapping. By the way, I love the concept of service swapping. I'm always willing to go help someone organize a room or their house in exchange for something else, like a haircut, handyman service or photography and framing services.

One of my best friends and I are known to swap clothing and jewelry and other little things that we just don't use anymore. I've heard of a lot of people doing this with house wares and even furniture. My thought is that if you have a friend or relative who has some cool baskets or buckets or whatnot, consider doing a trade or a swap. If you have cool stuff to give - even if it's not organizationally related - think about switching things up a bit and giving yourself a change. Even if you have nothing in exchange it can't hurt to ask a friend if she has anything that you could use to help you become better organized.

There are certainly many more inexpensive ideas than free ideas on where to find organizational materials, but it's much more fun to find things for free. Seek out a garage sale or an estate sale for a great deal - the family really just wants to get rid of things so I bet they will be willing to bargain with you. Aside from that, the number of businesses filing for bankruptcy is on the rise. This means that the businesses with large inventories are liquidating their products. Again, they just want to get rid of their stock - they may not be as willing to make a deal with you, but you can find some good stuff to keep you more organized. Check online for a list of recent retailers that filed chapter 11.

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Organizing Through Your Cell Phone

Though I have a PDA, I'm apparently old fashioned because I just use my cell phone primarily for phone conversations and text messaging. I am amazed at the capacity and capability of some of these ultra high-tech cell phones. My newest organizational revelation is to get organized by using your cell, mostly because you carry it with you wherever you go.


I was watching Late Night with Jimmy Fallon the other day and he had a guest who was showing off the Palm Pre, which had this neat looking application that was like a Post-it on the screen of the phone. To me, that's pretty amazing. Not only does it save paper but it can help keep you organized. I have to believe that most cell phones have some type of to-do list function, but the iPhone, BlackBerry and the Pre (which hasn't been released yet) have really cool applications that allow you to make a to-do list on the main screen of your phone. I don't have an iPhone, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was an application for a grocery list right there, too. How handy! If you've got that ability literally at your fingertips at any given moment that's sure to keep your brain fresh on what you need to accomplish.

I've heard of some people recording messages to themselves on their cell phone with a reminder that they can play back at a later time. This can be handy for a short grocery list, a reminder of what errands you need to run on the way home, a list of movie times or anything that you could write down on a little note but maybe don't have one.

Many, if not all, cell phones have a calendar function that helps keep track of your appointments, birthdays and things you need to get done on a certain day. It's especially handy if you can synch your cell phone to the calendar on your computer because sometimes it's easier to use the computer to make appointments than the small cell phone. Take advantage of this to help keep your days organized. Since most of us bring our cell with us everywhere and anywhere this will help remind you where you need to be and when.

Cell phones are great assets to someone who is trying to be more organized. Take a few minutes to understand the organizational capabilities of your phone and figure out a way that will work for you to get more organized by using your cell phone. Let me know what applications you can find that help you!

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Organizing Your Kitchen Cabinets

I really enjoy coming home from the grocery store and unloading my purchases and organizing them into my crowded cabinets and refrigerator. I've come to the realization that most people just cram their food into the cabinet wherever they see an opening. My take on that is a bit different. The images in this post are actually from my kitchen.


A quick but important aside: my brother is here visiting from Minnesota and made quite a few comments on how I must not spend any time doing anything other than organizing my kitchen. I said, "I organized it once and now I just follow through by putting things where they belong. That way it will always stay organized." It's as easy as that!

My food cabinets have zones. I love organizing everything by zones. For food, I have zones like boxed goods, rice, pasta, canned goods, spices, baking products, hot chocolate and the "extras" zone where I store my backup products. The products I use most are in the easiest spots to reach, and I only place things on shelves where you can see the items from the floor. If I don't see it I won't know that it's there. The way you lay out your food cabinets will totally depend on the size and the geography of your kitchen.

Ideally I would like to have custom cabinets at some point in my life. I think that a custom pantry would be a dream come true. If I could create my own pantry it would have lots of drawers, sliding shelves and an area specifically designed for spices. If you are considering remodeling your kitchen I would encourage you to look into custom cabinets or at least specialty cabinets that allow you to specialize the design of your kitchen to the needs of your organizational challenges.

For those of you lucky ducks who have unlimited storage space in your kitchen, consider yourself blessed! You should be able to easily fit your countless small kitchen appliances and electronics just fine with some basic organization and a little bit of effort. For the rest of you... all you need to do is get creative and figure out how you can maximize your space. If necessary, get some type of rack to hang from the wall or ceiling to get your pots and pans out of the way. Some of the ceiling racks can double to store things on top of the actual shelf (think baking pans and sheet pans, etc.). Display your spices in a cute spice rack on the counter or stove; throw your flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking chips, etc. in a cute glass canister on the counter to make room in the cupboard; store your sheet pans and other baking pans inside or under the oven; or if your cereal boxes are too tall to fit in the cupboard transfer them to a Tupperware container that fits nicely on your shelf. There are tons of tricks about maximizing your space - just be creative. The best trick I have is to clean out your cupboards and throw away stuff you really don't use. You'll be amazed by the amount of space that opens up.





One of my absolute biggest pet peeves in the kitchen is reusable storage containers. I hate, hate, hate messy reusable containers that you have to dig through to find the lid that fits. Normally, I don't like to promote brands, but my favorite reusable storage container is the Gladware with interlocking lids. I love these because they stick together and are easy to find, and they also don't fall over and make an even bigger mess (and they're cheap!). I recently moved and when I did I threw out all of my other storage containers to start fresh. If you have like 1123 different types of storage containers I'm assuming this frustrates you. Consider starting over and only buying one brand. It probably won't break the bank. BUT - if you don't want to waste, definitely use your largest container as the home base and stack the containers according to size inside of the largest container, then arrange the lids on the side or under the base depending on their size.



My last tidbit on that is that if you have a lot of loose items in your cabinets (I'm talking like taco seasoning or yeast packets, a little thing of cake icing or a pack of candles) consider storing them in a little basket or even a reusable storage container (as opposed to throwing it away!). I have a small container that has my cake/cupcake decorating supplies, which works great because they're all contained in one bucket. I also like to use the reusable storage containers to store nuts, brown sugar, dried fruit and other foods that should be kept air tight

I live in a fairly small condo in downtown Seattle, so my space is limited. One of the few things that I like about how my kitchen was constructed is that the cabinets are very tall (but that means if I put something on the top shelf I have to climb on the counter to reach it!), but the flipside of that is that they are very narrow. They are only about 8" deep and the shelves are non-adjustable (really, who would install non-adjustable shelves in kitchen cabinets??). This makes it tricky. As much as I absolutely hate to do this, I store my super tall cereal boxes on top of the refrigerator. And, if I'm confessing that, I also store my full loaves of bread and full containers of bagels or English muffins up there because I don't have a bread basket that's big enough to hold them on the counter. So, you caught me, not everything in my kitchen is perfect! But I do my best to work within my limitations.

My two takeaway points: be creative and follow through about keeping up your organized kitchen!



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