Simple Details: January 2018

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

My Five Favorites - Organization Room by Room

Happy New Year friends!
Welcome to our first edition of My Five Favorites for 2018, we're kicking off the year
with organization ideas! I'm always all over any great ideas to make my life easier
and more organized and I can't wait to see what my pals are sharing:

Kris @ Driven by Decor

Lisa @ Shine Your Light

Jennifer @ Dimples & Tangles

We have the best of the best, organizing guru joining us this month, and I know you'll
love her fabulous ideas as much as I do!

Jen @ IHeart Organizing
is as sweet and genuine as she is on top of her organizing game!
I'm smitten with her laundry room and this paint cabinet of my dreams.
Jen also has an Etsy shop where you can find great organization charts and planners.

IHeart Organizing

On to my favorites...

#1 - Kitchen
Organized Refrigerator

I can't believe it's been two years since I shared a 'new' refrigerator organization system.
At the time I mentioned I'd let you know how my bins worked out
and if they encouraged my boys to return items to their place. I loved the new uncluttered
look and was hopefully optimistic, but still skeptical that when in a hurry items would
get shoved front and center.
You guys, it totally worked and is just as organized as the day I first shared it!!
Here it is today, and all it took were the
$2 Clear Plastic Shoe Boxes from the Container Store!
Since then I've also added some to our extra refrigerator in the basement, I love using
one to corral all of our ingredients for Asian recipes instead of having them all in our
kitchen fridge.

Basement refrigerator - storage bin for Asian recipe ingredients.

#2 - Foyer
Coat Closet

I can't even imagine what a mess our coat closet would be without my shoe organizer
to keep our gloves, beanies, dog leashes, and miscellaneous items contained. We have a
separate bag dedicated to only ski equipment that we can easily grab when we head out.
I've had this one for years, I think I found it at TJ Maxx. It simply hangs from a couple
small nails. It's easy to change out for the seasons, in the summer it's great for pool and
outdoor activity items too.

#3 - Basement
Accessory Storage

I'm showing you a little corner of my 1938 basement laundry room ONLY because I can
crop it in so close and I love this idea! A few years ago when I read The Magic of Tidying Up,
one of the tips that resonated with me was to 'organize by category.' I didn't even realize how
many different areas I had vases stored (basement, kitchen, dining room) or how
inefficient it was. It was the first idea I implemented after reading the book, now I keep
all of them (other than what I'm currently using to decorate) on an IKEA Billy Bookcase
in my basement. The reason I love it is because it's 11" deep, and can squeeze into a corner,
our 1938 ceilings are about 7' in the laundry room and it fits!
Add adjustable shelves, $69 (but they're always available on our Craigslist) and it holds a
boatload of accessories!

#4 - Kitchen
Never (almost) Re-Fill your Under Counter Soap Container Again

This is my all time #1 pinned and viewed organization idea! I'm always amazed, but every
time I share it there are readers that are so surprised and thankful! After all these years I've
forgotten how annoying it is standing on your head to re-fill that little soap container!

Use a large container of liquid dish detergent instead of re-filling your small bottle.
They sell kits for $10, but you don't need one. Buy a piece of plastic tubing from the
hardware store and attach it to the end of the pump at your counter.
Be patient it will take a few pumps to get the air out of the tube at first.

#5 - Purge!

Fingers crossed you didn't notice, but I didn't quite follow the
'Organization - Room by Room" theme for the month.
The truth is I have nothing to organize in my living room, family room, or dining room - all
of my dressers and cabinets are almost completely empty! I have a few cookbooks and
photos in one, some trays in one, and some candles, but that's it! And, I love not having all
of that stuff that I was saving for 'a day when I might need it.'
Disclaimer: I do have a basement for storage that's mostly for entertaining items
(dishes, glasses, linens) and my overflow Craigslist scores that I'm attached to. :)
Today when I was taking photos of my coat closet I noticed coats that we hadn't worn,
and out they went. The first time I purged, a few years ago after reading Marie Kondo's
book, I was still hesitant with some items - you know the sentimental or expensive ones -
not anymore! Purging is hands down my BEST organization idea - it feels so good not
to have all the stuff we'd acquired and didn't even use or like anymore!