Storage Guide Get Organized

get organized! | bhg.com

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GETorganized!

from Better Homes and Gardens

organizeANY ROOM

CUT paper clutter

must-havestorage essentials


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Get the Cover LookWant it? Get it! Scoop up these handy storage essentials to keep your home looking neat and tidy all year long.

Wall CubesIntended for more artful displays, these simple ledges also work well for corralling and organizing entryway essentials.Multihook RackOne installation yields five places to hang your hat. Or coat, or bag. Skip a multihook installation and opt for this all-in-one unit.Key TreeDesigned for necklaces and bracelets, this branched organizer also works wonders for keys.Metal BoxUse a letter-size box as a drop zone for outgoing mail.Console TableA table with drawers and shelves provides more storage in one unit. Metal BinsOrganize “take with me” items, such as library book returns or reusable shopping bags, in large metal bins.BenchThe perfect perch for putting on shoes, this bench has space beneath that can be used for storage.Lidded BasketStash mittens and hats in a basket like this, designed for underbed storage.

Shop Get Organized!Find our picks for

getting this look and more of our storage

favorites at BHG.com/GOShop.

more on BHG.com

Free Labels!Labels are another one of our favorite organization essentials. Get our free label templates that you can print at home.BHG.com/GOLabels

Check It and Chart ItDownload these free checklists and organizing chart from BHG Style Spotter Jen Jones of IHeartOrganizing.com.BHG.com/GOCharts

Custom Storage SolutionsWhat’s your storage personality? Take our quiz to find out, and get solutions that suit your personality.BHG.com/GOQuiz


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Organize Anything, AnywhereTackle clutter and wrangle the mess in your home by following these four steps

The real first step to cutting clutter is to set a realistic organizing goal based on the amount of time you have. Even 15 minutes is enough to accomplish something. “It’s easy to get overwhelmed by a big organizing project,” says professional organizer Linda Goldman of Highland Park, Illinois. “That’s why you have to take it one step at a time.”

Organizing for lasting results is a process. It might take multiple bite-size sessions before you reach your ultimate goal of a neat, organized room.

Once you have a task in mind, clear space on a nearby dining table, bed, or floor to examine your belongings. Have sturdy trash bags or boxes ready, each labeled ac-cording to action: donate, recycle, sell, keep, or discard. Utah professional organizer Marilyn Bohn also suggests a “be-bin” to corral items that “be-long” elsewhere in the house until you have time to return them to their proper homes.

Step 1: Empty Whatever you are organizing, empty it completely to gain a full understanding of what you own. “This is true for all storage spaces—kitchen cabinets, medicine cabinets, even refrigerators,” says Sharon Lowenheim, a New York City organizer. “What isn’t seen is forgotten. So it’s important to get everything out in the open.” But that doesn’t mean you have to empty your entire bedroom all at once. Tackle the closet first. Or if time is limited, just organize your shoes.

Step 2: Sort Quick decision-making is key to letting go of clutter. As you evaluate each item, ask: Do I like this? Do I use it? Do I have a place to keep it? “If your instant reaction is you’ll never wear that blouse, then immediately put it in your donate bin and move on,” Bohn says. “Don’t hold it long enough to remember you bought a pair of shoes to go with it.” Or group items into categories as you empty shelves and drawers, Goldman suggests. “It’s much easier to decide to let go of bud vases if you realize you own 10 of them,” she says.

Step 3: Shop “Too many people shop for containers first, figuring that will make it easy for them to get organized,” Lowenheim says. “But it’s rarely true. All they end up with is more clutter because their empty containers are taking up space.” Instead, decide what you’re keeping, measure it, and determine where it’s going to be stored.

Then go shopping for right-size pieces. Better yet, “gather empty containers as you sort your belongings and bring them to one spot in your house,” Goldman says. “Shop from this area first before heading to the stores.”

Step 4: Reassemble “Store things where you use them,” Lowenheim says. “You can also position yourself in front of the drawer, cabinet, or closet you are organizing and reach your arms out in all directions. Any area at eye level you can easily reach is prime real estate. That’s where things you use every day should go.” Place items used weekly in slightly less convenient storage areas. Put rarely used articles such as holiday decorations in the least accessible locations—ones that require you to get a step stool or bend to reach them.

Use our checklist on page 4 to make an action plan for your tasks.

Sort: Move quickly to be more efficient at sorting. If you linger too long on an item, you’re less likely to let it go.

Shop: Take measurements before you buy to ensure everything fits together.

Reassemble: Store items where you use them. Create zones, such as this kitchen breakfast zone, to streamline daily tasks.


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Get Organized! Checklistroom:

step 1: emptyList areas of the room that need to be emptied before they can be organized (cabinets, closets, shelves, etc.)

step 2: sortAfter you sort, make a list of what you need to do with the items that won’t be staying in the room. (e.g. “take box to donation center,” “relocate holiday decorations to basement”)

step 3: shopMake a list of the baskets, bins, etc. that you need to buy.

step 4: reassembleList out the tasks you need to accomplish to put the room back in order.


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Cure Paper ClutterGather clutter-causing scraps, bills, and other paper goods with these ideas

set up your spaceCentral In-Box Designate one spot for all incoming paper—mail, receipts, school papers, flyers, everything. A single stack, even if it’s sizable, beats several smaller ones mushrooming up around the house.

Action File Go through your in-box daily to pull items that need attention. Sort them by urgency into a three-part Action File (See “Your Action File”, below, for more). Keep the file in the open, so you’ll remember to check it often.

Waste Station Keep a shredder, recycling bin, and trash can in reach so you can toss unwanted paper as soon as it enters the house, before it hits the in-box.

File Cabinet If space allows, have a file cabinet for papers that don’t need action, just archiving. If not, collect papers to file in an accessible box or folder. Transfer them to long-term storage, wherever that might be, monthly.

your action fileOrganizer Charlotte Steill of Simply Put Organizing has a slick system for identifying, storing, and dealing with papers that need attention, all in just minutes a day. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Set Up Your Action File Decide which type of three-part file container suits your organizing style and available space. Label the sections “Do Now,” “Do Later,” and “Pending.”If you’re a piler, you need a visual reminder to deal with papers. Clear plastic stacking trays from an office supply store show you when you need to take action on each category. If you’re a filer, you like everything in its place with minimal visual clutter. A desktop file box fitted with three labeled folders keeps action items nearby but looking neat. If you’re in between, try a wall filing system that keeps the papers visible, but not as out in the open as a stacking tray.

Step 2: Sort Your In-Box Ideally, you’ve been recycling unwanted mail and papers as they arrive, so all that remains in the in-box is what truly needs your attention. For each item in your in-box, ask yourself, “What is the next action that needs to happen and when?” The answer will prompt you to file it in one of the categories in the Action File:

Do Now includes anything you need to act on in the next week. Examples: bills to pay, permission slips, party invitations with RSVPs.Do Later contains items you plan to act on within the next three months. Examples: vacation fliers, a refinance offer from your bank, a catalog containing something you plan to buy. Pending includes anything on which you are awaiting a response. Example: receipt for a mail-order purchase that hasn’t arrived. Anything else in your in-box is likely an archive or reference paper. Pending Archive papers, such as bank statements, belong in the filing cabinet.

Step 3: Maintain Your Action File “Think of this as a living, breathing thing, like a fish, that needs to be nurtured every day,” Steill says. Here’s how to keep up with incoming papers and those waiting in your Action File, so nothing falls through the cracks:

Every day or two: Sort papers from your in-box into the Action File. Also, open your Do Now file and take swift action on the most time-sensitive items. Once a week: Visit your Do Later file and take whatever actions you can, moving items to other files within your system or to the recycling bin. Peek at Pending and follow up as needed. As items resolve themselves, recycle the paper or set it aside for long-term storage. Once a month: Move archive papers to your long-term storage solution.


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Use our best tips and tricks to organize every

room in the house.

TIPS

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1. Bedrooms: Use versatile storage ottomans to stash anything from extra blankets to handbags. Plus, the sturdy perch is the perfect place to park and put your shoes on. 2. Entryways: A few small additions can make a big impact in tight entries. Look for a bench with compartments and storage space underneath for shoes and pet dishes. And don’t overlook wall space for shelves, hooks, and more. 3. Kitchens: Even if a kitchen remodel isn’t in the cards, you can still improve you storage. Add extras such as lazy Susans, door-mount spice racks, and drawer organizers to existing cabinets to control clutter now. 4. Linen Closets: End the search for the missing pillowcase. Organize bed linens by room and assign a basket for each room. That way, when it’s time to change the sheets in the master or the kid’s room, you’ll know exactly where to go for fresh linens. 5. Living Rooms: Baskets are an organizational must-have but are especially useful in the living room because they can also be decorative. Assign baskets in your living room to family members as a catchall for things they might use in the living room, such as toys, a knitting project, or a book. 6. Bathrooms: Never lose another cosmetic to the far recesses of your sink cabinet. Retrofit an existing cabinet with a roll-out shelf. A simple pull brings all the cabinet’s contents into sight. 7. Kids’ Rooms: Corral toys with a pocket-filled over-the-door shoe organizer. The individual pockets are the right size for storing small toys, such as dolls and cars. Look for an organizer with clear pockets so the contents are always visible. 8. Garages: Employ sturdy shelves for organizing bulky, heavy items and utilize walls for hanging up tall brooms and mops.

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room-by-room

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Documents

Storage Guide Get Organized