What better time to put a spring into your organizing step than, well,
SPRING! On the east coast, despite our rather mild winter, that means storing gloves and scarves (I like to wash them first, then place in plastic bins in our hall closet with a few dryer sheets to keep fresh), putting the winter coats in a safe place (add cedar blocks to keep the moths
and stink of moth balls away...I buy mine in bulk at Target for $5.99) and donating any unused, out-grown or otherwise unnecessary items to local charities. If you're rolling your eyes and thinking, "yeah right, who has time to get organized" first of all, you're probably an unorganized mess and second, it takes far less time to actually DO IT than it does to avoid it! One space that tends to make me totally nuts year round is the entry way, which often becomes the landing spot for everyones crapola, including the family pets! I like to add a bench for guests handbags, hooks for jackets and individual bins for each family member. If you have young kids this is a great way of continuing the school house organization at home. A "key catch" rarely works as it usually becomes a catch-all for ALL of your junk, so take a moment and do what I do..I took a cheap, broken frame from Ikea, lined the inside with fabric I found around the house (I happened to have a
little extra time on my hands that day, so stop rolling your eyes) and placed small hooks from the Home Depot ($.35/for 10) with labels above each. Where's the extra car key? Right where it's supposed to be! So this April don't be a fool, when the kids go off to school take a few extra minutes and make your space super cool!
QUICK TIP: The holidays are the worst time to buy plastic bins anywhere because the stores assume you're going to need them for wrapping paper, ribbons, etc. so wait until spring time to hit the aisles for great sales. I never spend more than $5 on any size container! And, if you're storing sweaters or other winterware, use CEDAR blocks not moth balls and add an extra layer of fresh by dropping dryer sheets into the containers before storing. You will thank me in the fall for this simple tip!
