organizing
organizing and garage cleaning tips
5. Sock drawer. Open up that drawer and pull out all the socks and tights. Match up pairs, and inspect each set for holes and worn areas. Fold the sets that have mates and are in good condition, and return them to the drawer. Bring the mate-less socks to the laundry area and check for mates before giving up on them. When you’re done, toss all mate-less socks, as well as any socks or tights with holes, into a bag to bring to your local clothing recycling donation bin (search “textile recycling drop-off” and your city to find a bin near you).
Use shelves in other rooms. Shoes don’t need to be relegated to the closet if they’re kept neatly organized. If you care a lot about your shoes and have a free-standing bookshelf or built-in shelves in a room outside your closet, you can keep things looking neat by using white storage boxes meant for papers or photographs.
The open shelves in this entryway are great for storing shoes and outdoor gear. Assorted baskets serve as repositories for miscellaneous equipment — gloves and hats, paddleball racquets and even what appears to be a pair of ice skates. (Perhaps the basket protects the shelf from scratches?) No matter what the baskets are holding, their different styles, shapes and hues add a distinctive element of style.
how the bar can be extended out
8. Keep a second set of basic cleaning supplies in the bathroom. It is so much easier to tackle an undesirable chore like cleaning the bathroom when the supplies you need are at hand. So why do most of us keep cleaning supplies only under the kitchen sink? Store a second set of bathroom-specific products and tools in the cabinet under the bathroom sink, or in a lidded basket on a shelf or the floor.
Kick off with a clean slate. Go through everything you own. “Starting from scratch can help you see the opportunities offered by your lower-level living area,” says interior designer Jennifer Riley Simone of Case Design/Remodeling Indy. “Purging is the name of the game here. Use a discerning eye to evaluate what you actually need to store and get rid of the rest. Always donate if possible.” Safety first. Sturdy shelving is a must for bin and box storage. “We suggest building heavy framed shelving with 2-by-4 studs and paintable plywood,” says Simone. “Measure the items you plan to store to ensure you have appropriate clearance and depth. Never place large or heavy storage items above 5 feet high; you risk injury when trying to get them down.”
Toiletries and medicines take up a lot of space and are oftentimes difficult to find when you need them. If your bathroom has a closet, why not use a plastic over-the-door shoe organizer? All of your items will be easy to see and grab when you need them. Just be sure to store medicines out of children's reach.
Curling irons, hair dryers and brushes take up a lot of space and are easily tangled. I love this idea of having sectioned storage for each item within the same cabinet. If hiring a cabinet maker to retrofit your existing drawer to look something like the one shown here isn't in your budget, try using plastic boxes within the drawer to get the same functionality
7. Get crafty. Boxes are a perfect solution for your craft room. Clear boxes will help you keep yarns and threads visible but safe from moths and dust. Colorful decorated boxes can add a creative atmosphere to the room. You can also dedicate a box or two to ongoing projects to keep all the elements together and protected.
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