Where do I put that? (Latest Fieldstone article)

Where do I put that?

Is your house overflowing with items that do not have a home? Are you feeling the need to move just to have more storage for all of your things? You are not alone. But, there is hope to transform your current space into a space that works better for you.

The first rule of organizing is to PURGE everything you do not need or haven’t used in a while. But, after you purge, what do you do with the items you have left? Everything does need a place to live, but are there rules on where items in your home should be stored?

The answer is yes, sort of. There is no perfect place to store everything. Where you store items in your home depends on how you live and what you have to store. It also depends on the layout of your home and where the storage areas are located. One general rule to remember is that items you do not use very often need to be stored in harder to reach places and items you need on a daily basis need to be stored where you can access them easily.

We won’t spend much time in this article talking about what to store in the common areas of your home. Everyone knows what needs to be stored in the main rooms such as the kitchen and living area. But, what should you store in those other areas such as the laundry room, linen closet and attic?

Laundry Room:

No laundry room is the same. Some come with lots of space and a desk and some are large enough only for the washer and dryer. Whatever the size, it is often overlooked as a storage space. The following is a list of other items you may want to store here in addition to detergents.

• Ironing Board on a convenient hanging system- hang on the wall in a stud if the weight is too much for the door or the door will not close due to the hanger
• Cleaning supplies contained in an easy to carry bin with a handle
• Additional supplies- toilet paper, sponges and cleaning rags
•  Dog supplies- towels, shampoo and clippers
•  Shoe polish kit
•  Tool box for often needed tools- tape measure, screwdriver and hammer
•  Clothing toolkit- scissors for cutting tags or stray strings, buttons, needle and thread
• A summer kit- bug spray, sunscreen and beach towels

In the laundry room, remember to utilize the space you have. Add shelving if there is room. Add baskets or hooks to the wall for hanging items. Add a frame with a cheat sheet on removing stains (Martha Stewart has a great one on her site). And, don’t forget to also add a small trashcan for the tags and lint from the dryer and a jar or bowl to collect all of the change (or other items) you might find. If you are feeling really energized, you could also paint the walls in a bright color and add a trendy rug.

Linen Closet:

Most of us have at least a small linen closet in our hallway. If you do, it doesn’t have to just hold linens. The linen closet can be utilized in a much better way. It is fine, of course, to keep some of these items in your linen closet, but save space for other items as well. Many towels and washrags can be stored in the bathrooms in baskets under the sink or even in baskets hung on the wall. And, many sheet sets can be stored in your bedroom closet or in an extra drawer or chest. Larger comforters and blankets can be stored under the bed in containers that keep dust off of them.

So, what else can you store in your linen closet you ask? Many of the items are what you could also store in your laundry room, but here are a few others:

•       Medication- you want to store medication in a cool, dry place away from humidity and on a higher shelf away from children
•      First Aid Kit- Band-Aids, rubbing alcohol, Neosporin and other items that would be in a normal First Aid Kit (you could also add a thermometer here)
•      Additional toiletries- soaps, shampoos, razors (this is important if you shop at Costco or other big box stores)
•      Guest Amenities Kit- additional shampoo, toothbrushes, soaps for guests
•      Batteries- for toys or smoke detectors
•     Light bulbs
•   Beach Towels and pool items (these can also be stored in an area of the garage)
•    Board Games for kids
•    Inflatable mattress and sleeping bags (I store these on the very top shelf where other items would be difficult to reach)
•     Inclement Weather Kit- flashlight with batteries (take batteries out when not in use), candles, matches, battery operated radio, battery operated lantern
•     Travel Kit- airline approved containers for bathroom items, dirty linen bag, Dopp Kit

To make storage in your linen closet a premium, utilize the space you have by using stackable containers or baskets, label bins you cannot see through and hang a rack on the door for additional storage. You could hang your ironing board here as well.

Attic:

The attic is a space where heat, insects (Silverfish), and pests can be a problem. If your attic is not a room in the home and is not very well ventilated and insulated, you should think twice about using it for extra storage. The list of what not to store in the attic is much longer than the one on what you can store there.

What not to store in the attic: books, pictures, memorabilia, Christmas lights, candles, glass or plastic ornaments, electronic equipment or cords, car seats or items for kids with safety buckles or harnesses, plastic items or items with elastic such as reusable diapers swimsuits and bottles, lighting.

The following are a few items you can safely store in your attic: (this list also is heavily dependent on how you store these items and how long and how hot it gets in your attic during the summer months- Georgia gets pretty warm). Moisture can also be a problem.

• Empty suitcases
•  Seasonal Items
• Seasonal or outgrown clothes
• Some toys
• Some baby items not needed until the next child
•   Packaging for purchases you made recently that require original packaging for returns (keep packaging only until you know you will be keeping the item)

When it comes to storing items in the attic, think twice. Some items might need to be stored in the garage attic space as opposed to the house attic space if it is better insulated. Whatever you decide to store in the attic, it needs to be inspected routinely and not left in the attic for years. If it stays on the attic for a long period of time, it may ruin no matter how you have it packaged- even clothes.

Using many times overlooked storage areas in your home can help alleviate the stress you may feel from not having enough storage space. Remember that purging is the first step in organizing, but really putting thought into storing what is left is a good idea. Just because the room is called the laundry room doesn’t mean it can’t be used for other items.

Happy Organzing!! I would love to hear from you. Email me with your unique storage solutions!

annabcheung@gmail.com

Pantry Organization and One Happy Mama

When my friend told me she needed help with her pantry organization, I was excited (I know, I know only a person with my personality would be excited about cleaning a pantry!)

Immediately, my wheels started turning.

Client background: Mother of four children who shops at Costco
Current pantry issues: small pantry with limited space for large items purchased at Costco, wire shelving, Dry goods are in plastic bags

Needs: Specific spaces for kids' snack items and breakfast/lunch items; specific space for the homeowner's baking items, specific space for the homeowner's bread baking supplies (She mills her own wheat and corn and makes the most heavenly homeade baked goods you have tasted!!), a spice rack for her many spices she uses in cooking and baking

Steps to an organized pantry: 
It is important to note here that you want a full pantry when you begin this process. The homeowner had just made her monthly trip to Costco so the amount of items in the pantry was realistic to what the pantry would hold on a normal basis. If you try to organize your pantry when it is empty, you won't have adequate storage for when it is full. 

• Clean out the pantry completely and sweep/mop/wipe down shelves
• Measure Width, Depth and Height of shelves (you will need these dimensions when shopping for containers- you want them to fit adequately) **This pantry's shelves were 16" deep and 13 3/4" tall; the width was one door space or 36"
• Organize items on a large table or space in the kitchen (put into categories)

• Make a chart of the different categories and come up with a solution for each **IMPORTANT: MAKE NOTES OF THE SIZES OF ITEMS YOU ARE BUYING CONTAINERS FOR- IF THE BOX OF OATMEAL IS FROM COSTCO, IT WILL NEED A LARGER CONTAINER THAN ONE FROM A REGULAR GROCERY STORE
• Go shopping for the storage solutions

Item	Size	Solution
Spices	Various	Hanging spice rack (pantry door)
Cereal		Tall containers with a pour spout
Oatmeal		Tall containers with a pour spout
Kids snacks/crackers/granola bars		Flat containers with snap lids
Snack crackers	24 oz
Cooking oils/sprays		Lazy Susans
Canned goods		Stacked shelf for cans
Potatoes/onions		Stackable/breathable bins for the pantry floor
Grab bags of potato chips for kids’ lunches	Single serving size	Large open bucket for the pantry floor (owner already had this in place)
Pasta
Condiments like mustard, hot sauce, etc.		Lazy Susan
Breakfast condiments like syrup, honey and jam		Open basket with handles (owner already had this)
Lunch items		Peanut butter
Baked Bread items		Large Bowl for all of the labeled bags
Baking items (coconut/nuts/chocolate chips/Sprinkles	Chocolate chips 56 oz	Large clear container with lid
Baking Cups		Tall container with lid
Food Coloring		Tall container with lid
Brown rice		Large Tupperware bowl (homeowner already had)
Popcorn		Container with lid
Large bag of chips	28 oz	Tall container with pour spout

Some of the solutions we purchased: 

Mainstays Large Cereal Dispenser For Oatmeal, Cereal and Chips	Canned Goods (bought one much like this with movable steps)
Stackable Bins	Hanging Door Storage 14 Piece Shelving System

BEFORE:

AFTER:

More AFTERS:

Stackable flat containers are great for
snacks and granola bars.
See through shoe box containers are also great. 

Granola Bars

Large Containers with Spouts were used
for cereal and oatmeal to prevent torn boxes and bags.
The clear containers also help you see your supply.

Baskets were used for breakfast items such as syrup/honey and a
Lazy Susan was used for other condiments.
This helps prevent sticky shelves.

Always store potatoes and onions
separately in a dry place

Overall, this pantry redo was a success. A few more containers for loose items and labels will be added. The homeowner commented to me the day after saying it was much easier to prepare breakfast and lunches for her family now that she knows where everything is. That made me happy!!

Much Needed Office Overhaul

I posted in my previous post which featured Clever Container's OTD Pantry Organizer that our office needs a really big overhaul when it comes to organization.

I LOVE the paint job that my husband did and I do love our IKEA furniture, but there are too many things going on in this office for it too be very productive. I will admit-- you heard it here-- that our office tends to have several piles of paper and books and craft supplies at any given time. Things that are piled on the floor because there just hasn't been a system put in place so that these items have a home.

Here is a picture of my husband's meticulous paint job--

Work in Progress- Meticulous measuring and taping by my talented husband (paint choices and design by him)

A picture of the finished product (will try to post a much better straight on picture at a later date)


The furniture we have in the room now (we also have a drafting table and two drawer file cabinet): 

EXPEDIT Shelving in Birch	FREDERICK Desk in Birch
BILLY bookcase in Birch	A Cart like this with one additional large drawer

Storage Already in Place:

IKEA magazine files

IKEA storage boxes

As you can see, we have a lot of storage pieces, but they are mainly  open pieces so everything that is on these pieces is open. This works because you can see what you have, but it also leads to open clutter for everyone to see. 

Issues in our office now: Lack of storage space for papers, open storage where items tend to pile up, open desk with no drawers for storage of office supplies, Small file cabinet, Cords in view, Tons of books and crafting supplies

Office Inspiration/Steps to a functional office:

1. Make use of vertical storage

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2. Space Planning for Best Use of Space

Like the Arrangement of Furniture {Source}

3. Add storage solutions that are FUNCTIONAL as well as hide clutter and offer a little punch of design

Clever Container Items to Use: 

-Sophisticated File Tote to house items from Clever Container Business: This tote is sturdy and has handles so it is easily moved (comes in pink, red and black); I can also print and file blog ideas in this tote

-Document Boxes: to store papers in categories

                            a. Bills to be paid

                            b. Papers to be filed

                            c. Follow up papers

                            d. Important receipts

                            e. People to touch base with (cards, gifts given, thank you cards

                                I need to write)

-3 Drawer Vanity: To hold small office supplies that are always needed such as stapler, tape measure

-Double Duty: these will fit into the IKEA cubby shelf and can contain additional art supplies such as wooden letters and smaller canvases out of site

-Case by Case: these boxes come in a turquoise blue and would look great on the open shelving to help add interest to open bookshelf

4. Cord Control

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TO DO LIST: (I will post pictures of Before and After once this process is underway)

1. Go through magazines (I have a ton) and clip ideas that I will use later and toss the rest of the magazines that I won't use 

2. File ALL paperwork that needs to be filed and toss the rest

3. Add more folders in file cabinet for new needed categories

4. Add shelving inside of closet for all of the craft supplies and items we don't use that often 

5. Go through books and items on bookshelves and purge what we don't need

6. Add vertical storage in the form of floating shelves on the wall behind the desk that isn't being used 

7. Rearrange furniture if needed

8. Purchase a small (and cheap) writing desk for me to work on (we currently share the one desk-- it gets crowded and messy fast) DONE see my DIY blog post on Refinishing the Desk from Craigslist 

Stay tuned for our office update coming soon. As soon as the desk is completely refinished, I will get in the office and get it in ship shape!!