Please Share: Your best Storage/Organization solution - Page 2

[UptownZoo]

Originally Posted by lucky_mia

My best organization solution is 3M Command Hooks. I use them everywhere. They make some nice brushed metal ones that I use on the back of my front door and they are super stong. I have one for the keys so as soon as we come in the keys are put there. I also have 4 low ones that I put the kids jackets on. That way they can do it themselves and my entrance way stays more organized.

Oh, yeah, me too! I use the little wire hooks inside my kitchen cabinets for all those tiny little things that you're always digging for - measuring cups and spoons, tea strainer, etc. In the area where I keep my cleaning stuff, I hung one of those broom/mop hangers, and used command hooks to hang all the little tools - dusting brush, tile scrubber, and all the rest. How many dusting brushes have I ruined when I left them in the bucket with bottles of liquid cleaner and something leaked on it? Plus, it's easy to find any small tool that I need, esp. the ones I don't use very often that tend to get pushed into some little cranny where I can't find them.

I thought of another something that's handy around here. I keep a small (very small, the smallest one I could find at the discount store) tool box in my kitchen with all the basic tools - needle nose pliers, small hammer, two screwdrivers (one Phillips, one flat), some small nails, a few picture hangers, some wall anchors, a putty knife and a small tub of spackle, a measuring tape, and a level. For 98% of the jobs I do around the house, everything I need is in my handy little toolbox and I don't have to trek to the garage, find the keys to my DP's massive tool boxes, figure out where everything is, and return it all when I'm done.

I'm glad several people like the stray sock bulletin board idea.

[Peppermint Leaf]

I am curious how everyone stores their christmas decorations.

I purchased several large rubbermaid containers from Walmart this week and I am labelling and packing it all up and putting in a cupboard under my stairs.

However, My christmas trees do not fit in them so I am putting them in large garbage bags and putting them in the garage.

How are the rest of you storing your christmas stuff????:

[SAHDS]

I don't have anything too big (i.e no fake trees) so everything gets put into those RM bins and labelled.

When I finish my garage, I'll show ya

[lajn]

Originally Posted by AprilDaisy

One thing for socks I did and it really worked that time is this.... Hanes at one time (not sure if they still do though cause I haven't bought them lately) had different colored where it says "Hanes" on the bottom of each size sock. This allowed us to all know our color and the socks were so much easier to pair! I should do it this way again next time we're buying socks.

I have a similar system. Sorting socks wasn't so bad when I had 1 daughter and 1 son, but when my second son was about a year old, it started taking too long to figure out whose sock was whose, and which sock went with which. So now, each child has a designated colour for socks, and they each have about 12 identical pairs. Sorting is now a no-brainer.

[NinaUk]

recipes

I love to bake, so one of my aims for 2009 is to get my recipes in order so they are close at hand and easy to find.
Over the years I have collected recipes from magazines and photocopies from library books. I want to sort through them and firstly decide which ones I am REALLY interested in making/have the equipment for.
secondly I want to try one new recipe each fortnight. For each succesful recipe I want to type it up, laminate it (not sure what you call this in the USA) so it is wipe clean (and easy to lean-up when I'm baking) and put it in my new recipe folder that I plan to store in the kitchen.
I'm going to try and not collect any more recipes until the ones I already have are sorted! Hopefully this will put and end to recipes littering my house and me not getting frustrated when I can't find the one I want! :
Wish me luck!

[AprilDaisy]

I love the 3M Command idea and it would have been great months ago for our coats! I wrote it down and it will be part of my organization in the future!

Here's 3M's webpage on the plastic hooks and the weight each one would hold. There are also listings for the metal ones, etc. there if you look around. This is so neat! http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...roducts/hooks/

[mommyofatoz]

Originally Posted by vm9799

this is mine...... my "wall of chaos"

i've shown this photo before, so if it's a repeat, i apologize. but this is the organizational area in my home that is the most helpful to me. i keep EVERYTHING here (not bills or that sort of stuff)........kids schedules, school calendar, etc. and all notes/chores/etc. are jotted down on the chalkboard. i always know where to find everything!

I love this and may have to give it a shot! I even know exactly where I would do it!

[slsurface]

Originally Posted by Peppermint Leaf

I am curious how everyone stores their christmas decorations.

I purchased several large rubbermaid containers from Walmart this week and I am labelling and packing it all up and putting in a cupboard under my stairs.

However, My christmas trees do not fit in them so I am putting them in large garbage bags and putting them in the garage.

How are the rest of you storing your christmas stuff????:

I have one large bin for the bigger and heavier Christmas decorations. We have a lot of antique glass ornaments - these I keep in shoe-box sized plastic bins, which are stacked on a shelf in the basement. The lids of each of the small boxes is labeled with the type of ornaments in the box. I wrap our faux-tree in an old sheet and tie it together with bungee cords. The tree is stored in a corner of the basement because we don't have a garage.

[slsurface]

Originally Posted by AprilDaisy

I love the 3M Command idea and it would have been great months ago for our coats! I wrote it down and it will be part of my organization in the future!

Here's 3M's webpage on the plastic hooks and the weight each one would hold. There are also listings for the metal ones, etc. there if you look around. This is so neat! http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...roducts/hooks/

I can never get those things to stick...probably because I use glossy paint and have plaster walls . I prefer hooks that I can screw into the wall, like these in my hall: http://www.flickr.com/photos/archymo...7608688239541/

I also LOVE my Grundtal organizers from IKEA. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/ca.../series/08006/ I use them in my bathroom and my kitchen for hanging towels, washcloths, aprons, oven mits, bibs, etc...You can see them in my kitchen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/archymo...7608688239541/

[slsurface]

Originally Posted by UptownZoo

I thought of another something that's handy around here. I keep a small (very small, the smallest one I could find at the discount store) tool box in my kitchen with all the basic tools - needle nose pliers, small hammer, two screwdrivers (one Phillips, one flat), some small nails, a few picture hangers, some wall anchors, a putty knife and a small tub of spackle, a measuring tape, and a level. For 98% of the jobs I do around the house, everything I need is in my handy little toolbox and I don't have to trek to the garage, find the keys to my DP's massive tool boxes, figure out where everything is, and return it all when I'm done.

That's a great idea. I have a drawer in my kitchen designated for a few of the most used tools...I got tired of going to the basement or shed for a quick project or to hang a picture.

[Aubergine68]

Originally Posted by vm9799

this is mine...... my "wall of chaos"

i've shown this photo before, so if it's a repeat, i apologize. but this is the organizational area in my home that is the most helpful to me. i keep EVERYTHING here (not bills or that sort of stuff)........kids schedules, school calendar, etc. and all notes/chores/etc. are jotted down on the chalkboard. i always know where to find everything!

I am currently using a white board for a similar purpose but the surface is starting to wear down and it is getting hard to erase. I've been looking for a magnetic chalkboard!

A friend did the chalkboard-paint-over-primer in her playroom and the results are so bumpy (from the lumpiness of the magnetic primer) that it is hard to erase the chalk for daily use.

Do you have any tips for keeping the magnetic primer from being too bumpy? I've used it in a small area without chalkboard paint and it really textured the drywall....

[Peppermint Leaf]

Originally Posted by Aubergine68

I am currently using a white board for a similar purpose but the surface is starting to wear down and it is getting hard to erase. I've been looking for a magnetic chalkboard!

A friend did the chalkboard-paint-over-primer in her playroom and the results are so bumpy (from the lumpiness of the magnetic primer) that it is hard to erase the chalk for daily use.

Do you have any tips for keeping the magnetic primer from being too bumpy? I've used it in a small area without chalkboard paint and it really textured the drywall....

cool idea having it chalk and magnetic

I was in a house recently where they had done it to the back of each childs bedroom door ... so facing the inside not the hallway.... it was really cluttered with buttons and magnetics and things .. but it didn't matter because it was only seen from the inside when the door was closed (great for teenagers!!)

[home4ever]

Originally Posted by UptownZoo

OK, I don't have any pics, and this is such a tiny little thing, but it does solve a problem!

Inside the door of the laundry closet, I have a medium-sized bulletin board. I hang all the stray socks on it so I can easily see when a match comes through the laundry.

There's my teeny tiny contribution to order in MDC homes everywhere.

Wow! That's a great idea. We have such a sock problem, I even wrote an article about it and got it published!.

[UptownZoo]

Originally Posted by home4ever

Wow! That's a great idea. We have such a sock problem, I even wrote an article about it and got it published!.

Oooh, sock literature! Got a link?

[vm9799]

Originally Posted by Aubergine68

I am currently using a white board for a similar purpose but the surface is starting to wear down and it is getting hard to erase. I've been looking for a magnetic chalkboard!

A friend did the chalkboard-paint-over-primer in her playroom and the results are so bumpy (from the lumpiness of the magnetic primer) that it is hard to erase the chalk for daily use.

Do you have any tips for keeping the magnetic primer from being too bumpy? I've used it in a small area without chalkboard paint and it really textured the drywall....

my hubby sanded the magnetic paint in between coats and that helped. we have plaster walls (read: imperfect/lumpy), so we just did the best we could with it. you do need to use REALLY strong magnets.....those rare earth magnets work wonderfully, but keep them away from small children. we just use regular chalk (or chalk pens) and an eraser. i then wipe it down with a wet rag each week to remove the "residue". but seriously, it's a chalkboard.......in other words, it won't stay perfectly black if you're actually using it. for me the function of it far outweighs the aesthetics......and being an interior designer, aesthetics are VERY important. i figure i have to LIVE in my house......it's not a magazine shoot.

and if a perfectly smooth surface is really important to you, then i suggest doing this same method on a large piece of plywood and attaching it to your walls with anchors and drywall (if you have it) screws.

[MissJorgy]

Wow ... I love the chalkboard. I have the absolute perfect space for something like that. I'll have to show Dh that picture!

My favorite organization things come from IKEA ... most notably, Expedit shelves and Trofast bins/storage units. We have a small house and every space needs to be utilized! We're not there yet but getting there!

[Happiestever]

Posting without reading. Another mom told me : Safety pinning little socks together before washing or any socks for that matter so you never lose a mate and they are already together. I should take my own advice, but I have so many socks. And I hate safety pins.

[Aubergine68]

Originally Posted by vm9799

and if a perfectly smooth surface is really important to you, then i suggest doing this same method on a large piece of plywood and attaching it to your walls with anchors and drywall (if you have it) screws.

Good idea. Maybe I will try using a universal primer on my worn-out whiteboard, then a zillion coats of magnetic primer, then chalkboard. Maybe if it is painted flat and not pulled down by gravity, that will help keep the chalk-catching bumps to a minimum?

[majazama]

:

[vm9799]

Originally Posted by mommyofatoz

I love this and may have to give it a shot! I even know exactly where I would do it!

thank you! it's super easy, although time consuming.......you have to use light coats of both the magnetic paint and chalkboard paint so they don't drip, and wait for it to dry in between each coat. oh but the results, for my sanity alone, were all worth it! lol!