Sponsored Content brought to you by: Texas Disposal Systems
Written by: Shaina Fainglas of Shaí Organized
Last month, I covered what to do when you have too much stuff. Now that you have (hopefully) started to donate or recycle what no longer sparks joy, let’s create systems that keep you and your home organized. A season of renewal and growth, spring is the perfect time to start!
Spring Organizing Tips for Your Home
Eliminating clutter reduces stress and improves your productivity and mood. Take control of your space one room at a time by following these spring organizing tips.
The Bedroom + Closet
When you open your closet and bedroom drawers, do the contents spark joy within you? If not, those items no longer serve a purpose in your home. It is time to let them go. Then we create systems that keep everything organized and aesthetically pleasing.
- Replace mismatched hangers with matching slim hangers. These take up far less space than traditional hangers do, and they are a game changer for making your closet look crisp, clean and well-organized.
- Color code your clothing. This makes creating outfits easier and faster, and it gives your closet a low-anxiety, coordinated, peaceful look. Enhance further with closet dividers that categorize the space even more. Color code each category, or simply keep similar items together. Whichever system works best for you will save you time when getting ready each day.
- Utilize drawer organizers. They help keep your clothes “file folded” (thank you Marie Kondo!) and in place when pulling outfits. Pro tip: I match the dividers to the interior of the drawer for a customized look.
The Kitchen + Pantry
The kitchen has more gadgets than any other room in the house. Do you really use it all? Let go of the cooking ware that you were gifted or bought for that one recipe so you can easily locate your go-to kitchen items.
- I start with the drawers and take everything out, insert drawer dividers that match the interior of the drawers and create a category in each section for your cooking utensils (e.g. spatulas, tongs, knives).
- Turntables are a great solution for dead spaces in a cabinet or corners in the pantry to easily access your oils and spices. There is a wide variety of turntables out there, giving you the choice of material, size and height.
- Labeled bins keep your snacks, backstock and other kitchen items categorized and organized. Opt for clear bins to easily see your goods, or choose a sustainable wood or hyacinth basket to keep your pantry items out of sight.
- Risers for your cups and plates are a great way to utilize otherwise wasted vertical space. They also make it easier to reach your serving ware.
The Bathroom
Bathrooms have lots of little items that are easily lost when tossed haphazardly in a drawer, cabinet or under-sink.
- Use plastic or a sustainable bamboo drawer organizer to keep your items categorized in small bins, which also allows for easier cleaning of your bathroom drawers.
- Use a turntable for your stand-up cosmetics and hair care products. You can store it under the sink, in a cabinet or directly on your counter for easy access to your daily products. I recommend a deep clear turntable that also won’t topple over when spinning it around so you can see your products.
- Under the sink is typically underutilized. Utilize it! I use pull-out drawers, stacking bins and adhesive organizer bins on the doors to maximize the space and build vertically.
The Playroom
Children’s toys can take over your life and your home. Don’t let it happen with these easy tips.
- A trick that has helped my clients is to have a clean-up basket into which you throw all toys, games, etc. You can even turn this into a clean-up game for your kids: “Who can fill the clean-up bin fastest?” Then give your kids a deadline to put everything away or else it gets donated.
- It’s difficult to keep track of all the little pieces that come from toys like Legos, Hot Wheels or Paw Patrol. Create categorized bins for small toys, games and art supplies for easy cleanup and accessible storage.
- Puzzle boxes take up space. Try a zippered pouch to store your puzzles instead. Simply cut out part of the puzzle box to put on the inside of the pouch, and for an added touch cut out a smaller part of the box and attach it to the zipper for easy identification using a rubber band or pipe cleaner.
The Garage
The place where all things we do not know what to do with go to be forgotten about. First things first, create a system to get your belongings off the floor.
- Hire a garage installation company to do a custom installation, or purchase wire metal racks on castors for a moveable and cost-effective solution. Either option creates a system to get your stuff off the ground.
- Get large bins with lids to store less used items and label all of the contents so you can easily find what you want when you need it.
- Mix and match open bins for frequently used items like sporting equipment and outdoors accessories (candles, bug spray, sunblock, pool supplies, etc.).
Room by room, these simple changes can make you feel accomplished and grounded. If you need help from a professional to get started, Shaí Organized offers a free consultation to discuss what your organization and decluttering goals are and how I can help get you there this season.
For any of your items that cannot be donated or repurposed, Texas Disposal Systems (TDS) offers the perfect option for home projects with their mini roll-off dumpsters. TDS is one of the largest independently-owned companies who provide the highest quality and most environmentally friendly services in Central Texas. They are truly top-notch and give you peace of mind that your belongings are responsibly managed and diverted to beneficial uses.
To get a quote, visit:
www.texasdisposal.com/mini-roll-off-dumpsters-form/
and
www.shaiorganized.com for a free consultation.
Austin Woman is partnering with Texas Disposal Systems and Shaí Organized for a spring-cleaning contest! Check out our Instagram @austinwoman and @shaiorganized for more details on our winner and their spring cleaning make-over!
Happy Spring Cleaning,
Shaí Organized