Challenge Recaps!!

Every week or so I put a challenge out on Facebook, a challenge to organize an area of your home/office.  I thought this would be a good place to put them all together, thus far, so those who have not seen my posts on Facebook can get on track with de-cluttering their homes and organizing it to become the serene and functioning space they deserve!

Week 1: I challenge you to take fifteen minutes right now and organize one drawer, the closest one to you! Go for it now is the time!!! You won't regret it 

Week 2: get rid of at least 3 duplicates you have of something in the kitchen! You know you have them; just in case...donate them to a shelter or salvation army or throw them out. They are cluttering up your space. Make room for new gadgets and utensils you will need in the future 

Week 3: is for all you Crafters/Seamstresses/Knitters/Crocheters etc. It is called the 100 item challenge. You have to make 100 items with the supplies you already have without purchasing new ones!! Yikes I know but if you are like most crafters you have a room or two full of supplies you are going to make something with one day...well today is the day you can start. This will save you money and create space for new supplies to come in. I have done it a few times over the last 2 years and what an awesome feeling it is to complete it and how creative you have to be to create with what you have on hand!

Week 4: Think of the spot in your home that causes you the most stress due to its cluttered nature (closet, spare room, drawer, pantry), now book in 20 minutes this week to work on it. This will show you how much can get done in just 20 minutes and hopefully you can do this weekly, bi-weekly and poof your stressful spot will be gone!

Week 5: Go through your files and see what can be shredded, condensed and what needs to be added or if there are any duplicates. On your electronic files see that you have no duplicate folders or sub folders. We can get busy and over look files especially if we haven't used it in awhile.

Week 6: Your spices, put them in alphabetical order, label them if they are not labelled already.

Week 7: Collect all your wrapping paper, tissue paper, bows, ribbon, greeting cards and gift bags together. Either have them all in one drawer, in a box labelled, or all in the largest gift bag and put away in a closet. You can also add a roll of scotch tape and a couple of pens. You will always be able to find that greeting card you picked out special for that good friend

Week 8: The Laundry Room
Make sure everyone has a hamper in their room. Keep lids off hampers in laundry room makes it easier to add dirty clothes to them and remove for washing. Keep a basket for items that need mending and make it a monthly chore or drop off to seamstress. Keep a small basket for items found (money, notes, buttons). Keep items for the dry cleaners hanging in one closet or in laundry room if you have a rod and have a weekly/biweekly day you take them to get washed. Make sure you have back up of all your cleaning detergents and spot cleaners so you will never find yourself without. Choose one day a week to do all the laundry or do 1 - 2 loads a night whichever suits your routine best.


Week 9: The Fridge 
Take everything out of fridge, take out drawers and clean them, and put them back. 
Go through food and sort like with like and keep them in same drawer or container, go so far as labeling the container and drawers.
Throw out past due date items and ones that are due soon put in a separate bin labelled "use me first". 
Containers can be purchased at very reasonable prices at the local dollar store , Walmart or Canadian Tire.
Look to the pictures for inspiration, your fridge can look that good and will make life easier when looking for items in the fridge, especially for kids and men who don't seem to know how to bend and look directly into the fridge for items lol ok not all kids nor men tee hee hee

Week 10: Pick a Sink any Sink!
Let's clean under a sink this week.
Take everything out and throw out what is never used or out of date.
Use baskets or bins to group like items, nail polish with nail polish, hair care with hair care, make up with make up etc. Label each bin/basket to make it easy for all to know what goes where.
Have one tote to carry all your cleaning supplies so you can go from room to room cleaning with ease.
You can use a small tension rod under your Kitchen/Utility sink to hang cleaner spray bottles from it, makes more room on the floor of the cabinet.

Week 11: Papers oh the Papers!!
Create a spot where all your mail/receipts/invoices and other important documents are kept until you have time, I mean undivided attention, to go through and do what you need to with said papers; pay bills, file it, make phone calls, create an invoice etc. 
You can use a basket or bin or a file folder that can house all these papers. Next choose when you will go through your papers in the week, once, twice, daily and make a commitment to do so. Mark it on your calendar and stick with it 

Week 12: Sock Drawer
The best way to get a handle on your sock drawer it to have dividers, bins, boxes or specific solutions to help separate your socks.
First off empty the drawer, go through socks and throw out any unmatched socks, (or use as a duster or make a sock puppet family) fix the ones you need to, and keep seasonal socks with seasonal clothing (away in a bin in the garage/basement or a closet)
Fold all socks the same way, keep like colours together and sort from light to dark.
You can have one area for your panty-hose/tights/knee highs/thigh highs.
I want to see pictures of before and after sock drawers


Week 13: The Linen Closet!!
Make sure you are keeping like items in the same closet; towels, bedding, shower caddy's, Toiletries over flow, blankets and comforters and pillows.
Go through all your items and see what is worn and can be thrown out or used as a rag to clean the cars with or what is not used anymore can be donated.
Fold all towels the same way and have them placed with largest and medium sized together and another pile for hand towels and face cloths. Place them on one of the middle shelves since you will be accessing them regularly.
When folding your bedding, put the flat sheet, fitted sheet and pillow cases all into one pillow case this way you are always able to find the set. These too can be stored on a middle shelf.
Some folks have small bathrooms so every person in the family has their own shower caddy, this is a bin/basket to carry all their toiletries and bathroom needs, choose an easily accessible shelf to store these on too.
Store blankets, pillows and comforters that are not used daily on the highest shelf, this way you will only have to reach high on a limited basis.
For overflow of toiletries can be stored on the lower shelf since you will only have to bend low on a limited basis as well. Use baskets to make them easier to access and to make it look cleaner all around


Week 14: Front Entrance/Mud room!!First off think of who comes in through which entrance and what they bring to and from the space: Keys, purses, back packs, briefcases, mail (this should go immediately to your paper organizing centre), leashes, umbrellas, cellphones, shades, coats, winter/summer accessories (hats, scarves, gloves) and so on.
Secondly de-clutter the area remove and find homes for items that do not belong in this area. Keep it seasonal. Use Hooks, baskets, shelving and other solutions to house all the necessary items in the entrances. A nice bench with storage under the seat is a great solution for both storing items but to allow people to sit while getting their shoes on and off. Check out the pictures for beautiful ideas.
Third thing to do is make it part of our nightly de-clutter routine, the last 15 - 20 minutes before heading to bed, make sure only the items that are stored in these areas are there, put the rest away, get the entire family involved.



















Keep up with the weekly challenges like my facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Serenity-Organizing-Solutions/393321850821415

I love to hear feedback, see before and after pics, please share some with us it will help inspire others to combat the clutter!!

Happy organizing, you can do this and better yet you deserve this  :)

Small Spaces ~ How to organize

Living in a small space poses its challenges but it is very easy to create areas with in the space that are organized and efficient. When in a small space always think about how furniture and other items can be used as double duty and think of storing up way up...so much dead space near ceilings you can store so much that isn't used daily.

Here are some fun and creative ideas you can use to organize your small space:

1.   In your living room think about your coffee table being used as storage space as well so buy one with storage under it or use an ottoman with storage, you can store blankets, remote controls, movies and toys depending on what suits your lifestyle.

2.  Its tough to have enough closet space but if you do you can always turn one of your closets into a home office and then you can close the doors to tuck it away neatly when you have guests over. In there you can house all your files, bills, computer/laptop, printer, invoices etc.  You can also buy a wardrobe cabinet and transform it into one as well.

3.  A loft style bed is an awesome way to open up floor space below the bed, say for a desk, extra storage for crafts, toys, games, books whatever your lifestyle needs space for.

4.  Use the space under your bed to store seasonal clothing, you can use plastic bins for this or drawers on wheels what ever works best for you.

5.  In your kitchen think about using a pot rack that hangs down from the ceiling and also hanging wire fruit baskets to give more space in cupboards and on the counters.

6.  If your kitchen is small use a folding style table one that can expand in size if needed but is quite small when not in use.  There are tables that are attached to the wall and fold down for giving the most space when not in use.

7.  If you have a bachelor or need space for guests you can use a fold-out bed built in cabinets.  very functional and hides bed in cabinet until ready to use it.

8.  Add a shelf over a window frame or door frame, add baskets to hold essential items, I suggest items that are not used frequently or are overflow, ie. towels, toilet paper, tissue, books etc.

9.  It is a good investment for small spaces to get rolling drawers so you can access items way in the back of the cabinet.

10.  There are fabulous fold up furniture nowadays: fold up kitchen islands, table with chairs stored in them when not in use, coffee tables that pop up and can be used as a console table etc,

11.  Think storing items vertically like your trays and cutting boards, use tension rods in a cupboard to create vertical spaces.

I hope this gives you ideas of how to optimize your small space and keep it organized.  Please share pictures of your small space or small space ideas
Thanks :)