The New Necessity: A Label-Maker

We all know an office needs a stapler, a tape dispenser, pens and pencils, file folders---and hopefully a decent file cabinet. But how many of you would put a label-maker on that list?

I lived without one for years. Now I wouldn't be without one. Do you know how many things you can do to organize not only your office, but your whole house, with a label-maker? Here are some ideas:

• File Folders --- Hanging file folders leave a tidier more organized look, but typing and printing off labels to slide into the plastic tabs is, well, a pain. Enter the label-maker. I print the label and stick it right onto the outside of the plastic tab. Fast, works great, and easy enough to change!
  
  
• Binder Labels --- Multiple binders on a shelf can result in wasted time looking for the right now. Enter the label-maker. Labels can easily be made to keep binders in order.
  
  
• Medicine Cabinet/Shelf --- Plastic bins work great for stashing different types of medications and keeping them organized, but knowing what is in each bin can be a problem. Enter the label-maker. Labeling each bin makes for easy retrieval of the correct bin!
  
  
• Laundry Closet --- Plastic dishpans work great on the shelves of a laundry closet to store items for two reasons: The items are tidily contained and the bins can be easily pulled from the shelves. (Being vertically challenged that's a plus!) The problem comes in having a family of five knowing what is in each dishpan without pulling each one down. Enter the label-maker. Labeling each dishpan accordingly solves the problem!
  
  
  
  
• Storage --- Storage boxes and plastic totes provide great storage for infrequently used items, sentimental or seasonal items. To make retrieval easy, you've got it, enter the label-maker. Labeling each box or tote refreshes the memory and speeds the retrieval process!
  
  
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Laundry Room Makeover

A few years back we bought an older farmhouse and moved in. It was solid and with potential but needed some tender loving care and changes to make it more efficient and inviting. The photo above was the original laundry closet with dark cabinets and doors that would not close. That may not be too bad of thing if the laundry closet were in an out-of-the-way hall, but no such luck. This laundry closet was visible from the front door. The closet opened up into the living room! It was an eyesore to say the least---and inefficient. It needed help!

Laundry is one of those never-ending jobs---at least it is in my household! To not have an efficient method to deal with a never-ending job is asking for frustration. Make sure your laundry room or closet is the most efficient that it can be and a place you don't mind frequenting!

I knew our laundry area needed help. I also knew space was limited. Ideally I would have loved a laundry room (not a mere closet!) with a table for folding clothing, an ironing board and all. But one works with what one has and makes the best of it.

First I set out to determine what was essential to me in a laundry room. Here was my list:

• Storage for laundry supplies.
• Hanging space for clothes that are to be hung and not folded.
• Storage to coral odd socks awaiting their mate to show up in the laundry.
• A place to stack clean clothes ready to be taken to their proper rooms.
• Garbage can for lint. (Yes, make it EASY for people to keep the lint trap clean!)
• And DOORS! I wanted doors that would really close. I wanted to be able to make the never-ending job called laundry to disappear at will!
  

Below is the new and improved laundry closet, thanks to my parents coming for a "work visit." The old cabinets were torn out and replaced with cabinets we already owned. The walls were painted a brown called "milk chocolate", a nice contrast to the white appliances and cabinet---and a color that blended with the living room walls. Wire shelving, along with a clothes rod, were installed at the far end of the closet---adding storage and a space to hang clothes not needing to be folded. And the "lived-in" version of the laundry closet.
And doors! Crisp white louvered doors made my wish come true. The laundry really could disappear at will! The white added a brightness to the living room.

The Bottomless Pit Called a Purse

Have you ever dumped the contents of your purse on the counter because your keys have someone managed to vanish in the depths of your purse? Or do we dare even give such a bottomless pit the name of purse?

I've been in search of the perfect purse. It needed to look classy, but somehow have all the right compartments and dividers. It couldn't be a bottomless pit. I just knew it was out there...somewhere.

I had one once, the perfect purse. Believe it or not, I didn't even pick it out! It was one of those times when my husband really outdid himself in finding the perfect gift. He was in the market place in Venezuela where we were missionaries at the time. There was a stand of handmade purses brought across the border from Colombia. It was perfect. It was crafted of black leather, had enough stiffness to stand up on its own, and the compartments were perfect. There was just the right amount of space with a specific home for each item. I could reach into it in the dark and find what I needed. That's what I call a perfect purse.

And then the strap broke and I've been on the search for the replacement perfect purse for many years. None quite measured up. Maybe it really wasn't out there!

Recently I began researching purse inserts and organizers. After much research of the various types available, I ordered a Pouchee. At 7.5" wide, 5.25" tall, and capable of spreading open to 3.5", it fits smaller and medium sized purses, though doesn't get lost in my larger travel purse. It gives shapeless purses some form and it had all those handy dividers. It's perfect.

I'm no longer dumping the contents of my purse onto the table in search of keys, my lipstick or a pen. The moments of fighting irritation as I did so have vanished! I can reach over as I drive, feel for the right spot, and pull out my lipstick to apply at the next stop sign.

Fit all this...


...into the Pouchee!
I don't need the perfect purse or purses now. My Pouchee easily moves from purse to purse. Switching purses has never been easier. Unlike the Purseket, Purse Brite or other, what I call "snake-like" inserts that wrap around the perimeter of your purse, the Pouchee is like a small purse within your purse with two metal rings that make it easy to lift it out to transfer to another purse. I love my Pouchee!

You have your Pouchee ready to put into your purse...

You can easily lift the Pouchee to insert it into your purse...

The Pouchee at home in your purse...

The purse zipped shut and ready to go!
There were others similar to the Pouchee but on a larger scale. They would be perfect for those of you who carry larger purses on a regular basis. Being a petite woman who never reached the pinnacle of being five foot tall, I tend to look overpowered by a large purse and therefore stick to their small to medium sized counterparts. For those lovers of large purses, I would recommend the larger sizes available in the Kwiki Insert Organizer or the Chameleon.

For those of you whose sewing/craft supplies don't get relegated to the basement because you actually do sew, I found an awesome pattern for sale on the internet to make your own purse insert that would be similar to the Pouchee. I just knew I wanted the purse insert now and not ten years from now! Check out the PortaPockets Purse Insert Pattern.

My search for the perfect purse ended, not in the finding of the perfect purse, but in discovering the perfect purse insert in my new red Pouchee (many other colors are available!).

Small Stages of Decluttering: STEP SIX

STEP SIX is when we will deal with the items in our Store pile. This is that pile that has been accumulating with rarely used items, items that are used yearly, seasonally or, if you home is low on cupboard space, maybe even items that are used only monthly. This may include:

• Holiday decorations.
• Christmas wrapping paper and Christmas cards.
  
• Clothes for children to grow into.
• Seasonal clothing.
• Window fans used during the summer months.
• The turkey roasting pan that doesn't fit in your limited kitchen space.
• Sewing or craft supplies that clutter your bedroom but are only put into use a few days here and there throughout the year.
• Extra curtains or linens saved for future use.
• Seasonal bedding: extra heavy blankets, flannel sheets and electric blankets.
• The box of gifts you've collected at awesome prices for the occasional birthday or upcoming family Christmas exchanges.
• Seasonal sport equipment.

Attics, garages and basements are the best locations for these types of items. If you're living in a small home or apartment lacking those areas, you'll have to be more creative. Under the bed storage, top shelves of closets or trunks in other living areas that also serve as coffee tables or decorative pieces may be the way you'll have to go.

You must consider what type of containers will be used. You must consider the items to be stored and the area where they will be stored. Is humidity or moisture a factor? Do you need plastic totes that seal relatively well?

My preference is plastic totes in a variety of sizes to accomodate items sorted by category in varying amounts. I also love even numbers of plastic totes that can be stacked in tidy piles.

Most important is the need to label, label and label. Can you really remember what’s in each storage container in your garage, your basement or your attic? Label them. At the least label the outside of each container. Your labeling system may be as simple as labeling containers as follows:

• Winter Mitts, Gloves & Hats
• Winter Coats
• Christmas Decorations
• Thanksgiving Decorations
• Gifts
• Sewing Supplies
• Craft Supplies
• Christmas Wrapping
  

Better yet, make a file card, sheet in a folder, or a computer file for each storage container with a list of its contents.

The goal is to limit what goes into storage. For items that you are unlikely to use again, especially if the cost of replacement is relatively low, it's best to toss or give them away. But if we must save it, if we are destined to be pack rats, then at least let us be organized pack rats who have an efficient filing system for our many plastic totes of stuff!

The whole idea is to declutter your mind from needing to remember where each and every item is. Find what method serves YOU best for locating and retrieving each item and run with it!

Small Stages of Decluttering: STEP FIVE

STEP FIVE is the stage of decluttering when we deal with our Belongs Elsewhere pile. We've already dealt with the quick fixes in this pile as we cleaned each section of the room.

We've hung the jacket back up on the coat closet. We've taken the dirty clothing and deposited it in the laundry basket. The dirty bowls used for ice cream have found their way out of the family room and into the dishwasher.

Now it's time to deal with the not-so-quick fixes.

Let's be sure we understand what should not be in it. This is not where we should find holiday decorations, clothes for children to grow into, seasonal clothing and other yearly items. Those items would belong in the Store pile.

The Belongs Elsewhere pile should contain items that don't belong in the room you just decluttered, but that don't belong in storage. They are items that are still needed on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. They need a home with easy access. But where is that home?

Our goal is for every item to have a home because homeless items waste our energy. They are hard to put your hand on. Every item needs a home. Our job is to find that home!

A few points to consider as we complete this task:

1. Items should be located near where they are used.
   
   • Store coffee mugs in a cabinet above the coffee pot.
   • Oven mitts should be stored near the oven.
   • Dish towels deserve a drawer near the sink.
   • Cleaning supplies for the bathroom should be right in the bathroom.
   • Towels should be stored in the bathrooms.
   • Staplers, scotch tape, whiteout and other office supplies should be on or in the desk, not scattered throughout the house.
   The exception would be rarely used items. They could be given a home in the garage or basement in clearly labeled containers, but they would belong in your Store pile.
   
   
2. Once you determine where an item will be used, find a specific home for it so it doesn't get lost again!
   
   • A basket or bin on the TV cabinet can be used to house video rentals.
   • Your DVD collection may need a cabinet or just a partial shelf.
   • A wooden box on the coffee table can coral multiple remote controls.
   • A basket on the counter can hold keys, sunglasses and cell phones.
   • Consider a cell phone, PDA or pager charging station.
     
   • Use a designated canvas tote for library books.
     
   • Baskets or bins near the front door can hold the overflow of shoes.
   • Heavy duty hooks keep school backpacks off the floor.
     
   • A basket in the kitchen keeps snacks in sight and accessible.
   • A desktop file holder can house files accessed on a daily/weekly basis.
     
   • A file cabinet can house files accessed on an occasional basis.
   • A basket/letter holder near the front door can hold outgoing mail.
   • A bin per family member in the bathroom can house personal toiletries.
   • Bedside cupboards can house night-time reading material.
     
   • Under-the-bed storage containers hold linens for that bedroom.
   • Over-the-door shoe holder can save precious floor space.
   
   Hopefully that will give you ideas to spur you on to find or create a home for every item in your home, beginning with the items in your Belongs Elsewhere pile.
   
   Do you have any nifty ideas to share? Add a comment to this post!
   

Small Stages of Decluttering: STEP FOUR

STEP THREE will need to be repeated as many times as necessary until we've sorted each section of the room. This may take a few days---or several weeks. We need to be sure to do a thorough cleaning of each section as we declutter. Keep encouraged and keep adding to the five piles as listed below:

1. Throw
2. Give/Donate
3. Store
4. Belongs Elsewhere
5. Belongs Here

STEP FOUR

In STEP THREE we learned how to deal with these five piles after sorting each section. We learned to deal with the quick fixes and leave the not-so-quick fixes for a later date when we've completely decluttered our first room.

STEP FOUR is what we do while we're repeating STEP THREE numerous times. We begin to consider what we'll do with the Belongs Here pile once we've finished the process. Listed below are some questions to be asking yourself:

1. What is the purpose of this room and how are we streamlining it to serve this purpose?
   In my case the purpose of the room is primarily my home office though once or twice a year it is used as a second guest room with a twin bed. It is also my place of retreat when I need time alone to unwind, and therefore, it must be more than utilitarian. It needs to have character. It needs to invite me in to not only work when needed, but to relax and unwind.
   
2. On the flip side, what is this room not for?
   Sometimes it helps to think in an opposing manner. What I do not want this room to be is a storage area for all the homeless items in my house. It is not a storage room for memorabilia, unused decorations and so forth. It is not to be the junk drawer of my home!
   
3. What home do we have or will we create for these presently homeless items that really do belong in this room? Is more storage needed?
   Our goal is that each item in this room have its specific home to save ourselves the time, energy and frustration of looking for lost items. Storage does not have to be a dresser or a footlocker. Here are some ideas:
   
   • A wooden box on the coffee table to coral the multiple remote controls in your family room.
   • A basket, bin or rack to keep magazines in your living room near your favorite "cozy up and read" chair.
   • A basket on your kitchen counter where the chips and snacks can be kept in sight and accessible.
   • A bin, bowl or basket near the door or in the kitchen to drop your keys, cell phone and glasses when you come home.
   • Extra shelves added in the closet of your home office where cute and clearly labeled boxes or baskets hold office supplies.
   • Under-the-bed storage containers for linens, extra blankets or memorabilia that would perish in your attic, garage or basement storage.
   • A small towel rack installed on the side of your bedside cupboard that serves as a magazine rack for your most recent magazine that you read while settling into bed for the night.
     
4. Could the furniture be rearranged to make the room more efficient or simply more pleasing to the eyes?
   I rearranged my home office/guest room while I was decluttering to give a clearer visual impact and more walking area. I used the same furniture but ended up with a less claustrophic feeling room. It's much more inviting now.
   
5. Does the room need a fresh paint job, new curtains, furniture, decorations, accent rugs or pillows?
   A fresh paint job can do wonders. Furniture, curtains, decorations, accent rugs or pillows don't have to be new. I can't count the number of times I've 'stolen' furniture from another room in my house when I realized it was 'more perfect' in another room. Likewise, pictures, decorations, accent rugs and pillows can be moved from room to room to add freshness.

Think these things through now. Come up with a game plan as to what new storage you'll need to create for the presently homeless items in the room you're working on. Start looking for the perfect bin or basket you're envisioning to use as storage in your newly decluttered room. Begin to envision the finished product!

Small Stages of Decluttering: STEP THREE

Did you mull over the concept of what should be left in the room and what needs to go? Did you consider where the items in your room fit into the DAILY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY or YEARLY categories? Have you a clear picture in your mind what this room is intended for?

If you can answer these questions then we need to quit talking and start sorting! Let's dig in and start filling those containers labeled STORE, DONATE/GIVE AWAY, BELONGS HERE and BELONGS ELSEWHERE.

The goal is to sort the entire room, one section at a time if need be, filling your baskets as you go and then dealing with the items in those baskets. If you've chosen a challenging room, like your kitchen or home office, you may find your baskets full to overflowing after only doing one section of the room. If you find that to be the case, I would recommend stopping at that point and dealing with some, though not all, of your piles. Some will have to wait for the completion of the entire room.

So which piles will we deal with? Let's look at each of them:

1. Throw
   - Do just that! Throw it out!
   
2. Give/Donate
   - If this pile is significant enough to make a trip by the Salvation Army, then go for it. If not, don't waste your precious time.
   - If there are items in there you intend to give to individuals, pull them out, bag them and tag them---and get them out of the house.
   
3. Store
   - If this pile is still insignificant and varied, wait until later. Our goal is for our storage also to be labeled and organized. You may not know yet what size of containers you need for your storage.
   
4. Belongs Elsewhere
   - Some of these may be quick fixes. Deal with those. Hang the jacket back up in the coat closet. Take the dirty clothes to the laundry hamper. Deal with all those items that have a definite home elsewhere.
   - Others may not have quick fixes. You may come across items that don't belong in this room, don't belong in storage, but somehow have been lost in your home without a real place of their own. If the perfect home for this item comes to mind, give it that home. If the perfect home for this item continues to elude you, just leave it there for now. The goal is not to get sidetracked.
5. Belongs Here!
   - Some of these will, as above, be quick fixes. They may already have a definite home within the room. They've just wandered too far. It's simple. Put them back.
   - Some of these items won't have a quick fix. They've been roaming at large because they've never yet been designated their own home within the room. As stated above, if the perfect home for this item comes to you quickly, give it that home. If not, leave it in the basket for now.

I've completed a section in my home office/guest room. My baskets began to fill. Some I have nearly emptied. Others I've opted to leave items in for now until I can really decide where best to put them. It's a good start. Another day I'll declutter the next section. But not this weekend. I've a birthday party to put together!