How To De-Clutter Five Rooms In Your Home
(HIT) -- It's time for a fresh perspective on home organization. Start new by clearing clutter from your life and start fresh with a clean and clear home, and most importantly, a clear mind. There's nothing more frustrating than losing or misplacing something. By follow ing these easy tips from Allan Young, CEO and co-founder of ShelfGenie, a franchise concept that designs, builds and installs Glide-Out shelving systems that are custom built to fit into existing cabinets, for quick organization in each area of the home, you'll rest easy that every item in your home—from your keys, to that bottle of nutmeg you're sure was in the cabinet behind the cocoa, to grandma's favorite Christmas tea cup, or your husband's dress pants—is exactly where it belongs.
The Kitchen
Since the kitchen is typically the most heavily-used room in every home, it makes sense to start your organization project here. Start with the drawers. Food prep tools should be stored in the drawer near the largest available kitchen workspace, and it makes sense to put cooking utensils in the drawer nearest to the stove. Storage wraps, tin foil and storage devices should be placed in a drawer near the fridge. The key here is to make the most frequently used items the most accessible. So, everyday items like plates and glasses should be within reach at all times, while less-frequently used items — like a juicer, breadmaker or food processor — can be kept in less convenient places. Store drinking glasses in a row, so it's clear where they belong. When it comes to pots and pans, always store one pot inside another to reduce the amount of space they take up. Since you access cookware on a daily basis, it would be smart to invest in a slide-out shelving tray to ensure easy access. ShelfGenie's Single Height Glide-Out shelves are ideal for virtually every organization need, but they're perfect for storing cookware, bake ware, and other low- height items because they allow for easy access to the kitchen items you need when you need them. Glide-Out shelves can also be used in cabinets throughout the home and in the pantry for food storage. When storing food, organize boxed dry goods by type so that ce- reals are together, rice and beans, and pasta are together, snack foods are in one place, etc. Store sugar, flour, and other commonly used staples in see-through plastic bins with labels. Organize canned items by type. Since ShelfGenie's Glide-Out shelves slide in and out with a touch of a finger, they make it easier to find what you need when you need it.
The Bathroom
The bathroom accumulates clutter faster than any other room in the house. That's because it's the smallest space, and if you or someone in your family uses lots of products—shampoos, hairsprays, deodorant sticks, hair dryers, lotions, razors — you know they can stack up fast and make a big mess. Start tackling the bathroom by throwing out any old products that you have more than one of. You know what I'm talking about: that bottle of conditioner with just a drop left that you just kind of let sit there for months on end because it's not technically empty — it's time the two of you part ways. These items take up unnecessary counter space or they clutter up the edges of the tub. After throwing away what you don't need, get a wire or plastic container (known as a "shower caddy") that hangs from the shower head, and put the essential items in it. You can also reduce bathroom clutter and improve efficiency by using ShelfGenie's single-height Glide-Out shelves with risers. The risers are installed above the lower-level shelf, adding a whole new shelf to store the items cluttering your bathroom, creating twice as much space. The slide-out function makes it easy to find what you need quickly, and since you can essentially stack items above the cabinet floors, ShelfGenie's Glide-Out Shelves create twice as much space.
Bedroom
Clutter in the bedroom can take away from the room's décor and make what should be a clean and peaceful room feel sloppy and chaotic. Tackle nightstand clutter—like medica- tions, TV remotes, tissue boxes and other stuff that doesn't complement the room — and put it into the drawers on your night stand. If you have a basic table-style nightstand, consider investing in one with multiple drawers for easy storage and access, or install a movable shelf underneath your existing nightstand. The shelf will keep items concealed during the daytime and easy to obtain when you need them. It's also a great place to keep magazines and books. Dresser drawers are a project all their own. You know that shirt you haven't work since high school? Donate it or throw it out. Get rid of anything you haven't worn in the past two years, then start organizing. Neatly group all the clothes in your dresser by type — each drawer gets its own type of clothing, whether it's jeans, pajamas, undergarments, etc. When organizing smaller items like socks, undergarments or jewelry, try drawer dividers or inserts, which can be customized to your drawer shape and let you find what you're looking for quickly. Organize closets by ridding them of shoes and apparel you no longer wear, and organizing racks by type of clothing, then color. So, dresses should all be in one section and then organized by color, dress shirts in another, casual weekend wear in another area and so on. Under the bed makes a great place for storing out-of-season items like sweaters in the summer or flip-flops and tank tops in the winter. Use storage bins with labels or vacuum seal bags to maximize space.
Laundry Room
Without proper organization, laundry rooms are one area in the home where clutter and messes often thrive. Separate laundry supplies by type by putting them into plastic bins. So, stain and spot removers and pre-treaters can be kept in one bin, with fabric softener and detergent in another. Detergent and liquid fabric softener is kept next to the washer and dryer sheets next to the dryer. Washer and dryer pedestals with storage drawers are an additional option for staying organized. The washer or dryer is placed on top of the pedestal, which provides for extra space in the drawer and raises the height of the unit, which reduces back strain caused by bending over repeatedly.
Foyer
The foyer-area is usually the most high-traffic area in the home, and can quickly become a place where keys, mail, shoes, coats, cof- fee cups and other clutter accumulate. Keep track of where you put your keys by always leaving them in the same place when you walk in the door every day. Put a small glass dish on the side table closest to the entryway, or install a hook directly next to the door, and tell your family to get in the habit of always putting their keys in that one spot. You'll never go searching for your keys again! Sometimes mail can get lost in a sea of clutter if not placed in a regular spot. Purchase a simple mail organizer, and place it in the foyer where the whole family will see it, and know to always put the mail there. Important letters and bills often get lost or discarded when they get mixed in with other clutter. In colder months, coats can pile up on railings and stair cases. Especially if you have kids, you know that their coats get tossed wherever they please as soon as they set foot in the door. The next morning often turns into a game of hide-and-seek trying to find it. If you don't have a storage or coat closet in the foyer, place a coat rack in the front hallway near the door. It keeps coats neat and clean, and best of all, you'll never be searching for your outerwear again. If shoes are making a mess of your hallway, start keeping them in the laundry room, which often dual-functions as a mud room. Or, place them in a bin near the door or an overhanging door organizer in a storage closet.
Using these simple tips to de-clutter your home will help you start of the new season with the sense of clarity, simplicity and confidence—perks that come with having an organized living space.
ShelfGenie is a franchise concept that designs, builds and installs Glide-Out shelving systems that are custom-built to fit into existing cabinets, resulting in durable, affordable and customized shelves that glide in and out with a touch of a finger. Glide-Out shelving can be installed in any cabinet throughout the home including kitchens, pantries, bathrooms, closets, offices media rooms, bars, garages and more. For more information on ShelfGenie, visit www.shelfgenie.com or call (888) 903-8839.
