Something about getting home from a long trip sent me into an
organizing frenzy.
I've spent a lot of time in the past week and a half organizing my house.
Since moving in and getting organized initially, there were three main areas that were still driving me nuts: the closet in the piano/office room, the office desk, and the kitchen pantry.
The closet in the piano/office room looked organized when everything was put away. The closet was full, floor to ceiling, with those huge plastic tubs. The problem only came when I wanted to actually use the stuff in the tubs. I would have to un-bury the tub I needed, then pull things out of the tub left and right while I searched for the one little item within the tub I was looking for ... needless to say, using anything in the closet was a mess! I told Gerald that we needed some shelves for the top half of the closet, but that we didn't have any money to spend. While we were brainstorming about making shelves out of cardboard boxes and duct tape (it would've worked, don't you think?!) we found someone on Craigslist giving away 6 CD shelves for free. Hooray, we snatched them up and altered them to fit our purposes. NOW look at my organized closet. I love it. Don't call me crazy, but occasionally I come in here just to look at the beauty of it. Ah.... :)
Another issue is the top of my desk. It's always covered with papers and it makes me crazy. Mail, bills, junk, coupons... How does anyone keep up with the filing? Seriously, how do you do it? This has been one of my pet peeves for a long time, but no matter how much it bothers me I simply cannot keep up with it. And, I can't file away things I haven't taken care of (like bills); I'm one of those out-of-sight, out-of-mind people.
This is the solution I have come up with. I saw a tutorial for something similar on UCreate, and created this to fit our needs using only materials I already had on hand. I have high hopes that this is going to keep my desk top sparkling clean! I'll let you know how it goes!
Cute, isn't it?
Now I just need to tackle the pantry. Tell me - do any of you have some good ideas for organizing a pantry that is about 5 times too small? It bothers me that I can't see everything at once, that I have to bury some food in order to fit it all in. Then how do you keep things from getting forgotten and going to waste? Hmmm... this is my current predicament and I'd love any advice you have to offer!
You are so resourceful. Your closet and file idea is great. I always struggle with organization as well. I do it, then undo it when I use things. Wish I had some ideas with the pantry, but my stuff gets buried too. Will keep watch to see if anyone has some great ideas. Love yiou. Grandma
ReplyDeleteYou are so resourceful! Love your closet and filing pockets. My pantry stuff gets buried too, especially in our small space here in St. George. Hope someone has some good ideas. Love you. Grandma
ReplyDeleteWow. I am so impressed. It's almost motivating me to do the same thing. :) I wish I had pantry advice, but we don't even have a pantry in our kitchen...
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that I do in my pantry that helps (a little bit) is to keep the little box bottom things from the grocery store when I buy canned goods. They make it much easier to stack your cans and you can rotate them a dozen at a time. Just lift up one box and slide the next one underneath.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the pantry is like closets. We put things in there in a hurry thinking we will put it away where is goes in just a little while. The next thing we know it is all out of control.
Aunt Alice
I use to be organized once upon a time! Maybe you should come to my house. the only think taht works in my pantry is to clean it out once a month (which doesn't always happen!)
ReplyDeleteoh Jennifer I soo feel your filing and pantry pain. I can never keep up with filing, shredding,etc.
ReplyDeleteAnd someday when the finances say it's ok I want to get the pull out shelves for our pantry, oh and make it bigger. :)
I"m so trying to figure out a way to do the filing pockets in my computer hutch. Hmmmm....