By Virginie Dor, Space of Mine - Home Organizers
Getting ready for the holidays? There’s no better way to enjoy your vacation than to know you won’t be coming back to a messy home. Here are few of my favourite quick fixes:
Bedroom:
- Use under-bed systems such as roll-out bins and vacuum seal bags to store off-season clothing or extra linen.
- If you’re short on storage space, do away with nightstands and use bookshelves to frame your bed. Or a low shelf at the foot of your bed.
- Room dividers using shelving units or tall cabinets not only help create extra storage space, but improve zoning in small spaces.
- Keep your cords and chargers under control by re-using twist ties, washy tape and shoe boxes to hide extension cords. Don’t forget to label them.
Dressing room & linen closets:
- Use drawer organizers and fold vertically as much as you can.
- Choose flat hangers and only use one kind to save up space.
- Keep bed sets together by folding them into matching pillowcases.
- When storing away offseason or rarely used items, be sure to properly label what is in garment bag, boxes etc. and stick to clear containers as much as possible (when light damage is not an issue).
Bathroom:
- Use door-hanging systems to add storage space (clear hanging shoe storage for example).
- Keep your counters clear by using jars, boxes and baskets.
- Use curtain rods to add storage in your baths or showers.
- Rolling carts are great for extra storage when space is tight.
Kitchen & pantry:
- Stack vertically anything you can (Tupperware lids, pans, cutting boards, baking pans, etc.
- Use tension rods under your sink to hang spray bottles and make the most of your space.
- Follow the “put it where you use it” rule as much as possible in the kitchen. This will help you be more efficient and you will be more likely to put things back where they belong by cutting down on the extra steps.
- Use bins and baskets in your cupboards to keep like items together and avoid having to go through everything to find what you need (baking, breakfast, snacks, rice and pasta, etc.)
Kid playroom:
- Encourage children’s independence and sense of responsibility by putting in place systems that make sense to them and are easy to follow. Keep things at eye level and at ‘their’ arms reach to facilitate access and the likelihood that they put their toys away.
- When it comes to souvenirs and kids artwork; use rotation systems and catalogue them by dating and taking pictures instead of stuffing them all in a box.
- Teach them the ‘one in one out’ rule to keep chaos at bay.
Garage/Basement/Storage area:
- Use vertical space by hanging as much as you can and keep floors clear to avoid stacking and blocked access.
- Pegboards or track systems work great to hang all kinds of items onto walls with just a few nails or screws.
- Choose heavy duty shelving with as much depth as possible to stack boxes and bins more efficiently.
- Always use boxes that stack well above one another.
Tackle your organizing challenges with some of these quick tips and tricks and you’ll be off to a stress-free summer!
If you don't think you can find the time to do this yourself and you need an extra incentive to book the services of a professional organizer like myself, I would like to offer all knowitall.ch readers a special one-off deal this summer on any of my hands-on organization services booked for 3 hours or more. Once everything has been sorted to your satisfaction in the home, I will remove all unwanted items and dispose of them for you free of charge, either at the local waste depot, or at a nearby charity shop. It is easy to forget how much time is required to dispose of everything after you have cleared through a house, so this provides a real saving on the overall cost of my services.
Author's Bio
Virginie Dor is the founder of Space of Mine, a professional business specializing in residential organizing that provides services through Vaud, Geneva, Neuchatel and neighbouring France.
With knowledge, dedication and care, Virginie Dor is committed to helping individuals and families better their lives, take control of their surroundings and time by creating organizing solutions that are individually tailored to each client.
As a proud Golden Circle member of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) and Vice-President of Swiss-APO (Swiss Association of Professional Organizers), she is an expert in clutter control, work flow, space planning and time management. To learn more about Virginie, visit her profile on LinkedIn.
