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Are you saying: Help!  Help me organize my home!

Here are some more Ideas on Home Organizing...

I have shared with you at other times that the rolling carts of drawers are really helpful in the organizing of household things.  Here are a few ways that I have found to be helpful.  By the way, the carts I am referring to are the 7 and 9 drawer carts that are generally black or white with clear plastic drawers.  I have found that utilizing these drawers (in addition to plastic bins, plastic "shoe boxes" and tubs on shelves) really does help you maintain order in the home.

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Here are some ideas...

For our little closet here in the kitchen/familyroom.  I have two carts and I labeled the drawers and every single thing has a place and the ironing board and paper cutter can fit nicely standing beside the carts. 

Here's what I did... each type of item in that genre per drawer...
camera & film;  batteries;  light-bulbs;  specialty light-bulbs;   tools;
hardware;  extension cords;  painting stuff;  iron & starch;
nuts-bolts-nails-screws (in 4"X 2" boxes in one drawer);
tape-duct-tape-glue-paste;  bags;  and assorted odd stuff. 

It is so freeing---bcz having a place for everything AND the labeled drawers
force order!  I am amazed what we do with stuff just bcz we haven't
found a proper place for things!! 

Oh, above the carts are shelves: on these, I have folded the fabric I WILL use and gulp!! got rid of the fabric I just know I am not going to use!  Also on the shelf is a heavy box with the little vacuum and attachments, and some oversized pitchers and the gallon of crème paint that I keep in here so that I can do frequent touch-ups with hardly any fuss to it because the paint brushes/sponges are in one of the drawers, rags are in another, and the paint is on the shelf.  All right there together---you know just like the "centers" in our kitchen and in the rest of our home...  See? Easy!!

In Children's bedrooms, the carts can be used for games and toys with lots of little pieces.  The drawer can be removed from the cart and taken to the table or floor and can be put back away after the playtime and quick clean-up.


I know caterers who use *several* of them in their vans with ramps... they roll them into the kitchen at each site they are catering and have every single thing they will need for serving, cooking and cleanup... spices, utensils, plastic gloves, cloths, cleaning supplies,  silverware, serving utensils etc., etc. right in the carts and in Rubbermaid bins.

In the craft room or family room carts can be sooo helpful.  The carts are the 5 or 9 drawer plastic drawer carts on wheels where you can remove a drawer (say it's a coloured pen drawer) put it on the table---do the art project ---have the other art supplies (paper, envelopes, clay, glue, scissors, tape---whatever) right there beside you while you have your time... then it's all easily tidied up and rolled back into place when you are finished.

These are around $25.- 30. so you add them slowly over time depending on your need and finances.  I got the first one several years ago for all of our stamps, inks and stamping/stationery supplies... then later, one for my sewing... then one for crafts/painting...  and so on.  The children have them in their room for their personal supplies-----the see through drawers force neatness bcz I can see them when I do bedroom check---

BEYOND PLASTIC...

Look around your home for things that you already have but can put to better use in another area. Like, l like book shelves for clothes--- and drawers for craft supplies. I had a wicker shelf in the bathroom for towels and decided to use it by my desk for Bible study books and pictures and put a small painted chest of drawers in the bathroom for the towels. I decided to use a "sofa table" (painted ivory) in the dining room as a "side table" for the tea set and the tiered plate holder.  Wooden apple crates can hold books or can hold the newspapers beside the woodstove.  A small crate can hold cookbooks on the counter.   A picnic basket can hold your placemats and napkins, or your towels and washcloths rolled up in a basket in the bathroom.  Baskets can hold your often used seasonings and spices in the kitchen. 

Baskets can hold your journal, pens, notebooks, reading materials, etc. beside your bed.  Boxes can be covered with wrapping paper and then "painted" with a half glue/water mixture in order to make a "decoupage" surface and then the box can be used for your make-up, your writing materials or special cards and letters.  You can be very creative---all you need to do is pray(!) ask the LORD to show you what you have in your hand already and *use* it!

Instead of leaving all the photos in the box, I put lots of them all around… in books, taped inside cupboard doors so that whenever you open a cabinet you see some happy faces…

LOOK FOR BETTER WAYS OF DOING THINGS....

In the baking area of our kitchen I use the stoneware snap lid canisters for soda, baking powder and salt. I leave a measuring teaspoon in each one and never have to search for one!   I use the large (2 gallon) clear glass cookie jar type containers for flour, pancake flour, and sugar… in these, I always leave a measuring cup and/or a two cup measuring cup... again, this way I always have the measuring cup right there.  I buy measuring cups at the "dollar store" or when our market has "dollar days" sales.  These can be sooo handy and helpful.  I use the 1/8 cup in the hot chocolate mix container for perfect amounts of hot chocolate, and the 1/3 cup in the coffee canister for the right measure of coffee... you get the idea?  Nothing is wasted and everything has a great use (or two!).

In my bathroom under the sink AND under the kitchen sink, I have a roll of paper towels mounted on a little plastic holder.  In the cabinet (I have safety latches on the doors) I also have the cleaners for the bathroom and in the kitchen the appropriate cleaners there also.  This way, I can be prepared to clean either the kitchen or the bathroom right away... I don't have to leave the room and hunt for the towels or cleaners.  It has really saved me a great deal of time.  I also always have a box of baby wipes on hand in the bathroom... these are not only for diaper changes and cleanup, but I use them frequently to wipe down the bathroom counter, a quick wipe of the toilet seat and rim... sometimes even the floor between the daily mopping (we have a lot of traffic and spills!).

My whole hope in sharing all this with you is that you will see that you already have so much in your hand... all you need to do is look around and see how better you can use what you already have, and how to save yourself a little time.


This week get out every one of your plastic containers and lids…. Match them up and toss out the rest! If the idea of actually tossing them out is too much for you, how about at the very least putting them in a large box (that you will continue to add to) of things that will go to the thrift store. You can start the year fresh---save yourself the aggravation of sorting through all the lids and containers that don’t match!

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Oh…and floss your teeth while you’re young, so you can floss your own teeth when you’re old!