Organize for Nashville!

I know all of you have heard about the devastating flooding in my hometown, Nashville, Tennessee. What a better time to clear out your clutter and organize yourself than now? Nashville residents need so many things, and clothes, shoes, and baby items are some of them! If anyone is interested, my mom is coming to Knoxville today and leaving to go back to Nashville tomorrow night. She will be glad to take as much as she can fit in her car back to our friends and neighbors! We were lucky and our house was spared, but so many people were not. If this is a little short notice, but you would still like to participate, I will continue taking donations and get them to Nashville weekly for as long as I get things. Please consider helping the great people of Nashville and get something for yourself- less clutter and more space! As you are cleaning out, remember to be thankful that you have so many things to give! I thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity! And thank you to those of you who have already filled my car!:)

My Apologies...

Thanks to all of you who look at this site. I know you have been wondering what happened to me! Unfortunately, I have had to send my computer away to get fixed. It is working now, so I should be more consistent in updating! Fortunately, I have also been very busy with projects and am excited to show you some of what I have been working on! Stay tuned for more pictures and some more organizing tips! Also, look below for a new post on a project I did while on vacation. Have a great week!

Sample Job:

Owner's Closet in a Vacation Home

Here are the before and after pictures of an Owner's closet in a beach house. As you can imagine, the owners had a lot of random items that had been put away quickly and there was not much method once things started piling up. By taking everything out, I was able to make more room for them by grouping like items in clear tubs and designating shelves for different kinds of items. Usually, these closets are on the small side like this one, so I wanted to use the space as wisely as possible! I started by emptying the closet and tossing empty containers and out of date items. Here is a before shot as I was emptying the closet: Another fuzzy before shot:

Mid-clean out shot:

Grouping items:

The top shot of the finished product:
*Top shelf: Candles, infrequently used linens, owners manuals and warranty information in the clear plastic drawers

*Second shelf: Hardware basket(nails, tape,glue,light bulbs,etc.), cleaning products, place mats, and more frequently used linens stacked on top of carpet cleaning box

Shot of the finished bottom half:

*Third shelf- Sunscreen and lotion drawers, toiletries drawer, first-aid supplies tub, beach hats and miscellaneous beach items stacked neatly on top of tubs

*Fourth Shelf-Alcohol, Mixers, Non-perishable food items, spices in a basket

*Fifth Shelf-Beach towels and paper products

*On the floor- Heavy/Bulky items- Spot Remover/Carpet Steamer, Toolboxes, Beach Games, Extension Cords, Beach bags

*On the Walls- The owners had already put large nails up to hang keys, shoes, hats, Frisbees,etc. I just went through and regrouped things to make it flow!

This is one of those closets that will have to be re-done every few months, as the owners often have family and friends who also use the closet. It will need maintenance because of multiple users!

*Side note- Thanks to my mother-in-law for letting me use this as my trial run of before and after pics on a project!!:)

Timesaving Tip of the Week:

Closet Overhaul:"I have so many clothes, but I can't ever find anything to wear!" How many of us have said this early in the morning before work or getting ready for a night out with a little one tugging at our leg? Everyone can relate! There is no way we can ever see what we have if we don't purge every once in awhile. (I know this can be very painful for some of us!) Here are some easy steps to get headed in the right direction:
1. Pull all stained, torn, or damaged items and toss or donate. (If they are not too bad)

2. Pull any items that no longer fit. (Donate those that are past their prime. Have a tub on hand to store those that you can't let go of just yet or have high hopes of fitting into again-You go girl! These can be stored in the attic to be revisited every now and then!)

3. You probably now have some breathing room! Organize items in a way that makes sense for you according to your space. The bulk of my hanging room is double layered. I divided it into fall/winter on top and spring/summer on bottom. I have a tall rack to the side for dresses and multi-seasonal cardigans.

4. I turn all of my hangers the same direction. As I wear an item, the hanger gets turned the opposite direction. Once it has been turned, it stays that way the entire season no matter how many times it gets worn. At the end of each season I easily spot items that were not worn, which makes decision-making easier! (See below)

(An up-close view of the hangers!) Please excuse the hodgepodge of hangers- that is a project for another day!:)

Have a great week! Happy organizing!

Timesaving Tip of the Week:

Keeping the Refrigerator Neat and Tidy!
Save time and money by doing a weekly "clean sweep" of the fridge! A great time would be when you are making out your grocery list for the week.
*Wipe down shelves and toss out dated food. This will help you know what you need and not buy something you already have! (Okay, fess up- how many half used containers of Parmesan cheese or mayo do you have hanging around?:)

*Of course, the first time you do this it will be a major job. After that if you maintain it weekly, it only takes a few minutes a week!


*Below is a pic of the organized fridge. Notice that similar things are grouped together and labeled on the side door: Condiments/Dressing
Drinks
Marinades/Sauces
Pickles/Peppers/Relish
*Stack similar items on shelves- Medium height containers and items that must stay really cool
(like eggs)
Smaller containers
Left-overs and sandwich tub
Really tall items/Extra drinks
Labeled Produce and Meat/Cheese drawers
*This idea has been a hit at our house! Put all sandwich making items in a shoebox sized clear tub (so you can see everything) and place on a shelf. I put mine with leftovers- it just fit the best there! Pull out the tub and your bread and you have your lunch right at your finger-tips! Hope you find that this helps you save valuable cleaning time and money by not over- purchasing at the grocery store! Happy Monday!

Timesaving Tip of the Week:

Make Bathroom Cleaning a Breeze!
Keep a small tub or basket under each bathroom sink with cleaning supplies.

*Antibacterial Wipes
*Glass cleaner and paper napkins OR glass cleaning wipes
*Toilet bowl cleaner/brush (you can divide a large bottle into smaller ones like the plastic travel bottles you find in the travel sections at stores)

ALSO, keep a tub/shower cleaner in the tub/shower and clean while you take a shower every few days!

With these supplies within reach, you have no excuse not to have a sparkling clean bathroom at all times!

Getting Started!

Welcome to Neat As a Pin- Home Organization for you!