Putting Things Away

This post is sponsored by Cottonelle and their new Mega 4-in-1 Roll

One of the things I am enjoying the most right now is putting all our belongings away. There is a deep feeling of fulfillment when I can take a tub of items, find a place for all the items to be (even if that place is in the donate pile) and stack the tub with the other empties. It sounds really simple and a bit nutty but let me explain. In our former home, MJ and I lived there long enough that everything had its space. It was a cramped, scrunched space but a space just the same. Everything had a place to live. Then we moved and with that, everything was out of place, everything had to be reset. I knew the rental was a temporary arrangement so I focused on the necessities – kitchen, clothes, bedrooms (the beds), bathrooms, my office and, for the children, toys. Many of our non-essential belongings stayed packed in tubs for the next step. Then, when we moved it was a free for all again but this time, when I put things away, I know it’s going to last.

A few months ago I wrote about a book I’d read on tidying up. I’m employing her practices as we unpack and setup the house and it’s going well. I am loving the process of it all. I know, I’m weird. Just in case you are a cleaning and organizing fool like me, here are a few points I’ve found significant:

Find a place for each and every thing to live.

From paperclips to hand soap to toilet paper to extra sheets to the fancy plates to winter coats to the daily-use shoes. Each and every item should have a spot to live. Doing this makes it easier to find items and then put them away after use (instead of piling them up on any flat surface you can find).

Corral items in a container to keep things neat.

My bathroom drawer is the neatest place in our house. This is mostly because I am the only one who uses it and I have superb organizational skills. Haha! The other part of the equation is the collection of containers I use to keep everything in its place. I use jewelry boxes and their lids to hold hair clips and bobby pins and clear vinyl boxes to hold my makeup parts. It’s so simple to keep it clean because when I put items away, they stay there even when the drawer is opened and closed. It’s heaven, I tell you. Drawer or not, having a container to place your items in increases the percentage chance of them staying neat. It works with toilet paper too! One of the benefits of having a tidy bathroom is realizing less is more, and with the Cottonelle Megaroll 4 rolls in 1, you can make the most of your bathroom space.

Use what you got.

Don’t go out and buy things to organize your things. It’s just more stuff. See what you already have. From boxes (and their lids) to bins, tubs to baskets, use what you have first. You might surprised. It’s not going to look like a storage catalogue photo but it works. I have plans for a few handmade/homemade items, too. I like that option because I can make them to the size and specifications I need and want.

If it doesn’t fit, make a new plan.

I’ve decided, this time around, if the items I am putting away don’t fit where I want them to be, I edit the number of items to make them fit. However, not everyone likes to toss things like I do. So, if tossing things isn’t your fave, rethink where you are storing them. Instead of storing the same thing, like ramekins, in two places because they all won’t fit in the first spot, find a different spot where they can all be together.

Arrange your space in a way that makes sense for how you use the space.

Of course your fancy plates would look beautiful front and center in the glass door cupboards, however, do you use them often enough for them to take up the front spot? Organizing should be about creating efficiency and making every day activities easier. Yes, put the hats, mittens and scarves near the door everyone uses the most to go in and out and yes, store the vacuum on the level it’s used the most. I’ve even made up little baskets for myself with pens, paper and lip balm so I can easily get to them when I’m sitting various places around the house. Make your house work for you and your life.

As the basement gets finished, we are still living among boxes and tubs. It’s making MJ and I even more antsy to get things put away but we’ll get there. And I know there will be more changes and alterations to come, as we live and grow here however, if we don’t move again for a very long time, I am just fine with that. :)

This post is sponsored by Cottonelle. All opinions and ideas are my own. Thank you for being supportive of our sponsors.