My Freezer: Before & After

Sometimes, a transformation can take just 30 minutes, but make SUCH a difference.

Case in point: my freezer!

As you can see below, my freezer was not organized at all. (I know, gasp!) So I decided it was time. Basically, I emptied the freezer & gave it a good wipe-down. I threw away a few frostbitten items, and grouped "like" items together.

I ordered the clear bins from The Container Store. (Sidenote: I LOVE these bins! And they are very inexpensive! I bought the medium-sized ones.) Then, I used my labelmaker & some simple labels from Office Depot to create the bin labels.

 

 On the door, I just made a few subtle changes. I moved the ice packs, separated the coffee into guest coffee / Greg's coffee, and added some chalk labels.

And voila! An easy transformation, with a big impact.

Does your freezer need a makeover!?

Beauty Organization Ideas

Anyone who sees me on a regular basis knows that I'm not a huge make-up girl!!

 

But luckily, I have had a few clients who have had beauty products out the wazoo, and it's actually one of my favorite things to organize! I've compiled a list of 9 awesome ideas, but be sure to click on the "Source" for each picture because a few link back to even more beauty organization ideas.

 

 1. Store beauty products in a bead organizer (which can be found at any craft store). It's nice to be able to move the dividers around until you have the perfect little compartments for all of your make-up goodies.

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 2. Store your brushes in a vase with tiny silica-type floral vase filler. (According to this blogger, you should *not* use coffee beans - which is all over Pinterest - because they can mold. Good to know!)

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 3. Repurpose a plastic cookie tray into a lipstick display.

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 4. Use small baskets from the Dollar Store to categorize all of your beauty products.

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 5. Paint a few mason jars gold to add a little sparkle to your bathroom.

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 6. Use these stick-on pods from The Container Store if there is not a lot of storage in your bathroom. Best places to stick the pods? Back of a cabinet door or even a medicine cabinet door.

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 7. Use a hanging jewelry organizer to store small beauty products like blush & eye shadows.

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 8. Magazine files are a great idea to get hair tools out of the way.

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 9. Repurpose a spice rack for a perfume display. How pretty!!

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As always, the first step to organizing your beauty products is to de-clutter them! Make sure to look at expiration dates (if they have them), and sort items into categories.

 

Happy Organizing!

Before & After: My Bathroom Cabinet

This month, we'll be tackling all the organizing & clutter challenges in your bathrooms! (Not the most exciting places to organize, but still, important....)

 

But first, I thought it'd be fun to see a recent "Before & After" of my own bathroom cabinet. Maybe to inspire you!?

 

Our master bathroom is pretty small, and only has a single vanity. Fortunately, there's a decent amount of storage space underneath the sink. We've lived in this house for 3.5 years, and over time, this cabinet has become a real eyesore. See what I mean:

It was somewhat organized with "his & hers" sides, but the stuff was starting to pile up so I decided to pull it out and start over. I threw away a lot of expired stuff, found a new home for some items (i.e. cleaning products), and gathered some new baskets from around the house that weren't being used.

 

I did purchase one new item from The Container Store. Luckily, I had a gift card leftover from Christmas for this! The item on the far right is what I bought, a two-drawer mesh organizer. It's the best! Each "drawer" slides out and they are really deep, so they hold a lot. (I have also seen a similar product at Bed, Bath, & Beyond.)

 See what a little de-cluttering can do?! This took me about 30 minutes.

 

Let's see the pictures side by side, one more time. Ta da!!

Hopefully this motivates you to clean out the cabinet in one of your bathrooms this month.

If so, let me see your results!

Organizing Your Teen's Desk: 11 Must-Haves

Do you have a teenage son with an unruly desk in his bedroom? Is it being overrun by Legos, clutter, puzzles, books, papers, or even dirty laundry?!

 

If so, it's time to clean that sucker off & start fresh....clear the clutter, and implement some new storage systems that will help your son to stay organized. It's important for your son to have a designated spot for homework, and if it's organized, I bet he'll be more willing to sit there and do it :) So, without further ado, here are 11 of my "must-haves" for organizing your teenage son's desk area:

 

 

1. Charging Station. Since every teenager these days has multiple devices, it's nice to have one place to corral them (and charge them at the same time). I love how this one conceals

all the cables with an easy lift-off lid.

 

2. Shelves. It's always best to maximize vertical space if possible, and a system of shelves (or even just one shelf) is the perfect solution over your son's desk. It's the perfect place for storage boxes, books, and even knick knacks. Just make sure the shelf or shelves are deep

 enough to hold the pieces you want!

 

3. File Box. Pop some hanging folders inside, and a file box is the ideal place to store important documents, notebook paper, and extra paperwork from school.

 

4. Metal Locker Bin. Concealed storage is key when dealing with clutter, and I love how this bin resembles an old-school metal locker.

 

5. Lamp. If your son's room doesn't have the best lighting, it's important to have a lamp to provide it. You know, just in case they're up late, burning the midnight oil & doing homework :)

 

6. Magazine File. My son is only 7 but already has two magazine subscriptions! I love these magazine files as a place to store their favorite issues.

 

7. Pencil Cup. You can never have enough pencils when it comes to homework...

 

8. Wall Organizing System. Whether it be a corkboard, dry-erase calendar, chalkboard, or memo board, it is essential to have some type of wall organizing system for your son. It's a good place to pin up weekly assignments & important reminders from school, or even just favorite pictures, mementos, or awards to personalize the space.

 

9. Storage Boxes. In my opinion, storage boxes are my #1 favorite organizing product. They are great for storing extra cords or miscellaneous items not used often.

 

10. Desktop Storage. In case your son's desk does not have a drawer, I adore this option for storing extra homework supplies. (Think: markers, scissors, ruler, and colored pencils.)

 

11. Drawer Organizers. Because ideally, the desk does have a drawer or two

to store homework supplies :)

 

 

*Just in case you need a little more inspiration on organizing your son's desk area, here ya go!*

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And one more thing: I would advise having your son involved in both the de-cluttering & organizing process. Find out what his ideas are, his needs & wants, and what you can do to make it his new favorite place to be productive. Good luck!

Before & After: A Freezer Makeover

Last week, I noticed that hot dog juice had spilled in one of the drawers of our fridge. And a bag of chicken nuggets had split open & spilled crumbs all into the freezer. (Hot dogs and chicken nuggets.....am I a cliché mom or what!?)

 

Needless to say, I've been doing some cleaning in our kitchen this past week!!

 

Today I will show you some before & after pictures of the freezer. I also used this opportunity to purchase some containers from The Container Store, using part of a

Christmas gift card... (Best gift ever)!

 

Here is the "before & after" shot of the door, with just a few subtle changes:

 

 

Basically, I emptied the freezer & gave it a good wipe-down. I threw away a few frostbitten items, and grouped "like" items together. I got the clear bins from The Container Store, and the white ones with blue labels from Wal-Mart. (Less than $3 each; such a steal!)

 

 The white bin has a dry erase label area that I love! And I created the labels on the clear bins with my labelmaker & some simple labels from Office Max.

 And something that works for our family......we purchase most of our meat from Sam's Club, and then break it down into individual portions before we freeze it. (Read: 1 chicken breast per ziplock bag, or 1 lb. ground beef, or 10 shrimp for my salads.) That way, you can thaw the exact amount when you need it.

 

 

So.....does your freezer need a makeover!?

 

 

Tame Your Tupperware

As a professional organizer, I have seen my share of messy and cluttered kitchens. One area of the kitchen that always seems to create a challenge for my clients is their Tupperware drawer/cabinet. Well, I'm here to give you some fool-proof advice on Taming Your Tupperware!!



 First, follow these simple steps:

 

1. Pull everything out of your Tupperware drawer/cabinet.

2. Sort lids into like shapes. (Ex. Put all rectangular lids together.)

3. Sort containers into like shapes.

4. Match containers to lids.

5. Throw out any lids/containers without mates, as well as any that are cracked or damaged.

6. Sort all your matched Tupperware into like shapes, and try to pare down your collection as much as possible....do you really need 14 rectangular-shaped containers?!

7. Once you have all of the "keepers," take the lids off and put them aside. The best way to store containers is to nest smaller pieces inside larger pieces.

 

 

As for lid storage, here are a few suggestions:



{ Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

{1} Use a CD rack to hold lids

{2} Follow this tutorial to sew your own Tupperware lid holder, and attach it to the inside of your cabinet door. (Sidenote: I love the idea of using the inside of a cabinet door for storage, but since I'm clueless when it comes to sewing, I would prefer the likes of #7.)

{3} Purchase this undershelf basket from The Container Store.

{4} Purchase this mesh organizer from The Container Store. (Have I mentioned how much I love The Container Store!?

{5} Use a letter holder to tame Tupperware lids.

{6} Purchase a corner shelf and sort lids by shape & size.

{7} Mount a wall pocket on the inside of your cabinet door.

{8} Similar to #5 but just on a larger scale....Use a wooden mail sorter to hold lids.

{9} If you have the space, use a dish rack.

Leave a comment and let me know which lid solution is your favorite!

 

(And be sure to check back at the end of the month to see how I store my Tupperware, when I give a "Peek Inside" my kitchen!)

 

December Giveaway! Get Organized for the Holidays

Happy December!!

 

I'm pleased to offer an amazing giveaway today, the Chevron Holiday Wrap & Tote Organizer from The Container Store:

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The first person that books an appointment with me (for either an in-home consultation or my virtual organizing services) will be the lucky recipient of this giveaway.

 

Get a jumpstart on your New Year's resolution, and become more organized today! We can start small, and take it a room (or closet!) at a time. Click here to check out my Services page, and to see how I can best assist you.

**I can be reached at organizingplus.123@gmail.com**

Friday Favorite: Gift Wrapping Organizer

Has anyone out there begun their Christmas shopping yet?????

 

Well, I have....(so please don't judge. I'm one of the crazies, and I know it.)

 

I love, love, love this gift wrapping organizer from The Container Store. It holds up to 24 rolls of wrapping paper, not to mention tissue paper, gift bags, and ribbon galore. It can easily slip into a closet or slide under a bed when not in use.

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If anyone is shopping for MY Christmas gift, I would like two of these please! (One to hold Christmas-themed wrapping paper and one for birthday/miscellaneous wrapping paper.)

 

Happy shopping!

Friday Favorite: Boot Rack

Today I want to feature one of my favorite products....

(And yet again, it is related to Fall-like weather. Can you tell I'm excited that it's Fall!?)

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I love this boot rack from The Container Store for it's functionality, sleek design, and price! Usually a pair of boot shapers run around $10. But this puppy holds 4 pairs, and costs just $20.

 

So, if you have 30 inches of width to spare in your closet, I highly recommend this boot organizer :)