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Sparkle (1)
I find it very frustrating when companies try to jump on board with New Year's Resolutions people make to “get organized” or “declutter”. Granted, there are very handy tools that can help get organized, namely file folders, shelving, etc but at the end of the day, you cannot organize clutter...you can only get rid of it. Getting rid of it could include either giving it to other family members (it becomes their storage “problem” then, right?), to charity, recycle it, or throw it away.
The best ad I've seen that just blew my mind was an e-advertisement from a big box store that was promoting “clutterbusters”. Excitedly, I clicked through only to find...vacuum cleaners, a garment steamer, a carpet cleaner, weights, and kitchen appliances. The only thing that was remotely close to a clutterbuster was a tote, but I repeat, you can't organize clutter.
I have clients who have well-meaning friends and family who buy them great organizational tools (such as a 5-drawer rolling plastic drawer set) to help them get organized but, at the end of the day, these tools add to the clutter because the client didn't know how to utilize them “perfectly” so they didn't do anything with it. There's no sense buying an organizational tool unless you know exactly how you are going to use it in your own space and with your own things.
You would be amazed at the number of items you have around the house that can be repurposed to help you organize your space, such as:
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Tissue boxes: cut off the top, or leave the slit as is, and use these boxes to store anything like recloseable bags, kitchen utensils, clothespegs, your vitamins and/or medicines, small toys, puzzle pieces, markers and crayons, etc. These boxes actually have 90 degree angles so they are great to use as storage items. Once you start using them, I guarantee you'll get excited when you finish a box of tissues...or perhaps I'm just a bit strange.
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Extra ribbon: hang it up on the wall in the bathroom to clip all those hair clips that seem to turn up everywhere around the house; hang it near the door to hang everyone's sunglasses
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Old mirror or large frames not being used: paint it with chalkboard paint for messages to the family or let the kids use it as their own personal chalkboard, or replace it with corkboard for a handy place to tack up all those school papers, etc.
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Shoe organizer: use this to store “like-items” such as art supplies, small toys, bathroom items, or even your socks and nylons.
Just because something has been made for one specific purpose, it doesn't mean that it has to be used for that purpose.
How do you repurpose items around your home?
