These Organizing Tricks Are a Treat

Holiday candy and decorations are already on the shelf. From Halloween candy and costumes to Christmas candy and baubles, the holiday season has officially begun, at least according to retail. This time of year, you may not have a lot of time to organize your whole home. These organizing tricks can tame the monsters and goblins of your organization nightmares quickly and easily.

If you are frightened by the stress that comes with organizing small spaces, like your bathroom, laundry area, or kitchen cupboards, and nothing you try seems to help, small steps will help you get started on your journey! It’s much less overwhelming to tackle small projects as you can than to try to find a whole day to manage your organizing during this season. Start with these tricks and ideas to help.

KITCHEN ORGANIZING TRICKS

Tired of those sponges, gloves, and other cleaning tools sitting out in plain view? Try putting them in an over the door hanging basket. Since the basket is hanging inside no one sees it, and it leaves your space around the sink and countertop free without just laying everything in the cabinet underneath the sink. If you have space in a cabinet or a pantry, heavy duty command hooks make a perfect place to hang potholders, aprons, or even pots and pans depending on their size and weight. Even the smallest task, such as cleaning out the junk drawer or putting away everything that has managed to stack up on the dining room table can help you breathe easier.

Pro Tip: if you have ample wall space, a painted peg board makes a perfect hanging rack for items like colanders and long-handled cooking utensils. 

BATHROOM ORGANIZING TRICKS

When more than one person shares a bathroom, things can get disorganized quickly. If you have limited cabinet space, try a similar hack to the ones used in the kitchen and add hanging organizers to the inside of the cabinet doors. For those smaller items like soap, lotions, and face wash you can grab a small- or medium-sized spinning spice rack and place them under your sink. Just spin, grab, use, and replace! You can also add towel bars to the back of the door to maximize space and hang more towels.

Pro Tip: We love a good over-the-toilet organizer, which can add shelf space and add style. 

LAUNDRY ORGANIZING TRICKS

Can’t fit all of those clothes baskets in the laundry room? With a little dedicated wall space, you can hard-wire those baskets to the wall itself and label them in a way that is most helpful for your family. Hanging clothes can clear up space. Consider a collapsible clothes-drying rack that can be put away when you’re not using it.

Pro Tip: Need to be able to shut your laundry away when you have holiday guests but don’t have a lot of room? Hang curtains or add a wall divider to set the space apart. 

TRICKS TO WRAP UP SUMMER FUN

Some places have already had snow. Others are already below freezing. Most of us only have a few more nice days to get our lawns and homes in order. Do a last-minute trim on bushes and trees. Rake leaves and create your mulch pile (which will be handy for spring gardens). Properly store any outdoor furniture. You’ll also want to check your gutters to make sure leaves and debris aren’t preventing drainage. That is a winter mess you don’t need on your hands!

Pro Tip: If you have to leave outdoor furniture in the weather, consider bagging the cushions and covering the furniture for the winter. 

TRICKS TO ORGANIZE THE PANTRY

A lot of cooking and baking happens in the last few months of the year. Organize your pantry now so that you aren’t scraping for the last bit of flour or wondering where your spices went. When you’re in the thick of the holidays, you won’t want to brave the crowds or the weather for last-minute ingredients for your favorite recipes.

Pro Tip: Take a quick glance at the recipes you’ll be making for the holidays and grab the non-perishable and freezable ingredients you need now. 

TRICKS TO DECLUTTER COUNTER SPACE

If your counters are already overwhelmed with mail, projects, and fall decorations, you’ll want to start organizing that now. Get it done before the influx of holiday mail and baked goods. In just a few short weeks you will need all the counter space you can get. We know we’d much rather store a delicious batch of homemade cookies than the junk mail we haven’t had time to sort.

Pro Tip: Spend 5 minutes on your computer visiting https://www.optoutprescreen.com/ and opt out of pre-qualified credit card offers by mail. The time you spend now will save you hours sorting junk mail.

START THINKING ABOUT GREETING CARDS

It may seem early, but the holidays will be on top of us before we know it. Rather than scramble to get greeting cards organized and mailed, do some prep now. Schedule a photo session if you’d like to include pictures. Make a list of who you would like to send cards to. Set a mail date so that your recipients have time to enjoy their holiday wishes.

Pro Tip: Skip the post office lines and cost and send a digital letter this year. 

GATHER ITEMS FOR HOMEMADE GIFTS

If you like to knit for your friends and family or create amazing pieces of artwork, gather your supplies now. Homemade gifts are precious because they come from the heart, but they also take time. Be sure that you’re ready to get an early start on gift-making so that you’re not stressed by trying to do something nice.

Pro Tip: Skip giving stuff this year and opt for experience gifts instead. 

It’s important to take care last-minute fall projects while you still have the time, energy, and patience! This time of year, it can be very exciting, but it can easily become overwhelming without the right preparation. Don’t wait until the last minute to get things done. The best way to enjoy the holiday season is to be ready for it, before the frenzy begins.

There’s no doubt that things are about to get busy, and the falling leaves are only one reminder of the impending winter. Every winter season has its own lengthy to-do list with the many holiday activities. Fall is best time to get caught up on projects. Consider fall the calm before the storm and use your time to get organized early and prep for the chaos that is to come.