Are you looking for ways to relieve the stress that often comes with weekday mornings, scrambling to get the kids off to school and mom and dad off to work in a timely fashion? We’ve all had those mornings that leave you wishing you could just start the day over. In our household, organization and planning ahead seem to be at the root of these crazy moments. (or lack of, rather!) You may be settled into your home, have an offer on home your going to purchase or maybe you are just starting out the house hunting process. In any case, if a move is in your near future, these next few months are going to get a little more hectic. We want to offer you 5 organizational items that every home can use. You can use them where you are now, and in your future home. We hope they will make your life a little easier as you go through this home buying process.
A basic rule of thumb for getting organized is to first decide what you need to organize before running to the store to purchase items with which to do so. The following 5 items are wonderful starters to your organizational quest.
These organizational all-stars can find a purpose in any home.
- Wall Calendar and/or Google Calendar
This is a must-have for just about any family. The bigger, the better, too. Place a large wall calendar in a spot in your home that everyone has easy access to (near a phone is also helpful). Write down all important dates (birthdays and holidays), appointments (doctor and dentist), due dates for important bills or projects, your child’s school concert or play, sports practices, and the list goes on. One glance at the calendar and you’ll always be right on top of whatever is about to happen in your family’s life. You may also want to color code entries either by assigning a specific color to each family member or by assigning a color to each type of activity.
I personally utilize Google Calendar. Because it is online, you can access it from any computer or device that can access the internet. I love that you are able to color code each event to the corresponding family member. You can also share your schedule. Let your family and friends see your calendar, and view schedules that others have shared with you. Because it’s powered by Google, you can access it from any computer! Get your calendar on the go by accessing your calendar from your phone using its built-in calendar or mobile browser. And, never forget another event! Get event reminders via email or have text messages sent right to your mobile phone.
You can click here to sign up for your free Google Calendar account.
- Bulletin Board
This should preferably be hung somewhere near your wall calendar. Bulletin boards serve as excellent reminders of papers that need to be tended to in the near future. The problem with most bulletin boards is that they become a catch-all for papers of all kinds and then become stagnant. Make the most of this very handy organizational tool by avoiding this problem. Be sure that papers on the board are kept moving. One way to do this is to place papers there that will be relevant in the coming week or month. After they’ve served their purpose, those items can be tossed or filed. Try to avoid using the bulletin board for photos or greeting cards, as these items are harder to keep moving.
- Shoe Bag
They’re not just for shoes; in fact, the possibilities are limitless. Use a plastic one in the bathroom with each family member being assigned their own pockets or row of pockets for all their own toiletries. This gets everything off the vanity. Use one in your child’s room to hold small stuffed animals or dolls. Place one by the front door for gloves, mittens, hats, sunglasses…whatever you may need on your way out the door. Use one in your bedroom closet for socks, hosiery, belts and ties. A shoe bag in the pantry can hold dressings, mixes, condiments and snack items. The organizational possibilities are off the charts! We are fans of recycling; this re-purposed shoe organizer is no exception!
- Laundry Baskets
These handy items do way more than just transport dirty clothes and towels to the laundry room and clean things back where they belong. Put them to work wherever you have clutter. In a child’s bedroom or playroom, use small and/or large plastic laundry baskets in a variety of fun colors to hold small and large toys. You may even want to color code the basket to the type of toys that belong in it (this also makes clean up time easier for little ones). Laundry baskets can be put to use in a bedroom to hold extra bedding or towels, in a family room for throw pillows or board games and in the pantry for paper products and soft goods. Use attractive wicker when the baskets will be left out in the room and plastic when they will be behind closed doors. Consider placing a large wicker laundry basket at one or all of your home’s entryways to corral shoes, boots, umbrellas, etc. And since they are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors, you are sure to find the right baskets for your organizational needs.
- Hooks
A few well-placed hooks in the home can clear a lot of clutter. The least intrusive and most useful type of hook is an over-the-door hook. Once placed on the back of your front door, on the inside of a bathroom door or on the inside of a closet door, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without these handy little items. There are also hooks that can be set onto a wall with adhesive and then removed without leaving any mark at all. Check the packaging to be sure that you’re getting the right hook for the job (they have different weight limits). You aren’t limited to hanging only clothing items from hooks, either. Get creative and hang roomy bags that can hold necessary items.
We realize many of you will come upon this site while searching out information on the 203k mortgage loan. It is chock full of information on what exactly this type of mortgage is and what it can be used for. You can click here to learn more about the “buy and remodel” all in one FHA 203K loan.
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