Organize Me (Full Version)

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JJB1222 -> Organize Me (8/15/2008 11:46:12 PM)

Anybody really good at organizing? I admire women who have their trusty label maker ready to go at all times, or the women whose children's playrooms look like a Montessori school.

I am just not organized. It's not that I don't want to be. I just don't seem to have that part of the brain that tells you where and how things should be put away.

Please share what you do, what to try, what you've seen.

[:D]



PatricksPeaches -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 12:03:11 AM)

The best thing I have found to keep toys organized is those plastic things with drawers in them. They have wheels too. I put all baby doll stuff in one. Books and puzzles in another and so on. Then when they want to do one thing, they roll it out and roll it back when done.

Also, when we get new toys for birthdays or Christmas, we make sure we get rid of ones that we don't use or grow out of. This way it keeps the amount of toys and clutter down. We donate the unwanted toys to Salvation Army so less fortunate kids can get them.



Mrs.X -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 12:11:20 AM)

I am not good at organizing, but one thing I did recently was take everything that didn't have a place and put it in a box, then I threw stuff away, or made an appropriate place for it.

It used to be pretty bad. I would have some books, pictures, old hairbrush, lotions, shoe laces, booties, old 0-3m outfit all put on the same shelf in the closet. There was a bunch of other stuff too like extension cords, chapstick, old bills, jus abunch of random stuff.

In what ways are you disorganized, JJ?

Yer gettin' pretty familiar over here, do you want to share your name, or do you want us to call you JJ, or we can make up a name for you like we did with Zippy (HisCovenant).



MrsTracy72 -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 10:06:57 AM)

I am not good at that either, but just as the post above mine, the one thing I have learned to do was to go through the house, throw everything that was out of place in a box and then either put it away, find a place, or get rid of it.

One of my dreams is to have a clean and organized home, but I think that I will be happy with clean and lived in.



peculiar_lady2 -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 12:03:55 PM)

oh yay....my speciality!!!!! I grew up with a mom who seriously could make money organizing people's houses for them!!!! Mine isn't as good as it needs to be, but I have the mental knowledge of what to do....now to just convince my house to follow suit. (Moving a ton has messed up my organizing every time....we've now been here over a year and it is mostly together now).

The key to organization is all in the planning.

first step in organizing effectively is.....
Purposing a room. What is the primary and secondary purpose for all of your rooms. Walk through with a pad of paper and figure out the main and up to two secondary functions you would want that room to serve (primary and one secondary purpose for smaller rooms...but never have more then three things for one room unless it is large enough to divide up into sections more effectively and not be too crowded).
For instance....my girls bedroom.....Primary function is for them to have their necessary things in it (dresser and bed); Secondary function #1 is for them to have their toys in it; Secondary function #2 is for their closet to be used for storage of clothes in tubs that are out of season or size for what is being used right now.

After you know the purpose of that room, then you can more effectively figure out if something even goes in that room. If it doesn't, put it in a box in the room it DOES go into....and don't worry about the box until you get to that other room to organize it.

Another thing I do is, if it's a room that has things "dropped" in it often to be put away or filed away later (like the office) then have a drop area that it goes to....helps keep the surfaces cleaned off, then you can go through that one box or whatever when you have time and put everything away properly. For a room like an entry way into the house, maybe having some cubby's for each person would help in keeping things off the floor, etc.

You have to take also into account the family dynamics...what does your family do best with. For one example....our family "rule" is that all writing utensils don't leave the office unless with specific permission...this cuts down on the writing found on walls and furniture by little hands. So determine if your family needs some boundaries like that, then set the organizing to fit those boundaries. Another is, we have found that our kids rooms are kept pretty well cleaned up as long as they have no more then three sets of toys in there...after that they can't handle it and it seems to be too overwhelming. So for us, all other toys get put away for "special permission" occasions.

After you determine what does and doesn't go into a room, make a place for everything....either by putting it into like groups (such as a dresser with all crafting needs in it), or a section for one specific thing (all material going into a bin for sewing later; or all "to be fixed" items going into a bin by the sewing machine for later)



I can be more specific if you give me the room you are wanting to start with....but those are my general hard and fast "rules" for organizing.



TeachingforHim -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 1:21:30 PM)

I'm so glad I'm not alone. I'm the queen of disorganization - and I'm a TEACHER! My students are well organized, but me...total mess of clutter!

Precious, I kid you not, I just printed out what you wrote...now if only I could find a place to put this paper I've printed I'd be set...



OneOfHisJewels -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 1:43:40 PM)

quote:

Precious, I kid you not, I just printed out what you wrote...now if only I could find a place to


I think you meant to say peculiar, not precious. Her username is peculiar lady_2. I'm not saying she is not precious, I'm just saying it seems like you were trying to go by her user name and got a little mixed up.



OneOfHisJewels -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 1:56:51 PM)

quote:

The best thing I have found to keep toys organized is those plastic things with drawers in them. They have wheels too. I put all baby doll stuff in one. Books and puzzles in another and so on. Then when they want to do one thing, they roll it out and roll it back when done.


Just what I was gonna say, only the plastic things don't have to be your container of choice. You can do the same concept with pretty baskets like these, fun lockers like these, put on shelves or in cubby holes, (ok, sorry I can't find a link for the locker style containers, but I HAVE seen such items in catalogs-and I'll post a link when I find it), or even emptied out plastic ice cream buckets (for the smaller stuff, at least), if you so choose.


I've got a few more ideas, but will add them later, as I don't feel like doing a bunch of typing right now.



peculiar_lady2 -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 3:22:38 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: OneOfHisJewels

quote:

Precious, I kid you not, I just printed out what you wrote...now if only I could find a place to


I think you meant to say peculiar, not precious. Her username is peculiar lady_2. I'm not saying she is not precious, I'm just saying it seems like you were trying to go by her user name and got a little mixed up.

lol....yeah.....thanks Rebekah (how do you spell your name?)

people refer to me as Sarah too (just so you're not confused)

also, about the containers....if money is an issue (as it often times is), you can accomplish the same goal with free boxes from grocery stores. Just try to get the same size so they stack well. I like banana boxes because they are uniform size, stack well, and hold up to lots of use. If you don't like the look of the boxes and want something that looks nicer, a few cheap rolls of wrapping paper or a few cans of spray paint will do the trick.


when organizing things kids will get into and have to put things away in, try using pictures of the item(s) on the outside along with the word(s) so that even if they can't read yet they still know what goes in it.



OneOfHisJewels -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 3:39:09 PM)

quote:

thanks Rebekah (how do you spell your name?)


You spelled it exactly right!!![:D][:D]



OneOfHisJewels -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 3:42:42 PM)

quote:

also, about the containers....if money is an issue (as it often times is), you can accomplish the same goal with free boxes from grocery stores. Just try to get the same size so they stack well. I like banana boxes because they are uniform size, stack well, and hold up to lots of use. If you don't like the look of the boxes and want something that looks nicer, a few cheap rolls of wrapping paper or a few cans of spray paint will do the trick.


when organizing things kids will get into and have to put things away in, try using pictures of the item(s) on the outside along with the word(s) so that even if they can't read yet they still know what goes in it.


Those are all great ideas. That reminded me that shoeboxes work well, too.

What Sarah said also gave me another idea. If cost is an issue, but you really desire something like the baskets, do all your original organizing with something like the cardboard boxes, and then maybe, like, once a month, replace one box with one basket. In the beginning it may seem like it will take forever, but time goes by so fast, the change will come faster than you think.



Consecrated2God -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 3:51:06 PM)

For me, organization only works if it's really simple. If it takes too much time to put something back, I know I'll just toss it there somewhere. My mom used to have really complicated organization systems. All the square tupperware containers in a stack near the back of the cabinet, all the bowls in front, the lids in a stack over here, etc. If you wanted to put a tupperware container away you had to move out everything in front first and put it in the right stack, and then put everything else in front again. It never worked.

Complicated organization says that Barbie toys go in the box on the top shelf on the right side of the closet and Polly Pocket toys go in the shoebox under the bed behind the suitcase, and Happy Meal toys from McDonalds go in the third drawer in the plastic dresser on wheels.

Simplified organization says big toys go in the big box, little toys go in this little box.



peculiar_lady2 -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 3:55:01 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: OneOfHisJewels

quote:

thanks Rebekah (how do you spell your name?)


You spelled it exactly right!!![:D][:D]

[:D]

quote:

That reminded me that shoeboxes work well, too.

yup!!!! shoe boxes are great!!!! (I esp like to use them in clothes drawers for things like belts, scarves, and socks). Also things like the bottom two or so inches of cereal boxes, cut off...those work great as junk drawer organizers when you put them all together in the drawer.



MrsTracy72 -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 9:55:49 PM)

LOL, I was wondering when Sarah was going to jump in here.



peculiar_lady2 -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 9:59:07 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: MrsTracy72

LOL, I was wondering when Sarah was going to jump in here.

LOL...ya know, for someone known for my organizing skills around here, my house sure doesn't show it right now!!!! We just moved bedrooms around right before Justice was born...put the other tow boys together...so now we are trying to get an office set up. We started that today (FINALLY!!!) and as soon as that is done then I think everything will be better and well organized again. It always seems that if one room in my house is a mess all of them are...lol



MrsTracy72 -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 10:57:30 PM)

Same with me. People always tell me how well organized I am, and I really am when it comes to planning things, but my house is a whole different story. I get things the way I think I want them, then I hate it and start all over or add something new. This time we are adding a new person.

So, we moved at the end of June, went on vacation a few days later, came back, decided to rip the tiling off of the entire basement floor, now an exchange student and somehow paint (epoxy) the basement floor in between. Not very organized LOL



Mrs.X -> RE: Organize Me (8/16/2008 11:36:56 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Consecrated2God
Simplified organization says big toys go in the big box, little toys go in this little box.

That's sorta how we do it too. Each kid has a big toy box and a small toy box. Big toybox is for the toys that don't get played with a lot and large toys. The small toybox is for the small favorite toys.



NotDoneYet -> RE: Organize Me (8/17/2008 12:40:39 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: JJB1222

Anybody really good at organizing? I admire women who have their trusty label maker ready to go at all times, or the women whose children's playrooms look like a Montessori school.

I am just not organized. It's not that I don't want to be. I just don't seem to have that part of the brain that tells you where and how things should be put away.

Please share what you do, what to try, what you've seen.

[:D]

I don't have that "organization gene" either...the closest I can get is sorting silverware.

I'm thinking of just throwing EVERYTHING out and starting over. If I did it a little at a time I could probably handle it...but the ADHD doesn't help either...

Wonder if I could pay someone to come and do it...and maybe I could keep it up...



Mrs.X -> RE: Organize Me (8/17/2008 12:53:25 AM)

NotDoneYet, I bet you can pay someone to come do it. Women are always on craigslist trying to find housecleaning jobs. You can ask them if they can organize you instead in two parts. First to tell you what you need to buy to organize and the second to put it all away for you. Just be sure to ask for refrences and call the references.



cindybode -> RE: Organize Me (8/17/2008 12:55:14 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: peculiar_lady2

oh yay....my speciality!!!!! I grew up with a mom who seriously could make money organizing people's houses for them!!!!


That would be my oldest daughter. So my method of organizing is very simple - stand in room with confused look on my face, yell, "ASHLEY!!!!" and be sure to have plenty of chocolate or ice cream for bribes. Works every time. [sm=purplelaugh.gif]



FAWIHTT -> RE: Organize Me (8/17/2008 11:21:55 AM)

what if you have more things than space and you don't know how to purpose the area.



peculiar_lady2 -> RE: Organize Me (8/17/2008 12:01:40 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: FAWIHTT

what if you have more things than space and you don't know how to purpose the area.

what area is it?
how big is the room?
what do you have to put in it (furniture wise)?
How many purposes does the room need to function as?



FAWIHTT -> RE: Organize Me (8/17/2008 3:20:14 PM)

Well, I have 3 bookshelves, a tv a coffee table. a chair and I need to put in there a desk and a sofa not to mention a kitchen table.

OK, it's an apartment and this one room needs to be dining room, office and living room all in one and it's not a big area i need to get the exact measurements. it's the only room besides 2 upstairs bedrooms.



OneOfHisJewels -> RE: Organize Me (8/17/2008 3:44:54 PM)

quote:


OK, it's an apartment and this one room needs to be dining room, office and living room all in one and it's not a big area i need to get the exact measurements. it's the only room besides 2 upstairs bedrooms.


I am somewhat in your situation, because I live at home with my parents (loong story), so the only rooms that are really "mine," are my bedroom and my bathroom, so what I did is divide (not with dividers, but mentally) my room into little sections. One corner is my "sewing room," another corner is my "study," There is a couch on one wall, so that is my "living room," my bed is against one wall, so that is my bedroom, the bookshelf under my window is my "library", and the TV/dvd are in another corner so that's my "entertainment room." I am also blessed in that there is a closet in the bathroom where my parents let me keep my clothes, so I keep all my stuff like scrapbook stuff, craft stuff, and memory stuff, educational stuff (I used to teach preschool, and want my own some day, also saving the stuff for if/when I ever finally get to home school) and hope chest type stuff in the bedroom closet. If I did not have a couch in the room, and if I didn't have two closets, I would have put all my organizing drawers/boxes against the wall where the couch is and hung a curtain in front of it.


Not only did I mentally divide the room into "mini rooms," for storage/organization, I'm decorating that way, too. The main color scheme of the whole room is ivory and white, but different little corners have their own color scheme, style, for example, my bedside table has light blue decor, the bookshelf under my window has pinks and greens on the top, the wall opposite my bed has the red stuff, the couch wall has the greens and whites, to the right of my desk is/will be all the ocean themed stuff, above my desk are the darker blue and white things, and above my bed will be the gold and white stuff, to match the gold and white bed.
One thing that really helps me is that I do not use a dresser. I hang up everything except for socks, underwear, nylons, scarves, belts, hats, and gloves, and sweaters, and each one has their own basket or box.

I recently went through a room trade with my sister starting about two years ago, which led me to a BIG organizing project. I already talked about it in another thread, so I am going to try to find it so that I can quote and not have to re type everything.



Consecrated2God -> RE: Organize Me (8/17/2008 3:48:32 PM)

quote:

what if you have more things than space and you don't know how to purpose the area.


I would get rid of as much stuff that I could, things that I really didn't need to have. Then I would take those things that I didn't want to get rid of, but didn't actually use, and put them in storage. Then I would add more shelving and storage space where I could so I could organize the rest.

My great-grandmother lived in a trailer. Her husband was a migrant worker. She raised my grandmother and five other half-siblings in that little trailer as they moved around the country. She organized things by putting them in piles, and would hang an index card from the ceiling above the pile with a list of all the things that were that pile.



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