organizing

10 Pantry Tips

April 3, 2017 by in 10 Things, Kitchen, Tips

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If your pantry feels overloaded, try these ideas to make it feel a little more roomy:

  1. Remove the items that are expired.
  2. Remove the items that your family will never eat.
  3. Hang a pantry door-rack, if possible.
  4. Relocate things like cookbooks, recipes and magazines.
  5. Relocate other things that don’t absolutely need to be in the pantry.
  6. Remove bulk items like flour, sugar, etc.
  7. Remove pet foods and treats.
  8. Only keep FOOD in your pantry- no lunch bags, napkins, paper towels, etc.
  9. Adjust or add extra shelves, if possible.
  10. Add roll-out drawers, if possible.

 

5 Steps to Closet Organization

September 14, 2015 by in Closets, General Organizing, Self Organization

Blog Graphics - 5 Steps to Closet Organization

STEP 1: Sort through your closet and decide what you’ll never wear again. These items include the pieces that are outdated, torn, stained and those pieces that haven’t fit properly in quite some time (and you don’t plan on tailoring them to fit). Take these items out of your closet immediately.  Decide if you’re going to donate the pieces you don’t want. Choosing a charity close to your heart helps you be fearless about your decision to donate.

STEP 2: Have a few pieces that need to be tailored? Take them to your tailor this week. Don’t delay-these are the pieces that haven’t been worn in a while. It’s time to make use of them again! if you wait much longer, you might lose interest in wearing them altogether.

STEP 3: Keep like-items together. (This is the step that will transform your closet) Move things around so they’re with their friends. Accessories together, sweaters together, shorts together, belts together, etc.

STEP 4: Use a drawer organizer to separate socks, underwear and other delicates.

STEP 5: This is extra credit- If your hangers aren’t the same type, switch them out for ones that are. Once you do, make sure all your hangers are facing the same direction.

Want to keep your closet looking sexy all year long? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Only put clothes away if they’re ready-to-wear. A wrinkly shirt in your closet isn’t a real option when you’re getting dressed in the morning.

2. Make sure to donate things along the way. Once you know something’s out,it should be out. Try to do this once each year.

3. Don’t allow “non-closet” things to enter your closet- ever. Pet toys, old birthday cards, extra office supplies- they live elsewhere.

4. Do a load of laundry the minute your hamper is full.

5. Pinky swear that you’ll hang up your clothes when you get home from work.

 

How to Find What You’re Looking for… in 10 Seconds

August 31, 2015 by in Self Organization, Taking Care of YOU, Tips

Blog Graphics - Find What Youre Looking For

The number one client complaint is, “I can’t always find what I’m looking for.”

I have a suggestion on how to find anything and everything in 10 seconds (or less)!

STEP 1: Before you buy something and bring it home, think of where it will live once you get it there. A good way to find a place for everything is to think of other like-items you might have that are already stored in your home. For example, you might want to store your extra shampoos and conditioners with loofas and extra soaps.

STEP 2: When you buy the item and bring it into your home, put it away immediately. Don’t let things pile up or you’ll be overwhelmed later.

STEP 3: Be sure you have a mental inventory of your cabinets, drawers and closets by actively making it a priority to open doors and drawers so you always know what you have. This will keep you from buying multiples of things.

30-Day Donate Challenge

August 27, 2015 by in General Organizing, Self Organization

This Donate Challenge is meant to help you make a little extra space in your drawers, cabinets, closets and other places you may not have looked through in a while. Taking this challenge means committing to look through the areas listed in the challenge and donating/tossing what you KNOW you won’t use/want/need in the future.

Donating and purging is one of the best things you can do when you first start organizing your home. Notice the name of this challenge is DONATE- not organize. I only want you to donate/toss things you KNOW you won’t use/want/need in the future. If you need to call a friend or need more than 10 seconds to think about whether or not to keep the items listed in the challenge, then the best thing to do is just to keep them and move on to the next item you see. The point of this challenge is to make a tiny bit of space in each area of your home.

Take the 30-Day Donate Challenge and download your FREE PDF here: XOXO 30-Day Donate Challenge

Participate by taking before and after photos. You can tag us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: #XOXO30DAYS

Here are pictures from last year’s Donate Challenge:

How to Delegate Your Duties

August 3, 2015 by in General Organizing, Taking Care of YOU

 

Moms can’t be expected to do everything and still have time to themselves. One of the secrets to staying organized is delegating some of your duties to your kids. I’ve heard excuses as to why not to delegate:

“It’s faster to do it myself.”

“They don’t do it the right way.”

“I end up doing the rest of it myself.”

Those are good reasons not to delegate, however, along with academics, kids should learn how to organize and clean up after themselves. Remember, you’re preparing them for adulthood. Let’s show our little ones how a little help here and there can be good for everyone. Here are a few duties you can delegate to your kids so you can squirrel away a little time for yourself each day:

  • Put dirty dishes in the sink or on the counter next to the sink (age 5 and up) time saved: 5 minutes
  • Take clothes out of the dryer and lay them flat on top of the dryer until you find time to fold them (age 5 and up) time saved: 7 minutes
  • Take clothes out of the dryer, fold them and leave them on the dryer (age 9 and up) time saved: 15 minutes
  • Take clothes out of the dryer, fold them and distribute to each room (age 10 and up) time saved: 20 minutes
  • Load the dishwasher (age 6 and up) time saved: 5 minutes
  • Unload the dishwasher and put dishes away (age 8 and up) time saved: 5 minutes
  • Toss expired pantry items (age 9 and up) time saved: 5 minutes
  • Pick up toys from common areas (age 3 and up) time saved: 5 minutes
  • Take out the trash (age 6 and up) time saved: 2 minutes
  • Set the table (age 5 and up) time saved: 4 minutes
  • Clear the table (age 5 and up) time saved: 7 minutes
  • Clear the table and put all food away in containers (age 10 and up) time saved: 15 minutes
  • Vacuum (age 6 and up) time saved: 2 minutes (per room)
  • Wipe down all counter tops (age 6 and up) time saved: 3 minutes
  • Give the dog a bath (age 10 and up) time saved: 15 minutes
  • File away paid bills (age 10 and up) time saved: 2 minutes
  • Shred old documents (age 7 and up) time saved: 5 minutes
  • Clean mirrors (age 7 and up) time saved: 5 minutes
  • Water outdoor plants (age 5 and up) time saved: 5 minutes

 

Teaser-Graphics-PrintableDownload our free printable chore chart here. Encourage your chore chart program with XOXO Daddy Dollars and  XOXO Mommy Money.


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