CHEAP FIXES FOR COMMON HOUSEHOLD PROBLEMS
Is your home disorganized and almost impossible to keep up with? Have you tried organizing in the past only to become frustrated when you're unable to keep it that way? Well, you're not alone. People complain that they think they'll have to spend hundreds, or even thousands of dollars on expensive organization systems or professional organizers. However, there are some techniques that you can use when you organize that will help you to not only do it on the cheap, but also will help you stay organized in the future. Use these tips to get your house in order, top to bottom, in no time.
If you hired a professional organizer, they would tell you to list your problem areas. These "hot spots" should be organized in order of importance to you. The most important ones should be the ones that affect you on a daily basis. Things like a disorganized closet or bathroom can keep you from making it to work on time. They can also cost you money because you can't find space to buy in bulk or you simply can't find what you need when you need it. These areas should be handled first so that your life can be on track enough to find time to take care of everything else.
When you organize these areas, you should always be thinking about minimizing what you keep in them. If you have just a little space in the bathroom, then you should only keep thing things that you use on a daily basis in there. Alternate storage areas can be used for items that you don't use very much, or for stockpiling items that you bought in bulk to save money.
When you go through your closet, think about minimizing your wardrobe down to what you really wear so that you can eliminate or minimize the amount of clothing that you put into storage each season. Seasonal storage sounds like a good idea in general, but it often leads to the dreaded laundry mountain when the weather starts to turn. You may need long sleeves or a jacket one day and a bathing suit the next. Depending on where you live, this time in between seasons can stretch out for months. In the meantime, you have clothing from both seasons all over your room because they both won't fit in your closet.
Use the proper style of hanger to help you fit more in the closet. Coordinate or combination hangers allow you to hang tops and bottoms together on one hanger. This saves you time when looking for matching clothes and doubles the space in your closet. Cascading or specialty hangers that allow you to hang multiple pairs of pants or skirts from them can really save you some room. Look into which types of clothes hangers will help you to stay the most organized year round so that you don't have to worry about starting over every season of the year.
About the Author: Jo Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online retailer of quality clothing hangers.