Monthly Archives: April 2010

23 April, 2010
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Organizing a Tiny Bathroom

Getting the bathroom organized can be a real challenge if you have limited space. If you’re tired of having to dig for what you need or having everything piled on the counter around the sink, use these tips to get it organized. Making room for all of the little things that must be kept in the bathroom is possible if you try!

1) Clear everything off of the counters and pull everything out of any cabinets that you might have. You may be surprised at what you find buried in the back of the junk. Throw away any expired make-up, medicines, or things that you just don’t use anymore. Consolidate things that you can, like half empty body washes and shampoos, into one container. Clean out dust and spills while you have the cabinets empty.

2) Evaluate the space. Do you have a deep cabinet that just holds what you need, but it’s so low and far back that it’s impossible to simply reach in and get what you want? No one wants to get down on the floor and dig through a disorganized mound of bottles and containers to find one little thing. Consider taking better advantage of your cabinet space by installing sliding drawers. You can get wire ones that are designed to go into cabinets at home improvement stores. You may even want to put a straight board on casters on one side of the cabinet. You can install hooks on it to hang things like cleaning products, your hair dryer, curling irons, and more.

3) Use the drawers for all of your little things, like make-up and medicines. You can lay an organizer tray in the drawer for things that you need to access all the time. Use containers that close, like a recipe card box, for things that you don’t use very often. Label the box with what’s inside. Put things like nail polish, nail clippers, polish remover, and cuticle cutters into one container and label it. When you need it, you can pull the whole container out and then put it back when you’re done. Keep your medications together in the same manner. You may need one for hair accessories, face creams, tools like eyeliner sharpeners and eyelash curlers, or stock items like razor blades and new toothbrushes.

4) You will need on drawer or shelf for things that are needed for maintaining your bathroom. Toilet paper and cleaning supplies can go in this section. You can put towels and wash cloths under the cabinet, or you may want to use some shelves outside of the cabinet, near the shower, for this purpose.

5) You can install a hanging bar, like one you would see at a restaurant concierge, to hang your robe or clothing on. Hang your work clothes in the bathroom as you’re showering to release any wrinkles that they may have and keep them looking fresh. You can use a very small bar stocked with space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, to use the least amount of space possible in your bathroom.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

15 April, 2010
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How to Manage Small Living Spaces

Living in a small space can save you money and put you closer to the places that you need to go, but sometimes it can get to feeling a little cramped. We generally collect belongings throughout the year. Whether you received gifts, got new furniture, updated your wardrobe, or bought new towels, you’re slowly using up the space that you have. Finding clever ways to make the best use of your space can help you feel relaxed and at home, rather than feeling like you’ll have to move to make room for all of your stuff.

1) Chances are, you own more than you need. When we buy new clothes, for example, we don’t usually think to throw out or give away the old ones. The same goes for shoes, cameras, socks, make-up, you name it. We don’t like to throw out or give away usable items. There are a couple of ways to tackle this problem. Set limits for yourself on what you can own. Have a basket or bin for things that you think you won’t use anymore. If you can’t bear to give it away immediately, keep it in this holding area to see if you really miss it or not. Only allow yourself to buy new things if you get rid of something old.

2) Make an assessment of your space. You can, for example, make a sock bin and hang it on the wall of your closet. Make an educated guess about how many socks you need to own and how much space you are able to spare for them. When the basket gets a little full, start going through the bottom and decide which socks you didn’t wear much over the last year. Get rid of them if they’re not your favorites.

3) One benefit of setting limits for yourself like this, is that you end up buying higher quality products that you’ll really love and be able to use for a long time. Being picky is a good thing. You may be thinking that this sounds like an expensive option, but it really isn’t if you think about how often you have to get rid of cheap clothes and shoes that tear up or shrink in the wash. You’ll end up spending less over the long term if you are careful about what you let occupy the little space that you have.

4) Use organizers, racks and bins to keep the space limited. Use space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, to make the most space in your closet while protecting those delicate or expensive garments. You’ll love your newly organized little space and enjoy not having the clutter that you used to.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

15 April, 2010
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Space Savers

Saving space in your home can be challenging. Most of us have trouble managing clutter and finding room for everything that we own and need to store. Use these tips to get yourself started on an organized home. If you follow a few simple steps, you will be organized before you know it.

The best way to be successful is to set aside time to organize. Depending on your project, it may not be a good idea to tackle it all in one day. Getting your whole home organized can be an ongoing process, so try to be patient. Your diligence will pay off. As you discover what works for you in one area, you should be inspired to carry on the techniques that have paid off to different areas of your home.

Start with the areas that are really bugging you. These are generally junk piles that just seem to accumulate no matter what you do. You get it clean and through the course of one day, it’s junky again. This is usually due to the fact that your family is in the habit of tossing things into the areas that are already junky.

Identify the problem areas and see what types of items are always ending up there. Whether it’s newspapers, mail, homework, lunchboxes, hats, shoes, keys, cell phones, or just trash, you should create a space to manage it. If backpacks are always landing in one spot, then install some hooks and label them with each person’s name. If shoes are a problem, get a large bin or shoe rack and put it where everyone takes off their shoes.

You can put organizers for mail, keys, wallets, purses, and cell phones either in your entryway or kitchen, wherever they tend to pile up. It’s easiest for everyone to stay organized if you provide the organizational tools and install them in the area that the family already uses. People are really creatures of habit and our routines are soothing. Changing the area too much just about ensures that no one will use it after the first few days. The junk will be piling up again and the organizers will be empty.

Once you get your key areas straight, think about your closets. Closets are great for storing items and keeping them out of sight. However, you need to use your closets for your clothing, too. So, you need to find a way to save space so that you can do both. One trick is to move your top shelf up closer to the ceiling. This moves your storage items up and leaves you more space to organize your clothes. You can use things like space saving hangers, such as velvet hangers, to make the most of your hanging space.

When you get your home organized in a way that works, it is more likely that it will stay that way.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.