Happy New Year! Even though I’m a few days late, the year is still really new, right? I hope it’s going well for you so far- and you’re keeping your resolutions so far. *wink*
One of the most common resolutions people make is “to get more organized.” But what does that exactly mean? It’s a huge undertaking and one that will cause you to get overwhelmed- and quickly- if you try to bite off more than you can chew at once.
I’ve set out to give you 10 simple steps to get more organized. I’ll be giving you tips on Tuesdays in January right here on Untrained Housewife, and on Thursdays at my blog, eatprayreadlove.com (You can read the first two tips here) Will your whole entire life be organized by the end of January? Probably not, but if you follow these steps, you’ll be on your way to living a more streamlined life.
One of the tips I give in the very first post is to begin purging things you don’t need. If you have too much stuff, it’s virtually impossible to keep it all tidy and under control. Each day I’m giving a practical action step to go along with the suggestions. However, each day, I’m also encouraging you to purge 7 items from your home. There are a combined total of 9 Tuesdays and Thursdays, so by the end of the month, you’ll be rid of at least 63 unnecessary items!
Today, I’m sharing with you how I’ve organized shoes and jewelry in our home. Everything has a place- now if only I could get my kids to always put things in their place!
1.Shoes
See this TV armoire?
It’s pretty, huh? I picked it up through Craigslist several years back for one purpose: our shoes. Shoes were all over the place. We don’t have a mud room in our house, and we enter at the front entrance, so shoes were immediately kicked off and visible in the front door. Lovely. The kids’ rooms are upstairs and at the time they were only around 3 and 5 years old (and there were only 2 kids instead of 4) so expecting them to take their shoes upstairs every time they walked through the door seemed a bit of a lofty goal, so enter the shoe cabinet.
The organization inside the cabinet has shifted as we’ve added more kids, but the principle stays the same: you walk in the door, take off your shoes, and put them in your compartment.
One drawer for each girl, a cubby for my son Landon, a cubby for my husband Ben, and all boots go on top so they don’t get smashed. The baby’s shoes go in his changing table. My shoes also go on top, but I only keep those that are in season in the cabinet. For example, during winter, flip flops are stored in my closet. (even though most winters in Texas I could still wear them!)
So when you walk through the door, you see this:
…not knowing that what is behind it. (Well, now you do!) It’s definitely one of my favorite organizational tools in our home.
2.) Jewelry.
I have one of those teensy jewelry boxes that my husband gave me our first Christmas we were dating. I love it, and it’s sentimental (so it’s not getting purged!) but it’s not really practical for storing jewelry. If my jewelry isn’t in view and organized, I’m not going to wear it, and if I’m not going to wear it, there’s no sense in having it, right?
So I began to look for other ways to organize. I stole this idea from my friend Jennie- simply hang necklaces on the towel rod in your bathroom.
That way, right before you head out for the day, you can choose a necklace to wear if you want.
Last Christmas, my husband got me this organizer (at my suggestion!) for earrings and bracelets. I love it! I can see everything and it holds tons of jewelry.
It hangs in my closet, which is connected to my bathroom. When an organization tool is easily accessible, you’re much more likely to put it to use! We got ours at Ross, but here’s a similar (and cheaper) one on Amazon.
I love being able to see all my earrings at a glance.
Action steps for today: Purge your 7 items for today. Put them in the car, and head to a donation center ASAP. (or toss them if they’re junk!)
Find a place for your shoes. If it’s a shoe cabinet, great. If it’s another method, great. Just get them off the floor! Enlist the help of your children, if you have them, in this feat! (pun intended!)
Organize your jewelry. Purge and donate what you don’t wear. (A little girl might enjoy using your cast-offs for dress up!) Keep it in view so you’ll actually wear it.
Don’t forget to read Tips 1 and 2 here.
So, confession time. Are you organizationally challenged? It definitely doesn’t come naturally for me, but I’m working on it!
