Remodel


The Benefits of Used Air Compressors -
Making space at home
How To Finance A New Extension?
Are Your Houseplants Safe?
Closet Organizing Tips: Systems for Conquering Closet Clutter
Add A Room To Your Home With A Patio Awning
Spruce Up Your Home Without Busting Your Budget
Get New Floors And Save A Bundle When You Do It Yourself
remodel
Home Improvement/Remodel Home | Home Improvement Sitemap | Contact Us

Organize for Creativity

Written by: Kathleen Wilson



OK, well, I know organization isn't really decorating,
now is it? But, let's face it, what good is all the
effort
to create a nice home when it's hidden behind the mess
and the clutter? So in order to help us all prevail
over
the chaos, here are some great hints for putting
everything
in its place! (On a budget, of course!)

The number one way to reduce clutter and mess? Deal
with
things as they occur, don't save it for later! File the
mail (or throw it away) as soon as it comes out of the
mailbox! Don't step over a small mess thinking you'll
do
the whole room later. Get the idea?

File your paperwork. Make a file/correspondence box
with
file folders. I just covered a sturdy cardboard box
with
some contact paper, turned it on its side, and glued a
piece of miniature picket fence (cut out of leftover
foam
core) onto the front to hold in the bills! You could
save
lightweight cardboard for dividers, make a "to pay"
file
and a "to keep" file, and perhaps a school file for the
kids, and whatever else fits your household!

Hide stuff! Yes, there are times when we don't want our
living room to look like Disneyland! Floor length
cloths
on the end tables are a great place to shove a toy box
or unusually shaped toys when not needed. If you have
open
shelving or a pantry area, consider sewing a gathered
curtain
panel to cover clutter. Install it with a
spring-tension
curtain rod, tie it on with ribbon, or try my favorite,
velcro stick-on tabs!

Organize your kitchen logically, and not only will you
reduce clutter, you'll save time and energy! Place
items
in cupboards near the area where you normally use them.
For instance, spices near the stove, everyday dishes
near
the dishwasher, cutting board and knives near the sink
- you get the idea! Use small boxes turned upside-down
to make higher "shelves" in the back of your spice
cabinet.


You don't have to buy expensive storage cubes for your
kids' rooms! Covered boxes, sewn drawstring bags from
extra
material, even an old suitcase under the bed make good
storage. A wall of simple metal-strip utility shelving
(they sell it in white, as well) can accommodate a
large
amount of stuff, especially for the older kids, and is
relatively cheap at home improvement stores. I save old
baby-wipe containers to store crayons, hot wheels, and
that endless supply of useless toys from the fast food
joints! You can cover them with contact paper. Try
labeling
what goes where, even for the older kids, so there is
no
arguing about what "putting it away" really means!

Finally, attack one area at a time. Try to fit in a
little
re-organizing each day, and you'll be recognizing that
creative décor you lost in the clutter again soon!

Copyright 2002 K. Wilson


About the Author

Kathleen Wilson is the author of "Quick Decorating
Ideas Under $20: The Budget Decorator's Bible" and the
editor of The Budget Decorator, a free ezine dedicated
to the "budget impaired" home decorator!For more free
projects visit her at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com.


remodel


Home Improvment Ideas
There are many home improvement projects that you can carry out to make your home a more comfortable space and to add to its value as property. These home improvement projects include remodeling the basement, kitchen, and bathrooms, and painting...

Bathroom Remodeling Made Easy
(ARA) – These days, you can’t turn on the TV without viewing a new episode of home improvement shows like “Trading Spaces” or “Hometime.” A report issued this year by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies calls home improvement the new “great...

Avoid Problems Painting Aluminum and Vinyl Siding
Anyone with older aluminum siding is well aware of the paint chalking problem. Just rub your hand along the old siding and the chalky old paint will be all over your palm. Trying to get paint to stick to this could be a real problem. This is due to...

Home Staging Tips
Home staging is a technique used to dress or stage a home so that buyers can really see it at its best. In essence what you must do is make your home appeal to the broadest range of people. Decide on the best features of your property and work...

Repair And Maintenance Of Kitchen Faucets
The kitchen is the heart of many homes. This is the room where the family prepares and shares meals together. Because so much time is spent here, the fixtures and accessories need to be functional and fit with the style of the room. Kitchen faucets...

Copywrite 2006 http://homeimprovement.divinfo.com
Design by MagicAnswers.com