Let’s Get Organized!
You want to see my kids act like a bunch of big ol’scaredy cats? Just let them see me coming up the stairs with the big black garbage bags. LOL
Okay, I go through this organization routine, phase or obsession as my kids call it, every year about this time and it’s hit and miss at best. The kid’s drawers and closets are overflowing by the time the New Year arrives. Old clothes, and clothes that were new at the beginning of the school year plus shoes that don’t fit, or they don’t wear anymore, keep cluttering and taking up space. They can’t put away the new stuff they received at Christmas. This means all that stuff has started trickling out into other parts of the house. Ack! If I can see it, it drives me up the wall and must be dealt with. As long as the doors can close and keep the clutter contained, the kids are safe from my madness. 
This year I turned to Google and Pinterest for new ideas and discovered a few nifty tricks that might help actually keep it all organized. And some of these tips can be considered recycling. Cool! So it’s a win, win!
Let’s tackle those closets:
Sweaters –
Use some of the bigger boxes left over from Christmas. Leave the top open and wrap the rest of the outside with pretty paper. Then lay box on its side in the top of the closet and stack those sweaters where you can actually see each one and grab what you want easily.
One of those hanging shelves works perfect for this too. But then you can put just about anything in those to save space.
Scarfs & Belts –
A simple towel bar works great. Just tie them on the bar and they hang all nice and neat and you can see what you have with a quick glance. Might be a great decorating idea too for the master bath. Not too easy to do in the kid’s closet because there is not much wall space. I’m thinking about just tying them onto a sturdy hanger in the same way.
Classic belt hangers with multiple hooks are also a good solution for hanging camisoles, bras, or scarves.
Shoes – (oh, the shoes!)
For those stylish boots that flop over at the top and take up two spaces instead of one, use rolled up magazines to stuff inside and keep them standing up nicely. And hey, you might enjoy reading that magazine again the next time you take out those boots to wear. Especially if a year has passed. LOL
Pumps, sneakers, sandals –
Save the original shoe boxes! Take pictures of the shoes and then paste it to the outside so you know exactly what’s inside. (A little bit of work, but it might be worth it.)
Bigger Boxes from Christmas. Again with the wrapping and prettying up. Then lay on side and stack away. I’m trying to figure out what to use for some kind of separation between levels. Otherwise, you just have a bunch of shoes in a box. LOL Hmmmm…
Hangable shoe racks on the back of your closet door.
Jewelry –
How about those old ice cube trays to keep your earrings and rings separated. They are stackable and easily fit inside a box, or on a shelf.
A Tie rack or a Coat rack works great for all those pretty necklaces and bracelets too. And again, you can then see what you have! The best part is not having to untangle anything.
Purses –
Shower curtain hooks or “S” hooks work great to get your favorites up off the floor. But you need space on the clothes rod. Darn it.
After about two full bags of clothes, I can almost see the light. We are making progress. Yeah! Now to put it all back in so that it stays clean. At least for a few months!
Okay, I’m still looking for tips. So please share your nifty closet organization skills! What works? What doesn’t?
Jan 21, 2013 @ 05:43:01
I’m an organizer like you, Melissa, but I’ve NEVER found anything to organize two things for long… The closet and the junk drawer.
Thanks for the great tips!
Jan 21, 2013 @ 12:19:22
LOL Laura! I’m not even going to think about those junk drawers! Yes, sadly I have more than one! Ack!
Melissa Ohnoutka recently posted..Pantser vs Plotter
Jan 21, 2013 @ 05:59:14
As far as belts, my husband has way too many. But I bought this nifty belt ring. It hangs on the rack in the closet but takes up only one space. The belts slide onto the ring via a small opening in the ring. When you want a certain belt, the others will move up or down until you get the desired belt at the opening.
I try to keep my closet organized by hanging like items together…pants here, skirts there, short sleeve shirts together, etc. This is helpful to finding something quickly but I have to straighten every 6 months or so.
I wish I were more organized! If I lived alone, I SWEAR everything would have its place and be in that location unless being used. With a spouse like mine, not gonna happen!
Jan 21, 2013 @ 12:21:13
That belt ring sounds perfect, Cyndi! I’ll be looking for that one!
And I agree, if I lived alone, man…I’d be bored out of my mind, but oh how clean and organized everything would be! LOL
Melissa Ohnoutka recently posted..Pantser vs Plotter
Jan 21, 2013 @ 18:48:53
Organizing Solutions for People with Attention Deficit Disorder by Susan Pinsky
Keri Stevens recently posted..Mistletoe Madness Blog Hop: Win a Kindle Fire and more!
Jan 21, 2013 @ 06:33:04
I read an ebook on organizing for people with ADHD, thinking I’d help my son. As I read it, I realized the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. Anyway, the basic principles were purge like a wild poo-flinging monkey, and make what’s left vertical and visible. So I took the first aid kit in the laundry room, the craft supplies and the medicine cabinet contents and put them in three different clear pocket shoe hangers in the back of the doors. Did the same with cleaning supplies in the linen closet. The boy’s assignments get written on the self-adhesive calendar on his bedroom wall. I tack story ideas up on my office wall. It’s helped! It’s not pretty (in the book she says you have to give up on pretty, enclosed spaces in favor of functionality). But it works. Oh! And we have the Universal Sock Basket now, which has saved lives. I keep a large basket on the dryer with on style of white socks. Since we all wear close to the same size (except for the 6 year old), we just take loose socks from that basket. When we dry clothes we put the socks in there. No sorting, no pairing. No running out of socks. No perceived strays. IV been throwing the blacks in there too, lately.
Keri Stevens recently posted..Mistletoe Madness Blog Hop: Win a Kindle Fire and more!
Jan 21, 2013 @ 12:23:58
Oh, Keri! Do tell us the name of that book!
I love these ideas, especially the sock one. I hate folding those things!
Melissa Ohnoutka recently posted..Pantser vs Plotter
Jan 21, 2013 @ 07:56:56
Very good timely post! It took me a while to realize I get more work (writing) done when I am organized.
I really love the towel rack idea! I have some old towel racks in the basement, –so much for clearing out old stuff! LOL the jewelry suggestions are brilliant too! I was getting so angry that my husband isn’t using the tie and belt racks I got for him, I think I’ll just repurpose them as mine! and stop fretting.
Cristine Gasser recently posted..First Impressions…. first lines…
Jan 21, 2013 @ 12:27:25
I think that is what drives me to this madness at this time of year, Cristine. I’m ready to start new writing projects, but the clutter just won’t leave me alone. LOL And I say Claim those tie and belt racks!
Melissa Ohnoutka recently posted..Pantser vs Plotter
Jan 22, 2013 @ 14:06:47
Clutter is definitely the bane of a creative mind. My kids’ closets aren’t TOO bad–because they don’t really use them. :/
I have problem with my junk drawers, too!
Natalie J. Damschroder recently posted..Under the Moon is a Daily Deal!
Jan 22, 2013 @ 14:57:00
Last month, I did something very radical –I got rid of the junk drawer! I realized it was living up to its name and I wondered what it would be like not to have a junk drawer… it’s much easier than I thought! LOL
Cristine Gasser recently posted..First Impressions…. first lines…