Organizing your home for better function
As I wrap up my organization series that helps to have a home with better function and appearance, many are are just getting into their organization journeys. With all the new gifts, for both the adults and the children, and resolutions to be more organized, clean spaces, and start fresh, it was the perfect time to share.
Each room and shopping link was originally shared on instagram and compiled into this post for a one stop shop. You will find the LikeToKnowIt image, images from my space using these items, and then a shop that location.
Kid Rooms
Kid closets can be hard to manage. I personally try to make AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE accessible to the kids so they can dress themselves.
- We cannot fit 2 dressers for 2 boys so we use cube storage
- Labels help with literacy, older siblings helping, and knowing where to put things away.
- Have a bin for too small clothes to toss in and take down later.
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Master Closet
- I took our previously installed system (similar to the one pictured) and build my own shelving.
- Add matching hangers, shoe storage, and clothing boxes for seasonal switch out and the closet feels organized!
- Putting our clothes in color order also helps it look nice and helps you locate that specific shirt you are looking for.
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Playroom
If you’re lucky enough to have a playroom/toy room, here are som great tools to help tame the chaos and keep it organized.
- Labels are key!
- New built shelves hold toy bins, closets hold bins and baskets, and bookshelves hold baskets and bins, too.
- Shoe bins hold the kitchen supplies.
- The collapsing shelf works great as art and a projector shelf.
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Living Room (toys)
For all those toys that sneak in the living room- organize them so they give you some sense of clean
- Arrange books in color or type order. Baskets for high frequency toys. They can help you pick which ones go in the basket. If clean up is as simple as which basket to go in, it helps them help you. (Even at 18 months, Bryce knew put this in your box, Nolan’s box, Stella’s box etc.
- Put games in the window seat. When boxes break down or to save room use puzzle bags.
- Tame the technology and have a place where they need to put it when time is done (that also charges it) with these awesome tech lamps
- Toys aren’t eliminated but the chaos is tamed and they can help clean.
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1/2 Bath
- Keep the half bath clean and organized (and control the diapers/wipes) with these systems.
- I put post it’s of the content of the drawers to help those things where they belong.
- The drawers under the sink help give you layers and access to things in the back. These come with dividers that help keep things from tipping.
- Drawer organizers help keep things from rolling around and moving in the drawers.
- It doesn’t have to be an expensive system. I use the feminine product boxes with the tabs cut off to keep them compartmentalized.
- The crate in the back of the toilet holds the cleaners and the books for kids to practice while going.
- We keep a genie in the bathroom so when we help them wipe the wipes are NEVER flushed. Then you can toss the diaper and wash your hands in one swoop.
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Kid Bath
Ideas to organize all the kid chaos of the bathroom.
- If you need a potty seat, this hanger has been a game changer for getting it out of the way.
- Keep toothbrushes (& a light up timer that is an old toothbrush) in pencil cases.
- The bottom drawer holds pajamas, pull ups, & wipes for quick bathroom help & getting ready for bed. They know to put the pjs in in the AM & get out at night
- We had trouble with Nolan getting into meds so we have ours in the drawers under the sink & the footstool is the door block. •Bath bombs & other fun things are out of the way under here as well.
- Toilet brush (Nolan proof) & cleaning supplies are blocked under the sink.
- The travel basket we take on all trips with travel size items and overstock items (buy in bulk to save) are in their own door.
- Bathtub caddy & nets help keep the toys up and dry out. There is also a toy bin next to the toilet on a bath mat, too.
- The kids all hang their towels in the bathroom and these Norwex towels can go weeks between washes, which makes it much easier to tame the laundry.
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Master Bath
Organize your master bath and all the odds and ends you have in there.
Behind the toilet we have some very basic decor and then a couple baskets. Inside one is the extra soap, the other wash cloths. The drawers hold the phone sterilizer we use occasionally, feminine products, and extra sanitizing wipes.
The slim drawers hold shaving supplies and help access the cords. This has the dividers to help with rolling around too.
Drawer organizers help control is and these made sign ones come in many sizes and with these cute labels.
Under the sink in drawers are travel items and extras. The bins also stack in them. The fabric bins hold cleaning supplies in front and the iron, steamer, and wrinkle released in the back.
Bigger baskets help with makeup and bigger stuff for daily use.
One little hack I love is putting my corded items in my bottom drawer. I let them cook on the counter too but then slide in the drawer without unplugging for daily use. I can easily unplug and store if I don’t want the cords visible.
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Linen closet
Linen closet organization. Organize all this loose objects and keep piles from tipping.
Out closet holds travel stuff, extra bedding, my long sleeves, my sports stuff (yes I have an entire packer one and then a Badger & Brewer one) and a couple odds and ends.
The fabric bins give me a limit. If it doesn’t fit into these, I need to go through again. No more piles inching over into other areas.
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Pantry
First, make a tiny pantry space organized to maximize space & function.
- I first set up zones, and label them.
- treats & salad
- breakfast
- sweet snacks
- salty snacks
- soups, spices, mixes
- baking
- cooking & produce
- These stackable bins are phenomenal for allowing us to stack up higher. The airtight containers are stackable and they fit more in here than the random assortment of boxes. They also prolong the life. These came with the chalk labels and marker which I also appreciate.
- I created my own labels by cutting up notecards and writing with an ultra-fine sharpie (I have a think with label makers fonts, yes I am crazy). If you don’t like your handwriting, label makers can be a good alternative.
- The box mixes (macaroni and cheese, cake mix, frosting, etc) are behind the boxes. I find the taller containers in the front help keep the boxes from tipping out.
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Fridge & Freezer
- Zones and uniform containers help a fridge and freezer stay organized.
- FRIDGE
- Drinks
- Meal kits (I got the idea when we got meal kits like HelloFresh, Dinnerly, and Every Plate, but when planning a meal, put all the supplies you need in the ice box. 3 meals fit (next to our eggs and butter)
- dairy
- sandwich thins, rolls, cinnamon rolls, and tortillas in the bread drawer
- leftovers in nice stacking containers. Also, we refrigerate our bread and bagels for extended life and they go on this shelf too.
- produce
- cheese, lunch meat, hotdogs. But lets be honest, Wisconsin it is mostly cheese and cheese alternative. There may be 7 lbs of shredded cheese in the drawer.
- condiments by categories as well. Tailgate, Cooking, Salad & Marinade
- FREEZER
- fruit, veggies, cheese (yes I freeze 5lbs more of cheese, we cant run out of cheese)
- bread & meat
- breakfast & dessert
- bulk dairy
- icepacks
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Extra Food
Food outside the pantry organization. Adding levels to see it all.
- Keep the flour and sugar on the counter for easy access while cooking. The cookie jar matches so it was also a must have.
- The spice shelf lines our small cabinet and allows us to see all the spices easily. We put the oil and vinegar inside for easy cooking grabbing (we do not use cooking spray, we use a drizzle of olive oil for EVERYTHING)
- In the treats cabinet in the corner (we have a child lock on it for our Nolan thief) I have individual jars on a tiered shelf (I got both mine from dollar spot, these are similar)
- Bathroom clear stacking lid containers for smaller things in the lazy susan
- The lazy Susan shelf allows us to stack cans 2 high with out having to have them on each other.
- The overstock items go up above the cabinets. I like to buy in bulk.
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Kitchen Tool
Products that organize all the kitchen gadgets and drawers.
- Organize pots and pans with the sorter. You don’t have to undo the whole stack to get the one you want.
- The Always Pan is a multi-functional pan. The more multi-functional products, the less items to organize.
- Use an adjustable pot organizer for smaller kitchen appliances.
- Silverware organizer takes up less room for more silverware than the traditional sorter.
- Silverware sorters work great for all the smaller gadgets, oven mitts, tops, straws, snack cups, and more.
- Stacking or nesting sets make organizing containers easier!
- More tiers means more room for stuff.
- Canisters look good and can hide things that don’t look so good. We have cords, wine accessories, and medicine oral syringes in our 3.
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Kitchen Cleaning & Extras
Cleaning supplies, junk drawer, and odds and ends need organizing, too!
- Organize under the sink but work around the pipes and disposal with this adjustable shelf.
- Use ice bins or book bins to keep loose cloths contained.
- My tier shelf holds my canisters that hide medicine syringes, cords, and wine accessories.
- Use a silverware organizer to organize junk drawers. I love this bamboo one because it is adjustable to fill the whole drawer and execute all the space.
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Fix it Box
The fix it box. One of my favorite hacks.
- They can reach the bin so when something is broken or needs batteries you can say, “go put it in the fix it box”
- When the box is full, collect fix it supplies and sort by what they need:
- Tape, wire, batteries, glue.
- Fix one category at a time , completing them all.
- Celebrate fixed toys and put them away.
- FIX IT DAY!
Entry Way
Welcoming and organized entry way when space is limited.
- Hall tree is easy to put together and sturdy!
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Mud room
The mud room/mud nook. I can honestly say in Wisconsin, it never feels big enough & extra therapies & extra curricular activities, it also never feels big enough. BUT we are using what we have to make it work!
- Hooks strong enough for backpacks/extra bags
- We bring backpacks in (that often contain their devices and water bottles for weather reasons)
- Baskets for hats and mittens (I cant find mine I got from JoAnn Fabric years ago)
- one set for when they are going out in the car/to school
- We only hang our car coats here, “snow coats” in the garage.
- The large baskets at top are for child carriers & zip ups for guests
- Felt baskets were from dollar spot July 2019, but these are similar & a similar price. Inside:
- Nolan’s meds
- Bryce dairy free stuff
- my felt hats
- Alex snow blowing needs
- The Gold basket is where they dump all their papers, water bottles, lunch box, and anything I need to go through. I go through it and sort into fill out, keep, hang, or recycle at a more calm time later.
- The bins on the bottom are for their shoes. They are labeled with their name and when they come home the very first job is “shoes in your box.”
- Masks are hanging by the door in size order. School, masks are optional and the bus they are required.
- Picture schedule for loading the bags up (which is also a check list for me) on the wall. There is a cold weather (snow boots/pants-pack shoes) & a warm weather one (put on shoes)
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Garage Mud Room
Store the things that are ok to be both extremely hot/extremely cold (at least here in Wisconsin)
- Winter coats, snow pants, snow boots
- Specials bags: Speech, Dance, Swim lessons (once dry)
- In the summer helmets and towels hang in their cubby
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Basement Storage
This section is still under construction. We are in a transition in our lives out of babies and into sports gear/camping, etc. This section will be updated when the basement is.
Original: Plastic shelves with bins stacked
Emptied out, Built wood shelves (anchored into cement walls)
Current: wood shelves. Baby section (over stacked and not needed much longer) and Holidays (seasonally January on right to December on the left)
**Note I buy bins when they go on sales so they are not cohesive, but a cohesive all bins matching and same size would be the goal***
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