10 Smart Organizing Ideas That Make Life Easier

platypus I love the idea of using a photo of the contents of a box as a label. This would be great for items I only use once or twice a year, like formal silver for holidays and special decorations. It would also be great for storing fabric for crafts and sewing so I don't have to dig through the whole box to figure out if the fabric I want is in there. Thanks!

Toni I Love your ideas! We're moving into our new home soon ( I'm in charge of designing and decorating too) and I'm keeping this post to refer back to. Going out today to buy more storage containers and a tea trolley so that I'm ready to put everything into place as we shift.

myfanwyb Who pays bills by cheque anymore? Go paperless with automatic debit or pay online. Eco friendly and less mess or clutter.

brendaberry22 Some clever ideas! Like!

olldbobbi myfanwyb - The only person I know who still pays by check is the stubborn elderly lady in front of me in line at the grocery store at dinner time. And she writes really, really slowly.

DUEALBERI Great tips, thank you for sharing them!

designwitch This feels pretty dated. How many people get so much mail it has to be sorted? Mail is in decline. Ditto the writing of cheques. Also, pharmacists will tell you not to store medications in the bathroom or the kitchen; there are very similar levels of humidity in the kitchen as there are in the bathroom.

taraoz love the baking trolly idea

JAN MOYER Okay girls, go ahead and laugh, I can take it. I love checks. But a bill comes in and goes out paid in full the day it arrives, so no biggie. AND I WRITE FAST, and always have stamps. The catalogue tide is never stemmed, and those go in recycle without crossing the threshold. Save the date items go on a calendar. I think for many folks, far larger problems come from over- thinking organization, trying to make it too cute, stuffing things that end up forgotten in pretty little boxes. ... and purchasing more bins, and more boxes and baskets, only to start more bins and baskets. As a designer I see the affliction every day.
The single big word synonymous with organization is CONSISTENCY. It truly does not matter where you store a particular thing, only that the thing you are storing needs to be stored, goes in the same place every single time, and if it requires another action, that you do the action required! I can not imagine ONE disorganized client, who would be better served tucking bills or any important paper under a coffee table..... where soon the crayons, and tv remotes, and junk mail would end up in that box, and the electricity turned OFF. They are the same folks who would forget they already purchased birthday gifts, which would get lost among the 800 rolls of paper towels purchased at the big box club store. :)

astraea Like the idea of putting a dryer sheet under the garbage bag!

#2 - I grew up in a 3-generational house, where there were lots of medications .. and I was taught at a young age that they weren’t for me & didn’t taste good anyway. I was a VERY curious kid .. but I never touched the medicine! What’s the point of having first aid & medication in the house, if you deliberately put them where they’re not accessible to children WHEN THEY HAVE AN EMERGENCY?! I also hope the comment about “transfer them to ..” doesn’t mean taking them out of their original boxes, because that’s another medical no-no!

#7 – Are you kidding; “put everything you need to pay bills under your coffee table” .. where snoopy guests can browse?! Unless that’s your only office/work space, don’t keep any important or personal papers in the living room!

patricia beharry Bobbi P, I did'nt know you knew me. LOL.

JAN MOYER Bobbi and Patricia.... I KNOW that is you out there in cyber land....hahaha

Francique_Caribbean_Cuisine Francique Great ideas. I now need to find the time to do them!

tcufrog Great article but you didn't mention my favorite organization tool, a label maker. Once you get one you'll wonder how you ever lived without one. Cartridges can get pricey but if you buy a p-touch you'll be able to buy them cheaply at Sams or Costco.

I found that best time to buy gift wrap and bows is at the Target after Christmas sale. You can get really cute striped and polka dot paper as well as a bag of multicolor stick on bows.

Photos of contents is a great idea for boxes. Printer address labels are a really easy way to do that. Instead of taking photos I copy pictures of the category of items off the Internet. I used such labels to label my sons' plastic toy bins. I placed clear packing tape over them to protect them. I labeled the steel mesh drawers holding mittens, shoes, etc by printing pictures onto printer business cards. I laminated them with clear contact paper. I punched holes in the corners and attached them to the mesh bins with zip ties.


My husband never sorts through his mail and my older son needed a place to put his school papers when he came home from school. I found a canvas magazine holder that hangs on the wall and has multiple magazine pockets hanging down vertically. I hung it on the pantry door where no one will miss it. Each family member has a pocket and there's a separate pocket for bills. My kitchen counters aren't cluttered anymore and my son is learning an important lesson in organization.

Sorella Luna @Jan. I'm not laughing. You are so right. Although I don't use checks anymore, Putting things back where they go and culling the bins/baskets out every once in awhile is key. I have a 1927 solid oak desk where my desktop computer fits perfectly with room to spare. I found cute decorative boxes at Big Lots. I kept them in the same color family. Since I have my desk in my living room , the boxes hold copy paper, software, a variety of stationary (yes, I still write on occasion), greeting cards, candles (you can never have too many)...etc. The room with the baskets under the coffee table is nice. However, when my kids were small, "crayons" were NOT allowed in the living room as it was not "playroom". Call me old fashioned, but my children were not allowed in the living room. I, agree with you that bills, etc, shouldn't be visible to prying eyes. Junk mail is no longer an issue as it is tossed immediately. Number 10 is perfect for kids. The baking cart takes me back to the early 60's when I was little. I remember my mom had one in the kitchen. She never worried about us pulling it over on ourselves, because we were not allowed to touch it. She had one of those huge heavy mixers, a toaster and a blender. Wow, the things you remember.

olldbobbi OH! Those catalogs! They never seem to end and the same for credit card people who can't wait to take my money! Even if you "opt out" of receiving credit offers, they still keep-a-comin'.

genevagirl Sadly, trash bag liners leak. I'd hate to store the compost bags under the compost and it springs a leak. Yuck! I like the idea, but in practice, I think it's safer to keep trash and compost liner bags in a clean, dry place.

JAN MOYER Trash in most kitchens is just that. Largely dry, or limited to what can not go down a disposal, such as bones, or banana peel. Obviously, composting is a different thing. But bags under a bag, are handy, and great for lazy children and husbands. Leaves them no excuse, when they FINALLY realize not one more thing will fit, and take it out.!

olldbobbi Jan! Bags under a bag ARE handy, until your unknowing and well meaning relatives visit and decide to "dump" the trash without removing the full bag!!!

JAN MOYER Bobbi,
I must say.... people just continue to ASTOUND me... one has to ask why oh why oh why?? lol

thegreenbee Great point about the medicine cabinet. We keep all of our medicine and vitamins in little basket in a kitchen cabinet. For some reason, we remember to take them better when they are there, rather than in the bathroom, anyway!

olldbobbi Top 3 reasons to (still) own a checkbook:

3. Kindling for your fireplace when you run out of the pesty bills
2. Excellent handy fan for your hot flashes
1. When you own a 4 legged table, and 1 leg is shorter than the others.

Love you Jan!!!!

JAN MOYER Bobbi,
There is something very concrete and in the face about a checkbook, and its attendant balance...... the actual pen and ink moment of paying the cc card bill when you have been entertaining yourself in the virtual shopping world. It can make you soberly aware in a split second and much less abstract way :) I needed more SHOES? Or another bag??

horsecrazy1959 I enjoyed some of the ideas, agree with others about some of the points made, however I'm a RN and taught many years at a school of nursing. One class I taught was medication administration. You never store medications where there is direct sunlight, or heat and humidity. This includes bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room. The heat and humidity degrades and breaks down the medication making it less effective. And you NEVER ever store medications where young children can get to them.

Laura Gaskill @myfanwyb - I agree! Paperless is best. However, I know I have several bills that I'm not able to pay online, so that's what my bill basket is for. If you can do all yours online, that's great!

@astraea - Medications should always be kept out of reach of children. It's simply not worth risking it, even if you think your kids know better. Having some first aid supplies within reach (such as bandages) and teaching them about how to use the supplies could be helpful, but I would never keep medications within reach!

@designwitch - Wow, I wish we could trade mailboxes! We still get tons of catalogs, mailers from neighborhood associations, school events, flyers, and on and on and on!

Laura Gaskill @horsecrazy1959 - Good point! I guess it seems like in my kitchen (which is open to the rest of the house) isn't too humid, and a cupboard away from the stove would be okay...but your comment definitely made me think twice. I know a few cupboards in my kitchen near the stove get pretty warm/humid while cooking.

krissiwyss Seriously, paying bills by check? When was this written?

olldbobbi krissiwyss - uh oh.......

horsecrazy1959 @Krissiwyss REALLY? We pay all of our bills electronically but we have a couple that do not have the capability of automatic payment so we pay by check. Something can be said for paying by check. I've never had a problem paying with checks, but twice this year have had to cancel credit/debit cards due to theft of the numbers.

JAN MOYER Look, some of us like checks. Some like to pay online. I think the POINT of the idea book, was organization, so it matters not HOW you pay your bills, only that they GET paid on a timely basis, and that you have access to your personal finances wherever you routinely keep that information. As to eco friendly? Hah! In among the annual 3 billion pizza boxes, paper towels ( 3000 tons in landfills each year) , plastic water bottles, and cheap imported junk furniture and doo dads thrown away in this country each year.... I doubt my few checks and envelopes are a problem!

astraea I'm really shocked; do you people not make donations to organizations that may not allow for online or credit card transactions? Do you not give monetary presents to friends & relatives, where a check gives them the most flexibility for use/savings? I agree with Jan Moyer, that the focus should be on organizing, regardless of how we handle our financial transactions.

olldroo I am quite amazed by the comments here at the seemingly lack of recycling in the US. We have "No Junk Mail" signs for our letterboxes which are respected if brochures and flyers are not wanted. In addition we are supplied with 4 wheely bins - a red lid for general household rubbish and food scraps that can't be composted that is collected weekly, a green lid for garden rubbish that also can't be composted, a yellow lid for plastic and glass bottles and containers, and cans, and a blue lid for paper and cardboard, the latter three collected fortnightly. The contents of the yellow and blue bins are all sent for recycling and not into landfill. When I bring the mail in each day, I put any junk mail of no interest straight into the bin and generally open any mail and put the envelopes and anything unwanted straight into the bin also, so nothing even comes into the house I have no use for. Our recycling bins are usually fairly full each fortnight but the general rubbish that goes to landfill rarely has more than two small bags of kitchen waste. In addition we have a very healthy garden courtesy of the composting.

astraea @groovygranny - From your mouth to God's ears, about "no junk mail"! I love that we have a federal "do not call" registry, but there's nothing to protect us from junk mail, of which I'm aware. And if you move & the mail forwarding time expires for the previous resident, you wind up with their junk mail as well .. and some companies just won't stop sending it!

horsecrazy1959 @ groovy granny I agree the mountainous landfills are a problem. Our state does not have any home recycling collections, but I and many of the people I know collect our recyclables and carry them to a recycling collection area. It is 30 minutes from our home, but if we don't start taking this seriously as a nation we are going to be buried under a mountain of trash! Love your comments!

olldroo Astraea, I have to laugh at your do not call register - we have that too but unfortunately it doesn't stop Indian Call Centres and a US Travel Company with a recorded voice that screams "Congratulations, you have won a holiday" as soon as you pick up the phone and unfortunately the Australian Govt can't do much about them. The junk mail sign is not an organised thing, just something you can do voluntarily and generally deliverers respect it, but it wouldn't stop addressed mail delivered by postmen, they are obliged to deliver. .

I did read one time, I think it was an American Comedian who came up with a strategy for dealing with junk mail, and that was to return it to the sender, he even combined mail from various senders and sent it all to one person, figured if they sent him junk they could have his junk back. It was quite a funny read.

Anything addressed to another person, I definitely mark RTS in large letters and put it back in the box. When these people have to pay return mail, they soon get the message.

olldroo Thank you Horsecrazy - maybe when this website is dedicated to beautiful homes to live in readers should use it to look at ways to promote beauty outside the home too by reducing waste and landfill and what can be done to put pressure on individual City councils to put services in place. When my American son-in-law comes to visit he is just amazed at the amount of recycling we do compared to the US.

While driving 30 mins to recycle is admiral, when whole neighbourhoods do this, how much petrol is used and how much pollution is created to do this. One truck collecting for a whole neighbourhood is far greener. Just having the bins available makes people far more aware of the amount of packaging is used these days to seek options when purchasing products and put pressure on supermarkets especially to look at options for existing excessive packaging.

JAN MOYER I have reduced junk e-mail to virtual zero, but the flood of junk advertising can not be stemmed. I would not count on returning it thru the US Post Office.... they can't deliver the mail you WANT! And when they do....it is seven pm. Add to this fact that in many places in the US, we are using recycle bins that are the SAME recycle bins from the 1970's. This, despite the virtual shopping, resulting cardboard, and general increase in consumption. End result? A street full of windblown recyclables on a windy day....lovely! Just lovely.

olldroo Pretty sad state, Jan, goodness knows what can be done and where it will all end. That is one good thing about our wheely bins, the lids stay on, things don't get blown out and animals can't knock them over. Mind you some of the cowboy collectors can do a pretty good job of scattering the empty bins all over the street.

I am learning about the US Postal Service, I send a card to my grandkids and I can count on them having it in 3 days, 4 max, I know our mail leaves the country on the first flight the next day and obviously does get delivered quickly, but anything the grandkids send me can take up to 2 weeks. We have checked postmarks and it can take ages for it just to get out of the US.

sherrymichael Yes you can get rid of most junk mail. Check it out: https://www.catalogchoice.org/

jscotta @JAN MOYER, the identity thieves also find checkbooks to be very concrete and in your face (err…in your bank account). Personal checks are one of the least secure methods for paying the bills.

JAN MOYER Ladies, you may all pay bills in any manner you choose! Until they refuse to print checks, this is my method and I actually LIKE it! There is no absolutely secure ANYTHING in this digital age: paper, virtual, or plastic. And that it is probably less about the method or material, and much more about the disintegration of character and ethics and morality in all parts of society. Ya know what I mean?

olldbobbi I know whatcha mean!

newmouse Here is some information on how to stop catalogs and other junk mail: https://www.catalogchoice.org/. I have no affiliation to the organization, but I have signed up and have reduced the volume of junk I am receiving. It's worth checking out.

sclawson Great article! We just down-sized and the baking items are wherever they would fit. Organizing all onto a small, wheeled cart would be great! I also like the idea of a donations basket in the entry; I have JUST the place!! I would take the cleaning supply idea a step further, though. I have a basket of cleaning supplies in all 3 bathrooms and the kitchen. I never have to carry anything from one to the other, so I am more inclined to touch something up when I see that it needs it.

sclawson PS: I also have mobility issues and use a cane. It's too HARD to carry cleaning supplies from one room to another when one hand is always on that cane!

mcd53 No 7. is absolutely silly. Most people go paperless now and even if they didn't how many bills would be forgotten to be paid because you it was under the coffee table. They get forgotten laying on the counter, but we are going to remember them under the table. With everything people have to do I can see very few relating to all but a few of these ideas.

atagirl49 I use a basket about 4"h x 10"d x 14"W with a handle for carrying, to put my bills/papers in and another small one about 1"H x 5x8 to keep check books, pens, stamps and blank envelopes in. And keep that little one in the big basket. The whole thing fits into a cabinet in my wall unit and a few times a month I pull out the basket and pay bills. I like it cause it keeps it all together yet stores nicely. my husband and teens know exactly where to look if they need a check or have a bill to pay and it's hidden away yet quickly accessible.

tworicks I take photos of each pair of shoes and put it on the end of the shoe box and then stack them in my closet. Makes it really easy to find the exact pair in a hurry.

olldroo Now that is what I call organised!!!!

k2_the_vortex I really like the idea of dealing with all the post as soon as it comes through the door, but in our case, my husband does the bill paying. At the moment, I bring in the post, sort out the obvious things, and put the rest on his desk for him to sort through when he has time. For this reason I quite like the idea of having filing trays or something to help keep things tidy.

We also have the "No Junk Mail" system here in New Zealand. Mine fell off recently and now I have to wait for it to stop raining so I can put it back on!

olldroo k2 - I bought a nice simple cardboard letter holder at a $2 shop and put all my husband's mail in that. Keeps it contained and tidy and only takes minimal space on his desk. Holds A4 sized envelopes as well.

Please keep the rain your side of the ditch, although we are supposed to be in for it all next week.

mcd53 That's a great idea if you aren't trying to get in with the groceries, the kids, the mail.....etc. I try to grab all the junk mail and get rid of it, but maybe I'm silly. I kind of like to shred all the millions of credit card appt's, car dealers sending keys to come try their car and all the other ridiculous stuff with our name on it that I don't want to chance anyone getting...accidentally or otherwise.

mcd53 I would like to add that we are suppose to be paperless. We pay all bills online or automatic withdrawal. I am on no list for any catalogs and still the box fills up
I also keep cleaning supplies in a clean bucket. No problem, just carry the bucket from room to room and just use whatever you need.

astraea @MCD53 - Everyone is NOT paperless, nor does everyone have e-mail. I have been an officer in various local organizations, and we still have to send some communications by snail mail. And if you organize events or collect dues, you get response forms & checks for reservations. Many people 70+ - who lead very active lives - still like reading material in hardcopy.

patricia beharry There is no greater joy than curling up n bed with a real book, and turning the pages. Then you put it on your chest and fall asleep. Making a real phone call and hearing the laughter in your grandchildrens' voices when they say 'Grandma" Twitter and an email saying LOL can never replace that.

JAN MOYER WELL LOL!!!!!! Most of those who insist they are "paperless"............go thru eighty miles of paper towels per month just wiping up their kitchen counter tops. Give it a REST!!! For heavens sake, who CARES how someone pays their bills AS LONG as they pay their bills.

patricia beharry Jan Moyer, I could not have said it better.

jscotta @Jan Moyer, @patricia beharry,

Sorry. Thought this was a blog about good design. Paperless seems to be a better design. Plus, since I'm in the identity theft business (protecting not stealing) the idea of leaving my bills and payment instruments in under the coffee table struck me as terrible design and practice.

JAN MOYER jscotta
The only theft I have experienced re identity.... came FROM WITHIN THE VISA AND MASTERCARD BILLING AND PROCESSING CENTER. Via the creation of a totally new card with my name and number, used in a state in which I do not live, and created by the thief within the CC company. If you read this thread, you will note I said storing bills under a coffee table is delusional, as is the idea that there is any information online that can be totally protected from theft. No offense intended, and none taken.

jscotta @Jan Moyer, I do and did note it and my comment was not regarding it. And, as you said, no offense meant or taken.

FYI: credit card identity theft if probably the easiest to find and the easiest to rectify. And while it is the most talked about on the news, only makes up about 20% of identity theft issues. I will not take this thread off topic any more except to say that a very large percentage of identify theft is committed by someone the victim knows. That is why our company will not help someone resolve their issue unless they are willing to press legal charges against the perpetrator.

mcd53 Astraea, when I say I, I mean my husband. I don't care how they get paid as long as they are paid. I actually wrote a ck TODAY. I use my card at the gas station so I don't have to go in. My kids write and call me because if they don't they don't hear from mom. But I do have a e-mail because that's how my 84 year old mother likes to communicate.
And it is great you knew what medicine not to take when you were young, but now there is a serious problem with kids getting into medicine that they shouldn't touch. And i have no personal knowledge of this other than what i have seen in the news. My husband is on hone diaylsis and his doctor has said the bath and kitchen are both to humid for medicine.
Our medicine is in the cabinet under his machine with all the other supplies. In a locked box. The key hangs behind the cabinet and he takes his meds 3 times a day and it takes less than 3 minutes. We don't have a child problem, but we have friends that come over, friends with kids we don't know. Our kids come by with friends. Better safe than sorry.
Just read in the paper(real newspaper) where an older woman's son was just arrested for selling her pain meds. This seems to be a serious problem for some people now.
Also now that it is voting time ....candidates you do not have to send the same card to our home every single day. We know who you are and you could spend that money on something else. PLEASE, no more postcards. I am going to vote, don't worry.

olldroo Patricia and Jan - Definitely, Patricia there is definitely nothing like curling up with a real book and I still like to have a hard copy of my bank statements to check off debits and credits - I know so many people who get it on line and still print out hard copies to do that ???? but I defer to modern technology over phone calls, FaceTime is so much more fun.

Jan - you forgot the tissues!!