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Life.doc®
SALE $19.99 |
1. If You've Got Several Areas to be Organized, Start with One
You decide which one to start with – is it the area that gives you the biggest headache, or the area
that guests to your home most easily see? Whatever your priorities, select one area and stick to it. Many
attempts at organization fail when the task of cleaning up the entire house seems daunting and folks give up.
When you complete one area, celebrate and then move on to the next. |
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2. Allow Plenty of Time
Don't expect organization to happen overnight. Depending on the area to be organized, schedule a couple of
hours each day to work on getting the area organized. Getting a garage whipped into shape will take more time
than it takes to organize a linen closet. |
Our Basic Stack Basket
$5.99 |
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simplehuman® 10.5 gal. Semi Round Step-On Can
$129.00 |
3. Clean House
Once you've selected an area, go through the contents. Donate or hold a garage sale for anything you don't or
can't wear or use any more. Use the two year rule of thumb – if you haven't worn it in two years, it's time
to say goodbye to it. These items take up valuable space and probably won't be missed. |
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4. Take Inventory
After you've removed extraneous items, take a look at what remains. Does it belong here? Does it make sense to
keep it here? Is there another place where you've got more room to keep it, or another area where it would be more
easily accessible for it's purpose? For example, take that professional-grade mixer that you've been keeping in the
back of your closet and move it to the kitchen. When it's time to tackle that area of the home, you can incorporate
the mixer into the new storage plan for the kitchen. |
Commercial Garment Rack
SALE $49.00 |
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Our Underbed Boxes
$9.99 - $17.99 |
5. Look for Wasted Space
If you're in need of more storage space, think creatively about additional areas that you can put to work. Prime
examples include over doors and underneath beds. These areas are valuable real estate in your home and are often overlooked. |
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6. Maximize Vertical Space
If you don't have a lot of room to work with, a surefire way to instantly create more space is to go "up". Instead of
only having a couple of shelves to house you're your kitchen items, take them up to the ceiling to really maximize
the vertical space – you'll store the things you need less frequently on the higher shelves. |
Platinum elfa® Kitchen Wall
$311.59 |
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Stainless Steel Stacking Shelves
$12.99 - $19.99 |
7. Divide the Space
By adding additional shelves to a single shelf, or by using containers that stack atop one another, you can divide
the vertical space and make efficient use of the area you have to work with. By dividing the space, you eliminate
the possibility of stacking tall piles of clothing, papers or other items that are destined to topple over. |
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8. Keep it Moving
Consider storage options on wheels to allow for greater flexibility and to help keep the clutter under control.
Carts can hold an assortment of accessories in a small amount of space, and can be wheeled back into a closet or
storage area when not in use. |
Cucina Rolling Bins
$79.00 |
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Stockholm Office Storage Boxes
SALE $7.99 - $9.99 |
9. Organize with Color
Whether you're working to organize the family room or striving to get your home office under control, use
color to enhance your efforts. Assign each child a different colored container to keep his or her belongings
in and keep them responsible for cleaning up after themselves. Organize projects, bills and other important
papers by function and color in your home office. |
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10. Visibility
The three rules to organization are visibility, accessibility and flexibility. Choose containers that are
either transparent or that you can easily label to help immediately identify the contents and will help save valuable time. |
Our Clear Storage Boxes
$1.49 - $17.99 |
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3- & 5-Step Aluminum Ladders
$79.00 - $129.00 |
11. Accessibility
Make sure that the items you need most often are the easiest to access. Likewise, place the items you don't need
to get to as often on a higher shelf or in another area. |
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12. Flexibility
Select a storage system that can adapt to your changing needs. That way, you can reconfigure and reuse solutions
to solve a variety or storage and organization problems. |
Our Clear Storage Drawers
$8.99 - $16.99 |
