Get Organized & Stay Organized

Sometimes I think getting ready for a big move is a blessing in disguise. For anyone who has moved in the last three years - you know the routine: Clean out your drawers and cupboards, rid your home of clutter and clear off all your counter tops.

In the beginning, it's a bit of a heart stopper seeing all your precious belongings disappearing from eyesight, but after awhile you start to get used to the sleek look of clean drawers and counter tops. Suddenly, you're able to get your hands on just what you need at a moment's notice because everything has its place. This sense of order has a cleansing effect and you vow to continue this new discipline once you move.

Finally, the day of the big move arrives and off you go to a new home with a fresh start. Though you may have the best of intentions, eventually your old disorderly ways rear their ugly heads and your home reverts back to its old state of disarray.

Don't beat yourself up. Staying organized is a skill, and just like any talent it requires practice. In the same way you would start a diet or an exercise plan, begin by making one or two positive changes every week, and eventually, an organized home will be part of your daily lifestyle.

Here are enough organization tips to last for 10 days, after that, you'll be dreaming up your own ideas.

1. Hang a cork board in your mud room to help keep you organized as you dash out of the house. The board is perfect for those shopping lists, prescriptions, or reminder notes that you seem to always be forgetting. Give it some extra functionality by screwing a magnetic knife holder to the frame of your cork board. Use it to hold keys (not good for car keys with built in chips), scissors, screwdriver, even a small flashlight.

2. Hang a large tote bag in a common area and use it to collect clothing and other items destined for donation.

3. Buy some clear plastic business card sheets to organize all those cards lying about. These sheets are also handy for organizing sewing kits, embroidery thread or even coupons. The larger divider sheets are perfect for storing recipes.

4. Between cell phones, MP3 players, PDA's, you name it, we have more devices charging than we have counter space. Organize your electronic chargers in one box with a hole in the bottom to insert a power bar cord. Attach the power bar to the bottom of the box and plug in all your electronic toys. Keep the lid open when in use to prevent heat build up.

5. Clothespins aren't just for hanging wet clothes. They make great closet organizers for hats, mitts and scarves. Glue the pins to the inside of closet doors and keep your mitts organized in the cold weather. Use the same idea in an office cupboard to hang memos, cards, photos or small calendars.

6. Use pretty glass knobs or other coordinating hardware to hang tee-towels over the sink in the laundry room.

7. Sometimes candles will sit in a drawer for an entire year without being used, and may easily be broken during that time. Next time you empty a roll of paper towels, use your empty cardboard roll to store candles, labeling each tube with the color and size of candle.

8. The next time you have to go poking around a dark place like your crawl space or fusebox, have a flashlight ready to go. If your flashlight is metal, simply attach a small magnet to the outside of the fusebox, or glue a strip of Velcro for plastic versions. Don't forget to put batteries in the flashlight.

9. If you purchase large bags of dog food, simply empty into a small garbage pail for easy storage. Close the lid tightly and the food will stay fresh for weeks.

10. Organize the cupboard under your sink by hanging small items such as dust rags, rubber gloves and scrubbers, on hooks or clothespins attached to the inside of the door. Install a wire mesh pull out drawer designed to store all your cleaning supplies for quick access to the back of your cupboard.