Jeremy Foster is a freelance writer who writes about cleaning and maintenance of a home, offering tips and other information about home organization .
Buying a new home brings a great deal of new opportunities, especially for first time homeowners. The amount of open space and bare walls leaves plenty of room decorate and personalize. However, minus a plan to stay organized, that open space can quickly become one pile after another. People who are not used to all the extra space may not realize how easy it is to accumulate clutter until it has already taken over. If you are a new homeowner in this situation, the following tips can help keep you new house organized.
Paperwork in its Place
Even the most seemingly organized home can fall victim to a heap of paperwork. It starts with the simple act of bringing the mail inside. You should then organize the mail depending on its importance. For example, if a few magazines have arrived, they can be put aside on the coffee table. Utility bills and junk mail should be kept separate. This can help prevent you from throwing out something of great importance. A holiday or birthday card can be taken into the bedroom.
Keeping paperwork from taking over the home is possible once a system is in place. First things first, set up a space for paperwork, be it in the home office or another designated area. Make sure a trashcan is nearby so that junk mail can be disposed of the moment you walk in the door. After that, a decision needs to be made about each piece of mail in your hand. Does it justify holding onto it? If so, file it away in a steel hanging file box. Having something steel-reinforced ensures the box does not collapse in on itself, which can create more of a mess. Another handy organizational tool to have is an acrylic magazine case. This can help keep you magazines organized rather than throw on your table.
Keeping Your Kitchen Clean
The second battle in the war with clutter happens in the kitchen. Between canned goods, spices, cookware and dishes, there is a lot that can get out of control in the kitchen if nothing has a place to go. Keep in mind that the more organized the kitchen is, the faster dinner can be made and put away, freeing up valuable time in the evenings.
Rather than letting pots and pans clatter around in a cabinet, consider utilizing a pan tree to store up to fourteen pieces in one concise place. For spices, invest in an inexpensive, but durable, spice stack. Sixty spices can be at your fingertips in less room than the traditional twirling spice rack. If kitchen cleansers are causing a headache under the sink, add some sliding wire drawers to condense all the extra sponges, dish soap and furniture polish.
Destroy Closet Clutter
Now is the time to tackle the one place where most household junk is hidden: the closet. A shoe cube is an excellent product for closet organization. Without it, shoes may be stored in the closet neatly at first, but they may end up being thrown into a pile rather quickly. If you give every shoe a designated area, this can ensure the carpet remains visible and your favorite shoes are always available.
Make Your Bathroom Beautiful
The fourth trouble zone of any home is the bathroom. If makeup has taken over the valuable drawer space, then a hanging expandable makeup organizer can be very useful. This can help free up space for all the necessities in the drawer below while keeping every tube of lipstick in its place. A convertible shower caddy can keep the shower surfaces free of mildew-attracting clutter even if the shower door is the only place for it.
Love Your Laundry Room
The final overlooked zone when organizing the home is the laundry room. Double your existing space with a rolling caddy for detergents and extra light bulbs that fit between the wasted space of the dryer and washing machine. If rolling something out is not your style, a shelf that fits over the washing machine can provide the extra space needed for detergent, even if the room never had a self in the first place. Look for a shelf that is made of durable coated wire to avoid creating one more surface to dust.
When organizing your home, a little creativity goes a long way because there are many great ways to maximize the space available. Whether is from purchasing a storage container or separating your mail. These are both important because it can help prevent you from losing anything that may be of value.
You should remember that every room is different and many storage solutions are available to accommodate this. For example, in the garage, you can use cardboard boxes but in the house, it may be better to consider storage containers. With just a little extra effort, your home can be neat and tidy every day.
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