the clean freak

This week I want to share a passion of mine that is less artsy-fartsy and more neaty-freaky. I think the two ideas go hand-in-hand but many artistic people are messy and chaotic. I, on the other hand, am a member of the group that is artsy but is also a chronic cleaner and organizer -- and I L-O-V-E it. My family and friends like to make fun of me and my organizational ways. To me it's just simple: I like things orderly, clean, and planned out, leaving as little as possible to chance. It's funny because even my job title is "planner" (of digital media) and it suits me very well. I make my bed every morning -- it clears my head -- and I have to give my room a full clean once a week to feel sane and "reset." For me, it is the best feeling to re-organize a space and I feel so accomplished when I find a better way for a space to function. Usually, you can find me armed with one of these: 

and one of these:

/This has to be one of my most favorite organizing hacks to-date. Kitchen drawers have always had a knack for hiding things and amassing piles of utensils that get stuck together, stuck to the drawer, and the worst, stuck behind the drawer. By diving the drawers longways there are perfect sections for each utensil and less chance for madness. LOVE. 

/Another great kitchen organizing tip is adding more drawers. Drawers are a great way to keep kitchens clean and keeping the clutter out of site. Part of making a space look clean is hiding all of the little things that take up so much space. By adding big, deep, drawers to a kitchen you can store almost anything with ease and not have to dig through the back of cabinets when searching for that perfect serving platter. This picture even shows a cool way to store dishes in a drawer. So clever!

 

/My large shoe collection is a source of great excitement but also great pain for me. I adore all of my shoes, but finding a good way to store them without giving them their own two-bedroom apartment is a challenge. Enter IKEA. These awesome, narrow, plastic, wall bins are perfect for storing shoes and minimizing the space they take up. They also come in fantastic colors. What do you think?!

/Laundry rooms - or mud rooms - can also be a point of contention when trying to keep the house clean. In my house, there are always laundry baskets on the floor, on the dryer, on the kitchen table, on the stairs, and any other surface that could be used for folding. This awesome idea hides laundry baskets and makes it easy to organize loads of laundry before and after wash. Nifty, huh!?

/Jewelry is another accessory that has caused me a lot of organizational pain in the past. I always kept my jewelry in jewelry boxes and various pouches. Then I found drawers. And my life with jewelry has become way less stressful. Some people opt for wooden jewelry chests that act as beautiful pieces of furniture. I am living on a tight budget so I opted for clear plastic bins that fit nicely in my closet. Bonus points for wheels!

/Arts and crafts supplies, toys, bathroom products, office supplies, paperwork and a number of other items can be stored and organized into plastic bins. I am a huge fan of making clean-up easy and giving each item (i.e. markers, glue sticks, nail polish, printer paper, etc.) a 'home' of it's own. As I was saying at the beginning of this post, with a plastic bin and a sharpie marker, any(organizing)thing is possible. 

/Lastly, one room in the house that often gets organizationally-neglected is the garage. There is so much valuable organizing space and yet so often there are piles of toys, newspapers, old running shoes, bicycles, tire pumps, snow boots and more random household items than any other room in the house (yes, even the basement). Shelves and countertops can be helpful in a garage, especially if you like to do projects and need a flat surface, but I always love when I see a garage full of tall, deep, cabinets that hide all of the clutter. Since most people aren't spending their Saturday nights drinking wine and dancing in the garage, it's okay to neglect the space a bit. That's why having giant cabinets is so great -- they can hide even the messiest of shelves. I'm thinking winter break project?!

I hope some of my organizing ideas inspire you to clean-up and clear out some of your own spaces. Tell me about your favorite organizing 'hack' or share your recent organizing story!