First things first – I had an internal battle as whether to use ‘organizing or organising’. I’m thinking ‘z’ is now more commonly used when in this context?
Would you agree this is not a good look for a kitchen table?
You’d be right. Fortunately today is ‘purpose and place day’ at Chez Wright.
Part of the weekend has been spent decluttering. I’m now teaching my much improved habits to my children. Great fun was had making 3 piles of, ‘to keep’ ‘to decide’ and ‘to throw away’ in my 7-year-old’s bedroom and playroom.
Our kitchen table was designated the holding bay for paper, pencils and associated paraphenalia that hadn’t yet been rehomed.
Did you spot the empty boxes at the back?
For the fridge? No. I like an organized fridge, but these Aldi boxes don’t do it for me. Rather more suited for other organization, me thinks.
As someone who professes to have slight hoarding tendencies, and now keeps them in check, paper can still be my achilles’ heel.
It’s apparent my daughter could also become rather attached to paper.
(anyone else wishing they had a real Daniel Robot?)
We’re keeping that potential attachment in check. After all she doesn’t want to follow the same path as Mommy, does she?
(Here’s one daughter’s story, who chose a different relationship with stuff to her mother. Thank’s to Apdo-uk for sharing)
It’s okay to let go and move on. Everything has a life span. Everything.
(This lot’s off to the recycling)
We can be quite creative with the recycling.
One thing I’ve learnt is that everything needs a home. A great way to house dolls, with lots of accessories, is in their own box. Made out of the original packaging in some cases.
My daughter loves these boxes so much, and as a consequence the dolls get put back in them at the end of the day.
So, what did I do with the Aldi boxes if they weren’t destined for the fridge?
I’ve been meaning to organize the Kid’s pens and pencils more effectively for a while. So thinking outside the box, or at least outside the suggestion on the packaging, these boxes looked the perfect solution.
Also ideal for my cake decorating bits and pieces, which can be difficult to store and keep tidy…
Your turn…any organizational outside the box tips to share?
Oh OH, I love this all so much! I organise my spices (which I intentionally buy in sachets not jars) on 3M hooks inside my pantry door. I also have a ‘towel’ rail (cut to size) on the inside of the cupbaord door where I have my frying pan – and the frying pan lid is tucked into the towel rail (meaning I can nest the saucepan in the frying pan easily). I also use 3M hooks in side the linen closest and hall buffet for hanging paper carry bags. When there’s a few, I group them with a rubber bands, and the rubber band hangs off the hook. Can’t wait for more comments!
Hey Sarah… sounds very organised! It made me think about how I use the inside of my cupboard doors. I stick recipes on them (my cake cupboard) and my Kid’s paper/pen cupboard I stick transparent wallets to the inside and slip their homework in…
Oh OH, I love this all so much! I organise my spices (which I intentionally buy in sachets not jars) on 3M hooks inside my pantry door. I also have a ‘towel’ rail (cut to size) on the inside of the cupbaord door where I have my frying pan – and the frying pan lid is tucked into the towel rail (meaning I can nest the saucepan in the frying pan easily). I also use 3M hooks in side the linen closest and hall buffet for hanging paper carry bags. When there’s a few, I group them with a rubber bands, and the rubber band hangs off the hook. Can’t wait for more comments!
Hey Sarah… sounds very organised! It made me think about how I use the inside of my cupboard doors. I stick recipes on them (my cake cupboard) and my Kid’s paper/pen cupboard I stick transparent wallets to the inside and slip their homework in…
I haven’t seen any boxes like that at my Aldi’s. Did you get them recently?
Yes… 2 weeks ago and then I went back for more. When the others at my cake decorating class saw them, they went and got some also!
I haven’t seen any boxes like that at my Aldi’s. Did you get them recently?
Yes… 2 weeks ago and then I went back for more. When the others at my cake decorating class saw them, they went and got some also!
That’s a good use of the food storage boxes – they seem much roomier than the plastic boxes I have seen especially designed for markers, crayons, etc.
What have I used “outside the box”? I’ve used an old cutlery tray in a desk drawer to keep items separated. I’ve also used small boxes that jewelry comes in for the same purpose – set the bottom inside the top to make them stronger. Our kids had small laundry baskets to keep their stuffed toys in when they were little. They were easy to fill and light to carry. I use coffee mugs to hold pens by the phone, on the kitchen table and by the computer. I use the clear plastic zipped bags from sheets and blankets to keep my sewing and craft supplies separated but easily identifiable. I use shoe boxes as — guess what — shoe storage boxes 🙂 Why buy plastic? If you don’t have the box the shoes came in, you can print a description or tape a picture of the shoes on the end of the box. I have deep pantry cupboards, and I keep things like light bulbs accessible in dollar-store rectangular dishpans – they’re light, sturdy, easily cleaned and easy to pull out and put back in.
There was a time when I thought I had to have professional looking storage for everything. It was my goal in life (haha!). Yet I always had the niggling feeling that it was a huge waste. Fortunately, the environmental movement came along, and now I get a lot of satisfaction from re-using and re-purposing containers, and – on a related note – downsizing our stuff that has accumulated over the years, so that I don’t require so much storage. The link you posted from Apdo-uk is sobering and heartbreaking, although also encouraging in that the daughter is making a different life for herself.
What a wonderful comment Jo – Thank you! Great info in there. I too am a shoe-box fan. I use them as dividers in my childrens drawers – socks etc… they also get used to house shoes – oh yes and toys. It made me think about a bit of a mistake I made many years ago which still haunts me (aka the Hubby keeps reminding me!) – I bought multiple transparent shoe boxes (very expensive at the time). Very silly in hindsight – I could easily have got some from a local shoe shop and popped a photo on the front!
The link was sobering, and a good reminder about our stuff can become a burden to others.
That’s a good use of the food storage boxes – they seem much roomier than the plastic boxes I have seen especially designed for markers, crayons, etc.
What have I used “outside the box”? I’ve used an old cutlery tray in a desk drawer to keep items separated. I’ve also used small boxes that jewelry comes in for the same purpose – set the bottom inside the top to make them stronger. Our kids had small laundry baskets to keep their stuffed toys in when they were little. They were easy to fill and light to carry. I use coffee mugs to hold pens by the phone, on the kitchen table and by the computer. I use the clear plastic zipped bags from sheets and blankets to keep my sewing and craft supplies separated but easily identifiable. I use shoe boxes as — guess what — shoe storage boxes 🙂 Why buy plastic? If you don’t have the box the shoes came in, you can print a description or tape a picture of the shoes on the end of the box. I have deep pantry cupboards, and I keep things like light bulbs accessible in dollar-store rectangular dishpans – they’re light, sturdy, easily cleaned and easy to pull out and put back in.
There was a time when I thought I had to have professional looking storage for everything. It was my goal in life (haha!). Yet I always had the niggling feeling that it was a huge waste. Fortunately, the environmental movement came along, and now I get a lot of satisfaction from re-using and re-purposing containers, and – on a related note – downsizing our stuff that has accumulated over the years, so that I don’t require so much storage. The link you posted from Apdo-uk is sobering and heartbreaking, although also encouraging in that the daughter is making a different life for herself.
What a wonderful comment Jo – Thank you! Great info in there. I too am a shoe-box fan. I use them as dividers in my childrens drawers – socks etc… they also get used to house shoes – oh yes and toys. It made me think about a bit of a mistake I made many years ago which still haunts me (aka the Hubby keeps reminding me!) – I bought multiple transparent shoe boxes (very expensive at the time). Very silly in hindsight – I could easily have got some from a local shoe shop and popped a photo on the front!
The link was sobering, and a good reminder about our stuff can become a burden to others.