Organization 101 Lesson 3
Using Wooden Boxes and Wicker Baskets
Here is another quick tip. Buy Nice wooden boxes instead of plastic ones to store small things around your house, baskets are also good. They hide what you don't want people to see and you can sit them right out on the coffee table because they aren't ugly plastic boxes.
I use baskets around the house for things like remotes and linens they are also good in the bathroom for toilet paper, towels and magazines. Keep one by your door for keys and change and receipts and then go through it once a month, give the kids the change and throw out any receipts to products that you don't need to return (always save your receipts for electronics and big ticket items for at least 30 days or the length of the return policy). If you find a small and decorative trash can use it as an umbrella keeper (no body has long umbrellas anymore).
IKEA (I will always suggest IKEA because they make the best organized furniture and supplies) has a great selection of baskets and shelves that fit together. Which is great because you can use the baskets like drawers or do the same thing with what you have. Find some baskets small enough to fit on your bookcase and use them to hold office supplies that just aren't that pretty to look at.
Put a big oval wicker baskets (you might find one in the laundry basket isle) beside the couch or under the coffee table to hold an extra throw blanket and pillow or books that you would like to read when there is nothing on or even the kids toys at the end of the night when they go to bed and it's the adults time.
My husband and I also keep a large basket on each of our sides of the bed for keeping books that we are reading, candy or a snack, I keep lotion and hair things in it and it keeps the rest of our dresser cleaned off for the most part for other things.
Wooden boxes can also be used around the house in the same way. Do you have a lot of misc. papers and memorabilia, use boxes with lids to keep it organized. Then you have it all stored away and you have something that you can put out in the open that looks nice too. No more hiding your mess in the oven when company comes over!
So, use the plastic totes in the closet and find a way to use more decorative storage in the rest of your house, it might be a little more expensive (not really if you go to IKEA) but you get decoration along with organization and that is always good.
Tune in next time for Organization 101, Lesson 4 - Keeping in touch.