Tag Archives: organization

Smart Ways to Get Rid of Clothes After You Do a Closet Purge

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Sure, we’ve all donated clothes at some point, or had a garage sale and parted ways with old garments for a few bucks. If you’ve recently cleaned out your closet you might have discovered that many of the items you no longer want still have a lot of life left in them. Perhaps you even paid a lot of money for them and you can’t stand the thought of them ending up in a garage sale box. If so, consider these great suggestions.

Donate

“Old-reliables” such as Goodwill and Salvation Army* are always a great place to start. But there are some more specific organizations out there that would find women’s clothing especially beneficial. Look for career development organizations that empower underprivileged women to find stable, well-paying jobs. They need career wear to help these women look their best on interviews and at work.

If you have beautiful gowns or dresses hanging around, look for organizations that serve underprivileged teens who have hopes of attending formal dances in high schools. Even if the dress isn’t the exact style they have in mind, it might be a great starting piece that can be reinvented at the hand of a crafty seamstress who donates her time.

Also, consider women’s shelters in general. They often provide a haven for women and children who had to flee without the opportunity to bring along personal belongings. If you’re not sure where to find these organizations try online resources such as Charity Watch or Charity Navigator. Not only will you feel great about taking the time to find someone truly deserving, but you can also keep a record and report them as a write-off at tax time!

Host a fabulous swap party at your home or a local restaurant

The only imperative part of this is that you give everyone plenty of notice. Think about how much work it is to clean out your closet! Your guest will need enough time to get their closet purge project done before attending your party. Other than that, this is a super easy and fun way to de-clutter your closet. Simply invite everyone and serve a few goodies and beverages. Devise a basic system for the trade process and let the fun begin!

*Fulton Homes is not affiliated with or suggesting any particular organization. These are ideas to inspire you to do the most good.

Kitchen Sink Organization

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The kitchen is the heart of the home; therefore, creating your dream kitchen can express your style and design. From mesmerizing backsplashes to intricately designed appliances, your kitchen can quickly become the most stunning part of your home. However, nothing takes away from this dream like clutter, and one spot reigns notorious overall in this category: the sink. Having a messy sink is easy. We usually eat three times a day and sometimes feed more than one person during a meal. Hence why this area can quickly become an eyesore if not taken care of correctly. However, some simple kitchen sink organization skills can help have your sink looking clean and less cluttered. We break down the three ways to organize your sink and keep it clean and crisp all year. Let’s take a look!

The Essentials

Your kitchen sink most likely has some critical components which you use daily when washing your dishes. These elements make the cut for what can stay in view. For instance, you may have a soap dispenser, maybe a plug for the sink, and perhaps a drying towel, and even a scrub brush. If you can tuck any of these away in your false drawers, take advantage of the space. If not, have a clean, organized set up of where these items belong.

Drying Area

The next key spot is your drying rack. If you have a dishwasher, you do not need to worry about this. However, if you do not have this amenity or have wooden or plastic utensils, you will need to designate a space. Some drying racks can connect right into your sink. Just make sure these areas never become cluttered. These are easy to allow items to overstay their welcome. Use your drying towel and have the dishes and utensils back to their homes before leaving the area.

Under Your Sink

Under the sink is a useful area. You can store your trash, recycling, chemicals, and other cleaning agents. This area is where your extra cleaning materials should go that you do not use daily. If you have small children, you may need to put a locking mechanism on this cabinet as well. Extra sponges, cup cleaners, and stain removers can all reside happily underneath your sink until needed.

It is easy to allow your kitchen to become cluttered. Having an organized and clean sink area is something that you need to keep up with daily. Do not let this become the downfall of your kitchen. Take pride in your kitchen and allow your kitchen to warm your entire household.

What You Should Be Hiding Under Your Bed

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As a child, the space beneath your bed used to be a scary place where we imagined monsters lay in hiding, waiting for you to fall asleep. As you grew, so did your relationship with that space. When your mother asked you to clean your room, it became a place to hide the items arbitrarily strewn across your floor. Maybe it is time to shed new light on that space, sweep out all the dust bunnies and make good use of it. With a little creativity and organization, you can use this space to declutter the rest of your bedroom and rob the monsters of their hiding place.

Containers

When deciding what you want to use this space for, store and organize it by time, specifically how often you are likely to use the stuff you are storing. You will not be able to see the rarely0used items that are stored near the middle of the bed, so cardboard boxes work just fine for storage. The items stored near the edges of the bed are going to be visible and used more often, so a more visually pleasing and sturdier storage container is recommended. Containers with wheels can make moving things in and out from under the bed a much easier task.

Layout

Anything you store under the middle of the bed can be difficult to reach and could also be covered by another row of stuff, so make sure it is things you use very infrequently. If you only travel for vacations, suitcases and luggage bags can be useful items to store in the middle of the bed. You can also pack boxes with out-of-season clothing to slide towards the center.

Easy Access Items

In the outer row of boxes, pack things which you may use a bit more frequently, such as extra pillows, blankets, or linens. You can also store items that you use almost daily. In your room, think of possibly storing your shoes here. They are easily accessible and can be organized and spread out when you need to choose the right pair for the occasion and can then be quickly hidden away and forgotten until the next use. If you have children, you can use this space to store their toys, books, puzzles, and games. If you purchase opaque bins, you can toss all the toys in them, quickly freeing up your floor space, and when the kids want to play with them again, they simply pull out the bins.

Decluttering a room can be done without the need to get rid of items. With an open mind, you can find empty space to store things all over your home. Under your bed is just one of many places empty spaces that you can utilize. What other items can you think of hiding under your bed? Let us know below in the comment section!

Entryway Closet Organization

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Your entryway is part of your home’s first impression. While curb appeal and your home’s exterior can help paint a picture, it still leaves people wondering how your home looks on the inside of it. When your guests or friends come to visit, they are welcomed into your home first by the entryway. Typically, these entryways will have a closet to store shoes, umbrellas, coats, and other miscellaneous items you may take outside with you on your ventures. While they may hide your unwanted messes, they also are a very convenient space. Organizing your entryway closet is great for taking pride in the small but powerful details your home may have to offer. Here are three ways to improve your entryway closet:

Shoe Rack

Entryway closets are notorious for having the family’s shoes just thrown inside of them. Add a designated shoe rack to help address this mess. Plus, your shoe rack does not have to be inside the closet. Just make sure your sure rack has a clean and well-kept appearance if not stowed away inside your closet. You can have different shoe holders for individuals in your family or make different tiers to hold different stylings of shoes. A shoe rack is a great way to organize the chaos of your closet on the ground level.

Organization Bins & Baskets

Transform your entryway’s organization by including stylish umbrella stands and holders. You can add bins and baskets around or inside your closet to also add to the styling. Adding organization bins to the top shelf of your closet to store seasonal wear like gloves, hats, scarfs, and more will help to add additional storage. By finding well-designed bins and baskets, you can add to the space’s appeal while keeping it functional.

Built-in Shelving

Go a step further and consider built-in shelving or a locker space. You can organize these for every individual in your family. Simply allow space to hold jackets, store shoes, and have areas for miscellaneous items. Built-in storage can take your entryway organization to the next level and be very classy at the same time.

How do you keep your entryway area organized? Try facilitating some or all of these techniques. Your entryway may not be able to hold all your jackets and shoes, but it is a great space to facilitate storage. For more organizational tips, make sure to subscribe to our content.

Tips for Organizing a Kid’s Bedroom

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Are you tired of always getting on your kid to clean up their room? A child’s room can quickly become cluttered with clothes, crafts, and toys. If this is an issue that you are currently experiencing, it may be time to start implementing some new organization strategies. A well-organized room will allow kids to locate their favorite toys faster as well as help keep things neat. Here are some tips to help organize your child’s room:

No Longer in Use

If you are still storing those clothes that your child can no longer fit, it is time to find them a new home. Ask your child to help you separate items that they no longer use or can fit, so you can both donate them to other children in need. Children are more likely to part with the toys that they no longer play with when they find out that they will be helping another child in need.

Cute and Practical

Your storage solutions should be fun while being ideal for the needs of your kid. You can try using colorful storage bins with wheels that enable them to be easily moved. In addition, if you are feeling artsy, you can make it a crafts project with the kids to create fun storage options for their toys.

Get Kids Involved

Have your children help you organize their room. Be sure to make it fun by turning it into a game–this will help them develop a more upbeat attitude towards tidying up their room thus motivating them to do so on their own.

Separate “Like” Items

Try storing “like” items together. Help them sort through their clothes and toys so that you can see exactly what they have. Use storage bins, shelves, or crates to place items so that you will be able to keep track of what they have.

Accessibility is Key

When organizing your kid’s room, it is essential that you make everything easily accessible for your child that way, they will be able to find and put away items. If you have small children, consider placing nooks at a convenient height. In addition, you can lower rods in the closet so that they will be able to hang up their own clothes.

How do you stay organized? We would love to hear your personal tips and tricks below in the comment section. Thanks for reading!

Operation Organization in Ten Minutes

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When we think of undergoing an organization project in our home, we think of it as a daunting, long task that will take up a lot of our day. While organizing areas in our house, the mere thought of beginning these tasks can influence us to procrastinate. However, what if you could organize areas in your home in only ten minutes We all have ten minutes in our day to spare. While this may seem too good to be true, you would be amazed at how much you are able to accomplish in your home in just ten minutes. Now, you will need to stay focused and keep moving, but with our Ten Minute checklist, you can quickly get your rooms reorganized. Here is our Ten Minute Checklist to help you reorganize areas in your own home:

Break Larger Projects into Smaller Tasks

Some tasks can be very overwhelming at first. Maybe you want to organize your bathroom, clean a closet, or declutter your garage. These larger tasks can take time. Try to look at areas then break them into smaller projects. For example, maybe you have been procrastinating organizing your bathroom for some time. You have clutter drawers, unfolded towels, and toiletries that have no designated homes. Instead of tackling everything at once and deep cleaning the room, try to find a more obtainable task. Tell yourself you are going to organize one drawer every day. Using this simple tactic is a great way to start making some serious headway on big projects.

Declutter

When you find the task that you are going to accomplish, start by decluttering. A cluttered drawer or closet can visually be overwhelming. Pull everything out of the space you are working on cleaning. By spreading the mess, you can quickly identify what goes where. Since clutter is one of the main visual intimidations that prevent us from starting a task, you can begin by decluttering the area that you are more likely to accomplish.

Trash/Donate

Once everything is pulled out, decide what trash is and what will stay. By eliminating items and belongings that were once cluttering the area, you will be able to put the area back together into a more organized look. Decide if any things are no longer of value to you. Maybe they are still valuable and worth donating to others. Some items may just blatantly be in the wrong spot in your home.

Organize

Lastly, with your time remaining, put everything back into your drawer. Using bins or baskets is an easy way to organize belongings. Return everything to the original spot in a more focused and organized manner. You will be surprised what some focus and ten minutes can accomplish!

Do you have areas in your home that demand attention Try this organization checklist to help get you started. You will be amazed at what you are able to get done in ten minutes. For more great tips, visit us at Fulton Homes.

Make your Garage Something Special

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design center 7It’s easy to end up with a garage that’s a catch-all. When you first move in you may find that extra boxes and other items you don’t know what to do with end up in the garage. Then add in the kids sports equipment, yard supplies and tools, and then other odds and ends. Before you know it, the whole space is a mess.

If you find yourself cringing every time you open your garage door, think about choosing some of these garage options when you design your new Fulton Home. Just a few organizing elements could make a big difference in the look and functionality of your new garage. Let’s take a look at some of these choices.

Cabinetry: Garage cabinetry has a heavy-duty structure designed to hold up to power tools, yard equipment and other larger items. This is perfect storage for the home handyman, and it keeps everything under control. The countertop area is great for small assembly projects or organizing outdoor plantings.

Storage racks: Everything is so much more under control if it stays off the floor. With coordinated storage racks designed to hold yard tools and sports supplies you can easily put your hands on whatever you need whenever you need it. And when you are finished you have just the place for it to go back. And when not in use everything stays in place, out of the way and clean until the next time.

A garage can be a messy catch-all or it can be a great resource for storing things that fit well in that space, well beyond a place to keep your cars. Take advantage of options such as these to make it into a functional addition to your new Fulton Home.

A Fresh Start on Organizing your Home: The Laundry Room

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From the Fulton Homes La Quinta model

From the Fulton Homes La Quinta model

We use the laundry room a lot, but it is often the most thrown together and ignored room in the house. How about taking an afternoon to really turn this space into a functional and valued place in your home?

Start by thinking about what you would like to use your laundry room for besides laundry. With this Fulton Homes laundry room, you have many more cupboards than you need to store laundry supplies. Here are a few suggestions.

Store household staples. Light bulbs, paper towels, tools, sewing essentials, and office supplies all fit well in a laundry room. Assign cabinets for each category. If you want to keep things in place, you may want to label the shelves.

Store extra supplies. If you are a warehouse shopper, you may be buying dishwasher detergent and toilet paper in bulk. The laundry room provides a handy go-to place for those extras.

Store your craft supplies. If you enjoy scrapbooking, beading or other craft activities, this is a great space to devote to your craft hobbies. It’s easy to reach and yet out-of-the way when other things beckon.

Store projects for your children. These cabinets can hold various games, coloring books or other supplies you can pull out when your children complain that they’re bored. Shop sales at hobby and discount stores for little surprises you can use to entertain little ones on road trips or for sick days.

Use for gifts. If you are a year-round shopper for the holidays, these cabinets can store presents until it’s time to wrap them. It’s even a fairly safe space to hide your children’s presents since they spend very little time in this room.

Of course, you will also want to store detergent and stain-fighting sprays and anything else you use to keep your clothes looking nice. But with a bit of imagination, your laundry room can hold so much more.

A Fresh Start on Organizing Your Home: The Kitchen

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One of the kitchens on display at the Fulton Design Center

One of the kitchens on display at the Fulton Design Center

At first glance, getting your kitchen organized may seem like a daunting task. Chances are that when you moved in your goal was simply to get unpacked and able to make meals. Even if you had some plan of organization at the time, actually using your kitchen can help you discover that some items need to be rearranged. You have at least two ways to tackle your kitchen. See which one appeals to you.

Complete do-over. This is a full-day project, preferably with at least one other person to help as well. To make this work, try the following steps:

  • Clear off counters, placing any decorative items in another room for the day.
  • Have a bag ready for garbage and a box for giveaways.
  • Empty every shelf onto the counters and dining table.
  • Dispose of anything you don’t want or use in either the discard bag or giveaway box.
  • Wipe down counters and add or change shelf paper if desired.
  • Place the “sure things,” those items you already have a good place for, in their cupboards.
  • Thinking of function and utility, rearrange the other cabinets & drawers.
  • Determine if you need baskets or other containers for some items, and measure the space to know the size. Make a list for an upcoming shopping trip.
  • Measure your drawers for appropriate drawer dividers – these help keep drawers in shape once organized.
  • Compare the space left to the items left. Can you make them work? If not, consider more discards.
  • Put your kitchen counter accessories back, or not. Analyze what you actually want back in your kitchen.
  • Celebrate by going out to eat – you don’t want to mess up your newly-organized kitchen right away!

In our next organizing blog, look for advice on the second suggested method of kitchen organization. It takes longer but is less overwhelming.

A Fresh Start on Organizing Your Home: Your Calendar

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22422960_SSo, as we move into 2014 and the holiday decorations are down, it’s time to dive into all those plans to organize your life. How about starting with your calendar?

With just a little effort up front, your calendar, whether tangible or online, can be the central planning tool for just you or for your entire family. Here’s how to start.

Select your calendar. If you choose a paper calendar, it should be one that breaks everything down at least by the week, so you have plenty of room for appointment locations and directions if needed. This is where an online calendar comes in handy. Many of them have plenty of space for whatever notes you need to make, as well as the option for reminder emails.

Fill in all family birthdays and special holidays such as anniversaries. Then run through and add all of the standard appointments such as kid sports practices or Monday morning meetings at the office. If there are a number of family members, you might want to assign each one a color so everyone can see their events at a glance.

Place a paper calendar in a good central location, possibly connecting it to a desk drawer with string so it can’t walk away. The kitchen is the best place because everyone walks through there at least once a day. If you keep your calendar on the computer, choose a program such as Google calendar that everyone can log into, so that access is easy.

Finally, make it clear that any appointments or events that are not on the calendar are not part of your responsibility. If a child needs a ride or a spouse wants you to attend a company party, there had better be a note about it on the calendar, after they’ve cleared your part of the task with you, of course. You can also set ground rules, such as that in case of conflicts; the first event posted on the calendar takes precedence, with exceptions to be negotiated individually.

While this is only the beginning of what you have to do to get organized, this small step is an important one in the right direction.