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Tag: Home Organization

20+ Kitchen Organizing Ideas: Tips that will Change Your Life

This post is more for me than for you… hehe.  After reading it from the first word to the last, you will never have to go anywhere else for more kitchen organizational ideas & tips. I HAVE YOU COVERED – I promise!

Interesting enough, this post started off as a round up of organization inspiration for the ENTIRE HOME, but after scouring the web for tips & tricks to organize every nook & cranny for the house, the post was getting way too long because of the incredible amount of smart solutions & ideas out there…

The result of my plethora of finds is going to be a week of inspirational organizational ideas from the kitchen to the bathroom, from the closets to the garage.  I have found so many creative ideas that will truly change your life.  Most are super inexpensive and can easily be implemented today.

Let’s start with the kitchen

20 + Organizational Ideas for the Kitchen:Tips + Tricks to help organize every nook & cranny of the kitchen!

Here are 20+ ideas for organizing the…

Kitchen / Pantry

Tips & tricks for keeping your kitchen organized… (links to the original source, creation, and/or tutorial are BELOW the picture)

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homePantry organization by Design, Dining + Diapers

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeWood Tilt-Out Trash Can by Dawn Nicole

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homePlastic wrap & tin foil holders by Ask Anna

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeFridge & Freezer organization by Clean and Scentsible

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeIdeas for organizing your spices via The Blessed Life

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeDollar Store organization by Ashley Ella Design

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homePots & Pans organization by Organizing Home Life

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeDrawer dividers using inexpensive wood scraps by The Organized Mom

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeDIY Kitchen utensil dividers by Kevin and Amanda

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeHanger turned clip by Craftster

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeTupperware organization by Eating Rich

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeInside the refrigerator organization by Fridge Butler

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeUnder-the-sink cleaning supplies organization by Jen Thousand Words

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeOlive Oil bottles are the perfect solution to ditch the ugly soap bottles. Idea by The Craft Pitch

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeMeasurement conversion chart on the inside of the kitchen cabinet by Infarrantly Creative

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeOver-the-door shoe organizer for snacks, coupons, small items by Money Saving Queen

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeOrganization ideas for the inside of the kitchen cabinets by Jenna Burger

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeWood Spice Rack by Jenna Burger

A central command center in the hub of the home is one of the most important ways to keep a family on schedule…

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeCentral Command Center in the kitchen by Jenna Burger

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeCountertop command center by Lovely Crafty Home

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeDry erase to-do or menu board by Make and Takes

I so need this… a charging station instead of all those wires and plugs!

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the homeDIY Charging station created by Lil’ Luna

I am still on a mission to clean this place up, bag it up – send it out, & get organized in 2015!  For me, it’ll never be 100% picture perfect, but this is a home of 5 not a museum.  As I’m working on purging + organizing + renewing my home this year, I am also striving to focus on what’s most important to me and living with intention!  Admittedly, it’s not easy, but with often reminders (to myself) I am working towards being more mindful and living with purpose.

Here is a recap of the week so far (click on the image to bring you to the original post)

Organizing for the Home: 30+ ideas, tips, & tricks to help organize every nook & cranny in the home

15 + Organizational Ideas for the BATHROOM: Tips + Tricks to help organize every nook & cranny of the bathroom!

13+ Organizational Ideas for CLOSETS: Tips + Tricks to help organize every all types of closets!

Organzing ideas + tips for the HOME OFFICE!

Ridding the stuff that isn’t needed and organizing what we want to keep has really made a difference!  Tomorrow’s space of focus… THE BATHROOM.

6 Foolproof Steps to Purge + Organize + Renew your Home

With the 859,934 organizational pins on Pinterest, I’m already feeling a bit behind + overwhelmed and it’s only the 5th of January!  Deep breath. Deep breath.  Please tell me I’m not alone… BUT I am strongly pushing away those anxious thoughts and instead putting my efforts on living with intention, my focus for the coming year.

Organizing doesn’t come easy to me.  I am known to be a hoarder collector & have difficulty parting with things – keep or toss, keep or toss???  But over the past few months things around the little ole’ homestead of mine have gotten a wee bit out of hand (I guess anew baby can do that to ya) and I am ready to rise above & take back this joint!

As we wind down from the Christmas craze, January typically is a quiet + cold + drear month in our neck of the woods.  As I start the process of transitioning our home back to the everyday after the holiday mayhem, I always feel the New Year is ideal to clear the mind and begin a fresh start.  Now is the time to clean house and create a more organized home!!

This past weekend, actually news years day to be exact (because over the past week I’ve completely lost track of time), I started the clearing out/organizing process.  4 bags have already gone to goodwill… go me!  Coming from the person who hates to throw things away, this is big.

Here are the 6 steps that I have found really work [my foolproof tips] to purge + organize + renew your home for a fresh step in the right direction for the New Year

6 Foolproof steps to PURGE + ORGANIZE + RENEW your home in the new year! www.jennaburger.com

1. Make a list
I am a list person. I love to write it down, perform the task, and then cross it off.  To me, the “cross off” is the best part.  I feel so accomplished afterwards! So here is what I do…

Go room to room around the home and make a list of what is working and what isn’t.  Look in the closets, peek under the beds, and open the drawers. Create a page for each room and write down a plan of action for what you want to organize and what you need to lose (ie: organize sock drawer, purge papers/magazines, donate unused toys, etc).

6 Foolproof steps to PURGE + ORGANIZE + RENEW your home in the new year! www.jennaburger.com

A list will keep you focused + stay on track. When a task is complete, cross it off. Once all the tasks on your list are finished, the best part is reflection; looking back at all your hard work + efforts. It will also keep you motivated to do more!

2. Get Moving

Once your plan of action is in place, it’s time to get moving. Don’t analyze (which I’m known to do) Just start.Choose a room to start with and let your list guide you. Most likely, the whole house won’t be fully organized in a day – it’s simply not possible unless you already live in a spotless pad.

Instead of stressing and overwhelming yourself, set a time limit or a specific goal to work towards. Once it’s reached, be done. Then the next day, do the same. This will help avoid burn-out and will keep you motivated to continue. Organizing and taking control of the stuff in your home can be exhausting, so mentally prepare yourself for the job.

You’ll be amazed at how much better every room in your home looks once you get rid of the useless items.  Like I said 4 bags already packed up & shipped out.  Many more to go!

3. Purge. Toss. Donate.

Just keep saying to yourself… purge, toss, donate.  purge, toss, donate.  purge, toss, donate.

When going room by room, start by sorting through the items you no longer need, use, and/or want. Set up 3 boxes or bags (I typically use large heavy-duty garbage bags) to purge, toss, and/or donate. This will make the process faster + more efficient.  Have you ever tried the 3-for-1 rule?  For every new item you bring into the home (think about all those Christmas presents – shirts, books, toys, etc.), say goodbye to three things. Keep in mind, if something hasn’t been touched/used in 6-12 months, you probably don’t need it.

If you don’t use it, lose it.

PURGE. TOSS. DONATE. 6 Foolproof Home Organizational Tips that will get you pointed in the right direction NOW!

Once you have everything bagged up, ship it on out as soon as you can.  That way there can’t be regrets or second guessing!

6 Foolproof steps to PURGE + ORGANIZE + RENEW your home in the new year! www.jennaburger.com

And toss the miss-matched hangers! Go for all one color… IT’S LIBERATING!

PURGE. TOOSS. DONATE. 6 Foolproof Home Organizational Tips that will get you pointed in the right direction NOW!

4. Organize

Organizing is different than cleaning.  Sometimes the 2 can get confused (according to my Mister).  I am a great cleaner (surface cleaning), but when you open a drawer, it often doesn’t look so hot.

Once you’ve removed your unused items, it’s time to organize. I have found baskets, bins, trays, and other storage caddies are a great way to organize items you want to keep. Make a point to have a spot / a place for everything. This is especially key to keep the clutter in check with kids toys, books, games, and art supplies.

Fullscreen capture 152015 100438 AM.bmpMy newly revamped bookcase…  Baskets + Boxes + Bins are my happy place!

And keep in mind, it doesn’t have to look perfect because the reality is it won’t stay that way for long.  As long as everything you keep is needed and placed/arranged in an orderly way, that is ‘perfect’.  Take a glimpse at my newly organized closet…  To some it may still look a mess, but to me, this is good!  Shirts are together.  Pants are in one section. Scarves are in a bin. Bags are in place.  DONE!

PURGE. TOSS. DONATE. 6 Foolproof Home Organizational Tips that will get you pointed in the right direction NOW!

These were snapped with my iphone cam which is why they’re a bit grainy, sorry…

Did I really just share a picture of my closet???

PURGE. TOOSS. DONATE. 6 Foolproof Home Organizational Tips that will get you pointed in the right direction NOW!

5. Go Vertical

Maximize your storage capabilities by using more wall space. Bookshelves are great for going vertical to get things off the ground, thus creating more floor area. In closets, add shelving as high as possible for extra storage of blankets or non-everyday essentials. Add hooks in the entry for additional coat/bookbag storage. Hang additional shelving in the basement and/or garage for more space to put large bins.

Get Organized! For an easy entry upgrade, add built-in coat hooks and wooden crates [easy do it yourself project] www.jennaburger.comour entry coat rack > click for DIY Tutorial

A side tip for you >>> Choose furniture that can serve double duty to save on space!

6. Commit

The most important, but most difficult part of organizing…

Getting organized is one thing, but staying organized is truly a commitment. Once you’re organized, take the extra 10 minutes each day to tidy up and monthly to go through each room to purge any unused items or papers. Each night once the kids are in bed, I make sure all their toys are back in place, the dishes are done, the counters + tables are cleared off.  It’s amazing what 10-15 can do to get the job done rather than piling up day after day!

Decide.  Commit.  Succeed.

Expect that there will be minor setbacks throughout the year (not a biggie), but remaining positive+ focused will help keep you motivated to stay organized.

While the snow is piling up outside, put that overabundance of extra energy and efforts into purging and organizing inside.  The simpler we live, the saner we are! Rid your lives of the clutter and unused things to achieve a more meaningful, organized home.

What ideas / tips / suggestions can you share that keep your home organized + clutter free?

Revamped Family Chalkboard Central Command Center

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

This 30″ wide wall has had more makeovers than any other spot in my home.  In the almost 3 years that we’ve lived here, I think it’s had at least 6 lives – thank goodness it’s not an entire room.  But I have to say, this 30″ wall is the key to how we function – it’s our Central Command Center… a.k.a. CCC

I couldn’t let the year begin without making a few updates to this small, but important part of our home (the previous CCC can be found here).  I actually had made a few changes about a month ago, but it just wasn’t right.  After living with it for a while, I knew what it needed…  A chalkboard.  An entire wall of chalkboard.

The revamp started with removing everything from the CCC, patching up the old holes, and touching it up with some fresh paint.  Once the wall was ready, I was off applying the chalkboard paint.

I’ll share more on the specifics of how I created the chalkboard backdrop in a separate blog post, but in the meantime, let’s take a tour of my NEW Family Central Command Center…

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

One of the major changes to the CCC is the calendar.  The calendar that I had previously created was for only one month.  SO many of you asked me, “I love the one month, but what do you do with plans you need to write down for the next month?”.  I actually had the same dilemma and now it’s resolved.  There are two calendars for two months.  Problem solved. When the month we’re in is on the bottom, I put the next month’s dates on the top.  It’s a little backwards having the month after above, but it works!

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

On the picture frame turned calendar, I still use a sharpie, dry-erase pen, or these handy-dandy pens by NameBubbles that are available with their write-on labels.

Did you notice the frames on the calendar & pictures above are now white instead of black?  Once the chalkboard was painted on the wall, the black frames disappeared, so I spray painted the old ones.  Using a white primer spray paint + a white glossy top coat, the frames are as good as new.

I still love my inspirational quotes and those are the same (in their new white frames).

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

Below the calendar are the new additions to the CCC.  A month ago when the wall got an update, I made these 4 fun clipboards with scrapbook paper.  In between them are our key (and misc stuff) boxes that I had purchased at TJs and spray painted them black.

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

The top clipboards hold our grocery list & our Peak at the Week schedule.  Now I have no excuses to forget anything at the store – haha (wishful thinking)…

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.netLooking to print these out – click {here} for the Peak at the Week chart created by iheartorganizing.com; Click {here} for the Grocery List created by The Time-Warp Wife (thanks to the awesome reader who found the link!)

And below are the kids charts – a chore / responsibility chart for my son and a reward chart where both kids get to add stickers when they’ve made good choices / decisions.

Perfectly at their level!

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.netLooking to print these out – click {here} for the chore chart and click {here} for the reward chart

I chose this spot of the home because it’s in the ideal location, kinda close to the foyer and kinda close to the kitchen.  It’s a small spot (a large wall or space isn’t really needed), yet is efficiently and thoughtfully put together for all our family needs.

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

One of the major needs that was missing in our previous CCCs was something to write with.  Somehow we can NEVER find a pen or a pencil in our home (our kids must eat them – hehe).  Being inspired by others who used mason jars for storage, I grabbed some hose clamps from Lowe’s and installed two pencil / pen holders next to the charts.  I put them high enough, so little fingers hopefully won’t touch them. {A tutorial on how-to create jelly jar pen holders to come soon}.

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

Something that I haven’t shared, but created a long time ago is our family stool.  It’s something so simple, but used everyday!  From using it in the kitchen and closet or as an extra seat, our Ikea step stool is awesome.  When I bought it, it had a natural wood finish, but with a little paint (the same color as the kitchen), I revamped it.  Then using the same stencil that I created for my pallet box, I added our family initial: b.

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

Lastly, of course we had to chalk-up our new wall!  That’s the point of chalkboard!!

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

I love how a chalkboard wall allows you to continually change it.

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

And that sums up the tour of our 30″ wide everything wall!

Chalkboard Family Central Command Center for the heart of the home including a monthly calendar, kids charts, inspirational quotes, and more.  Created by @Jenna_Burger via sasinteriors.net

 How does your family stay organized?  Do you have a central “spot” in your home?