Need help getting organized!

lmtrmama · August 2014

Hello! This is my first time posting and I hope someone can help me!

We live in a small apartment that I can never seem to get cleaned and organized completely. We don't have a dishwasher so I feel like by the time I get all of the dishes done, I have no time to do anything else! I keep trying to organize and store items in totes in a closet, but then I still have leftover stuff with no place to put it! I have a 5 year old and a baby on the way so I want to get everything taken care of ASAP. I just feel lost, I don't have the organization gene and I want to keep our home nice.

formerlyGDaisy09 · August 2014

Have you purged stuff you don't need recently? I do this twice a year and I'm always amazed the amoutn of "extra" stuff I have laying around that are things I've stopped wearing or using, even thought I "just got rid of a bunch of stuff 6 months ago"

musictchr25 · August 2014

I don't have a dishwasher right now either, but if you are doing dishes daily, you shouldn't be washing for more than a half hour a day. If you are washing for longer than that without any interruptions, then you have too many dishes, and should get rid of some, which by doing so, will make you think about multi-use pieces and how to use things in an order that works in the kitchen. For example, cut all your vegetables up on the cutting board first, then give it a quick rinse and blot dry with a paper towel, and then use the same board to cut your meats. A quick rinse of a wooden spoon means you can use it in a different pot or pan. Making a meatloaf? Mix everything together in your loaf pan instead of using an additional mixing bowl. Need to test-taste? Make sure you're using the same fork or spoon that you will be using to eat your meal, instead of just tossing it into the sink when you're done tasting.

When it comes time to wash the dishes, rinse everything off, and pile it on the counter and not in the sink. Wash out your sink with soap, and then use a bit of kitchen bleach to make sure that it's clean. Grab a dish from the counter, wash it with soap and your sponge, and then place it in the sink. Once all of your dishes are soaped, or you've run out of room for more, rinse them all at the same time and then place them in the drying rack. This will not only save you time, but it will save you water as well, because you don't have to rinse each dish individually after it's washed. If you rinse them all together, you're using less water to get all the soap off everything.

For closets, take all of your items and hook the hanger to the rod backwards. As you wear items, flip the hanger back around. After a few months, you will see what items you do and don't wear, and then have a reason to get rid of them. If you donate items, by the way, you get a tax break, so this is also another incentive to get rid of some things you no longer need.

Take advantage of vertical space, and get some hanging organizers for backs of doors. Also, if you're storing soft items in totes, you are wasting space. Invest in some space bags - the kind that you can vacuum out all the extra air. These are perfect for apartment living since there usually isn't a ton of extra storage space. You can fit seasonal clothes, extra linens, stuffed animals, etc., into these bags and store at the top of closets or even under beds.

formerlyGDaisy09 · August 2014

turbo tax has a great free tool for tracking donations if you take itemized deductions on your taxes.

Need help getting organized!

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