Creative Solutions for Storage

Spring is here! The grass is starting to turn green, the snow is gone, the sun is out and some flowers are beginning to bloom but spring also brings...Spring Cleaning! Things are really starting to pile up and get out of control! I dream of having organized closets, as I think many moms do. To find exactly what we are looking for with ease and grace ... ahhh, dare to dream!

Getting things under control and organized is a process and with growing families your amount of 'stuff' just grows with it! But it feels so great to tackle the clutter and keep it away. But how? Get smart with your storage and spend time sorting it.

Starting with a good purge is a great first step. Sort through the linen closet, the garage, the kids dressers, your closet (eek) and other storage areas. I am in this stage right now and I cannot believe these things that are still kicking around in plain sight. You will be so surprised at what you have held onto and for how long. If you haven't used it, worn it or even thought of it in 6 months to a year - retire it! There are so many different ways to 'get rid of junk'. Donate it, sell it, toss it, re-purpose it. Be realistic - if you wouldn't want it (due to it's condition i.e stains, tears, broken etc...) will anyone else want it? Once we unload the 'access baggage' we feel lighter in many ways. Clutter adds to stress, so by eliminating (or reducing) the clutter we are managing our stress too.

Now that you have purged, you likely still have a lot of things. So now what? They all need a place. This is where creative storage solutions come in. Unless you leave in a palatial home you likely need to have multi purpose pieces so look for furniture pieces that offer double duty.

Try these ideas:

- Baskets, baskets, baskets - with a lid or without, when things such as toys, books and magazine have a 'place' the space just feels neater. I have a great waterproof basket in my bathroom for my children's' bath toys. They love to get their toys out for bath time and then put them away too.

- Metro Shelving - this heavy duty chrome wire shelving is great in garages, laundry rooms, pantries and workshops. It has an industrial look but it is easy to clean and very sturdy.

- Bulletin Boards - best hung behind doors or in an area where they are not attracting too much attention. This is a perfect set up for kids' schedules, notes, permission forms, bills and other reminders. Think about all of the papers that get stuffed and ignored in a 'junk' drawer. By pinning them up in view, you'll be likely to purge the bulletin board once tasks are completed because the papers are in your sight line.

- Hooks and Pegs - these are great and often very inexpensive, they come in a variety of finishes from wood to metal. These work well in mud rooms, kids play areas, kids' room and bathrooms. When they are being used for children be sure to install them at a height that is functional for them, other wise the kids won't use them. These are ideal for hanging coats, backpacks, towels, dog leashes and more. A great idea for the mudroom is to pair up the hooks with a storage bench.

- Storage bench - piano benches work well too. these are great because they can store mitts, hats, gloves etc... they can also be used for seating. I have a few leather storage benches at home and we store our extra for parties in there - place mats, napkins, table cloths etc...items we don't use everyday plus the benches come out and act as additional seating - double duty!!

- Paint cans - new ones are best or use large,empty juice cans with the tops removed. These are perfect for storing kids stuff in an arts and crafts cupboard. The are great for paint brushes, crayons, rulers, beads, shells etc...You can label them and get the kids to decorate them too!

- Old trunks - check out vintage and antique shops for these but I have seen newer versions in home decor stores. They are great for storing extra linens and pillows. They look great too. In a guest room, keep one in the corner or at the foot of the bed, let guests know that they can help them selves to additional blankets, towels and pillows (some guests will be too shy to ask).

- Large fabric or plastic boxes - these are great 'hiding spots' for items such as laundry detergent, dog food, etc...things we use everyday but don't necessarily like to look at.

Now off I go to tackle some more rooms in need of organizing....