Hi gals. I love learning from other people who've been there and done that. So I'm putting out some questions and would love to learn from you. What organization tools, tips, processes do you use to keep your household running smoothly? I'm brainstorming how to organize my new house and would love to get ideas from friends. What works for you??
Right now I'm particularly wondering:
1. How/where do you store your family's shoes when they enter the house?
2. If you have a pool, how/where do you store pool toys, swim suits, and beach towels so they don't end up all over the house?
3. How do you organize all those papers that come into the household and clutter up the counters?
4. If you have tile floors, do you sweep or vacuum? What kind of vacuum do you use? How do you clean or mop your tile?
5. Where do you keep all your bags, backpacks, and purses that get used daily?
Please, please, please share!! Thank you!
May 2018 Everyday Happenings
2 years ago
7 comments:
I'm not going to be a lot of help on most of those, but I do have tile floors and when I DO clean them, I use my vacuum with the hard floor attachment on the hose. We have a Dyson but I used to have the more affordable Shark Infinity one that had the hard floor attachment too. I go over the corners and edges with just the tube then I attach the hard floor thing and go for the gusto. I hate sweeping with a broom and I feel like it never gets all the dirt up.
Mopping is rough. I haven't found anything except scrubbing on my hands and knees that I feel like really gets the floors here in Arizona clean and dust-free. I use a Swiffer Wet Jet for "touch up" and then when I've got a wild hair I get a real mop and scrub like crazy. I change the water about four times too. That's why my floor is never really mopped. Shhh don't tell.
I wish I could help you with the sweeping/mopping floors thing, but I have to admit I hate it so much I almost never do it. Christian sweeps, and when I can't stand it anymore I get down on my hands and knees and mop with a washcloth and Mr. Clean.
I'm going to e-mail you pictures about what I do with a few of the other things though. Watch for the e-mail.
Love your new picture! Cute, cute!
Okay, I can't really help on the organization thing because I struggle with all those same things.
*We have shoes EVERYWHERE! But I would suggest a cute wicker basket by the door or in the garage if where ever you enter.
* I have two closets in my entry way, that's where I keep shoes, jackets, backpacks, etc. That is a tricky one if you don't have a closet or storage area of some kind.
* I only have tile in my entry so this wouldn't work for my whole kitchen, but I like the swiffer sweeper on my tile. It's only good for small spaces or else you use too many rag thingies. But you other friend mentioned the Swiffer wet jet which I think is a good idea. A good old toothbrush on your hand and knees is great for cleaning grout.
Good Luck, you have a beautilful home. Congrats! It's always worth the wait isn't it?
Hey, my babalicious friend. :) I'll take a shot at answering some of these questions.
1. We have cupboards/ lockers/ mudroom when you come in thru the garage. Each kid has their own "cubby" as they call it, with 3 shelves where they put their school papers, shoes,and winter clothes/random junk. Before we lived in this house, we used a big basket by the door.
2. I wish we had a pool so I could answer this question, hee hee.
3. Papers. I'm working on this currently and it's a battle I've been fighting for a long time! I'm doing the Mind Organization for Moms over at www.powerofmoms.com and just started going thru all the papers and stuff. I try to put the important stuff on my bulletin board so it doesn't get buried, and we empty the kids' backpacks as soon as they come home--throw stuff away immediately and place keepers in their cubbies.
4. We have a large area of tile floors and they are light in color and drive me crazy because you can see every spill. We use a vaccuum, sometimes a broom, and we use a swiffer wet jet too but it doesn't get the grout very well. Lately I've been letting my kids put on their swimsuits and we have a "party" where we slide around the whole floor with our own rags (with warm water and dishsoap) and scrub and slide. My kids love it and the floor is sparkly clean. We just did it yesterday and they loved it. And a clean floor does wonders for my attitude. :)
5. We have a mirror with hooks on the wall across from our cubbies by the garage door. They hang their jackets and backpacks there. I put my purse wherever I feel like it at the moment. :)
1- White cubby in Laundry room (the best ever!) and storage bench with shelf in entryway.
2- I got that pool bench (waterproofed) from walmart for around $90. You will probably want 2 or a bigger one. Also, the outside hooks were key.
3- I probably am not much help there. We just have our own drawers and a filing shelf in the cabinet.
4- vacuum and then Swiffer. I really mop about twice a year. Again, my floors stay relatively clean, but tile is a pain!
5- Hooks in the laundry room and on the bench underneath.
Jill, I am passionate about organization. I would be happy to share some ideas with you. Two of my best resources are books by Deneice Schofield and getorganizednow.com I have a plastic basket by my front door for shoes. I also have a wire thing with folders in it on my counter. Each person has a file folder and I put their papers in the files. Usually I clean them out weekly. If it something urgent that needs to be returned the following day, I have a folder in the front for ASAP things. Each kid has a laundry type basket for their backpack and stuff. Again, about weekly they empty them out into their bedroom. I also have a basket at the bottom and top of the stairs.
Currently, my husband mops the kitchen floor. He usually vacuums it first. Each kid has a "zone" that they are responsible for. They are to dust and vacuum it weekly. I know your kids are not old enough yet to really do that. I would enlist my kids when they were younger to clean up before lunch and then again before dinner and right before bed. This helped keep it somewhat in control. I can spend all day organizing and sorting, but cleaning is another story.
Hi Jill!! I miss you guys and you're cute kiddos!! A friend recommended the book Mrs. Clean Jeans to me and I love it! I think I bought it for like 9 cents on Amazon but still paid for shipping. It has tons of great ideas and is organized by chapters like "garage" or "kitchen". My philosophy is that there are some things that must be organized and then there are some that you are just ok with being messy. The trick is trying to figure out which is which!! I am so excited for your new house!! I hope to see it someday!! :)
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