Organize...the bathroom

CLEANING OUT

make-up, hair products, and lotions you haven't used in 6 months
products that are dried up or evaporated
prescription medications that have expired (take to pharmacy)
over-the-counter medications you haven't used in 6 months
old razors, scissors, or other dull and rusty metal items
pack duplicates of toiletries in your suitcase

CREATING EXTRA STORAGE

only store what you use daily on or near the counter
install a straight magnet in medicine cabinet for tweezers and scissors
install towel holders or rings for adults and children at their levels
store reading material in a magazine rack
keep only what you need in the bathroom -- store extra supplies elsewhere
assign a shelf or container for each family member's personal stuff
designate other general areas for use by all members
group towels by color and size -- roll for maximum storage
create a fabric skirt for hiding items under your sink
place seasonal items on top shelves of linen closet

LIKE ITEMS TOGETHER

mouth and tooth care
hair styling supplies
hair care products
skin and body care products
cosmetics
nail care
shaving supplies
first aid
bath tub accessories
cold and flu care
eye, ear, and nose care

MAKING USE OF DEAD SPACE

wall mounted cabinets for toiletries
carts on wheels for items you want to "roll" out of the way
hooks on back of door for towels and robes
shower caddies for shampoos, conditioner, soap, etc.
coat rack for towels or robes
mesh bags for bath toys, curlers, and other small items
wall-mount your hair dryer and curling iron
drawer organizers for cosmetics, jewelry, and other loose items

SAFETY IN THE BATHROOM

don't store anything you don't want kids to get under the sink
label medication for "internal" or "external" use and store separately
set water temperature no higher than 120 degrees (F)
never leave toddlers in the bathtub alone
place a lock on toilets if you have small children
lock cabinets containing cleaners, medicines, perfumes, etc.
lock away anything small enough for a toddler to choke on
never leave electrical items plugged in near water

www.OnlineOrganizing.com.

let's get organized!

Make preparing meals easier by organizing canned goods by type (for example, fruit with fruit). The trick to keeping cans organized is maintaining visibility. If you place cans of the same size one in front of the other, you can never be sure what you have — or don't have — making shopping that much more difficult. Try using tiered shelf platforms or a lazy Susan.

Tuesday's Tips

Having a hard time getting all the things done you want to? This is something that works for me.

Write them down, assign a time and date and follow through. More things will get done, faster, if you work on them in shorter bits of time.

Example: the garage is a mess.

You clear your calendar for the next two days and don't do anything else but work on it. Your exhausted but it looks great...the down side is now you're behind on all the things you ignored while working on the garage and you have new stress.

Instead, set aside thirty minutes each day (or the amount that works for you) until it's finished. Break it down into sections, and focus on one at a time. Your garage (or any project you have a hard time getting to) will get done if you keep at it. You won't feel so overwhelmed and you'll still have time to keep up on your daily routine.

Check back next Tuesday for another tip! Leave a comment if you have one to share.