THE U CAN DO IT ROOM-BY-ROOM ORGANIZING CHECKLIST The Simple, Easy Checklist You Use To Organize Your Home Room-By-Room N N N by Audrey Cupo Professional Organizer Copyright 2009 - A Better Space www.4abetterspace.com
THE U CAN DO IT U ROOM-BY-ROOM ORGANIZING CHECKLIST U Below you will find 15 separate lists of various organizing suggestions you can use in each room of your home. There is one for each room of your home. They are easy and don t require thinking about What should I do? I ve done the thinking for you! Each list provides 10 suggestions for a specific room. Just by following these suggestions, you will feel more productive and by eliminating the clutter, you will feel more calm and relaxed. Use this list over and over again to maintain the look and feel of every room in your home. So, let s get started living an organized life, room by room... -2-
ATTIC G Establish mini-goals. Break up the area into sections and work on a section of the room at a time. G Schedule several days for this project if it s just too big of a job for one day. G Purchase some storage containers that you can use to sort items. G Toss out anything outdated, old, broken or things you never use. G Resist the urge to save every little thing you come across. If you don t know what it is or what it belongs to, get rid of it. G Create zones in the space so that like-items are stored together. G Look vertically. Consider putting up some shelving or hooks on the walls to get your stuff off the floor. G Be prepared to take a trip down Memory Lane if you have not seen your stuff in a while. Try to put these items aside to start and then take time later to reminisce. -3-
G Get the family to participate. Create a contest where each member is to collect a certain number of their items from the space to donate or throw away. G Use some large plastic Rubbermaid containers to store out-ofseason clothing, holiday decorations and other infrequently used items in them. Label them clearly. -4-
MASTER BEDROOM G Take some time to think about what you would like to have in this room - a sitting area, a reading nook, a window seat, etc. Visualize how you would like it to look before you get started. G Establish mini-goals. Break up the area into sections and work on a section of the room at a time. G Schedule several days for this project if it s just too big of a job for one day. G Purchase some storage containers that you can use to sort items. G Have trash bags available and toss out anything outdated, old, broken or things you never use. G Start at the entrance to the bedroom and work around the room. G Eliminate anything that does not belong in your room. Create a spot by the door to put items that belong in other rooms of the -5-
home and take them out when you leave the room. G Organize your drawers by putting all like items together. G Eliminate wire hangers and purchase a set of new hangers that are all alike to give your closet a uniform look. Again, put all like items together. G Store out of season clothes elsewhere in the house to create more space for the clothing you are currently wearing. -6-
CHILD S BEDROOM G Take some time to think about and discuss with your child what they would like to have in their bedroom - a bookcase, a desk, a trundle bed for sleep overs, what type of decor. Visualize how it should look before you get started. G Establish mini-goals. Break up the area into sections and work on a section of the room at a time. G Schedule several days for this project if it s just too big of a job for one day. G Purchase some storage containers that you can use to sort items. G Have trash bags available and toss out anything outdated, old, broken or things that are never used. G Start at the entrance to the bedroom and work around the room. -7-
G Eliminate anything that does not belong in the room. Create a spot by the door to put items that belong in other rooms of the home and take them out when you leave the room. G Purchase a set of new hangers that are all alike to give the closet a uniform look. Purchase the appropriate size hangers. Put all like items together. Organize the drawers the same way, but putting all like items together. G Store out of season clothing elsewhere in the house to create more space for the clothing the child is currently wearing. Donate clothing that is in good shape but no longer fits your child. G Keep a container in the bottom of the closet to put clothes into as the child grows out of them. When the container is full, donate it to friends, family members or non-profit organizations. -8-
GUEST ROOM G Treat this room as you would like to be treated if you were staying in someone s home. Create a bed and breakfast type atmosphere by putting personal touches into the room to create a calm and relaxing place for your guests to stay. G Eliminate anything that does not belong in this room. Create a spot by the door to put items that belong in other rooms of the home and take them out when you leave the room. G Create places for your guests to put their clothes in the closet and in a bureau or chest of drawers. G Leave a few books on an end table along with a pad of paper and pencil. Make sure to provide a good light on the end table for reading. G Create a basket with some personal items in it for their -9-
convenience - bar of soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, body lotion, etc. G Make the bed the focal point of the room with nice linens and accent pillows. G Provide an clock radio by their bedside to provide quiet music and wake-up calls for their convenience. G Provide extra towels, pillows and blankets. G Put out a small dish of candy or mints and add some fresh flowers (assuming your guests are not allergic to flowers). G Hang a terry robe on the back of the door on a hook. You can embroider it with Guest or His and Hers so various guests can make use of them. -10-
BATHROOM G Have trash bags available and toss out anything outdated, old, broken or things you never use. G Start at the entrance to the bathroom and work around the room. G Eliminate anything that does not belong in the bathroom. Create a spot outside the door to put items that belong in other rooms of the home and take them out when you leave the room. G Organize your drawers by putting all like-items together. G Keep your counters free from clutter by creating room inside drawers and cabinets for items not used on a daily basis. G Use drawer dividers to keep small items in order and easy accessible. -11-
G Create a space to store extra toilet paper and facial tissue. G Put items like cotton balls, Q-tips, makeup sponges and other items you need to keep sterile in clear jars with lids. G Keep a bucket or container with supplies used to clean the bathroom under the sink or in a linen closet. Keep a container of disinfectant wipes under the sink for quick daily clean-ups. G Eliminate old cosmetics and expired medicines on a regular basis. -12-
CLOSETS G Have trash bags available and toss out anything outdated, old, broken or things you never use. G Start at the top of the closet and work your way down to the floor. G Eliminate anything that does not belong in that particular closet. G If you haven t worn it in the past 12 months or so, if it doesn t fit, if it s out of style or you don t feel good about yourself when you wear it - get rid of it! G Organize your linen closet by putting smaller items into clear labeled containers and putting sets of sheets together, limiting them to two sets per bed. -13-
G Organize your coat closet by putting hats, gloves and scarves in clear plastic containers by category at the top of your closet. Hang coats on sturdy wooden hangers. If there is not enough room, store out-of-season coats or jackets elsewhere in large plastic containers or space bags. Place snow boots and rain boots along with an umbrella stand on the floor of the closet on a tray to protect the floor. G Organize your clothes closet by grouping like items together. Put them together by color or by season with all pants together, all shirts together, etc. G Hang items on hooks on the wall or on the door such as belts, ties, tote bags - even necklaces. G Store shoes on a rack either on the floor or against a wall in the closet. G Hang jeans on hangers with pant clips to create space in your drawers. -14-
LIVING ROOM/FAMILY ROOM G Take some time to think about what you and/or your family would like to have in this room - a sitting area, a game table, an entertainment center, book shelves, etc. Visualize how you would like it to look before you get started. Zone out the room for different functions. G Establish mini-goals. Break up the area into sections and work on a section of the room at a time. G Schedule several days for this project if it s just too big of a job for one day. G Purchase some storage containers that you can use to sort items. G Have trash bags available and toss out anything outdated, old, -15-
broken or things you never use. G Start at the entrance and work around the room. G Eliminate anything that does not belong in the room. Create a spot to put items that belong in other rooms of the home and take them there when you are done. G Create places to store items out of sight such as a television behind an entertainment center and baskets under the coffee table for remote controls, DVDs and CDs. G Select some decorative items, not an entire collection, to display and store the rest away to change out from time to time. G Create a focal point in your living room with a decorative mantle over a fireplace or large piece of artwork on a wall. -16-
DINING ROOM G Purchase some storage containers that you can use to sort items. G Have trash bags available and toss out anything outdated, old, broken or things you never use. G Start at the entrance to the dining room and work around the room to clear the dining table, china closet and/or server. G Eliminate anything that does not belong in the dining room. G Clear the dining table. Put a decorative center piece in the center of the table to eliminate the tendency to put things on the table that do not belong there. G Clear out the china closet/breakfront and display one set of good dishes and some glassware. Add some personal touches with a -17-
few nick-knacks. Store other dining room accessories behind closed storage. G Create open space so that guests and family members will not feel closed in when dining in this room. G Change the decor with the seasons to create a new look. Change the table cloth. Use a seasonal center piece on the table. If you have more than one set of good dishes change them twice a year to give your breakfront/china closet a different look. Add some seasonal nick-knacks. G Create a wine bar in a server and keep the necessary accessories in a drawer for when you are serving guests. G Create mood lighting by adding candles to the dining table or adding a dimmer switch to control the atmosphere. Brighter light is used for more casual dining and softer light is used for -18-
more formal dining. KITCHEN G Have trash bags available and toss out anything outdated, old, broken or things you never use. G Eliminate anything that does not belong in the kitchen. G Remove everything from the cabinets and drawers. Put like things back together. Put items you occasionally use up higher. Put items you use frequently down lower. G Throw away spices that are over a year old as they lose their potency. Store the remaining ones in one place and write of list so you will know what you have. Put the list inside a cabinet door. G Eliminate small appliances you no longer use. Store infrequently used small appliances in a storage closet. G Clear the counter tops of clutter except for some canisters for -19-
tea, coffee and sugar, a bread box, or small appliances you use daily such as a toaster or coffee maker. Store your drain board under the sink. G Clean out your refrigerator. Only put back fresh food and store them on shelves by category. G Create a place by the phone for a note pad and pencils. Write down items that you are running out of for your next trip to the grocery store. (Use the U Can Do It Grocery Shopping Checklist to make it easy to prepare!) G Store your pots and pans by stacking them one inside the other. Get a rack to store your lids or invert them on top of the pot or pan to save space. Eliminate the excess. G Separate your eating utensils from your cooking utensils and use drawer dividers to keep them separated. -20-
HOME OFFICE G Paper management is very tedious so be patient. Take some time to think about what the function of the space is for. Is it just for personal or a home-based business or both? G Establish mini-goals. Break up the area into sections and work on a section of the room at a time. G Schedule several days for this project if it s just too big of a job for one day. G Purchase some storage containers that you can use to sort items by category. G Have trash bags and a paper shredder available and toss out anything outdated, old, broken or things you never use. -21-
G Start at the entrance to the office and work around the room. G Eliminate anything that does not belong in the room. Create a spot to put items that belong in other rooms of the home and take them there when you are done. G Clear the desk top so that only the items that you need to function remain on top. A clear desk is a clear mind. Weed through the paperwork and begin to develop general categories, keeping personal separate from business if applicable. G Remove everything from the drawers and put like items back in specific places such as office supplies, computer software, stationery, etc. G If you have file folders, go through them to create general categories and then sub-divide within them. Eliminate what you no longer need and don t forget to shred anything with personal information on it. -22-
G If this project is too overwhelming, consider retaining the services of a professional organizer to help you create the function and design you seek. Do it once, do it right! CRAFT ROOM G Take some time to think about what you and/or your family would like to have in this room - a sewing area, a scrap booking area, a pottery table, etc. Visualize how you would like it to look before you get started. Zone out the room for different functions and think about the different types of items that will be in the space. G Establish mini-goals. Break up the area into sections and work on a section of the room at a time. G Schedule several days for this project if it s just too big of a job for one day. G Purchase some storage containers that you can use to sort items. G Have trash bags available and toss out anything outdated, old, -23-
broken or things you never use. G Eliminate anything that does not belong in the room. Create a spot to put items that belong in other rooms of the home and take them there when you are done. G This is a creative room - so be creative! Hang your various scissors on a magnetic knife strip over your work area. Store photographs in decorative photo boxes and display them on a shelf. Use a literature file to organize various types of paper for scrap-booking. Purchase rolling carts with clear drawers for various types of yarn. G Store craft magazines by category in magazine holders and store them on a tall bookcase along with craft books. G Be sure to provide good task lighting so you can see the details of your work. G Place a large work table in a location in the room which faces a -24-
doorway, window or decorative wall to keep you uplifted and inspired. PLAYROOM G Take some time to think about what your children would enjoy having in this room. Consider the various activities they enjoy - coloring, playing with dolls, playing dress up, playing with trucks, building with blocks, etc. Zone out the room for different functions and create separate zones for each child, if possible, so they feel they have their own storage space. Perhaps boys on one side, girls on the other and then neutral territory for shared toys. G Eliminate the toys that are no longer used. (This should be done twice a year.) If they are in good condition, donate them to a -25-
non-profit organization or pass them onto friends or family members. G Purchase wicker or canvas baskets that can fit onto a shelving unit or under a low shelf that will store various types of items. Smaller items work best in baskets; larger items can be stored on shelves in cubbies. G Create a seating area so the children can watch television with their friends. G Create an area for a table and chairs so they can use coloring books, paint or draw. G Use clear plastic containers with large labels on them so the children can put their toys away by category. If they are too young to read, use pictures instead. -26-
G Create a closet for dress-up clothes to be hung and accessories to be put on shelving above. G Use either an area rug or rubber squares that lock in together to create a colorful floor that is safe to play on and fun. G Put up a bulletin board where the children can display their artwork. G Use clean trash cans for baseball bats, hockey sticks, basketballs, baseballs, etc. -27-
LAUNDRY ROOM G Eliminate any laundry on the floor and sort it by whites, darks, lights, towels, sheets, gentle wash, jeans, etc. Use a laundry sorter to store the dirty laundry into. G Clear off the top of your washer and dryer. Keep it clean by wiping it down occasionally with a damp rag or disinfectant wipe. G Clean out your dryer lint screen after each load and clean your dryer vent regularly to avoid a fire. G If possible, use a table to fold your laundry and sort it into canvas baskets for each member of the household. Everyone who is over age 6 can put away their own clothes and return the basket to the laundry room for the next load. G Store all detergents, dry sheets, etc. on a shelf or shelving unit. -28-
Keep the items you use on a regular basis in a handy spot. G Set up a schedule to do one type of laundry per day so the clothes are rotating. Put in a load in the morning and put it in the dryer when you come home from work. Fold it and put it away as soon as the dryer cycle is done to avoid wrinkles. Do the same thing with another load the next day. G Wear jeans more than once and put hooks on the back of bathroom doors to dry bath towels to use again to reduce the amount of laundry you need to do each week. G Pre-treat stains to eliminate them and save time. G Make a rule that any clothes not placed in a hamper or in the laundry sorter will not get washed. Each bedroom should have a hamper for clothing and each bathroom should have a hamper for -29-
towels. G Set up a hanging rod system for shirts to air dry or lessen wrinkles after coming out of the dryer. Use a folded rack system for jeans and delicates that need to be air dried. STORAGE ROOM G Take some time to think about what you need to store in this room. Will the items fit on shelving or in cabinets? Can you put up a peg board and/or hooks to get things off the floor. Zone out the room for different types of items that will be in the space. G Establish mini-goals. Break up the area into sections and work on a section of the room at a time. G Schedule several days for this project if it s just too big of a job for one day. G Purchase some storage containers that you can use to sort items. -30-
G Have trash bags available and toss out anything outdated, old, broken or things you never use. G Eliminate anything that does not belong in the room. Create a spot to put items that belong in other rooms of the home and take them there when you are done. G Start at the entrance to the storage room and work around the room. G Categorize items that you are keeping and store them in clear containers with large labels on them. G Put out-of-season clothing or bedding into space bags and store them on shelves to save space. G Store luggage and various sized coolers inside each other to save space. -31-
GARAGE G Take some time to think about what you need to store in the garage besides your car. (That was the original intent of the garage!) Perhaps you could you use some shelving, cabinets, sports racks, bike racks, etc. You could put up a peg board with hooks to get things off the floor. G Zone out the garage for different types of items that will be in the space, such as garden supplies, sports equipment, holiday decorations, car care, painting supplies, tools, bikes, lawn equipment, outdoor toys and, hopefully, the car. -32-
G If need be, schedule a weekend for this project if it s just too big of a job for one day. G Purchase some storage containers that you can use to sort items. G Have trash bags available and toss out anything outdated, old, broken or things you never use. G Designate a staging area on the lawn or driveway to sort out everything. G Categorize the items you want or need to keep and those that get donated or thrown away. Arrange for donations to be picked up or dropped off that same weekend if possible so they are not returned to the garage. G Based on what remains, categorize them and determine the best way to store them - either in clear plastic containers, in a closed cabinet, hanging from the ceiling or mounted on the wall. -33-
G Before returning anything to the garage, clean the floor. You can use stain-resistant locking tile floor to give it a fresh new look or paint it. To finish the look, paint the walls with a fun color. G If you intend to use your garage as a workshop or art studio, make sure you have sufficient lighting. Be sure you consult with an electrician to determine your electrical needs so as not to overload any circuits and cause a fire. -34-