Organising the Home

The home is where the heart is.

It is your base where you recharge your batteries and take care of your family, pets, catch up on your blogs, social network, and TV.

When you go home to a clean and tidy place after a hard day’s work, you can’t help but give a great sigh relief that you are safe at home, and can close the door to the rest of the world.

As a child I never really appreciated my home, and having my own room. It would constantly be in a mess, and I would be told off to clear it up. 

I was a hoarder and would keep things that I never really used and would fold up and leave money in draws and forget about it.

My mum was always trying to help me clear the clutter and there would be times when I did try but the momentum never lasted very long.

Now I have my own place, which I share with my husband I know how important it is to keep it tidy and do appreciate it, and try to keep my home as tidy as possible.

There are no longer piles of piles but things are in their rightful place, either in the cupboard, a folder or filed away neatly, there still some changes I would like to make but it is liveable now and it is true what others say, that it does make you feel good in yourself when things around you are clear and uncluttered.

Books

They should be on a bookcase, storage bin or cupboard, and only keep a few at a time. 

If you have a tablet, iPad, or iPhone you can use these for reading books instead, or use a kindle, which my Sister-in-law raves about, and we even bought my mum one for her birthday. Lots of the books available on Kindle are free. 

I now use my tablet for reading some books and for one my magazines I often read. 

However if you are like myself and would still like to read an actual book from time to time, then go ahead; but make sure you have a home for them and keep it minimal, there is no need to keep a massive pile or clutter your shelves with loads of books. Are you really going to read them all?

Once you clear the piles of books, then you can donate them to someone else who may want to read them, recycle them or give to a charity shop. Some local library's do take old books and you can now sell them online. 

(I have provided further details where you can sell books online further down).

Paper

HANDS UP IF YOU HAVE PILES OF PAPER!

Please do not be afraid you are not on your own. 

I have a draw that is all for recycle paper and I also keep a couple of pieces of recycled paper near the printer, to help save money on paper and printing. Not all items have to be printed or written, on fresh new unused paper for example my football training plans are on recycle paper. This is because only I will see the plans and no one else will so there is no need to waste paper that no one else is going to see. I also use my recycle paper for sticking some of my magazine clippings I wish to keep or I use my scanner to scan pictures and articles sometimes to save paper.

Make a place for your paper work and separate the paper such as keep, recycle and destroy.

The paperwork you need to keep categorize and separate into a file storage unit or in separate folders or in a ring binder with separate binders.

Here are examples of these categories that I use:

            - Bank statements

      -Bank letters

      -Household bill

      -Grocery receipts
       - Online personal purchases.

              - Reports

      - Home Projects

For craft papers keep these separate and in a separate craft box or draw so all your craft paper, scrapbooks, embellishments, card making paper etc is all in one place.

Magazines & Newspapers

When keeping magazines and newspapers tidy and organised, use a bin, magazine file, or basket.

However if you have piles and piles hoping one day you will read them and they are year or so old, then it time to recycle and dispose.

If there are articles you wish to keep then do so and categories for example, clippings to fashion, inspiring stories, fitness and exercise ideas and information .

Or if there are too many and you don’t think you will get through all of them then the oldest ones dispose first, then go through the ones you have kept in the last 3-6 months.

Let’s face it if you were going to read them, you would have done so by now.

CD’s and DVD's

Today I read a great article in relation to this, written by Myke Thomas on www.b2bexplore.com.

You can now sell your books, CD’s and DVD’s to lots of websites such as:

musicMagpie.com

www.webuybooks.co.uk/sell-books/

www.back2cash.co.uk/Sell

zapper.co.uk

My husband and I store our CD's and DVD's in file cases with the individual sleeves. This has really helped with space. To store the cases we bought a coffee table which had storage inside for magazines, CD's and DVD's and so this is where we keep them along with all catalogues and brochures. 

This coffee table we keep in our bedroom. 

This is another idea just because an item is supposedly for the living room or bedroom it doesn't mean you have to use it in that area, as it does depend on the space you have and where it suits you. Be original in your organization and storage ideas. 

The CD's and DVD's were in our dashboard in the living room, but we have since made space so I can store my stationary items, paper reams, and files and folders.

Please see some links below of some storage for CD's and DVD's available from Amazon, whom I often by my storage items from:

Caselogic CD Wallet Organiser 208 capacity 

£17.66

Neo 120 CD/DVD wallet - Nylon

£7.49

DiscGear 100 Auto storage case for 100 CD/DVD - black faux leather 

£39.99

You can also use a bin or storage box to store your DVD's and CD's. 

I used to display them to impress but no one really takes notice. They are not ornaments.

The other way to arrange them is have the CD’s and DVD’s you use most often separated in another place where you can easily access them.  

For example I keep the fitness DVD’s and the new DVD’s that I have recently bought I do keep things in the TV display unit as I know I will be using them frequently. 

However I don’t have loads and loads of DVD’s or CD’s on display now, just what I know I will use frequently and it does help clear the clutter, just the ones I know I will be listening or watching on a weekly and daily basis. 

Keep a list of all the films and CD's you have, when you arrange them categorize I did do this too, and I did help as I was not searching through each case to find the CD or DVD I wanted to listen to or watch.

So I hope these ideas have given some more ideas on your organization and it is good to start on these items first as they are the main culprits to clutter.

Please pass on your own ideas you have. 

Many thanks for reading. 


Carrie x