L is for Label: Loving your Label Maker

L is for Label     

Are you addicted to your label maker?   Do you even have a label maker?  If you do not have one, you are missing out on the glory!

For a professional organizer, a label maker is an essential “must have”, “cannot live without” tool.  Quite frankly, it is an addiction for most of us. a crazy love for a tool that makes us jump for joy to see a fully label storage system.

Did I mention my label maker is pink?  Love it!!!

So what does one do with a label maker?

Well...you could:

Label your shelves in the kitchen cabinets so the family can all put the dishes and utensils away in the correct places.  Making it easy for everyone to participate in the household chores and maintenance is one of the keys to a well organized home and frees up your time

Label your refrigerator (my friends mock me regularly for this one).   Indicate where you would like the milk, eggs, condiments, and left overs stored.   By labeling the fridge, you ensure time is not wasted looking for items and those lost leftover science experiments are less likely to occur.   Another bonus, making a grocery list is a breeze because you will know exactly what you have on hand with a quick glance.

Label your pantry.   Create a section for each food type: soups, crackers. canned tomatoes, canned vegetables, pasta, etc...  Just has having the fridge well organized, having the pantry in order will also allow for quick decisions when it comes to menu planning and making a grocery list.

Label your linen closet shelves to make put away a quick and efficient.   Family members can find what they need without ripping the shelves apart and you can get assistance with putting laundry away because they will all know where to put the items.

Label the inside of your dresser drawers, especially the ones in the kids rooms so they can be self-reliant and put away their items when clean as well as get themselves dressed in the mornings.

Label your storage bins so you know what is inside and do not have to open each one.

Basically, if you are storing something, you can label it!

Contact us today to get your closets and storage systems in order.  

www.adventuresinorganizing.ca

The Organizing Olympics, Day 5: Powder Room Paddle

We are moving onto  Day 5 of the Organizing Olympics:   The Powder Room Paddle Event!

During this event we are going to tackle the Powder Room....this is an individual sport and sadly, your team will not fit in the room.

Warm up, do your stretches, and get ready for your event.


You will need a broom, rags and your favourite bathroom cleaners.   I am a Windex gal.  It cleans everything.

This event involves: a warm up, the event, and the finish line...the podium is where you get your medal as you leave the room.

During your warm up, grab your broom and cover the bristles with a rag,   get all the dust bunnies and cobwebs knocked down from the ceiling - do the same with the walls

What is your strategy to win at this game? 

1. Getting the Powder Room Pristine Clean
2. Keep Only what you use and love and want guests to see in the powder room
3. Toss what is no longer in good condition and beyond repair
4. Donate items that are in good condition and you could bless others with
5. Move items that do not belong in the powder room to the proper location in the house.   This is a bathroom we share with our guests and intimate personal items should be stored elsewhere.

Empty the cupboards and the drawers and use the sorting process above.  Wash inside before putting anything back

Make sure there is a good supply of Toilet Paper for guests that is easily accessible.

Scrub Mirrors, Sinks, Facets and Counter Tops.   The toilet should shine inside and out.  

Make sure there are clean towels in the powder room.   Guest should not be using the same towels that you had your shower with that morning....ick!

Wipe down the cabinets and around light switches, toilet paper holder and doors.  Give the door knobs a wash as well.

Empty the waste paper basket - keep a fresh bag in there and if the inside of the can is dirty, wash it in hot soapy water...if it is really nasty, perhaps it needs to be replaced.

Scrub the floors and back out of the room.

You are finished, head to the podium to collect your gold medal to hang on the door.

If you require a more personalized solution to getting your home organized, please subscribe today to our Minute-By-Minute Organizing Program.   It is just $5.00 per week and offers you daily organizing assistance designed to meet your needs!

The Organizing Olympics, Day 4: Hat Hoops

Love this pic from wtfeck.com ~ too funny!

Today's event will be.....HAT HOOPS.


Just like basketball, this will be a team event.    Get the entire family involved because they will need to make some decisions about what they still like, what they still wear, and what they can let go of.

The event involves...     

Gathering all of your hats, toques, ball caps, cowboy hats – basically anything that will sit on your head -  into one location.

What is your strategy to win at this game? 

Sort all the hats into categories.   Same type with same type…all the ball caps together, all the winter hats together.   Get everyone to look at their head wear and make decisions about what to keep following the same “rules” of the game we did yesterday.

1. Keep what you love, wear and have space to store
2. Toss what is no longer in good condition and beyond repair
3. Repair items you love but need a little rehab
4. Donate items that are in good condition and you could bless others with
5. Store items that are off season in a location that will keep them clean and protected until needed

If you have tons of hats, you may need to use a timer to take regular breaks.   Keep in mind, as with any athletic event, time matters so make your decisions quickly and spring into action.  You are heading for a gold medal....GO!!!

• Keep

• Toss

• Repair

• Donate

• Store

I would suggest you store winter hats all together in a clear bin with a lid.   Clear so you can see what is inside – with a lid to keep items clean off-season.  The lid is also a good indicator of when you need to clear your hats out in the future.   If the lid is hard to get back on, it is definitely time to clear some more out.   Do the same with summer hats and label each bin by season. Off season hats can be stored in the front closet if there is enough space, or in another part of the house if storage is at a premium.

Hatboxes protect more expensive hats that are worn less often.   Label the boxes so you know what is inside.

Ball Caps can get a little out of control and you might need to get a little more creative – they can be washed in the dishwasher (top rack) and if you cannot store them in a bin, try searching on line for Ball Cap Storage Solutions.    Here is a link to one option found at WalMart 

For more free tips, ideas and organizing solutions, visit us on Facebook