Ashlee's Top 10

Ways to Get and Stay Organized...

10.) Organize Cabinets and Shelves by Stacking or Grouping

I can not say enough about having organized and ordely cabinets! It makes life SOOOO much easier. Its easier to get dishes out, put them away, and your husband might even unload the dish washer now =)

I put the items that we rarely use on the top sheves

I wanted our pots/pans to be at arms reach while I was cooking. I couldn't stand having to search and find the pan and the lid that goes with it.

I found these fabric bins at Dollar Tree and I found out that you can store so many more books in these rather than lining them up in a row. I takes up less space. I attached scrapbook paper to the bottom of the shelves to keep from seeing the unfished wood from the bottom of the stairs.

9.) Throw Junk Mail AWAY,Put bills in Organizer, and File away Bill Stubs, Reciepts, Misc Info!

Here are the reccomended length of times to keep a particular document: (Source: All You Magazine)

Document/How long you should hold on to it

• 
  
  ATM Receipts/Until recorded into the check book(file away if important purchase)
  
  
  
• 
  
  Paid Utility Bills/1 Year
  
  
  
• 
  
  Medical Payment Records/1 Year
  
  
  
• 
  
  Bank Satements/1 Year
  
  
  
• 
  
  Paystubs/1 Year
  
  
  
• 
  
  Mortgage Intrest/7Years
  
  
  
• 
  
  Alimony/Retirement Contributions/Charitable Contributions/7 Years
  
  
  
• 
  
  Home Loan Records/As long as you own the house
  
  
  
• 
  
  Deeds/Car Titles/Receipts for major purchases/As long as you own it
  
  
  
• 
  
  Birth Certificate/Marriage Certificate/Insurance Policy Information/FOREVER, it a fireproof box
  
  
  
• 
  
  Will/FOREVER in a fireproof box
  
  
  

8.) Clip Coupons and Organize them

I found this cute Owl Coupon Organizer in the Dollar Bins @ Michaels

I seperate the coupons into these catagories:

Food**Fast Food/Resteraunts**Beauty/Personal**Medicine**Azul**

Dept Store/Retail**Misc

7.) Make Lists...i.e menus, grocery lists, cleaning lists...

I keep a list going constantly! That way when something pops in your mind that you need....WRITE IT DOWN

6.) Group items that go together

Plastic shopping bags stay nice and collected in this stainless steel organizer (Walmart $7)

5.) Make things Accessible

I keep all our cleaning products under our kitchen sink. I always know where they are and I can clean up in a flash!

4.) Organize Recipes...I put mine in a photo album

I make my grocery list out for two weeks and make out my menus too! It really helps out to know ahead of time what we will be having. We usually use the crock pot at least 2-3 days a week when I work late.

3.) Use Baskets/Bins/Containers

It's always nice to have a pen and paper ready whenever needed! I also keep scissors, tape and a calculater on hand!

Cookbooks stay nice and tidy in a nice woven basket. The one in the middle is a picture album. Thats where I keep cut out recipes and ones that I have wrote down!

Check out how I organized our herbs and spices HERE!

And...how I organized my Jewelry HERE!

2.) Labels are key

It takes all but a minute ir two to label the items in a basket or bin. You know whats in there and it keeps you from wasting time trying to find something!

1.) Get rid of junk and continue to deal with it immediatly=)

Additional Ways to Get organized:

Store away seasonal items**organize closets by colors**


I was FEATURED HERE on this post!!
Thank You Stephanie from Somewhat Simple!!

I am linking up to We are that Family for other great Tips!!!