Get Organized for Spring!

I really have no business telling anyone to get organized because I live in chaos. I really do. Whenever I drop by someone's house unannounced I am always amazed to find it spotless. Especially people with kids. How do they do it? Do they have a secret cleaning lady-slash-ninja? Do they keep their kids handcuffed to the stairwell? Do they sleep??

I have to admit, I've never been a fan of cleaning, and I've never really been organized. As a teenager, I drove my mother up the wall by avoiding chores whenever possible. As a college student I got by doing the bare minimum. Then I got married, and was horrified to realize that I was expected to do some measure of cooking and cleaning.

You want me to do what?

To be fair, after I had kids, my nesting instincts kicked in a little bit and now not only do I notice the clutter around me, I actually feel bothered enough to clean it. So I am proud to say I clean on a regular basis. (Just in case you were reading this post and thinking my family lives in filth.) However, I still can't get my house to be spotless all the time, the way some people do. With two children it is practically impossible. Cleaning when you have children is like shoveling snow while it's still snowing. It just doesn't work. A five year old boy can destroy an entire room in the length of time it takes you to get a drink of water. This is the reality in my house. So if you're going to stop by, please call first!

This is the order in which I like to do housework: 1) Laundry 2) Vacuuming 3) Contemplate Suicide 4) Dishes.

 
So I regularly need motivation. I searched the web and found five great organizing tips for spring. Even if it's technically not spring where you are, it's always a good idea to get rid of the clutter in your home and feel like Martha Stewart for a day. If I can do it, so can you!

1. Earring Picture Frame

 This is such a fabulous idea, inspired by Bless Our Nest. I particularly love this because I'm a fan of big dangly earrings that never quite fit into a regular jewelry box. Something like this would be perfect for them. All you need is a pretty little picture frame and some lace.





2. Medicine Storage

My medicine cabinet desperately needs this. I routinely go through and clear out old and expired medications, but between creams, ointments, pain pills, cold meds, and vitamins, it just becomes one big jumble. Ask Anna came up with this great way to keep everything organized and easy to find. I also love the idea of labeling each storage box (hmm, free printables, anyone?)

3.  Cord Labels

Alright, how genius is this? I knew those little bread plastic labels had to be good for something other than taking up space on my kitchen counter! I often use my computer to watch movies on our TV which means lugging it back and forth across the room several times a week. And I always have trouble figuring out which cord goes where. Even if you don't move your PC around much, that one time when you need to unplug something, this could save you a lot of frustration and cursing. Thanks goes to Apartment Therapy for this one.




4. Cleaning Supply Rod

It feels like I'm always fighting a losing battle with the cleaning supplies under the sink. It's an area that is out of sight so it gets ignored most of the time. And when I'm done cleaning the bathroom/scrubbing the floors/wiping the windows, I don't feel like putting things back neatly. I yank off my plastic gloves, I throw everything back under the sink and I go lie down. However, one small tension rod installed in the cabinet, and I could be inspired to put everything back in its place. Find it on Style Lush Blog.




5. Pebble Boot Tray

This is great for the rainy season. Mini Manor offers this pretty yet practical way to keep your front entrance puddle-free. All you need is a metal tray and some decorative stones.



I will be trying all of these in my own house, and I'll post pictures for you guys to see. If you try any of these, leave me a comment and let me know how it worked out for you. Leave me a comment if it didn't work out for you. Whichever one, just comment! I love feedback. People keep texting me and emailing me about my posts, but no one leaves a comment. Come on people! I like the attention, tee hee!

By the way, in my efforts to become more organized, I am trying the 21 day challenge, created by A Bowl Full of Lemons. I'll let you all know how it goes. Happy organizing!