TIPS & TRICKS
BEDROOMS
  • Put sheets inside their matching pillowcases. Linens stay together and are easier to access.
  • Increase storage space under your bed by using bed risers.
  • Create functional and beautiful bedside storage by placing a tablecloth and glass top on a two drawer filing cabinet.
  • Add a second hanging rod in your closet for short garments.
  • Hang a full length mirror on the inside of your closet door.
  • To make your bed in a hurry, straighen the sheet and comforter while still lying in bed. Then fold down your corner of the bedding, slide out of bed and replace the bedding.
  • Lay out your clothes the night before to avoid a morning rush frenzy when you realize the shirt you wanted to wear is stained or wrinkled.
  • Use ice cube trays to sort and store your earrings.
 
CLEANING TIPS
  • Stash weekly cleaning supplies in a caddy you can carry from room to room.
  • Hang mops and brooms from a hanger in the laundry room or garage. This will keep your floor clear for a neater look and prevent your broom from getting damaged.
  • Keep a “lost and found” box for anything of value you find. At the end of the week what is not claimed is either trashed or donated.
  • To ward off pesky soap scum and water spots, wipe down the glass or fiberglass door with Rain-X Original Glass Treatment ($5 for a 16-ounce bottle), which is used on car windshields to keep them clear.
  • As you bag the kitchen trash toss out any funky or spoiled food from the fridge.
  • To prevent wrinkles hang up your clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer. For even better results spritz them with Niagra Wrinkle Releaser and Odor Eliminator, then smooth out the creases and hang up the garments.
  • When sautéing protect the neighboring burners with pot lids. When you’ve finished, no need to scrub greasy grates, just pop the lids in to the dishwasher.
  • Have the last person out of the shower to wipe down the tiles with a squeegee to prevent mildew and soap scum build-up for weeks, maybe even months.
  • Wrap sloppy condiment bottles (olive oil, syrup, honey) with a paper towel and secure with a rubber band. This will prevent any drips from creating a sticky mess in your cabinets.
  • To clean the mess inside your microwave squirt 2-3 drops of dishwashing liquid in a coffee cup and fill three quarters full with water. Microwave the cup for 2 minutes. Remove the cup (be careful, liquid will be hot) and wipe away the nasty food remains easily with a wet paper towel. No scrubbing required.
  • To remove pet hair from upholstery, don a pair of rubber gloves, dampen them and run your hands over cushion (for silk use dry gloves).
  • Keep an extra toothbrush by the kitchen sink to clean appliances like food processors and blenders.
  • Attach sports schedules to the fridge or a stain removal chart to the dryer with new magnetic tape from Dowling Magnets ($6). Ultrathin and easy to tear this tape has a light adhesive on one side and peels off easily when you are finished displaying your photos or artwork.
  • To easily clean that mildewy shower curtain liner try the Platinum Hotel Shower Curtain from Springmaid ($25). It zips off for easy cleaning in the washing machine. www.springmaid.com
  • To scrub gunk off wooden cutting boards, glass baking dishes and pet bowls sprinkle a liberal amount of salt on a damp sponge and wipe.
 
ENTRYWAYS
  • Catch your mess where it lands. If backpacks end up laying in the floor by the backdoor, then install hooks on the wall for backpacks and coats and place a shoe tray below to corral those many pairs of shoes.
  • Store last minute items in a basket by the door you use when you leave your house in the morning. Things like sunglasses, cell phone, keys and letters to be mailed will be ready and waiting for you when you are in that morning rush.
  • Hang keys from self-adhesive hooks (3M) by the door.
  • If you aren’t wearing it, put it away. Rotate seasonal jackets, coats and accessories.
  • Conceal all your charging devices by re-purposing an everyday object. Drill holes for cords in the back of a breadbox, fabric covered box or wood box and place the decoy on a counter in your kitchen in your entryway.
  • Use a clear over-the-door shoe bag to contain seasonal accessories (gloves, sun hats, sunscreen, bug spray) and other back door clutter (dog leash).
  • Place a mirror near the exit for last minute touch-ups.
 
IN THE BATHROOM
  • Install a metal cup holder on the wall next to your sink to hold your hairdryer off the counter and floor. Be sure its diameter is large enough to accommodate the dryer’s nozzle.
  • Store cotton balls and swabs in glass containers.
  • Put plastic containers in the drawers to separate tools, make-up, tooth care items, etc. It will save you time looking for things and it will protect your drawer from damage.
  • Fold towels into neat piles according to size and use. Try to buy matching towels.
  • Install hooks on the back of the bathroom door within a child’s reach so he can hang up his own towel after his bath. You may want to hang the hook on the back of your child’s bedroom door if your bathroom is already cramped.
  • Install a towel bar with hanging rod over your toilet (think hotel bathrooms) to store bath towels, hand towels and washcloths.
  • Use suction-cup storage caddies in the shower. It keeps your stuff off the edge of the tub so that it isn’t constantly falling into the tub and your tub surface will also stay cleaner.
 
IN THE GARAGE
  • Use ceiling mounted racks for large lightweight items.
  • Install fluorescent lighting to brighten up dark corners.
  • Divide the space into zones for each task (ex. Gardening/lawn care, sports, seasonal, pool supplies, etc.)
  • Secure bikes to a wall mounted rack.
  • Use a pegboard to organize tools. Sort into categories and keep the ones most frequently used at eye level.
  • Suspend a tennis ball from the ceiling with a piece of fishing string so that it will touch your windshield when you have pulled far enough into the garage so the door will close, and yet leave as much walking space as possible to access your storage space.
  • Throw out old, unwanted paint. First open each can and sprinkle enough kitty litter inside to absorb the leftover paint. Then the cans can be set out with the regular garbage.
 
IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM
  • Use a three-bin laundry sorter on wheels to sort dirty clothes.
  • Hang a rod over your dryer so you can hang clothes up as soon as they come out of the dryer…less ironing later!
  • Utilize the back of the doors and walls for storage.
  • Store cleaners on a shelf that doubles as a place to hang clothes.
  • Install wall mounted, fold down tables for folding clothes.
  • Place a portable hamper in each person’s room and a three-section bin in the laundry room so everyone can sort his own dirty clothes.
  • For clean clothes assign a specific colored clothes basket for each person in the laundry room. So when your child or husband asks you where their clean socks are you only have to remind them to check their clothes basket.
 
KITCHENS
  • Turn a cabinet to memo board by brushing on chalkboard paint.
  • Install a grocery bag holder on the inside of your cabinet door.
  • Store important “life” papers (school schedules, activities calendars, take-out menus, pizza coupons) in an accordion file.
  • Purchase a newspaper recycling bin (Lillian Vernon) to corral read newspapers. When the bin is full simply tie the bundle together with the attached spool of twine and you’re done.
  • Store baking goods (flour, sugar, cornmeal, brown sugar, powdered sugar) in clear plastic containers with wide openings and lids. This keeps the food fresher longer and it is easier to measure when baking.
  • Organize spices by type of cuisine/season. Use one baking tray for each cuisine (Mexican, Christmas) and fill several small containers with the essential spices. Label the tray as well as the individual containers.
  • Store your food items and supplies where you use them. For example if you are a baker store your flour, sugar, oil as well as mixing bowls and mixer in one cabinet that has a sufficient counter space above or below.
 
LIVING ROOMS
  • Remove DVDs from their cases and slide them into simple binders outfitted with CD storage pages (available at discount stores and office supply stores). It takes up less space and clean-up is a snap.
  • Install floating shelves on the wall to store leisure reading and family photos in photo boxes.
  • Sort photos by event or by date.
  • Place a basket or other container near the seating area for remote control storage.
  • Use storage ottomans for propping up your feet and storing blankets and toys.
  • Keep your surge protector organized by labeling each cord with the name of the piece of media equipment.
  • Store books by subject material or author.
 
OUTSIDE
  • Purchase a potting bench to store potting soil, pots, gardening gloves, and garden tools. Check out smithandhawken.com. Or for a less expensive alternative purchase two sawhorses and place a piece of precut Formica counter on top.
  • Install a pegboard in your gardening area so your tools, gloves and other supplies are easy to reach and quick to clean-up. You may want to trace the shape of the item on the pegboard with chalk or a marker so there’s no confusion about what belongs where.
  • Use rock climber’s carabiner clips to fasten a canvas tool belt to a plastic bucket. Once outside detach the belt and wear it around your waist.
  • Repurpose a CD box for storing bulbs, gloves, or tools.
  • Label plants with crafts (Popsicle) sticks. Use a green marker for edible plants, red for nonedible.
  • Try buying tools from one company. Things look neater when they look the same.
  • Use pots as organizers. Put flower seeds in one and vegetable seeds in another.
  • Store soil once it is opened in large airtight plastic container on wheels.
  • Keep sunscreen, a wide brim hat and gardening reference book nearby.
  • Place frequently used tools and gloves in a bucket or canvas tote to carry around the garden and prevent trips back to the shed.
 
TRAVEL TRICKS
  • Minimize wrinkled clothing by rolling, not folding, three to four pieces together, with knits on the inside. For even better results, wrap the bundle in a dry-cleaning bag.
  • Tie a ribbon to your luggage so it’s easier to spot at the airport.
  • Slip chunky necklaces and bracelets into socks, then tuck them inside your shoes.
  • If flying wear your bulkiest pair of shoes on the plane to save room in your suitcase.
  • Use daily pill organizers to sort earrings. It keeps your jewelry readily accessible and prevents tangles.
  • Keep a travel toiletry bag ready to go at all times. Stock it with travel size toiletries. Make sure you fill bottles three quarters full to prevent leaks caused by air pressure shifts during flights.
  • Plastic dry cleaning bags do double duty. Draped over every other item in your hanging bag, they prevent fabrics from forming hard creases and wrinkles. Later in the trip knot the end of one bag to create an instant soiled-clothing sack.