After so many people demanded to know more about the way we organize everything from our bills to our receipts, we realized that our recent post about seven simple things that make our lives easier just scratched the surface. So we’re back to share more peeks into the systems and habits that we rely on to keep everything in its place (so we can find things at a moment’s notice, and keep our house tidy pretty much on auto-pilot). So without further ado, here’s how we store, stash and stockpile just about everything in our house.
We’ve mentioned our little DIY mudroom in the corner of our den (a padded storage bench and coat rack from Target instantly create a convenient spot to hang jackets, bags, and leashes so they don’t pile up elsewhere). But we haven’t revealed what we store inside the bench. Why our paperwork of course! From medical records to tax info and even momentos from our childhood (old drawings and report cards), it’s all filed away in different folders labeled for easy identification (we use two of those tiered upright folder stands so everything is easy to see and nothing can slip out and get lost). No one would ever guess that seemingly spare corner of the room is really a huge paper hub. We also have a safety deposit box at our local bank where we securely store all of our important paperwork and info (a small safe can just be carried off in a break in). Can’t be too careful these days!
And once we learned about the virtues of storage ottomans, we couldn’t help but introduce a padded bench to our dining area too. In there we store all of the paper statements and bills that we’ve paid (in folders labeled with each company’s name- again corralled in tiered upright folder holders) so we can easily find whatever we need for taxes or to prove that we paid something (we pay bills online, but we write our confirmation number and the date that we paid ’em on all of our paper invoices for easy reference).
As for receipts, I’ve worked for a while to come up with a system that really works for me. I used to try to store them by category in an expandable plastic accordion folder, but they seemed to multiply and I felt like I was devoting ten hours a week to putting them in their designated spots (plus certain categories were bulging while others were virtually empty). Then I picked up two white boxes from Ikea for my desk (they were so affordable and I knew I could use them for something). I decided I would just try slipping receipts into one of them. No more sorting by about ten categories, and no more pile of receipts hanging over me. I just empty my purse when I get home each night and toss them into the box. Easy as pie. And finding an old receipt isn’t too hard since they’re pretty much stacked chronologically, so I spend way less time sorting them up front, and can still find something in in a few minutes when I need to on the back end. Update: check out how we use the other box and hide all the wires in our office right here.
Meanwhile, the white metal tins (also from Ikea) are where we store Burger’s food and his t-r-e-a-t-s (can’t say the word or he goes crazy). They’re cheap little airtight containers, but they still look clean and neat on my white desk. We even have a mini measuring cup in the larger bin which stores the food for easy scoopage. Oh and many people think it’s funny that we store our pooch stuff in the den, but it’s actually where his food and water bowls are (we trained him in the den back when the floor was linoleum and he’s been eating and drinking in there ever since) so it really works well for us.
Oh and as for mail, we sort/pay/file everything right away so there’s not “spot” devoted to storing the mail (for fear that it will pile up and create a super huge job down the line). We highly recommend the do it now approach to mail as it seems to really keep the clutter to a minimum.
As for the garbage/recycling/compost situation, we took the opportunity to majorly organize everything after the kitchen reno and we’re so happy that our sink cabinet is almost exclusively devoted to those three functions (recyclables in a plastic bin on the left, compost in an air-tight container that we empty out back into our compost bins every few days, and garbage in a small pail on the right). It’s so simple and efficient that even our little niece and nephew know where to put their banana peels!
But if there aren’t many cleaning products under the sink (just some Ecover dishwasher tablets, a bottle of Veggie-Wash, and a few old Swiffer dusters), where do we keep the cleaning goods you ask? Why in our rolling caddy in our DIY laundry nook of course! Our wonderful wheely friend from Target (for $17!) ensures that there’s plenty of room for dishtowels (folded neatly in a basket) and a few green cleaning products (many of them multitask which means we no longer need to store a million bottles of glass cleaner, granite spray, stainless steel scrub, etc). Hooray for extra storage space instead of a slew of rarely-used products and potions!
We walk the line between adoring open storage (our linen closet is doorless, we have a glass cabinet in the kitchen, we have open shelving in the dining area) and coveting concealed storage (ottomans, bins and baskets abound!) but when it comes to toilet paper we’re all about showing our guests where to find it (TP anxiety shouldn’t carry over from public restrooms to our house). For our half bathroom we actually took a roll of toilet paper into Target to find a tall glass cylinder vase to store a few rolls out in the open…
… and in the bathroom we have a little TP pyramid in plain sight thanks to the fact that we removed the door to the linen closet for more of that crisp open storage that we crave.
We also decided to make use of the weird old towel bar in the bathtub with a little construction project. So we snagged a shower caddy that’s meant to be slipped over the shower head and two metal closet hooks from Target and used them to hook the caddy over the bar. Presto, a place for all of our shower stuff (and our razors no longer get all rusty like they did when they hung right under the shower nozzle).
Spare change is like poison ivy. Before you know it, it’s everywhere. In the couch, on the counter, in the junk drawer, in the laundry basket. That’s why we have one single solitary place for pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and the occasional Sacajawea dollar coin. Right in this cute little metallic bird piggy bank that we picked up from West Elm a while back. It’s located out in the open in our living room so it’s easy to drop things in when we’re coming or going. And whenever we notice that it’s getting full we roll those babies, slide through the bank, and go out to dinner and a movie (with moolah to spare). Gotta love free date night! It’s the ultimate reward for keeping our change in check.
A while back I shared my little jewelry sorting secret: a ceramic egg crate that I snagged at the container store about five years ago (it can even be seen in my old NYC apartment video). It’s the perfect way to keep everything visible yet organized behind our curtain closet doors, which is key for a grab and go girl like me.
And we can’t talk about our boxes and bins without mentioning the other storage systems that we have going on in our kitchen. There’s a lot more than meets the eye (which is also the case in our den, and even our guest bedroom). Like this metal filing cabinet that I picked up for $5 at a thrift store. In the kitchen it became a great place to stash spoons and spices (check out the details here), and we love the moody color and the vintage appeal that it adds to the room.
Of course we also have our cheap-o glass jars for cereal storage, which totally come in handy for for easy access and extra room in the cabinets (they free up some major space where two boxes of cereal would otherwise live). Plus they’re great visual reminders to restock when we’re running low on corn flakes or granola.
We also use our kitchen for more than just food-related storage. After the renovation we added tons of space that came in handy for a little cabinet devoted to all of my decorative accessories (which we dubbed The Decor Store- read more about it here). Nothing beats shopping your own house to freshen up a bookcase or dining table (and keeping every candlestick, vase, and other accessory on hand in the same spot is super convenient).
Oh yeah and we also keep all of our tools in the kitchen. Betcha didn’t see that one coming. Even our installer thought we were crazy when I told him the cabinet base to the left of the stove would be solely devoted to screwdrivers, paint rollers, nails, anchors, sandpaper and other home improvement essentials. But it really works for us and everything is super organized thanks to four whole drawers of deliciously organized gadgets and gizmos. Yummy.
And even with our tools in the kitch, we still have some empty space (which we’ve heard is a good thing in Feng Shui- something about allowing room for great things to come into your life). Whatever it may mean, we really appreciate the fact that we still have room to grow, and we don’t feel like we’re bursting at the seams like we did before our kitchen reno. Here’s our corner lazy susan with absolutely nothing on the bottom. And the top shelf is where we store a bowl that’s too big for our cabinets and a basket full of light bulbs (removing the packaging and stashing them in a basket or bowl is so much more space efficient- and they still say the wattage on the bulb or the base so they’re easy to sift through).
I like to trade out the things in the center of our dining table from time to time, but lately I’ve been digging a tray full of stuff that we actually use to set the table. We keep the plates in the kitchen since they get loaded up with food in there, but having a few utensils, cups, bowls, and even some nice fabric napkins out on the table reminds us to take our time and have a nice meal whenever we sit down (even if it’s just frozen pizza night).
And where do we keep the remotes? In this white shell box ($8 at TJ Maxx) right in front of the tube. It’s roomy enough to accomodate all three remotes and it makes finding them a snap (and cleaning up for company no longer means stuffing them into the couch cushions or under the sofa). We also slipped two woven baskets into the bottom shelves of our media stand for Netflix movies, lotion, pads pens, and other things that are nice to have on hand in the TV room. Just by adding those two baskets we have a lot more storage space that makes cleaning up and finding things super easy (which is always a plus when you’re trying to watch 24).
But there’s even more hidden storage in the den. The two square leather ottomans that we use in lieu of a coffee table also serve as a place to stash board games and paint decks. You might wonder why an entire cube is devoted to color swatches. Well, lets just say I can’t get enough, and it certainly comes in handy when our clients say that their adjoining kitchen is Pistachio by Benjamin Moore or White Feather by Behr (since we have almost every paint deck known to man, it’s easy to track down almost any color). And look how pretty they are!
In the third bedroom we also have another storage ottoman secretly housing all the extra linens for the daybed in that room (plus a nice cozy blanket). Keeping the bedding that correlates to that bed right in the room really makes things easy (and it frees up more space in the linen closet to boot).
When it comes to our cards and gift wrap, I actually created a little wrapping paper/card writing station in our third bedroom a while back. John thought it was sort of a silly thing that I’d never use but I’m in there all the time! It’s so nice to know that I have a plethora of pretty cards to choose from, and they’re all organized by occasion in one big box so I’m never caught empty handed at the last minute.
Keeping all of our wrapping paper, tissue paper, gift bags and ribbons at the ready not only makes gift giving easy, it actually makes it fun (and it saves us money since it encourages us to use what we have instead of constantly losing and replacing things). Sticking some gift wrap in a personalized planter is an easy way to keep it handy (and it’s easy on the eyes too).
But although we love to stash things in benches, baskets, ottomans, boxes, glass canisters, metal tins, planters and even egg crates… we still think some things look lovely naked. Like this pretty stack of magazines that we keep on the hearth with a metal bull on top for a bit of a fun. Sometimes embracing what you have (and grouping like objects) is a great way to visually integrate and organize things that you just don’t have a place to hide.
So there you have it. Our house in a nutshell… or a bin/box/basket. How do you guys organize you receipts? Your jewelry? Your spices? Your bills? Your toilet paper? Do tell!
Note: For anyone wondering why we’re revealing all this info about our house, not only do we have an alarm, we also have a safety deposit box at the bank with all of our important info, so we’re super sure that our house is super secure! Can’t be too careful these days!
Sara says
Oh and we have the same ottoman that you have in your mudroom area. We use our for storing board games though. I never thought to keep files in there, it is the perfect size. So clever!
Kimberly says
What a great post! Thanks for sharing what you do!
SoBella Creations says
All great storage ideas! I still haven’t found a good solution to the paper clutter. I use baskets and bins for my girls clothes and toy storage. A lot of the products were bought at Ikea.
renee says
Heavenly post! I am one of those weird, super-organized types and love to talk about great ideas, tips, etc.
Here are a few things I do for my tiny, 1400 square foot home:
CDs: I have them all on my laptop as well (and backed-up to an external hard drive), but I just couldn’t part with some of the CDs, so I ditched the clunky jewel cases and filed the CDs and matching liner notes in a CD notebook (from Target). (Another resource is SwapaCD.com, where you can trade your CDs for different ones. Sister sites are PaperbackSwap.com and SwapaDVD.com.)
Jewelry: I have a shallow drawer in an old dresser, so I got some crushed velvet material to lie on the bottom of the drawer, then I spread out my necklaces and bracelets. I’m searching for a funky box for earrings. Very boutique-y!
Shoes: Since my bedroom has a minuscule closet, I hang a shoe organizer on the back of my bedroom door and put the shoes I wear most often there. Leaves more space in the closet for actual clothes :)
Winter wear: I live in Minneapolis…we have LOTS of cold weather accessories, so I hung another shoe organizer inside my coat closet and store our hats, mittens, scarves etc.
Hope this is help info – LOVE the blog and site, you awesome youngsters!!
Melissa says
Laura,
We have the same dilemma as you – so we store our pet food (which we buy in 20 lb bags) in one of these in a corner of our kitchen: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60045656
it’s so cute and works great for us, and much more stylish than leaving the bag out in the open. Hope this helps!
Bridget B. says
We keep four “jall” laundry sorters from Ikea in our walk-in closet for easy sorting. The sorters have hangrips for easy carrying to the laundry room.
We stick one of those mesh laundry bags into the sorter that holds the dry-clean only items so that it can be easily pulled out and taken to the cleaners.
Jen says
I’ve got to get a storage ottoman or two! Any tips on how to turn a regular ottoman into a storage ottoman?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jen,
Hmm, that’s a toughie. The issue with converting a non-storage ottoman into one that can store things is that it might end up being structurally compromised due to the conversion (ex: storage ottomans are built to have a hinged top and still support a good deal of weight on top so if you made your own I’d be afraid it wouldn’t be able to hold any weight up top). Maybe it’s something you can google or ask the wood guy at Home Depot/Lowe’s? They might have some reinforcing ideas to save your ottoman!
xo,
Sherry
MaryB in Richmond says
Guys … a great post. It’s literally full of cool stuff your reader fans can implement RIGHT NOW.
Thank you!!!
Rachel says
Can you explain what these are? (we use two of those tiered upright folder stands so everything is easy to see and nothing can slip out and get lost).
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Rachel,
Sure thing! Here’s an image of one: http://www.oppictures.com/SINGLEIMAGES/400/RUB96601_1_1.JPG
They come in a bunch of colors (ours are clear) and they allow you to hold a bunch of folders upright (the tiered format lets you to see all the tabs quite easily). They’re available everywhere from Target to OfficeMaxx. Hope it helps!
Rachel says
Fabulous. Thanks for explaining. And then you guys just use normal file folders? Sorry for all the questions, but I just SO want to do this!:)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Rachel,
Yup just the regular manila files with tabs that you can get for like 25 cents. Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry
Hattie says
I’m so glad to learn that my husband and I are not the only people storing hammers and screwdrivers in a kitchen drawer! We also had extra space after our kitchen remodel and it turned out to be super handy to have a few small tools and nails and things readily available. Guests do think we are awfully weird if they open the drawer by mistake, though!
My best storage trick is using vintage train cases and suitcases to hide stuff. I have one on my dresser that holds all my makeup and jewelry, and two on a bookcase in the living room that hold CDs and assorted knick knacks that I’ve rotated out of display for the moment.
Love the post, you always have such great ideas :)
Angela says
Wow! What great ideas! I have a feeling Target is going to sell out of ottomans! I want want to run out and buy one right now! Haha!
Sherry says
Thanks for posting your organization solutions! Believe it or not, I was up at 2am this morning sorting my junk mail and magazines after I spent the entire day looking at your site and archives. Definitely an inspiration, I must say! I made a list of questions for you, and most of the questions revolved around “where you keep your stuff?”. I find it so funny that I come back to see that your newest post answered most of my questions! I do have a few more: Where is your ironing board? Where do you keep you toiletries (makeup, hand creams, toothpaste, etc.? Where are your toilet bowl brushes/mops? And lastly, I keep greeting cards that I get over the years (birthdays, holidays, baby announcements, party invites, etc.) Do you keep this sort of thing? If so, where do you store them?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Sherry,
Good questions one and all (and a nice name too). Our ironing board is stashed between the side of our built-in wardrobe and the wall in the bedroom (there was a small 3 inch gap that we were obscured with the curtain that covers our wardrobe- so it’s the perfect place to slip our ironing board). My toiletries are all stored in a pretty woven basket in the doorless linen closet (I’m all about living with less, you can see my pared down make-up bag in this post all about embracing minimalism). As for our toothpaste and our toothbrushes, they’re housed in a simple white Ikea planter (also in our doorless linen closet- it looks crisp and clean but they’re so easy to grab and use). Gotta love when function and form come together (and they’re only $1 at Ikea!). Here’s a post all about our linen closet which will hopefully shed even more light on the storage situation: https://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/open-wide/
Toilet bowl brushes are tucked behind the bowls in each room for easy access (they’re just too germy to put anywhere else like in a closet or a cabinet) and our mop is with our ironing board slipped behind the curtain between our wardrobe and the wall in the bedroom. We also have a few leather boxes full of momentos in a hall closet (where we also keep matching leather photo albums on the top shelf) for keepsakes like cards and notes that we save over the years.
As for hair things, I’m a HUGE ponytail girl, so I don’t have lots of clips and headbands (just brown bobby pins and thin clear elastics). I store them both in a small glass cup that I keep in a basket in our doorless linen closet. They’re super easy to grab and go, and I never have to search frantically for them in a makeup bag or a cluttered drawer. Oh and I’m always sure to have an extra set in my wallet and by the bed- just for convenience. Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry
Sherry says
Oh… and your hair accessories? Where do you store those? (hairpins, headbands, scrunchies, clips, etc.) I need a good storage solution for mine.
Kim says
Wow! This is a great post.
I’m incredibly impressed by the amount of storage you have in your kitchen. You’ve really made incredibly great use of every nook and cranny. We keep basic tools in our kitchen, too. It’s so useful to have a tape measure, hammer and nails on hand. Then, we don’t have to run to the garage. I love that you have so many drawers for tools and decor items. How clever.
Thanks for sharing all of this.
Devin says
I commented a little earlier and started to think once I got home… I’m trying to “downsize” our massive clutter in our house right now and filing is one of them. I read your replies in regards to how you store them but how do you actually “file” your bills, etc… I pay thru my account with online bill pay so all of my “carbon copies” (if you will…) are on one sheet. Do you just file all of your utilities in one folder together… ??? And then your mortgage payment in another file by itself? I’m so serious when I say that we have MASSIVE filing!! Help!! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Devin,
Everything is grouped by company, so we have a folder of phone/internet invoices, another of mortgage stubs, etc. We found that folders got too thick if we used more general categories like “all utilities” so breaking them down into more specific categories (ex: “Cell Phone Invoices”, “Home Phone/Cable Invoices”, etc) really helps us find things at a moment’s notice and keep our folders from getting too fat and disorderly. Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry
Devin says
Thanks so much!! :) Tomorrow will be a filing mad-house here!!! ;)
melissa @ den-designstudio says
I am right there with you on the prominent display of the toilet paper. I think they look great in a vase or a basket.
melissa @ den-designstudio says
I too keep my tools in the kitchen. For some reason it just seems to work out best to store them in there. I guess partly because it is a very public space in the house, so if anyone asked for a screwdriver or something I feel comfortable directing them to the tool drawer.
D says
I was looking up your site today because a few months back I noticed your pic of the shower caddy hung on the towel bar. I was cleaning out my shower of all the excess bottles and thought of that picture. I couldn’t remember how you had hung it. I am so glad I didn’t have to go hunting today to see it. You posted it again! I am going to go to Target and get those closet hooks asap. I love all things organized and got some great ideas from this post. Thanks!
everyeskimo says
wow, my organization-freak soul mates!
you’ve done a beautiful job with your home (and organizing it).
just thought i’d leave a shower-caddy tip.
we had no storage space in our shower and leaving things on the edge of the reglazed tub was a no-no. i used an ikea bygel kitchen caddy (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70072649) and hung it from the shower curtain rod. it’s the perfect size for corralling all those bottles. and with the bygel S-hooks, it would also work for those random towel bars and other odd things you find in older bathrooms.
after reading your post, i really wish my work day was done so i could go home and organize something. is that weird?
Tarnya says
I was just thinking yesterday I wonder how you guys keep your mail and bills etc tidy and I get online today and voilla all my questions answered and then some. Thanks for all the great ideas. With two small kids I really have trouble finding a home for everything and freeing up storage space. You’ve given me some great ideas.
Vanja says
Great solutions. Thanks so much for sharing! Did I see correctly in the photo of your wrapping paper/card writing station that you buy multiple copies of cards? If so, how do you make sure that you do not send someone the same card twice?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Vanja,
We’re cheapies through and through, so the duplicate cards that you see are just bulk sets of Thank You cards that can be snagged at Target (they’re always bright and sweet and around $2.99 for 12 cards and envelopes!). I do my best to remember who I’ve sent certain cards to, but usually in times that we’re sending out thank yous (birthdays, holidays, etc) we go through at least 12 and exhaust the set, so I just purchase a different set and start over on the next occasion to ensure that no one gets the same cards all the time. Hope it helps!
xoxo,
Sherry
Sue says
Thank you thank you for the tips. Any thoughts on shoe storage in closet?
Besos,
Sue
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Sue,
We actually like tiered storage for shoes in a closet. From installing wire shelves to bringing in shoe racks, going vertical seems to be a great way to get a lot of storage in! Stay tuned for a closet post with more details and pictures in the coming weeks…
xoxo,
Sherry
Jessie says
Hey Sherry –
I remember on your post about the simple life how you tried to really live with the bare minimum, including clothes. how do you get rid of clothes? how do you know WHICH ones to get rid of? i have way too many clothes.. and they are taking up too much space.. but i really love them all. HELP!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jessie,
I’ve pretty much always been a minimalist (probably due to the fact that I lived in a shoe-box sized Manhattan apartment for 6 years so I couldn’t really spread out when it came to clothes or anything else for that matter). But I do have a few ideas about how you can cull down you clothes and just keep the best of the best.
1. Have a friend (a really good friend) come over and be brutally honest with you. Certain clothing styles and colors will undeniably flatter you more, so getting someone to level with you about a certain shirt looking a bit worn or faded and a certain skirt making you look bigger than you really are is priceless. You can also take photos of yourself in each outfit and analyze things that way.
2. Use the old hanger trick. Lots of closet experts suggest flipping all of your hangers so that the hook is pointing towards you instead of pointing away from you on the bar. Then once you wear something, hang it back up the regular way. In a little while you’ll clearly be able to identify what you wear all the time and what you never wear (since the hanger will still be backwards on the rod).
3. Half of the battle is resisting the urge to add even more to your closet so be especially conscious not to grab additional items just because there’s extra room after your purging session or because something’s on sale. Also think hard about what you already have at home and don’t get something unless you already have shoes and other pieces that already match it. You’ll always have a bulging closet if your clothing doesn’t work together and calls for a million different accessories, colors, materials, and styles to pull together a single outfit.
4. Think about how clothes make you feel. Toss anything that makes you feel self conscious (anything that you feel like you can’t sit or eat in has got to go). Anything that you’re always tugging at or straightening should also get eliminated or tailored (no matter how cute something is, if it doesn’t fit right you’ll never really want to wear it and it’ll just sit in your closet taking up valuable real estate).
I really think it’s a state of mind so instead of saying “this shirt is ok, these pants are ok” and making a big pile of ok things, try making a “these are my favorites” pile. By just pulling out your favorite pants, jeans, tops, blazers, dresses, skirts, and shoes, you’re setting the bar super high- and anything else that doesn’t measure up should get donated or even consigned for some extra moolah. Just don’t use that moolah to fill up your closet again!
Hope it helps! Good luck…
xoxo,
Sherry
Laura says
Sherry and Melissa,
Thank you both for you suggestions! Melissa, I LOVE the IKEA gallon sized bin that you posted. Luckily for me an IKEA is NOW close to us so I’ll definitely have to check this out.
Thanks again!
Candace says
I love your kitchen storage ideas!
Our kitchen is my organizational weak spot. Right now my pots and pans are under the stove … but that’s not working for us. The spices are in our lazy susan and difficult to get to since we use them A LOT. And the utensils are just an eye sore on the counter. ;)
Do you have any suggestions?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Candace,
Tiered spice racks that can be slipped right into your cabinet can make finding any spice a snap since it raises them up so you can see all the labels. As for your pots and pans, they also sell interior cabinet door lid holders and pot organizing shelves at places like Bed Bath & Beyond so I bet a run through there will really get your mind going! Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry
Candace says
Thank you. I’ll have to make a trip to Bed Bath & Beyond. I usually just shop Target and Lowe’s. And they’re a bit limited in ideas here. Thanks again!
Vanessa says
I can’t thank you enough…this is the post I have been waiting for. I could never understand where all the paper clutter goes in beautiful homes like yours. I love my storage ottomans in our family room for remotes, coasters, and blankets..never thought of filing though! Fantastic idea! We sort mail, etc. in the kitchen and I could switch out 2 of our cafe chairs for a storage bench with a filing system!! It just always seemed like a chore to take everything into our office to sort and file it. Thanks so much!
G&D says
Fantastic post Sherry–love all your ideas! And I couldn’t help but notice your eye glasses look ridiculously similar to mine. Are they Nicole Miller?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey G&D,
That’s too funny about our matching glasses! Mine are actually Jean Lafont. Maybe we should trade and see if anyone notices.
xo,
s
Vanessa says
Since I have just ordered my bench/ottoman to get my filing solution started …I was looking for other things that need organizing around my home. I noticed your media console in the den with your tv on it is almost the exact same as mine. While I love that it sits off the floor…how do you hide the birds nest of wires that you can see underneath it?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Vanessa,
We have a power cord that we keep tucked all the way in the back corner against the wall so it’s not visible even though the media stand is up on little legs. Hope it helps!
xoxo,
s
jessica rose says
hi!
We are also remodeling our kitchen (doing the bulk of it tomorrow!) and I am looking to declutter my kitchen sink. I have cleaners galore… and dont use hardly ANY of them! I probably should though… ;)
Anyhow, my question is this… do you have any multipurpose cleaners you would recommend? So clever to go that route to gain more space!
Thanks a bunch! Loving these ideas. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jessica,
We love Seventh Generation cleaning products along with Mrs. Meyers. They both offer multipurpose cleaners that can be picked up everywhere from Target to Whole Foods and they do a great job on every surface (from mirrors and windows to our granite counters and beyond). Hope it helps!
xoxo,
Sherry
Rachel says
I have a few more questions for you about KEEPING things nice looking and clean. If you can’t answer them, maybe some other readers can!
For one, what do you do with your trashcans in bathrooms? I HATE the look of plastic bags lining them, but it seems to work the best, although it doesn’t look nice. Do you have a solution for keeping your trash cans functional AND stylish?
Also, we use the same hand soap, but since the soap is so thin, it literally shoots out of the pump we have and it always ends up squirting either on our clothes on all over the counter. Do have have a pump suggestion that won’t do this?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Rachel,
Here’s our favorite pump ever (and it’s recycled glass!). We have one in each of our bathrooms. As for the bathroom garbage situation, we have a clear acrylic trash can (found a while back at Target) that we use (without a bag) in each of our bathrooms so it looks clean and crisp and almost like a clear cylinder glass vase. It can be rinsed regularly if need be (so it’s always clean) and the clear acrylic material makes it feel light and uninvasive (because no one wants a look-at-me bathroom trash can). Hope it helps!
xoxo,
Sherry
Colby Knight says
What kind of container do you use for your composting, that holds the goods before it goes in the bin? I need something that is easy to open and close and can fit under my sink.
Thanks
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Colby,
Check out the picture in this very post of the airtight container that we picked up at Bed Bath & Beyond for compost storage under our sink (it’s the clear container on the right next to the garbage can). It’s easy to squeeze the handles on the top of the plastic container (which was only about $10 at BB&B) to remove the lid and create an odor-proof seal for all of our scraps until we get a chance to bring them out to our compost bin. Hope it helps!
xoxo,
Sherry
Beth says
WOW you guys are super organized! I love the brilliant shower caddy idea :) I’m also wondering if you have any ideas on how to organize cables and wires that tend to get all tangled and dusty under the TV console or computer table : Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Beth,
Wires and cables are definitely an eyesore and we do our best to disguise them as well as we can (we’ve been known to paint them to match the wall or the molding and even hidden them behind curtains). In this house, we’re lucky that our tv stand is right in front of an outlet so there’s a power strip under the console pushed to the back of the wall with all of our wires running into it (so it’s invisible unless you’re lying on the floor looking under the media stand). As for our desk, we intentionally brought in a leather ottoman. placed a printer on top of it and slid them both under my desk to hide the bevy of wires snaking into the outlet behind it. It’s all about camouflage, baby!
xoxo,
Sherry
sammyw says
great tips :) here’s a wonderful resource for organizing paper from the queen of everything domestic: http://www.marthastewart.com/article//organizing-your-paperwork?lnc=1a89cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=cf_link&comments_page=1&rsc=comments_more#conversation-container
also here’s an awesome way to get rid of the icky media cords:
http://www.marthastewart.com/article/office-wire-organizer?lnc=820c3358f23ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=taxonomylist_home_organizing-home-offices
Rebekah says
Hi Sherry,
Does Burger have a crate/cage that he sleeps in? If so, where do you hide that? I recently put my pup’s cage in the itty bitty laundry room from the kitchen, but perhaps there is somewhere better to hide it.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Rebekah,
Here’s an old post all about where we keep Burger’s little “room.” Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry
Kristi W. says
Darn, I missed this post when it first went live, but since I love organization, I just have to comment anyway. :)
I have the same ottoman from Target, but I keep my workout equipment in it. It holds a lot more than you’d think! I have a cardio step, yoga mat, medicine ball, jump rope, and two sets of hand weights in there.
I have a lot of art supplies in my office/studio so I use an Expedit book shelf turned on its side with plastic containers for all the things that could spill (ink, paint, etc.). I have some cardboard IKEA boxes for my workout dvds and random papers I want to keep. Here’s a pic:
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu287/kristiwhitman/IMG_5057.jpg
We also have the larger Expedit bookshelf in our living room for our book collection. The leather boxes on the bottom row store things that don’t look as nice just sitting out, like bags of tea light candles, incense, and even some dog toys:
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu287/kristiwhitman/bookcase.jpg
As far as past bills and receipts, we too try to do as much as we can online but there are just some things you need to hold onto. So I got one of those expanding accordion style folders with 12 pockets (one for each month). The folder is black, and I added a colorful label to each pocket. It makes it super easy to find a particular document or bill record.
I found a great bamboo desk organizer at Target that works perfectly for my makeup and bathroom stuff.
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu287/kristiwhitman/makeupshelf.jpg
That’s all I can think of for now, but great post. I love stuff like this. :)
taradoherty says
Greetings,
I have a question. I have been looking for the rolling caddy at Target and I can’t find it. I went in person and I search online. Could you pst a link?
Thanks,
Tara
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tara,
Unfortunately we can’t find it online to link to it for you, but we found it in the store in the aisle with the ironing boards and the laundry baskets. We’ve also heard that they have them at Home Depot and Lowe’s so that’s definitely somewhere to look too. Happy hunting…
xo,
s
Emma says
You two are such an inspiration! So many great ideas in such a small space. I’m constantly struggling with storage in our 2 BR condo. This post is great.
Kirstin says
I was in Target yesterday and thought of your jewelery organizer when I saw this white deviled egg plate! I keep trying to find something to organize my earrings and bracelets. I was also eyeing some beautiful rustic wood trays and platters in the same aisle that might do the trick.
YoungHouseLove says
Very cute!
xo,
s
karisa says
do you guys do online statements? i feel like i’m drowning in paper hell. i have a filing cabinet all labeled, etc and i know i need to go through and purge stuff, but haven’t had the time yet. since the filing cabinet is so full, i find i procrastinate in filing new stuff and now have piles of stuff to file. i’m thinking online statements could help, but for some reason i have a hard time letting go of paper. i guess a fear, i’ll need a statement and not be able to retrieve it online (database crash, etc).
YoungHouseLove says
Good question Karisa,
The truth is that we wish we could totally go paperless, so we wouldn’t need to store a shred of paper or waste a single tree! We happily pay every bill that we can online (without a paper statement) but because certain records have to be filed for tax reasons (and many online records aren’t stored for years like they need to be when it comes to tax records) we’re forced to save paper statements for anything that qualifies as a business expense or write off (for example, our internet service is a write off since we blog for a living, so we have to keep backdated invoices for years just in case of an audit). But we’ve found that the internet is far more reliable that human error (we misplace things far more than the internet “looses” them so hopefully you’ll be able to successfully switch to paperless billing and filing in a completely seamless way. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Bethney says
How do you store DVD’s? We are somehow collecting a plethora of DVD’s and it’s becoming harder and harder for me to keep them organized in an appealing way. Any ideas?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Bethney,
We’ve found that we don’t need to store very many DVDs since we use Netflix or Redbox to watch movies instead of purchasing them and having to store them. As for CDs, we store all of our music on our laptop (it’s like a portable stereo that we can enjoy in every room!) so we really don’t have many to hide at all. That being said, padded ottomans are a great place to stash them as well as woven baskets (like the ones we have on the shelves of our TV stand). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Bethney says
Thanks so much for the tip! Today I went to ikea and snatched up 6 dvd baskets that fit beautifully under our TV stand (which is the same one you have!). It looks uncluttered and organized. I feel so much better. Thanks again!
dinah says
i don’t know if you’ll see this comment, but i noticed that you store cfl lightbulbs in a basket. i was just wondering what your thoughts are on cfl lightbulbs vs. regular lightbulbs. i just recently broke a cfl lightbulb in my bedroom and picked up the pieces carefully with a plastic bag covering my hand.. but i didn’t dispose the lightbulb immediately (i just left it in the trashcan in my room). HOURS later, i saw on the lightbulb that it contains mercury.. which i know is poisonous. I freaked out and aired out my room for two nights and read all this stuff online, including EPA guidelines for disposing cfl lightbulbs.. which i did not follow at all.. T.T
broken cfls seem scary but then again, the amount of mercury in the lightbulb is supposedly very little and not enough to cause serious harm.. IF you dispose it correctly (which again i never did!). sigh.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip Dinah! Knowing how to dispose of CFLs is always handy, and once you do it truly can become second nature and won’t pose any danger to your home. Thanks for a fantastic reminder!
xo,
s
Katie says
Awesome post. I will probably start organizing my receipts like you guys instead of letting them litter my purse…and car floor…and laundry basket…lol.
I did want to add that for people with a ton of dvds, an easy way to store them where they are out of sight is to just toss all of those useless plastic boxes they come in and slip the dvds in a big cd book. Same for video games and any other disks. Pop it on a shelf on a media stand or bookshelf and they are GONE. I hated mine. lol
Christy says
Will start off by saying I love your blog! I continue to find very useful information on here & I’m now addicted. Thanks so much!
I am a disorganized mess & worse now that we have two toddlers. Your house is so immaculate, organized & tidy! I think part of my problem might be that I have too much of everything. I like to stock on on things when I find sales. Curious how many extras you keep on hand .. even when it comes to additional sheet sets (do you just keep one spare to cut down on clutter?), blankets, comforters (every time I get a new one, the old stays, so I have several always thinking I ‘may’ need them for guests, etc) your basic toiletry items (do you buy as you need or ever stock up when there’s a sale)? Also, what is your clothing closet like? I know you built those cool closets on either side of your bed. Is that the only space for your clothing? How do you cut back on clothing? I have so much and probably only wear 10% of what I have. With that being said, would you just purge all that you don’t wear to simplify and stay organized? Thanks for any advice you can offer and congrats on your pregnancy!!
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! I have two other posts that I think will shed more light on our minimalist ways. We don’t get extra anything, I guess it’s just our personality. We literally have one set of sheets for each bed… not even one extra set for any of our three bedrooms. Crazy, eh? We just get one classic cotton set per bed and launder them and put them back on in the same day. It really works for us but we know how rare our approach to simplifying our life is.
https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/01/the-simple-life/
https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/06/closet-crashing-our-very-own-digs/
Just check out those two posts and hopefully they’ll help us explain how we pare down and keep things simple. It really makes life (and living in a small house) a lot easier! Plus it keeps money in our pockets (since even a piece of on-sale clothing or home accessory is more money than you’d spend if you just passed it by). All those little purchases add up and definitely fill up closets and drawers! Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Dani says
One of the greatest purchases we’ve made has been a “Neat Reciepts”. It’s a little scanner that is IRS approved. It’s also great for kids school work and stuff that they otherwise would not let you throw away! For all of the other pesky papers you just can’t get rid of the ottoman is a fantastic idea!!!
Thanks for sharing your passion for organization!
Renee Smith says
THANK YOU for this post! I am totally pumped to get my desk situation squared away in the living room. I also wanted to mention that they have the same ceramic egg crates at Anthropologie in white and blue… I thought of you while I was shopping yesterday!
Michelle Kersey says
A.) Your blog keeps me up wayyyy past my bedtime
B.) I LOVE the tools in the kitchen!!! Our always end up there (hammer, screwdrivers, measuring tape). But, they live on the counter until I’m motivated enough to put them back in the garage. We have two junk drawers (very sad, I know)… You have now inspired me to keep a drawer with tools in it (and get rid of a junk drawer)! We have duplicates of common tools, so why not just keep them there! I think my two hours spent browsing your blog has just paid off big time! :D