Agreed! We have cleaned out a few closets already and taken a load of stuff to Goodwill. I love this time of year, too, but I'm not sure why I can only get motivated now. July? Forget it!

I have some standard reach in closets I'd live to upgrade to something more useful, so I'm thinking about that now.

While we're comparing notes, does anyone wish to share your favorite organizational products?

My walk-in closet is positively scary. I have everything stuffed in there, including a lot of clothes and stuff I never use. It is at the top of my to-do list (which is why I am sitting here messing with the computer). I don't buy many organizing doo-dads, as I end up not using them. I will have to say I bought a lot of plastic bins when re-organizing the attic. I use a lot of plastic bins in various sizes. In my linen closet, they are great for various items because I can hold it over my head and see what's on the bottom!

I already did some organizing before the holidays - a trip to IKEA got me some great stuff for one of my storage closets upstairs. I had so many toiletries and other stuff just shoved onto the shelves that I could never find anything. I bought some bins, organized like items together and labeled each bin and now the closet looks so much neater, not to mention cleaner! While cleaning it out, I found a couple of baskets I must have shoved in there before having company and never took them back out - old magazines, etc inside!

Dh and I were just discussing how we wished we entertained more but our house is relatively small and the floor plan not ideal for entertaining a crowd. For years we've wanted to redo our kitchen and change the floor plan. When I mentioned some things I'd love to do to make it more amenable to entertaining, he told me to start working on some plans. He's tired of talking about it and just wants to DO it. Hurray! That would tremendously help some of our storage problems!

For now though, my to do list includes hanging the shelving in my dd's bedroom that we bought and put together in October, but have not yet hung on the wall, doing a photo wall in the upstairs hallway, and redoing both of my daughters' closets with a DIY closet system.

I did a lot of decluttering in the weeks leading up to Christmas - I got rid of so many old clothes, toys, and other items we no longer use. It felt so good to rid myself of these things we never use and don't have room for!

OK...I am guilty of having my everyday jewelry sitting in a bowl in a tangled mess. Does anyone have any good suggestions for that? Mostly necklaces and ear rings.

I was thinking about getting a "guest towel" holder for the necklaces. But not too sure about how to have the earrings out and easy to see, but organized.

Any ideas?

Julie -- do have a space in your closet to hang a tie or belt rack -- those kinds of things can be fantastic at holding necklaces!

Here is a link that might be useful: container store -- tie and belt rack

Julie -- how about something like this?

Here is a link that might be useful: Visible earring storage

Here's another option for organizing necklaces. I think I'm going to look at this one for myself!

Also wanted to share something I originally heard from Julie Morgenstern, a pretty well known organizing expert.

S - Sort like things together
P - Purge
A - Assign a place to store them
C - Containerize
E - Equalize (She used this term to mean to maintain)

The one part I remember most was her comment on how many people start out their organizing project by going out and buying containers first, before sorting thru, getting rid of, figuring out what space you have and then getting the appropriate containers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Necklace rack

I happened upon this over the door jewelry organizer when I was in Tuesday Morning one day. What a great investment! It's perfect for all my earrings. The one I have has some larger pockets that I put some of my chunky necklaces in, but it's not the best use for more delicate necklaces as they can easily be tangled. I'm planning on getting another organizer that will allow for me to hang my necklaces separately. I also have a really nice jewelry box, but I save that for my more expensive jewelry and use the organizer for my cheaper stuff.

Bac, I agree about not buying the containers first. I went through my closet, threw out and gave away all the stuff I didn't want, then I measured the length and depth, plus height between shelves, then took that information with me to purchase containers for my closet. Worked out perfectly b/c the containers I bought fill the space perfectly. And out of sheer luck, they are exactly tall enough to fit b/w shelves, so I don't have to see the stuff inside each container each time I open the door to the closet - it looks much neater that way. I labeled each container so I know what's inside w/o having to see the "clutter" in each one.

Here is a link that might be useful: Over The Door Jewelry Organizer

I wish.

I am pretty good at getting rid of things but not good at all about "containerizing". I have fantasized for years about having one of those Rubbermaid things designed specifically for gift wrap, so the rolls of wrap won't get mashed in the closet. This year, I went ahead and bought it. Got it home and .... many of our gift wrap tubes are too tall for it. No good!

I use a large-sized, weekly pill box to store earrings. Mine is actually a 2 week box so I have 14 sections. I think I bought it at a dollar store so the price was right. The few hoops that don't fit in that and a few older pairs that I rarely wear are in a regular jewelery box. I have a smaller pill box I use for travel. The over the door organizer in the above link is nice if you have hoops and larger dangling pieces. I know me and I would never take the time to put them away properly in the one in teacats link.

I bought a new storage box for the Xmas tree and I'm excited to use it so the tree might come down tonight! My niece & nephew are out for the evening so I could do it without their 'help', which is another incentive.

I'll still have house guests until the 7th so there's no point in me trying to get anything organized until after that.

This post was edited by hhireno on Sat, Dec 29, 12 at 16:59

I am the costume jewelry Queen, so much that I have an entire chest of drawers dedicated to it! I use ice cube trays for earrings (top drawer). I like them because they can be stacked on top of one another.

The next two drawers have cutlery trays to hold necklaces. I've got them sorted by color & type and lay them out in the trays. These also stack on top of each other and slide easily, so I can double the storage.

Next drawer has these little boxes I got at Ikea that hold bracelets and chunky necklaces. Bottom drawer holds my heirloom stuff and real jewels in boxes. I also have an old silverware box (velvet lined) that I use to hold all my vintage rhinestone jewelry. I keep that in an armoir with the linens. On top of the chest I keep a ring holder and a couple of silver bowls to hold whatever it is I take off that night (since I'm not so good at putting it all away at night!).

You can buy an insert for a drawer that is tailored for jewelry storage. I bought mine years ago and they aren't available any longer, but BB&B have some, see link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: BB&B jewelry organizer trays

Thanks for the suggestions.

I know myself, and I would just not take the time to hang them up like some of these ideas. The pill box and ice cube trays are more to my level of realistic commitment. Thanks.

Leafy a few years ago I bought the Rubbermaid Jumbo Wrap n Craft box to hold my Christmas wrap. It is square and it holds many 40" long rolls of wrap. I absolutely love it.

I want another one for all of my non-Christmas wrap. They don't seem to make the Rubbermaid Jumbo anymore. Now I see oval shaped wrap holders that are half as wide and inside there are plastic pieces that stick out so that you can't even use the full oval.

I searched on line and found one oval container that holds 40" rolls at Kmart, but it is really too small to hold the remainder of my wrap. See link below.

I think I'll just settle for using a tall Rubbermaid basket/hamper. I can throw a clear plastic bag over the tops of the rolls to keep the dust off. The hamper will hold more rolls and it costs half as much as the Kmart wrap holder.

Here is a link that might be useful: 40

I don't have much space for, and really don't care for, having stuff sitting out, so I hung plastic mesh canvas sheets (which come in different sizes/colors)
"Some for Sale on Etsy"
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up on the back of my armoire doors for earrings. On the back of the other door, I put up a narrow board with nails pounded in at intervals to hang necklaces on. I do have a jewelry box for watches/bracelets/rings.

My kids tell their friends that their mom is an organizing crazy woman (LOL). I can talk organization for hours. I get happily lost on online catalogs for that kind of stuff.
I had a great time helping DD find the coolest things to organize (and decorate) her dorm room this past summer!

I have several of those drawer organizers for jewelry that Kswl mentioned. I like them a lot.
All of our holiday decs are now in labeled plactic bins.
The kids' childhood books and special toys are organized in clear plastic bins for my someday grandkids.

When we were planning our kitchen gut and reno, I was in my element! I found this great drawer organizer for many of my dried herbs and spices . . . and yes, they're in alphabetical order (for the most part).

I designed a prep center in my new kitchen that works so well, I still get a thrill using it five years later.
This is the top drawer of it. Even these simple little trays were fun to use, organizing a lot of my prep tools, etc.

You should see how I've organized my upright freezer (LOL!). OK, I'll admit it, I'm hopeless I guess, but happily so.
Lynn

Right now I'm working on my DH's hobby room. He has ADD and makes messes where ever he goes so, every so often, I get in there and start organizing AGAIN!! I just purchased containers that are see through and will be labelled. "We" are going to clear out some of his books from the wall book cases so we can put some of the boxes on the bottom shelf. I love to organize yet, I have to admit, under stressful times I totally let go of keeping up and make messes myself but then I get back in the groove and reorganize and the beat goes on and on and on.

I love to organize, too. I also have tons of jewelry. In our big master closet, I have one jewelry drawer. Had I known then what I know now, I would have asked for two drawers! I keep all my earrings in that drawer. On the one small section of open wall in the closet, next to a full length mirror, I have pegs on the wall where I hang most of my necklaces. But then I also have a jewelry chest where there are more necklaces, and drawers containing bracelets. Hm, I sound like a jewelry hoarder. Finally, there is a hook next to the mirror in our bathroom where I put "away" my necklace at the end of the day. When the hook gets full, I move them to the closet.

All the closets in our 1920s house are tiny (except for the master, which was an addition) so I have to reorganize them often. The coat closet is on my to-do list for this week!

My DD, who is only 11, is more organized than I am. I just ordered two tables and some shelving and drawer units to make a "craft station" in our basement -- we're going to have fun setting it all up when it arrives! She's going to be Martha Stewart when she grows up. At the moment, she is making homemade spring rolls.)

I love to organize too but just don't have the best storage space to organize the way I'd like to. And I live with five slobs! Every time I walk into my kids' bedrooms, I have to fight the urge to put their things away b/c I feel like if I do it for them, then they will never do it themselves. I've tried all kinds of methods for them to keep their rooms neat and organized easily to no avail. My youngest was very neat and orderly so I had hope for her, but in the last six months she has followed in her older siblings footsteps. I am looking forward to them going back to school tomorrow b/c this week, I intend on going through their rooms and throwing out/giving away things that they no longer use and are just hoarding.

I love this time of year b/c with the cold weather, I don't feel guilty being inside all day purging and organizing. I've probably given away 20 bags/boxes of items just in the last month. Felt so good getting rid of things, but then of course, with Christmas, my kids' gifts ended up just adding back into mix!

I'm in the mood for organizing too. Just sorted out the kitchen 'junk' drawer while watching Harry Potter. Onward to the linen closet!

I want to be more organized than I seem to be able to pull off, so when I remodeled by master bath, I really put some thought into things that bugged me when they were not organized or handy to use. One was my jewelry. I live in a pretty isolated area and while I don't really actively worry about break-ins, I would hate to lose some of my jewelry. So putting things out in the open really seemed unwise. But I wanted jewelry where I could get at it when dressing - otherwise, I'm likely to forget to put on earrings or rings, etc.

So I designed these, one on each side of the vanity. Bought black velvet liners from a large local bead shop and my cabinet maker glued them in place. I have another earring stand on the counter which holds my more often used earrings, but the ones with real stones are hidden. There is a release for these units under the sink cabinet. I'm hoping a burglar wouldn't ever suspect that there are hidden cabinets and would think the countertop jewels are all there are.

this is similar to what's on the counter for earrings:

Here is a link that might be useful: Earring stand

This post was edited by olychick on Tue, Jan 1, 13 at 16:14

Oly, that is the most brilliant thing I have seen! I am tucking the idea away for when (if?) we redo our master bath.

Necklace on hooks inspiration photo .....

Here is a link that might be useful: ballard -- suzanne kasler metal hooks

We got an Elfa System from The Container Store for DH's closet last year. He was always complaining he couldn't find anything. It has worked out well. It was the 30% off systems and install sale.

Lynne, I love your spice and utensil drawers!

Sigh, now if we can just tackle the home office! That is probably going to have to wait until summer.

I'm loving all of these great ideas! Oly, that is brilliant!!!
I had one of these narrow pullouts put in on each side of the stack of drawers under my cooktop. They've been fantastic in keeping my cooking needs organized. Oils, vinegars, etc. on one side; flours, sugars, etc. on the other. I can grab what I need without stepping away from the cooktop.

Under the cooktop itself, I had a small amount of space available. I had a very shallow but wide drawer made to hold my hot pads, and cooking utensils. The cabinet guy thought it was a waste of money, but it's turned out to be a practical and much used bonus instead.

When I was a total control freak and perfectionist, off the charts in both areas, I was an organizing fool. About 15 yrs ago, for a variety of reasons, I started to work on lessening my need to control, and with that to become less of a perfectionist. I've had success in both areas and a side effect is that I am no longer an organizing fool.

I'm definitely organized. I don't think I'll ever lose it completely. But as long as I know where it is, I no longer care how it's presented in that place.

For those who like that sort of thing, Apartment Therapy has just started their January Home Cure (where you spend a small amount of time every day for the month to get things organized and cleaned up):

Here is a link that might be useful: January Home Cure

I am in the process of cleaning out my 17 yo DS room, with him helping. I don't think we have ever done a major, massive cleanup of his room in the 16 years that he's been living in it! This is because he is generally a neat and tidy kid, but finally some of the "stuff" got a bit out of control. We also just ordered him a new desk, which was what spurred us to do some de-cluttering. He did phase one -- going through stuffed animals (yes, he has/had tons of them!) and some clothes in drawers. Today I did phase two -- reorganizing the drawers and some shelves, dusting shelves that can't be reached on a regular basis, and re-routing an extension cord which involved pulling out his bed and finding enough dust bunnies to make a sweater. Blecch. He also had beanie babies in a shoe-type hanger/organizer on the back of his door -- OMG, the dust in that thing! He has now gotten rid of 95% of his stuffed animals, either to go permanently or to be stored in the attic. Phase 3 will be the clothes that are crammed into his tiny closet -- I'm guessing that 1/3 of them probably don't fit -- and cleaning out his "toy" cabinet, which I think will be at least 1/2 empty when he's done. I don't think he is having as much fun as I am, LOL, but I love purging stuff! Today I took an entire large trash bag of crap out to the curb!