Home organisation tips: Save space, save sanity

You might be surprised to know that I’m quite untidy. (Although in my inner circles, I prefer to be known as an organised mess.)

The hubby is the neat freak around the house. He’s the one always packing things up. In the midst of that, he would stack up all my “homeless” things into one pile, plonk them in front of me, and ask me to find them a proper home.

He’s also the one who’s always buying new gadgets like this new $6 spider-looking thing below to house his new Samsung phone.

By the looks of it, Javier probably took after me. Then again, Vera probably did too…Or maybe it’s just a universal thing with kids?

I received these space saver bags from Mummycents a couple of weeks ago, and have since been busy packing up excess soft toys, clothing, and even pillows in them.

Before / After

I’m quite amazed at the amount of shrinkage I can achieve just by vacuuming the air out of these bags. I managed to shrink this huge over-sized pillow that’s been lying around the house and that we’ve never quite known where to store. Check out the thickness of this baby after I’m done. (I think even the fattest end is only about 3cm thick.)

I thought of using these stackable shoe boxes to store Vera’s ever-growing art collection. One box for paint and brushes. One box for other craft items like fabric markers, cloth bags, toilet rolls, ribbons and other miscellaneous items that can be re-used for craft-work. What I love most about these craft boxes is that they’re stackable, easy to fix, and transparent! (Yes, that makes it ten times easier to find what I want and need.)

This is how the IKEA bookshelf in our play area looks like now. There’s still some way to go before we are fully organised (or is there even such a thing with kids?), but I think this is a good start.

Here’s what I learnt so far, embarking upon this journey to declutter and simplify our home.

1. Start small, tackle specific areas one at a time - As with everything that’s difficult to do, it’s best to take small, consistent steps. Tackle one shelf at a time, plan ahead. Keep boxes around when you pack, properly labelled for either giving away, dumping, or storing for future use.

2. Find the right tools - You don’t need to spend heaps on expensive furniture, sometimes it’s about finding creative uses for what you’ve already got. It’s also about finding affordable products that are simple and yet functional. Better still if they are nice to look at.

3. Simplify processes, encourage independence - This is probably common sense but it’s a quick and easy way to make our home life much simpler. Start by placing commonly used toys or babycare items within easy access. For example, I place Javier’s favourite toys in a rattan basket that is placed in the living room. Now that Vera’s more independent, I encourage her to reach for her own toys or craft materials, and after she’s done, to put them back. The safe items are placed within her reach in order for her to do this, but she still needs reminders to clean up after herself.

There. It wasn’t so difficult after all, and I find I’m actually starting to enjoy the process. The best part is, I get to see the Vera utilise her new craft drawers with glee.

GIVEAWAY

Mummycents is giving away the Family of 6 to two lucky readers! The Family of 6 special bundle includes S, M, L, XL & XXL super space saver bags, and a manual air extractor. All you have to do is…

a) Like Mummycents on Facebook

b) Leave a comment at the end of this post, shouting “done” or “home organisation rocks!”. If you feel generous, you can also share a home organisation tip or two.

Join in the fun! Giveaway closes 21 November ’12. Winners will be announced on our Facebook page and updated here, so do check back in.

Congrats Christine and Winnie!

I’ll be in touch shortly regarding the delivery of your prizes!