SEVEN FOR YOU â—½ TIPS
Organized Spaces
Our Panel of Women
We asked our panel to share tips and photos of the cool things they use to organize their spaces, whether little or big, something simple or more complicated. Who doesn’t love organization, and as the holidays approach, we need to shape up our spaces – and declutter! Here are their answers:
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I am not an organizer, but the only thing I have is this:
I collect McCoy pottery and keep my McCoy identification books handy.
After my Libby passed away, I was gifted this Dachshund tote in memory of her.
My books look so much better in this cute tote.
I like cute/quirky things and if they have another purpose, that's a bonus.
The pink monster is most likely for kids for Halloween. I haven't bought it yet, but once I figure out how to use it for more than just candy, it will be mine! – Cathy
We purchased this Baker’s Rack that has an electrical outlet and made ourselves a cute Coffee Bar. We live in a 750 square foot rental home with very little storage places and we had to get CREATIVE! - Pam
In my kitchen I have a piece of furniture that I call a sideboard. I call it that, but it actually started as a dresser someone threw out beside a trash dumpster in Groom, Texas. We were on a weekend trip when we found it. My husband thought I was nuts for wanting it, but I threw away the two drawers it still had and took off the back and top. I made it colorful with crown molding pieces for the shelves and a beautiful, finished piece of wood for the top. It holds a lot of my serving dishes among other things. I also have baskets of cloth napkins and one basket with my mosquito bracelets and popsicle holders for all the grands. It’s one of my favorite pieces of furniture and is so functional. And I enjoyed making it. I’m a firm believer that everything can be repurposed.
Well, almost everything. – Carole
I enjoy doing crafts and playing games or working puzzles with my grandchildren. As they get older I am trying to allow them to initiate fun activities. However, my craft/game closet tends to become a “catch-all” space. And, sometimes I buy duplicate craft supplies not realizing that I already have enough crayons, or playdoh, or craft paper. So, I have been on a mission to organize this closet so that the older kids can go in there and help themselves. I purchased a bundle of clear, shoebox-sized containers from Amazon. They are small enough for kids to handle and clear for some visual hint as to their contents. I have also added labels to identify what items go in each box. This closet is a work in progress but this first phase has been helpful.
Another helpful organizer I have used is a bank of plastic drawers on the top shelf in my closet. The drawers are slightly frosted and mostly contain items that are rarely used, but that I don’t want to discard just yet. This container is lightweight and the height takes advantage of space in the top of the closet that is often unused. – Gina
Living in an RV, you must become creative in your organizational skills. Some ideas and gadgets work, and some get tossed after a season. One item I purchased in 2021 has worked great for me. I found it on Amazon; stackable clear shoe storage boxes. They work perfectly in my slide-out drawer in the kitchen pantry. I can stack food items up to the top of the box and see what’s inside. And best of all, I know the food will stay in place as we travel down the road to our next
destination. - Gloria
I re-did my closet last year and found these drawer systems that work perfectly to hold shoes, folded jeans, and more. I bought two of them!
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In the kitchen by my desk, I have a really pretty tote that sits there to catch all the things "I'll file later." When it's full, it's later...
I spotted what I think is a vegetable bin for the kitchen, but I realized it would work in my closet to house my flats and summer sandals - oh my gosh - what a game changer. And it's cute, too!
This is so simple, but I found a really cute tote that I sit right by my desk to catch those extras that I don't have time to put away but look messy on my desk. Then, when the tote is full, I know it's organizing time. I love the tote! It’s from Ten Thousand Villages. - Marcy
We have a lot of kitchen gadgets in our home; this is the way I keep semi-order in the drawer. I honestly wish I had another drawer just like it. My other drawer that is this size is full of spices. We cook at home a lot to save money and feed all of the hungry people around here. We also like many different cuisines so that makes for lots of gadgets and lots of spices! - Laura
I love that this cabinet is so functional and aesthetically pleasing. I really could fit into any style, depending on how you decorate it. I also love that it’s so versatile and can be used in any room in the house. This cabinet gives me options for visual décor and storage, and there’s even hidden storage in the drawers. It’s a great display cabinet, but also beautiful in texture of design with its curved edges. I found it on Wayfair! – Kamrin
We love sharing our answers to purposeful questions each month, and would love to have you join our panel if you'd like to be a part! We send one question per month, and then you answer if you have something to contribute...or not. It's that easy! Leave a comment if you'd like to join our panel of women contributors to the Seven for You column!
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And if you're wondering, it used to be exactly seven tips, and that's why it was named such...so we've just left it. Sometimes, we share more than seven!