2 Simple Ways to Keep Organized

Today’s tips from Family Circle.com: 55 Ways to Clear Clutter are almost so obvious, I wonder if there’s really a person who hasn’t thought to do them already? The first? “Don’t hide a beautiful bowl in the china cabinet. Instead, show it off on top of the dresser and use it to hold everyday necessities like your watch, wallet, and rings.” – Meryl Starr, author of The Home Organizing Workbook

I do this a lot out of necessity, i.e., I don’t have enough china cupboard space in my apartment to hold all of my crystal bowls SO, I use them to hold things like mail etc. And if you’re worried about the safety of this object being out and used in everyday life. Oh and it happens (especially to Organic Freedoms, Katie is notoriously clutzy – she can twist her ankle on a pebble “HEY!” says Kate, “I broke my foot on a threshold to a sliding door with a big step down!”). But, never fear. There is a solution. Use some museum putty or gel on the bottom. It keeps everything in place (try it on lamps too) without harming the table.

On to the second tip today, “Put a small recycling bin next to the family desk and discard junk mail as soon as it arrives.” — Mary Carlomagno, author of Secrets of Simplicity (Chronicle) Let me translate “Where you are most likely to stash your mail when you walk through the front door, you should have a mini garbage can RIGHT there.” Often people think this is silly b/c you have one 4 feet away under the sink or next to the kitchen counter but the point is that it’s 4 feet away and something will catch your eye before you have the chance to dump out the junk mail. And if you get a lot of junk mail and hate it or want to winnow it down to your favorites, sign up for a kit to stop junk mail from Tonic. $36. http://precycle.tonic.com/. Organics this is a great way to get the catalogs you love but prevent the riff raff from continuing barrage your front door.

Originally published March 31, 2010