Find Zen in The Container Store & Take the Organizing Challenge

Today I visited The Container Store with the idea of sharing the zen with you, zen we can all bring into our homes. Before I get to that, I want to tell you about my Organizing Challenge, and I hope you will join me in this quest to de-clutter.

The idea is simple. This article will give some ideas of products that can help you organize. My next post will provide some organizing tips and suggestions for getting started with your organizing plan. A week or so after that, I plan to post a journal with what I learned after spending a half hour per day for 5 days organizing troublesome "pockets" around my house. Of course you can tailor the challenge to your needs, but the idea is to commit ahead of time.

Let me say at the outset that if you've read my previous articles, you may know I'm a worrywart; what if I get poison ivy or, worse, bedbugs that interrupt my project and delay these posts? I'm counting on you to understand, and I vow that I'll not allow anying less dire to distract me.

De-cluttering helps create good feng shui, not to mention that less clutter reduces the number of places where bedbugs can hang out. These first few weeks in December are an opportune time to join my Organizing Challenge. Then, for New Year resolutions, we can vow to weed out and maintain the neat kitchens, bathrooms, offices, closets, drawers and shelves. I hope you'll take the Challenge and let me know how it goes. Afterwards let's reward ourselves by putting out some lovely seasonal decorations.

Vertical Storage

I like the idea of using vertical space. The first things I spotted today in The Container Store were small clear plastic containers that stack one on top of the other. I thought this would be ideal on a desk for paper clips, stamps and the like. Or in the bathroom for earrings, safety pins, etc., as well as in the kitchen for rubber bands, twist ties and more.

Look on The Container Store Website or in the store if there is one near you for stacking ideas in a variety of sizes and materials. There is a product line that has stacking drawers for papers with an inbox you can stack on top of the drawers.

Decorative Storage

It's a given that baskets can provide attractive storage. An inexpensive alternative are Zig-Zag Pots, which are not only useful, but also attractive. These round pleated containers come in cheery colors, such as lime and magenta and also Christmas red and green.

When my mom downsized to a small apartment, I bought a bunch of these that she keeps on a coffee table with her doctors' business cards, pens and notepaper. She displays them with one inside of the other, which adds color to the room. If she wants to use one to serve snacks, she just takes it from the bottom of the stack. You can also use them to hold gifts or party favors or to hold a small flower pot.

Drawer Organizers

The Container Store has a wide variety of drawer organizers, some bamboo, some plastic, some of which clip to one another. I saw magnetic silver mesh bins that could go in a drawer, assuming it has enough depth.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer

Over Thanksgiving, a friend told me it improved her life now that she keeps her jewelry in a hanging organizer with see-through compartments. It's pretty flat so it doesn't take up much space in your closet and you'll have all your accessories at a glance. It comes in vinyl or with a canvas backing and with a choice of 37 or 80 pockets.

Hosiery Organizer

Okay, this is the one I couldn't resist buying. It's a hanging hosiery organizer that has 12 pockets for your socks, stockings and/or scarves. In a dresser drawer I have countless pairs of black tights and trouser socks. Some I like, others I don't dislike enough to throw away. But there they are in a big mush. Now I can separate out the faves from the unfaves. Yay!

Vaccuum Seal Bags and Cubes

These space bags and cubes are great space-savers. You can load them up with sweaters, towels or anything really. Make sure whatever you put inside is clean and dry. Then you use your vacuum cleaner to suck out the air and compress. The claim is that these storage helpers can reduce the volume your soft goods take up by 75 per cent.  I use a similar item, one from which I can just squeeze out the air, when I pack for a trip; it allows me to fit so much more in my wheelie bag.

Collapsible Storage Boxes

I love the idea of storage containers that, until you need them, collapse for easy storage! The Container Store has a variety of such storage boxes.

Elfa Customizable Closet System

Elfa is a system for closet organization. One piece that appealed to me for its no-screwdriver simplicity was an over-the-door wall rack that provides wire baskets to hold all your cleaning products and more. Elfa is one of Oprah's favorite things.

Over the Door Shoe Bag . . . for Gloves!

This is a great tip from my personal organizer, Stephanie Schur. I get compliments sometimes on this or that in my home, but what draws the most praise is the over the door shoe bag that we keep on the back of the basement door, filled—not with shoes—but with gloves, earmuffs and other warmies. As with some of the above products, you can find this on other Websites. The Container Store's products are generally of high quality and priced accordingly; thus, you may be able to find some of the items at lower prices (perhaps sacrificing some quality) elsewhere.

Etc.

• I happened to notice reusable produce bags at The Container Store. More and more I see shoppers bringing their own bags for groceries. Let's do the same for produce.
• If you give gifts of homemade baked goods, check out The Container Store's selection of tins.
• They also have a good selection of cord clips to neatly manage electrical wires.

Let me and other readers know what organizing solutions you have come up with as well as any products you have found to help organize.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARTICLES:

HOW I ORGANIZED MY HOME, DE-CLUTTERED MY LIFE & LEARNED 21 NEW TIPS

*17 ORGANIZING TIPS FOR MY ORGANIZING CHALLENGE

A MOVING EXPERIENCE . . . WITH A PERSONAL ORGANIZER

CREATIVE KITCHEN STORAGE

GETTING ORGANIZED: LEARNING HOW TO DEAL WITH PAPER PILES