It’s all about the Bins baby. One of my all time favorite (and crazy simple) ways to organize a room, closet and essentially my mind is to use a bin (basket, tub, or whatever container you feel is useful & pretty).
“Everything has a home.” My friend made this statement and I was like “YES!” (Shout out to A.C. for your words of wisdom) Have you ever stared at the mess of toys on your living room floor, the cluster of beauty products on your bathroom counter or just wanted a cleaner feel about your house? Let’s make a home for all of your “stuff” so when it’s time to pick up, you can easily throw it in a bin. The solution is simple, yet so effective in creating an organized environment.
Here’s your Step-by-Step Guide to Bin Organization:
- First of all, you need to have the mindset that a clutter free home creates a clutter free life. It’s easier to concentrate on your more gratifying tasks like cooking dinner, reading a book or spending time with your family. You don’t want to be distracted by a mess that gives you that overwhelming dread.
- Second, start with one area of your home that you want to tackle first. Let’s use my bathroom (pictured above) for example. I have these awesome shelves to store toiletries, kids bath toys, magazines, etc, except I HATE staring at clutter, so fabric bins were a perfect solution! And I am completely 100% over the top OBSESSED with chevron print. Anything that is chevron I immediately love it. Onto my next point.
- Find a storage system that works for you, as you can see I like fabric Bins, but baskets or tubs work just as well. Then find the color, pattern, texture that you adore and would not mind looking at every single day. The bins in my bathroom fit perfect in the space allowed and add a clean, fresh look which is exactly my style. The best places to find bins and other storage solutions are discount retailers, like Marshall’s, Ross, Home Goods, etc. but I have also had great luck with Ikea & Kohl’s (which ALWAYS has a sale or coupon). The best time of year to purchase bins is late summer during the ‘back to school’ push. Retailers target the college demographic for simple storage solutions but trust me WE all benefit from them! Of course you can also check out The Container Store if you have a nice bin budget :)
- Next step…you ready? Fill the bins! So simple! Then when you go to find something, it is neatly tucked in the bin EXACTLY where it should be {it’s Home}.
Other ideas for a bin system include:
Your closet – Perfect way to organize miscellaneous items like scarves, socks or undies. We made closet systems in our home and I LOVE using bins, especially in my daughter’s rooms. They are easy for them to get to and keep all of their tiny clothes organized.
Toys – We have a basket in our living room for random toys, and in each of my girl’s rooms they have bins for specific toys (barbies, babies, dress-up, etc.) I love knowing that when it’s time to clean up, they know EXACTLY where to put things – they know the “home” for everything in my house. My 4 year old really gets into cleaning and organizing and sometimes even makes up her own ‘system’ which is so awesome! Whatever works for you girl!
Shoes – If you’re not already using a designated shoe organizer, I personally think a basket would be another great option. So if you have a pile of shoes at the front door, find something pretty to put them in and get them out of site and away from being a tripping hazard!
These ideas are just a few that have worked for me. You need to look around and utilize the space on your shelves, under cabinets, beside your couch, etc. The key is to finding a system that works for YOU. As I stated in my Best Time To Workout post, the struggle is literally getting started. So start small and see big changes. I guarantee you will love the peace of mind an organized home creates. It’s like a breathe of fresh air.
Let me know your FAVORITE way to organize! Do you use bins, baskets, or some other super awesome gadget? I’d love to know!
XoXo Portia