Turn Bathroom Cutter into a Welcome Basket for Guests

  
It's amazing how quickly we can accumulate little samples and other small items in our bathrooms! When we moved in April, I saw just how many such items I had and would probably never use.

Why not get them out of my bathroom and provide a little spa basket for our guests? What a nice way to welcome visiting friends!

Not having guests at the moment? Stash the basket under the sink or in the guest room to declutter your guest bath counter for everyday use.

More on decluttering the bathroom:
Organizing Products I Use - Under-the-Sink Drawers
Safe, Space-Saving Storage for Hair Appliances
Decluttering in 5: 20 Decluttering Tasks You Can Do in 5 Minutes or Less

 

Safe, Space-Saving Storage for Hair Appliances

  
I recently found a great storage solution for small (or any!) bathrooms: The Polder® Style Station Hair Care Storage at Bed, Bath and Beyond. For only $19.99, it provides a safe place to store hot hair tools while they're cooling. As a former foster parent for a houseful of teenage girls, this looks like a no-brainer to me! All the reviews scored 5 stars.

Here's BBB's description:

"In a sleek, handsome design, this style station offers a unique solution to all hair-styling-implement storage and organization needs. It can hang on a towel bar or towel hook, or you can even store it in a drawer, overhead cabinet or under the vanity sink.

Styling station safely stores up to three implements: dryers, curling irons and straighteners. Or, you can use one of the three separate compartments to keep brushes and/or combs conveniently at-hand.

With its stainless steel mesh body and internal silicone base-insulator, even hot tools can be safely stored immediately after use. Great for keeping unruly electrical cords organized in the split compartments in the rear."

Great idea, don't you agree?

More on bathroom storage:
Some of My Favorite Organizing Products - Tall Laundry Hampers
Clever Bathroom Organizing Ideas from Martha Stewart
Magnetic Paint - An Innovative Space Saver!

A Clever Product that Expands Your Medicine Cabinet Storage!

     
I was recently introduced to StickOnPods, adhesive containers that expand your medicine cabinet storage.

Just like inside-the-door spice racks, you'll have to be careful with the placement of the pods so they don't interfere with the shelves. But a nice idea, don't you think? They don't leave a residue and they're reasonable priced. 

More on bathroom storage:

Finding More Bathroom Storage without Expanding Your Bathroom

Magnetic Paint - An Innovative Space Saver!

Clever Bathroom Organizing Ideas from Martha Stewart

 

 

Clever Bathroom Organizing Ideas from Martha Stewart

     
I discovered these clever bathroom organizing and space-saving ideas from Martha Stewart. Two of them include how-to instructions. Hope you enjoy them!

  

"Make space for supplies over the bathroom door so that they'll be accessible when they need to be replenished without cluttering under-the-sink cabinets. Get the How-To" 

"No room for a bathroom cabinet? Install a hotel-style multitiered rack on the wall next to the tub to hold bath towels and washcloths."

"Maximize usable space in a tiny medicine cabinet by making use of magnets. Get the How-To"


I especially love the magnetic medicine cabinet! What about you?


More on bathroom organizing:

Short on Space for Bathroom Towel Racks?

Magnetic Paint - An Innovative Space Saver!

Finding More Bathroom Storage without Expanding Your Bathroom

 

Bathroom Organizers, Part 1 - Medicine Cabinet, Hair and Cosmetic Products

  
Today we're going to tackle organizing the bathroom. As I've said before, don't buy organizing containers until you've decluttered and you know what is left to organize. 

The following products help to organize your medicine cabinet as well as hair and cosmetic products. We'll look at additional bathroom organizing products another day.

Medicine Cabinet Organizers

Countertop Organizers

More on bathroom storage:

Short on Space for Bathroom Towel Racks?

Magnetic Paint - An Innovative Space Saver!

Clever Tub/Shower Storage

Decluttering Your Medicine Cabinet - Proper Storage and Disposal of Medications

     
The following article in USA Today by Liz Szabo explains the danger of improper drug storage and disposal - very helpful when you declutter your medicine cabinet. As foster parents, we are required to keep all medications in a locked location - not a bad idea for any home with children!

"Old or expired medications do more than clutter the bathroom. They can fall into the wrong hands — or even local drinking water.

One in nine kids abuse prescription pain relievers, says Sandra Schneider of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Meds also pose a risk to babies and toddlers, says Lara McKenzie of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Nearly 10,000 small children accidentally swallowed opiate painkillers between 2003 and 2006, says a report in Annals of Emergency Medicine. A single dose of some heart medications or pain pills can kill a child, Schneider says.

Medications kill more people than any other source of poisoning, says the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Some, such as the antibiotic tetracycline, can degrade into a toxic form over time, Schneider says.

Medications flushed down the toilet can end up in drinking water, says Jeanie Jaramillo of the Texas Panhandle Poison Center in Amarillo, which has held drug "take-back" programs for years. Water treatment plants typically can't filter out medications, she says.

People who don't live near a drop-off site should throw them out only after taking precautions. The Food and Drug Administration recommends these steps:

•Take meds out of their original packaging and put them in a container that can be tightly sealed, such as a coffee can.

•Mix them with coffee grounds, kitty litter or anything that makes them undesirable.

•Scratch out identifying information on the original package.

The FDA recommends flushing only a handful of particularly risky medications — such as narcotic pain patches — when drug take-back programs aren't available. A list of these is at fda.gov. People with medication safety concerns can call a local poison control center at 800-222-1222."

Note: Take Back programs have ceased at this time of writing. 


More on medicines:

What Every Medicine Cabinet Needs

National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #4 - First Aid Kit

Get Organizing Month - Decluttering Your Bathroom Storage

 

Short on Space for Bathroom Towel Racks?

        
If you're short on horizontal space for towel racks in your bathroom, here are a few ideas:

Coat racks

 

Coat Hooks

Over-the-Door Hooks

Do you have some space-saving tips?

More on the bathroom:

Magnetic Paint - An Innovative Space Saver!

Better Homes and Gardens - Inexpensive Storage and Organizing Solutions

Clever Cleaning

Some Cleaning Tips from Professional Organizers

One of our foster daughters is on bed rest following a concussion while ice skating. She's recovering slowly, but surely, I'm happy to say. So, I've been staying close to home. A great opportunity to get some cleaning done. I try to do cleaning during times when the girls are home and save those times when I'm alone for more concentrated work or time for myself.

And since January is Get Organized Month sponsored by the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). I thought you might enjoy some cleaning hints from my fellow NAPO members:

Ann W. Damani-McKinney, Conceivable Solutions:

"My favorite non-toxic cleaner is

• one cup of vinager
• one squirt of dish soap (yes, only one squirt)
• about two and half gallons of water

This works great on glass and in the bathroom. On glass, use a dry cloth to wipe off. No need to rinse in the bathroom. Love it!"


Tracy Axcell, Officially Organized:

"I found a new cleaning tool that you and our clients will love! I have a shower with texture on the flooring – not the stick-on rubber, the actual base is textured like thick orange peel.

I’ve used SOS pads to try to get down into the tiny grooves; it collects soap scum and body oils and nothing cleans it.

Sonic Scrubber – (as seen on TV at Walgreen's). It’s like a turbo-charged toothbrush with very hard bristles that spin. I just sprayed my shower floor with a bathroom soap scum cleaner and went to town with the scrubber – WOW!!! Super easy!"

Mary Donovan, Organizing Matters Ohio:

"For a more 'green' approach (I have the same kind of shower floor) sprinkle baking soda or Borax (a little more toxic but still better than commercial cleaners) and scrub with a rag or soft cloth. Rinse well and, voila! It really gets rid of soap scum on tub floor and sides and is not toxic or damaging to drains."

What are your cleaning secrets?

More on Cleaning:
Three Steps to Clever Cleaning
Spring Cleaning Using Household Items - Lemons
Spring Cleaning Using Household Items - Vinegar

Clever Tub/Shower Storage

Happy New Year! I hope 2010 has gotten off to a good start for you. I must say, I'm glad that school started today. J Don't tell anyone, though! Now on to our blog for today:

Here's a clever solution for tub or shower storage from Better Homes and Gardens: Use a metal rod originally designed for kitchen utensils! I've seen them at IKEA.

More on bathroom storage:

Finding More Bathroom Storage without Expanding Your Bathroom

Get Organizing Month - Decluttering Your Bathroom Storage

Clever Corner Storage

Linear Storage

Here's an idea from Better Homes and Gardens to increase storage. If you don't have floor space for additional storage units, use your wall space! "This modern shelf offers ample storage. Oversize baskets maximize the amount of stuff each shelf can hold. For a symmetrical look, top each shelf with identical storage boxes or baskets."

More on clever storage:

Clever Corner Storage

Magnetic Paint - An Innovative Space Saver!

This is What I Call Using Wall Space!

What Every Medicine Cabinet Needs

I came across this report by Eva Brown of ABC Channel 15 in Arizona about what we need in our medicine cabinets. Thought it might be helpful.

The 13 Things Every Medicine Cabinet Needs

"Is a flu shot the end-all-be-all of preventative measures or how else can we make sure we stay healthy to enjoy the amazing fall festivities?

It’s said that a disorganized desk reflects a disorganized mind so, what does your cluttered medicine cabinet say about your health? You always hear there are good germs and bad germs but how do you distinguish them, and what does that mean anyway? Dr. Susan Jewell shares the right remedies for a happy and healthy family.

Reviewing and restocking your medicine cabinet

The medicine cabinet is a great central location for everything you need to both protect yourself and treat common winter ailments.

Making sure it stocked with the essentials and ridding it of expired medications is a simple way to keep healthy all year long.

Dr. Jewell suggests you keep the following items in your medicine cabinet.

1. A multivitamin to take in addition to healthy diet and exercise routine
2. Aspirin
3. Cough medicines called antitussives
4. Decongestants
5. Antihistamines
6. Cortisone
7. Gauze
8. Band aids
9. Tweezers
10. Thermometer
11. Alcohol wipes
12. Disinfectant
13. Adhesive tape.

After all, nothing is worse than having to run out to the drugstore in the middle of the night for cough and cold relief!"

I always keep triple antibiotic cream, Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen in my medicine cabinet, too.

Anything else you consider essential for your medicine cabinet?


More on medicine cabinets:
This is What I Call Using Wall Space!
National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #4 - First Aid Kit
Get Organizing Month - Decluttering Your Bathroom Storage

Clever Corner Storage

Here's another idea from Better Homes and Gardens - using your corners for efficient organizing or storage. This example is for the bathroom, but it would work in any room where you have an extra corner lurking around and need some cute storage.

"Make use of corner space with a tall pot rack. Fill bowls with bathroom supplies and stacks of rolled bath towels for an attractive and functional display."

You could substitute baskets for the bowls and store whatever you need in that room: sewing items in a craft room, fresh produce in the kitchen, etc.

Share your ideas!

More on storage:

Finding More Bathroom Storage without Expanding Your Bathroom

Get Organized Month 2009 - #1 Biggest Organizing Mistake

Magnetic Paint - An Innovative Space Saver!

Getting Organized for School - Charts

As permanent houseparents for our foster daughters, we are trying to create structures and routines for their success. One is pretty structured on her own, but the other is a creative, free spirit. She is so much more interested in how she looks than whether she has all her books in her book bag!

After many attempts at creating a routine, I decided to go with a chart - one part for the morning and one part for after school/evening. I've broken it down to individual tasks - getting up with the alarm, getting dressed, doing hair, eating breakfast, etc. in the morning, and homework, loading her book bag, playing, dinner, chores, shower, etc. for the afternoon and evening.

Now our free spirit doesn't have to think about what needs to be done, she just looks at her chart. We tried it out yesterday, and she did so well that she had extra time to read. She wasn't too thrilled about the chore part, though. But it's better than saving chores up until Saturday and having endless work!

I divided her chores up into bite-size pieces: dusting, vacuuming, toilet, counter, bathroom floor, washing one load of laundry one day, drying it and putting it away the next, etc.

I haven't asked her yet if she wants to put stickers on her chart - I won't be surprised either way. She is 13 after all, but she's still a little kid, too!

How do you create routines and structure for yourself and/or your family?


More on routines:
Getting Organized for School - Start the Night Before
Creating Routines and Systems
The Real Problems Behind Kids' Excuses To Get Out of Chores

This is What I Call Using Wall Space!

Don't have a medicine cabinet in your bathroom? Here's an idea from Better Homes and Gardens:

"Steal space wherever you can. The partial wall separating the toilet makes a perfect target. This wall doubles as a medicine cabinet with adjustable glass shelves and a childproof lock. The ledge also serves double duty as a shelf for toiletries stored in small decorative containers."

You can use this idea anywhere where you have hollow walls and not enough storage!

If you've done this, send us a picture!

More on bathrroms:

Finding More Bathroom Storage without Expanding Your Bathroom

Get Organizing Month - Decluttering Your Bathroom Storage

Magnetic Paint - An Innovative Space Saver!

Magnetic Paint - An Innovative Space Saver!

Running out of room in the bathroom? Here's an idea from Better Homes and Gardens:

"Paint the door with magnetic paint to create an attractive surface on which to hang towel hooks and metal disks. Install removable bins and towel bars to store extra towels, shampoo, and soap."

Or need a unique presentation wall for your office? Apartment Therapy recommends a magnetic wall and column magnets:

How about a gallery wall for your kids' art projects?

So, how do you create a magnetic wall or door? There are a couple of ways: you can buy magnetic powder to mix with primer/sealer. Or you can buy magnetic primer.

Magnetic additives and primers are magnetic because they contain tiny pieces of iron. This presents two issues: your surface will not be perfectly smooth and the gray color of the metal may be hard to cover. Here are three options with quotes from their websites:

1. Magically Magnetic On sale at $15 a quart (regularly $22)

"This can contains enough dry, concentrated, magnetic additive (a one cup volume weighing two pounds) to mix with a quart of any high quality primer/sealer, stain blocker paint. Use either oil based or latex paint to mix with our additive and cover with any brand latex finish paint. Because the additive will increase the volume of the paint it is mixed with, you will want to use a mixing container that is larger than the volume of paint you are using.

Our additive will not change the color of the white primer/sealer so it will cover very easily with any color finish paint. Top-coat with your color choice of a coat or two of any latex paint."


2. Rust-Oleum Latex Primer 32 fluid ounces $20.98 at Lowe's, covers 33 square feet

"Top coat with any latex paint or even Chalkboard paint.

Shake can in an electric shaker in the paint department, if that is not possible, stir paint for at least 10 minutes until the paint is a consistent dark gray color.

Apply 2-3 thin coats of primer and 2 coats of top coat for maximum attraction. Flat or strong magnets with minimal weight adhere best to treated surface."


3. MagnaMagic $19.99 per pint; $29.99 per quart; $89.99 per gallon

"Not only do we have a universal additive to turn your paint into magnetic paint, we have our new line of Active Wall™ magnetic primers.

Our Active Wall primers are formulated to perform like regular, every day paint making your magnetic paint project simple and rewarding.

Our patented process uses very fine particles of iron to produce the smoothest finish possible. Extra care has been taken to color lighten the paint with state-of-the-art lightening agents. This means that your colors will easily cover our natural gray finish.

When you are finished with your project, your walls will become magnetically interactive.

For as little as $1 per square foot, you can have unlimited decorative options in the future."

Robert Raub, in the construction business for 25 years, makes some observations about using the dark gray latex primer:

1. "The metal shavings in the paint will change the texture of the surface in which you are painting. So, if you have a smooth surface and want it to stay that way it won't. Sanding it will take away a lot of the metal shavings and the magnets won't work as well so you'll have to live with the variation of texture the metal shavings will create.
2. Magnetic paint is fairly expensive! You will have to cover the surface you want to be magnetic at least 3 times! I painted only one wall that is close to 9' x 12' 5 times and it cost me about $125.
3. The metal shavings colors the paint or primer a metalish gray. So, whatever you paint over it will be affected by the gray color. If you plan on painting a light color on that surface you should paint a few coats of the magnetic paint first, paint at least one coat of the good quality primer next, and then paint your color you really would like to see. The wall will still be magnetic but you'll get the color you like.
4. Even with 5 coats of the magnetic paint, some of my magnets don't stick. If they are heavy or weak then they slide down to the base boards. Mighty magnets work super as well do the lighter in weight magnets."

So there you have it. When I added the cost of paint ($18.09 per quart/400 square ft. coverage) to option #1, it's a little less than $1 a square foot. #2 is a little more if Robert Raub is correct. And #3 states its price is around $1 a square foot.

#2 seems to be a lot more work and less effective magnetically. So my vote would be #1 or #3. I didn't see additive on the website for #3, even though they claimed to have it.

Do you have experience with magnetic paint or primers? Let us hear from you! Subscribers click the title to go to the original blog to comment.

Related topics:
An Unusual, Time-Saving Painting-Prep Tool
Getting Organized for School - Organizing Your Child's Artwork and School Papers
Finding More Bathroom Storage without Expanding Your Bathroom

Disposing of Unused Medication Responsibly

Lately I've been reading suggestions by several professional organizers on how to dispose of unused medications. If you flush them, they end up in our water. If you trash them, they end up in landfills even if they are diluted or crushed. Or they may be eaten by animals. Here are what I consider to be the top three choices:

1. Costco, CVS and other pharmacies will take your unused medications and dispose of them properly. Check with your local stores, though, because it seems to be a store-by-store choice.

2. Some police stations offer the same service. Again, check with your local station.

3. And my favorite: donate them to an organization who can use them third world countries. Even though this suggestion was brought up several times, I couldn't find such an organization when I searched.

Do you know an organization that takes donations of unused medications? If you receive this blog by email, please go to this link to comment.

Finding More Bathroom Storage without Expanding Your Bathroom

Good Morning! Today we're going to be readying our home for our second house of foster girls. One girl is new to our program, so her regular houseparents will bring her over this afternoon after school so she can meet us and see where she'll be staying for six days. It's a little scary to go someplace new, especially when you've been in our program such a short time.

So we'll be making beds, folding towels, and putting little Valentine's buckets with treats in their rooms to welcome them. I've made my menu/grocery list for the week and my activity list from which they can choose some fun stuff to do.

During the rest of the day, I'll be working on a new project that I can't wait to tell you about!

In the meantime, let's talk about bathroom storage...


Finding More Bathroom Storage without Expanding Your Bathroom

Tired of a cluttery bathroom? Maybe it's time to take a fresh look at the ole bathroom and see what can be done to increase storage space.

In our previous home, we actually had 3 1/2 baths - lots of bathroom space but very little storage. In each of the two master baths, there were expansive mirrors across one wall of the bathroom, behind the sink and toilet. We removed those mirrors, and placed a smaller decorative mirror above the sink. That gave us room to put up a cabinet above the toilet to hold linens and other items.

Don't forget those small, available spaces! Even a tiny 1'x1' cabinet on a scrap of wall space can be valuable storage space. In our third bath, which was smaller than the other two, there was a small space between the door and the bathtub. So we found a one-foot wide, six-foot tall cabinet at IKEA to tuck into that spot. It held an amazing amount of stuff!

Easily wasted space is the cabinet under the sink. It is tall to allow for the sink plumbing, but usually inefficiently used. By placing a rubber-coated shelf (like you use in the kitchen to expand shelf space), you can multiply your usable space.

I also place little plastic baskets (from the dollar store) in my drawers to keep all those little items from rolling all over the place. And those plastic rolling carts with several drawers are great for small spaces. Widths vary - I've seen them from seven inches wide to two feet wide. They are available at Target and similar stores.

A basket on the floor by the corner of the bathtub or on the back of the toilet can hold extra linens or toiletries. And, of course, there are always shower caddies that hang from the shower and back-of-the-door storage. Cute on-the-counter storage (boxes or baskets or acrylic) keep those things you use daily neat if you don't have enough space to store them.

We use a four-towel rod from IKEA in our current bathroom, and an over-the-door multiple towel rack in the bathroom for the girls to save wall space.


So those are some of my ideas. What have you done to expand your bathroom storage?

Decluttering in 5 - 20 Decluttering Tasks You Can Do In Five Minutes or Less

I used to hate emptying the dishwasher - until one day I decided to time myself and see how long it took to do this dreaded chore. Around five minutes. For some reason, knowing that it only took five minutes removed my mental barrier! It's still not my favorite thing to do in the world, but I don't dread it like I used to do.

Next time you find yourself procrastinating about some unpleasant task, time yourself. See if that knocks down a few of your mental barriers against that task.

My mom mentioned reading an article in her local paper about decluttering tasks you could do in five minutes. So I got to thinking - what are some other dreaded chores that only take a few minutes. Here are a few I came up with:

1. Sweep the bathroom or kitchen floor
2. Mop the bathroom or kitchen floor
3. Dust one room
4. Empty the dishwasher
5. Fold a load of clothes
6. Clean the kitchen countertops
7. Wipe off the kitchen or dining room table
8. Sort the mail
9. Clean the storm door window
10. Declutter the surface of a coffee table
11. Clean the bathroom sink
12. Clean the kitchen sink
13. Empty the trash
14. Clean off your desk – or a corner of it!
15. Throw away the old food in your fridge
16. Have everyone in the household pick up their items in a common room and take them to their own room
17. Place newspapers in a recycling bag
18. Clean a mirror
19. Clean out a drawer
20. Make a to-do list (relieve your brain of clutter!)

So, if you have a few minutes, you can make your surroundings more pleasant with little effort! By doing a little at a time, decluttering and cleaning don't have to require enormous chunks of time.

What do you do to declutter in short snatches of time?

Related Posts: Decluttering in 10 - Entry Way, Decluttering in Three, Decluttering in 5 - Check out the Shelf Life of Your Spices, Declutter in Five - Decluttering your Bookmarks or Favorites

Get Organizing Month - Decluttering Your Bathroom Storage

Shall we look under the bathroom sink? If you have additional storage, put it on your calendar for another day. Let's just take one small area today - under your sink, a drawer, or a shelf in the medicine cabinet.

Take everything out and clean the area. Toss anything that is outdated, you're not sure what it is, or it hasn't been used in a year.

Organize according to categories and replace your remaining items. Are there things you threw out and need to replenish?

That was quick, wasn't it?