Clever Kids' Room Storage

Little ones have lots of stuff and need easy ways to store it. This room is built for fun and organization.

Boost Bath Vanity Storage

Store bath essentials right where you need them with these clever cabinet tricks.

How To Organize A Kitchen Pantry

VideoJug: How To Organize A Kitchen Pantry
Is your kitchen pantry a disaster? Are there cans in the back that have been there for years? Is it impossible to find what youneed to make a simple meal? Let us show you how to put your pantry in order.

Do It Yourself Closet Organization

Do it yourself closet organization can be quite a journey, even with the best advice. Meghan Carter of http://www.AsktheDecorator.com discovered first-hand the trials and tribulations of closet organization as she put herself under the scrutiny of professional organizer Cynthia Ivie. But in the end, Meghan not only organized her closet, but found a great excuse to go shopping.

Closet Organizers

Choosing the right closet organizers can make organizing your closet a lot easier. So, Meghan Carter of http://www.AsktheDecorator.com visited Master Simplifier and owner of the organization firm White Space, Cynthia Ivie, to discover which type of closet organizers work best.

Easy Tips for a Clean Workbench

Clutter is not a welcome part of any home, and one of the hardest areas to keep organized is the home workbench. With an array of tools, supplies and other necessary household items, it can easily become one of the messiest areas in the house. But don’t dismiss this area as one that can’t be tidy. Simple organizational steps can create a workspace that is useful and clean.

“Organizing a workbench seems like a difficult task because there are so many items in a limited space,” comments Steve Sholem, an expert in household organization and CEO at StuckOnTools. “The best thing to do is to find an organizational system that can be customized for your needs, yet look professional at the same time.”

When organizing your workbench, here are some ideas to consider:

Use the Walls and Replace Pegboard

Toolboxes are disorganized and can fill up very fast. Extra tools clutter the floor and bench and occupy dirty cardboard boxes or old coffee cans. This not only creates a very messy area, but makes it difficult to access tools when you really need them. When organizing tools, consider looking to your walls for extra space.

Get tools out of their boxes and on the walls, freeing up space and creating a system where you can easily see and find them. Pegboards and lattice are the traditional options, but they have many negatives. Because you need space for the hooks, you cannot simply mount them flat against the wall, making installation difficult. The precut holes and holders can tear out and they hold a limited number of tools. Finally, they get filled with dust and cobwebs that make the workbench dirty.

“Pegboards are not an attractive option and do not function best for organizing tools,” says Sholem. “For all the money that homeowners invest in tools, they need a better storage system that utilizes space and protects the tools.”

Consider using a colorful magnetic tool board made by StuckOnTools. These 20-gauge steel boards use high intensity rare earth magnets to hold tools securely in place. The boards are easy to install and include a mounting kit. “Installation is like putting a picture on the wall, you could do it in about eight minutes,” says Sholem.

The magnetic boards are totally customizable with a variety of round magnet hooks for different tool weights and can be easily moved around the board. The boards support up to four times the weight that pegboard can. So even saws, pipe wrenches, hammers and other items like electric drills that normally couldn’t be hung up, can now be easily attached to your wall. Smaller items, such as plastic boxes of screws, nuts and nails can be attached to the StuckOnTools board with material similar to Velcro. Ratchet heads securely stay on a movable magnetic bar.

Utilize Shelving Space

For vacuums, paint containers, boxes and other large items, it might be necessary to install a shelving unit. A pile of items on the floor looks messy and is difficult to keep organized. With the vast shelving options available, finding one that is right for you should be easy.

Look for shelving that is customizable to your needs and is durable enough to handle the weight of your larger items. Metal shelving is often used in workbench areas because it is durable and easy to clean.

Stick With the System.

Once you are organized and have your workbench system in place, use it! Accessing tools will be easier than ever, but make sure you keep your system clutter-free by replacing your tools when you are done. Household projects will take less time if you can find them quickly.

By having everything close at hand and organized, clean up will be quicker and less painful. Discard waste that tends to build up and replace items used.

“With these tips, workbench organization is a snap,” says Sholem. “You’ll no longer be limited by the space in toolboxes. And with less clutter, you’ll find your tools without frustration.”

For more information on workbench organization and other household storage and organizational products, visit http://www.stuckontools.com/

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Top 10 Tips for Organizing Your Kitchen

“I know it’s in here somewhere!” Does this sound like you when you’re trying to find something in your kitchen cabinets? If you find yourself on bended knee with a flashlight, or perched on a rickety chair to locate a favorite pie pan or a certain spice, it may be time to get organized. Thankfully, with a few tricks up your sleeve, you can have everything within reach -- and sight -- without worrying about keeling over on the kitchen floor. Here are Julie Morgenstern’s top 10 tips for organizing your kitchen:

1. Have a plan of attack. Start with a strategy based on how you want to function in your kitchen. Prioritize by identifying the frequently used “must have” items and the things you use only occasionally.

2. Declutter in chunks. If it seems overwhelming, start with the most visible items first, such as what’s on the countertops. You’ll get a feeling of instant change and gain motivation to do the next chunk.

3. Seek treasures instead of trash. Focus on searching for hidden treasure versus ditching the unwanted. This will allow you to transform organizing into a positive experience.

4. Banish flimsy dividers. Pitch pitiful plastic trays and replace them with sturdy wooden drawer organizers. This will help you create a happy home for spoons, whisks and what-nots.

5. Lay out a landing strip. Designate an official “drop zone” for car keys, cell phones, etc. For example, Diamond Cabinets’ Mini Message Center has hooks, shelves and a write-in message board, all concealed behind a door, creating a perfect solution for on-the-go organization. It can be found on the Diamond Cabinet Web site at http://www.diamondcabinets.com/.

6. Cubbies aren’t just for kids. Containerization is the name of the game, so create your own kitchen ”cubbies” wherever you can. Stash wire baskets or transparent storage boxes on shelves so you can see and grab things quickly.

7. Create eye-level storage. Make items easier to see by adding eye-level shelves or a tall pantry unit to put small jars of spices or tall bottles of oils and dressings within easy reach.

8. Let there be light. Proper lighting ensures a comfortable environment for a variety of activities, so consider installing dimmers. The Diva dimmer from Lutron allows you to set light levels to full brightness for meal prep and art projects, for example -- and to lower levels for others, like mealtime and late-night tea. Visit http://www.lutron.com/ for more information.

9. Divvy it up in drawers. Kitchen drawers need not be junk drawers. Use them to store items that can be folded or stored flat, such as cloth napkins or candles. Some drawers even come with wooden pegs to hold stacked dishes in place.

10. Make organization part of your life. Schedule a time for organizing into your daily routine, such as after the kids get home from school. Even a daily 10-minute dose of it can keep your kitchen in check.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Does Your Garage Need Organizing?

When you first moved into your house, you probably took advantage of the luxury of being able to park your cars in the garage. Now they’re sitting in the driveway or in the street, and you don’t even open the garage door anymore. So what changed?

If you’re like most Americans, you fell into the trap of turning your garage into an oversized storage shed. Now there are so many of your belongings packed inside -- boxes filled with knickknacks, old mattresses, unused furniture, the tractor, lawn tools, bicycles, etc. -- you can’t even walk around the space anymore, much less find something you need.

Garage organization projects are one of the fastest growing segments of the home renovation industry. According to an April 2005 report by the Rockwell, MD-based market research firm Packaged Facts, homeowners spent $800 million on garage organizing products in 2004, and $1.25 billion on garage and shed storage products combined. The report projected that spending on garage makeovers would grow to $1.59 billion in 2009, making it one of the fastest-growing segments of the home-improvement industry.

If you’re planning to renovate your garage, start by taking inventory of what you own. You’ll likely find there are a lot of things you can simply give away or throw away. Next, make a list of what’s left and start considering your storage needs. Here are some solutions for the most common things people keep in their garages:

• Bicycles can be hung from hooks nailed to the ceiling or rafters.
• Ladders can be leaned into corners or hung from peg boards.
• Garden tools can be hung from peg boards or stored in tall cabinets.
• Power tools can be stored upright in cabinets or on shelves.
• Fertilizer, gasoline, paint cans, oil, poisons and other hazardous chemicals should be stored on a high shelf or in a locked cabinet out of the reach of young children.
• Loose tools, including hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, levels, etc., can either be hung from peg boards or stored in drawers.

When it comes to cabinets and shelving, you’ll find a lot of options, ranging from coated metal wire shelving and particle board cabinets to furniture-grade cabinets and hardwood shelving. If you’re looking for a storage option that is built to last, check out the offerings from RhinoStorage by RSI, a new entrant to the garage storage arena.

All of the cabinets and work benches they offer have been protected inside and out with Rhino HardLine, a sprayed-on polyurethane-polyurea that is the same finish which makes Rhino Linings truck beds so tough. Among the benefits they offer are durability, sturdiness and security -- all factors that are of the utmost importance in a garage.

The line includes a variety of wall and base cabinets that are lockable and come with such storage options as metal drawer boxes and adjustable 3/4-inch thick shelves. There’s also a 60 inch long worktop surface that can be placed on top of the cabinets or secured to a wall.

“Our partnership with RSI is an ideal way to extend the Rhino reputation for providing the toughest and most durable protection in the industry beyond our core truck bed liner business,” says Pierre Gagnon, President and CEO of Rhino Linings USA, Inc. “Rhino Linings have been proven in millions of pickup trucks, and now customers can experience the same level of unmatched durability and long-lasting protection in their garages and workshops.”

Rhino Storage by RSI cabinets are available exclusively at Lowe’s Home Improvement stores across the country. For more information, log on to www.rhinostoragecabinets.com

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Closet Organization

Sumina Bhatti, a professional home organizer, gives tips on how to organize a messy closet.

Pantry Organization

Sumina Bhatti, a professional home organizer, gives tips on how to organize a kitchen pantry.

Decorative Shelving

Decorative Shelving can be functional and beautiful. Meghan Carter of AskTheDecorator.com demonstrates how to mix storage and style, creating display shelving that also works as storage shelving. Usability has never looked better.