September 8, 2011

utility player

BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE


AFTER
A utility player is valuable to any team because they specialize in more than one position.  That's exactly what you need in your utility closet, a space that can fuction as a home for a variety of items.  In this house, the utility closet in the laundry room stored cleaning supplies, pet supplies, household tools, batteries, lightbulbs, flash lights, and bags.  When I arrived, there was no rhyme or reason to how things were placed into the closet, which made finding what you needed very difficult.  We purged a few items here and there, but this project was basically about categorizing, putting loose items into manageable containers, and utilizing vertical space.
When organizing cleaning supplies, purchase a caddy for those cleaners you use on a basic run through of your home. This keeps you from running back and forth to the closet and allows a quick cleanup for last minute guests:) For remaining cleaners, categorize them by what they're used on, such as mirrors, windows, floors, and mildew.

This client had kept battery packages in a spare coffee can for years.  A simple solution to skip digging around for the right size was a compartmentalized plastic box.  Plastic serves as a better home because tin and other metals risk shorting out the batteries.  Dividers in this box are adjustable so as your battery collection grows, your container can adjust as well.                                         
For utilizing vertical space, try a simple shelf that allows you to double the amount of room on a shelf.  We did that here with a simple white shelf that stores flash lights underneath a tool box and battery case.  Stacking bins are another great resource.  Here we used them on the floor to organize pet supplies.  For cleaning cloths and rags, don't wast time folding and save drawer space by tossing them into a colorful bin.  Follow these tips and transform your home's weakest link into a valuable team player!

Copyright 2011 Get It Together Professional Organizing

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