Home Organization Tips

Read these 9 Home Organization Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about As Seen On TV tips and hundreds of other topics.

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Is there a way to organize my leftovers without an endless search for plastic containers?

Organizing your Sanity and Leftovers with Smart Spin

It happens after every dinner, especially if you're in a good sized family. You open up your cupboard door and get bombarded by plastic containers and lids—that is, ones that aren't already in the dishwasher or refrigerator. Unfortunately, none of the lids seem to match any of the containers. Tupperware is hard to organize and even harder to keep track of.

* One of our best home organization tips: Choose from the sets of storage containers that come with kitchen cabinet organizers. The Smart Spin system, which offers its own lazy Susan spinning base for storage, has been a sell-out thanks to As Seen On TV infomercial watchers. The Smart Spin is designed to work with its own containers, but then, you aren't attached to your plastic ware, are you?

   
Will my kitchen cabinet organizer hold up to multiple uses in the micrawave?

Kitchen Cabinet Organizer Battle, Round II: The Microwave

These home organization tips are red-hot if you want to buy kitchen cabinet organizers or other plastic organizers (such as a battery organizer or a pill organizer.

• Test your Smart Spin system in the dishwasher. The lids occasionally have been known to leak after two cycles however, you just need elbow grease to tamp them down.

• Test your Smart Spin containers in the microwave. The plastic shouldn't warp or shrink. Most quality plastic containers don't change shape or lose integrity after microwaving.

   
Is there an easier way to keep track of all of my household batteries?

Storing and Finding Batteries

This idea officially falls into the category of the no-brainer. You don't need a Thomas Edison light bulb...although you might if you can't find a battery for your flashlight.

Easily storing up to 51 popular sized batteries into an organizer with clear compartments that separate batteries by size, including hearing aid and watch batteries, is common sense. Designing the Perfect Battery Organizer (with a tester) so you can even mount it in a cabinet with your kitchen cabinet organizers or store it in your junk drawer/lettuce crisper is sheer Mensa brilliance. Edison would agree.

   
Will my smart spin containers warp or melt in the dishwasher?

Smart Cleaning Your Smart Spin Containers

All the home organization tips teach you to fear the dishwasher...especially with plastic organizing containers. Don't fear the dishwasher. You can clean your Smart Spin kitchen cabinet organizers in the dishwasher.

While plastic sometimes does warp in the dishwasher, most Tupperware products don't seem to have a problem.

* Matthew Kaufman of the Hartford Courant hasn't had any complaints as of March 2005 with the Smart Spin in the dishwasher (although he does admit the plastic is more brittle and less pliable than he hoped—and some of the lids leak after a couple of cycles). However, he reports that the Smart Seal is selling out, dishwasher warnings aside.

   
How can I save space and organize my shoes?

Organizing is a Shoe-In

There are days when you feel like Imelda Marcos trying to organize your shoes. You most likely have pairs that no longer fit or that you never wear (probably because you can't find them). However, shoe organizers are as numerous and varied as shoe styles. How do you choose?

You can find shoe organizers in companies such as Hold Everything...but wait, what's that coming on television at midnight while you're organizing your shoes? It's Shoes Away, an over-the-door closet shoe organizer As Seen On TV item. If you can't part with any of your shoes, the wholesale As Seen On TV shoe organizer is your best bet.

* If you prefer horizontal shoe racks that fit at the bottom of your closet, a vertical hanging bag, or clear shoe pockets, this may not be for you. And, depending on whether you have large athletic shoes, boots, or complicated strappy evening sandals, the bag may be bulky and may not fit in your closet space. Here are a few shoe organizing tips if you're planning on buying ShoesAway:

• Don't throw out shoe boxes—especially for larger shoes and boots
• Sort shoes by function: casual, dress, athletic
• If you garden or live in a sunny climate, have a special spot for outdoor shoes

   
What can I store in my space bag?

Filling That Empty Space...

You thought your boyfriend or girlfriend would fill that empty space, but all he or she did was split and leave belongings to clutter up your storage space. If you're talking about getting back together, you still need to deal with all that baggage—literally. The Space Bag may be able to help and is less expensive than therapy.

Ideal candidates for the space bag are things that you might call uselessly bulky, such as:

• Important documents
• Pillows
• Coats
• Sweaters
• Comforters

After all, you gave some of these gifts to your sweetie. It's a good idea to hang on to them if you're reconciling. See—home organization and home organization tips can help your love life!

The Space Bag airtight, watertight seal locks out water, moisture, mildew, dirt, insects, and odors. It works whether you're storing permanently or just until your ex arrives to collect the battery collection stored in five battery organizers. No matter what place your ex has in your heart, you're ready to store belongings in the basement, closet, garage, etc. You can even put away those painful reminders of your love affair that you've collected.

* Home organization is no substitute for communication so talk out your problems too—maybe while you're organizing.

   
Is there a way to shrink some if my possessions to save space?

A Space-Saving Idea...No Astronauts Necessary

You don't have to be in the space program to figure out that we all need more space in our closets, drawers, and cabinets. Even when we get to the moon, we won't escape all this "stuff" we've accumulated. In fact, someone will probably sell storage space on the moon (on eBay) to streamline home organization. But, before we boldly go where no disorganized people have gone before, there's always the Space Bag.

The home organization Space Bag is yet another storage bag for valuables—complete with polyurethane strength and a space-suit look (that is, if astronauts wore see-through material) Not even "Star Trek" featured that (although the original series from the 1960s had female characters dressed in two pieces of tinfoil!)

The space program is supposed to shrink the universe...it's already shrunk food down to vacuum packs. The Space Bag works on the same principle and would be perfect for the space shuttle. The Space Bag can compress your sweaters, letters, jewelry, suits, precious mementoes. and valuables, including, yes, "Star Trek" memorabilia.

Try not to store any sharp alien objects—the polyurethane won't withstand puncture.

   
What is the easist way to test for dead batteries?

Dead Batteries? No Problem

Do you have a bag full of batteries in the refrigerator or in the junk drawer? How many of these batteries work? Can't answer? Most people can't.

Energizer and many home organization/electronics equipment manufacturers make battery testers and rechargers. You can even test Duracell batteries in the package. However, what if your batteries aren't in packages?

You know that you'll need working AAA batteries for your radio or clock when you least expect it. If you're fretting about flashlight batteries, you can always carry the Everlife flashlight—emergency preparedness is at the heard of home organization tips. Plus, no one likes to run around looking for a battery that works.

You might try a battery organizer such as the Perfect Battery Organizer and Tester. The tester works on the same principle as Energizer's.

* While the Battery Organizer won't recharge your batteries, you'll know when you need to change the flashlight battery...before the flashlight conks out on you.

   
Is there a tool that can be use as a dolly and heavy duty carrier for yard work?

Multitasking With The Total Trolley

In today's world, we demand that even our household tools multitask—just watch any As Seen In TV commercial. “It slices! It dices! It makes baby formula! It gives you liposuction!” Okay, maybe not, but you get the idea.

The Total Trolley multitasks. This As Seen On TV item can transform into:

• A ladder
• A dolly cart
• A hand truck
• A furniture carrier

If you do frequent heavy lifting and home improvement, the Total Trolley may be your best wholesale As Seen On TV purchase—it's a contractor's best friend. How does it stack up for regular household chores? According to one Amazon.com As Seen On TV review, the Total Trolley can carry a 1,600 CD collection (!), trash, large sacks of dog food, furniture, and the works.

* The product purports to reduce equipment and clear space in a garage or shed. While the Total Trolley seems to work, make sure you're buying it because you'll use it on a regular basis and not just because it's gee-whiz cool. For a one-time furniture moving task, you might be better off enlisting a friend.

   
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