If you've been following along with my recent transition to Evangelorganizer you've probably wondered what organizing tools I bought to help me. Not a lot actually. Let me explain.
Going from this,
to this ...
It took 3 sets of stainless steel shelves and a bit of thought on how to organize things in containers for easy access.
I still need to paint the cupboards and it still looks like a before photo but I don't care.
Without getting rid of stuff & going through everything you own, shelves aren't going to do a thing to help you.
For the most part I didn't specifically buy things that were for "organizing", I bought things I felt would make my life easier in some way.
Why? Because my goal in all of this wasn't really organizing, my goal was to make my life easier. Organizing was just a means to an end.
Every one of these 8 things has made my life a lot easier and after using them for 5 months I feel good about recommending them all.
8 Items That Make Life Easier
1. Pull out cabinet shelves that have adjustable widths. I got these at Costco. In the one I can fit my deep fryer, Vitamix and stand mixer (learn how to make decals for your stand mixer).
The second sliding shelf I'm using for snacks of the human and dog variety. All the white ceramic canisters with wood lids are from the dollar store (Dollarama). The rest are ones I already owned.
The nice ceramic containers are filled with dog treats and bones. Everything else is human snacks like nuts, dates, chips, popcorn and liquorice all sorts.
2. I found this stick down pull out shelf (also adjustable width). There's no screwing or measuring to do. You just peel the back off of the sticky strips and stick it down.
These plates are way too heavy for it, but the shelf has remained stuck with no accidents since January.
It does however protest so I'm going to switch out the plates for something lighter.
3. THIS IS MY FAVOURITE PURCHASE. These are very flat motion detection lights. They have flat, small metal brackets with adhesive tape on the back of them. Stick the brackets wherever you want. The light is magnetic and just sticks to the bracket.
They LED, rechargeable (so no cords) and for my purposes I've find they last about a month before needing recharging.
I've put these strip lights in a few places in my kitchen that always seem dark. But the absolute BEST use for these is in the abyss of yuck known as the under the sink cabinet.
As soon as I open the cabinet door the motion sensor the light comes on and I can see. The light automatically turns off after 20 seconds.
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This helps make life easier in 2 ways.
I can SEE if what I'm chucking into the garbage actually makes it into the garbage and I can also easily see all the cleaning products that are kept on the left side of the cabinet.
A bonus benefit is when your sink/garbage can area is bright you're more likely to keep that area clean because you can see the true filth of it.
4. Rubber floor mats (made for gyms and garages) to completely cover my cement basement floor. They're warmer, easier to clean and infinitely more comfortable for standing on.
5. Squish it. Anything that's bulky & airy (pillows, duvets, sweaters etc.) can be sucked down to a fraction of their original size with a vacuum bag.
I did this to all my guest pillows and could then stack them all in a single suitcase.
6. I was hoping that I could use the pull out shelves from Costco to hold my dehydrator but it wouldn't quite fit, so I took a piece of old shelving, put the same type of drawer slides I used for my sliding picture frame tutorial on the bottom of it & made my own sliding shelf. It makes turning the dehydrator on and off and adjusting the temperature (which is at the back of the machine) WAY easier.
7. This wall in my basement had some narrow boards of wood up to act as small shelves. They were here when I moved in and up until January they stayed.
I got smart and bought these plain stainless shelves to stand on the concrete wall that surrounds the basement.
Then I placed clear containers with specific things and labels on the shelves so I can see everything and grab what I need immediately.
One of the best things to keep in mind when you're simplifying is to keep things off of the floor. The floor isn't for dumping things, it's for doing cartwheels and you'd do best to remember that.
8. A metal tool chest was pilfered from my mother's basement. It was my father's. I am stunned I went this long without a tool chest. I'm ridiculous. This should have been one of the first things I bought when I got my house but I was young, stupid, and didn't have that many tools then.
The tool chest has made one of the biggest differences in my day to day life because my day to day life involves fixing, making and eventually swearing at things.
Where I once had to search and wonder, I can now grab and go.
Easy Life Essentials
- Richelieu (19.7 in. × (12.5 to 20.2 in.) pull out shelf
- Stick down pull out shelf
- Under sink lights
- ½" exercise mats for basement
- Stainless shelfs
- DIY pull out shelf with old drawer slides
- Space Saver vacuum bags
- Tool chest
NOT SO GREAT PRODUCT
Bamboo drawer dividers I didn't love them. I think with the perfect sized drawer they might be good, otherwise they slip around a bit.
Here's the bad part of organizing. You have to keep doing it. That literally means if something comes into the house, something has to go out.
I used to think that was a ridiculous notion, reserved for imaginary humans you might meet at a unicorn race.
Today I bought a Cricut & a small heat press. I left 2 shelves with nothing on them when I organized. Now I have to decide whether to put these 2 things in the space I left for this exact type of situation or do I get rid of something else and save those open spaces for next time?
Smart money is betting on the unicorganizer.
Jody
That's a great list. For me, the best example was the vacuum bagged pillow. Thank youu for sharing the list.
Karen
Hi Jody! A reader had recommended those and even though I knew what they were didn't have a lot of faith in them working. But I thought it was a perfect time to order some and test them out and I'm pretty astounded at how well they work and keep their seal. ~ karen!
UTMom
Please let us know how you like/hate? the Cricut. I have had my eye on one for a few months now and have yet to pull the credit card out. Is it all that and a bag of chips? Thank you!!
Karen
I'll let you know! It's not something that has ever interested me. Really all I want it for is for making sarcastic heat transfer mugs to secretly leave on friend's doorsteps. Maybe a couple of tee shirts as well. ~ karen!
Ruth
Thank you, Karen!!
This is v helpful. The pillow squisher: a DEF YES!!!!
And oh yes: I always wanted a red toolbox---just had to work to find hex wrenches aka keys. And found severals sets. WOW. I could really have a red tool chest [have two portable grey ones now--- will be able to donate.]
About the top photo: 'Going from this,'
That doesn't look untouched. Methinks perhaps you made it messier than it was. I can't imagine you hadn't already stacked your baskets.......... just doesn't jive.
no need to confess...........
As always, Many thanks!!!
me, RJ
Ruth
PS: One of my ALL TIME Favorites: motion sensor lights. I LOVE them. Have them in pantry, mudroom, furnace room. and over exterior doors. These are the ones that are adapted to existing hard wired light sockets. V easy to install and adjust--- i think all mine are set to stay on 3 mins.
Mary W
If I enjoy the closet light as much as I've appreciated the electric fence and the fantastic fry pan and as much as my dog ADORES his home-made treats, I'm in for a really good experience. I trust you! Thanks, Karen!
Christie
Hi Karen! Love your organizing project - definitely getting those lights! On another topic, what do you dehydrate??
Jackie
Hi Karen. Love your ideas. I bought motion lights that look like yours but run on batteries. I love them. I use them in a pantry that had no light (and the light from the hall wasn't enough). It has bi-fold doors & every time I open a door the lights come on. I didn't even attach mine - we installed wire shelves & I just lay them on a shelf. I can move them around if I need more light in a certain area. One of the best buys I made in a long time. I keep my kitchen aid on the counter because it is too bog & too heavy for me to move around. I even had trouble pulling it out of the corner. I got a sliding pad (that I cut to fit) & it slides right out when I need it. I also bought some little sliding dots & put them under my toaster.
Anne Hogan
Love your posts! They have kept me going - I've moved to a tiny bungalo so that I can be more organized with my space. I'm trying to purge 2x / year. When I recently redid my kitchen I ended up with a weird space that the contractor didn't know what to do with. I found a wooden Rev-A-Shelf Pull Out Kitchen Cabinet Storage on Amazon http://surl.li/uekzu that fit nicely in the space. He put a face plate on it and presto! They come in all sorts of widths from 5" to 14".
Now I need to put a bookcase or something to organize all the 'stuff' I haven't got rid of yet. ;)
Amber
They have big rolls of those nonslip drawer material at Home Depot and similar. They’ll cut to size for you.
Someday I dream of getting a tool organizer that I will actually use… which means I’ll have determined exactly what I use each of the 3 work spaces for (garage, basement and actual studio). Or maybe I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing, and wind up with multiple sets of tools randomly scattered around the house, yard, and surrounding forest. I found one of my baking dishes halfway up a hillside last month. No idea why.
/anne...
Little silicon dots are excellent at stopping most things from sliding around, although I use clear plastic open boxes instead of the bamboo ones, as I just know something will spill and the bamboo will swell up and become awful. I'm about to invest in some of the nonslip drawer liner too.
I'm even using the narrow version of the boxes for my cutlery drawer - I couldn't find one that fitted; these are cheaper and fit perfectly!
Jane
My favourites are clear plastic bins and a LABEL MAKER. The label maker is my absolute favourite tool. All our myriad of charging cables are labeled at both ends. I love organizing but still have crap everywhere and can’t find what I need.
Cara
What an amazing organizer you are! All your solutions look like they will hold up long range....and I agree, as you've said here, once you start you have to be committed to keeping the system going. (I'll start in the kitchen and telepathically be communicating with you.) Your house is looking great! I especially love the metal tool chest. I actually have a good sized old fashioned gray metal tool box with handle. I'll put it to work. It never occurred to me to actually use it. You are an inspiration.....
Linda J Howes
Lights are ordered! These appear to be a God send as in "let there be light". So many uses for these. I'm so tired of being kept in the dark. I wonder if these would work on the rodent population or if they even care?
Karen
What a good idea! I have no idea if rodents or other pests would care (most of them just adapt) but it'd be worth it to try them. ~ karen!
Corrine
Ha! The dump and dash! That looks like my workshop bench!!! The before and occasionally and very momentarily after!
What to do with all the tools!!!
I'd also suggest that taking a good look at habits helps.
Being honest with myself and knowing that if I can't finish a project within a realistic time frame, don't start it.
Put things away and have things that you actually love and use.
Sure sounds good!
Put things away.
Chris W.
Pull out drawers are SO handy and manageable. We have quite a few of them because - one day riding through town on trash day, someone had put out a whole stack of them with the slides even! Yes, they jumped right into the back of our vehicle and it proves that one person's junk is another's treasure. My husband was able to install one under the kitchen sink and it works wonderfully - of course, need to get one of those flat LED lights to add to the convenience. You're right - label, label, label. I've always said to anyone who cares that if you stand around in my house too long, I WILL put a label on you!
Dee
Is your food dehydrator in a cupboard and actually plugged in and used like this? If so, how did you install an electric connection in the cupboard? Enquiring minds want to know...
Karen
Hi Dee! There is a plug so I can just use the dehydrator where it is. It isn't a cupboard, it's a shelf with a curtain in front of it so there was no problem with having a plug there. I had it installed when I had my kitchen redone years ago. ~ karen!
Randy P
Those items look to fit your needs quite well. Great finds and logical thinking. I have always fiddled with door keys at night - back entry door and garage door locks - because ...well... it's dark. Found these super affordable small motion sensing lights and voila! No more night time fumbling for this here geezer.
https://amzn.to/3Rcck0z
Randy P
The link didn't upload - the AMIR led lights are on Amazon at $12 for a 3 pack.