storage

Get Organized for Next December Now: Holiday Take-Down Tips

Tisha Tolar — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 00:42:45 +0000

I just saw a really cool tip courtesy of a Facebook friend that got me to thinking about the importance of doing things properly after Christmas to save me the hassle a year from now. The tip was pretty simple — wrap your holiday lights around a plastic hanger to prevent the tangled wires (and cursing) next year. The lights should go around the body of the hanger, leaving the top hook exposed so that you can even hang up the lights rather than cramping them in a box for another year.

There are other things that I found that will also make the holiday next time around less irritating — here are some to consider right now. (See also: An Organized Year: A Month-by-Month Guide)

Recycle Your Gift Packing for Safety

If your family finally got that big flat screen television, do not put the box out for the trash collection. Crafty thieves like to stalk trash piles to see what everyone got as gifts; it makes it easier to target the houses with good stuff to steal. Sad as it is, you should hide your present boxes and wrappings, and recycle your packaging to prevent temptation for criminal activity.

Create an Inventory List

One of my biggest pet peeves about my Christmas take-down process is that by the time the next year rolls around, I have forgotten most of what I have concerning decorations. It never fails that I go out and buy new stuff because I think I am lacking only to find I actually did have a wreath for the front door and I did have enough net lights for the front yard. As you begin to disassemble your decorations and tree, take a second to write down the stuff you have. It may help to categorize items you used by room. I have a friend who takes photos of all her decorating strategies so she will remember where they go next year. It also will help you remember exactly what you have.

Buy Reliable Storage

In the madness of after-holiday shopping, head out and start buying up storage containers. The red and green Rubbermaid tubs might even be on sale after the holidays. Then pack away your belongings by room they are displayed in, taking care with the fragile pieces. You can then attach the inventory list to the lid. Slide the paper into a sheet protector and tape the inventory list right to the top. It will make it super easy to decorate in stages next year rather than having to rip out the entire stash of stuff all over the living room floor.

Create a Christmas To-Do List Now

Every single Christmas since I have had my own family, I have thought to myself "I should write this down" when we are attempting to create a tradition or I think of a good timeline for getting things done. Recently I have been trying to list all the things we like to do and have to get done leading up to December 25, so I don’t regret missing out on stuff. There are a few things we have down pat, but it would be really helpful next year to have a reminder of Christmas past and what our family really loved to do. It will also help to reduce the common holiday stresses by getting a head start 12 months in advance.

Open That Christmas Account

Again, every year I kick myself for not investing in a Christmas Club. My birthday is just a week before Christmas, so I do get side cash, which would be perfect for my first deposit into a Christmas Club account. I have not disciplined myself enough to follow through with this action though. Making regular deposits into a savings account now would make my financial life less screwed up at the holidays and can help me plan a realistic budget for gift giving.

Organize the Essentials

In addition to better organizing the decor of the holidays for easier retrieval next year, it’s also a good time to write down all the accessories you already possess at home including gift tags, boxes, and bows. It is really easy to be dazzled by the aisles of new Christmas stuff stores put out just after Halloween and you may be tempted to throw that extra stuff you don’t need in your cart. Make an inventory of what you have already so you won’t blow cash unnecessarily. Store your extras in a tub so you don’t have it scattered in different locations throughout your house.

Put It All Together

In addition to your holiday tubs, pick up a loose leaf binder at the store and file all your Christmas inventory lists, to-dos, and copies of your favorite holiday recipes on one place. Go a step further, and do the same kind of organizing for all the other big holidays. Store it with your cookbooks or on your bookshelf for easy access all year around. As the year moves forward, collect any new ideas and tips and paste them in your Holiday Binder so you’ll always have them on hand.

Written by Tisha Tolar and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

All Dried Up: How to Dry Fruits and Vegetables

Mikey Rox — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 10:36:35 +0000

Even as a kid I was crafty in the kitchen. So when I learned at a young age that raisins are the result of sun-dried grapes, you know I had to test out that theory in my own open-air laboratory, AKA my grandmother’s backyard.

But after numerous failed attempts and wasting enough grapes to draw the ire of my mum-mum (that’s what I called my grandmother), I gave up on my science experiment and decided that Sun-Maid must be part of a government conspiracy.

It’s not, of course. It seems that the real reason why my experiment didn’t work is because I lived in the wrong climate…and patience is not my virtue. So you don’t have to sit in time out for misusing $5 worth of produce, here are nine simple steps for drying fruits and veggies. (See also: The Produce Worker's Guide to Storing 25 Common Fruits and Veggies)

1. Choose Your Produce

Use only fresh produce; stay away from any fruits and veggies that have signs of rot. Good drying fruits include strawberries, apples, pineapple, bananas, grapes, and figs. Veggies that you can dry include carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, peas, onions, and pumpkin.

2. Decide How You Want to Dry Your Produce

You can go the eco-friendly route and sun dry, but you’ll need at least five straight days of 85°F weather, preferably with direct sunlight and no insects. (My 10-year-old self could have used this information.) If you want to be super fancy, you can use a solar food dehydrator to reduce your carbon footprint. If outside drying isn’t an option, use an electric food dehydrator or a conventional oven — the rest of these tips concern the latter two methods.

3. Preheat Your Oven or Electric Dehydrator to 140°F

While the appliance is heating, wash your produce, and remove any stems, cores, and pits it may contain. If you’re using vegetables, blanch in boiling water for two minutes and remove from the heat.

4. Chop

Prepare your produce for the drying process by cutting it into bite-sized pieces. This makes the dried food easier to eat and helps speed up the drying process.

5. Give Your Produce a Bath

Dunk the cut produce in a solution of one part lemon juice, eight parts water. Remove quickly. The produce doesn’t need to take a bath in the solution; it just needs a coating of the diluted citric acid to prevent oxidation.

6. Lay Out the Produce

If you’re using an oven, line a baking sheet with wax paper and arrange the bite-sized pieces of produce in a single layer, allowing enough space between pieces for each piece to breathe. If you’re using an electric dehydrator, place the fruit on the stackable mesh screens with enough room to breathe.

7. Dehydrate

Place the fruit in the oven or electric dehydrator preheated to 140°F for 4 to 16 hours, depending on what you’re dehydrating. To find out approximate drying times for specific fruits and vegetables, use this handy dehydration chart.

8. Remove and Cool

When you’ve dried the produce for the appropriate amount of time, remove it from the appliance and let it sit for an hour to cool.

9. Store

Pack the produce in airtight containers or canning jars to keep it fresh for six months to one year.

How to Freeze-Dry

If you don’t want to waste gas or electricity, or if it’s just too darn hot to run the oven all day long, consider freeze-drying your fruit. Most of the same steps apply, with a few exceptions.

1. Prepare the Produce

Wash and cut your fruit and line the mesh trays the same way you would if you were preparing to dehydrate it. Mesh trays are necessary here because you want the cold air to circulate around the entire piece of produce.

2. Put the Trays in the Freezer

Put the mesh trays in the freezer in a single layer; don’t stack them. Leave the trays in the freezer for one week.

3. Remove

After a week, transfer the freeze-dried fruit to airtight containers or storage bags and store in the freezer.

4. Reconstitute for Use

When you’re ready to use the produce, place the it in a bowl, add water, and heat in the microwave until the produce reconstitutes.

Written by Mikey Rox and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

10 Cost-Effective Ways to Make Your Own Bookshelves

Myscha Theriault — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 09:48:12 +0000

One of the many benefits of DIY is saving money on items that would otherwise cost a pretty penny. One such item is shelving. If you’re an avid book lover, then learning how to make your own bookshelves is a skill that can shave serious dollars off the cost of settling in to a new place. Here are ten money-saving ways to do just that. (See also: How to Downsize and Declutter)

1. Boards and Blocks

This one’s about as basic as it gets, but it’ll get the job done. It doesn’t require any carpentry skills if you get the boards pre-cut at the hardware store, and the resulting bookshelves can be disassembled and relocated to anywhere in your home you need them to be. This particular version of bookshelves is great for small spaces such as empty closets. Simply alternate boards with concrete cinder blocks placed at each end. It’s worth noting that you can only go so high with this, or your bookshelves will be too tippy. Still, it’s an easy and cheap storage solution for your books.

2. Metro Shelving Kits

I’ve always been a fan of industrial shelving, and the metro units available at the box stores such as Lowes are just as appropriate for making your own bookshelves as they are for designing a loft style kitchen. What is particularly helpful about using these assembly kits is that they can be purchased with extra add-on shelves, and therefore easily customized. They can also be attached directly to wall studs for added stability.

3. Milk Crates

Store-bought versions of traditional retail milk crates are affordably available during seasonal dorm deals. Stacking them in rows makes for an easy, customized look for children’s rooms. You can even mix and match colors to create patterns. The point is, if you want to make your own bookshelves, this is one of the simplest solutions at your disposal. It’s also the easiest to transport back and forth from college. Simply keep the items inside and transport with the open end up. Easy peasy.

4. Repurposed Antique Doors

If you have wood shop tools at your disposal and enjoy repurposing salvage finds into new items, then this door repurposing project should catch your interest. Leaving on the antique hardware is a fun touch, and the height of the finished bookshelves makes them perfect for older homes with high ceilings.

5. Rafter Bookcases

One basic way to save money in every room is to build a house with less square footage in the first place. Once you’ve made that commitment, however, storage space will be at an absolute premium. These clever bookshelves are made by attaching boards to the bottom of exposed ceiling rafters, which provide natural separation between sections of books and keep your reading inventory out of your way.

6. Rain Gutter Bookshelves

I have to say, these rain gutter bookshelves look remarkably stylish in the photographs and keep literature storage completely accessible for little hands. They can be used to decorate children’s rooms, spruce up a classroom reading corner, or even organize a homeschooling space.

7. Pallet Bookshelves

If you’re capable when it comes to wood and love simple DIY projects you can complete in a day or weekend, then these bookshelves made from pallets are a great place to begin creating literary storage. The recycling of the wood keeps this project green as well as affordable.

8. Hidden Room Shelves

If you want to reduce decorating costs and still have a finished-looking product, this hidden door bookcase is worth your consideration. It’s designed to hide extra closets in a way that’s attractive and functional, and it provides an extra layer of security for those who aren’t in a financial position to dish out for a formal in-home safe.

9. Under-Stair Shelves

When you’re trying to stretch out a small space, it’s important to use every available storage option at your disposal. One of the most often overlooked expansion areas is underneath the stairs. These directions for built-in stairway bookshelves show craft-capable individuals how to make the most of it.

10. Wine-Rack-Inspired Bookshelves

I love those diagonal, x-shaped wine storage racks they use at Italian restaurants. It’s often struck me that they would make a fun storage option as a wall unit at home. Apparently, I’m not alone, because I’ve seen similar shelving used on the apartment sets of several television series over the years. They are a great way to maximize space in studio apartments, and they look great when painted to match the background wall in an accent color.

Clearly, if you want to make your own bookshelves, there are more options at your disposal than a simple set made from particle board.

Do you have any creative bookshelf ideas you’d like to share? Feel free to post a link to your completed project below.

Written by Myscha Theriault and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

25 Easy Organizing Changes You Can Make Today

Meg Favreau — Mon, 09 May 2011 10:36:10 +0000

I have a bad tendency to let things — paperwork, tasks, laundry — pile up. That's why I'm often not as organized as I should be. By the time I go to put things away, I feel like I'm dealing with clutter so powerful it could defeat Godzilla (I've already started on the screenplay for Godzilla vs. That Pile of Stuff I Still Haven't Put Away Since Moving).

Thus, I am a huge proponent of making little steps towards organization. Below are 25 ways to organize your home, your finances, and your life that are quick and easy enough to attempt today. Seriously, start making a dent in your disorganization before it turns into a movie-worthy monster. (See also: 15 Awesome Storage Solutions for Under $10)

Organize Your Stuff

From the fridge to the filing cabinet, here are some ideas for organizing your things.

1. Identify What You Want to Organize

Yes, I am telling you to organize your organizing. Make a specific list of what you want to organize — the bookshelf? Your closet? Your drawers? If you have time, start to formulate a plan. Now, when you have a couple of hours over the weekend, you're ready to attack.

2. Buy Masking Tape and a Marker

Masking tape is a great way to create temporary labels for everything from storage containers in the basement to Tupperware in the freezer. Buy a roll of masking tape and a Sharpie, and always keep them in the same place.

3. Buy Containers and Dividers

If you're planning an organizing project, buy any containers or other organizing tools you need now. Just as with making the list, you're now totally ready to tackle the project when you have a moment.

4. Organize One Drawer or Shelf

Just one. Throw out junk, move things if they belong elsewhere, and neaten up what's left.

5. Find a Place for One Item

Have one item that's never put away, even though you don't always use it? Find it a home.

6. Designate a Donation Bag or Box

Now, when you see something that you want to donate to Goodwill, you can immediately pick it up and put it in the donation box instead of leaving it for later.

7. Lose the Leftovers

You don't need to clean the whole fridge at once — just remove any questionable leftovers or past-their-prime condiments.

8. Clean Your Bag

Remove everything you use from your purse, messenger bag, or briefcase. Clean out the dust, and put things back in nice and neatly.

9. Get a Mail Organizer

Whether it has different slots for everyone in the house or is just a basket that all the mail gets dropped into, stop throwing your letters and bills on the kitchen table.

10. Pack One Storage Container

Whether it's mementos, out-of-season clothing, or DVDs you rarely watch but want to keep, pack one storage container.

11. Scrapbook One Page

That big pile of photos is daunting. You don't need to organize them all at once, though — scrapbook one page. This is a great activity to do while watching TV.

12. File Something

Similarly, if you have a big pile of papers waiting to be filed, just tackle some of them — don't feel like you have to do them all.

13. Set a Yard Sale Date

Give yourself a deadline for getting yard sale items identified and out of the house. Consider asking a friend or neighbor to do the yard sale with you so someone holds you to it.

14. Cut Down on Accumulation

You have less to organize if you simply have less. When you're buying something, ask yourself if you really need it. Read more about this in Kentin's article on the Zero-Accumulation Household.

Organize Your Finances

It's important to know where you stand in order to reach your financial goals. Understand your money situation by making these small steps toward getting your funds organized.

15. Check Your Budget

Look at your budget — is it still accurate based on your current spending and income? Adjust accordingly. (Don't have a budget yet? Make one!)

16. Start Saving for a Specific Goal

Whether you open an online savings account or put $20 in an envelope labeled "new couch fund," make a plan for saving.

17. Research Opportunities to Streamline Your Accounts

Join a site like Mint or Adaptu that helps you see all of your accounts in one place, or take Craig's financial organization advice and find ways to put more of your accounts under one bank.

Organize Your Computer

At work or at home, a disorganized computer can make for a unproductive day.

18. Set Up Folders

Are all of your files loose in "My Documents?" Create folders for different areas, and move files accordingly.

19. Clean Off Your Desktop

Now that you have those lovely folders, clean off your desktop. I have a chronic habit of downloading files to my desktop and not putting them elsewhere — in fact, I have (gulp) almost two monitors full right now. I'll be doing this one later tonight.

20. Answer Old Emails

If your inbox is piling up with messages you need to reply to, take a few minutes to start chipping away.

21. Hide Facebook "Friends"

Feeling inundated with status updates that you just don't care about but read anyway? Hide Facebook updates from repeat offenders. You'll still be friends, but you won't have to read about their disgust and fury every time the grocery store is out of cilantro.

Organize Your Time

Feel like you never have time to organize? Well, maybe your time is exactly what you need to tackle.

22. Track Your Time

Whether you use a spreadsheet or a time-tracking application, better understand where your time is going.

23. Get a Calendar

Even if you think you don't need it, almost everyone can benefit from having a calendar. I especially love Google Calendar, because it allows you to share your calendar with friends. Being able to see what my close friends are doing makes it easier to plan get-togethers.

24. Look at Your Calendar

A calendar won't do you any good if you don't use it. This might seem obvious, but I know plenty of folks who have calendars and never actually look at them.

25. Make a Chore Chart

If you have a family or roommates, a chore chart can help you fairly split tasks. And even if you live alone, having a list of chores can help you spread them out over the week.

What quick ways to get organized did I miss? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Written by Meg Favreau and published on Wise Bread. Read more Organization articles from Wise Bread.

How to Downsize and Declutter

Little House — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:00:12 +0000

These past two years I've been wavering back and forth between continuing to rent versus buying a house. Since moving is something I dread, I started packing up my belongings months ago in anticipation of moving, and storing the boxes in one of my unused bedrooms. Many items have been packed away for over six months, leading me to think about downsizing and decluttering. For instance, do I really need that bread maker that's been packed for so long? When was the last time I used it? How many other items have I stored and haven't used in years?

I'm not only unsure of what I've packed, but I'm storing them in an unused bedroom! Does this mean I don't really need a 3-bedroom home? I know I'm not the only person to store items away for months or years; the Stor-It and Public Storage facilities a few blocks from my house confirm that others have this same problem.

My own packing behavior has lead me to think about downsizing and decluttering. So, I've devised a simple timeline for sorting and decluttering painlessly with a three-phase strategy: 3-month plan, 6-month plan, and the year-or-more plan. (See also: 25 Easy Organizing Changes You Can Make Today)

3-Month Plan

Items that have been packed for three months or less are items I will keep. Obviously, these items are the most recently packed and are freshly imprinted in my brain. Many of these items include paintings that I intend to hang in my new place, linens that I will continue to use, and knick-knacks and keepsakes that I will cherish forever.

Keep It: Valuables and family heirlooms, pictures and paintings that are timeless, items that were used frequently and are intended to be used again in the same frequency.

This short-term plan is geared more towards individuals planning on moving within a few months, as in my case. However, if these items become stored for longer than planned, then it's time to reevaluate and move to the next phase.

6-Month Plan

Six months ago, I became serious about moving and started packing items I hadn't used in a while with the idea that I would eventually use them again. Now that these items have been out of sight for six months or longer, I'm beginning to think that I really don't need them.

Reevaluate It: Knick-knacks that have little sentimental value, kitchen items and small appliances that haven't been used in a while or were used infrequently to begin with, extra linens and blankets that were rarely used.

I'm realizing that many of the items I first packed were items I could live without, such as that bread maker and blender that were only used a handful of times. These items need to be scrutinized; I can obviously live without them.

Year-or-More Plan

I have a few large Rubbermaid bins in the garage that have been sitting untouched for five years. What's in them? I'm not really sure anymore. Thankfully, I have the space to store these items, as I don't think I'd still have them if I had to pay for storage.

Sell It / Chuck It: Many times, boxes that have been stored for a year or more are filled with unknown and forgotten items. I'm pretty sure that some of the items in my large bins include old lighting fixtures and dishes that haven't seen the light of day for half a decade. It's time to lighten the load by going through these bins and selling, recycling, or repurposing these old items.

Storage facilities have been known to sell occupied units that have fallen delinquent in payment. Think about how the owner could have benefited had they just sold the items they weren't using?

Obviously, not everyone can be so nonchalant about getting rid of items they've had for years. Yet, this simple timeline can help prioritize and reduce storage concerns and declutter a home. Thankfully, I don't consider myself a pack-rat and will be following my own guidelines this month.

Written by Little House and published on Wise Bread. Read more Organization articles from Wise Bread.

Organize a Room for $10 with No Extra Effort

Tisha Tolar — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:00:09 +0000

Organization is the bane of many families' existence. Most busy families do not have the time or the energy to constantly battle household clutter because with each new day, there is more. Sure, you can box it up and hide it away, but that is just prolonging the problem and not actually finding a solution. (See also: 25 Easy Organizing Changes You Can Make Today)

There are tubs and totes and professional organizational décor which you can find at any store or online, but purchasing large quantities to handle the initial clutter can get expensive. You have to first cough up the cash to purchase supplies, then find a proper storage place to hide all the totes and tubs. Plus, you still need to come back and tackle what's stored in the box.

Instead of making more work for yourself, here's an idea that can cost less than $10 per room. You don't even have to make any extra time to accomplish your organizational tasks. The idea is simple. Purchase a sturdy hanging shoe organizer — the kind with several sets of pockets designed to hang inside a closet or on the back of a door. Don't go cheap if you want it to last. You can usually find a good one for around $10. If you are really tight on money, buy just one at a time for each room you need to organize.

Once you have your first hanger, decide an area of your home that needs help. It may not be the best idea to think room-to-room; maybe subdividing different household needs would be more helpful. For instance, take your supply of medicines and first-aid materials. Decide on a good location for easy access (a bathroom closet, kitchen pantry), and hang the shoe organizer. Each time you come across an item related to the category you selected, return it to the hanger rather than its original location. When you need a bandage or an aspirin, take it from the shelf and then store it in a pocket of the organizer. Continue doing the same with all related supplies until the rack is full.

Make a list of other things you'd like to organize. Here are some suggestions.

School and Craft Supplies

Kids are always looking for something they need for school or crafts at home. Storing supplies in an easy-to-access shoe organizer is a great way for little hands to find what they need when they need it. Get really creative by allowing kids to apply stickers or decorate the organizer. By making it more attractive with a personal touch, you can actually display the hanging organizer in public view such as on the bedroom or rec room walls.

Coupons and Samples

Smaller coupon organizers are nice because you can fit them in your purse. However, they are easy to forget or even lose. Use a shoe organizer in an easily accessible place to make it easier to throw in your finds and organize coupons at a later time. It is also a great place to throw free samples that come in the mail which you may not be ready to use right then but will be looking for later. Small items like samples tend to get lost and forgotten just like coupons. Plus, many free sample packs come with a coupon, so you are killing two birds with one organizer.

Beauty Products

You may do your hair in one room and your make up in another and store your perfume in yet another room. It's likely that you have bottles, tubes, cans, and jars all over the house. Use an organizer to keep all your products in a central location, freeing up drawers and cabinets that are overly cluttered. It's also a great way to keep tabs on the items you are running low on and have an abundant supply of so you aren't wasting money on what you think you don't have.

Home Improvement

After a recent move, my husband and I discovered about 26 extension cords and 10 power strips we never knew we had. Keep a hanger in the garage or basement to store little things like electrical cords, plugs, nails, often-used tools, and other items that tend to get lost in the shuffle. You can end up saving a lot of money by not repurchasing what you already own.

Clothing

If you are short on drawer space, you can clear out two drawers with one shoe organizer. Store your underwear, bras, socks, and stockings in the hanger and free up some drawer space in the bedroom.

Written by Tisha Tolar and published on Wise Bread. Read more Home articles from Wise Bread.

15 Awesome Storage Solutions for Under $10

Linsey Knerl — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:00:11 +0000

Dealista MP3:

Dealista #32: How to Create New Storage Solutions on a Budget

This article shares tips from the newest episode of Dealista, our podcast that'll help you get more for less.

Feeling the need to do some Spring Cleaning? Not sure where to stash all your stuff? These storage solutions are not only clever, but they are super affordable (many are free!). Check out our expert-recommended list for the easiest organization ever!

Those who are a bit creative will love these DIY designs for homemade storage solutions. Jamie Novak, author of the newly released book Stop Throwing Money Away, loves these first few tips:

1. Hook it. Using a piece of lattice from your local garden center (just $5) and a little paint to give it some color, you can make your own hanging storage. Just attach it to a wall or the back of a door, then use S-hooks from your hardware store to keep dog leashes, scarves, and little baskets in their place!

2. Make your own magnet board. A used cookie sheet wrapped in a fabric scrap can be secured to the wall for a quick way to organize notes, takeout menus, and more. Customize some cool buttons by gluing magnets to the backs – they’ll look adorable stuck to the board! (Total cost is less than $4.)

3. Reuse that wine box. Old wine boxes (with the insert still inside) can be procured from your local liquor store for free. Remove the insert and wrap the entire box in wrapping paper (leaving the top open). Then line the bottom with a garbage bag and some kitchen sponges (to soak up moisture). After replacing the wine box liner, you’ve got a clever way to store umbrellas the next time guests come visiting!

Not so crafty? No problem. Use these boxes as-is for a better way to store stuff:

4. Stack file boxes (or bankers boxes). Use them in any area of the house as easy storage for most everything. Just be sure to label the contents! (Thanks to Charlene Anderson of Anderson-Shea, Inc. who suggested buying a pack of 6 for under $10 on sale!)

5. According to Elizabeth D. Cooley, President of Compass Organizing, tiny tea tins are a classy way to store Q-tips, cotton balls, and band-aids in the bathroom. Use them in the kitchen for sweetener packets and matches OR reuse them as cute gift boxes.

6. Plastic shoe holders are great for everything (not just shoes). Over the back of a porch or garage door, they can hold sunscreen, gloves, and gardening tools. In a bathroom, they contain hairbrushes, styling products, and barrettes. In a kid’s room, they are perfect for Barbies, matchbox cars, and all those Pokemon cards! (A big thank you to Ellen R. D elap for this prize-winning tip!)

7. Ball jars are a hit for holding just about everything! Our own Myscha Theriault first turned us on to all the ways you can use these gems, and Stacey Platt, author of What's a Disorganized Person to Do? agrees that they are perfect for keeping bolts and nails together in the garage.

Tracy McCubbin of DClutterfly had so many tips, we couldn’t use them all! Here are our faves:

8. Soap boxes are super for keeping business cards and electronics cords under wraps. They are free and beautiful!

9. Shoe boxes are a time-tested solution for keeping lingerie in order. Use the lids, which will fit inside any dresser drawer.

10. Ziploc bags (or any other brand) are spectacular for storing computer/camera/and cell phone cords. Clearly label them to be sure you know what gets plugged in, where!

11. Bento Boxes are great for keeping jewelry organized. They can be found at Asian department stores and World Market outlets for very little.

12. Plant pots are great for keeping utensils collected on a kitchen counter. More affordable than the utensil caddies offered in stores, they can be painted to match your mood and décor!

Still need more tips? These were common solutions to everyday storage problems:

13. Check boxes are free with your check order and perfect for keeping your junk drawer tidy. (Plus, I love using them in my carry-on luggage to keep biz cards or power cords contained.)

14. When buying edible gifts (fruit, chocolate, etc.) look for containers that are reusable. Many will come in neat tins and crates that you can use year-round to keep clutter under control.

15. Ice cube trays are super for storing paper clips, tiny trinkets, and craft pieces. They can be found at dollar stores and garage sales for pennies.

Dealista is a collaboration between Wise Bread and Quick and Dirty Tips, the producer of popular podcasts such as Grammar Girl, Money Girl, Winning Investor, and Mighty Mommy.

If you enjoyed these tips you can find more in our show's archive.

Written by Linsey Knerl and published on Wise Bread. Read more Frugal Living articles from Wise Bread.

Ask the Readers: Are You Saving Up for an Emergency?

Linsey Knerl — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:13:33 +0000

The winners of the $10 Amazon Gift Card are:

Comment #16: I was amazed to find a lot submitted by Terry D - "I was amazed to find a lot of people blogging about preparing for The End Of Life As We Know It. Peak oil and climate change are worrisome enough without trying to stockpile supplies in my garage or basement. I buy more if I find an item at a good price, but I also don't eat the canned beans until the ice cream and cookies are gone. I hope we have some warning before a catastrophe strikes, because I won't be in very good shape otherwise."

Tweet from @Gumnos - "Large backup stashes from sales (e.g. cereal or pasta & sauce), but not saved intentionally for emergency purposes."

12:03 PM Sep 10th from web

Living in rural American, there are many opportunities to save for a rainy day. In lieu of cash, gold, or savings bonds, many families have turned to laying hens, small-breed cattle, and extravagant canning and freezing systems to be sure they will always have food on hand. Even with the economy looking to be a bit more "up" these days, some are still insisting that investing in canned goods is always a safe bet -- perhaps one that may provide the ultimate in security should some unforeseen disaster happen (remember the Y2K that never was?)

While I believe in storing up for a couple months, just in case we can't get to the store (which is located almost an hour away), we haven't yet taken the plunge toward 2-5 years of food being stashed away.; The time, planning, and financial investment is a bit out of reach (and I'm not sure where I would put it all, anyway.) What about you? Are you someone who has a careful plan toward long-term food storage? Do you cause your friends and family to roll their eyes at your apocalyptic ramblings of how to store grain for 2011? Or are you barely managing to keep a week's worth of nutritious food on hand for when you cousin's kids come over?

We want to hear your thoughts on food storage. Do you do it for emergency insurance? Do you have it only as a result of amazing CVS deals gone wild? Is it something you feel is important? Crazy? Tell us in the comments and you will be entered to win our weekly $10 prize? (That's enough to order a good book on canning and freezing!)

Win a $10 Amazon Gift Certificate

We're doing two giveaways -- one for random comments, and another one for a random tweets.

How to Enter:

Post your answer in the comments below, or
Tweet your answer. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

At the end of the drawing, we'll update this post to include (and link to) all of your helpful responses.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Tuesday, September 14th at 10:45am CST. Winners will be announced after September 14th on the original post and via Twitter. Winners will also be contacted via email and Twitter Direct Message.
You can enter both drawings -- once by leaving a comment and once by tweeting.
Only tweets that contain both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" will be entered. (Otherwise, we won't see it.)

Good luck!

Written by Linsey Knerl and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Stuff will never make you organized

Philip Brewer — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:58:34 +0000

There's a store near where I live that sells stuff for organizing your other stuff--racks, boxes, cabinets, and shelves for tools and toys, sweaters and shoes, spices and CDs. They've got a perfect container for anything. But there's only one right time to buy any of that stuff: When the stuff you want to store in it is already organized.

At least, that's my experience--both with my own stuff and with stuff that belongs to people I know.

If I've got two tidy row of shoes on the floor of my closet, and buy a shelf that lets me store those rows one over the other, that works fine: I install the rack, move half the shoes, and I'm done.

If, on the other hand, I've got shoes scattered all over the house--some near the door, some in the bedroom, one pair in my gym bag, the pair I just took off next to the chair where I sat to put on the ones I'm wearing now--then buying that shelf will do me no good at all.

I've seen it happen so many times that I'm prepared to call it a general rule. If you've got all your receipts neatly organized in a shoebox, then it may well make sense to buy a handsome wooden receipt box. But if your receipts are scattered among drawers, tucked into envelopes, folders, and purses, and stacked up with unfiled bank statements, then buying a handsome box will do you no good at all. In fact, it's worse than no good at all: next time you need to gather your receipts you'll have to look in all those old places and your box as well.

I suppose some of you will have counter examples--a cousin's brother-in-law whose garage was always cluttered until he bought a new tool chest and pegboard and now it's all tidy, or a great-aunt whose sewing supplies were a mess until she bought a taboret and organized everything neatly into little drawers. But my experience is that any such result is a rare fluke.

Understand this, and you come out ahead two ways. For one thing, there's some money to be saved here, by not wasting money on "storage solutions" for stuff that's not already organized. But that's not the big win.

The big win from internalizing the rule is that it improves your organization.

Here's the key: Before buying a "storage solution," organize the stuff you're buying it for.

At this point, you're doubly ahead of the game: Your stuff is already organized and you haven't spent any money. If you still want to buy the storage solution, go ahead (at least now that you know exactly what's going to go into it, you know exactly what you need). My own experience, though, is that most of the time it turns out to be entirely satisfactory to use a file, folder, shelf, box, or drawer that I've already got.

There's much to be said for handsome boxes, shelves, cabinets, and racks. Don't hesitate to improve the tools you're already using to keep your stuff organized. Just don't imagine that buying new stuff will help you become organized. The only thing that organizes your old stuff is organizing your old stuff. If you haven't already done that, any new stuff you buy is just more stuff to organize.

Written by Philip Brewer and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Can you guess what’s in the box?

Paul Michael — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:25:09 +0000

Here’s a little help. It takes two people to lift and carry the box. It measures 47.2 inches in length, 35.4 inches in height and 31.5 inches in width. It's from Europe. Oh, and it’s ideal for people with itchy feet. All will be revealed.

The concept is CASULO, and this is what the creators have to say about it:

“CASULO does away with the problem of temporary furniture rentals and offers a winning solution to all the problems moving involves. We are facing an enormous challenge, for in the working-world of the future we will have to adapt to a more mobile style of life. The CASULO concept offers an inventive and achievable opportunity to face the demands of mobile living.”

Yes, that’s right. The yellow box contains an apartment’s worth of furniture. It’s the ultimate in frugal living, inventiveness and modern living. Inside you'll find:

1 wardrobe
1 large desk/table
1 desk cabinet with locking drawers
1 revolving, height-adjustable desk chair
2 stools
1 single (twin) bed
1 mattress
1 tall set of shelves.

Note: The stools and the drawers of the desk cabinet also serve and double as additional storage containers.

Don’t think it can be done? Neither did I, until I saw the video and photos below.

It’s a masterpiece of design by Marcel Krings and Sebastian Mühlhäuser, at the Köln International School of Design in Cologne. It’s not yet available for purchase, but when it does go on sale it will be available in Europe first.

However, as an experiment in frugality and minimalism, it’s thought-provoking to say the least. How much do we need to live in relative comfort? Admittedly, there’s no sofa in the box, no Widescreen TV, no sound system, and certainly none of the typical comforts of home.

But as someone who moved house 5 times in 7 years during my college and room-sharing years, this would have been perfect for me. Forget the truck rental, just put your apartment in your back seat and move on. Most of the time, I was so busy working or out with friends that I rarely noticed what was in my apartment anyway.

The CASULO is for people on the move, those in job training, students, and people who have to change their location frequently. The unit is ideal for people in the service industries. People who must move frequently and rent empty rooms need no longer accumulate sets of inexpensive furnishings whose transportation costs are higher than the value of the furniture.

This is by far one of the most inspiring and original ideas I’ve seen in a long time. I wonder if they could work out how to put an apartment in a messenger bag? The mind boggles.

Written by Paul Michael and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

How to Get Rid of Your Junk

Andrea Karim — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:32:53 +0000

Ed's post about moving and getting rid of stuff got me thinking about my clutter. Are you barely able to breathe in your cluttered household? Have tons of stuff that you need to get rid of?

A few weeks ago, I took a seminar called "Commanding Your Clutter" at a local community college. Here's what I learned about collecting, hoarding, shopping, and finally, letting go of all that junk.

Why people hold onto things

I paid so much for it! Yes, but are you getting your money's worth from it? No? Sell it.

I have sentimental attachment to it. This is my biggest problem. See step 4 below.

Someone else will be angry if I sell it/give it away. Our teacher told us that the best way to do this is to contact people by letter or by phone and let them know that although you love them, and appreciate the thought that went into the gift that they gave you, you simply don't have room for it anymore. You ask if they would like it back, or if they have any input as to what you should do with it. This can be a difficult proposition, but many people appreciate the honesty. The other option is to get rid of it and just tell them that you broke it if they ever ask.

My children will eventually want it. ASK your children if they will eventually want it, and keep asking them. See if they want it now. I have this monstrous set of big, fake plastic grapes glued to a piece of driftwood that I LOVED as a child. They were my grandmother's. I used to think that they were magic. Now, I can't think of anything to do with them, short of launching them into the ocean using a homemade trebuchet.

But this is an heirloom! Sez you. If you think you have something of heirloom quality, get it appraised and store it properly. Many of the things that you consider heirloom quality might not be. This is (again) where taking a picture of the object, labeling it, and storing it in an album would be appropriate.

It'll be worth so much money some day! This might be true. But if you're like the 40 Year Old Virgin, consider paring down. If collectibles are getting in the way of your everyday living, selling some of them off now will save you years of annoyance, which is worth a bit of money. You can invest that money and watch it grow, and it will grow faster than the value of the baseball card/action figure/porcelain doll, without a doubt.

Tactics for getting rid of stuff

1. Start small, with one closet or one corner of a room. Our teacher told us to use an egg timer and to work in 15 minute intervals, but that doesn't work for me — I'm better off tackling everything at one go. However, if you are looking at a huge project that can take days, our teacher suggested that organizing for 45 minutes (with 15 minutes of cleanup), one day a week was the only way to get it done while maintaining your sanity.

2. Procure three empty boxes, and label them Keep, Undecided, and Toss. Divide your junk into these boxes, and empty them frequently (in the garbage or at Goodwill, or in your Yard Sale pile). I actually use Keep, Donate, and Toss, because I like to make my decisions straight away.

3. Resist the urge to look through the photo albums and year books during the first round. If you think that the info contained therein will be valuable down the road, put them in the Keep box and deal with them at a later date.

4. Deciding what to get rid of is hard, but it must be done. Our teacher told us the story of a man she had helped on a big cleaning project. He was hanging on to things like a plastic bag from a bookstore in Paris that he felt reminded him of his college travels. The bag, he said, had a special place in his memory.

Fine, she said. Let's get a nice frame for it and hang it on the wall. The man looked at her like she was nuts. You don't frame and hang a plastic bag.

No? Well, let's take a picture of it, then frame that picture. Again, the man stared at her like she had lost it. It finally dawned on him that the bag wasn't the source of his memories, but merely a souvenir, and a junky one at that. Toss it, he said.

Our teacher recommended that we use this rule for each item that we hem and haw over:

1. Would you want to frame and display it?

Yes = Keep.
No = See step 2.

2. Would you want to take a picture of it?

Yes = Take picture, get rid of item.
No = Get rid of item.

If you can take a picture of something that you want to remember, but can't use, do so. Put it in an album with a label. But let it go if it's taking up too much space.

But what should I do with it?

You don't have too many choices, but there are a few to consider:

Throw it in the garbage.
Put it outside with a FREE sign. Better yet, put a $50 sign on it and watch how fast it gets stolen.
Give it away to a friend or family member, or to a complete stranger through Freecycle.
Recycle it (computers, TVs).
Call a junk tower to take it away.
Sell it online.
Trade it online.
Sell it in the newspaper.
Take it to Goodwill or similar charity.

Me, I've stopped trying to sell stuff. Donation is the key to getting rid of what I don't need. The amount of money I can make for selling my junk on eBay or Craigslist rarely makes up for the amount of time that goes into arranging the sale.

Yard sales are a great way to make money, and 'tis the season right now. Get Rich Slowly (via The Simple Dollar) has some great tips for a successful yard sale.

You'll probably be surprised how much stress is relieved by parting with your junk. I was really taken aback this morning when I was able to walk from my bedroom to the bathroom without looking like I was doing the Filipino tinikling all the way there.

It can be hard to part with things, but in the long run, it's worth letting go. When they say that you can't take it with you, they aren't kidding.

Of course, part of the trick to maintaining a clutter-free zone in your home and life is not to accumulate MORE crap. I'll be blogging more about that tomorrow.

Written by Andrea Karim and published on Wise Bread. Read more Organization articles from Wise Bread.

The Magic Marker Money Safe

Paul Michael — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 01:34:10 +0000

I've never tried a money-belt. I've nevr had enough cash to put in one to be honest. But when I lived in London I was mugged three times, and this little beauty would have saved me a stack of cash.

It's a great idea. The video shows you everything you need to do, and trust me, it's not a lot. All you need is...

1 magic marker or dry erase pen
1 flat-tipped screwdriver
1 pair of needlenose pliers
1 stack of cash
About 90 seconds of your time

That's it! When you're done, you'll have a great place to hide your dough and I doubt anyone would be petty enough to steal your marker pen. It still works like a marker pen too. This tip was brought to you by Paul Michael Security Corp. (alas, I don't know the author of the original clip, he has chosen to remain anonymous...like all true fighters of crime).

Hide your money - Keep it Safe! - Click Here for more great videos and pictures!

Written by Paul Michael and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.