How to Store and Organise Odds and Ends
Reduce Clutter by Finding Homes for Small Everyday Items
Jul 23, 2008
Items such as keys, coins, school newsletters, and miscellaneous pieces from games and puzzles are often left cluttering flat surfaces in a home because there is no allocated space to store them. Creating a dedicated storage container or system can significantly reduce the messy appearance of clutter-prone areas.
Storing and Organising Keys
Many household keys do not need to be included on an everyday keyring, but do still benefit from being clearly labelled and neatly stored.
A small decorative basket or bowl on an entry table or shelf is convenient to keep everyday house keys and car keys tidy. Wicker baskets are ideal as they will not be damaged by keys and other items carelessly tossed into them. The basket or container is more likely to be used regularly if there is no lid, making it easy to quickly place keys inside.
Keys used less frequently can be stored in a separate basket or kept tidy on adhesive hooks attached to the inside of a kitchen or laundry cabinet door. Ensure that these keys are clearly labelled so that the correct key can be found quickly when needed.
Organising Coins and Loose Change
When small amounts of change are needed, for parking meters or school lunch orders for example, it is much easier to go to a container to find the appropriate coins than to search through the house on every flat surface, down the sides of sofas and couches or on bedside tables.
Keep a small container in a central location, such the kitchen, where household members can place loose change. This can be as simple as a plastic tumbler or cup or a decorative tin or basket. It will be more likely to be used if there is no lid.
Periodically check the container and if the number of coins is excessive, deposit them into a bank account. It is amazing how quickly loose change can add up into a significant amount of money.
Organising School Newsletters
Notes home about school field trips and other classroom activities and school events can quickly become lost in the general household clutter.
Attach a plastic sleeve from a file folder to a kitchen cabinet or the front of the refrigerator and place all notes into it so that they can be easily found when needed. Include a blank, note tracker page on the front and list notes as they are placed in the folder, noting the type of note, the date action is required (if necessary), the date it was dealt with or returned and any additional information.
Miscellaneous Pieces from Games and Puzzles
Children often overlook board game pieces, dice, puzzle pieces and small parts from toys and games when they are packing away their toys.
Keep a small plastic container in the same area where games and toys are stored, and place any loose pieces into it whenever they are found. When the game is next used and pieces are found to be missing, this container will often have what is needed without the frustration wasting time searching through the entire house.
Once a month check this container and return pieces to their correct games and puzzles. This is an ideal household chore for a school-aged child.
Odds and Ends Storage Containers
Containers and baskets used to store small miscellaneous items should be checked periodically to ensure that they are still tidy and that the items they hold are still needed.
Allocating a dedicated container or space to store small everyday items such as coins, keys and notes helps to reduce the accumulation of clutter and keep tables and countertops tidy.
