These Are a Few of My Favorite Things
Please cue up Julie Andrews in your head. If I was with you in person I would sing, nothing like Dame Julie Andrews but I'd try. Only I wouldn't sing to you of whiskers on kittens and schnitzel with noodles, I'm not a cat person and I can't even say that I know what Schnitzel with noodles is. Instead I would melodiously sing to you of my favorite things to get and stay organized. Staying organized is key! So here are some of my favorite things, in no particular order:
1. No Slip Hangers
No Slip Hangers These are the best, for so many reasons. They are available in a wide range of colors to suit your taste and multiple sizes so they suit your needs as well. Added bonus: they instantly update your closet to boutique level style with their uniform size and shape. These hangers are specifically designed to take up less space, and who doesn't love a little extra closet space? As the name would imply the hangers won't let your clothes slink off to the floor and yet they are sturdy enough for winter-weight wool pants or a jacket. To top it all off they are very affordable and can be found at Target, Amazon, Walmart, and Home Goods, to name a few.
2. Car Organizer Have you ever seen the stickers on the back of the minivans that say "I used to be cool", well they probably should come as a gift with purchase with these bad boys of car organization. The coolest thing I've ever bought? Not a shot, the best thing to keep the backseat and whole of your car in check, for certain. They are available with a variety of division options, and multiple patterns and some even have a cooler compartment?!? It's a fantastic way to keep the stuff that accumulates in check, toys for the kids, umbrellas for rainy days, balls for practice, and snacks and will save you the slow torture of hearing the soccer ball roll from side to side with every turn. You can rearrange the compartments for the seasons to have cold weather gear for sports, goggles, bug sprays, and sunblocks for summer. It's really up to you and adding this to the back seat will magically give you MORE room in your car.
3. Wrapping Paper Caddy I can't really think of anyone who doesn't like to receive a gift, and as Julie Andrews sang "Brown papered packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things". I enjoy wrapping presents, I love taking the time to make a gift colorful and pretty. One of my Mother's friends gives the most amazingly wrapped gifts, almost too good to open. Almost. She has a whole room dedicated to wrapping, it's a thing of wonder that would make even Mrs. Claus swoon. A wrapping room isn't in my home but I do have a wrapping caddy and it does the trick. There are lots of gifts to wrap as my child is still in the sweet spot of life where birthday parties are the only party you know and at certain times of year parties are weekly. I need to have paper on hand of varying options, these caddies tuck away in a closet or a corner and store everything you need in one place, ribbon, tape, scissors, and gift tags as well. It won't buy the gift for you but it pretty much covers the rest of the details.
4. Reusable Bag I've been a fan of these for years. It began when I lived in a charming apartment three very tall floors up, and there was no elevator. Anytime you had anything to carry it was a trek and lugging plastic or bags with the risk of dropping or worse yet ripping wasn't worth it. These bags saved the day, allowing me to carry more items securely and in one trip. They are much more par for the course in shopping these days and I'm grateful for the multiple uses, and just how reusable they are, to say nothing of how much better it is for the environment. Ways I use mine: grocery shopping, dirty laundry bag while traveling, sports bag, pool bag, beach bag, bag for consignment clothes in your closet, donation bag, library book return, sleepover bag, toy keeper, garden tool storage, farmers market go-to, beach toys. Also, did you know that each time you use them at a store they reduce your cost by 5 cents a bag per bag? Over time that really adds up!
So when the dog bites and the bee stings or when you're feeling.....unorganized, simply remember a few little things, and then the piles won't feel sooooo bad.
Ashley Ingraham is a very organized Mom of a daughter in Baltimore, Maryland. Always creative she was a double major of Studio Art and Education at Furman University and spent the beginning of her career as a teacher in Baltimore City. After staying home with her daughter she founded Home Perspective to share her Organization skills and life experience to make others homes and lives better. Her business has been featured in Baltimore Magazine, Oprah & Entrepreneur. When not busy helping people organize their lives she can be found at concerts all over the country or busy raising her tween daughter.