Friday, May 13, 2016

Fun Organizing



One of the benefits of organizing your home, is selecting the many items never used or needed, and moving them to a loving home to be enjoyed.
I can’t emphasize enough the relief of seeing a closet efficiently organized, with only the clothing I regularly wear. It doesn’t mean you have to get rid of everything. I store things I really love and seasonal garments in out of reach spaces; I use vacuum space saver bags, placing small ones on closet upper shelves and large ones under the bed.  When I open those bags is like a shopping trip.



A man's trash is another's treasure, you can Organize an exchange club in your neighborhood or homeowner’s association, church or school. Its surprising you how many of us are willing to spend time looking for lost serving dish’s lids! Do you have mismatched toppers, old blender’s containers, silverware or anything else you don’t need anymore?  You and your friends can have fun decluttering the house with garage sale, it breaks the ice in new neighborhoods, giving you a little cash.
I know of a group of friends that go Thrift Shop and garage sale shopping together, the goal is to spend less than $20.00 each, and whoever gets the best deals during the treasure hunt gets treated for lunch by the group. Its lots of fun.

Monday, May 2, 2016

Organizing for the Elderly Part III - Bathrooms

  • Preferably have a shower stall or walk-in bathtub for easy access
  • Organize personal care items within reach, not under the sink or too high up  
Place only first aid items in medicine cabinet,
not prescription drugs
A seat in the bathroom helps them undress

  • Have shower chair, so they can sit while showering

  • Install a panic button in the bathroom 

  • Arrange elderly’s shower time when someone is at home
  • It is helpful to have a message/tag board with emergency contact number and plenty of paper to write on
Label content of drawers to make it easier for them
Organize clothing by season and color


Shoes under the bed are easy to access

How can we encourage our elders to be active? Loneliness and boredom lead to depression. Can family members and friends visit regularly to engage the elderly in different activities, like cards, bingo or solving puzzles?
The most effective way of engaging our mom has been creating attractive little spaces for different activities; she loves cooking books, and knitting. We got her a comfortable recliner, she keeps her knitting basket next to it. We placed a round table close to shelves, where she keeps her supplies, family pictures, photo albums and her favorite hobby: a collection of cookbooks.
Ideas and suggestions are welcome, please share them.