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RE: Drowning in clutter - 3/17/2014 2:48:14 PM

littlewonder

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I'm big on multipurpose furniture....tables that all double as storage, shelves, hooks, couches and beds with storage under, murphy beds, walls that can be carved into so that you can make storage areas built into the walls, under stairs areas, hanging things from ceilings, closet organization systems that can be a bit pricey but so worth it.

Always look at anything you own as having a double purpose. As for bookcases, wall to ceiling and being you have a child, make sure they are secured to the wall and/or ceiling. The same goes for anything that could possibly be pulled over by said child.

Oh also crawl spaces can be a great area to use also and can easily be refinished if you want the space to hold nicer things instead of just plain storage for things like Christmas items storage or sleeping bags and tents, etc....

Stuffed animals...there is a plastic hook that they sell where it hangs from the ceiling and has clips all the way down where the stuffed animals are just clipped on.

Use underbed storage for boxes of toys or shoes or out of season stuff, clothes, blankets, etc...

I've always got storage ideas. Some have called me the Queen of Storage organization because I'm really good at making room for stuff. I like living in small spaces so I've become somewhat of a wiz with it.

ETA: in the bathroom, build shelves above the door to store things you don't use as often. And just because it's the bathroom or kitchen or bedroom, etc...doesn't mean that you only store that kind of stuff there. Store stuff wherever you can. If you're worried it will look odd or out of place, then use cover-ups...curtains, doors, etc....

In the kitchen: anything under the counter..microwave or any other items you use often. You will free up tons of space. Use magnetic containers on the fridge to hold things like spices or knives or to hold pens and pencils or aluminum and plastic wrap containers.

< Message edited by littlewonder -- 3/17/2014 2:59:22 PM >

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RE: Drowning in clutter - 3/17/2014 4:20:25 PM

CynthiaWVirginia

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My house is very old and is somehow smaller than the apartment I was used to living in, no more sewing room and junk room but I've got a damp basement (that ruins everything). Also during the move, a lot of my furniture was stolen (it was right after the McDowell County floods and looting was still going on) and 12 of my book cases were either destroyed or stolen.

When I started looking around for book cases, I took a look at the half dozen that had survived. I noticed that they were all...space wasters. Averaging only four or five feet high. I had a huge empty space above them to the ceiling...so...I got rid of those book cases, lol, family and neighbors were glad to have them. I bought lumber at Lowes and had bo build me floor to ceiling book cases. I have seven of them in my living room and dining room/game room, three in each and one as a room divider. The room divider one is thinner than the others, deep enough for only one row of DVDs. One of the deep shelf book cases holds all of our board games and card games (we even have Star Trek TNG Monopoly and Pokemon Monopoly) and puzzles. Two of the book cases contain books, the rest contain movies on DVD or VHS. (We don't get cable and have been amassing movies we like since my 24 year old son was a baby, often getting them at garage sales or pawn shops for $1 to $3.)

These could be dismantled, as I had bo put them together with long screws and not with nails. I spent more having a shallow frame set behind these that holds insulation and have saved considerably on my heating bill...and...it's protected my books from wicking moisture from the wall and getting moldy. If my knees were good, a stool would help me reach stuff on the top shelf, instead I have either bo do this or else my tall son. ;)

Two book cases were not enough for all of my books so in that storage room (den?) I had bo build three more. We used to homeschool AND I love books, so they're full.

I can't look at a short book case now without thinking that it's wasting space.

I've still got too many full crates and have been doing an inventory of my movies, replacing damaged ones and getting a DVD version whenever I can (Walmart has had a lot of them in the bins for just $5). I donate movies to two nursing homes in my town. One of them still has a VHS DVD combo player and accepts VHS movies.

I am considering getting rid of two small pantry type furniture items and replacing them with one floor to ceiling, deep 18 inch shelves, book case. It wouldn't be as pretty but it would take up less room.

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RE: Drowning in clutter - 3/17/2014 4:58:06 PM

littlewonder

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oh, here's another tip. Do you have a lot of paper clutter? Buy a t1 or 2 hard drive and scan everything into it. Then you can throw away all the paper stuff.

I hate paper stuff so I do this as much as I can. Unfortunately I have a basket full of paper stuff to do that with right now because I haven't had much time lately to do it.

I'm hoping to catch up on all of that soon.

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RE: Drowning in clutter - 3/17/2014 5:00:55 PM

mnottertail

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgJxpr_8eOY

'nuff said.

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RE: Drowning in clutter - 3/17/2014 5:22:04 PM

ExiledTyrant

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quote:

ORIGINAL: littlewonder

oh, here's another tip. Do you have a lot of paper clutter? Buy a t1 or 2 hard drive and scan everything into it. Then you can throw away all the paper stuff.

I hate paper stuff so I do this as much as I can. Unfortunately I have a basket full of paper stuff to do that with right now because I haven't had much time lately to do it.

I'm hoping to catch up on all of that soon.

A mouse shredding paper! Wot's the worlds coming too?

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RE: Drowning in clutter - 3/17/2014 5:26:08 PM

littlewonder

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what do you think a mouse makes nesting material from?

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RE: Drowning in clutter - 3/17/2014 5:28:34 PM

ExiledTyrant

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quote:

ORIGINAL: littlewonder

what do you think a mouse makes nesting material from?

Hmmm... I couldn't imagine what all the sadistic beatings are about, mouse.

Baffled
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