So, Lynn.....can you explain MY organizing penchant? Russian on one side, Hungarian on the other - that should make me predisposed to...... what? Eating heavy food? LOL !!!

Looks like a fun site - bookmarking that one.

We have Junk Day coming up and it's my fave organizing time of year. Anything you put at the curb is picked up for free by the city. People come from far and wide to curb shop - I love seeing young couples furnish apartments, pregnant women grab strollers - it's true recycling. Of course what doesn't get picked up that way ends up in a landfill so if I put out anything that isn't grabbed (and isn't truly junk) I take it back before the garbage trucks come and donate it to some charity.

Oh Dear ---
Lynn, I really wish you hadn't posted that link.
My debit card really wishes you hadn't posted that link.

The last few months I've been in the process of finding/making/creating any tiny space I can find in this house to give us more room, some organization.

Two extra adults living here now makes for a very cramped 1500 sq. ft. house.
I found several items on your link that I hadn't seen on other organizing web sites and for the same reason as you (little buggies in the rice), those food storage containers are a must!

DLM, too funny! Your city's junk day is such a great idea. I love it!
Amity, one of the things I've learned while doing my Google searches is that if you freeze rice, pastas and many other things for 4 days, it'll kill any potential bugs. It is kind of mind boggling, though, that even three days in the deep freeze may not be enough to kill them :^0
My pastas have been in four days now. Last year I was gifted with a set of clear, narrow plastic canisters. I use those to hold all my small dried pastas. It's those darn tall ones I need to find a space for now.

Thanks for sharing the website. I am an organizing freak. You will love the freezer baskets. I have one each for pork, beef, chicken, seafood, vegetables. That way if I can't identify the frozen clump at least I know what animal.

Lynne, do you own a bird?

Oh my, I'm right there with you all! My label maker is my best friend. I'm loving mustang's labels in her freezer.

Mustangs, I LOVE your freezer baskets! Yes, that's how I organize my freezers, too . . . by the animal, plus bread products, veggies and desserts. Another, smaller freezer has breakfast items and DH's Weight Watcher lunches. He's not the least bit overweight, just a family practice doc who's very into eating healthfully. See through, freezer-friendly baskets are much more practical, aren't they? Love yours!
Oceanna, I did but Mariah, my sweet, wonderful cockatiel, died. I swear, he's not freeze-dried in the freezer, though! Why do you ask? That's such an interesting question.

I'm such an organizing freak I asked for a digital lable maker for Christmas. I haven't labled stuff in the freezer yet...but once I get me some baskets for it I definitely shall! Where did you get those baskets? I've got a side-by-side inside and a small chest freezer in the garage. The SBS is open at your own risk...lest bags of frozen veggies fall on your feet. (Hiding my head in shame)

I bought some great pantry storage components at Costco, since I had pantry moths. I have open pantry shelves, so I use a lot of baskets, too. I always secretly admired my SIL who had a Tupperware container for every thing in her kitchen. Even those paper cups for cupcakes!

Speaking of birds----
Lynn, you're right but all this time I would freeze my parrot mixes to keep the little buggies out or kill any that found their way in (or came in from the Exotic Bird Store).
Never thought of doing it to the things in my pantry--thank you!

Mustangs, last year when it was time for a new fridge, I insisted on a side x side.
Everyone told me not to because of the lack of space on the freezer side.
Being hard-headed, I got my side x side and I will never admit it to anyone but here, there's no room!
I love what you've shown--your freezer baskets. What a great idea to have things of the same type in the same basket!
Why didn't I ever think of that?
Anyway, thank you!

Lynne, you described having what I think is pantry moths. They are the wickedest little things that can cost us a fortune in dry goods. Darn pests hitchike in with the seed we buy to feed our birds. The trick is to deep freeze all bird seed for 10 days before using it.

Amity, I know what you mean about the SxS. I was going to get the French door style but couldn't because of space constraints with the freeze drawer. It's a good system if other family members cooperate. DH gets confused as to where "hot syrups" go on the refrigerator door.

My label maker is my best friend:

Hi Lynn.......You know I think I am getting more & more like you about this organizational thing. When we first moved in 4 yrs. ago, I switched everything in the pantry to snap down lock down type plastic containers. Cookies, cornmeal, flour, sugar, everything is in snap down lock down containers. I really love seeing everything at a glance & knowing it is fresh. Also DH did the organization storage units (Lowes) in the garage & we are loving it......Good luck with your pantry ! Thanks for posting the other sites too! Bonnie

OMG . . . be still my heart! . . . I'm in a swoon over your pantry, Mustangs! Where did you get those great clear bins on the shelves? They look a lot like the ones I want for my purses. I love your entire pantry. Would you mind if I copied that one pic to my file for inspiration? Maybe tape another to the inside of my pantry to keep us all on track?
Oceanna, I remember those moths from when Mariah was alive! I just had something similar happen with a new kind of dog treat. Some prolific tiny black beetles hatched from them, mutiplied rapidly and I had them all over my laundry room for a while.
Pesky & Amity, I know what you mean! I'm now determined to keep my pantry as bug-free as possible. And, I am using Dh's label maker, too. Great idea!
Please keep storage and organizational ideas and pics coming on this forum. These ideas are so inspiring for me. I'll bet that others probably like hearing and seeing them, too.

Mustangs,
Wow--- Impressive!

I purchased two label makers, two different brands.
Both had very small font.
I gave up because I couldn't see the label on the shelves.
Have to keep the shelves organized or we end up with 22 cans of tomato paste and 15 cans of Progresso Soup. LOL

Your label maker has nice, large fonts!
What brand is it?

Lynn is right -- these pics and ideas are very inspiring-- Thank you all!

I take back anything I've ever said about being organized.

I'm a slug by comparison :-/

Lynn, Thank you. Actually, that's one part of the L shaped pantry. The bins are drawers from the plastic Sterlite three drawer unit. I bought it cheap at Big Lots and threw out the frame part. Help yourself to pics, I have certainly benefited so much from this forum, I'm happy if someone finds something that they can use from me.

Amity, I have a P-Touch. However, several of the labels are printed on Word and inserted into those price label holders like they have at the grocery store. The clip right onto the freezer/refrigerator/pantry bins.

DH fights my organizational attempts as he doesn't have the aptitude or interest to organize anything. I don't do his laundry so I try to make the task easy for him. In his closet, I put these hampers so he can presort his clothes as he undresses. He gets confused with undies, he puts his black and red undies in the bin for "whites". Buy other than that, it works pretty well. When he does his laundry he just takes the hamper to the laundry room and unloads.

I have a job aid for him above the washer and dryer. It's been 4 years and he still has to refer to the chart to do his laundry.

lynne, take a look at the attached article about a certain type of plastic - article was on msnbc this afternoon. Just one more thing to consider.

Here is a link that might be useful: plastic bottles phased out

Patster, thank for that great article! A friend mentioned that in passing at a meeting I was at last Saturday. I was just going to ask her more about it and where I could find follow up info, when our kids practice started and she had to go help. As I looked at those plastic products yesterday, I was thinking about this. I'm going to email the company to see if any of their food storage containers are made with Nalgene. Do you think they'd be forthcoming about it?

mustangs, I say this will all due respect. You are scary!! LOL

I'm dying to see the rest of your house.

Have you always been this organized or is it something that developed due to circumstances? I'm curious if there is still help for me. I try, really try, to organize and I get to a certain point and just stop. I don't know if I'm just bored or I just run out of creative solutions. I think he later is the case.

What else in your house has labels?

Seriously, I'd love to be able to read some of the labels you have in the pantry. I'll have a walk-in pantry at the new house and I do want to organize it. Would you mind just giving me some of your "ideas?" Thanks so much.

I don't know if they'll be honest about what their products are made of...but I'd sure make the attempt to find out.

Separately, I called Clinique a couple of month's to find out if there is mercury in their mascaras and they told me. And they gave me a refund on the mascara that was making my eyes blow up.

Given Nalgene and then that Canada is declaring this type of plastic to be toxic, I'd sure try and find out. Might be something to why these storage containers are so inexpensive.

Here is a link that might be useful: plastic polycarbonate bottles

Mustangs -- wow. You could make a living helping out the organizationally challenged like me.

Mustangs,

"several of the labels are printed on Word and inserted into those price label holders like they have at the grocery store. The clip right onto the freezer/refrigerator/pantry bins."

Duh---why didn't I ever think of that? Brilliant!

My bathroom vanity (only 24" wide) is now in and I've been trying to organize it and I had gone to Big Lots and purchased baskets. They are made out of what looks like outdoor umbrella fabric--solid moss green, metal frames--I was surprised they were made so well for the price. 2 for 8 dollars and they are pretty big.

It is my attempt to corral the hair stuff bottles away from the medicinal and personal hygiene stuff.

I noticed when I got the baskets home they had a plastic slot on one end and I automatically turned the basket so that the plastic slot slid in first, to the back of the vanity shelf.

I can now turn the baskets back around, use Word, and hopefully there won't be any more mix-ups using personal hygiene spray under his arm pits. *s*

Oceanna, I don't charge much, where do you live LOL.

Brutuses, I have always been anally organized. I need it to function. At work we use to have annual 360 feedback from our colleagues. One point of feedback was "Cathy spends too much time working on projects that don't add value to the department." He was so correct as he was referring to the time I spent getting organized before beginning a project. Going forward, it helped me to stop and evaluate what I was contemplating doing.

To you question about "what else is labeled in my house", well it gets worse. I will share once I get my camera
memory card.

As far as pantry labels, it really helps to save money when I am organized in the pantry. I found 32 bottles of vinegar once--no more. Living in Florida, I have to protect against bugs and humidity. I use containers and label things like: Rice-different kinds
Pasta
Each grandchild's snack jar
Flours
Cereals
Nuts
Sugars
Salts

In the bins I have baking supplies, boxed pastas, canned tomatoes, Oriental, boxes flours and coating (like Panko).

Amity, Sounds like a great plan for you bathroom. I recently addressed the bathroom and I am happy with the results. Think about a First Aid drawer or basket, it has really been beneficial to have one place for all first aid related items (ear and eye drops, ointments, band aids of all kinds, benadryl, toothache meds, etc.

Here is my junk drawer. It's a shoe bag and is behind on the back side of the laundry room door. Everything is in sight so easy to find. The yard sticks are kept on the wall, none of this can be seen unless you are in the laundry room with the door closed.

here is the link you guys might want to check it out.

Here is a link that might be useful: bath

Mustangs

You are an inspiration! I am mentally organized but physically, well... And it does help mentally, I find, if I am more organized physically. I rushed out to buy bins like you have in your pantry since my new pantry is very similar (we just moved). No luck--too big and too small. but at least I have inspiration.

Anyway, I come back in from shopping and find your "junk drawer" and... wow. I'm so impressed. I did do something similar in my new master bath since I have lots of space but it's not that useful. I have a tiny closet door with a whole 10 inches wide for a hanging bag, so I got one of the clear show ones like you have in your laundry, cut it in half vertically, and hung that for baby powder, extra shampoo etc that would get lost at the back of the shelves.

But thanks for posting your solutions!

Robin

Thanks, that's a great idea on the back of the laundry room door.

I look forward to seeing more of your handy work. It's wonderful.

Mustang...again with great respect, I have to agree, you're sick :oP Now come to visit and I'll lock you in my sewing room for a couple of days!

I'm busy packing up the final room left in our house and had to unpack my dentists cabinet (sewing cabinet). What a frightening pile of goober! Mind you, it was organized (blue threads in the blue thread drawer, red in the red, etc., but before I put any thought into it, I just threw all the thread into three big plastic tubs....gad I now have to resort!

Oh, I am lovin' this!! Mustangs you are an inspiration to behold. I have my camera out : )

So what are some great label-makers people are using? Not the itty-bitty print kind, but decent or multiple-sized stuff. Is a word processor the best route there? Special, durable papers? A label-maker sounds more handy, though, and faster. Where did you get the price-holder tags?

Simply awesome stuff!!

Amazing about freezing seed and pasta/rice. I always wonder about the bird seed and peanuts I get. I try to keep the them closed up in a metal container, but you know how that is. I shudder to think what comes along for the ride with those things. I wish my freezer weren't so darn full. 4 days for pasta/rice, 10 for bird seed : )

Mustangs, in the greater Seattle area. I'd gladly do some bartering with any good organizer. :)

Mustangs, which p-touch do you have?

First, let me thank you all for your interest in my organization. I take away so much from the amazing talent on this forum, I happy that I can contribute a tiny idea or two.

Squirrel, It's a few years old-PTouch 1700.

Oceanna, Too bad, we are on opposite coasts.

Brutuses, You asked "what else", well it only gets more obsessive...

All of my Christmas decorations are labeled like these. It takes me a week to take down the tree because I take it down by category and color. yeah--I know.

This system is very helpful--we take numerous road trips and we are always forgetting something. I don't do things on the refrigerator door, instead-- on the door going to the garage, I keep a pre-printed list of "Pack" and "Do" items in one of those photo magnets to check off right before leaving.

I know this is over the top, I have brass labels above each switch.

Okay, start the laughter!

Mustangs, it's probably a good thing for your sake. My house would put you into cardiac arrest, I'm afraid. The only reason I can find my head is because it's attached.

Seriously, I spent ten minutes at least yesterday in a store wondering what size and shape of plastic bin to get for my GG painting supplies. I came away with nothing, but I still need to get something. I don't own a label maker.

Please show us more pictures, gals. Some of us need all the inspiration and help we can get!

Mustangs, you are one sick puppy, lol : ) -- I think I might actually be able to manage like that!!

I need one of those checklists on the door simply to leave the house on a good day : ) I'm so good at tuning things out though, lol .... It might have to jump up and down, flash lights, and maybe grab me by the neck or something : )

Hmm, so we can even do these things in brass!

Those are *significant stress reducers, I believe : ) Thanks for sharing!!

Mustangs, your pantry inspired me when I was trying to figure out what to do with my small one. I kept referring back. I have always envied people that can organize so well. But, I find it so hard to keep things that neat.

In my earnest efforts, I bought a Brother P-touch 1700 on sale at Staples and do find myself reaching for it more and more.

Now, if I could only finish what I start. Well, that's another thread. LOL

Oh, I love the brass labels over the switches. In our new house we'll have to label because we have so many switches on one plate. How do I get those little beauties?

You do realize you missed your calling as a professional organizer, don't you?

Thanks Brutuses. I would like to work with a professional organizing company.

You can get switch plate tags inexpensively at this website-six for $8.

Here is a link that might be useful: Switch Plate Tags

My response to this thread, for anyone's who seen Wayne's World: I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy...

DLM, I'm going to be in Evanston and HP this weekend: when's Junk Day? Will I be able to go trawling the sidewalks? (:

Thanks so much for the link, they are so neat.

So many pictures I will have to save! I feel SO inadequate!

Wow! Mustangs, great job!!

More pictures please!!!!! so we can learn from the way you organize your home office, entertainment area, mud room, pots and pans, Tupperware/plastic containers ....the list can go on and on...

I am so happy with all these great ideas and pics here!!!
Thanks you! Mustang, where did you find your freezer tags? Was it from the Container Store site??

Wow...how did I miss this thread till now??? I LOVE being organized, but one half of this family, not so much. My oldest DD was born with the gene, so it comes naturally for her. The youngest DD...not so much. It's like living with Felix and Oscar (for the **oldies** here who can remember the ODD COUPLE) hehehe. Frankly I love being organized cos it drives me crazy having to look for things. I'm just glad to know I'm not totally crazy for labeling my light switches. I use the P-touch labeler too. I never knew they made brass plates. When I labeled mine, I just used the small tape with small fonts. With one plate that has 5 different switches, it sure comes in handy. For my dear mother who loses EVERYTHING, I found the perfect plaque that reads "Organized people are just too lazy to look for things!"

Follow-up on the freezer baskets. I ordered 6 of the large and two medium sized baskets from the Container Store onlline site. They arrived yesterday and I spend part of the afternoon cleaning out and reorganizing my big upright freezer out in the garage with them. I LOVE THESE BASKETS!!!! I still can't get over how easy it now is to quickly see what I have available in there! I have one basket each for beef; fish & seafood; pork; chicken; veggies; bread; rolls, bagels, etc; and side dishes (rice, etc.) . They're made well and my only regret is that I didn't get them years ago!
This pic is of the smaller of the two sizes, BTW. The larger ones hold a lot of food!
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Lynninne, Fantastic, you are correct, them make life easier. To answer your question-I coyly asked my grocery store manager where I could get the hang tags; he gave me a hand full. Then I made labels using MSWord.

Mustangs, thanks for the tip! I just got back from the grocery store, darn it! I'll try asking them next week.
Lynn