Lexi, we use that suitcase one, too! I'm glad you listed it here for everyone, as it's so darn handy. I especially appreciated it when the kids were small. One day's complete outfit in each ziploc bag, folded so that they could see the pants or shorts on one side and the top on the other side for choosing WITHOUT opeing each bag.
Bronwyns Mom: great purse idea!!!!!

#92. Establish morning/evening routines and stick to them as much as you possibly can. When I let my routines go even for a day, the whole rest of the week is out of whack. Being strict about sticking to them allows me more flexiblity throughout the rest of the day to work around whatever might happen, and know that at least the basics are taken care of.

#93 - A great idea that I got here, but haven't listed seen so far: keep produce in the refrigerator door shelves rather than crispers. It cuts down waste as it is easier to keep tabs on what you have, plus seeing it reminds you to eat it.

#94 (another one I got here) - Keep track of whether you use all your clothing by starting the season with the hangers reversed, then putting things back with the hangers in the regular directio. At the end of the season it's easy to see which items didn't get worn.

#95 (this one is mine) - Use different hangers for different categories of clothing (for example, I use different hanger styles for full-length pants and capris, which otherwise look similar folded over on a hanger). It speeds up putting together outfits. Plus, for those of us who buy more during the season, running out of hangers means it is time to purge that category (or go look for the hangers in someone else's closet).

This may be the most trivial one of all, but my DH came up with a great idea for managing gifts of wine...

You know how when you go to your friends' houses for dinner you take a bottle, and they bring one to you, and those bottles often get put away for later because you've already chosen the dinner wine, and bottles show up for birthdays and Christmas, and you forget who brought you what, and you worry that you will take the same bottle back to the people who gave it to you?

#96: DH bought a package of small assorted colored dots, and assigned a color to each of the people or couples we exchange dinners with most often. When they give us a bottle, we stick a dot in their color somewhere on the bottle so that we know not to take it back to their house. We also know who to thank when we open one that came from somebody, particularly if it is something special.

#97 Challenge a friend that also needs to get something organized to a day of doing just that. Organizing. Even if you don't live in the same town you can post pix of what you accomplished via email or in a photo album, such as on photobucket. Or we could do it here as far as that goes. Just like Jamie did with her office area.

Here's something my mom does. She has a large closet and travels a lot.

#98 Color coordinate the clothes in your closet. When you travel, just pack one section of tops, a couple pair of neutral pants and one jacket that matches them. I've never been able to pull this one off. But I do envy my mom's closet!

Lisa

Lisa, I do that! It's easy!
#99 If you pack your own groceries, make sure items in each bag go in the same area of your kitchen or home.
#100 If you love TV, but don't have as much time to watch as you'd like, then TiVo or DVR everything you want to watch. You'll save twenty minutes of every hour just by fast forwarding through the commercials.

I know that's one hundred, but if you have more bring them on!

Spices: Because I use a lot of 'different' ones and little space for a rack--- I organize them into "red spices" "green spices" etc in plastic baskets in my pantry.

And, I have one with 'ethnic' for spices that are clearly indefinable (like shrimp paste or 5 Spice or Amchur.

I may not work for everyone but it works for me.

Thanks Cave76. That's # 101. I think it's a great one. I never would have thought of that. Smart thinkin'.
Who has more?

#102. When buying a new home, keep everything related to the purchase in a tabbed three-ring binder. This not only allows you to quickly find your purchase agreement, mortgage application, etc. during the process - but also gives you a baseline for the condition of every aspect of the home, as shown in the home inspection, termite inspections, etc. It also is a great one-stop reference for future needs such as, "What was the name of the pest control company we used?" or "We should call that guy who fixed the sunken patio and have him replace the front stoop."

I bought a 3-inch binder and set of five tabs, and marked the tabs like so:

Purchase documents (purchase agreements, addendums, etc.)
Inspections (home inspection report, furnace inspection report, etc.)
Financial documents (mortgage app, documentation provided to bank, etc.)
Warranty/Misc. (copy of home warranty, dispute resolution brochure, etc.)
Sale documents (documents related to the sale of our present home)

#103: Simple white cardboard document boxes for all the stuff related to each project in your life, to make your shelves serene, and to make sure you don't lose track of things in the pile.

I mentioned this in another thread, about craft supplies:
Staples sells flat-pack storage boxes that are simple white cardboard. They come three to a package, and I use them as project boxes because they are the right size for a bookshelf, clean looking and simple, relatively dirt cheap, and store flat when I am not using them. The sizes I find most useful are 10 X 12 X 4 deep, and 9-1/2 X 11-1/2 X 2-1/2 deep.
I pop them together, use clear package tape to hold them around the back, and then I put a piece of package tape on the front edge so that I can put a label on that, and peel it off cleanly to reuse the box for the next project. I probably have two dozen of them in my two work areas, they are fabulously neat and tidy, and I can take down only what I am working on at that moment.

The link shows them in packages of 25, but the stores have them in packages of three...

Here is a link that might be useful: White document boxes

We keep a SOCK BOX in the laundry room to keep those spare, match-less socks in and later match them up. I just use an old cardboard shoe box.

When I put away laundry I'll toss in any single sock and it's amazing how many times I'll end up later finding it's match (usually under the kids bed!).

Also great for that one remaining good sock when you've had to throw away the matching one because of a hole or something - keep the good one in the box and eventually you'll have another good one because you've had to throw away it's matching sock...on and on, LOL.

It helps that we buy our boys and ourselves all the same color and style of socks (a tip someone else mentioned above).

104. We keep a SOCK BOX in the laundry room to keep those spare, match-less socks in and later match them up. I just use an old cardboard shoe box.

My mom did that, but I have a different plan that works well for me. I call it:

105. The "no summer homes" policy.

Things have only one place they go.

So I put the loose socks back in the drawer; its mate will come back to it eventually. Now and then you have to toss out the ones whose mates never come back but at least I don't have the separate chore of sorting out the sock basket.

(My mom put ALL socks in the sock basket, and made kids sort them; she could do that, I can't)

Also, when I take the china out, I put the plate protectors back on the same spot, to wait there for the clean plates. (my MIL was helping set the table one day and wanted me to notice where she was putting them -- on top of the kitchen cabinets--so I could find them later. Until then it had never occurred to me that anyone would put them anywhere but back in the same spot)

If my kid is picking up his room and finds half of a toy, it goes back on the shelf where it belongs; when he finds the other half, the first piece will be waiting right where it belongs.

Wow, what great hints! I'm going to buy some document boxes for starters. Love the hint about not having many sheets. I'm not going to buy anymore for sure (until what i have wears out.)

106. Put a coat rack in the bedroom. (Free standing post type with hooks). I did this when we gave up our queen sized bed to weekend houseguests so they'd have somewhere to hang things. When we moved back into our room, my dh started hanging his clothes and bathrobe there at bed time (it was on his side), and unlike when he threw them on a chair or the floor, he put them away in the morning! Something about being at eye level, so its staying. It doesn't take up much room, and they come in different styles.

107. Another way to store sheets which I keep in a bureau: Bottom sheets in bottom drawer, top sheets in middle, pillow cases and pillow protectors in top drawer(s). I mix and match, and we each use 2 or 3 pillows. This is for the 3 full beds. Queen sheets I keep in room with the one queen bed.

Hope these qualify.

kathy

Roxiel....about your cell phone not allowing much space for voice messages when you want to make note of where you're parked.

Take a PICTURE of the location sign where you're parked....Once you return, just delete the picture.

108. Get your supermarket to put a garbage can by the fresh corn. Clean it there and leave the husks in THEIR trash, not yours.
     I had four houseguests, and when prepping for dinner, one of them was assigned to do the 'fine cleaning' and wrap each ear in plastic wrap for nuking in the microwave. She asked if I wanted all the ears wrapped, and the extra stored that way. So, hint 109 was born...
109. Wrap cleaned ears of corn in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to cook in the microwave oven.
110. Slice several bunches of green onions and store in the fridge in a covered container. I find I use them much more often if they are already to use. And as an added bonus, they seem to last longer for me when they are chopped. After a week in the fridge, uncut green onions started to get slimy/mushy.

Barbara

111. The only lids I need to store are those from my oversized stock pots since I use plates instead of lids for my saucepans.

112. I purchase spaghetti sauce in a jar and then add lots of my own ingredients when cooking it. I use the jar for the leftover sauce that I put in the fridge and then when that's used I just throw the jar away. Saves on washing out a messy container.

I'm thrilled with how many great tips are piling up! We could have a book made from these!

113. If you wear your sunglasses mostly in the car then leave them on the dash where you can see them so you won't look all over the house for them only to find them on the car seat.

114. Dry your wet umbrella opened on top of the hood of my car so I won't forget to put it back in it so I'll have it next time it rains.

115. Have a special place for your remotes to "hide" so when you have company and you tuck them away you'll not have to search for them when you need them. Also works when different family members use the same remote. If there's a special place to put it when you are done the next person can easily find it. A decorative box works great.

~Becky

116. Make helpful notes for next year in your calendar.

For example, after a Halloween kids' event last year where my niece was running around barefoot because we didn't know to bring socks, I made a note for October 1 of this year to remind me to bring socks this time. I would never have remembered otherwise.

I also make notes of where I've stored season-specific items that I wouldn't otherwise remember. Things like, "You have 19 red taper candles on the top shelf of the dining room closet" written on November 1, just before Christmas buying season.

Just jumping in here. I too have the solo sock holding drawer but finally gave up on some of them and made them good dusting/cleaning helpers. (eventaully teh long lost mate is just not going to appear:)

regarding #84 - i solved the "which bag/hamper" problem by buying four color-coded tall trash cans for each bedroom to use as hampers. White for whites, tan for light warm-wash, dark green for dark warm-wash, and light blue for cold wash/delicates (not in the youngest kid's room, since so few of his clothes needed this). Even my youngest (about 6 at the time) could do this, so your husband probably could too (unless he is color blind, maybe). A few errors aren't a problem, since you can see the clothes as you load them into the washer, and just take out the mis-placed ones (or go ahead and wash them anyway if it won't ruin the garment).

This is more of a time saver, but I guess you could classify it as organizing your time.

#117: If I'm wearing something & know I've gotten a stain of some sort on it, I make it noticable for laundry day. When I take the article off, I either tie it in a knot (t-shirt), or on long sleeved shirts, I tie the arms together, pants, tie the legs together, etc... This way when laundry day comes around, I don't have to inspect each item for pretreating. This might be difficult to get your kids to do this, but even if only 1 person does it, it just saves that much time.

#118: I am not a morning person, so I try to do as much as possible the night before. I always have the delay brew set on my coffee pot, and have recently started setting out my coffee cup, upside down by the pot, & putting a napking & spoon @ my place at the table. This doesn't sound like much, but it really makes the morning easier for those of us who are slow risers.

#119: (This is similar to one mentioned above.) When I'm shopping & get to the check out counter, I always unload my cart by catagories; ie. frozen food, non-frozen food, personal care, pet products, etc... This way the cashier will more than likely bag those catagories together, then when it's time to put away, it's just that much easier.

Hope these help someone! :)

#120 Space bags are wonderful. I bought an assortment of sizes at Costco and used them to store extra blankets, pillows, tablecloths and napkins. I had to wash a lot of them first because they had gotten dirty just sitting on shelves, but now they'll stay clean and take up less space. Maybe ultimately I'll be able to toss them because I don't use them often enough to keep them from getting dirty sitting on the shelves, but some of us just can't let go. Other bags were used for storing out of season clothing and, OK, T-shirts and jeans that are too small but I hope to lose enough weight to get back into some day.

#121 Recylce bag - I use a brown paper grocery bag stored on my pantry floor for recylce items. Empty soda cans milk cartons, paper etc can be tossed in it. Then when the bag is full I take it out to the actual recylce bin.

#122 Plastic bag for car garbage - my husband actually came up with this one because I was always getting so much garbage in my car. The kids and I would toss empty soda cans and stuff on the floor and then I would never get around to emptying it. So now I have a plastic bag that I hang on my drivers seat and all of the garbage goes in it. Easy to clean up the car now!

# Drawers for mail - After we sort through the mail we always have something that doesn't really need its own space but needs to be saved. So I started using storage drawers for all of the stuff that did not have a home. I just toss it in a drawer and then when I need it, I can sort through the papers until I find what I need. It is all in one place so things can be found and I can sort through the drawers once or twice a year and toss the things that no longer need to saved to make more room. Works like a charm and any kind of drawer works, plastic, cardboard or whatever. I have oone drawer for me, one for hubby and one for general info.

I saw two funny ones listed in a magazine the other day, "Antidepressants and Glad bags!' and "Marry Somebody Neat"! LOL

This is so obvious, but I'm going to add it anyway.
#125 Like with like.
When you organize things put like items together. For me this can mean very broad categories such as "Things that are Sticky" I have a small plastic basket that contains all the adhesives and tapes that would normally be spread all over the house. Masking tape, packing tape, electrical tape and duct tape are all in the same basket with wood glue, school glue, epoxy, fabric glue, etc. This saves have to figure out if the masking tape was last put in the garage, the desk, or the junk drawer.
I also organize pots & pans the same way. Metal pans are all kept together. Glass pans are kept in a separate cabinet. (An added advantage is that it makes it easy for anyone who has to put things away to figure out where things belong.)
In the closet, keeping like items together saves so much time finding items. Skirts are together, pants are together, sweaters are together etc. Then if you want to take it to the next level, put like colors together so that within each section it's easy to see what you have.

#126 Install vertical dividers in the cabinet where you store cookie sheets, broiler pan, pizza pans, etc...storing those items vertically greatly improved that cabinet!

Piggyback onto #13:
Over the door shoe dividers are a great use for all the electrical cords/chargers/uploaders etc that you have laying around for the PDA's, cameras, cellphones when not used on a regular basis.
I saw this in a magazine recently and will try it on the inside of my office closet door.

This applies to anyone who gardens, inside or out, and reduces ones brain energy and stress.

I garden a lot, and at times need to apply a spray to different plants for different diseases etc. I have found the directions on bottles can fall off or I forget what plant, for what problem I used the bottle of product on. Plus it's a year later since I used it.
So I just started writing with a black marker on a blank area of each bottle.....plant name, for what problem, amount to use, how often,, .....this way when a plant problem occurs again, I no longer have to read each bottle again, or go to the garden center or google my questions. I just grab it and apply. Often the same problems come back every year and this has made gardening so much easier! Also write on the outside of fertilizers and bags of gardening products like bulbtone....apply sept/oct, 1 cup/ per 10sq. feet. Good reminder as well as you start the next season of gardening.

So that's #127--Use a Sharpie to write the contents--AND the complicated directions--directly onto the generic spray bottles; also include the formula for mixing the refills.

And similarly, write all over the outside of other bags, etc.

Here's #127-A:
If you mix something in those generic spray bottles (say, Simple Green, at 1 to 6, or something), figure out where the "1" is, and where the "full" line is when you add the water. Draw a line on the bottle for the first, and write "fill with Simple Green to here" and then a line for the second, and write "Add water to here" (or, just "simple green" and "water," since you know what's going on.

And #127-B:
Sharpie marks can wear off. I used my P-touch labeler to do this with my foaming soap dispenser; I printed a long underline with the word "soap" centered on it, and I stuck it on the bottle so the underline lines up with the level the soap should be at. The bottle came with a sticker for the top line, so I just add water to that spot. Easy-peasy!

Oh, and here's #81-A (an application of #127)
[i]#81 Keep a stack of those small "dot" stickers in your kitchen drawer and use them to mark any box or can of food that you have doubles of in the pantry or another storage location. [/]

I write directly on the bottle, "new jar on bottom shelf in dry-goods cupboard." Then everyone in the household knows where to find it.

And some advice for #126: space those vertical dividers pretty closely--have more of them, and closer together. That will keep your pans, etc., standing more vertical, which:
-makes it easier to fit more
-keeps them from leaning on each other, thereby:
-minimizing breakage
-making it easier to pull the "bottom" one out (bcs there isn't a bottom one, there's a right-most one)
-looks tidier

Holy Toledo--this is an amazing list!
(fun to see that some of the things I'm living by, I first identified here in 2008!)

Who's got #128?

We have a shredder where we open mail. Those credit card applications and the like get shredded immediately and the the recyclable paper envelopes and non-identifiable information gets tossed into the recycle bin right away.

Don't forget to number your tips! That's #128.

#129
I put a basket or bin way up near the top on the inside of the bathroom vanity door, the one closest to the toilet. In the basket, I put feminine hygiene products and a container w/ the plastic grocery bags I use to scoop the soiled kitty litter into. (I sit on the toilet seat when I change the litter box.) So when the door swings open (over closer to the toilet), all those things are then reachable while seated on the toilet (lid up or lid down).

This post was edited by talley_sue_nyc on Tue, Aug 20, 13 at 8:18

#130

I kicked myself when I figured this out, that I didn't do it sooner! I used to fold my sons' t-shirts when I took them out of the dryer, and grumbled at them when they just dug through the basket of clean clothes, rather than hang them up in the closet.

One day I realized it's much easier to put shirts directly from dryer to hanger than to fold them. I bought lots of extra hangers, and trained them that when they hung up a batch of clothes, they should bring empty hangers back to the laundry room for the next load. It works a lot better than folding + hanging.

I think this one has been covered before, but my DH and sons all wear the same white socks. We don't have to sort for each person - just match up pairs, and divide by 3. My white socks have pick toes, so they are easy to distinguish from the guys'.

Make sure there's a wastebasket in every room of your home. A place to throw away envelopes,food wrappers, anything you are done with. Saves walking.

I use a lot of spices. After years of trooping to the pantry trying to remember what spices I needed, I finally (don't know why it took me so long) dedicated a top drawer under the counter where I do most of my food prep and which is close to the stove. The spices are arranged in alphabetical order. I no longer end up with spice jars left on the counter to "put away later". I use them and they go right back in the drawer.

bump

Those were:
#131--wastebasket in every room
#132--store spices near food prep instead of across the room in the pantry

#133--I went on vacation and discovered that my dopp kit was missing stuff. It was annoying.

So I'm going to make a list of all the stuff that I *have* to have, and laminate it, and slip it inside the pouch to use as a checklist for next time.

Also, I'm going to put my kit away *complete* now that I'm home, instead of trying to organize it in a rush when I'm packing.

(Don't forget to number your tips!)

Here's another one, that I love, love, love. I think I'm going to write it on the mirror.

It's from bleusblue:

My motto is "Notice Stagnation"

Her (his?) example: "There are things that add nothing to your life, they are just there. Like the old cute little china cabinet I hauled home 40 years ago and have moved from one house to the next!!! I'm an artist. I thought I'd make a puppet theatre out of it. Or put lights inside and display things. I've never done a thing. I finally faced it and it goes out..."

I use a lot of storage tubs for holiday decorations and other things. I type on the computer a list of what is in the tubs - tape the list on the inside of the clear lid so I can see whats in the box. This also makes it easy to repack the box.
Judith

Tip # 136: Prepare a file or binder that contains everything that your spouse or children should know in the event of a life-threatening medical situation or your death. This will help them deal with the overwhelming amount of information and countless decisions that need to be made under these circumstances. Tell your family that this information is in your file cabinet, you should probably show someone as well. There is a lot that should go into such a file, and this might require an overhaul of your entire home office in order to collect this information and put it in a single place that is easy for someone besides yourself to use in a crisis. This might also be the file you grab in the event of an emergency, like a hurricane. Taking time to create this file this is an amazing act of love in itself.

This file should include
1. A copy of your will (and contact information for the executor) and other medical directives, and contact information for attorneys and accountants.
2. Durable healthcare power of attorney/medical release information
3. Instructions to your family. Funeral and cemetery information. Proof of payment of burial/cremation arrangements.
4. Safety deposit box keys and a list of what the box(es) contain, what is needed immediately and what can wait.
5. Details about and location of life insurance policies and social security benefits, pensions, IRAs etc.
6. Documents proving ownership such as deeds and titles
7. Where to find financial information and trust documents
8. Tell where to find debt and loan information
9. Login and passwords for financial accounts

10. Copies of your birth certificate, social security card, and marriage license, divorce decrees, military service records, information on dependent children, etc.
11. Critical business information
12. Letters to your dearest loved ones telling them good-bye, apologizing for your shortcomings and failures-and likewise forgiving them if need be, and thanking them for the unspeakable privilege of being a part of their beautiful lives. Tell them a funny story or a favorite memory or two.... Generously affirm that you are confident that they will go on famously without you, and speak your most tender love to each, one last time.

I am so fond of this quote, it helps keep my priorities in order (which is something that I struggle with every hour of every day):

Place your mind before the mirror of eternity....
~St. Clare of Assisi

Thanks for all these wonderful helpful tips!

cup of kindness - you surely are. #12 Letters to your dear ones is a great treasure.

Acquire a receipt spindle is the best and easiest tip I can share. It has changed the paper landscape of my home forever and saved countless hours of otherwise futile and frustrating searching for "that receipt " for whatever reason: a return, rebate, etc. this was about $3 at Staples. What a godsend!

After 2 moves by the govt. (they pack it, load it, drive it, unload it) with little sorting, and now ready to complete a move on our own, my best advice is DON'T BUY IT IF YOU DON'T NEED IT!!!! Unless you can do the 1 in-1 out thing, you end up with so much stuff you no longer need/want/use. It's easy to organize 'stuff' you don't have!

Digitize all you can! Download manuals and toss the paper after any warranty/return period expires. Only keep critical paper copies for a set period of time. Also shred paper copies of what can be downloaded, like bank statements.

To add to the "in case of disaster" keep a documents of medical history and medication requirements. I've read of too many disaster of patients not receiving needed medications or receiving the wrong medications when they were unable to communicate.

When it's time to buy new socks and underwear (for men and boys), buy a package of at least 6 of each. Wash, fold and bring to the dresser. Remove all the old shorts, socks and undershirts and put them directly into the trash. Replace with new. Given the choice of putting on older, graying/yellowing, stretched out, saggy undershirts, shorts or socks or a new one which is chosen? The new ones. So the old ones just sit there and take up space. Until you realize you can't cram another thing into that drawer and spend half a day cleaning.

Try to find a little extra energy and donate, at least those socks, to a shelter. That's what they are always short of.

What an excellent idea, I never thought to do that. Thank you.

Old worn out mens under-shirts can have many uses from applying stain to polishing silver. And yes, please wash new clothes before wearing. Those fabric finishes are toxic.

old holy socks are great for wiping down mirrors and sinks and using for yucky jobs......and THEN tossing.:)

I’ve only just discovered this board but what a great thread! Building on Raye Smith’s suggestion, go round your house with your smartphone or camera. Take an overall picture of each room in each direction, then close ups of any smaller stuff, closet and drawer contents, identifying marks/serial/models numbers on appliances/TVs/other electronics, etc, etc. You can do this over several days if necessary. When you are done, add labels to each photo indicating what it’s of (Tommy’s room, master closet, jewellery box, etc) and upload the pictures to the cloud or copy to a flash drive and store in your safe/safe deposit box.

Hopefully, you will never need it but in case you ever need to make an insurance claim, you won’t have to rely on memory. If you can manage it, update the pictures annually.