Calling B.O. Minds: A Question About Label Makers/Organizing

[Wife_and_mommy]

FYI, BO=born organized (so *not* me)

I'm embarking on organizing my closets. After careful observation of some who are more organized than myself, I'm using a system of totes with lists of what's in them. I noticed that the bo's I observed used a label maker for their totes. I'm sure that there are some of you here who do something similar. I'd love some recs on a label maker.

If you have some suggestions, tips, etc. for me, I'd love those too. :)

TIA

[kijip]

I have and use this one like mad:

http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StaplesProductDisplay?&langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&productId=186612&cmArea=SEARCH

The refills are not too expensive, it works well, the stickers can easily be peeled up if I need to move it or take it down. It is not too expensive to buy initially. I am very happy with it.

I am not so much born organized as I am organized in reaction to the utter chaos and mess I grew up in. The label maker really helps not so much to keep me organized but as to normalize the organizational system so that everyone in the house is on the same page. I have labels on the inside of drawers, cabinets, on the pantry shelves. It visually helps me make mental shopping lists when we run out of stuff and it ensures that both my husband and I are putting things away in the same spot. We spent YEARS each thinking that the kitchen stuff went different spots. Now everything has a place and can go back there regardless of who puts the dishes away.

[ThreeofUs]

Tee-hee ... love the "BO"!

I organize - but only because I'm BL - Born Lazy. If I don't organize, I spend a whole lot more time than I think is necessary dealing with stuff!

I also organize with labels because DH (a very bright scientist/professor) can't keep straight where things are kept. Everything migrates around the house in mysterious ways - but less with labeling. So I label everything from the linen closet to the bathrooms and kitchen.

I let him determine the organization of things so he has ownership and can't tell me it's my organizational system at fault - LOL, and then hand-write on nice labels. (The label-makers I tried seemed to cost more money than they delivered in nice looks.)

HTH!

[Wife_and_mommy]

Katie: Thanks for the rec. I love the idea of putting labels in our cabinets, etc! DH/ I put things away in different places too, lol. I'm even more excited now. :)

TOU: That term is a Flylady one--not mine. There are some who can't imagine that anything would be out of place--those are the B.O's. Then there is the rest of us....with good intentions but little follow-through. At any rate, I'd love to hear what label maker you use. Thanks for your response. :)

[lizajane]

thanks for the inspiration, mama! i just bought a label maker on ebay. i can't wait to get started!!! dh is always complaining that he can't find things or that he can't put thing away because he doesn't know where they go (i am picky about where things go.) instant fix!!! whoo hoo!!

my other suggestion:
the shoe basket. it changced our lives!!
get a cute basket and put it by the front door and fill it with all your kids shoes. you can always find them, kids can easily put them away, you can get them off by the door to track in less dirt, and they are ready when you are headed out the door in a hurry. and friends put their shoes there, too, so moms aren't hunting for kids' shoes when they come to pick up their kiddos. my friend got one, too, so when schuyler goes to her house, he automatically puts his shoes in their basket without her even asking.

[LD92599]

We just finished our kitchen renovation and i need to go out & buy more of the plastic shoe boxes. My mom uses them all over the place and I did in the past; definitely will more so now since i have a ton more/deeper cabinets.

Even in the fridge - yogurts go in on, small bottles of water in another etc. For the cabinets i have all the sippy cups/lids/straws in one, etc!

Laura

[Wife_and_mommy]

Liza,
So glad to help!

I love the basket idea but don't know if I'd like our shoes being "abused' by throwing them in a basket. Not to mention the only open floor space is being taken up by our dog's cage....hmmmm. I do have a friend who does that but she has more space than we do.I'll see what I can do. At this point, I keep my shoes on mostly all day and the kids' shoes are in the car. They rarely keep them on long enough to make it inside so I leave them in there.


Laura,

Oh my...your mom uses those containers in the fridge? SHE is a BO mind, lol!! Love it. I don't want to go out and buy a ton of those that don't get used so I'm getting a couple every time I go to Target(which is *often* as you can imagine with all the sales). I'm doing pretty well with them and have organized a couple of areas that were in dire need of it. It's definitely working and DH is happy to see the change.

Completely OT, but please please do share pics of your reno. I was just thinking of you a couple of days ago and wondering if you'd finished it. :) Would love to see it and hear about how you managed for all those weeks w/ no kitchen. :)

[elliput]

I am definitely not BO,but I am trying to make strides. The solution I found for shoes (mine and DD's, DH's are too big) is one of those over the door shoe organizers. I have it on the door to the coat closet.