Guest Post - How to Use your Backyard to Maximise Storage Space

Whatever the size of your yard, from the smallest patios to the largest of lawns, smart storage is an absolute must. Here are some simple and effective tips on creating beautiful and practical storage solutions in your very own backyard.

Go vertical 

Hook it up and remove clutter from the ground. Hanging tools effectively in your shed or backyard area can help maximize your preexisting storage space. Organizers are a must-have in this regard. They come in all shapes and sizes, allowing you the freedom to let it hang saving valuable floor space. Organizers with many small pockets can be great for garden tools while a shoe organizers might be the perfect extra shelf. Keeping your tools organized eliminates clutter spilling from your shed and allows for quick and easy access, saving you time.

If you don't have the luxury of a shed, try hanging your tools off your fence. This can be a great solution for quick and easy access, eliminating messy piles of tools in your backyard. Consider breaking symmetry and hanging your tools off your fence in an interesting layout. Combined with vertical planters, this can be a great way to create a signature look on a backyard wall. Make use of the area you have, and you'll soon realize you had much more space than you ever thought. 

Bring your dining room outside

Dining sets take up a huge amount of room in your home. Yet for all this sacrificed space, how often do you actually sit around your dining room table? Create more room in your home and design a beautiful outdoor dining area. Making the most out of your outdoor dining area requires some thought but can be a great way of using your back yard to maximize your own storage. 

Transformable spaces

Consider a dynamic design when buying furniture. Fluid furniture set-ups allow for simple transitions between living and entertaining guests. Keep lightweight, multipart and foldable options in mind for both space-saving and functionality. These options allow for a cozy family retreat that can be easily transformed into the perfect hosting environment.  

Gazebos and other fixed structures offer a great place to enjoy your backyard, but they simply take up too much space. Setting up your outdoor living areas with retractable roller blinds can allow for a quick transition between open and closed. With options to shelter from the elements or create open plan living, blinds are a great way to maximize potential and space in your outdoor area. 

Utilize, utilize, utilize

Put it to use. Make the most out of all the preexisting structures in your backyard. If you have a retaining wall, try converting it into a lush vegetable garden or using it for extra seating. If you have an outdoor bench, consider utilizing the hollow space for storing outdoor cushions or kids’ toys. Think about how you can make old features multi-functional and take advantage of the space you already have.

Let the light in 

Just as white rooms are perceived to be bigger, backyards full of natural light feel naturally larger and more open. Invest some money in quality landscaping, trim everything back, and you will be amazed at the extra space it creates. Be careful when adding new plants to your garden, research their final size and consider their placement. Careful consideration can help preserve your backyards open feel and save you money on landscaping in the long run.

Storage in your backyard can require some creative thinking. Without the luxury of storage space that inside areas afford backyards can often end up cluttered and unappealing. However, this doesn't need to be the case. Follow these simple steps, and you will be well on the way to a beautiful, clutter-free outdoor oasis.

Author bio:

Harper Reid enjoys sharing tips on making homes more functional and organised. When not busy writing, she likes to catch up on the latest interior design trends. Connect with Harper on her personal blog.

Reasons Everyone Should Want To Live Clutter-Free

Life is a balancing act. Everyone is faced with making decisions that will result in different outcomes. We live and learn from the trials and errors that life has to offer. When dealing with normal stressors and obstacles, living with clutter shouldn't be one of them. Here are a few reasons why everyone should want to live free of disarray. 

Reduce Stress

When coming home from a stressful day, the last thing you want to worry about is cleaning the house. Returning home should be your breath of fresh air. However, when your space is filled with clutter, it can be hard to feel at ease. Living clutter-free will help to reduce your feelings of stress and anxiety that you might have felt throughout the day. Your solution should be in using home storage options. Everything you have should belong to a designated home. You will never find items lingering on the floor or counter because there is a specific spot for it. After you use something, put it back to ensure you will never have to worry about things being out of place. In turn, you’ll come home to a put-together, stress-free space. 

Less Clean-Up

When you see clutter, it’s like having a mental to-do list constantly running through your head. You will constantly be thinking about everything that needs to be picked up. When items are tucked away after being used, there is no overwhelming amount of clutter, allowing you to have more time to do other things. You will ultimately feel calm in the space you reside in. This should be carried into every area of the home so you are always at peace knowing things are stowed away. For example, you can use baskets in closets, plastic containers for under sinks, and drawer organizers in the kitchen. Everything will be in its home and not sitting elsewhere to be picked up.

More Accomplished

Lastly, living clutter-free will help you to be more energized and accomplished. However, living free of chaos doesn’t happen overnight. You must take a few days to declutter your space to achieve a clutter-free lifestyle. When making decisions about items you own, you will feel in charge knowing that you’re making decisions for your personal well-being. Ask yourself, “Is this item necessary for my life?”, or “Can I live without it?” Asking yourself these questions will allow you to feel in control of your life and the area you live in. Once you have decided to care only for items you cannot live without, you are able to move forward in life and use your energy towards other things you hope to achieve. To find more about the benefits of living in an uncluttered space here. 

Living clutter-free will only benefit you if you work towards it. Put things away after you use them, get rid of items you no longer need, and when you buy something new, decide on it carefully. The more you care for the items you own, the more likely you are to put things back into their designated home after you use them. As a result, you will be energized to reach goals and overcome obstacles to live a calm and stress-free life every day.

Guest Post - What Should You Do with Personal Documents?

Piles of personalized mail and paperwork cover our desks, kitchen tables, family rooms and home offices. Short of building bigger piles, is there a way to manage all this? Yes! You simply need to establish a workable solution and strictly follow the process. 

The accompanying infographic, Organizing Your Personal Documents, presents an easy, common-sense method of handling your personal paperwork. It helps you categorize your personal documents by type and action. Some documents should be kept, some shredded and others filed away securely. There are suggestions for creating a filing system, including what types of paperwork to file and how to file, label and store your documents. 

Why does this matter? Well, some paperwork you just do not need to keep while others you must keep safe and easily accessible. For example, don’t clutter your home with old bills, expired coupons and the like. But you may need to present your tax returns, social security card, auto title and more on various occasions, such as for a tax audit, new job and car sale, and these must be saved.  

Handling your paperwork as you receive it not only helps to keep your home free from excess papers, it also ensures that you hang onto your important personal documents, keep them in a designated place and have them ready to use when you need them. Keep the infographic handy — and file it under O for Organization!

Courtesy of One Source Process

Guest Post - 10 Tips For Staying Organized While Moving: How You Can Simplify The Process!

Planning a big move? Whether you’re moving across the country with the help of a team of full-service movers, or you’re just making a local move to a new apartment or home, we know the process of staying organized while you move can be intimidating. There’s just so much to do!

Well, we’re here to help. We’ve put together a list of the best tips you can use to keep yourself organized while you’re moving. Take a look at them now, and think about how you can use these tips to simplify your moving process – and stay organized!

1. Plan Your Packing Strategy Ahead Of Time, And Start With “Non-Essential” Rooms

If you’re rushing around and trying to pack up last-minute, you’re going to be stressed, frustrated, and disorganized. A move is not usually something that sneaks up on you – generally, you’ll have at least a few weeks to prepare.

So use this to your advantage. Plan your moving and packing strategy ahead of time – and start packing up a little bit of your stuff each day. We recommend that you start with rooms that contain things that are “non-essential.”

For example, you could pack up things that are in your attic or basement, pack up most of the toys in your child’s playrooms, pack up books from your library or living room, pack up the guest linens and other items from your guest room, pack up seasonal clothing from your closet – you get the picture. Typically, the rooms that should be packed up last before your move are the kitchen and bedrooms – you can do these in the last few days before your move.

By taking things slowly and packing up gradually, you’ll have an easier time staying organized – and you won’t feel nearly as rushed, because you’ll have less to do as your moving date approaches.

2. Label All Of Your Boxes Clearly And Create A Packing List For Each One

This is essential for re-organizing your stuff properly once you’ve made your move. You should clearly label each box using tape and a marker, or a label maker. “LIVING ROOM BOOKS,” “GUEST ROOM LINENS,” “DISHES” – you get the picture. Labeling boxes ensures that you can move them to the right rooms once you’ve made your move.

But we recommend going above and beyond just labeling your boxes. You should also create a packing list for each one – this is relatively easy to do. Just keep a pad and paper or your smartphone’s Notes app open while you pack up each box, and note what is going into each box.

Not only does this ensure you know exactly what you’ve packed, it ensures that you know exactly where it is when it’s time to unpack in your new home. 

3. Pare Down Your Belongings While You Move With The “4 Pile” Method 

Moving is the best time to pare down your belongings, and get rid of stuff you don’t really need. As you pack, we recommend you go through your stuff, and sort them with the “4 pile” method.

• Move – These are items that you want to keep and take with you, and will be packed and brought to your new home

• Sell – These are items that are valuable, but that you may not need, or may not be worth taking with you. For example, it may be better to sell your couch and buy a new one if you’re moving across the country, due to the cost of shipping such a large piece of furniture

• Donate – These are items that are valuable, but that you may not be using – tools or equipment for a hobby you’re not interested in, gently-worn clothing, etc. You can donate them to local charities and stores.

• Junk – These are items that are useless and valueless, such as damaged clothing, broken electronics, etc. They’re good for only one thing – throwing away (or recycling). 

4. Pack A “Moving Day Essentials” Box With The Things You’ll Need On Move-In Day 

This is a great tip when you’re finishing up your move. This box should contain the essential things that you may need to use when you move, such as:

• Medications

• Toiletries

• Extra sets of clothing

• ID/credit cards

• Important personal documents

• Baby necessities

• Paper towels and trash bags

• Toilet paper

• Toolkits

• Pet essentials 

Basically, anything you think you will need access to on moving day should be put in this box – that way, you don’t have to rummage through other boxes just to find what you need. 

5. Make A Change Of Address Checklist To Use After You Move

When you move, you’ll need to file a change of address with the USPS. You should also make a change of address checklist to ensure that all of your personal information is updated with relevant companies – like banking and insurance companies. This list should include:

• Employer

• State & local tax agencies

• Utility companies

• Cell phone companies

• Home/renters insurance

• Auto insurance

• Banking/credit card companies

• Loan providers

• Other financial agencies (investment accounts, IRAs, 401(k)s, pensions, etc.)

• Magazines and subscription services

• Clubs and organizations

• Doctors, dentists, vets and other service providers

• Online shopping websites like Amazon

If you change your address with every relevant company and organization as soon as you move, you’ll minimize the risk of missing an important piece of mail.

6. Get Your Old (And New) Utilities Squared Away Before Moving Day 

Make sure that you’ve contacted your utility companies including water, gas, electricity, and cable/internet before your move. Cancel your service on your moving date at your old home – and make sure that you’ve set up service at your new place of residence before you move.

Being proactive about this ensures you avoid any double billing or paying extra for services you don’t need – and also ensures that your new home is fully hooked up with gas, water and power when you move in.

7. Make Sure You Have All The Packing Supplies You Need 

When you start packing up your home, make sure you’ve got all the packing supplies you need, including:

• Sturdy cardboard or plastic boxes of various sizes

• Packing tape

• Markers

• Scissors

• Packing material like bubble wrap or foam pellets

• Plastic wrap

• Moving blankets for furniture and electronics

If you’re short on supplies, you can always purchase more from retailers like U-Haul, Home Depot and others. You can also often find used, discounted boxes and moving supplies on websites like Craigslist if you’re on a budget. 

8. Keep All Of Your Moving Paperwork In One Place 

The process of moving can create quite a bit of paperwork – from moving estimates to correspondence with utility companies, home inventory sheets, moving checklists, information about your new home, receipts… you get the picture.

To keep these documents organized, we recommend keeping them in a single binder or folder that you’ll keep with you during – and after – your move. Keeping all of your documentation will ensure that the process goes smoothly, particularly if there is a dispute or problem with your moving company.

9. Have A Realistic Unpacking Timeframe (And Stick To It!) 

Once you move, create an unpacking timeframe and start working immediately, but at your own pace. Maybe you think you can handle unpacking just 1-2 rooms per day, or you’re looking to get your entire place unpacked in just a week – that’s up to you. 

Setting a time limit that’s reasonable will help you stay focused and motivated. Don’t be unrealistic, though – you’re probably not going to get through unpacking a 3-bedroom home in just a few days! Give yourself some leeway, and be realistic about the pace at which you can work.

10. Focus On Organizing Your Stuff While You Unpack – Create An Organizing Plan! 

You should do your best to keep your stuff organized and store it properly while you unpack – don’t just unload it wherever it fits. You should create an organizing plan while you’re unpacking.

This will let you identify areas of your new home where you may need additional storage, and then you can make a list of all the things you’ll need to organize your stuff properly. 

Stay Organized With These 10 Simple Tips For Moving! 

Even in the best of times, moving is still time-consuming and stressful. But with these simple tips, you can make things easier on yourself – and simplify the process of packing, moving and unpacking. Take another look at them now, and think about which tips you can use during your move.

Author Bio: Tom Masters is a moving specialist working with A-1 Auto Transport. They specialize in moving people within a state in the USA from state to state and internationally.