Guest Post - Habits of People with Organized Drawers

Organizing your home is a therapeutic process that gives you the chance to declutter your space and your mind. After all, messy drawers, cluttered surfaces, and crowded closets undeniably contribute to feeling anxious. During challenging times, the last thing you need is a stress-inducing living space. How can you create an orderly home that supports your well-being and peace of mind?
If you don’t know where to begin, start small. Tackle your bedroom, one dresser drawer at a time. If you haven't figured out the best organizational method for tidying your dresser drawers yet, try following the lead of people with great organizational habits. Check out the visual guide below that outlines easy habits you can adopt to create a better home this Spring.

How to stay organized, comfortable and calm while homebound

Many of us are feeling overwhelmed and stressed. We are stuck at home trying to keep from going stir crazy. You may have noticed you are now running the dishwasher almost every day since first the first time perhaps ever everyone is home for dinner. You may also notice you are washing nothing but pajamas.

Some of us are attempting to work from home while simultaneously teaching and supervising our children. In addition, we are trying to keep the house somewhat neat and orderly.

Here are some tips from House to Home Organizing to help us all stay sane for the next few weeks!

• Declutter and Purge

Now may be the perfect time to clean out and remove the things you no longer find useful, or things you have been holding onto for years which you realize are just creating clutter. The less clutter you have in your home the less stressed you will feel, and right now we can all use less stress in our lives. Where to start? Now that everyone is home you may want to start with the high traffic areas, such as the kitchen or playroom. It  may be the time to let go of kitchen appliances never used or pots and pans which are old and crusty. Take a look at the playroom, you may have toys that your children have outgrown and can be donated or gifted to others to enjoy. If the traditional donate spots are currently closed, store the items in an exit area like the garage or your car so items are close to their next step.

• Ask the whole family to pitch in

If you have school aged children everyone can help organize and clean. The book UnF*ck your Habitat You’re Better Than Your Mess, Rachel Hoffman suggests the 20/10 rule. Set a timer for 20 minutes and give everyone a chore. After 20 minutes everyone takes a 10 min break. 

The break is not optional. This is a great way to get families working together. You will be surprised how even children want to pitch in and help. Make it a daily activity and tackle the house room by room.

• Create cozy comforting spaces

In Denmark they call it Hygge. (prounounced Hoo-ga) Hygee is an atmosphere and experience with the people you love. Being together at home in a safe comforting environment. Now more than ever Hygge is what we need. Candles, flowers and plants can all help create a calm home. Enjoy baking? Sometimes the smell of baked goods can lift our spirts. Also, if it is warm enough outside maybe open a window and smell some fresh air.

• Find your own space

With everybody home finding private space can be challenging. Adults sharing an office usually does not work. Try to find an area which is solely yours to work out of. Also, see what works best for your kids. Maybe they do not enjoy working at their usual desk. That is ok. We all need to be flexible in a stressful time. Maybe a makeshift table or a cozy corner is what they need to be successful right now.

• Organize your pantry or food cabinets

With everyone stocking up on food, now may be the perfect time to reevaluate what you have. Take everything out of the pantry. Toss the expired food. Now that we are cooking more, stock the pantry with what you are using daily. Maybe store the backup items on shelves  in a more remove location like the basement or garage. Use the remote location like a store to replenish the pantry as food gets eaten. If there are children in the house maybe stock their snacks and drinks in a more accessible location in the pantry.

Need help and guidance? We are here if you have any questions. Feel free to contact us at 203-571-9412 or here with any questions regarding organizing! 

Kitchen Organizing to Get You Cooking

The kitchen is the heart and soul of your home. It is where we have family time, discussions around meals and we entertain or grab snacks to go. In many homes it is where our children do their homework, we charge our phones & tablets and pay our bills. In other words, it is the control center of our lives. Therefore, kitchens these days need to be well laid out, keeping the flow of the house moving yet at the same time well organized, peaceful and serene. 

Seems like a daunting task, but take it from professional organizers it can be done! 

At H2H, one of our specialties is kitchen organizing. It is the room stocked with small gadgets, large appliances, entertaining items, dishes for adults, dishes for kids, cleaning supplies and food storage containers just to name a few items. Organizing done properly is like a puzzle, it has to be put together with often used basics in mind, while keeping the family needs and uses as a priority. 

For example, a coffee or tea drinking family will need a coffee station where the mugs, coffee, sweeteners and filters are all easily accessible. A non- coffee drinking household would not want to take up the space and may need the area for something they find more of a priority.

The point is that no two kitchen are alike. Some are new and high-tech, some are older and cozy. It doesn’t matter, every kitchen should be organized around the family’s uses and needs keeping in mind the flow of cook(s) in the kitchen and the flow of the house.

Here our are top suggestions when organizing your kitchen:

What are your priorities?  

What appliances you use consistently? What cooking utensils do you need easy access to?  Do you need a coffee or tea station? A wine/beer station?  Do you want your children to have access to their snacks, plates, cups? Are you a baker? A cook? Both? By knowing what you use frequently, we can start to put together the pieces of the puzzle.

The kitchen should flow smoothly

Everything you use frequently should be in easy reach. You should not have to run across your kitchen to find a chopping board or a knife when it is time to chop an onion. Where do you prep your food? You will need an area near the sink and garbage where you store cutting boards, knives and bowls. 

Near the stove and oven should be your spices, oils, vinegars, pots/pans and oven mitts.  A drawer or shelf space should be set aside for foil, plastic wrap, and food bags. Dishes and glass wear can be stored near the dishwasher for easy unloading, or in some homes near the table to make setting the table easier. There is no right or wrong, as we said earlier, every family is different and organizing is about doing what is best for your kitchen and your family. 

Clearing clutter

This is a very important step and can be time consuming.

Do you use 3 sets of measuring cups or spoons?  Do you still have peelers from college? Do you use all 5 wine openers? 7 flashlights? Do all the pots and pans have the correct lids?  Are all the spices current or have some expired? Do you have a fondue pot or ice cream maker you no longer use but received as a wedding gift? Do you use all 15 wooden spoons? You get the picture. It is difficult to part with things and very time consuming to review your items. Sometimes hiring a professional to help make decisions and take the donates for you can be helpful.

Now that you have established where the basic priority items will live and you have cleared duplicates and clutter,  you can then find homes for your remaining items.  

• You may need a utility drawer for items such as batteries, keys, pens, flashlights and other household items which you use on occasion. This drawer does not need to be close to the cooking area. 

• Large appliances such as a crockpot or wok which may not be used daily can live in a more remote shelf.

• Seasonal items such as holiday baking and summer entertaining may be able to live in another area of the house such as the basement or garage so as to free up space in your kitchen.

• Pet supplies, things such as pet supplies can sometimes be relocated to another area of the house such as the mudroom, laundry room or pantry if applicable. If not, they certainly can stay in the kitchen. Once again, not necessarily near the cooking area. 

• Clear surfaces, try to keep your surfaces as clear as possible. Clear areas help you feel calm and stress free. You will feel more in control. When you have a clear area in the kitchen it invites you to cook something delicious for your family!

We can’t stress enough that no two kitchens are alike and there is no right or wrong. Piecing the kitchen puzzle pieces together to create your most organized kitchen takes time but when done correctly it will make the world of difference to you and your family. You will be able to be more efficient as a cook having the items you use frequently close to where you need them. Your family will be able to find what they need without stress, thereby creating that peaceful and serene home.

Guest Post - Everything You Need to Know About Packaging Materials

We partnered with a packing supply company. for this post. The opinions in the post are honest. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on our personal views. We are excited because we know you will love it.

Do you know packaging reflects your brand personality? It is a medium of attraction and can be very helpful in branding for customers. Attractive packaging designs can motivate people to choose you over others and also make a powerful impact. Packaging of products plays a significant role in how customers are responding to it. 

Packaging material is of different types these can fulfill your entire requirement no matter what type of state of product you want to pack. Choosing the right kind of material is the key to keep your product safe and appealing. There are many budget-friendly options available for packaging such as cardboard packaging boxes which are biodegradable too.  

There are many other packaging materials available having different utility while packing products such as plastic bags for liquid stuff or mailing bags for thin papers. Apart from this, we have postal tubes, bubble wraps, and loose fills these materials are also important to keep the product safe and intact.

Steel strapping kits are another great packaging material. This is optimal for packaging industrial equipment, heavy construction materials, and shipping steel coils.

Globe packaging is an online packaging material distributor in the UK. They offer a diverse range of packaging materials of great quality with exceptional customer service. 

In the Infographic below you will explore in-depth details about different types of packaging material available for different purposes.