5 Easy Ways to Organize Your Dog’s Supplies

Having a dog is like having a furry family member—they bring so much joy, love and activity into your life. However, even though they are often less messy than your spouse or your kids, dogs require a lot of supplies if you want to have a clean, healthy and happy pup. So where do you put all the food, bowls, brushes and toys to avoid clutter in your home? Well, here are a few organizational tricks and tips for a clean home and well-supplied dog:

Create a shelf or drawer for walking supplies

Dogs need daily walks, even those that live in a very big yard. And all responsible dog owners use proper collars and other things when going for a walk. For the most practical approach to walkies, it’s best to dedicate some space in your hallway for collars, harnesses, leashes and muzzles. You can dedicate one hook in your hanger for your dog’s walking supplies or dedicate one drawer in the hallway closet or console. This way, you can quickly grab everything you need before stepping outside with your pup and putting all items in their place when returning home.

Create a feeding station

Breakfast and dinner are most dogs’ favorite times of the day. If your dog is also obsessed with food and snacks, make sure to provide them with a nice experience while keeping your house free of dog food. If you have a free floor cabinet in your kitchen, place a plastic container with a well-sealing lid and keep all the food in there instead of leaving it in a big bag. If there’s a drawer above the cabinet, use it for doggy treats and vitamins. When you get healthy dog treats, they smell nice, come in practical packaging that fits nicely in any drawer and can be sealed well. Still, when you keep the baggies in the drawer, your dog’s food will stay fresh for longer and you won’t notice any smells in your kitchen.

Owners who use an elevated feeder can designate space under the bowl for storing the food in a nice and stylish way. When doing the feeding, make sure to place the bowl on a special feeding mat that will prevent the bowl from sliding around and catch any spills.

Handle bathing supplies

Dogs might not be thrilled about baths, but these are necessary for their health and the cleanliness of your home. It might not be the most hygienic to give your pup baths in your family bathroom, so it’s a great idea to create a separate bath in the laundry room or mud room. A simple elevated bath with a shower is super practical and will leave your home free of bath-time mess. Above the bath, put up a simple floating shelf where you can keep all the brushes, trimmers, shampoos, detangling sprays and doggy colognes. Both laundry rooms and mud rooms are usually covered in tiles, so they are easy to clean, making them a perfect location for bathing your dog and storing bathing necessities.

Prevent toy mess

It’s hard to resist getting your dog a new toy whenever you go to your local pet center, so your pup most likely has dozens of plushies, chew toys and enrichment toys. And while it’s fun to watch your dog play with their fun entertainment, they never pick up their mess. Because you have to go after your pup when cleaning up, at least make sure to provide yourself with easy pickup and seamless storing. If your dog can roam around the house freely, put one little box in every room, so you can quickly store toys lying on the floor. It’s best to get a box without a lid, so the puppy can dig around and help themselves to their toys. With this system, you’ll easily get to see which toys are the most popular in your household. Those at the top are the favorites and those at the bottom are rarely used and can be donated to your local animal shelter.

Don’t forget about the medication

Unfortunately, our pets sometimes get sick, no matter how much we try to keep them healthy and fit. When that happens, dogs get prescription medication that needs to be taken throughout the day. Many of these meds need to be kept in a cool and dark place and away from the reach of kids, so keeping them on the kitchen counter is out of the question. The best thing you can do is dedicate one drawer in your bathroom or kitchen to store all the pet medication. This is also a great spot for your pet’s paperwork. If your drawer has an insert for easy organizing, use the space under it to keep all the paperwork together and in a safe and dry place.

It’s amazing just how many things our pets require. It’s easy for dog supplies to take over your house, so make sure to follow these organizing tips and keep all the puppy stuff under control. 

Reward your furry friend with their favorite freshly made dog food. Making sure their bellies are filled enough can help them stay off the furniture, not beg at the table, or not get into the trash. It can also be a helpful tool to redirect their attention away from something they shouldn't be doing, like chewing on a shoe or digging in the dirt. Choose a high-quality, nutritious meal that aligns with your dog's specific dietary needs.

5 Effective Organizing Hacks for Your Apartment

One of the most common challenges is keeping their apartment clean and organized. People often have a problem with clutter accumulating in their homes, which makes it difficult for them to keep their apartments clean and organized.

It is hard to clean the apartment when so many things are scattered. Some people have a lot of clothes and shoes, and finding a place for them is challenging.

Some people live in a small space, making it difficult to find room for everything. It can be challenging to organize the bathroom because there is no storage in the bathroom, and it can be challenging to manage the kitchen because of how small it is.

No matter the reason for your difficulties with keeping your apartment organized, some organizing hacks can make it easier for you to manage your apartment.

1. Apply the one-in, one-out method

The one-in and one-out method is a simple way to maintain an organized apartment. The idea is that you take out a piece of trash every time you bring new items into your room. This method is easy for people who are not very good at maintaining their homes because it doesn’t require much effort or attention.

It is a way to declutter your space by only allowing in one new item and taking out an old article. For example, if you buy new clothes, you should consider getting rid of the same number of clothes you’re buying and bringing into your home.

This method helps you organize your space by giving you a clear idea of what items are needed and which ones need to go.

2. Find storage in unlikely places.

You must have a sound storage system to have a clean and organized apartment. And while there are many storage systems available on the market today, it can be challenging to find the right one. But with a few hacks and tricks, you can transform unused space into storage that will help you organize your apartment.

Organizing your apartment can be a daunting task. Sometimes, there needs to be more space to store your belongings. But, if you look in the right places, you will find plenty of storage options.

For example, if you have a corner in the living room with a lot of unused space, you can get creative and put up some shelves to store books or decorations. You could also use this space to place some plants and create an indoor garden even.

3. Tidy up every day

Organizing hacks for your apartment is less time-consuming than you might think. It is a process you can do in small increments of time, making your home feel fresh and new every day.

According to Home Cleaning NYC apartment cleaning service NYC, one way to make it easier to keep your apartment as organized as possible is by tidying up a little daily.

The first step to organizing your apartment is to identify what organizing tasks you need to do. Then, plan how much time you have each day, and start with the most straightforward task on the list.

You don’t need to deep clean your apartment every time. However, every little cleaning you do will make it easier not to feel like your apartment is dirty or cluttered.

4. Create multipurpose rooms

One of the best ways to organize your apartment is by using multipurpose rooms. They allow you to maximize the square footage of your living space and make it easier for you to store items.

Another great hack is to use furniture with drawers or shelves that are wide enough so that you can use them as storage units for books, clothes, and other items. This hack will save a lot of space in your room because you won’t have too many things on the floor anymore.

5. Move your things to meet your needs.

One of the best ways to organize your apartment is by moving your things to meet your needs. When you move items around, you will see that it is easier than you thought it would be.

If you want to organize your apartment, try these hacks

• Put all the furniture in one place, and move them around until they are in the right spot. This way, they won’t get in the form of anything else and will make more sense to you.

• Take everything out of a room and put it back differently. This step will give you a fresh perspective on how everything should go together when you finish organizing.

• Label all of the boxes so that they are easy to find when you need them again later on

With the proper positioning of some items in your apartment, you might find it easier to move around and live comfortably in your apartment after.

These organizing hacks for your apartment can make it easier to not only start organizing your apartment but also make it easier to maintain that organized state. Apply these hacks for yourself so that you don’t have to feel like you’re claustrophobic in your apartment.

Common Mistakes People Make With Their Smaller Home

There’s a lot to love about big homes, but they are a lot to manage. Instead, many people opt for something a little smaller and cozier. Still, they make some mistakes that leave them unhappy. Continue reading to learn which common mistakes people make with their smaller homes that you must avoid.

Bad Organization and Too Much Clutter

These two points go hand in hand; without proper organization, you will end up with a lot of unnecessary items. Clutter is your worst nightmare in a small home, but organization will be your best friend who keeps that nightmare at bay. Many first-time homeowners fail to implement a proper organization system when they move in. Slowly but surely, their home ends up full of junk. Organization is essential for small homes because it keeps everything in easy-to-reach places that aren’t out in the open for everyone to see or stumble over. To start organizing, you must:

• Declutter regularly

• Learn to maximize vertical space

• Create a “home” for every item

• Determine what you need and what’s non-essential

With these organization tips, you can keep the clutter at bay and enjoy all the positives a small home brings you!

Not Taking Advantage of the Outdoors

One mistake that is incredibly common to make, both for big and small house owners, is neglecting the outdoors. While it can happen to everyone, it’s an even bigger problem for small homeowners. Embracing the outdoors is one part of single-story home designs you can’t go without. Mansions have countless rooms and amenities to explore, so it’s possible you won’t go outside every day.

Sadly, you don’t get this luxury with a small home, which is why the outdoors is critical to your home design. You may spend time on your patio, build a fire pit to hang out with friends, and even create a garden. One of the joys of a single-story home is having the outdoors right there; you should take advantage of that as best as you can.

Bringing Everything Over

This point goes along with the organization mistake, but you cannot understate its importance. For many homeowners, a smaller home is a downsize. They’ve lived in a bigger home and are choosing to go somewhere smaller and cozier, but they try to bring all of their stuff with them. This is a recipe for disaster because your new home will feel cramped, you’ll have things everywhere, and you’ll lack the room to expand.

If you want to live life to the fullest in your smaller home, you need to do a little downsizing before you move. You should trade out some of your furniture and determine what is essential in your new home. For example, if you’re not the biggest cook, consider bringing fewer dishes, pots, and different ingredients. Doing so will give you more space for what you enjoy, whether it’s reading, arts and crafts, music, or anything in between.

People make many simple mistakes with their smaller homes, leaving them with a cramped space and none of what makes it great. Learn how to avoid these mistakes so you can live life to the fullest in your small home!

How Home Organization Can Support Recovery

Navigating recovery can often be overwhelming, so it’s essential to have a safe space that promotes calmness and tranquility. Ideally, that place is your home. 

Your environment plays a big role when it comes to your mood. Studies have shown that your surroundings can have a strong impact on your emotions. For example, rooms with bright lights can help with issues like depression and sleep, while dark, cluttered rooms can make you feel anxious. 

When it comes to your recovery journey, an organized space can have a positive impact, taking away some extra stress and providing you with a clean and calm space to keep moving forward. 

Still not convinced? Let’s take a closer look at how home organization can support recovery so you can start taking positive steps toward decluttering your space and your mind. 

It’s Something You Can Control

When you’re struggling with addiction, it’s easy to feel like things are spinning out of control. Just because you’re in recovery doesn’t mean those thoughts go away completely. Cleaning, decluttering, and keeping things organized give you a sense of greater control. You’ll feel like a “master” of your own environment, which can calm your anxieties, boost your mood, and make things seem less chaotic even when you’re struggling. 

Feeling like you’re in control is an important factor in your mental health. It allows you to be more mindful and present. Cleaning and organizing also serve as positive distractions. There are many paths to sobriety, but feeling like you’re in control and distracting yourself from harmful thoughts are two of the best ways to stay on track, no matter what program you’re using. 

You’ll Experience Less Stress

A cluttered home can impact your mental health by raising stress levels and causing you to feel anxious. It creates too many stimuli in one place, which can affect things like: 

• Feelings of anxiety;

• Focus;

• Memory;

• Motivation.

It’s not uncommon for those who struggle with addiction to be triggered by stress and feelings that overwhelm them. If you know stress is one of your triggers, eliminating it from your life as much as possible can make a big difference, and that starts with your home environment. 

Plus, taking the time to clean and declutter now reduces the need for constant upkeep. You’ll have less to worry about on a daily basis when you have a clean house. As a result, you won’t have to worry about things “piling up” or the way you might feel overwhelmed if they do. By taking on small organizational tasks each day, you’ll stay on top of keeping your space clean. That’s one less thing that might otherwise bring stress into your life. 

You’ll Boost Your Self-esteem

Organizing things takes time and dedication. If things have been piling up for a while, decluttering and putting your belongings in their rightful place can feel like a big project. However, by the time you’re finished, you’re likely to be more confident. Your self-esteem will improve with every task checked off your list, which can motivate you to do more and keep moving forward.

As a bonus, having more space in your home will make it easier to take on new hobbies and practices. Some of the best activities for those in recovery to boost mental wellness and stay focused on their journey include: 

• Yoga;

• Meditation;

• Journaling;

• Crafts;

• Cooking.

When you know where things are and you don’t have to worry about dealing with a mess, you’re more likely to try new things or get involved with hobbies you used to enjoy. They serve as wonderful distractions, but they can also give you a sense of purpose and accomplishment. 

Make sure you’re not ignoring your outdoor space! There are countless mental and physical health benefits associated with being outside, so upgrading your backyard and spending more time there can foster a sense of tranquility and peace. Consider planting a garden to achieve a sense of control and accomplishment, or make sustainable backyard upgrades, like solar lights and a compost bin, to feel good about giving back to the planet. 

Your home should feel like your sanctuary when you’re going through recovery. Keeping things clean and organized is a great way to embrace your space, stay calm, and start the next chapter of your life on the right foot.