No Wasted Space

Here's your 34th tip: Keep Your Small Electronics Organized and Accessible

Our lives are made easier and perhaps more entertaining each day with the variety of small electronics available. Things such as cell phones, IPods, MP3 players, ebook readers, and handheld video games can bring more to our lives, including more clutter. Follow some basic guidelines to make owning and using these gadgets even easier.

-Use a drawer, bin, or decorative basket for all of the cords and accessories.

-Label all charging and accessory cords with small file folder labels.

-Label battery charger boxes and keep a simple list of which type of battery each product uses.

-Use inexpensive Velcro bands to keep cords wrapped neatly when not in use.

-Keep a supply of electronic monitor wipes handy for cleaning screens.

-Have a supply of electronic-safe disinfectant wipes for cleaning devices regularly.

Here's your 32nd tip: Create a Family Command Center

Keeping up with the hectic lives of family members can be a challenge, but by creating a family command center you can help calm the chaos. Select a central location where everyone will know where to look, such as a kitchen or den, and incorporate the following ideas that will keep everyone on track.

-A family calendar with everyone's schedules
-Shopping lists
-A phone message board
-A dry erase board for special reminders
-A list of important phone numbers
-Special instructions, such as how to set the house alarm
-An extra set of vehicle keys
-A secret stash of emergency cash

Top it all off by displaying a family motto to help motivate and remind everyone how important each member of the family is.

Here's your 30th tip: Create Functional Garage Spaces

Home garages can become cluttered, dirty, and not very functional if we don't follow a few guidelines.

-Use boxes, bins, hooks, and shelving to get items off of the garage floor.

-Utilize rafter space for storing less frequently used or seasonal items.

-If you are forever unsure of how far to pull a vehicle forward into the garage without hitting the lawnmower, take a thin rope and attach a tennis ball to the end. Hang it from the rafters at a level where the windshield just touches it when you pull forward the proper distance.

-Paint colorful lines on the garage floor to signify kids' parking spaces for their bikes.

-Keep sawhorses and a sheet of plywood handy for easy to store and assemble workstations.