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patrickoweninteriors-blog · 6 years ago

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Your Questions, Answered!

If you couldn't already tell, I love organising. Nothing makes me happier than some transparent containers and my label maker. I've been asked some questions about this marvellous obsession that I wanted to share with you!

"Why do you bother to label clear containers, if you can already see what's in them?"

Firstly, everything looks better with a label. Secondly, once the item(s) from the container have been removed or used up, you need to know where to put it again or what has run out so you can re-stock. Personally I try to buy or order more of something when I notice it's running low, so I don't run out!

"Is a label maker expensive?"

I bought my Brother P-touch 90 on Amazon for £19.99, which came with one roll of black on white tape. After that I just used the code on the side of the tape cartridge to source less expensive ones on Amazon. The last batch I bought was x5 cartridges for £15. When I need to upgrade I'm going to try and find one which has black on clear tape more easily available, because that looks better on clear plastic or glass.

"Can you personalise the font and graphics on a label maker?"

Mine doesn't allow you to change the font, but you can add loads of graphics, you just have to Google the pictograph codes (e.g., A1, A2, A3) and it will show you what they look like. Simpler than it sounds and great for themed organising like Christmas and Birthday decorations.

"Where do you buy containers from so they don't get too expensive?"

My containers vary on what I need. Most of them come from Tesco, because they're the perfect size for most household items. I have some from Hobby Craft for jewellery and craft stuffs. Then I have some from various stores on Amazon. The last one I bought was £15 at B & Q to store Christmas decorations, and was probably the most expensive because it had special compartments for baubles and glass decorations. I try to limit how much I'll pay for them so it doesn't get ridiculous, because I really could spend an obscene amount on containers. If you're not quite sure what you need, take a look at The Plastic Box Shop, they have everything on there and its not expensive either.Also, don't be afraid to reuse takeaway boxes. I do all the time! They're perfect to throw some jewellery or small toiletries in when you go on a trip.

"Where did you find your sunglasses trays?"

I bought my sunglasses trays from Amazon, for about £17 per box. They had various size boxes and different collections you could buy but the ones I got were perfect for my sunglasses and lens cloths to go in.

"How do you organise important papers and letters?"

I found a lockable suspension file box from The Range to put all the important things in like bank statements and qualification certificates. They are organised in date order in their individual sections so I can easily find what I'm looking for, and it goes away safely and discreetly so I know all that important stuff is secure.

"How do you know which containers are going to look right, hold the contents properly and fit in the space?"

I am that person that takes half my house into a shop to make sure things fit. If you're buying a box for your hair products for example, take the largest thing with you. Also, make sure you measure everything before you go. I keep a tape measure I got in a Christmas cracker in my car so when I go shopping for these things I can keep it in my pocket and measure everything. I am also a fan of returning. If I'm not 100% sure about a container, I'll buy a few in different sizes and styles to see what looks good. Then I take back the ones I don't want and pick up the right ones. Remember to keep packaging and receipts!

"Does organising things like this take a long time?"

Not really. Once you have everything you need, it's easy to do. And once you've done it, you just have to make sure you keep it that way. No risk of needing to reorganise then! The longest one for me was my wardrobe. Once I had gutted, deep cleaned and put everything back in an organised way, it had probably taken me 2 hours max. Which sounds like a long time. But when you have some music going and you just get on with it it goes quickly and is done in no time. And the results pay off for you!

"What if I can't afford a label maker?"

Then you don't need a label maker! Get a nice pen and some address labels, or even some cute decoupage tape, and write your own in your own style. Or print off your labels and stick them on with glue dots or sticky back plastic! There are loads of cheaper options, I just choose to use a label maker because I'm crazy!

"How do you know where to look to find the right type of storage?"

Once you've done it a few times, you definitely have some favourite places for containers, but sometimes you can spend weeks looking until you find the right thing! My faves are BUYology, Tesco, The Range and Amazon. For baskets, the best place is probably Next Home. For food containers, I live by M&S or OXO air tight push button containers. They last FOREVER, and keep things so fresh!

"My dog's toys can smell sometimes when he's been chewing them lots, what's the best way to store these?"

Well firstly, make sure you clean the dogs toys routinely, even if just with warm water, to make sure they are clean for the dog and to prevent smells. If they still smell badly, bin them! But for containing them I'd say a basket or fabric box, or even a bottom drawer so you can leave it open for the dog to play with them. But seriously, if they smell that badly, just get rid of them.

"My car always ends up in a mess! How can I keep things straight in there?"

I always keep an A4 size plastic washable tub in the boot. I then got some velcro and stuck it to the bottom of the box so it doesn't slide around when I'm driving. I keep wellies, baby wipes, a hand towel, warning triangle, and a bottle of water in there. In my driver's side door pocket I have a car bin so all the pay and display tickets, sweet wrappers, tissues etc go in there. I try to keep my cup holders and phone shelf clear so there is no clutter around. I keep the bare basics in my glove compartment like a window cloth, torch, warning light, tide to go pen and sun lotion. Tip: always keep sun lotion in the car. Your hands get the most sun when you're driving and your hands truthfully tell your age, so look after them.I'm lucky enough to have an armrest which opens so I keep some loose change for parking, some pain killers for headaches, a pen (because I am that person who writes a birthday card on the dashboard in a car park) and a small tape measure. Little things help keep your car tidy and clutter free!

"I have a home office, and my cables around my desk get tangled a lot. How can I stop that from happening?"

First of all, label every plug or cable just above the plug. That way when you're de-tangling or unplugging, you know which one to go for. Then I would use some cable ties to pull the cords together or clip bulldog clips to the side of the desk to run the cables through and keep them separate!

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Image copyright Brother UK Ltd.

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