Car Organization Archives - Graceful Order

Taming the Clutter – Baking Supplies

June 14, 2014 · by Maria · Leave a Comment

I am starting a new series, called “Taming the Clutter”. I am challenging myself to de-clutter even the previously de-cluttered spaces. Any system that is no longer working for me around the house, is getting a facelift.

This week, I wanted to tackle the baking center. I previously posted about my baking station HERE and for the most part, it still works for me. Except, this little turntable with all the condiments.

It looks so cute and perfect, until you use it, or pull something from the back of the cabinet. Then all the little bottles topple over.

I decided that these containers, though cute as a button, had to go! I needed a small set of containers that were stackable which would prevent the bottle avalanche.

I didn’t have to buy any containers because I had these Tupperware containers in the back of a cabinet, just sitting there being perfect and lonely. They are about 12 years old so I don’t know that they are still available. Any small stackable container will do.

I took out all my smaller baking items and discarded the expired items.

Then I took out this bad boy. My organizing companion that never expires. My label maker.

I made a label for the bottom of the container with the new expiration date. I used my labeler since it was out, but any sticker that you can write the expiration date on, will suffice.

Now fill ‘er up.

No more dealing with bottles tumbling down every time I reached for something from the back of the cabinet. I left some of the items in the turntable since it is now easily accessible.

To celebrate this new baking station, lets bake a cake.

Pile on the frosting. We’re celebrating here!

This is the first of the “taming the clutter” series, and I will share another easy project next week to simplify your day.

Do you have a baking station in your kitchen?

See you in few days with another project, and an exciting announcement!

Maria

Organizing the Car Glove Box

October 16, 2013 · by Maria · 2 Comments

We all want a neat car. That’s established.

I will be sharing tips during the next couple of days on how to keep your car free from clutter.

A good tip is to try to empty your car when you are pumping gas. This is the best time to throw away all the little receipts that you accumulate during the week.

Another tip is to always take something with you (besides your purse) that needs to be thrown out or put away when you leave your car. We shouldn’t have the attitude that if we can’t clean the whole thing we won’t do anything at all. However little you do adds up and you have less to clean later on.

There are things that need to stay in the car. There are certain papers that we need and I like having them all in one spot. I do this with an accordion organizer.

I’m sure you already have one of these files lying around and you can put it to use right away!

I created the following tabs on mine:

All of our bank accounts / Roadside assistance info / Car Registration / Maps / Repairs / Car Insurance Info / Note pad

In the bank account tabs I only file deposit slips that have no account information. This way when I need to make a drive thru deposit (the only sensible way to deposit with kids) I have the slips ready to go. I just grabbed a stack from each of our banks.

The car insurance cards I have in my wallet but I photocopy them and place the copy behind the “Insurance” tab.

In the “Repairs” tab I only keep receipts such as car battery purchases and the latest trip to the mechanic.

All the other tabs are self-explanatory. I hope you liked this quick tip on organizing your car. You can personalize this further by filing other items that you use often.

More to come later this week!

Happy Organzing!

Maria

Organizing your Car

October 9, 2013 · by Maria · 3 Comments

The day you get your minivan. The day that elation and depression collide. A mixture of excitement and resignation. Your chances of coolness have fled forever.

The thing is…they are SO darn practical that you knew it was a matter of time before you caved in. You are a minivan owner.

So here she is…look at those clean lines…those curves…that exquisite paint job that screams…P-R-A-C-T-I-C-A-L-!!!!

The truth is that I LOVE IT. The storage that a minivan offers is unmatched.

How to keep it clean: I try my very best to avoid eating in the car. If we are in a time crunch or going on a longer trip we do it but we (we means only me) try to avoid it. You have to be flexible with kids but I find that if I set the standard that we don’t eat in the car I end up having to clean up so much less. Even with “the standard” I end up picking up a bowl of Cheerios from the backseat every two weeks.

Here is the interior.

I keep a box of wipes and an umbrella in the front. The box of wipes fits on the floor in the very center and doesn’t move about because the umbrella keeps it put.

I basically don’t know what I did before baby wipes. I don’t recall my life before them. I am pretty sure I was miserable.

I put these hooks on the passenger seat to hold my purse while I drive. I flip them towards the back when I need them to hold groceries.

I have spilled the contents of my bag so many times after breaking hard. No more. You can find the hook HERE if you want to try it out.

Here is my favorite feature of this minivan (Chrysler Town & Country). The latch on the floor of the second row opens up and there is a world of storage under there.

On one side I keep a TON of grocery bags and a beach towel. In the next picture you can see the full size of this storage space because here it is only half-open.

Here is the other side fully open. Isn’t this space huge?!

There is a wagon full of toys, rain coats for the whole family, and large first aid kit under the tool kit (just in case I have to fully assemble my car roadside although I have AAA and a number of other roadside assistance programs).

Now the trunk. I only keep a small stroller in there since my 2-year old rarely uses a stroller when we are out.

I line the bottom of the trunk with a blanket that I can wash if it gets dirty from a spill or dirt from when I buy plants. If you ever need a blanket for the park, it’s there too.

On the side of the trunk I keep a roll of paper towel, cups, sunscreen and a bottle of water. I realize that you shouldn’t drink water that has been sitting in a car getting hot but I like having one there just in case someone starts choking while they are assembling the car roadside. Am I the only one that thinks of these things?

Don’t answer that.

So you have a minivan. You now make a new commitment to yourself. “I will never wear mom jeans. The minivan is as low as I will go”

This gives you hope for the future. You may still have a chance at being cool…when you are not driving, of course.

Share with me what else you store in your car. Do you have a minivan? Do you love it too?

Happy Organizing,

Maria