Organization tips, room by room

As the holiday season comes to a close and a new decade begins, many of us will seek to start with healthier bodies, more positive outlooks and cleaner, more organized homes. I like to think of it as more of a fresh start than a New Year’s resolution. In my mind, it is too hard to prioritize these kinds of habits when we are shuffling from celebration to celebration and trying to enjoy quality time together.

Getting back into an everyday routine gives us a chance to tweak the routines we left behind. When it comes to the home, packing up our holiday décor also gives us a chance to reorganize. Whether you plan to reinvent yourself or just clean up a bit, consider some of these organization tips for every room of the home:

PLAYROOM: Keep clutter to a minimum by storing toys to be used on rotation. Leave 30 percent of your toys in the playroom and the other 70 percent in closed bins elsewhere.

Rotate through the lineup once every month or two.

KITCHEN: Use the space above your cabinets for extra storage. Keep it to items that add to your decor, like cookbooks, artwork or photos. Lay newspaper down before adding your items. The paper will lie flat and out of sight, but will simplify dusting later on. Simply remove one layer of paper and leave one behind.

GARAGE: Make it your mud-room. Most of us do not have the space needed for a mud-room, but our days begin and end coming and going from the garage. Install a cubby system for every member of the family within your garage. Keep backpacks, shoes, and other on-the-go items sorted by family member. This will save you from taking trips back inside for forgotten items, and will also help to keep clutter from entering your home in the first place.

BATHROOM: Buy in bulk, but use in small quantities. Purchase your own, uniform bottles for shampoo, conditioner, body wash and hand soap. Fill them as needed from bulk containers. The

smaller bottles take up less space and will make your bathroom feel cohesive and balanced.

LAUNDRY: Invest in a quality, collapsible laundry sorter — with wheels. Rather than keep hampers in every room, use one sorter for everyone. Use one bin for delicates, one for bulky items like towels and one for whites. Do a load every time one gets full.

Have a comment or question for Joanne? Email thefixisinhawaii@gmail.com.