Marilyn Bohn | Creative Organizer

3 reasons to keep the bathroom organized:

•When the kids won’t leave you alone and you want to get away, go to the bathroom and crank up the music so you can’t hear them.
•You can draw a bubble bath and pretend you are somewhere else, I think there used to be a commercial where the woman said, “Calgon, take me away”. Does anyone else remember that or did I just make it up?
•When company comes they always need to use the bathroom.

Keep the vanity clear by containing things in baskets, use toothbrush holders, soap holders and have a candle you can light to freshen the room. (The candles in the metal tins are safer in bathrooms). If you use a votive candle holder put a little water in the bottom so the candle doesn’t stick when it burns down.

For the tub area keep things off the rim of the tub by having holders for the soap, shampoos, salt rubs etc.

Here are some before and after photos:

Photo of tub before the corner rack.

Photo after with the rack.

Photo of the shower head rack.

A caddy hangs over the shower head and a rack that holds everything else fits in the corner. This keeps the tub free and clear and uncluttered. What tips and ideas have you used to free your vanity and tub?

I just have to say I go all agog when I go to The Container Store. (We don’t have one here in Utah). I know, it’s sad but true. I use containers all the time in every room. Maybe I could go so far as to say I love containers. They are great to store things in, contain things in, make things get magically organized and stay that way.

Having said all of that here are two containers I suggest not buying:

This type of shoe rack—-

The reason is: the shoes just won’t stay on, I finally figured out by putting them on backwards they will stay. Even then they have to be placed gingerly on the rod for them to stay on. Everyone in my home finds that to be a bother. They just want to slap them down and be done. Don’t get me wrong—I like shoe racks of all kinds. I just found one in The Container Store catalog that holds 30 pair of shoes and fits on the back of a door. There are other over the door racks that hold fewer, there are free standing ones that work great as well as some that hang from the rod inside the closet.

Here is my other container I say not to waste your money on:

Now these look wonderful and you can sort and file by month, date and alphabetically but they are a pain. Why? Because they take two hands and the chin and shoulder to get anything in or out of them. Knowwhatimean? It is a waste of time to me and I don’t like wrestling my containers. If I need a wrestling fix I will turn on the T.V..

In the February/March 20089 issue of Shop Smart magazine they list four NOT SO HOT organizing tools that just add to the clutter.
1.Accordion files. (enough said)
2.Space bags. (I agree)
3.Cardboard Boxes. (not good in humid climates)
4.Plastic containers with rims (can take up valuable space)
5.There are a plethora of containers for all of our wants and needs. Buy what you need and what you like, don’t just buy to buy as then it becomes clutter rather than containers.

Do you have a container you would recommend NOT buying and why? We would love to hear from you.

The basket on the right holds my quilt magazines. After I read them I store them in a magazine holder and place on a shelf. The basket on the left holds catalogs. I go through these pretty often, every time I get a new one from the same company I toss the other one. Or every three months, which ever comes first.

The current/most recent magazines or books actively being used by several members of the family live here. Again, they get tossed after three months, or put in a more permanent place.

I think thank you notes are pretty and it is a great moral booster to look back and reminisce about friends. I keep the notes in a book in this basket. (You can’t see the book right now but it is there). A friend called me one day and said she was reading her past you notes and I had written her one 20 years before and she was thinking about me. That was sweet to hear from her, I was glad I had sent her a thank you note just to hear from her again.

This basket holds the books in my queue I will be reading. I keep them separate from my book case so I remember to read them. Then they go back on the shelf. I keep this in a corner of the bedroom.

Baskets are easy to care for, just a dusting with a damp cloth when cleaning and they are also sturdy and attractive.

What is your favorite basket and where did you buy it and why?

When someone asks me what my favorite organization tool is I never think to say a timer, but I think it is one of my favorites. Why?

Because it keeps me on track and I get busy and forget to move on to something else. I will give you an example. I bought a frozen Marie Calendar pie, my favorite razzleberry, and vanilla ice cream to go on top of the warm pie. I never eat ice cream except on this pie so it is really special to me. Anyway back to my story. I put the pie in the oven and I thought I had set the timer. When I started to smell the aroma of the pie I thought I would hear the timer. I didn’t ever hear it so I finally went to check on it and it was almost too well done. As in almost black but I am in denial.

I use a timer to keep on task when doing something I don’t want to do but I know I need to do. By setting the timer it changes my attitude about the task as I know it won’t last forever. If I want to keep doing what I am doing I can after the timer dings, it just gives me permission to stop.

Sometimes I set the timer about 9:00 in the morning for a meeting I have at 7:00 in the evening. I do this because that is a busy time of the day for me and the ding of the timer reminds me I need to go and get ready for the function and get out the door so I will be on time.

I use it also when I exercise in my home. I wouldn’t want to do that more than I have to.

A timer is a must in every home. And if you have more than one level, have one on each level. What do you use your timer for? Any crazy ways you use a timer?

I recently visited my daughter and in their rented home there is only one bathroom. There wasn’t any room to hang my travel organizer—It is the blue bag on the right in this basket. It is wonderful; it has a hook to hang it from a towel rack, hooks, shower rods and knobs. I purchased it at L.L. Bean in Maine. They come in all sizes. It has pockets and dividers to keep things organized within the bag. I also like it when I am camping, I just hang it on a branch and it even has a non-breakable mirror inside. It keeps everything handy and in one place.

But this time there wasn’t room for this or my other items. I couldn’t even leave out my tooth brush as all three of us have identical ones. So I came up with the idea of putting all my items I needed daily from make up, tooth brush and lotions etc. in a basket. It worked great as it was portable and held everything together.

I wanted to share what turned out to be a great idea when staying in someone else’s home; most people have an extra basket or two that can be used. A box would work well too. It was a great idea for a small space and it was portable and kept everything handy.

What solutions have you found when you have been a guest in someone else’s place when space is limited? I would like to know how you’ve solved the problem.

Here is an idea on how to organize towels in a bathroom. It is great in small spaces or when there is limited storage space. Or when there is plenty of room for storage this can be used and it is pretty and functional at the same time.

Look for this or similar towel holders in your local home store, container stores, variety stores, and specialty stores.

I have said before towels can also be stored in baskets on the back of the toilet, hung on hat racks, install several hooks along a long wall, baskets can be hung on the wall and towels rolled up and placed in them.

Working as a professional home organizer I am always looking for ways to save space and have attractive organizing containers and ideas. Do you have any ideas you can share to organize towels? What have you done with your towels?

With little bathroom space and a lot of people using the shower or tub I think this is a good idea on where and how to store tub toys.

My daughter puts the toys in a container and places them under the sink. They are out of the way yet convenient when it is tub time.

Other ways that work nicely is to string a bath net made for the purpose of holding toys that are used in the tub. It is suctioned on the walls and since it is net the water drains into the tub.

One other solution would be to place the toys in a container and leaving it in the tub. This would not be as convenient for the next person using the tub, but you do what you have to do when space is tight and limited.

What are your solutions to storing tub toys in a convenient place?

About 2-1/2 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home each year. The good news is that many of these incidents can be prevented by using simple child safety devices on the market today.

Our grandbaby is going to be born within the next couple of weeks so I am thinking of safety for her and her brother. Here are some child safety devices that can help prevent many injuries to young children.

1 Use Safety Latches and Locks for cabinets and drawers in kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas to help prevent poisonings and other injuries.

2 Use Safety Gates to help prevent falls down stairs and to keep children away from dangerous areas.

3 Use Door Knob Covers and Door Locks to help prevent children from entering rooms and other areas with possible dangers. Door knob covers and door locks can help keep children away from places with hazards, including swimming pools.
Typical cost of a safety gate: $13 to $40. Typical cost of a door knob cover: $1 and door lock: $5 and up.

4 Use Anti-Scald Devices for faucets and shower heads and set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to help prevent burns from hot water. Anti-scald devices for regulating water temperature can help prevent burns.
Typical cost of an anti-scald device: $6 to $30.

5 Use Smoke Detectors on every level of your home and near bedrooms to alert you to fires. Smoke detectors are essential safety devices for protection against fire deaths and injuries.
Typical cost of a smoke detector: less than $10.

6 Use Window Guards and Safety Netting to help prevent falls from windows, balconies, decks, and landings. Window guards and safety netting for balconies and decks can help prevent serious falls.
Typical cost of a window guard or safety netting: $8 to $16.

7 Use Corner and Edge Bumpers to help prevent injuries from falls against sharp edges of furniture and fireplaces. Corner and edge bumpers can be used with furniture and fireplace hearths to help prevent injuries from falls or to soften falls against sharp or rough edges. Be sure to look for bumpers that stay securely on furniture or hearth edges.
Typical cost of a corner and edge bumper: $1 and up.

8 Use Outlet Covers and Outlet Plates to help prevent electrocution. Outlet covers and outlet plates can help protect children from electrical shock and possible electrocution.
Typical cost of an outlet cover: less than $2.

9 Use a Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detector outside bedrooms to help prevent CO poisoning.
Typical cost of a carbon monoxide (CO) detector: $30 to $70.

10 Cut Window Blind Cords; use Safety Tassels and Inner Cord Stops to help prevent children from strangling in blind cord loops. You can get window blind cord safety information and free tassels by calling 1-800-506-4636 or visiting www.windowcoverings.org

11 Use Door Stops and Door Holders to help prevent injuries to fingers and hands. Door stops and door holders on doors and door hinges can help prevent small fingers and hands from being pinched or crushed in doors and door hinges.
Typical cost of a door stop and door holder: less than $4.

12 Use a Cordless Phone to make it easier to continuously watch young children, especially when they’re in bathtubs, swimming pools, or other potentially dangerous areas.

Using safety devices will protect our children and give us peace of mind.They are not 100% fool proof so we as adults still have to be mindful of where children are at all times and what they are doing. If it gets quiet that is the time to investigate.

I found this web site to request pamphlets: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission We can obtain this publication and additional publication information from the Publications section of CPSC’s web site or by sending your publication request to info@cpsc.gov And the publications are free.

I am starting a new place on my web site— FUN FINDS. There are so many new gadgets out there I am going to start spotlighting the fun, unique, useful and zany ones that I com across or that you share with me. I need your help. Please email me the fun finds you have or that you find. Tell me what they are, why you like them and even send a picture and my daughter Cindy will figure out how to put it on.

Today I am showing the fun find of the crescent (I call it the curved shower rod) for the bathroom. A few years ago I was in a motel room that had one and I loved it because the vinyl shower curtain stayed away from my body as I showered. When I got home I immediately ordered two—one for each bathroom. I love it and so does everyone else who uses the shower. They are curtain rods for tubs that have showers. It makes the shower space larger.

You can find them on line at www.signaturehardware.com Priced from: $34.95. Finishes: Brushed Nickel, Chrome, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Polished Brass and White. I tell you it is worth its weight in gold. You can see a photo of mine under the new tab: Fun Finds.

I know you can’t post photos in the comments section, but you can post a LINK to a photo of your table or you can email me a photo of it and I’ll post it if you want. Tell me what your fun finds are and I will share them with everyone and we will all be happy campers I mean happy shower-ers. Won’t this be fun to share all these new ideas?