A Mom’s Guide to Storing Everything
Being a mom calls for almost super-human organizational and storage skills.
Maybe before you were a parent you wouldn’t mind setting car keys on the counter or small pieces of jewelry on the end table, but when you have kids, you have to be wary about anything that could endanger a toddler or could be destroyed by curious young explorers.
Of course, no one expects you to become a storage expert overnight, and getting your home organized the way you want is more or less a process of trial and error. Here are a few storage tips to help you along the way.
Store medication high up in the bedroom. You might think that your bathroom’s medicine cabinet is the best way to keep prescriptions out of little hands, but the humidity and heat in the bathroom actually speed up the breakdown of medicine and cause it to lose its potency more quickly. Find a small box, store your medications there, and put it somewhere out of reach in the bedroom, like the shelf of a closet.
Remove and rotate clothing. If you have a closet full of old, unworn items or seasonal clothing, consider donating what you know you and your family won’t ever wear again to Goodwill, and periodically remove the items you want to keep and then put them back to minimize the risk of damage from mold and mildew.
Place lotions or facial creams in a shower caddy. Most lotions and facial creams can last up to two years after they’re opened—unless they dry out. Keep these items and other toiletries such as shampoo and conditioner firmly sealed in a plastic or metal shower caddy which will allow water to drain.
Use drawer dividers to store and organize make-up. Make-up is another thing you need to keep away from young children, especially if your kid is at the age when they love to put everything in their mouth. Use expandable drawer dividers or even old jewelry boxes to better organize the make-up you use on a regular basis, and find an airtight container to store any unused make-up.
Store jewelry in a box lined with soft fabric. The risk with storing jewelry is that it will get tangled or scratched, so choose a box with lots of compartments for individual items and a lining made from velvet, silk, or another high thread count fabric. Make sure you store your jewelry somewhere dry, as it can be damaged by heat and humidity.
For even more storage tips—including advice on how to store items when you and your family are in the middle of a big move—check out the infographic from Next Door Self Storage.
Great ideas on storing things! Having previously experienced the keys to my car missing, and eventually found under a radiator, hidden by a 2 year old, and a stomach liquid medication smeared all over a 4 year olds face, wish I had read this before then!
I have been very scatterbrained while recovering from a serious accident. My husband helps a little, but I need to be much more organized so I can remember where things are.
Awesome ideas
Love this info. thank you for great organizational and storage ideas. I really like the insulation and risk factors.
TY so much for all of the helpful storing tips and advice
Such helpful tips! I am certainly going to pin this for further use!
Thanks for all the neat storage tips 🙂 Really like the chart.
This is nice to know
Being a grandma is just like be a "new mom" again. I had forgotten how much little ones can get into and how quickly. I had to reorganize my home to make it "kid safe" again. This really helps.
Wow, good information. I have a tiny house and storage is SUPER important to keeping everything in its place. I never thought about temperature ranges.
Thanks for the helpful guide. I really need to go through the house top to bottom and organize everything and toss out all the stuff that has expired
Thanks for this infographic. I could use the help!
I def. need this guide. I have a lot of stuff and don't what to do with it all.
I really like the jewelry storage tip. I usually throw mine all together and it get's tangled or tarnishes. I can't wait to try it.
The info graph is very helpful!
Nice post. Going to keep some of this info in mind. Thank you.
WOW this has info for EVERYTHING!! I definitely going to pin this! I guess I keep a lot of products way too long!
I really love this chart. I know when I had my daughter I had find a space for everything. I'm going to pin this. Thanks for the great post 🙂
Being organized and being able to store everything safely is definitely one of the main facts about being a mom, you couldn't be more right. I love your tips and use them all already, and have learned through trail and error as well. Another tip I would suggest is to keep all cleaning supplies/chemicals high up in a closet or cabinet as well.
Mother's are the queens of storing because if we don't want to start stepping on toys at 3am, then we will need to make the best of our storing habits & that we can go on to teach our children!!!(Keeps the children in check of how to take care of their toys & in the kitchen, laundry room & anywhere else we need organization, mothers are the best at storing & what & how we store it all!!!!!!!
cool
These are some really great ideas, thank you! I will be forwarding them on to my sister.
I just go by the rule if I don't use it by 6 months its thrown out.
Many thanks for helping out us mom's and dad's,when storage is sparce,we need all the tips we can get 🙂
SOME VERY GOOD TIPS. I KNOW WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I WAS VERY ORGANIZED. IT WAS EASIER THEN. AS I GOT OLDER & BY MYSELF IT BECAME HARDER EASIER TO JUST OPEN A CLOSET & TOSS.
Excellent tips and a wonderful chart! I had forgotten why we need to keep our jewelry on a soft fabric.
What a handy and very helpful guide! I pinned it.
Wow this is a keeper great info thank you .
I like all information given on how to store certain items. I agree with her opinions.
These suggestions for organizing and keeping things put up well were very helpful. I really like the graphics put into these!
I love all the tips! Thanks for sharing 🙂
These are great tips! I'll put some to use right now.
I like this chart idea. I had no clue that make-up went bad. I think I need to start throwing some away.
I have a jewelry wall holder that hold earrings and necklaces. Easy to see everything.
great information and I know all of us can use. TFS.
Some very good ideas....time to get busy around here!!
Thank you for these pointers, organizing is definitely not my strong point!
Thank you for sharing! I desperately need to get organized and the chart is so helpful and bright!
Southern Kraze sent me, I'm organized in my own way that I know where everything is
That's a pretty good list. I need to get organized.
Get info-graph. I hate how quick make-up goes of. I use it about 4 times a year so it never lasts as long as I need it to.
Thank you for sharing this chart with us and the organizational tips.
LOVE THAT CHART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for posting, I can ALWAYS use tips on storing/shelf life of products!
I could use this chart, thanks
A Mom's Guide to Storing Everything has got some great organizational and storage tips for all new and not so new moms! I really like the Storage Unlocked: How to Store Everything Mini Charts that are color-coded by groups at the bottom of the article!!