Keep them neat and tidy

DO you have odds and ends stacked everywhere? CDs by the music centre, DVDs by the television, a stack of hair accessories on the dressing table, shoes cluttering the hallway? And all of them trapping dust and looking messy? Here are some ideas for keeping things tidy.

hair accessories

Look in the handyman and home repair isles in the supermarket for a small storage unit used to store screws and nails. These typically have 10 to 20 small drawers that are ideal for storing ribbons, bows, clips and grips.

CDs and DVDs

Look for pretty cardboard shoe box size storage containers, typically sold in stationery shops. Take along a CD so you get the right size: small for a single row and large for a double row. Setting CDs upright will make it easy to see the titles and the lid keeps out dust. Arrange your CDs and DVDs by type or alphabetically while you’re at it.

Keys

Some people keep their keys in a bowl by the door, but if you’re short of space, buy a lined rattan basket and secure it to the back of the door. However, don’t do this if you have a letterbox flap in your door as thieves can then reach through. Only do this if your door is a solid one.

ties and shoes

Make extra space in your closet by fixing a curtain rod on the inside of the door for ties. Hang it at the back of the closet to secure high heeled and court shoes. Do be careful not to add too much weight to the rods: calculate the thickness of the wood, the strength of the rod and the strength of the screws to make sure it does not collapse.