Organizing Cleaning Supplies!
Organizing cleaning supplies sounds like an absurdly meta experience as cleaning and organizing are cousins of sorts. However, most of the time when I end up going to someone's house and working in either a kitchen or a laundry room, or a garage, I often end up setting up an organizing system for cleaning supplies, so I thought it would be worth talking about this because it appears that some of us could use some help in this area!
The first thing I usually like to recommend if people are having trouble keeping their cleaning fluids and powders organized is that they downsize on the amount of these specialty cleaners. Companies are very good at making us believe that we need a lot of specialty cleaners for different surfaces when there are actually a few that will work for most surfaces. I'm not saying you can't have your specialty cleaner, but if you're dealing with a small space or you're struggling with excess, you may want to reconsider having so many separate specialty cleaners in favor of a few general ones. You can use a multipurpose spray cleaner in the bathroom sink and still do a good job. In a wonderful video from Melissa Maker, she informs us that you don't even really need to invest in wood furniture polish!
My first step with clients is to usually go through these cleaners that are under the sink or whatever and figure out which ones get used and which ones are actually kind of redundant. My favorite solutions are all-purpose cleaning concentrates like the ones from Mrs. Meyers and I know that Grove Collaborative makes one too or if you're feeling fancy, you can buy concentrate from The Laundress which smells fancy. I find that purchasing a glass spray bottle can help if you like to switch the scents of your cleaners frequently because the glass spray bottle is least likely to hold the fragrance of whatever you're using and I find that they tend to clean up much better than plastic bottles.
While we're talking about under the kitchen sink I find this to be the place where people need the most help when it comes to organizing cleaning supplies. After downsizing under here, I always recommend some organizing solution that is going to work around the plumbing under the sink.
If I'm going to use the vertical space under the sink, I make sure I purchase a solution that can fit to the left or right of the plumbing. This Elfa drawer unit has been a real workhorse in my home for a number of years and it still lives under my sink to this day.
Using hooks on cabinet doors is also going to be super helpful in under sink cabinets as everything I need to hang. I have been using Command Hooks for years.
If I am pressed for valuable real estate under the sink, I will allocate a space for cleaning supplies used less often and in my case, I stored them on a shelf on top of where all my stick goods are hanging
And backs of doors are great places to store cleaning items too!
Storing dish towels in a file folding method is a lifesaver if you find yourself unable to see them all or need help choosing which is the best one for the job!
HELPFUL LINKS
https://reallifemamadrama.com/mom-hack-organization-for-the-mess-under-your-kitchen-sink/
https://creatingahousesheloves.com/how-to-organize-under-the-kitchen-sink/
Elfa Door and Wall Rack: https://go.magik.ly/ml/11i0t/
Elfa Drawer Units: https://go.magik.ly/ml/11i0v/
SHOP
https://www.amazon.com/shop/hubneat?listId=3GLXHG4EFZDH1
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