October - laundry room 5S

The laundry room is a closet that is actually used quite a bit in my home, but does not receive a lot of attention.  I currently store cleaning supplies and rags, as well as bulk supplies on the shelves above my washer/dryer.

1. Sort

Pull out everything you are storing and confirm it is all still useful and it is in the best place for point of use.  

Example:  each bathroom (or at least upstairs and downstairs) can have its own cleaning supply caddy, to ensure the tools are available at the point of use. 

Old or broken cleaning tools may need to be thrown out, replaced or relegated to the garage for cleaning car tires. 

Once detergent bottles are empty, throw them out or recycle them. If you have detergent samples, use them or donate them.  Those little packets just clutter up the shelves.

2. Scrub

Wipe down the outside of your washer and dryer. You can clean the washer with commercial cleaners specified for cleaning the machine or running 2 cups of vinegar through a complete cycle on the hottest setting.

3. Set

Put like with like, at the point of use.  Use bins or caddies to separate functional items. 

Laundry items (detergent, fabric softener, stain remover) should be together within easy reach of the washer. 

Extra cleaning products and sponges/brushes can be stored, but do not need to be as accessible.  

4.  Standardize

Label any misc bins (dog supplies, light bulbs, etc).

Designate a space and or quantity of spare supplies (ex. 4 packs of toilet paper). Each satellite location should have a minimum quantity as well, so once you run out in this location, you should have time to buy more before you run out in each bathroom. 

5.  Sustain

Dust the washer and dryer with a towel before you clean towels.

Revisit the storage areas quarterly for worn cleaning tools and to ensure you are replenishing supplies as needed. 

5S to Childproof

First of all, there is no ultimate solution for child proofing. As children get older, they learn how to manipulate any devices you use. So it is a continuous process.

Now that my toddler is taller, he can get in drawers and reach counters that I had not anticipated. So how can I use these areas for functional storage, without risk of injury or damage?

1.  Make sure all knives, flames and sharp objects are well out of arms reach. Put them on shelves or as far back for the counter edge as possible. 

2.  Do not put out anything that you will be devastated if it broke. Accidents happen and kids throw things sometimes. I have had to rethink decorations and some of those antiques may stayed packed away until my kids are bigger.  Plenty of time to take them out at a future date.

3.  When you "set" items in place, think about accessibility for the user, as well as for children. Instead of putting scissors in the junk drawer, maybe you can create a "office tool" station that is on a high shelf your children can not reach. 

4.  Create a space that is ok for them to access. In the kitchen, their plates and utensils can be stored where they can help set the table. In the bathroom, the bath toys can be in a cabinet they can reach.  Maybe there are some snacks it is ok for them to reach and some you want them to be ask for.

5.  Get your kids involved.  Let them pick out what should be included in "their" spaces.  It gives them some ownership and control.

As with any 5S activity, it is a process. Kids will learn and grow, but they will also be more aware of breaking things and boundaries.  Continue to re-evaluate as your family develops.

September - 5S Garage

Time to put away the summer toys and start thinking about those holiday decorations.  What a great time to sort through the garage, before it gets to cold.

1. Sort - A seasonal sort of the garage is ideal so you can pare down the toys that got broken and pack up the ones you will save until next year.  For this area, I would recommend being prepared with empty bins and bags as you sort.  Items in the garage tend to be big, so the sooner you can get rid of it or packed up, the easier it is to move forward in the process.  

My biggest problem right now is empty boxes.  We have a bunch of flattened boxes from our last move.  We have been thinking about moving again, so we have been hanging onto these boxes for two years.  Currently they are lining our garage.  Alternately, we could stack full boxes on top of them on the shelves.  Realistically we need to decide if we really need all of them and get rid of some.  It is often easy to check Freecycle.com to get boxes from others that just moved.

2. Scrub - Time to clear cobwebs and sweep the floor.  Wipe down shelves, as appropriate.  Also wipe down equipment and toys before you pack them up.  It is easier to clean them now than when you are unpacking to actually use them.

3. Set - Really think about what boxes you are going to need when.  Rotate last season's boxes to the back and next season's to the front.  Right now, Holiday boxes should be easily accessible, since winter is coming up fast.
A couple of storage ideas I have seen (on Pinterest, etc):
- Putting skinny shelves in between the two car spaces (2-car garage).
- Wall hooks for bikes, tools and storage baskets.
- Wall baskets or bins for kids toys (balls, helmets, jump ropes, etc)
Remember to put like items together.  Separate tools and garden implements from the kids toy areas.  Don't want them messing with the wrong bins.

4.  Standardize - visuals
In a manufaturing shop, they typically create shadow boards for hanging tools and equipment, so they can see if something is missing.  You can do the same with your tools and garden implements.  
Labeling is the other option.  This is most important for bins and boxes that may not be obvious at a glance.  We all know how annoying it is to sort through multiple bins trying to find that one set of special occasion silverware.  

Inventory the seasonal bins and label on the outside, so you can quickly review them before unpacking.  This is a good task to do before you pack them up at the end of the season.  You can also note on the list what may be needed next year.

5.  Sustain - The easiest time to rotate and revisit your garage is with the seasons. 
Fall - pack away summer toys;  unpack Halloween and fall/winter tools (rakes, shovels, etc).
Winter - Pack Halloween deco and prep Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hannukah boxes.
Spring - Pack Holiday boxes (be sure to note what may be noted next year);  Prep Easter stuff and gardening tools.
Summer - Unpack all the summer toys (esp. swimming, camping and picnic stuff).

Any other ideas for garage organization?