A Bowl Full of Lemons

Welcome to week 4 of the 2017 Home Organization Challenge. This week, we are creating an organized Launch Pad for the home. The launch pad is the place where you drop your things when you walk in the door, where you hang the family calendar & chore charts, store backpacks, leave your car keys, etc.  It doesn’t need to be a big space. If you don’t have a designated launch pad, now’s a great time to create one for your family. You can set up a launch pad in your foyer, kitchen, garage, hallway or mudroom.

 

 

If you’re just joining us, welcome. Simply print out the schedule and checklists below and tag along. For encouragement, join our Home Organization Facebook community to share your progress, or struggles, or questions. Or simply look through the photos and read how others are doing.

Free Challenge Kit

 

For the perfect companion guide to our challenge, purchase The Complete Book to Home Organization. It includes all 14 weekly challenges as well as a ton of inspiration and tips about the spaces we will be organizing. No need to log onto the computer for ideas, this manual has it all!

 

 

If you need more guidance on cleaning your house, be sure to pre-order my brand new book The Complete Book of Clean.  It has tons of tips and checklists that will teach you how to get your homes sparkling clean.

 

 

Week 4: The Launch Pad

I have a launch pad at my front door and at my garage door.  By creating a space for our things, our home has remained organized.  My kids have a place to put their things so they don’t just drop everything on the floor.  The keys are hung, backpacks have a spot, umbrellas have a basket, shoes have a tray, etc. Everything has a place.

 

THE ORGANIZING PROCESS

• Keep
• Donate/sell
• Trash/Recycle
• Other Room
• Shoes
• Accessories

Sort through everything in the space.  Empty it completely as you go. Divide everything into the 6 bins listed above (or more if needed).  Purge the items you no longer want, use, love or need.  Get rid of as much clutter as you can.

ORGANIZE.

It’s time to go through everything in the bins. Put the “other room” items where they belong. Toss the trash in the trash can outside. Place donations in your car and “to sell” items in the garage.  When organizing things in the bins, remove one item at a time, categorizing as you go.  Here are some items you could store in your launch pad area.

• Shoes
• Backpacks/Purses
• Keys
• Reusable Grocery Bags
• Umbrellas
• Calendars
• Jackets/Coats
• Cold Weather Accessories
• Dog walking items
• Mail
• Chore Charts
• Electronic charging cords

 

I have a launch pad at my front door and near my garage door and I also have a mudroom.  By creating a space for our things, our home has remained organized.  My kids have a place to put their things so they don’t just drop everything on the floor.  The keys are hung, backpacks have a spot, umbrellas have a basket, shoes have a tray, etc. The goal is for everything to have a place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some blog posts that will inspire you to get your Launch Pads organized.

• Mudroom Organization
• Garage Mudroom Organization
• Foyer Organization

 

Spend this week creating a launch pad in your home.  Share your progress on Instagram using the hash tag #abfolchallenge for a chance to get featured, blog about the weekly challenges, and share your before and after pictures over at my Home Organization group here.  Keep up the great work. You can finish all 14 challenges! I can’t wait to see what you accomplish.  Good luck. I’ll see you back next week for week 5 of the challenge. Happy Organizing!

~Toni
 

Tags: 2017 home organization challenge, launch pad, mudroom organization
2017 Home Organization Challenge, 2017 Home Organization Challenge, Blog, January 2017, Mudroom, Organize Posted in 7 comments