How do you keep your things organised?

I'm a big stickler for things being organised. I would add "& tidy" but that has gone down the pan in a big way since the dogs arrived.

Until recently all the dog's stuff (except toys) were in two cardboard boxes or strewn all over the floor. The dogs have several leads (most of which we didn't even buy - we just inherited them!), first aid bits, brushes, towels, vaccination cards, microchip information, dog whistles, clicker (plus instruction books), plastic waste bags, wormers and flea treatments, shampoo, information booklets.... the list goes on and on! And you can guarantee that whatever you're looking for, you cannot put your hands on it for love nor money! Or that the dogs will find and chew on it before you realise it's missing.

Last week, the dogs started chewing a hole in the corner of one of the boxes and started pulling out and shredding the waste bags - I went home on Friday to my living room covered in tiny pieces of bright blue plastic, and I lost all hope that I would ever have a clean and tidy home again.

On Saturday, we had to go to the local feed store for horse and bunny feed, and while we were there, I noticed one of the large Shires grooming kit boxes was half price because of a little crack in the lid . So I snaffled it and it is now the "dog box". It has a removeable tray, so little things don't vanish, little compartments in the top that are just the right size for the clicker and whistles, and I felt such relief to be able to round up all the dog gear and pack it away somewhere secure. (I know, I need to get a life )

But it got me wondering how other dog owners cope with all the associated gear? It was so nice to walk into the house and not have it scream DOGS LIVE HERE for the first time in six weeks. Having two dogs fling themselves at you is plenty of a statement without all your surfaces covered in equipment as well .

WE have a dog drawer in the kitchen (full of paperwork/tablets etc) and a dog cupboard (large) with 2 15kg bags of food in, another large dog cupboard with treats/spare toys/brushes/kongs (they have limited access to them) other doggy bits and bobs...all in boxes. We also have a large bag in the back porch full of poo bags (empty i hasten to add) in the front porch we have leads of all shapes and sizes and a couple of 'spare' collars....' Now I write it all down thats' a lot of space isn't it????????????????

I am disorganised and untidy/lazy, but there is SOME order to the dog's things!
Their day to day collars and leads are hung over the bottom post of the stairs, right by the front door ready to put on when we go out.
All the show gear is in a holdall which is mucked out periodically (I loath litter louts, so bring back all used wipes, crisp packets etc if I haven't seen a bin)
All bottles, tubes, cans etc of grooming/veterinary nature are under the sink in the Utility, in a designated place (top shelf, left hand side) except shampoo's which are in the bathroom ready to use.
Food - dumped in the corner of the Utility. When the units are finished and the walls plastered, they should fit in the tall cupboard. Mind you, it may be a few years before the room is finished.
Documents and paperwork - in theory, in a file with sections labelled. In practice, strewn all over the house with everything else I haven't sorted out yet.
Toys? All over the floor. If anyone comes round (rare) they get kicked under chairs.......

Ooooooooo toys...I forgot toys....
Toys are in a plastic box in the kitchen at the moment. Some are in the car/cupboards.
In the evenings however they are generally ALL , all over the rug in the living room, thanks to someone who shall remain nameless but does it EVERY night...in and out until they are all with him.........

Well all the paper work for the dogs is in my office.

Everything else Michelle clears up.

Anything we don`t need regularly goes in a large plastic lidded box on a shelf in the garage. Leads, grooming stuff,pooo bags and towel are all on a small trolley in the kitchen next to her bed. Treats and training treats are in various containers on top of the trolley.All her toys (those she is allowed at the moment, I rotate a selection) are in her toy box in the lounge near her bed.

That is the theory anyway......I bet it isn`t in practice.LOL

We have a set of plastic drawer things (from Argos) that sit under the stairs. These have leads, old collars, blankets, training aids, dog pegs etc in them.

Dog medicine is in the "human" medicine cupboard on a seperate shelf.

There is a small purple rucksack in the kitchen that is a dog walking/training bag, with poo bags, treats, and varous toys etc.

Their current leads/collars are dumped in a pile on top of the microwave, from the last walk!

Toys are everywhere Even when I tidy up!

toys are all over the flat. I put them away, he gets them all out again. So i gave up.
Papers are filed away, i dont know where, but i remember doing it.

Is this even possible?!?

Even with all the dogs things tidied away, one look at the dog beds in the living room and kitchen (and one look at my back lawn ) gives the fact away; and that's without the dogs flinging themselves at any visitors!

I have a dog cupboard. Actually that is an understatement! I have 3 dog cupborads and a dog drawer, and a wall hook for their everyday leads and collars, and a box for all the other leads and collars and harnesses and long lines and headcollars and muzzles (need I go on? ) that I have aquired throughout the years of dog ownership!

I have their coats hung up beside mine. They have a 2 seater red leather sofa of their own under the stairs! That was a donation by a relative anyway so don't blame me!

They have their own shelf in the airing cupboard for blankets and towels. Oh and they used to have their own wee Christmas tree in my old place for their presents to go under (shared with the cats and purely so their gifts didn't get muddled with my son's of course, and they weren't opening Spiderman whilst he was opening rawhide). :smt043

Oh god i'm such a looser! :smt043