Staying Organized while living in crowded conditions

[monkeywrangler71]

It looks like we are going to be spending the summer at my parent's house, with most of our stuff in storage. Right now I am trying to figure out what we will need, and how much I can fit in the car.

My parents have a small bungalow, thankfully with a finished basement, but only 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. There will be 7 of us living there.

What are some tips for living with a large number of people in a small space? There won't be any closet space, we won't have room to keep our toiletries in the bathroom, I won't have the option of building any additional shelving or anything.

[Libby]

Bear with me - this is a very crazy & kooky idea but can work!

Assign everyone a Rubbermaid Tote Bin. Put all the clothes they would need for a wk or two and all types of weather conditions for where you're going in the box. This includes shoes - so this may or may not be a big tote. Secondly use a plastic baggy or mesh bags if you prefer and place that person's toiletry/HBA needs inside. This way when its their turn to use the bathroom they take the whole thing with them and they must remember to take them back out when they're done.

Sounds kooky but reminds me of a camping trip where I joined a few friends...this is how they organized it and it worked. Everyone had their own bin of stuff - clothes, shoes, books & entertainment and toiletries and if it didn't fit you couldn't bring it. This helped to bring only the necessities. Plus the bins were stackable so when they were done getting ready for the day they'd stack them on one side of the campsite or used them as a make shift table by placing plywood over top w/table cloth.

If you know you will have formal dressy events to attend while staying at your parents/inlaws - pack a sep tote with those clothes so they're all together and can be pulled out just for that event - you may have to iron before wearing but you won't loose it.

Remember to label the tote bins accordingly

[Liane]

Growing up there were six of us in a cape cod with one bathroom. If you can get in the bathroom early, then you are set and you do not have to stand in line. Keep toiletries in a plastic tote with a handle. When you need to shower grab it and go. Brush teeth at another sink to free up the bathroom. Try to go out everyday to avoid being cooped up and getting on everyone's nerve's. Help out your parents with whatever they want, this may help them not resent you being there. Even if they are thrilled that you are coming, it can get old real quick-I know from experience. Only have just what you need. You can borrow books and things from the library, so you don't need to have any of your own collection. The kids will want some things, so set limits. Do not purchase anything new unless it is absolutely necessary and you have a place for it. Do you have a rolling rack to hang clothes on? They have plastic sets of drawers that are handy if you do not have dresser space. You can get them pretty cheap and reuse them for lots of things. Make dinner as often as possible and talk about the laundry area so that there is not an issue. When I did laundry at my parents house if my Mom had laundry in the washer or dryer I would dry it and fold it. She would throw mine on the ground. May your Summer go quickly and as smooth as possible. Hope you find a great house too. If it gets hard, and it might, just remember that this is temporary. Best of luck to you and your family.

[Lady_V]

Bathroom Needs
Think 'dorm'. When you live in a dorm you have to bring your toiletries with you every time you shower. Get a little handled tote and put the shampoo, conditioner, soap etc. in it. Put toothbrushes in carry cases so they aren't just laying around. When someone needs to use the shower/sink, grab the tote

Clothing Needs
It's summertime... shorts and tshirts don't take up much room when they are folded. If the kids each have a small laundry basket with their clothes, they can leave them up against the wall in a line.
Your DH will most likely need to hang up work clothes, so an over-the-door hanger may work well for him.

The bathing schedule will fall in to place...

[monkeywrangler71]

Libby, I have this fantasy where we win the lottery and just get rid of everything we own and go on a permanent camping trip. That is almost exactly how I had planned to organize the car. I have a couple of totes that will slide under the bed, and I may do this for me and the kids, for clothes anyway.

Liane, I do have a rolling rack, that is a good idea I hadn't thought to bring it. My husband wears a suit everyday, so his clothes need to be hung up. We also have a couple little sets of drawers on wheels.

LadyV, good tip on the toothbrush holders. I was thinking everyone would need their own tote, but I really just need one and whoever is going to the bathroom takes it with them. That makes more sense, and takes less space.

[krbshappy71]

You can do this! I haven't had to live with that many people but I have had some pretty small living quarters. We loved rubbermaid totes, the 18 or 20 gallon sized ones with tight fitting lids. We labeled them with big paper signs and stacked them 3-4 high depending on what was in them. You learn which ones are fetched most often, you can use them as tv-trays in front of the tv on the floor (for kids in particular but I would sit on the floor with my girls too) If you have a small board you can put one across the top for them to use as a small desk to color at, put a small puzzle together, roll dice or play cards on, etc. They really are quite versatile. We used toy totes for these types of activities, throwing the toys back in the tote when done.

We put boards across long-term storage totes that held things such as my books, paperwork, and memorbilia and used them as shelves to hold the smaller things mentioned above such as bathroom carrying cases, someone's radio, little things to make it look like home.

Best wishes!

[Mom2-3]

Libby had my idea! lol That's what we do when we camp. Labels work so that you are not going in the wrong bin all the time. One bathroom caddy with essentials.

Think of it as an adventure Good luck.

[frugalwarrior2]

I,personally would buy clear totes. Big lots if you have one, carries them. We use gallon plastic bags for hygiene when camping.

[gottadance]

Use the vertical space - think UP! Use all of the wall space - and no decor - all of the space you use should be useful for something. Shelving or hooks up high for the talller adults. Use back of doors for hanging hooks or towel racks (you can get these over the door towels racks. In the cupboards put stuff you rarely used stacked on shelves way in the back so you can keep the stuff you need access to up front. Hang hooks inside cupboard doors. Hang stuff over the shower nozzle, at the end of the shower curtain rod, get a corner shelving unit that goes to the ceiling.