Many of us love our pets as if they were our own children. As fur baby members of the family, we want them to be well-taken care of and feel like they belong. For many, this also means adding a little convenience to the home for pets to use but also making it easy to give them what they need when they need it.
At the same time, we all want to keep a neat and tidy home. Bags of food and walking items laying out can be an eyesore, while also getting in the way. This is especially a problem in smaller homes and apartments.
The following are a few ideas to help keep your pets supplies conveniently stored, yet ready to use.
Tip # 1: Create A Pet Walking Station
Admittedly, this tip is geared more toward dog owners. Though there are a few people out there who have managed to harness train their cat. There are even a few people with ferrets who take them for a walk. Regardless, being able to keep things like leashes, harnesses, treats, and waste bags near the door, not only helps with organization, it also minimizes the amount of time your pet has to spend anxiously waiting for the next adventure.
Tip # 2: Create A Pet Toy Box
Just like kids, a pet’s toys tend to get scattered everywhere. Sometimes getting lost under couches or hiding in the carpet, waiting to take a bite out of your barefoot! Keeping a dedicated toy box for your pet in one specific place encourages organization while minimizing mishaps. Some well-trained dogs will even get in the habit of returning a toy to the box on command!
Tip # 3: Make A High Shelf For Snacks And Medications
While there are a few high-flying intrepid cats, most family pets are vertically challenged. Creating a dedicated high shelf for snacks, and medications keep you in control of the rewards and prevents potential medication mishaps. Some pets will even recognize what the shelf is for and walking over to it can be a training cue.
Tip # 4: Create A Caddy Or Basket For Grooming Supplies
Even the most self-reliant cat needs the occasional brushing to release mats from their fur. Dogs and many other pets also need occasional baths, nail clippings, hair trims, and other types of grooming. Creating a caddy or installing a slide-out basket in the spare bathroom makes it easy to keep all your pets grooming supplies in one convenient place. Near where you are likely to use them the most.
Tip # 5: Give Your Pet’s Clothes Their Own Hamper
There are some people who love to dress up their pets for decorative reasons. There are also some small dogs who need things like a sweater or booties to safely go outside in the winter. Sometimes these clothes have their own special laundry needs. There are also sometimes when your dog will give in to the instinct to roll in something that smells, and you simply don’t want it touching your own dirty clothes.
Keeping a separate laundry hamper for your pet ensures that their clothing gets the special care they need to last. It also makes it easier for you to find, and to wash them in their own separate load.
Tip # 6: Store Pet Food In Stackable Tote Bins
Tote bins are a great boon in many home organization systems. Keeping pet food in sealable, stackable tote bins allows you to store a large volume bought in bulk to keep if fresh. You can then keep a smaller tote bin with a modest amount of food and a portion scoop to handle daily feedings.
Tip # 7: Create A Pull-Out Feeding Station
Food bowls can take up space on the floor and sometimes be prone to spilling. Fortunately, there are some cabinets and movable islands with pull out drawers at the bottom. This allows you to stow away the food bowls when your pet isn’t eating, yet pull them back out again at a moment’s notice.
Tip # 8: Keep A To-Go Back Stocked In The Foyer Or Closet
There are times when you need to take your pet with you on a day trip or for a prolonged vacation. Keeping a dedicated bag of essential supplies by the door saves you time and spares you the hassle of having to remember if you have everything you need at the last moment.
Tip # 9: Maintain A Portfolio Or Folder With Pet Information
Just like how you would keep your child’s medical and school records organized, your pet too will benefit from having their information recorded in one place. This includes things like vaccination information, medical history, medication dosages, and maybe even their feeding schedule.
Tip # 10: Perform An Occasional Purge
Pet food gets old, toys get over chewed, litter boxes start to stink no matter how many times you scrape them. Keeping old items around might seem sentimental or maybe even cost-conscious, but as time goes on these worn-out pet items tend to get in the way. Take a moment twice a year or so, to go through your pet’s things. Toss out anything that no longer suits them, and either replace it or make room for something else, as an act of decluttering.
Tip # 11: Keep A White Board Inventor
If your dog has a room, or you have a dedicated feeding station, try keeping a whiteboard with a general inventory of their food and supplies. If anything it spares you being caught off guard when you don’t have any pooper-scooper bags!
Tip # 12: Create A Toy And Gear Washing Station
Balls get dirty and soaked with slobber. Chew toys dry and start to smell. Litter boxes get stained with ammonia odors. Of course, these aren’t the sort of things you want casually being placed in your kitchen sink.
Keeping special cleaning agents and bags near a dedicated washing station, like a laundry room wash tub or in a mudroom makes it easy to clean soiled pet items quickly. If anything it reduces the chances of grime and odors invading your home!
