10 Tips for Organizing Pet Supplies
by dogtoysadvisor
We only review products we tested ourselves. We have affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that we spoil our pets rotten.
Also true is that pet supplies take up a lot of space in our small home, apart from the ones they destroy, of course.
(See what we did there? We’re always looking for the silver lining in our pets’ mischief!)
Like most households with pets, when you enter our home you find a lot of dog toys lying around and a few extra on the sofa (so be careful sitting down).
And then, of course, the things we need can’t be found when we need them.
Like that toothbrush to clean their teeth before we forget or the leash to take them out for a walk.
This is chaos and doesn’t work for us at all!
So we decided to do some research and find the best way to organize our home and our pet belongings.
10 Home Organization Tips For Pet Supplies
There are a lot more tips out there but we chose the ones that work best for us.
Here, simplicity is key and we were very surprised to find just how easy it is to have a tidy home with 3 dogs and 3 cats living there.
Tip 1 – Get It all Together In One Place and Sort It Out
Yes, we’ll start by the one that gives us (and you) the most trouble, but there’s no other way to do it.
If you’re serious about organizing your pet supplies, you need to find them all (good luck!), gather them and separate what you’re keeping from what you’re donating/throwing away.
Be brutal!
As far as keepsakes go, you can keep one or two toys from when your dog was a puppy at most! And you don’t need to keep them mixed with the toys he uses daily.
Anything he hasn’t paid attention to in over 6 months, you should donate (if it’s in good enough condition) or toss.
Same thing applies to collars, leashes, food bowls, etc.
Even if they are all in perfect state, think how many do you need to own and get rid of the extras.
The local shelter dogs will be thankful and your home will be clutter free.
Tip 2 – Figure Out the Place For Each One
Now that your pet supply collection is smaller (hopefully), it’s time to decide where everything goes and what size container will fit the designated spots.
Once you separate each product into its rightful container and you find the container is overflowing, make sure you really need all you’ve stored and discard whatever feels surplus.
The basic storage units are Toys, Feeding, Grooming and Walking.
Tip 3 – Create a Pet Toy Chest
It sounds fancy, but really, it covers anything from a fabric bin to a wicker basket.
The important things to ask yourself for this task are: where do I place my pet toy chest? Do I need more than one?
For example, if your dog spends his alone time in the kitchen but when you’re home he’s in the living room with you, it’s probably a good idea to have dog toy storage in both rooms.
You can get something with wheels of course, but if you have the room, two is definitely more practical.
Plus, most of them are so cute they’ll just add to your décor.
Tip 4 – Create a Feeding Station
Pick somewhere quiet to place your dog’s feeding station. You’ll want somewhere to keep the bowls (water and food) and to store his food and treats.
Also, you’ll want to elevate the bowls to a height that is comfortable for your dog to use. Depending on his size, create the perfect elevation for him to eat without having to lower his head too much.
If you want to go the DIY route (we know we always do), try this lovely project.
Plus, don’t forget to keep the food air tight to keep it from going stale, particularly if you buy those XL bags (like we do).
Tip 5 – Create a Grooming Basket
You may think you’ll need to keep your dog’s grooming basket where you usually groom him, but that isn’t necessarily the case.
It’s perfectly okay if you bathe him in the bathroom and brush him in the living room. We clean our dogs’ teeth when they’re on the couch because that’s where they’re most relaxed.
Just pick a grooming basket that has room for your entire dog grooming equipment and store it somewhere convenient.
Our dogs’ grooming basket is in a vanity in the bathroom, picking a nice-looking bin helps a lot with being able to keep it in sight.
Tip 6 – Keep Your Walking Supplies By the Door
This is one of the best tips we can possibly give you.
Anything you want to bring along for walks, keep by the door.
Baskets, hangers, drawers, whatever you prefer, they need to be by the door.
Being a bit distracted, we prefer to keep all dog walk supplies in plain sight, so we use the hanger method. But we don’t just hang everything scattered, we use baskets like civilized people!
Just one advise, choose grid baskets instead of fabric or wicker, unless you want to have to clean them frequently.
The ones we use are actually perfect. We own one for each dog.
If you prefer not to have the dog supplies on display, just get a nice-looking tote on a hook with everything inside.
Tip 7 – Keep A Small Dog Travel Bag In Your Car
Either for going on longer drives or for traveling by plane, train or bus with your dog, you’ll want to be prepared to keep everything he needs in a bag, preferably occupying as little room as possible.
We first discovered about this Dog Travel Bag when we decided to go on our first Summer holidays with all our three dogs.
We felt a bit overwhelmed and the car was getting crowded with so much stuff.
This bag helps us to make sure we pack everything they need each time we travel with them without getting carried away. (No, he won’t need that extra chew toy!)
Aside from the travel bag, you want to have a first aid kit.
Speaking from experience, it can be really stressful to have your dog cut its paw and not have anything to stop the bleeding with.
Tip 8 – Hang As Many Things As Possible
Particularly if your home is small or if you own a lot of dog supplies.
Hanging dog supplies means taking up much less space that if you’re storing your supplies inside cabinets or drawers.
Plus, you’ll get extra hanging space in height, just pick one wall in your home to store your pet supplies and hang them!
Also, have you seen how cute these are?
Tip 9 – Choose Double Duty Items
There are some items you can get for your home that can be a big help with organizing your dog’s supplies.
Like beds with storage drawers or feeding stations with storage under the bowls for his food.
It saves you space and keeps the items you need handy. For example, if your dog is in his bed, he’ll want his chew toy, right?
Why not just open the drawer and let him choose?
Tip 10 – Organize All Of His Documents In One Portable Folder
You’ll want to have all of your dog’s documents in one folder.
To know where they are, of course, but also when you’re taking him to the vet or traveling.
Or even if you need to leave your dog at a pet hotel, whenever you need your dog’s papers, they should be easy enough to find.
Pick an organizer that doesn’t take up too much space, is light and easy to carry.
We have one for each dog, in different colors.
Conclusion
As you can see, we delivered on our promise of giving you 10 simple tips to make your life easier when organizing your pet supplies.
Furthermore, we made sure to pick lovely organizers that you can keep anywhere and not have it ruin your home décor.
Loving your dog as much as you do, you don’t want his belongings to take over your life and your home.
Using these tips makes sure that doesn’t happen and that you’re still keeping everything your dog needs handy.
Live a happy life with your dog and enjoy your quality time together in your organized, clutter-free home.
Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising and iStock
See Also:
0 Comments