Stashing Necessities for Quick and Easy Access

"Mom, where are the scissors?"

"Kids, did you wash your hands before putting up your clean clothes?"

"Honey, where's the fire extinguisher?!?"

The last one is my personal favorite.

After a long day of cooking Thanksgiving dinner, the grease from the turkey that dripped on the bottom of the oven caught fire.

That is exactly why I decided to stash various necessities throughout the house for quick and easy access.

It's important to note that I "stash" items, because I prefer to keep our home as de-cluttered and organized, as possible.

It may cost a little more for the duplicates, but having them will save my sanity.

The one rule that must be followed: Whatever has been designated to be in a room, stays in that room.

With all of that said, this is what I "stash" and where I "stash" it:

* Family Room:

In the end table cabinet:
- Blankets
- Box of Kleenex
- Small, kid-friendly pillows (for kids to lean against on the sofa while their hair is still wet after showering)

In the TV console:
- Board games (for family night) and books (to encourage reading)
- Flashlight/small LED lantern (for power outages)
- Owners manuals and accessories (for the electronics)
- Drink coasters - in a small, faux book, on an end table
- Remote controls - in a large, faux book, on the coffee table
- Hair clip and pony tail holders - in a decorative vase with a lid
- Power strip attached to an extension cord (to charge electronic devices while sitting on the sofa or floor) - under the sofa
- Cell phone and iPad chargers - attached to the power strip
- Matches - in a decorative box, on top of the mantle
- Wi-Fi extender with a paper clip (to reset it) - behind the TV
- Aged, hard-back, best-selling books that match the room's decor (for our reading pleasure) - on a side table, used as decor

* Office:

In the closet:
- Blanket
- Flashlight/LED lantern

In a desk drawer:
- Refillable box of baby wipes
- Tape measure
- Bottle of pain relieving medicine
- Box of Kleenex
- Hair clip and pony tail holders
- Safety pins
- Chapstick and small bottle of hand lotion
- Metal pin (for opening locked doors)
- Mini Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers
- Batteries (for wireless keyboard, wireless mouse, and other electronics)
- Drink coasters - in a small, decorative vase with a lid
- Dollar bills (for last-minute lunch money requests) - in a secret place
- Power strip attached to an extension cord (to charge electronic devices while working at the desk) - on the floor, behind the drapes
- Cell phone and iPad chargers - attached to the power strip
- Matches - in a small, decorative box, on a side table
- Keys (to the desk and filing cabinets) - in a decorative case
- Remote controls - in a decorative box, on the desk
- Water bottles - in a desk cabinet
- Small, professional gifts, such as pens (for business calls) - in a decorative box, on the desk
- Antique-bronzed, oscillating fan that matches the room's decor (for immediate relief) - on a side table

* Kitchen:

In one drawer, in a partitioned tray - basic office supplies:
- 2 pairs of scissors - adult & child
- Sharpie marker
- Marks-A-Lot marker
- Writing pad (for random notes)
- Lined writing pad (for grocery lists)
- Paper clips, rubber bands, twist ties, and safety pins
- Pens and pencils
- Spare house and car keys
- Extra garage door openers
- 2 metal pins (for locked doors)
- Lens wipes (for glasses)
- Hair clip and pony tail holders
- Tape measure
- Small calculator
- Stapler
- Tape
- Stain remover pen
- Mini Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers

In a cabinet:
- Electric pencil sharpener
- Lint remover wand
- Goo-Gone (to remove stickers)
- Multiple flashlights/LED lanterns
- Batteries (for watches, car remotes, toys, flashlights, electronics)

Under the sink:
- Bottle of hand lotion
- Bug spray
- Oust Air Sanitizing spray can
- Playdoh, science experiment kits, beaded-jewelry making kits, and other messy project supplies
- Contractor's business cards - in a decorative, copper container, on the counter
- Dollar bills (for last-minute lunch money requests) - in a secret place
- Drink coasters - in the silverware drawer
- Fire extinguisher - in the pantry, away from the oven and the stove
- Two-step ladder - in the pantry
- Children's crafting supplies that are only used in the kitchen - in a drawer

* All Bathrooms:

In the cabinets:
- Feminine hygiene products
- Bottles of hand lotion
- Clorox wands and refills (for cleaning the toilets)
- Oust Air Sanitizing spray cans
- Renuzit or Glade solid air fresheners with adjustable lids - behind the toilets

* Laundry Room:

In the cabinet:
- Bottle of hand lotion
- Small writing pad and a pen
- Hair clip and pony tail holders

In the closet:
- Fire extinguisher
- Flashlight/LED lantern
- Bug spray
- Pair of flip-flops (for each kid to grab when we are running out the door and their shoes are put up)
- My tool bag (with really girly looking tools that scream, "I've been stolen," when my husband runs off with them) - in the closet:
- Tape measure
- Screwdrivers - Phillips and flat-head
- Box-cutter
- Wire cutters
- Scissors
- Small hammer
- Hercules Hooks/Walmart's Wall Hooks
- Pencil
- Sharpie marker
- Safety pins
- Refillable box of baby wipes (to clean hands before handling newly washed laundry) - on top of the washing machine
- Metal pin (for opening locked doors) - in a tray, in the cabinet

* Master Bedroom:

In my nightstand drawer:
- Small writing pad and a pen
- Chapstick and small bottle of hand lotion
- Safety pins
- Socks (for cold feet in the middle of the night)
- Sharpie marker
- Refillable box of baby wipes
- Bottle of pain relieving medicine
- Hair clip and pony tail holders
- Small tape measure
- Scissors

In my husband's nightstand drawer:
- Metal pin (for opening locked doors)
- Flashlight/LED lantern
- In both nightstands:
- Boxes of Kleenex
- Drink coasters
- Lint remover wands
- Dollar bills (for last-minute lunch money requests) - in a secret place
- Matches - in small decorative vase, on a bookshelf
- Oust Air Sanitizing spray (for the dog that sleeps in our room) - in the TV cabinet
- Power strips on extension cords - under each side of our bed
- Cell phone and iPad chargers - one of each on each of the power strips under our bed

* Master Bathroom:

In a drawer:
- Small writing pad and a pen
- Metal pin (for opening locked doors)
- Bottle of pain relieving medicine
- Band-aids and antibiotic cream
- Stain remover pen
- Scissors

In a cabinet:
- Flashlight/LED lantern
- Heating pad
- Bug spray
- Clorox wand and refills
- Oust Air Sanitizing spray can

In the linen closet:
- Lint remover wand
- Water bottles (for taking medicine or needing a drink during the night)
- Renuzit or Glade solid air freshener with adjustable lid - behind the toilet

* Hall Closets (upstairs and downstairs):

- Fire extinguishers
- Three-step ladders
- Fold-up bar stools (for extra seating)
- Flashlights/LED lanterns

* Garage:

- Fire extinguisher

This is a list of the most common items that we just never seemed to have around when we needed them.

Now, I can't remember the last time my husband or kids asked me where any of them are.

I hope this idea empowers your family members to look for things themselves, too.

Here's to another Inspired Minute!