Lazy Susan Lovefest: 5 Tips for Busy Parents

Busy parent? Maeve shares her favorite throw-back tip with Working Mother.

Are you a busy parent? If so, I’m hoping you enjoy the throw-back tip I shared with Working Mother Magazine for parents on the go. It’s the Lazy Susan, an old kitchen favorite updated and improved, and ready to help you all over your home.

These days, Lazy Susan’s come in a variety of cool shapes, colors, and sizes, from plastic, to wood to double decker. They also come in convenient sizes, able to fit in small spaces all over your home, no longer confined to kitchen tables and corner #cabinets.

Here are my top 5 Lazy Susan creative use solutions for busy parents, from the #bathroom to kids rooms – and everywhere in between. Give one or two a try, and let me know how it goes!

Bathroom Stuff

We all know the one place a parent needs to feel organized is in the #bathroom. While we hope it will be a sanctuary, all too often private time is cut short. And being able to grab what you need when you need it becomes the main priority.

Enter the Lazy Susan. Add one to the inside of your bathroom cabinet, or to the top of your most accessible bathroom #shelf. With a quick spin you can gain fast access to your most actively used bathroom essentials (like diapers or beauty or hair products). Or, do a quick grab from under the sink of your most needed bathroom cleaning supplies (like antibacterial wipes and band-aids). It’s an ideal time-saver – no more searching behind layers of stuff, just give it a quick spin and whatever you need shows up – right in front of you. Ideal for busy parents because, you know, you truly need to have one hand free at all times.

Tiny Stuff

Is your home overrun by tiny things? From toys, to the batteries that operate those toys, to office supplies, makeup and more, using a Lazy Susan to organize the small stuff of life is an idea who’s time has come.

If you have a tendency to stuff the ‘tiny stuff’ of life on #shelves or inside #cabinets, try using a Lazy Susan to corral your tiny things. I am particularly fond of the lucite divided turntable, like the ones shown above from The Container Store, as they have tall walls so you can stack things up and still see all the goodies at the bottom from the outside as you spin.

I love promoting the use of trays in the home to contain small things. Lazy Susan’s are basically trays on wheels, so in my book they are the best of both worlds. They are practical and supremely fun.

Kid Stuff

The sheer number of kid stuff items one could corral with a Lazy Susan is endless. Let’s start with some basics: #toys and #craft supplies.

We frequently store toys tightly on shelves, or stuffed into #bins. Place a Lazy Susan with a few select times inside or on top of a bustling toy shelf or cabinet and make them more accessible for your child. I know a woman who put one in her son’s #closet on an easy to reach shelf. Her son delighted in opening the door to get his favorite toys, and his friends got a kick out of it too. As for craft supplies, keeping track of these loose ends is never fun, but introduce a Lazy Susan for markers, then one for scissors, glue sticks and stickers, and you are off to the races. The shape and motion draws in kids, so add one or two to your craft supply pickup routine. It it sure to bring a few smiles!

Did someone say pickup? Oh yes, by far the best reason to add a Lazy Susan to your child’s routine is that the inventive design makes it fun for your child to find what they need, and put it back home again.

Kitchen Stuff

The Lazy Susan has been a mainstay in kitchens for years. I’ve used one in my #kitchen cabinets to group spices my entire adult life, and I know others who use them for condiments, or their favorite mugs.

For a busy parent, time is of the essence, and kitchen time is no exception. When life gets busy we tend to reach for and use only what we see in front of us. This translates roughly to using only about 20% of what we own. And in the kitchen this can mean using the same mugs and bowls over and over. Or the same one shelf for quick grab snacks. Or the same pans for easy family meals. If you find yourself only using half of what you own, introduce a Lazy Susan to break up the density of your busiest kitchen cabinets and shelves.

Want your kids in on the action? Place a Lazy Susan in a cabinet at their reach and load it with snacks. Parents frequently speak to me about how to make their kids more independent at mealtime. I helped the Butler Family introduce a snack cart into their kitchen so their toddler twins could help themselves. It made a big impact on their daily routine. A strategically placed Lazy Susan in your kitchen will you and your family to accomplish the same.

Baby Stuff

Any parent will tell you, the one time in life when you really need things easily accessible at home is when you have an infant. This creative mom went to town using small Lazy Susan’s all over her home, but my favorite by far is #6, to organize baby supplies on her changing table.

Smart, right? The last thing you want to overdo when you have an infant in your arms is bend or reach. So keep this cool use in mind when setting up your newborn’s nursery.

It’s also a good idea if you have another little munchkin in your house. They’ll be more apt to grab baby’s diapers or powder if they’re on a fun tray. So group your newborn’s like things together, and ask your little helper to spin.

Photo Credits: Kim Fowler, The Container Store, theownerbuildernetwork.com, Small Fry & Co, crafthubs.com, bluemaize.net

Do you have a great Lazy Susan idea? Share in the comments below.