Getting a new pet is an exciting time for a household. They bring so much joy to the people and families they touch, and there is never a dull moment with them. As fun and rewarding as the pet parenting experience is, there are also considerations that must be taken into account when bringing home a new family member. Keeping a clean and organized home for your new furry friend is definitely at the top of the list. Keep reading to see five tips for organizing your home for a pet!
1. Pet Play Space Organization
The first tip to help keep you and your home organized when getting a new kitten or puppy is to create a play space that is just for them. Ideally, their play space should be in a room that has a lot of traffic, like your family room or living room, so you or a family member can always keep an eye on them.
You can get pet gates for the entrance of the room, so you can confine your little furry friend to a specific space when needed. After all, kittens and puppies have a knack for wanting to explore the entirety of the new home in which they reside. You should also have a cat or dog bed within their play room for nap time, as kittens and puppies are prone to crashing at any moment.
No pet playroom would be complete without lots and lots of toys! There are many great toys that you might want to look into when bringing home a new companion. For example, teething toys are a great option to help prevent furniture and other items from being chewed upon. Another great toy option is a treat-dispenser toy, which helps to keep your furry friend entertained while providing mental stimulation.
However, it’s important to note that a lot of toys can create quite a mess within the room you dedicate to your pet. Not only can this make your room look unclean to your guests, but it could be a safety hazard too. To combat this, it’s a good idea to look into folding storage bins so you can have a spot to put your pet’s toys in when they are not being used.
2. Feeding Space Organization
In addition to creating a pet-friendly play space for your new furry friend, creating a unique and isolated feeding space is a great way to help keep your home organized. Ideally, you should have your pet’s food and water bowl next to each other and not in separate locations.
You should keep your pet’s bowls in a calm and quiet location within your home, as most animals prefer to eat their meals when nobody is around. A spare bedroom, bathroom, or low traffic hallway are great locations for your pet’s bowls because they can have a peaceful meal, while not disturbing people. These locations are also beneficial for organizational purposes because they are separated from main parts of the home, like in the kitchen where people could trip or step in their food and water bowls.
3. Dangerous Products Storage and Organization Ideas
As noted above, pets are curious creatures. They like to explore and get into whatever they can. With that being said, it’s important that you keep all items that are poisonous or toxic to them out of their reach.
One way to do this is to make sure that there is no food left in the open within your home, particularly your kitchen. You should keep all poisonous foods for pets in your pantry or high enough up, so that your furry friend can’t get to it. For new cat owners, keeping your food in your pantry or a cabinet is recommended because cats can climb to high places.
You will also want to make sure to hide away household cleaning products because these are extremely toxic to pets as well. Never leave out bleach, carpet fresheners, essential oils, mosquito repellent, and other common household items because these items are very enticing to your pet but also very dangerous! One great way to organize your toxic cleaning products is by putting them into storage bins with lids on them. This way, your pet won’t be able to get into your toxic products no matter how hard they try.
Lastly, your car is another location in which your pet can get into dangerous items if you do not clean your car regularly. If you have bigger pets that have to go in the back seat of your car, then you should make sure you have no items whatsoever back there. If you do have belongings in the back seat of your car, you should move them to the trunk where they will be out of reach. You might want to look into eco-friendly trunk organizers beforehand, so you can keep your car organized and safe for your four legged friend.
4. Medical Supply Organization
As any experienced pet owner knows, your furry friend is bound to have unexpected medical emergencies that you must be prepared for ahead of time. One great way to do this is by gathering important medical information and supplies for your pet and keeping them in a secure location, like your medicine cabinet.
You should always have important pet medical documents on hand for medical emergencies. The documents you should keep include proof of pet ownership, vaccination history, microchip records, check-up records, previous and current medical prescriptions, and past surgeries. You should keep these documents well organized and in a safe place that you can access quickly. For instance, you could keep these documents in your home office with a meori filing box that comes with label and hanging rails.
Within this paperwork, you should strongly consider signing up for and storing documentation of a pet insurance policy. Pet insurance will help to cover the cost of both regularly planned vet visits and emergency trips to the animal hospital. It’s also extremely beneficial if you are struggling financially and fear you’ll be unable to afford vet care in the face of the high costs of emergency care. At the very least, you can rest easily knowing that your new furry friend will get the help they need, when they need it.
You should keep a pet first-aid kit next to your pet’s important medical records as well. This is great for treating minor injuries and illnesses that are inevitable to all pets. Your pet first-aid kit should contain bandages and antiseptic wipes for treating minor cuts and scrapes. A digital thermometer for taking your furry friend’s temperature as needed. Tweezers and scissors are good choices too for treating splinters. Other items to keep in your pet first-aid kit will also depend on the type of pet you have and their past medical history.
5. Backyard Dangers and Organization Tips
You can’t say your entire home is ready for a new pet, unless you have considered backyard dangers and how to properly organize it. After all, almost all puppies love spending as much time outside as they can.
If you have fenced in the yard, you will want to make sure there are no gaps in the fencing before you bring home your new four legged friend. Any gap in the fencing, no matter what size, poses a threat to your furry friend. If gaps are not fixed, then your new pup could easily run away, never to be seen again.
Similarly, you must be conscientious of outdoor predators that could be lurking around, especially at night. Eagles, owls, hawks, foxes, wild cats, and raccoons all are dangerous predators to dogs and young puppies. It’s recommended that you should never leave your pet alone outside, even if you have a fence.
Tools are a danger to your pet as well. If you have different gardening tools laying around in your backyard, then your pet is doomed to get hurt. Make sure you pick up any gardening equipment like shovels, hoses, pitchforks, etc. before you bring home a pet. A shed or garage are great locations where you can keep outdoor supplies nice and organized, while protecting your furry friend.
Keeping your home organized when bringing home a new pet can seem like an overwhelming task. There is so much to do when getting a new furry friend, so cleaning and organizing your home can easily become overlooked. However, by taking the time to follow these tips, you will ensure that your pet remains healthy and happy in their new home, while you stay organized!
Get your life organized with meori.com! We create classy storage bags and bins to make your house a happy home. Check out the full meori blog , “Organize Life” including specific ideas on how to organize your home room by room.
