Before we got Poppy, our beloved sheep-a-doodle, I knew I was going to have to come up with a plan to not only store all of her stuff but also keep it organized. As we started purchasing her bed, treats, toys, food, and extra supplies (so many!) I quickly got busy around the house creating a designated space for not only her but also her things. And now that we’ve had her for several months, I can tell you my organizational systems are still in place and working really well so, I wanted to share with you how you can get organized for a brand new pet! I get asked all the time how things are going with Poppy and honestly, she is an amazing addition to our family. I think having all her things organized, really makes taking care of her that much less stressful and hectic for everyone in the family.

Getting Organized For a New Pet

Choose one designated space for supplies. When you get a new pet they don’t tell you about all the extra ‘stuff’ that you have to get too. Treats, brushes, food, leashes, doggy bags, the list goes on and on. I knew I needed one space to store everything that was also easily accessible for my girls as walking and feeding Poppy would be one of their chores. I chose a pull out drawer in my kitchen that was large enough for all her supplies.

Store toys in a decorative bin or basket. We keep a bin near Poppy’s bed and that’s where we store all her stuffed animals and toys. It helps to cut down on the number of toys we have for her (I can’t over buy!) and keeps all of her toys in one place for easy retrieval (for Poppy and my girls!). Be sure to check out some of my favorite options listed below!

Decant food and treats. I chose to use clear food storage containers to store Poppy’s food and treats. Not only do these keep food and treats fresher longer but also reduces the amount of space a bulky pet food bag takes up. As a bonus, I added adorable chalk labels to make it easy to identify exactly what is in each container.

Create a pet walking station. For us, that station is in my mudroom right by the door. I have Poppy’s leash, doggy bags, towels (for that rainy weather!), our shoes and even jackets (during the winter months!) all in one place. By creating this station it allows me or the girls to quickly and easily take her out without having to run around to try to find our shoes or her leash.