We often think of organizing for our closets, paperwork and kid’s toys. But what about pet storage? If you look around the house, your furry friends have an awful lot of belongings – there are leashes for walking, bulk purchases of food, toys, grooming supplies, vitamins and medicines, and for some, the occasional outfit.

Often these items are scattered in various areas of the house, tucked in cabinets with no thought to it. But focusing on pet supply organization will help you find what you need, when you need it – if only to never have to replay the time you told the dog it’s time for his walk, he went crazy with excitement, and you couldn’t find the leash.

We consulted with professional organizer Tanya Allason of Release Your Clutter, who penned the ebook, “Organizing for Your Pets,” for tips on how to organize for your pet.

Just like with people’s personal belongings, organizing should starts with purging what is not currently used or needed.

“The key to being able to find and use what is appropriate for your pet now,” she said. For example, all those toys you keep buying for your cat who ignores them, take them to a shelter and cheer up a homeless kitten.

We asked Tanya for some solutions to common pet items:

Pet food and treats –”Transfer food and treats to easily organized plastic, stainless steel or glass containers. They should have air-tight lids so food stays fresh.  A lot of under the sink cabinets don’t have a shelf, so try tall, thin containers that will make use of vertical space instead of horizontal.”

Toys, toys, toys! – “Get a basket or plastic container either with or without a lid. If you have multiple dogs, have a few containers in different areas so you can easily grab toys and put them away instead of walking all over the house collecting them.”

Dog leashes, collars/harnesses, and waste bags – “You can keep leashes, collars and waste bags in a small plastic container, a cabinet drawer or hooks near the door you use when you go on walks. Be sure it’s easily accessible on your way out.”

Post walk/yard play cleanup, grooming supplies – “To keep the rest of your house clean, designate an area for cleaning up your pet outside the main part of your home, maybe in the garage, a mudroom or laundry room. You can store towels, soaps and shampoos can be kept in a cabinet nearby or on a shelf in easy-to-grab, tub-style containers.”

Pet clothing – “A great option for doggie clothes is to hang them from hooks or purchase a back-of-the-door pocket organizer and place the clothes in the pockets.”

Paperwork (vet records, info on kennels, dog walkers, pet sitters) – Put in files within your current filing system, in document-sized plastic containers, or three-hole punch it and put it into a clearly-labeled binder.

Tanya also says not to forget an emergency kit in case of evacuations due to natural disasters. Keep this bag near your pet’s carrier so it can be easily grabbed when you are in a hurry to leave.

She suggests contents should include, “dry food, leashes, collars, waste bags, blankets, plastic food/water dishes, a few toys and some bottled water. It might be a good idea to keep a copy of your vet info in this kit too.”

Your pet may not know how organized you are, but they’ll sure be happy when you have just what they need at just the right time!

Now it’s time to organize toys to get playtime under control.