Today is international Cat day and I thought I’d share some of the supplies I bought to keep my pet cat Elmo organised. These items range from standard supplies any cat owner needs to specific ones to help keep his things organised. All the supplies I mention below are linked & I’ve added them onto the Organised Chaos amazon shop too if you’d like to take a look!
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- Have one zone for all their supplies
First things first, I wanted to make sure I kept everything to do with Elmo in one area. In the kitchen, I identified one shelf that became Elmo’s zone. You know if you’re following me a while that zones are essential to keep like-with-like items together and organised. On this shelf we have:
- His tins of food
- A shallow container for items to clean out his litter tray (eg: gloves & bags)
- A larger container for all other items – from toys to brushes to medicine.
Everything is kept together here and contained and there’s plenty of space if I get anything else for him over the coming months. If you have a dog or multiple pets, you may need a larger space than this such as a cupboard press or series of shelves. But the main thing when organising your pet supplies is to try to keep them all in the same spot and use containers to keep things together.
2. Keeping his food organised
The first item I bought for Elmo was this mat for the floor for his food bowls. It means that when he eats, if he makes a mess – which is daily – it spills onto this mat and not onto the floor. It’s quick and easy to clean up and wipe down. Also, simply having this mat here creates a subtle “cat eating zone”. For any area of your house, if you use furniture, shelving, or indeed a change in flooring, it indicates and highlights to your brain different zones within the space. This all helps with keeping organisation in place for longer.
One of my favourite items I bought was this container for his dried food. Not only does it look cute, but it’s so easy now to feed him – simply scoop up some food, toss it into his bowl and hang the ladle back up! It’s great for keeping his pet food organised.
3. Think about the cat litter situation
Since I’m in an apartment, I have no large kitchen space or utility area so the living room had to litter tray. And there is nothing worse than cat litter spread everywhere and even worse if it’s all over your main living room. As a result, I was going to invest in a really good cat litter tray – in fact I went above and beyond a tray and got him a cabinet. We call this Elmo’s en-suite, and it’s honestly the best thing I could’ve bought. It looks great and fits into the living room like just another piece of furniture. Best of all, because it has an enclosed area outside the tray, when he tosses the litter around, it doesn’t fall out onto my floor. A tiny amount falls onto the additional outside mat I have but that’s it. It looks great and perfectly tidy! I’d highly recommend one!
4. Choosing his travel bag
Before buying this, I knew Elmo would probably be a big cat – it’s the type of breed they are. So I made sure to get a case that would take a large cat. I also really like that Elmo can see out through it and I think he does too. I think by being able to see out on car drives it keeps him calmer for longer. It’s also so comfortable to use with the shoulder strap and handles which is handy as he gets heavier!
5. Your pet’s paperwork
When I got Elmo, as he’s a pedigree, he came with his pedigree papers. I also have vaccination records for him and his insurance papers too. If anyone is minding Elmo, I also have a list of instructions for them. I keep all these papers together in a handy clear case which lives in my filing cabinet. A super simple system with everything ready to hand if and when I need it.
How do you keep your pet and their things organised? Let us know in the comments & share with us! And as always, if we can help you with setting up organised systems for any space – or pet – in your home & life, do get in touch with us. We have a free twenty minute discovery call to chat about any organising project you may have. We’re here to help you get over the overwhelm, get started and create functional systems that support your home, family & life.
Happy Organising!
