Pets have got to be more than live toys up for display or guard dogs. They’re family. Currently, I have a 3-year old reactive toy poodle named Beauty, and a 1-year old American Cocker Spaniel aptly named Company (to keep us…. that’s right, company!)

Not only do they get a designated area in the house, their stuff do, too. I didn’t want any of their belongings mixing with my stuff or the rest of the household. So in this article, I will let you in on my pet organization system.

Pet Closet (DIY)

Months before Company arrived, I ordered a mini closet from @toysforyourtots. that I assembled myself. They were meant for human kids, I guess, but they fit right into what I was looking for. The criteria was simple: it had to be an open closet to show off my dog’s clothes and had to have a space where I could place baskets.

My mom was being stingy about it, though, since it sticks out like a sore thumb against her all black furniture. And so, I had it painted black as well as the adhesive hooks I stuck on its inside walls for leashes.

Dogs have a lot of irregularly shaped items that didn’t look good displayed so baskets did the trick for me. Even then, I made sure to categorize each one like how I do with normal drawers. Just because they’re out of sight doesn’t mean they can be a catch all you’ll have to dig through each time! This is the setup I have up to this day:

Right below their clothes is a bigger basket for their other medicines (from when Beauty had Ehrlichia and Company got Parvo, etc.), and stock for alcohol and treats. Eventually, the colorful clothes and medicines looked a little chaotic to me so I bought a rod and sewed a little curtain from a canvas cloth.

On top, I also keep a picture of Beauty (which I need to update to include Company. We’ll get there.), a treat jar, and everyday supplements and medicines they need to take.

Outdoor basket

The Pet Closet is located in our family area at the second floor. To make going to walks a little convenient, I occupied a rattan basket on the console table, just right before the door, for everyday leash and harness. I also have another treat jar on the same table so we don’t have to climb all the way up to give them when we’redownstairs. Really handy when we have visitors coming over!

Dog food and bowl station

My dogs’ diet is mostly home-cooked meals and Acana kibbles. And although they do eat on the second floor most of the time, their bowls and dinnerware all go to the same sink when it needs to be washed. (Don’ worry, we have a separate sponge for those.) And so, it made sense to have the kibble jar they’re using up, dog bowls, and other food containers in the dirty kitchen as well.

It’s still a work in progress. The areas for their shampoos and extra beds are not even close to ideal. There are limitations as I do live with my parents. But I guess the space they take inside our homes and how we keep it says so much about their place in our lives as well.