martha tells me how to organize

A properly folded towel has a neat, fluffy appearance and hidden edges.

Fold towel in thirds lengthwise. (If towel will be hung, transfer to rod; the monogram, if any, will be centered and visible.)

Fold towel into a rectangle, as shown. Keep sets of guest towels together, bound with twill tape or ribbon. When visitors arrive, just transfer a stack from linen closet to guest bedroom.

Put soap shards and leftover hotel soap bars to good use. Use a utility knife to slice into the center of a natural sea sponge. Then insert soap and lather up. Every last bubble will be surrendered. The soap will stay in place as it shrinks, adhering to the fibers of the sponge.

Keep bathroom items neat and accessible with cubbyhole shelves for large items and surgical jars for small toiletries and accessories. The jars, available at medical-supply stores, have easy-to-grab stainless-steel lids. Each of the shelves is made from five pieces of 3/4-inch-thick plywood. The top, bottom, and two sides are each 12 inches by 9 inches; the back is a 12-inch square. The top, bottom, and sides are mitered along the ends, glued together, and secured with 1 1/2-inch finishing nails. If carpentry isn't your cup of tea, you may want to avoid mitering. Instead, have the lumberyard cut the boards for the box's top and bottom to be 10 1/2 inches by 9 inches, and the sides 12 inches by 9 inches. Glue the ends of the bottom and top boards to the inside edges of the side boards, and secure with finishing nails. Glue on the back, and secure with more finishing nails. Sand, prime, and paint the wood. Screw the finished shelves right into the wall through the back (centering them on a stud), and cover the screws with paint.

Few bathrooms have enough places to hang towels. Stacking towel bars behind closed doors is a great way to remedy the shortage and use space efficiently. A flat or single-paneled door provides a crisp frame for three bars; furthermore, it's easier to affix them to a wooden door (as most are) than to a wallboard or a plaster wall. Hang the hardware according to package instructions, evenly spacing the bars along the length of the door.

Orphaned teacups and saucers are perfect vessels for sorting jewelry, and, when arranged in a velvet-lined drawer, they give you an easy-to-scan bird's-eye view of your bijoux. To set it up, measure the height of the drawer's side (not the front), then gather dishware that's slightly shorter. Line the drawer with velvet or felt to prevent rattling and sliding, then position the porcelain. Hook drop earrings on rims of cups, nestle necklaces within them, and stash chunkier beads and bangles on individual saucers.

Eliminate the tangle of unused extension cords by storing each one in a piece of pipe insulation -- foam tubing with a slit along one side. Using a utility knife, cut insulation to desired length (about 13 inches for each 6 feet of cord). Fold the cord to size, insert it, and label the foam to indicate the length of cord enclosed.

It takes too long to find remote controls in their usual hiding spot, between cushions on the sofa. If you're looking for a more convenient place to keep them, put a wide-mouth vase or other good-looking container on your side table and put all of your remotes inside.