When working with my clients, many of them say to me “I’d love to see your house. I bet it’s immaculate.” And I always answer the same way, “No, it’s definitely not. It’s often a bit messy. But, the difference is, when I’m ready to clean up, I know exactly where everything goes.”
That’s one of the biggest hurdles for most people when it comes to organizing. They want to get organized, but as they start, they find themselves with an ever-growing pile of “I don’t know where these belong” and get frustrated and disheartened and give up.
One of the major benefits of being organized is being able to put things away in a space that suits them. No cramming, no shoving, no bending, no breaking – just place it in it’s container and move on to the next.
If you find that you’re ready to get organized but aren’t too sure what to do with seemingly random items, ask yourself “If I were to use this, where would I use it?” For example, if it’s floss, you’d most likely use it in the bathroom, so that’s where it should be kept. But what about items like, for instance, a flashlight? It could be used anywhere, you’re thinking. So put in the place your mind would most likely look for it first. If the power were to go out, where would you most likely look for it? Maybe your bedside table, or a kitchen drawer or maybe the closet. We all have slightly different ways of doing things so try to tap into what makes the most logical sense for you.
For other items, you may find that you store them in several places in the house; items like scissors, pens, notepads are a good example of this. And that’s okay to store them in several different areas of the home, you just want to do it in a spot that makes sense to you.
And finally, don’t be afraid to change your mind You may think the logical place for items is one spot but can never remember where it is. We’re constantly evolving and changing so it makes sense that the way we do and see things does as well.
Do you have something in your home that you just can’t figure out what to do with? Post your comments below!
