Ask Erin: THE BASICS OF ORGANIZING

by ERIN SHARPLIN LOVE | erinlove@panachebyerin.com

As a professional organizer, I teach my clients that uncluttering and sorting are the first steps to take before the organizing process can really begin. But, you have to have a plan that works for you and your family. The good news is that it does not have to be complicated. In fact, it shouldn’t be! If a procedure is too complex, the least likely you will keep it up. When I organize for a client, I try to create simple yet effective systems that work. Generally, I follow a few “basics” that I am going to share with you today. Please enjoy!

EVERYTHING MUST HAVE A HOME. The first basic of organizing is that everything must have a home. After all, the number one reason that items don’t get put away properly is because they do not have a permanent, well-defined, and easily-accessible home. To find the perfect place for an item, ask yourself “Where would I be most likely to look for this when I need it?” You want items in the most logical place, so you may also need to consider how often and where you use them. If you currently have a home for specific items, but those items are not being used, now is the time to ask yourself why. Perhaps they are not conveniently located, or you are no longer in need of the item. Finding the perfect home for all items that are loved and used is what will help keep you beautifully organized.

WORK WITH YOUR CLUTTER. If you take a good look at the things that are currently lying around in your home, they will give you a clue about what systems you need to put in place immediately. For instance, is your dining room table or kitchen counter the dumping ground for anything and everything that comes through the door? If so, you are not alone. This is a common problem among many of my clients. To combat the disorder of the space, I suggest creating specific work centers for each activity. Here are a few examples of specific zones that I usually find in the kitchen and dining areas of a home:
1. Mail-sorting station. This could be as simple as a wicker basket or as elaborate as a mudroom-inspired landing zone.
2. Homework zone. Set up everything that is typically needed during a homework session and have the space ready. Again, this can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it. I have done everything from setting a basket on an empty chair to corral homework items to creating a whole desk area inside of the dining room. The trick is to make it easy and doable.
3. Arts and crafts station. I suggest creating a bin to hold everything that you need to complete one project at a time and find a permanent home for the rest. Not only will this save space on your dining room table, but it will also help you finish a project instead of starting many. Designate clutter-free zones. There are some areas, such as the dining room and bedrooms, that should be clutter free. The way I see it, we should all be able to sit down as a family and eat dinner, and we should each have a sanctuary to call our own. Your sanctuary should be a place you can go to read, write, and/or think in privacy. You can do very little in a cluttered area.

CONTAIN AND COMPARTMENTALIZE. Use containers, trays, and bins to organize everything. You want to place all like items together in one container, for instance, so that they are easy to find and easy to replace. Bins with lids are great for making use of vertical space. I too often see vertical space that is not being utilized properly. Stackable bins will rectify this issue quickly. Compartmentalizing makes it so easy to see, and therefore, use everything that you have. And that is the point, right? You want nothing in your home that you don’t love and use.

LABEL EVERYTHING. You can contain and compartmentalize until your heart’s content, but if you don’t know what is inside of those bins and baskets, it is useless. Be sure to add labels to everything that you contain. No matter if you think you will remember what is inside of them or not. It is much easier to know what is inside of a bin at a glance instead of trying to remember. Think of all of that time you will save, too. There isn’t a second to waste.

THIS IS A LIFESTYLE. Finally, the most important basic rule of being organized is that it is a lifestyle. You must make organizing a priority and a habit. You must change your habits to create the lifestyle of being organized. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

So there you have them. My “basics” of getting and staying organized. Which one resonated with you the most? Please share with me!