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Being organized is about more than
just being neat and tidy. It also means having items and information in places
where you can reliably find them, use them, and then put them back where they
came from. Part of your problem may be that you don’t know how to organize and
store your things. Here are some guidelines and suggestions:
Start big. Rather than organize your stuff item by item, start with a more
ambitious agenda. First pick an area you want to organize. Let’s say it’s your
medicine cabinet. Take out everything and put it on the bathroom counter. Have
a trash can handy. Give the cabinet a wipe and you’re ready to go. Now group
the cold medicines together and put them on a shelf. If you come across items
that you never use or that are out of date, throw them into the trash can. Move
on to another category. Put the stuff you use most in the most convenient
locations. Label the items that are hard to spot or aren’t clearly marked. When
you’ve finished with the medicine cabinet, you can move on to your
refrigerator, clothes closet, shoes . . . Remember, not everything has to be
saved.
Use containers. Yes, I am advocating that you go out and buy more stuff!
But not just yet. First figure out which containers you need. Jars, hooks,
plastic boxes, plastic bags, and even baskets can find their places in your
reorganization planning. Your first step is determining what you want to store.
Food containers should most often be clear with lids. Objects like crayons,
small toys, and blocks all do well in see-through containers, as well. To save
space, go with square containers rather than round ones. Stackability is also a
plus because it takes advantage of vertical space. Containers make cleaning up
a lot easier by giving you definite places to return the things you use.
Label it. Whatever container you use, it helps to label the contents. For opaque
containers and boxes, labeling becomes a must. On plastic bags, a permanent
marker does the trick. An inexpensive labeler also proves useful when you can’t
write on a container.
Categorize. While it’s true that if you stick all your books into a bookcase it
will look orderly, it may not be the best organizational strategy. Come up with
some basic categories without overdoing it. Start with fiction/nonfiction and
add one or two more sub-categories. Similarly, in the kitchen, rather than
having all your spices thrown together, use a simple A-F, G-N, and so on.
Grouping can help you navigate. Labeled spice racks could do the trick, as
well. Just keep them where you can see them.
Group.
Rather than having your electronic gadgets all over the house, create a drawer
or shelf just for these alone. Have a container for the small stuff that might
otherwise get lost. Put all your sports equipment into a bin labeled for each
particular sport. Again, smaller sports items (balls, pucks, and tees) could go
in a box or container within the bin. In your medicine cabinet, group your
medicines, soaps, and razors in separate sections or on different shelves.
Prioritize usage. Some things you use frequently, others much less. In your
refrigerator, keep the most-used items near the front and on the most
accessible shelf. The same with clothing. Socks, underwear, and favorite shirts
and pants should be where you can easily reach them. Put the
once-in-a-blue-moon stuff in the back. Better yet, give it away.
Put it back! If you use it, put it back where you found it. Don’t let all
that organizational effort go to waste.
Copyright © Allen Elkin Phd – Originally appeared in Stress Management for Dummies 2nd edition by Allen Elkin
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