For the past few weeks, I have been helping you take baby steps to get organized. I am trying to make you aware of how easily clutter creeps up on you. I want you to realize how clutter steals time from you.

Today I’m going to tell you the secret to Organization.  Ready?  OK here goes.

A Place For Everything

And

Everything In Its Place

That’s the secret to Organization.

Easy right.

Well not so much.

I know that some of your stuff overflows its space.

I hear you saying that some of your things never seem to make it to their place.

The problem is that you don’t have a plan. You don’t have a space designated.

You have to make a plan.

Where are your things going to go?

Where are your keys, your purse, your stamps or your cell phone charger?

How about your dishes?

In my house, the dishes are on a rack right above the dishwasher. Additionally, that rack holds the same about of dishes that will fit into my dishwasher.

By having a plan with a designated space it is really easy to set the table and unload the dishwasher. Anyone can do it. My guests don’t have to ask where are the dishes.

My point is they have a place. Create a defined area. By doing this clutter can’t creep in.

Remember in a prior post I talked about Zones. Zones can apply to anything. You need to zone like things together.

Think of a grocery store. Every shelf is labeled. You know what goes in every spot on every shelf. The Aisles are labeled so you know the produce department is where the lemons will be found and the dairy aisle is where the eggs and milk will be found. By the aisles being labeled you know where to find what ever it is you need. Most stores zone like things together. Salt is in the same aisle is flour and sugar.

Your local grocery store would be so much more frustrating if they put things on shelves with no system in place. You walk in the door and today the bread is in the aisle with the motor oil. I venture to guess you would not be shopping there and the store might even go out of business.

Another key point is you have to make your designated space easy to access.

If you don’t make your designated space easy to access you will not put your things back in their place.

Your little’s can put things back if they know where they go and are easy to access. Put their things on their level. If you are short put your stuff at lower levels. If you are tall and can easily reach the upper shelf that might be your go to spot. If you are 6 foot tall reaching down to the floor for your shoes is a pain. Likewise, if you are 5 foot, you can’t reach the upper shelf. Putting your stuff up there would not be productive. You will not put it back in the designated space.

Just another example is a pet zone:  Dog food, treats, medications all are in a zone altogether. I keep my pups food in a clear plastic container. I always know how much they have and it I need to put pup chow on the list.

Maybe you need to have your deodorant in your closet or where you get dressed instead of the bathroom? I do because I want to put it on first. I don’t need to walk into the bathroom. At my age, I might forget why I went there. By the time I figure it out. It’s too late.   But I digress. My point is that you know how you live. What makes you tick?

Sunday assignment: Think about what you use on a daily basis.   Go room by room and determine what would make your life easier. Allocate a space for those things. Everything has to have a place.

Make a place for everything.

Make the place easy to access.

If you plan it out and make a plan you will find you are more organized, that clutter does not have a chance to build up and you will more likely to stay organized.

If you or your Little’s need labels to remember what goes where then do it.

Remember:

A place for everything and everything in its place.

Failure to plan is a plan for failure – Benjamin Franklin

Make a plan.

 

Stay with me and I will continue sharing tips to help you contain your clutter. Tell me about your plan.

 

#MakeaPlan, #EverythinginitsPlace, #Clutter, #organized, #secret

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