Organizing principles

[iris lilies]

Here we can talk about our favorite, organizing principles.


We all have talked about the importance of having a place in your home for everything. If there’s no place for it, it doesn’t get to live in my home! Well, yeah, I’m not there yet. As we finish construction on each room here, it gets set up With its permanent “stuff “

Another organizing principle I’ve been talking to DH about is: all of his clothes are in one place. He keeps bringing bits and pieces of clothing down from our unfinished guest room, where he has boxes and boxes piled. I don’t know why he can’t get all of his clothes in one place so we can see what’s there.

So I guess another organizing principle is this: all like things in one place.

[frugal-one]

The most efficient way for me to get things done is to make a “ to do” list. Whenever I think of things that should be done I put it on the list. If I don’t do this I either forget or procrastinate…

Also some things are done routinely… such as bedsheets are always washed on Sunday rather than wonder when they were last washed. Also find it easier to grocery shop the same day each week with a list.

[catherine]

So, I try to abide by the 80/20 rule for all my stuff--if the Pareto Principle is correct that I use only 20% of things 80% of the time, I only want that 20% in my house. The other 80% can go somewhere else, like the storage unit, our sheds, or to the local thrift store.

DH does not abide by this rule.. he has a lot more clothes than I do, and he started out with maybe 60% of our closet--and he's now at about 80%. He has everything in there from his overalls to his fancy suit, and even his Santa costume is in it. I've tried to tell him to take out the things he doesn't wear much and put them in the closet in our 2nd bedroom, but he won't do it. Thankfully, I don't have too many clothes I hang up, because it's like getting to Narnia through the wardrobe to find my sweaters.

My second organizing principle is my Bullet Journal. There, I'm with Tradd. I have a very hardcore routine every morning--I make out a page per day and I note appointments, things I MUST do and things I'd like to do if I have time, and I also capture a series of metrics I follow to wind up with a "Masterpiece Day." I also use it to mark anything notable that happened--things I might want to track.

[pinkytoe]

all like things in one place.
I am very organized by nature but struggle with things moving around in a multi-level house no matter how I try to keep up with them. Which floor did I leave my shoes, glasses, phone on? I tried multiple pairs of reading glasses on each floor but they all end up on one floor.

[iris lilies]

I am very organized by nature but struggle with things moving around in a multi-level house no matter how I try to keep up with them. Which floor did I leave my shoes, glasses, phone on? I tried multiple pairs of reading glasses on each floor but they all end up on one floor.

Yes, I agree with that. I have hand lotion on two floors along with bobby pins, aspirin, and a few things like that. I sleep on the second floor, so I don’t have to get up in the middle of the night to go downstairs. And by the way, we STILL have no handrails on that staircase. It’s still a construction staircase in progress.

[herbgeek]

In addition to all things in one place, I'm a big fan of grouping sub items within a larger box for easier retrieval. For example in my sewing box, i have a ziploc bag of sewing needles, and another bag of buttons. I don't have to dump out the entire box to get what i need, I'm more likely to put it back in the right place and the box stays organized over time- except when im in a rush, throw it in anywhere and lie to myself I'll get to it later.

[rosarugosa]

I am very methodical about where I put things, even (maybe especially) if I am setting them down briefly. If my slippers are not on my feet, they are beside the bed or in the closet. If my phone is not in my handbag or in use, there are only about 1/2 dozen places I would set it down in the house, so if I'm looking for it, the search never takes long. This is kind of a sub-category of "everything in it's place," but I believe it's one of the reasons why we are always looking for DH's things and I almost always know where my things are.

[nswef]

herbgeek, I hadn't thought of bagging like items in sewing...but I've been doing it with drugs/meds/bandaids etc. A bag for stomach stuff, a bag for ointments, a bag for nail grooming etc.

rosa, I am very careful about where my shoes are so I don't trip over them! I've been able to keep the reading glasses in their set spaces, too.

[rosarugosa]

Herb: I do something similar with my sewing box.
NSWEF: DH's reading glasses are one of the things we are always looking for!

[mschrisgo2]

I really only want things that I currently use, or I find truly beautiful AND have a place for, in my home.
I am getting really close. My biggest weakness is not getting rid of the old when I buy a replacement- blender, shoes, worn out clothes. I’m doing better with the clothes since I found a local textile recycler.
I do have a shed with outdoor furniture (right now) and garden stuff and tools. I went thru it a month or so ago, gave away a few things, trashed a bunch. I have a small pile of things here to take to my daughter this coming week (she said she wanted them).

[happystuff]

My biggest frustration is that MY organizing ideas and practices are just that - mine. There are other people in this household that have their own ideas. Unfortunately, some of the individual ideas clash, so organizing is still a "work in progress".

[beckyliz]

Sometimes the best place for items is where we actually use them. So, for example, we think that the bedroom closet is the best place to keep our clothes - that's what it was built for. But, if we use a bathroom on a different floor of the house, it may make sense to keep our clothes in a closet on that floor. Not saying that's what IL's husband is doing; it just is an example. Also, I have multiples of items in different rooms. I have a small selection of office supplies in my kitchen, because I need them there and I don't want to go back to my office to use them.

[herbgeek]

I have learned that some people optimize for storage and others optimize for retrieval. I am the latter and spouse is the former although has acknowledged my method is better. ��. Storage people look for an empty space, put the item in that space and they're done. Those who optimize for retrieval think about where they use the item or where they would think to put an item (like band aids with other first aid items) and put it there. Storage people think their way is quicker but neglect to account for the time they waste looking for items.

[ejchase]

I have a few principles that work well *when I follow them* which is by no means a given:

One is a "touch-things-once" policy - which means instead of putting a dish in the sink and then coming back later to rinse it and put it in the dishwasher, I try to rinse it and put it in the dishwasher as soon as I'm done with it. This also applies to mail (put it where it goes, including the recycling bin, immediately after removing it from the mailbox, rather than setting it down, so that it becomes clutter), my coat (!) (hang it in the closet rather than draping it over a chair when I come into the house), and so many other things.

We have a set place to put things at the bottom of the stairs to take when we go up and at the top for when we go down.

I read somewhere that any time you move through your house - like from the living room to the kitchen, or whatever - look around to see if there is something to take with you - e.g. a coffee cup that needs to go in the dishwasher or whatever. I'm working on cultivating that habit.

And as all of you know, I love using a timer to face any and all kinds of decluttering and housekeeping. I can be really undisciplined about keeping the kitchen clean, but it works really well to say to myself "I'm just going to face it for 15 minutes (or sometimes 5 or 10!)" and then I do it - and often spend more time because I get the momentum going.

This is a great thread, iris lilies!

[catherine]

And as all of you know, I love using a timer to face any and all kinds of decluttering and housekeeping. I can be really undisciplined about keeping the kitchen clean, but it works really well to say to myself "I'm just going to face it for 15 minutes (or sometimes 5 or 10!)" and then I do it - and often spend more time because I get the momentum going.

This is a great thread, iris lilies!

I agree that sometimes you think you don't have time to do something, or you just don't want to do it, without realizing how little time it actually takes! I find that to be the case with washing dishes. As you said, once you start, that's half the battle.

[early morning]

For me, it's not the doing that takes so long usually - it's the process of getting to that stage of doing! Ok, today this was me, trying to clean and organize some stuff in the living room. We have tall ceilings, and thus some pretty tall cupboards (freestanding). And I notice that the stuff stored/displayed on the top of the tallest one needs dusted. Badly. But I can't come close to reaching those things, even with my stepstool. So, this is how it starts: 1. move the stuff on the floor that we've been sorting and pricing to sell in our booths. 2. Move the chair in front of the cupboard into the middle of the floor where the stuff was. 3. Retrieve the ladder from the basement or shed, depending on where it was used last - this time it was in the basement (There are no closets on the ground floor) 4. Explain to DH why he can't get to his tool dresser right now, due to stuff on floor and chair in middle of room 5. Answer the phone. (10:1 it's a telemarketer) No, it's my sister, and she needs some info so that takes a bit. By now, DH has forgotten why he wanted to get to his tool dresser, but he's still irritated because the ladder is currently blocking the bathroom door. Because, phone. So - 6. He takes the ladder back to the basement, trying to be helpful and not realizing I had not used it yet. I shove the chair back in front of the still undusted cupboard, and start dinner. *sigh* Please feel free to use this as a morality story to keep decluttering and organizing, lol. I have about given up!

[catherine]

For me, it's not the doing that takes so long usually - it's the process of getting to that stage of doing! Ok, today this was me, trying to clean and organize some stuff in the living room. We have tall ceilings, and thus some pretty tall cupboards (freestanding). And I notice that the stuff stored/displayed on the top of the tallest one needs dusted. Badly. But I can't come close to reaching those things, even with my stepstool. So, this is how it starts: 1. move the stuff on the floor that we've been sorting and pricing to sell in our booths. 2. Move the chair in front of the cupboard into the middle of the floor where the stuff was. 3. Retrieve the ladder from the basement or shed, depending on where it was used last - this time it was in the basement (There are no closets on the ground floor) 4. Explain to DH why he can't get to his tool dresser right now, due to stuff on floor and chair in middle of room 5. Answer the phone. (10:1 it's a telemarketer) No, it's my sister, and she needs some info so that takes a bit. By now, DH has forgotten why he wanted to get to his tool dresser, but he's still irritated because the ladder is currently blocking the bathroom door. Because, phone. So - 6. He takes the ladder back to the basement, trying to be helpful and not realizing I had not used it yet. I shove the chair back in front of the still undusted cupboard, and start dinner. *sigh* Please feel free to use this as a morality story to keep decluttering and organizing, lol. I have about given up!

One reason I like my house is because it is one story, and if you are over 6'4" you have to stoop to keep from being scalped by the flush-mount ceiling fan. A step stool gets me,5'2", up high enough to do cobwebs, wipe grease off the ceiling, dust ceiling fan blades, etc. I don't need window-washers. It really is a Hobbitt house. My second son is the "giant" in the family at 5'8".. There's an advantage to being vertically challenged!

[early morning]

OH, I get that - I'm 5.2 also, and I'm the TALL one in my family of origin! My dad built the house I was born in, and my (4.9) sister's college friends called it the House of the Leprechauns. But I do love high ceilings!

[iris lilies]

Ho boy early morning, that saga is a killer!

I don’t yet know if our current house, what I call a “cottage “that has 8 foot ceilings throughout, is an advantage or disadvantage over our Victorian house that had 11+ foot ceilings. My condo has 9 foot ceilings. I have to say I miss the space above my head even though in our cottage it seems right.

As for kitchen cabinets, even with 8 foot ceilings I still have to get on a stepstool to reach the top shelves.

[catherine]

OH, I get that - I'm 5.2 also, and I'm the TALL one in my family of origin! My dad built the house I was born in, and my (4.9) sister's college friends called it the House of the Leprechauns. But I do love high ceilings!

House of the Leprechauns--I love it! I'll have to use it.

[rosarugosa]

Just chiming in to say that I am also 5'2" living in a leprechaun house. Poor DH is a hair under 6' though, so more head bumps for him. Ceilings on the first floor are 8', and on the second floor they are 6' in a couple of small areas and then slope sharply downward to about 4'.