Organization in my own life
My motto is: an organized environment makes for an organized mind. It certainly looks nice to have things put away in bins and tidy piles, but organization is much more about function than aesthetics, although I would argue both are important!
It is undeniable that our environment can affect our mood, and that sometimes our physical environment can even mimic, or become a manifestation of, our mental environment. Organizing means bringing order; this can be found in how you fold your linens, how you schedule and manage appointments, how you remember to take your multi-vitamin in the morning, etc.
If I need something, I want to be able to know exactly where to find it. I also need some things more than others, and therefore I tend to keep them in closest proximity to where I will need them. This is why, for example, you keep your pots and pans in the kitchen and not in your bathroom, but where in your kitchen they are located, and how they are stored, is also important. This certainly isn’t to say that if you don’t have a pristinely ordered home that excellent function still can’t be achieved, but it is undoubtably a way to optimize your space, tailored to your own unique needs.
I am going to walk you through a few spaces in my house and explain to you why they are organized the way they are; each element is placed to serve a purpose. None of these examples are intended to direct you how you should wish to organize your home, but rather to give you a glimpse into the thinking process.
*If you are a prospective client seeking my organizing services, or if you are simply interested in some worksheets that assist in setting and achieving doable organizing goals, please reach out for resources through the Contact Page.
Above you see my own linen closet, let me walk you through it… First of all, surely I want the easiest access to that which I’ll need most frequently, fresh sheets and towels! That is why they are placed at about arm’s height, in a way where I can see the different designs/fabrics, and easily decide which I would like to use to refresh my space with. Items I use less frequently I’ve stored in larger, less specific bins at a height where I might need to stoop or reach, but can still see all my options. This includes things live duvet covers, guest bedroom linens, bath mats, replacements toiletries, etc.
Next, I welcome you into my kitchen.
I love to cook and I spend quite a bit of time preparing dishes from scratch ingredients; this means that I need to fit quite a bit of “stuff” into a relatively limited space. There are basic functions of certain areas of your kitchen, but we each also have different needs. For example, since I cook a lot and like to use different herbs and spices, they are immediately accessible to me while I’m standing in front of my stove, as shown below. Some people don’t use a variety of spices on a daily basis, and may therefore not prioritize them this way, but for my lifestyle it is beneficial*.
*You can tailor even the minor details of your day-to-day. Below you will also see that the plates I use most frequently (evidenced by the fact that some of them are clearly already in use) are most readily accessible, and that the plates I use less frequently are placed at a further reach, depending on how often I’ve historically needed them.
Next, let’s look inside the cabinet above my kettle and coffee machine. I love tea and it’s an important part of my culture, I prefer loose leaf teas and I found the best way to store them, not only for aesthetics, but also for an air-tight seal to aid in longevity, were some pink mason jars that were on sale at my local grocery store*.
On the very top shelf I have my dearly treasured tea set. It’s placed high because it is not only used the least, but also the furthest out of harm’s way. Progressing downward, I have placed items according to the frequency at which I use them.
*Sometimes organizing things into nice, labeled containers seems guaranteed to be an expensive project, and although it certainly can be, it also doesn’t have to. There are discount home decor stores (like HomeGoods), sales, craft projects and great ways to repurpose currently owned items, and even thrift store revamps that can aid in your budgeting!
