For me, an organized space means an organized life. If I feel like I have control over my space, I feel more in control of my life, and especially my time.
I took on a small organizing project today and was just so energized by it I thought I would share my organizing philosophy. I conquered the linen closet. Not a huge project, but still a good way to share some important organizational concepts.
Here are the before and after pictures . . .
Here are some of the main things that I have found to be very important in organizing any space:
1. Have an organizational system that works! If you organize something one way and it doesn't end up working for you, don't be afraid to try something different. It has to work for your space and your lifestyle. Sometimes it may take a few tries.
2. The best organizational systems are low maintenance. Organizing and staying organized requires maintenance. That is just reality. A great way to tell if your organization is working is to gage how much time you spend maintaining the space. If it takes a lot of maintenance, you may need to try a different approach.
3. Take everything out and put everything back in! The best way to organize a space is to completely remove everything. This allows you to see the stuff you have and to get a realistic view of the space you have. I often put things in one way and then rearrange them multiple times as I put it the space back together.
4. Use space savers and get rid of space "suckers". It is important to use things that create space, rather than suck the life out of it. In my linen closet there were a lot of medicine and band-aid boxes that were a space sucking nightmare!
5. Use labels!!! It may sound cheesy, but you can label in such a way that doesn't look tacky. It is also helpful in spaces that are used by multiple people, such as a linen closet. It is also helpful for children. I have seen moms use pictures for younger kids who are still learning to read. Obviously, you don't have to overdo it. I mean no one wants to come over and see your dresser drawer labeled "underwear".
Just wanted to share a piece of my obsession. I'll keep posting about organizing in the future!! I have a lot to say about it . . . obviously.
