Organizing ideas and a better plan. Have a better working plan for your space, work area and your home.
If you are like me you spend time looking for things. Ok hours! Keys, phone or tablet plug ins, wallet, purse, backpack, important papers and so on. Well I wanted to share some simple ideas for organizing your space.
A better plan is the goal. Organizing ideas that help the day run smoother.
5 Organizing Ideas and a Better plan.
#1 Group Like Things
5 Organizing ideas come from a basic list that I follow. A better plan instead of a lousy plan or no plan!
Organizing idea, A very simple thought is to group like things together. This is so easy to do! Pens and pencils in a drawer or pencil holder. My plan was to have place for keys, bills, plug ins, my purse, my tablet, backpack and phone. I place bills in one place (basket, or container to drop them in when they arrive in the mail), with paid bills in a basket ready to be filed or scanned. Dirty clothes in a hamper. Dry ingredients in one cupboard, liquids in another in the kitchen.
Organizing Idea – Grouped Things Found Things
Organizing ideas and a better plan meant I had to group things. Grouped things are often found things. When I group things together there is more of a chance I will find them. Pens can be found in the pencil/pen cup rather than in the cupboard that holds the baking ingredients.
I have found that if I have a basket, I will be more likely to drop my keys into the basket. Or if there is a hook, I will be more likely to hang my keys. Grouped things by the front door. This helps me get the right things out the door to work! This is a better plan than no plan.
If I have pre-planned or pre-decided where something should go then I am more likely to place it there instead of randomly setting it down while I walk in the front door.
Organizing Idea – Pre-planned
This organizing idea has taken me a few years to figure out but pre-planning where things should go, or where things should be near. Dishes by the dishwasher is easy. But where do you put your bills, your computer or tablet accessories? I have now put the tablet accessories in a backpack to corral all the items.
If I leave plug ins on my desk, counter or table they mysteriously get taken by my husband! However I love this man very much. I am madly in love but most of the time MAD!
The other thing is when I plan where important things should go then I can tell others “put those keys in the basket so we can find them.” When I have a successful place, I am helping my husband also have a successful place.
Organizing Idea – #2 Easy Access
A key organizing idea is easy access. I have found that things that are often used the most often should be easily accessible. Secondly, Items I use less I can put away, place in files, file cabinets, pull out drawers or in baskets on a shelf. Keys, plug ins, phones, important papers should have a place (basket, desk drop, drawer specifically for these items) and then use this as your “EASY ACCESS” place every day.
Organizing Ideas a better plan – #3 The Right Place Matters
Organizing idea the right place matters. Think about simply having a place where items go that are used each day to walk out the door. When I use something daily then it needs a “RIGHT PLACE” to go. A designated place for keys, mail, money, bills, invitations, permission slips, etc. I really try to put things in the right place.
Organizing ideas, the right place in the right room for the right person. All other items can go past this “Right place” section and be put in the right room – bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, mudroom, laundry room or garage.
#4 The Wrong Place Matters
The wrong place matters! If you were to put the milk in the bathroom it would go bad, and no one could find it. But if you take those few steps towards the refrigerator, put it in there, it will last. Later when it is needed it will be found. FURTHERMORE, found things lead to a happy heart!
I remember telling my kids “We don’t drop our clothes, backpacks, homework on the table in the kitchen. You’re stuff goes in your room.” Needless to say it ended up in the kitchen. But after cleaning and straightening I tried to get them in the process of putting their things in their area rather than the general kitchen area. Especially that time frame after school.
Putting the most important things in the wrong place matters.
Taking those few moments to put the keys where you can find them in the morning when you are rushing to go out the door and head to work, matters. If the keys are in the wrong place, then you spend countless moments of your precious time trying to find them.
How many times has this happened to all of us? I have a basket on the kitchen counter we call the key basket. I’ve tried key racks, key hanging shelves…and the basket works for us. Not every time, but most of the time.
Wrong place
The wrong place is simply not the right place. If I get busy, get distracted, and set things down in the wrong place.
Meanwhile, the right place really should have a blinking light that says put the keys here! But alas in my life that still didn’t work!
Oh good grief, my husband bless his heart loves to set keys down onto a messy surface. This is just disastrous! Back to my point of organizing, looking for things, starting the day frustrated, and being late. I make a game plan but that doesn’t mean the basic game plan is followed.
No one wakes up in the morning and says “You know I want to spend an hour this morning looking for my keys!”
I have probably spent 1 entire year of my adult life looking for keys. And yes I may be exaggerating, and I may be telling the truth. Big smile!
#5 Create a Process That Works for You
Create a process that works.
If organizing everything including the laundry doesn’t work long term and leads to more frustration, then that process does not work.