
I do not get a chance to type just about organizing very often. This is long overdue!
As a minimalist, I appreciate having fewer things to wash or dust and put away. As an organizer, I am relieved that I know exactly where the objects I do have are placed and I try to keep them in order. Our home is not empty by any means and there is always an area that could be improved upon.
Recently I solved a few small but annoying problems in our place. It started with my partner noticing how awkward it was to reach for and bring down a few glass bowls that are piled together. In a corner cabinet, they have always sat on the left side. Yet, with the curve of the counter in the way, our posture gets uncomfortably twisted. The tupperware (all with matching lids, of course) were on the right and easily accessible, yet we did not use them as often as the bowls (which are heavy). Switcheroo!
Another example: the storage closet (the only one in our apartment) is the catch all space for linens, additional dry products and tools. A lower shelf with towels (dish and bath) always required the removal of a folding step ladder that fits neatly in front. The easier to reach shelf above contains bedding that we don’t need as often so, again, I switched them.
In my office, all supplies and books are in a bookshelf right next to my desk. Recently I rearranged the most used items to be within arm’s reach and less used things are now lower down.
On a personal level, I found myself digging essential travel items out of one bag and transferring them into another because one day I may need a large satchel for work, then a knapsack for hiking, then a small shoulder bag for meeting friends…you get the idea. So that I don’t have to dig through each bag, trying to remember where I last left my wallet, it has become a daily habit to empty bag contents into a small drawer in a bureau in a different room. To make things even easier, I now place all items into a couple of sleeves of an over-the-door shoe bag (that I use for scarves and other miscellany) and this is within reach of my traveling pieces.
We are likely going to be moving to a smaller space in the future. Finding ways to reduce and reorganize physical things is a skill worth practicing that will serve us well down the road.
What small steps can you take to make life in your home a little bit easier?
organized