My Favorite Organizing Rule

My favorite organizing rule is “don’t put it down, put it away.” The idea is to set up your home or office so that you easily know where something goes. That way, you can find it when you want it, and put it away when you’re finished with it. It’s really a mindset, to get to the point where this becomes automatic.

My husband still needs to practice this.

This morning, I watched him take something out of the medicine cabinet, finish using it, and leave it on the counter. I said nothing, waiting to find out how long it took him to put it back. Fortunately for me, he did so a few minutes later. For me, I would rather put it away the first time.

My bathroom drawer (see photo) is now organized just the way I want it. I can open the drawer, stand beside it, and work directly from the drawer. There is no need to take things out and place them on the counter, with the intention of straightening up later. It took some work to get to this point, but now it is truly easy to maintain.

This principle applies to your daily, frequent-use spaces. The top drawer of your desk, your phone charging station, the place where you keep your shoes, or your laundry hamper. Create a system where you can easily put something away when you are finished, without having to think about it.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What items do I frequently find scattered about the house?
• Where do I find them?
• What system could I set up to store these items where I naturally tend to leave them?

You can change your space by re-thinking how you use your home. Let me know how it goes, OK?