My mother always said “cada cosa en su lugar, y un lugar para cada cosa”. Translated, that means “everything in its place, and a place for everything.” When I was young(er) I thought she was OCD. Now, I channel her constantly
Photo: The Neat Method
Well before it was a “thing” my mother – who was an architect by training - had her kitchen cabinets built with pull out drawers and shelves that were slanted so that cans would roll down. We were a family of six and she worked full time, which made her obsessive about time savers. (We also ate a lot of soup when we got home from school and she was still at the office.) In the laundry room my sisters and I each had our own laundry bin with our clean clothes that Mom had neatly folded after laundering. It was our job to put them away. Of course, what really happened was that we would all get dressed for school in said laundry room. If by Saturday we hadn’t yet put our laundry away, Mom would take the overflowing bins and dump them out on our beds (sometimes while we were still sleeping in them!). That meant that we had to REFOLD everything, which was a pretty good deterrent, making Saturday the day to put our stuff away. I totally get it now. It’s important for me to keep clutter under control because of the limited closet and storage space that we have in our condo. Also, there’s nothing worse than rushing to get out the door only to realize that I can’t find my keys, or that accessory that I really wanted to wear. When you reach a certain age, you too will forget what it was that you were looking for in the first place, leave, and then go back to search for it… FACT: an organized home is a happier home. Not just because being organized helps you save time and aggravation, but because, research has shown that cluttered spaces can cause stress. As if these days we didn’t have enough of that! Organizing can be overwhelming. So we’ve sought out a few helpful articles with tips to pass along to help you tackle what needn’t be a daunting task. Here are some highlights: 1. Start with your storage spaces – and declutter them first. When you find stuff tucked away that you had even forgotten you had, clearly you don’t need it and can do without. Plus, decluttering your storage space creates space for other things that you no longer want in plain view! 2. Make the most of your cabinets. Roll out shelves and racks, lazy Susans for your spices and drawer organizers are critical to keep your kitchen stuff under control. If you’re not a “mise en place” kind of person, knowing where things are while you are cooking will help avoid burning dinner while you were searching for the right spice… 3. Manage your cables! There is nothing that annoys me more than seeing a web of cables and more cables. With so many options to wrap and store cables, put the time in to keep them out of sight. 4. Make decluttering a habit. Don’t wait until it’s a mess – create a weekly organizing routine. That way, you'll never be overwhelmed. 5. Make it feel more like decorating and less like organizing. Get pretty bins and storage boxes to get inspired. From beautiful baskets to colorful storage boxes, make your organization tools part of your décor, following my Mom’s advice: a place for everything. Here are some ideas from the experts to help get you on the path of making your home clutter free, saving you time and making your home life happier. 98 Clutter Hacks for your Home Where to begin when re-organizing your home Martha Stewart’s home organizing tips A minimalist way to re-organize your home
An organized home is a happier home. Research has shown that cluttered spaces can cause stress. As if these days we didn’t have enough of that!
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