What works for you?

Everyone has that space in their home or office that is an organizing challenge, including organizers!  Does your mudroom/transitional space get messy and cluttered quickly and repeatedly?  It’s often a struggle to keep basements organized.  That large open space often becomes a dumping ground for items we don’t quite know what to do with.  Is the play room with all the kids’ games and activities filled with overflowing bins?  Despite storage, are items still covering the floor?  Most people can point out quickly what space is not working for them.  But conversely, most everyone has a space that does work well.  The pantry is uncluttered, food items are containerized and the space works for everyone in the family.  Your closet and wardrobe are easy to negotiate and you can find a great outfit quickly and easily.  The office has an organized filing system that makes it simple to find your documents when you need them.  So, what works for you?

How do we create more space that works for you?

I ask clients about the space that works because it will give us good ideas on how to create more of it.  If the pantry is a good working space because of its containers and layout, can we replicate that in the playroom?  We set up a good working closet and wardrobe by purging the unneeded clothes and accessories.  Making the remaining items easy to see and choose from simplifies getting dressed.  Can we use this same method in the basement?  Purge the unneeded and unused items and find an appropriate home for what needs to stay.  Great work setting up an office that makes you more efficient and minimizes stress.  What similar systems can you create in the mudroom to deal with the volume and variety of items that fill that space regularly?

Everyone has a space that challenges them but at the same time, everyone has a space or system that works well.  Look at the processes and systems that are working well and by replicating them in your challenging space, you’ll be able to create more space that works.