Simple Tips for a Highly Organized Life

Clutter happens. Even with the best intentions, over time, an area's upkeep is bound to suffer. Occasionally, an area's disarray calls for a proper resort and restore. Section by section, you can harness any chaos before it ensues. Then, when your surroundings are orderly, your thoughts can be, too.

Personal Space

Wherever you tend to camp out for productivity and work, it absolutely deserves some special attention. If you spend several hours a week on the couch in digital meetings, that area ought to be outfitted to suit those specific needs. A great way to accomplish this, and boost your productivity, is to utilize a movable, multi-use furniture piece. For example, a rolling ottoman or side table with extending surfaces, cabinets, or drawers, can easily serve as an uber-efficient mobile desktop. Having all you need at an arm's length, able to be moved to wherever you need, will be a total game changer.

Purse-onal Space

Whether you carry a messenger bag, a wallet, or a full-on Mary Poppins carpetbag, it's important to have a system for storing and locating the necessities you keep on your person.

Anyone who's ever deviated from their wallet filing system is all too familiar with the baby heart attack brought on by the dreaded "uh oh" moment: when you reach for a card that isn't there. Hopefully it can be located nearby, just out of place. Skip that stress altogether by keeping things expertly arranged for accessibility and consistency.

Wallets have built-in pockets, but with bigger bags it's useful to include smaller sorting pouches or folders. Employing categorized sub-compartments can swiftly tame even the wildest of satchels. Moreover, establish and follow a system of ordering the contents. Heavier items should live at the bottom, and taller items can be filed vertically for optimal visibility. Depending on the vessels themselves, from designer bags to fanny packs, you can cater these details to their capacity, as well as your own needs.

Powder Room Perfected

When you get out of the shower, what are the first three products you reach for? Does your countertop lineup boast more bottles than it needs? The things you use on a weekly basis can be tucked under the sink or in a cabinet to free up that coveted surface area.

Do cupboards and drawers look like a bomb went off inside? Start collecting food containers when they're empty, so you can drop them in for compartmentalized storage options. Vertical spaces can also be capitalized on with hanging and magnetic hooks or clips. Blow dryers and hair straighteners can be rehomed to a mounted basket.

Lastly, keeping cleaning supplies on hand will make for more accessible daily upkeep. Squeegeeing the shower after each use, for instance, will prevent mildew buildup. A microfiber cloth for toothpaste spots on the mirror will reduce accumulation. Making an effort every day to restore order will feel much easier when the locations for each thing have been designated.

Clean Up and Cook On

The state of the kitchen probably fluctuates the most. With a core foundation for organization, even the biggest meal prep doesn't need to create a monstrous mess.

Spice addicts should look into magnetized bottles to stick on the wall beside the stove. Frequently used grains and pastas can be stored in clear countertop containers for ease of access. Coffee appliances are best suited for a designated corner, as are bread boxes and their contents.

The things you use only once or twice a year should be stashed in higher areas. Cabinets can be maximized by adding cheap raisers for extra shelf space. Reduce plastic bag mountains by smashing them into a small, hanging container/dispenser. Double up on under-the-sink space by inserting a suspension rod for hanging items. Finally, avoid leaving food-crusted dishes to become dreaded scrub brush battles. Reserve an area of the sink for soaking these things while you dive into whatever deliciousness you just prepared.

Auto Sorted

Cars are basically giant rolling suitcases. You equip your ride with a variety of tools and necessities for when you're on the go. But what use are those things when you're in a pinch, but can't locate them in the mess?

In the smaller, reachable spaces, filing dividers and sticker tabs can earmark the most important documents to avoid unnecessary rifling under pressure. In deeper spaces, small boxes and cups can be used to sort like items. You can even hang additional storage behind the passenger seat.

Keep bigger, more infrequently needed items, in the trunk. If your spare tire rests under the carpet, there might be a vacant stash space in the center. Additionally, a simple banker's box in the corner is a clutch catchall for roaming shoes, sports equipment, etc. Secure it with a hooked bungee cord if it tends to slide around.

Maintenance Matters

Upkeep of these newly managed spaces will require a bit of habit forming on your part. Remember that once everything has a place, that's where it belongs. It's always best to put things away immediately when you're done using them. Another essential piece of upholding an organized world is to avoid accumulating too much stuff. This can be accomplished by first acquiring only what you really need, and then regularly noticing when it's time to purge those items that no longer serve you. Thankfully, one man's trash will always be another man's treasure, and there are countless ways to donate or make use of unwanted stuff.