Lucky for me, our home has its limits, which keep me from over-accumulating and also forces me to organize. Geek that I am, I get a thrill from the age old adage "a place for everything and everything in its place." I start to feel the effects of clutter and disorganization in my being if I am not dilligent. It's connected to the aesthetics of my surroundings: I am at peace when I am surrounded by beauty and order. I also can bless others so much more, as I can use my home and possessions to encourage others when my home is orderly and I know where my possessions are.
I believe that maintaining order is a three-step process.
1. Continually assess.
Regularly rumaging through cupboards, drawers, cabinets and boxes is so much fun! I always find a treasure or two, reclaim a lost object and identify items I don't need. It feels so good to unload a garbage bag of clothes I don't need, knowing it will lead to order and peace in my closet and dresser. It's truly a sigh of relief! Plus, it may bless others if it winds up in a thrift store!
2. Keep what you need and use, donate or eliminate the rest.
It takes a dose of "tough love" to do this, but believe me, it pays off. For me, it starts with a vision for the room I am in. Here are some good questions to ask yourself:
-Does this item contribute to my vision or distract from it?
-Can this item be repurposed some other way?
-Would this item be of more use in another space? (Does it make the most "sense" here?)
-Do I truly want/need this?
-Is this donatable? Regiftable? Trash?
3. Reorganize the space, room by room.
We recently had our walls filled with insulation, which forced us to move everything out temporarily, repaint, and then move things back in. Wow, what a relief!! I had a real opportunity to choose paint colors I love, sort through our things and rearrange rooms. It was wonderful and it gave me a renewed sense of gratitude and satisfaction in my home.
One thing that really helps me is to have a theme for each room. I am not suggesting that your home become Disneyland, but what I mean is that if a room has a sense of purpose, then each object in the room serves that purpose, style, feel and decor. For instance, most of my personal objects and sentimental trinkets are in my bedroom, where I can enjoy them. They are all housed in a small shelf where they have a sense of purpose. If alone and scattered about the house, they would seem insignifigant. Here are some questions to ask yourself when determining what belongs in a room:
-What is the function of this room?
-What is the scale of this room? (The scale of the room or wall you are considering is a determiner of the amount or scale of the decor and furniture you select.)
-What colors will predominate here? (Sometimes your favorite will not be the room's favorite)
-What is my inspiration? (ie, the piece that ties it all together, such a rug, bedspread, painting, or a view. It gives the room order and creates a sense of direction for all new pieces that come in or out.)
-What will I honor here? (If everything is "special" then nothing is. You don't have to put ALL of your posessions out. Sometimes less is more.)
I have also needed to find a definite place for everything. Towels, linen, media, toys, Christmas decor, dishes - EVERYTHING. Not only does everything have a place, but each place is housed within its appropriate "theme room". Here is a brief rundown of what I mean:
Kitchen/dining room contains:
dishes in a cabinet
glassware and mugs in a cabinet
bakeware in a cabinet
cookware in a cabinet
tupperware in a cabinet
spices in a rack (frequently used)
spices in a drawer (infrequent, overstock and baking types)
teas in a drawer
foils, wraps and bags in a drawer
children's cup items in a drawer
cooking implements in a pitcher next to the stove (frequently used)
cooking implements in a drawer (smaller or infrequently used)
utensils in a drawer
china in a hutch (purchased to help me organize and create space)
platters in a hutch
silver in a hutch
wine glasses in a hutch (frequent)
serving spoons in a hutch
steak knives in a hutch
knives in a knife holder by the stove
salt/pepper on the stove (for cooking)
salt/pepper on the hutch (for serving)
linens in the hutch (frequent)
linens in the linen closet (infrequent)
I know it's exhaustive, but I always know where everything is, and when entertaining I can quickly set up my space, which helps when others are assisting (hint:husbands). When I clean up, everything has a place and I don't end up with clutter every time.
I could go room by room and give you the rundown, but this blog is already too long. I would love to answer any questions you might have, this is a passion for me. I delight in my home when it serves me and refreshes me. I feel beautiful when I am surrounded by beauty. My family life works better and everyone is content when I have a system. I have a lot to yet learn, but building this nest is a wonderful thing!
2. Keep what you need and use, donate or eliminate the rest.
It takes a dose of "tough love" to do this, but believe me, it pays off. For me, it starts with a vision for the room I am in. Here are some good questions to ask yourself:
-Does this item contribute to my vision or distract from it?
-Can this item be repurposed some other way?
-Would this item be of more use in another space? (Does it make the most "sense" here?)
-Do I truly want/need this?
-Is this donatable? Regiftable? Trash?
3. Reorganize the space, room by room.
We recently had our walls filled with insulation, which forced us to move everything out temporarily, repaint, and then move things back in. Wow, what a relief!! I had a real opportunity to choose paint colors I love, sort through our things and rearrange rooms. It was wonderful and it gave me a renewed sense of gratitude and satisfaction in my home.
One thing that really helps me is to have a theme for each room. I am not suggesting that your home become Disneyland, but what I mean is that if a room has a sense of purpose, then each object in the room serves that purpose, style, feel and decor. For instance, most of my personal objects and sentimental trinkets are in my bedroom, where I can enjoy them. They are all housed in a small shelf where they have a sense of purpose. If alone and scattered about the house, they would seem insignifigant. Here are some questions to ask yourself when determining what belongs in a room:
-What is the function of this room?
-What is the scale of this room? (The scale of the room or wall you are considering is a determiner of the amount or scale of the decor and furniture you select.)
-What colors will predominate here? (Sometimes your favorite will not be the room's favorite)
-What is my inspiration? (ie, the piece that ties it all together, such a rug, bedspread, painting, or a view. It gives the room order and creates a sense of direction for all new pieces that come in or out.)
-What will I honor here? (If everything is "special" then nothing is. You don't have to put ALL of your posessions out. Sometimes less is more.)
I have also needed to find a definite place for everything. Towels, linen, media, toys, Christmas decor, dishes - EVERYTHING. Not only does everything have a place, but each place is housed within its appropriate "theme room". Here is a brief rundown of what I mean:
Kitchen/dining room contains:
dishes in a cabinet
glassware and mugs in a cabinet
bakeware in a cabinet
cookware in a cabinet
tupperware in a cabinet
spices in a rack (frequently used)
spices in a drawer (infrequent, overstock and baking types)
teas in a drawer
foils, wraps and bags in a drawer
children's cup items in a drawer
cooking implements in a pitcher next to the stove (frequently used)
cooking implements in a drawer (smaller or infrequently used)
utensils in a drawer
china in a hutch (purchased to help me organize and create space)
platters in a hutch
silver in a hutch
wine glasses in a hutch (frequent)
serving spoons in a hutch
steak knives in a hutch
knives in a knife holder by the stove
salt/pepper on the stove (for cooking)
salt/pepper on the hutch (for serving)
linens in the hutch (frequent)
linens in the linen closet (infrequent)
I know it's exhaustive, but I always know where everything is, and when entertaining I can quickly set up my space, which helps when others are assisting (hint:husbands). When I clean up, everything has a place and I don't end up with clutter every time.
I could go room by room and give you the rundown, but this blog is already too long. I would love to answer any questions you might have, this is a passion for me. I delight in my home when it serves me and refreshes me. I feel beautiful when I am surrounded by beauty. My family life works better and everyone is content when I have a system. I have a lot to yet learn, but building this nest is a wonderful thing!
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