"I don't know where to put things."

When nothing has a home, then everything lives on the counter—or the floor.

Are you somebody who has trouble deciding where things should "live" in your home?

You're not alone! “Where to put things” is a challenge that many people face. It commonly causes clutter, for two reasons: (1) it's unclear where items belong, or (2) it's difficult or inconvenient to return them to their homes.

The result: things wind up wherever they get put down, often covering every surface.

What can help? First, pare down.

It's important to remember that in the organizing process, storage is the very last step. There's no point in trying to find a home for everything you own, before you have decided whether you really need or want to own all of it.

So pare down first. Letting some things go will free up space and reduce clutter, even if you did nothing else.

Have you heard the saying “A place for everything, and everything in its place”? It’s a simple but powerful concept!

Eliminate the uncertainty of where things belong.

Choose a home for each item, and make it a habit to return it to its home after use.

Not sure where to put it? Store it close to where you use it. Example: I keep the cat food in a cabinet near the cat's food & water bowls.

Still not sure where to put it? Don't sweat it. Just put it somewhere, and see how that works. If you decide the home you've chosen doesn't work, you can always change it.

Keep all items of the same type in the same place. Example: There's only one place where batteries live in my house: a certain kitchen drawer.

If you live with others, designate a storage place for each person. Try to focus each person's storage in one spot, such as a closet or cabinet. Avoid having numerous storage spaces throughout the house (for example, a situation where Dad's socks and underwear live in the bathroom, his shirts in a closet, and his pants in a dresser in a different room).

Reserve "prime real estate" locations for everyday, frequently used items. Example: My coffee machine lives on the counter but my waffle maker is stored in a cabinet.

Make it easy to put things back.

Store items in a way that makes them easy to put away. (Don't worry about making things easy to get out. When you need them, you will get them out.)

Have the simplest system possible. Avoid spending lots of money on clever-looking "storage solutions". Not everything needs to be in a bin or a container. As I said in a previous post, containers don’t make you organized. For things that do need to be containerized, try to use a box, bin or basket you already have.

Notice what’s already working in your home, and build on it. Example: Do you file-fold your T-shirts in a drawer? Try doing the same with your dish towels.

Taking care of your home feels good! This helps reinforce positive habits.

Build positive habits.

When things have a home, they're much easier to put away, because where to put them doesn't require a decision. The decision has already been made. It can feel satisfying to return things to their place, because you're taking care of your home. This feeling can help build and reinforce positive habits that will keep your home tidier and you happier!

Longing for an organized, peaceful home? I'm a Chicago-based professional organizer and I'm here to help. Reach out to me for your free 30-minute consultation. 🌱

Containers don't make you organized

So many beautiful baskets and bins. Sometimes it's like they almost might have magic powers!

"Look at these great bins. If I had these, I just know I'd be more organized!"

With all the beautiful bins, boxes, and baskets available for purchase, it can sometimes be hard to remember one important thing: Organizing is the process of sorting, making decisions, and finally choosing a home for each item. It's not the process of putting items into containers so they look pretty.

Organizing has two parts: Deciding what to have, and deciding where to put it.

This means that decisions come first. You'll choose to keep things that you love, need, and use, while discarding things that are not serving you. When you're done deciding what belongs in your life, that's the time to choose where to put things, based on when, where, and how often you use them. Storage is the very last step in the organizing process.

I know how tempting it is to rush out to the Container Store or Target when you've decided you want to organize your home. There are some seriously lovely containers out there—sometimes it's like they almost might have magic powers. You're certainly not alone if you've ever thought, "Look at these great bins. If I had these, I just know I'd be more organized!" But simply putting all your belongings into containers as a first step, will only give the illusion of organization. I have been in many homes where there are plenty of containers, yet there is not a system that works.

Here are a few common container errors.

The wrong type of containers being used, so that it actually creates more work rather than making things easier.

• Example: using containers with very high walls inside a narrow, deep cabinet. It's difficult to reach into the container to retrieve items, so they sit there not being used. When more items are purchased, they get put in front of the containers, not in them. The result is duplication and clutter.

• Example: using opaque containers instead of clear in situations where you need to be able to quickly see what's inside (to determine how much bird seed you have left, or printer paper, or whatever). This may be more important to you if you're a very visual person.

• Example: very large containers used to store heavy items such as books. You wind up with a very heavy and bulky container that's difficult to move.

Containers or other storage solutions that seem like a clever idea, but don't fit the space.

• Example: a client had purchased a "gravity can feeder" (the wire kind, where cans are placed sideways so they can roll forwards). But when they put it together, there was not one cabinet or shelf in the entire kitchen that was big enough for this storage item to fit.

Allowing the size and shape of a container, rather than the contents and frequency of use, to dictate where you'll store something.

• Example: Super tall clear acrylic canisters didn't fit in any of the logical places a client wanted to store frequently-used baking supplies. They then began to explore storing the containers sideways, or in a lower, more distant cabinet. Eventually they agreed that these canisters, while very pretty, just didn't provide the functionality they needed in their kitchen.

Have a clear idea how new containers will be used. And measure first before you go to the store!

Tips for buying containers:

• Sort and discard first, so that you know what and how much you need to store

• Consider if you can use a container you already own instead of buying new

• Have a clear idea how new containers will be used

• Before leaving the house to go to the store, measure the space the containers will go in

• Consider whether you want clear or opaque containers. How important is it to see the items inside?

• Pay attention to the height of the container walls. How important is it to be able to reach in and retrieve items?

With a little thought and planning ahead, and remembering that storage comes last, common container errors can be avoided and you can create a home that's functional as well as beautiful.

Bins don't have the power to create a system

Final thoughts: One of the biggest challenges in organizing is that many items can have emotional significance. This includes containers. Buying aspirational containers can be an expression of our desire to have things be different, to live a more organized life. It's important to remember that bins don't have the power to create a system. Nor do they have the power to change your habits, shopping patterns, ways of thinking, or other factors that may be contributing to feeling cluttery and overwhelmed. Only you have that power!

Looking for guidance in your home organizing journey? As a professional organizer, I'm here to help. Reach out for your free 30-minute consultation. 🌱

A simple system to manage your papers

Many people dread dealing with papers. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

A client said to me, “I need help dealing with papers when they enter the house. I’m good about paying bills right away. But the rest of it ends up in piles near my front door.”

I worked with him and we developed a few simple rules to help him deal with his papers.

First we talked about why papers pile up. It’s when we’re not sure what to do with them. The solution is to have a rule for each type of paper that enters the house—thus eliminating paper pile-up.

Rule 1: Process all incoming papers near your front door.

Don't bring papers any deeper into the house. I recommend having a station with an Action Required file, a Shred box, a Trash container, and a Recycle container. These don't have to be giant bins. You can use any container you choose, such as an attractive basket with sections, or even drawers in a cabinet or other piece of furniture.

Rule 2: Deal with action required papers as soon as they come in.

My client was already on top of this. I find that most people already have some part of their system working. The idea is to build on what’s already working, so that you end up with a complete system that works for you.

Get in the habit of completing action required papers right away. If you can't complete the action immediately, put the paper in an Action Required file or box, and deal with it as soon as possible.

If you have papers that aren't action required items, but information you intend to read, you can also put these in your Action Required file. Alternatively, have a designated spot for them. In my house, reading material such as magazines and newspapers live on our coffee table.

To avoid pileups of "To Be Read" material, I recommend limiting subscriptions and keeping only the current issue ("One In, One Out"). You can also switch to digital subscriptions.

Reduce the volume of incoming paper by using a service like Catalog Choice to opt-out of catalogs and other paper mail.

Rule 3: Papers that need to be kept (after completing an action, or for reference) get filed as soon as possible.

Avoid filing unnecessary paper by only keeping papers that have a specific purpose. If you can find the information online, it's OK to let go of the paper.

Another common pitfall is thinking that you need to create a complicated filing system. I recommend using the simplest filing system possible. Use as few folders as possible, and name each folder something obvious, such as “Bills”, “Medical”, or “Auto”. If you are in doubt as to what to name a folder, name it the first thing that comes to mind.

Another roadblock that gets some people is what to do when you need a new folder in your filing system. If this is you, keep a few blank folders ready in your file box. You can even keep a pen in there to label new folders. Don't let the supposed necessity of creating a fancy label be an obstacle to filing items promptly.

Rule 4: Place a Shred box near where you process the mail.

Anything to be shredded, goes into the box. It doesn’t have to be shredded immediately, just when you have time. Or it can be taken to a shredding service, if you have a lot. Office Depot/Office Max offers secure shredding by the pound.

Rule 5: Place a Trash container near where you process the mail.

Anything to be discarded, goes into the trash right away. It never gets any further into your house than that. (You can also separate trash and recyclable paper into two separate bins.)

Papers can be a tough category to deal with, because they rarely bring joy (although they may bring usefulness). Having a lot of paper clutter around isn't only annoying and unsightly, it can cause you to miss or misplace important papers that need attention. Understandably, many people dread dealing with papers. But it doesn’t have to be that way. My client found that all he needed was a few rules to help make sure he controlled his papers, not the other way around.

Got piles of paper? I understand it can feel overwhelming. I'll work with you to tame your papers and create a system that works FOR you. Contact me for your free 30-minute consultation. 🌱