In it For the Long Haul

 I opened the closet outside my bathroom one day a few months ago to get a tube of lipstick. I was able to access it immediately without moving anything, knocking anything down, or battling with any of the remaining contents of my closet.

It's a small thing, but it's an organizing win. 

I mention this for two reasons. First, the magical organizing tool I used to make this happen is a lazy Susan, something I never considered using in this particular closet until I overbought for a kitchen reorganization, leaving me with an extra one on hand. Second, I did this closet reorganization months ago, and it still makes me smile every time I open the closet door. 

This moment made me wonder. How many of my organizing systems have stood the test of time? And so I did a mini organizing check-up. As expected, the results were mixed. Here's a sampling of my conclusion on the areas I evaluated.

WIN: The lazy Susan in the hall closet -- the one that motivated this post. The hall closet is relatively deep and prone to wasted space if not organized intentionally. As a short person with an I need to see it personal style, this means that being able to access everything in this closet and being able to see it is a major victory.

Organizing principle(s): Replication and overcoming organizing stereotypes. When we find something that works in one space, it makes sense to use it in as many other places as possible, but we often get stuck in the notion that certain organizers belong in certain spaces. Putting a lazy Susan in a hallway closet that hold mostly toiletries, makeup and the like felt a bit unusual but it turned out to be the perfect solution. Not only does it offers plenty of space for small containers like nail polish and lipstick that would otherwise create a lot of clutter due their sheer number, it maximizes the space and keeps things visible.

LOSE: My mail counter. If you read Know Thyself, you know this space has been an ongoing battleground. It's way better than it used to be, but it's not cleared off as consistently as I would like. And, because my goal is to keep it (literally) clear, I don't want a basket or organizer to live there.

Organizing principle(s): Don't put it down, put it away. Creating a habit of sorting through the mail each day helps me to avoid the drop and run trap, but life intervenes. Sometimes I'm in a hurry. Other times, I'm tired and/or unmotivated, and so the mail lands on the counter. And, without a consistent system for putting it somewhere else once it's sorted, the counter often masquerades as "away." I have lost count of how many systems/routines/plans I've tried; I know I can give you a long list of things that don't work. Stay tuned to find out what does.

DRAW: My divided drawers (bathroom, kitchen, dining room).

Organizing principle(s): Regular upkeep and room to spare. These are a win, as long as I make sure they have a little wiggle room, so to speak and I keep up with their contents. The upkeep here isn't hard but, since one in/one out doesn't always work, I have to make it a point to keep after the space, once it's once it's full enough that there's no longer room to spare.

If you've been struggling to find workable long-term organizing solutions, you know that getting organized in the moment is one thing; staying organized for the long haul is another. Keeping in mind basic ideas like replicating systems, choosing containers with room to spare, and creating consistent routines can go a long way toward giving us the head start that gets us to the finish line faster.

And permanently.

20 Ways Organizing is Like Choreography

Image by Tobias C. Wahl from Pixabay

 I've been a theatre kid since high school, and a writer wannabe even longer than that. In fact, I discovered both creative pursuits at around the same time. These days, my writing takes many forms, from writing prompts to blog posts to novels.

The other night, I came across a prompt that challenged me to compare writing to singing or dancing. One thought led to another and, before I knew it, I'd switched gears to organizing (not a tough switch for me at all, as you can imagine!) In short order, I came up with 20 ways that organizing is like a dance routine.

To set the scene, imagine your home and all of the things you must find a place for. For purposes of this post, these items are your dancers.

1. There are many moving parts.  
2. When everyone moves just so and lands in his or her appointed place, the result is a thing of beauty.
3. Sometimes, the dancers move in sync. Other times, one has a solo -- or even an improvisation.
4. One out of step dancer can change the whole picture.
5. Sometimes, coming up with the plan that makes everything look lovely is easy; other times, it's like herding cats -- incredibly challenging and requiring both creativity and flexibility.
6. Not every dancer is the same size or shape, so creating a cohesive, well-aligned routine requires accommodations. 
7. Music makes the process easier and more fun.
8. Dancers sometimes seem to jump from one spot to another entirely of their own accord.
9. A good choreographer knows just how to place each dancer in a space that showcases his or her talents.
10. Without a plan, even the most beautiful and talented group of dancers can look chaotic.
11. Every dancer doesn't fit into every company.
12. Each choreographer has her own style.
13. Expertise is a plus, but even beginners can create routines that add to the beauty of the performance.
14. The ability to visualize the best way to move each dancer to the best space enhances the final product.
15. Sometimes the plan works better in your head.
16. The whole thing can get very messy before it settles into something beautiful.
17. Trial and error is sometimes the best method.
18. Collaboration is sometimes helpful.
19. There is no one perfect routine or dance.
20. You have to trust the process.

One final thought. When a group of dancers is learning a routine, they break it down into smaller sections of 8 counts each. If they can take small steps and rehearse it to get it just right, so can you. An applause-worthy routine takes time to learn, after all. After that, the encores are a piece of cake.