INTRODUCTION
The NYT had another piece to celebrate Get Organized January ‘Depression Rooms’ and ‘Doom Piles’: Why Clearing the Clutter Can Feel Impossible. Interestingly it featured comments from KC Davis whose earlier article caused me much dismay and reflection. However much I dislike her embrace and excuses for messiness as a lifestyle, this time Davis' comments were more tempered.
I began thinking about my own experiences with organizing. I tried my hand at helping others but quickly found myself overwhelmed by other people's hoards and their inability to see reason and sanity. No, you do not need your third grade science project! Take a picture. It lasts longer and the mice won't eat it and poop on it! Egads!
I also discovered I don't like learning a lot of personal things about people. Further, I despise smoking and unclean pets. Shunning bad odors and fleas, I quickly left thoughts of being a professional organizer behind. Yet I am always willing to help when asked.
THE BASICS
I tried to instill good habits in my children. But it is my daughter's embrace of my simple organizing hacks which has left me immensely proud as she has created a lovely home. Further, her embrace of thrifting with an eye toward beauty has made me most content.
Never fear, she is her own person and designed and decorated her own place. Early on I realized that my children had very different ideas and interests than me and I encouraged their personal expression. But as my daughter has relocated she has repeatedly asked for my help setting up her household. She knows I respect her and her design aesthetic. But she also knows I will always ask the right questions.
How often do you use it?
And how do you use it?
Is this something you only have out only on special occasions?
Will you use it if we stack it or nest it? What is the best way to encourage use?
and of course, the usual mom questions:
You aren't planning to wear that out in public, are you?!?!
ORGANIZING A SMALL APARTMENT WITH TWO CLOSETS
When she moved into her recent home we planned out her storage space carefully. It is a one bedroom, one bathroom with a combined living and kitchen area. There is a small hall connecting the bathroom and bedroom to the public space. In the hall, there is a utility closet. She is fortunate to have a walk in closet between the bathroom and bedroom.
In the walk in closet there are two sides. A path between connects the bathroom and bedroom. On the left side top shelf there is storage for home decor. The second shelf is for purses and off-season accessories like scarves and gloves. A hanging shoe shelf holds a few pairs of shoes but also accessories for in-season wear.
On the other side we used paper ream boxes to organize. On the top shelf are a few oddball items which she swaps out to supplement her decor: a flag, curtains, and throw blankets. We used the lids to make it easier to slide the boxes forward and for a few deeper items. On the lower shelf, her sweaters are folded nicely, three or four high. She can see what she is reaching for. Not all sweaters are heavy weight so it made sense for us to keep all the sweaters on display. These include cardigans and light weight sweaters for spring and fall alongside the warm winter sweaters.
But the closet reflects another aspect of organization which is the best approach to finding what you want. Put likes with likes. Above, from the left, are night jackets and robes, tank tops, then short sleeve, then long sleeves ordered by tees, button downs, casual blouses, and on the end, sweatshirts and the bulky pullovers. A laundry hamper is on the floor along with a suitcase and her go bag.
Across the aisle are her better clothes. From the left are her skirts, her dress blouses, her dresses, and her jackets. (Her hospital provides scrubs and laundry service!) Her clean laundry basket has a spot on the floor alongside two other boxes of miscellaneous things.We opted to arrange the jackets at the end to accommodate a spot for her kitty who loves hiding in dark cozy corners and boxes stuffed with warm, soft blankets.
In her bedroom she has a dresser for pants and other necessities. She is yet to use any space under the bed because the cat loves that hiding spot as well. Gram is a very spoiled little baby and very loved. My daughter makes a lot of accommodations for her cat but that cat is the one thing she loves more than anything in the world and it is mutual.
THE UTILITY HALF CLOSET
Other than the walk in closet my daughter has only one other space, the water heater closet, for true storage. The galley kitchen is dedicated to the bare necessities. The bathroom has two doors, a window, and a small mirror with shelves behind. There is so little wall space left only two small pictures hang on the available wall. We were left creating space in this hall closet for towels and linens, first aid and personal hygiene, and soap and cleaning supplies.
The top shelf is for everyday linens. The second shelf is for masks, other PPE gear and Covid tests (she works at the hospital), then dental supplies, a stack of soaps. first aid, cold and cough meds, and finally general meds. Her makeup lives in her bedroom at a vanity. Her bathroom medicine cabinet is small and houses only in-use everyday things.
On the bottom shelf, there is a cigar case with emergency supplies for power outages and behind there are oddball items like replacement tiles and flooring for repair so her basic tools rest there too. Her laundry detergent is at center. There are grocery bags bundled together for kitty litter scooping. Then she keeps her toilet paper supply at the far right.
ORGANIZATION STRATEGIES
We did not purchase anything to organize these closets. Years ago we replaced all of my daughter's hangers with white heavy duty plastic ones with strap insets. The skirt hangers are padded wood tension hangers. Both of these hangers have lasted a long time and have yet to need upgrades or replacements. I know some people who chose different color hangers to denote different types of clothing. However I think that a uniform color allows some flexibility in the number of each type of clothes and it reduces visual clutter.
The best organization tactic was to create good habits. Namely, put things back where they belong. Based on the types of clothing, organize similar things together. Hang shirts according to sleeve length then color arranged white to dark or rainbow inspired. Line up skirts in order of length. Arrange dresses according to style and use: sundress, casual, evening wear, office attire.
But Contrast Organization also should come into play. Casual versus Work. Indoor or Outdoor. Winter versus Summer. If space allows, seasonal rotation can be worked in. Store out of season clothes above in boxes and swap out as needed. My daughter's closet reflects both seasonal and permanent display. The scarves and gloves rotate from a box into a double duty hanging shoe rack. The sweaters are on display year round because it made the most sense given use and storage space.
Creating a system which allows you to find clothes more easily makes your life easier. It also reminds you of all your options. And after a while putting that pink button down on the empty hanger in the long sleeve section becomes a habit you want to keep.
Too many closets are overfilled and as a result, harder to use and keep organized. My daughter's closet has metal rods for hanging. My closet has builder grade wire shelving installed. One of the easiest ways I organized my closet to prevent overcrowding and encourage weeding out excess was to use the wire shelves more efficiently. Instead of using the rod below the wire shelves to hang my clothes from, I opted to use the space between each wire. It provides a slight gap and keeps the hangers nicely in place. If you have a single rod but want to try a similar strategy put a spacer between the hangers. It could be whatever you have on hand: a paper roll, tape, velcro straps cut to size.
TRY ZERO COST OR LOW COST ORGANIZATION
Another thing we avoided was buying storage containers. She has owned the blue top plastic containers since she lived at home. The local office supply store with an in house print center keeps paper ream boxes on hand to give out for free or to box up deliveries. We used paper ream boxes for long term storage and display storage. At the same store we asked about small boxes and they had small paper boxes that individually sold pens came in. Prior to putting in the shelf displays the pens were bundled for shipment in these nifty little boxes. We used the tops and bottoms separately.
There are shelf dividers you can buy for closets which keep your folded piles of clothes separated and prevents them from toppling over. That was how we used the paper ream boxes. We also used the tops to create a handle to pull the box forward. Sometimes when you reach up high you need a place to grip to move the stored item. We turned the boxes on their side and used the space inside to store things we wanted to see and have easy access to. We placed the box inside the lid so we'd have an easy way to pull the box forward. Another use for box lids is for under bed storage or cabinet storage. Sometimes you need a shallow organizer tray to pull out from a space.
The pen boxes were a simple way to corral similar items in the hall's utility closet. She is fortunate to have solid shelves and not slatted wire shelving which demands using a container to keep everything from falling between the gaps. But another reason to use a container is to keep similar things together. The boxes also serve as a way to easily reach items in a deep closet. Everyday boxes that contain food and household goods can be used for storage.
My general rule is don't buy anything unless you have to. If you must spend money, consider used, thrifted items. My pantry is filled with baskets gleaned from thrift stores, most of which were under $5, many less than a dollar. Wood boxes are another great option and sturdier than baskets. Wood boxes can also be turned on their side and used as shelves. And like shelves, these are easily lined or sectioned off. I have a desk organizer which I love but it wouldn't hold my scissors. I added a few toilet paper tubes cut to a hidden height and now the scissors stand upright and organized according to size. Organization within organization works to promote keeping a space neat and tidy.
IT'S GET ORGANIZED JANUARY
I hope this January as you are inspired to Get Organized to start the year positively, that these tips help you neaten and tidy your home. When donating, contact your local library which always welcomes used books and media. Reach out to family and neighbors with younger children who may appreciate hand-me-down clothes and toys. Sign up for a Really Free group in your community. Find out if your local governmental agencies have donation resources for community members. Our rural county of under 16,000 has storage at the Sheriff's Department for household items. Fires and storm damage leave families in need of stoves and sofas, etc. Call 211 for community resources in the US.
Before donating consider which thrift stores do the most good in your community. This is a two fold process.
*Raising donations via these types of non-profit stores there is a dual need. In addition to raising revenue for a specific purpose, the thrift store provides a valuable resource to those who need used items at affordable prices. Unfortunately Thrift Grift is on the rise. I once saw a callous sign at the register of a religious thrift store which read: If you think you got a great deal, consider it a gift from god. If you think it cost too much, consider it a gift to god. At best it was tone deaf. In reality it was a reflection on religious greed and expressed an utter lack of compassion.
*Does it give back to the community on a positive way? Places like the Salvation Army promote Souperism strategies and are transphobic and homophobic in their policies. A person in need should not be judged, only helped in a real and substantial manner. Domestic violence shelters provide immediate tangible assistance to families seeking refuge and are my personal choice. They accept anyone in need.
If you are interested in my thrift finds: Thrifted Treasures
If you are interested in my maximalist home: Home Decor
