Organisation is something that you do because it will help you to achieve something else.
Organisation is a skill to help you manage your home more functionally and not a challenge of who makes it prettier.
Seeing all that beautiful organisation in YouTube videos and on Pinterest makes us drool and we want the same. Yet, we cannot achieve it. The question is why and the answer is also why!
We get so focused on the aesthetic that we forget the actual reason we organise.
There are a few reasons we organise our home
❀ To make things easy to find
❀ To keep things accessible
❀ To save time
❀ To save money
Organisation is about making things easily accessible especially if you grab them often. It’s about simplifying your life. Of course, visual appeal is a bonus but Pinterest perfect is not the goal.
Here’s the problem – Mostly on videos and on the best of Pinterest, everything matches perfectly but is that realistically possible? We want to remove those unsightly pieces of a different height or size or colour but we need those items so, what do we do? We try to replace them with a set of jars so as not have them stand out like a sore thumb but ultimately, everything else goes back into the cabinet.
Take a look at the most stunning of wardrobe photos, sure! The hangers match but so do the clothes. How many of us wear the same colour and style all the time.
These are not realistic expectations. We have to give a home within a specified location (usually like with like) to everything we use. So how do we make the best of that?
Tip 1 Don’t micro organise!!
The look you need is tidy and the purpose functional that’s it!
Tip 2 Don’t buy these expensive trending organisers and dividers.
All you need is a system.
Tip 3 Shop your Home
By all means use organisers where needed to corral small items or to store like with like. You will need baskets or hampers for deep cabinets or a bunch of packets. Using containers for the sake of using them is redundant.
When to use an organiser?
- When there is a pile of stuff in the same category. Piled up without a container is potential clutter.
- Small items of one type that need to be contained ie. batteries, snack packets, toys, remote controls etc
- Items that need to be pulled out ie. under the bed storage
If you are feeling overwhelmed, then stick to macro organisation ie. things have a home, items are easy to find and retrieve and that in itself is a blessing. The micro organising of each space and cranny can come later.
Hope this article helps you curb your expectations and get on with improving your home.
I want to end this with a reminder that Organisation isn’t your goal, simplifying your life is.
