Domestic Planner® Systems

New System

A: Continue to read, do research, and apply new techniques. There are a few basic rules that are fundamental to maintaining an organized, clean home but it is also a process of trial and error. Each household has different needs. Therefore you will need a customized plan and quite possibly a new perspective.

You will need a customized plan because the amount of square footage and storage space is different in each home. The number of household members and schedules will also vary. Some households get extra help that may include a cleaning service.

I needed a plan to organize my sons bedroom. Each of my daughters has her own bedroom but my sons share a room as well as a dresser, a nightstand, and a closet. Space is somewhat limited. Under the circumstances it would be very easy to cram their belongings together, but this doesn t set a very good example nor does it send a very positive message. Their organization skills not being the same as mine, I needed an organization system in their bedroom that was both effective and easy for them to maintain. Each son has two dresser drawers. For each son I placed a small basket in the middle of one of the drawers to separate clothing. I put white socks in the basket, dark socks on the right side, and underclothes on the left. Everything has a place and is divided to help keep items separated. The other drawer has folded shirts. I divided their night stand in half by using small plastic baskets so each of them has a space to call his own. In the closet I put several baskets on the floor. Each son has a large square laundry basket and two smaller baskets. The large basket is for jeans and sweat pants and the smaller baskets are for shorts and hats. It is easier than the old system in which their pants were on a high shelf: When they pulled down one pair, the remaining stack invariably followed. I group similar clothing together so they know where everything belongs.

Break out of your regular routine and try something new. Your traditional way of doing things may not always be the best. Move furniture around to add visual appeal and improve the traffic flow in a room. Add baskets and containers to closets and drawers. Lie or sit on the floor to get a different perspective of a room. With a different perspective you may notice something that needs to be cleaned that you have never thought about before. I pride myself on being a good housekeeper, yet I have been shocked at some of the cobwebs I have discovered while lying on my floors.

You may discover a new way to organize. During an in-home consultation I was helping a client organize the office of her home-based jewelry design company. We had spent the morning devising a plan to help her work more efficiently in her business. We organized supplies and equipment, prioritized current projects, etc. Although the client relied on my expertise for many tasks, she was very adamant about situating her desk. She wanted to situate the desk where she could to see her supplies and look out the window at the same time. After several unsuccessful arrangements, the client flopped into her chair, her back to the window. As we chatted, she stopped in mid-sentence as sudden inspiration swept over her. She realized the window had really been a source of distraction to her all along. She was sitting in the perfect position to work while allowing her a view of all the supplies and equipment in the room. She exclaimed, 'I need to be like the conductor of a symphony. He faces his work, not his audience.' Be open to change: It could drastically affect your life.

'A new idea could prove to be rewarding!'