Still Perfecting The Closet

Yes, you guessed it – I am reading a new book.  Good Housekeeping’s “The Complete Clutter Solution: Organize Your Home for Good” by C.J. Petersen.  Not that I have a clutter problem, but I am always looking for new ideas on how to best organize all my junk.  And now it is more crucial than ever due to the sheer lack of space.  Plus, it is my personal philosophy that stuff can never be too organized or too clean.  That said, my principal organizing principles are:

1. I am minimalist.
2. I like to hide things.
3. I do not decorate.

The book is conveniently divided into several sections by the areas of the home – bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, dining room, home office, etc.  Ironically, most of them combine into one in my royal flat. Another thing of note is that the book is ol’ skool.  I mean who has a landline anymore?  Below are some ideas that I found either handy (meaning I am already using them) or clever (meaning I will have to look into that).

I. Kitchen

• “Every item in the kitchen should be stored near where it’s going to be used, in place that makes sense”(pg 9).
• Towel bars – can be slide out or pull out, under or over sink, in the kitchen or in the bathroom.  I like this idea because the bars allow the towels to dry freely.  (pg 19)
• Tray dividers – can be used for lids, muffin pans, cookie sheets, cutting boards, etc. (pg 19)
• Accessory tree – basically shelves on a pole, like the tension rod in the bathroom (pg 25).   If you think about it, you can stick one just about anywhere.  And even add towel bars to it.
• Refrigerator rules – containerize and assign shelf space (pg 30).  In my book, every single item in your home should have its own designated spot. 
• Pantry – organize by level (pg 32).

II. Bedroom

• Here, my biggest storage challenge is efficient clothes storage.  The book states – “hang less” (pg 42).  However, that is exactly my problem – the lack of hanging space.  Most of my clothes are too nice not to hang them.  Surely, I fold all my sweaters and jeans, but even they get horrifically wrinkled (Yes, I iron my jeans).
• On the other hand, the book also states – “figure out what can stay and what needs to go” (pg 47).  My problem is that I already purged when I moved.  What’s left is either super nice or super new.
• The book does not devote any kind of serious attention to storage of shoes.  Big problem.  Big BIG problem.

III. Bathroom

• Sink-top caddy (pg 88).
• “Make sure everything you store is contained in some way” (pg 89).  It’s true.  All the cleaning supplies under sink are just randomly sitting there, and that is starting to drive me bonkers.
• Jewelry in muffin trays (pg 90).  Probably mini-muffin tray?
• Flatware caddy for make up (brushes, mascaras, etc.) (pg 90).
• Magnetic plates to stores metal objects (nail clippers, tweezers, etc.) (pg 94).
• Tank top storage (pg 95) – I will take just about anything for the top of the tank, because all the lint that collects there is practically impossible to get rid of.

IV. Family and Living Rooms

• Minimal furniture – smaller in number, smaller in size (pg 101) – leaves less space for the clutter to collect.
• Ladder shelves (pg 114) – I just think they are kind of cool.  You can even have a ladder desk!
• Another BIG problem – the book does not address how to best store magazines.  Don’t even ask.

V. Other spaces (basement, garage, attic, entryway, laundry, and whatever else you got in your mansion)

• Color code (pg 148).
• Trace the outline of the tools on the peg board to mark exactly where they belong (pg 152).
• “Use a large carton and pitch into it everything that takes up space but isn’t earning it” (pg 159).  I call mine “a donation box”.
• I’ll give you one tip for the home office – paper less.  PAPERLESS solves the need for file folders, file cabinets, paper clips, staples, even pens. 

Regardless of what your space looks like, the most important point to remember when selecting an organizing system is that it has to work for you.  It has to feel natural and comfortably fit your life. Do not force organization upon yourself (or yourself into an organizational system).  Sometimes “artistic clutter” is what works best or what is aesthetically pleasing to you.  Just make it a system.

OMG!  I even cleaned the top of refrigerator this weekend! Oh the life of a hustla, the life of a gambler!

Source:

"Good Housekeeping The Complete Clutter Solution: Organize Your Home for Good" by C.J. Petersen