Organization

Can it really happen?

Last week, I went to one of my top 3 most favorite places in the world; The Great State Fair of Texas!  Some might think I’m pretty crazy when I start talking about the Fair since I go on and on about all the unique points of interest.  For example, did you know the majority of the Fair buildings were constructed as temporary building in the 1930’s & because they are still standing, they are the largest & best representation of art deco architecture in the world?  Or that Fletcher’s invented the corny dog at the State Fair of Texas……pretty monumental stuff!

I know the Fair so well, I draw maps for friends showing them how to experience the Fair & the hidden gems they must see.  So you can imagine my surprise when I noticed something completely new at the place I visit every year & know like the amount of grey hair on my head.  I found all the secrets to great organization!  Okay, stay with me here.  My point is that everyone is doing this thing called organization & if you know the 5 Main Steps of Organization, then you can do it too.

1. 1. Like Things Together    At the Fair, everywhere you looked from the Sales Displays to the Museum Displays, all like things were matched together.  Matching like things makes finding what you need or want to look at so much easier.  We learned this in kindergarten so in case you were absent that day, this is the concept.  Match like things together by:

1. •Function:  Large tote bags vs. evening bags…..This can be a survival technic.  You’re running late but make up time when you don’t have to riffle through all your handbags to find the right one.

2. •Color:  Diamond vs Pearls…I don’t have many of either but a girl can dream.

3. •Type:  School clothes vs play clothes….remember in the Sound of Music when Julie Andrews made those play clothes from the drapes? Hideous!

4. •Size:  Large Tonka trucks vs small Matchbox cars…Confession time…My Matchbox cars were my favorite toys

2.  Label Clearly     Entering the Tower Building to peruse the Food Vendors all located in one place, the first thing I noticed beside the yummy aroma were the signs.  We quickly scanned each of the Food Vendor signs to find the new State Fair Food we wanted to try; Deep Fried Red Velvet Cupcake.  If the signs were small, poorly printed or missing, we would have been there all day!  Think of your organized spaces.  Are they clearly marked so everyone knows what they can find in each space.  It’s frustrating to have a space organized & still struggle to find what you need.  Instead, attach clear labels that smack you in the eye when you look into the space.  It certainly cuts down on the, “MOMMMMM, where is the……..?!!”

3.  Like Containers     Do you see a trend here.  Matchy-Matchy in organizing is a good thing.  It cuts down on the visual clutter which just adds to clutter.  If you don’t have time or funds to buy all new matching containers, gather up what you do have, put the most similar together (check back to #1 to see how to do this) & then use what you have.

4.  Use Space Creatively     Have you ever heard, ” You have to use what God gave you.”?  Same concept applies to your space.  Everyone except the Queen of England has limited space.  In fact, at the State Fair, there is a family who gives tours inside their log house.  It is a house INSIDE the trunk of a Redwood tree!  These are some of the largest trees around literally but still, they had to use every square inch judiciously or they wouldn’t be able to move inside the home.  I’ll post pictures on my weekly blog.

5.  Maintain   Before you block me out because you think this is too difficult, let me say again, this is a concept you learned in Kindergarten.  Put things away where they belong.  If five year olds can do it, so can you.  You might already be doing this but at the wrong time.  For example, dinner is over so you take your plate to the sink & walk away.  This is not putting things away where they belong.  The dirty dishes belong in the dishwasher unless you wash by hand.  Think of it this way, you would never leave mounds of trash out on the countertops or on the floor.  Why, then, do you resist putting each item back in it’s little home when you are done using it?

I’m here to help as I mentioned in last month’s newsletter by disclosing my knowledge of how to organize.  I will show you the 5 Main Steps of Organization through posts on the Styled & Organized Living Facebook page, @StyledOrganized on Twitter & theStyled & Organized Living Pinterest page.  Some posts will be simple tools while others will be ideas to consider.   But all will show you how to gain a little more control over your life through organization because Life is Better Organized!