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Last updated on April 10th, 2022 at 08:48 pm
If I’m in the middle of cooking something, I’d better be able to find what I need. For that reason, I make sure my most used kitchen items are completely accessible when I’m deep in a cooking adventure.
My spices are neatly laid out in a drawer where I can see the labels. My favorite cooking utensils are stored in a utensil crock right next to the stove. And I can easily grab my trusty apron (because I’m notorious for oil stains).
Every area in your home serves a purpose. It’s up to you to set it up so it serves that purpose effectively.
Many times things aren’t where we need them to be, leading to stress and anxiety. (i.e. “Where is that bill I was supposed to pay?”) This post will help you make the items you use most more accessible.
Use these 3 tips to make your most used items more accessible.
Before you begin using these tips, it’s best that you work on just one area at a time. If you’re not sure the best place to start, you can download the Where To Start Decluttering Guide to narrow down the best place to start.
Tip 01. Think practically
As you organize your items, think about where you would look for those specific items. In my earlier example of the kitchen, my most used kitchen items are where I would intuitively reach for them.
Sometimes this means repurposing an area (like a drawer or shelf) for those items you need most often.
For one client, we removed items that weren’t often used inside this desk and replaced them with the items everyone was constantly searching for.
Apply it to your space: Which items do we use most?
Tip 02. Go small
When we first moved into our home, all our extra toothpaste, toothbrushes, soaps, lotions, etc were stored in one big bin. We could never find what we needed quickly and the bin was a pain to lug in and out of our cabinet.
The area definitely required a container to keep items organized. But the problem was that the container was too big.
A simple solution was to use shoebox bins to keep each category separate. Since then, we can quickly find the items we need.
Most often, I see clients making the same mistake I did all those years ago. I help them to narrow down what they actually need, then categorize it into appropriately sized containers.
Apply it to your space: Does this area require a container to keep items organized?
Tip 03. Determine the purpose
Many of us store extras of our most used items, such as paper towels and toilet paper. The problem is that those items are big and bulky, and where they’re stored is either in the way or totally inconvenient.
One client’s goal was to repurpose a front closet specifically for bulk items (and Costco items). Instead of having bulk items stored here and there around the house, it made the most sense for her family to put it all in one place.
Apply it to your space: Does it make sense for this item to be stored here or somewhere else?
Make it easy to find your things by storing them where you intuitively look for them, categorizing them in appropriately sized containers, and storing items where it makes sense for you.
If you need to make room for your most used items to be accessible, you’ll need to declutter first. Download the Where To Start Decluttering Guide, so you actually start decluttering.
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