Torch, Fall 1990

Making Organization aPriority 14 Tips for Organizing Your Home by Inge Pohl Cannon ave you ever wished for a 30-hour day? Do you answer that question , "Yes-only if I can sleep during the extra six hours!"? It seems all of us crave more time to finish the multitude of things to which we are committed, and many of us come to the end of each day feeling ragged and worn out with very little to show for our efforts. This continual frustration can lead us to the brink of burnout and depression, and it certainly robs us of the joy of the Lord which is to be our strength. A major remedy for this all too common situation is simply to make better organization a priority in our homes. Every one of us can master basic " tricks of the trade" to make our loads lighter. Time management and the or– ganization of the home really constitute a budget of minutes. We strive to get the best buy or the most return for our resources possible. Organization of the home is a matter of earning minutes back for the things we most want to do, and contrary to much popular opinion, it is a family matter. The best thing about becoming organized is that we see immediate results: time reaped for ministry and personal edification. Keeping in mind our priority of better organizing our homes, check which of the following areas your family most needs to address. Then commit yourselves to changing only one or two areas at a time so that the effort won ' t be overwhelming. Your success can motivate you to tackle the next one or two areas. 1. Learn to live within your space. Too many things without enough storage space equals constant clutter. Yet many people find it absolutely heart– wrenching to part with items they never use. Evaluate all storage areas of your home on an annual basis, and make decisions about things which haven ' t been touched during the past 12 months. C loth– ing which hasn ' t been worn during the span of all four seasons most likely won't be worn during the next year. If you can think of a specific instance which requires keeping an item, store it appropriately with clear labels. Otherwise, eliminate the item from your home by sharing with those who are needy or by discarding it. Some perpetual savers find it easier to eliminate their inventory in two steps. Create a " temporary" box for the things about which you are uncertain. Any item which remains in this box for another 12 months must go! You will be astounded to discover how many minutes are saved when you know what you have and where to find it when you want it. One crucial caution for "de-junking," however-each family member needs to sort through his or her own things. It never helps to toss anyone else' s treasures! 2. Assign every item to a specific place. Visit one of the new "container" stores for ideas to help you use every cubic foot of space in cabinets and closets so that items are easily accessible. Differentiate between sec– ondary (or remote) space and primary space, and assign items accordingly. Items which have no home tend to pile up in strange places, causing either an eventual monumental "restocking" project or the loss of items when they are most needed. 3. Never allow an item to leave your hand until you reach its home. This is the only cure I know for the chronic "dropsy" which has infected so many families. If an item is in your hand , it usually takes only a few more seconds to put it where it belongs than to place it temporarily somewhere else. As you walk through your day with the "I' ll catch that detail later" syndrome, consider how many minutes it will take at the end of the day to recover all those tasks. The only exception I know to this rule applies to two- and three-story homes when it may be wiser to leave items on the first or