A Place For Everything
When my grand daughter comes to visit, she often remarks on my ‘everything has a place’ rule. My house is far from immaculate. It’s very lived in, but clutter drives me to distraction! In general terms, then, I try to have things picked up and ‘put in their place.’
That said, it’s just my husband and I. We both have hobbies and things we work on all the time that seems to always ‘be out’ and in the way when someone comes in the house. Still there is much less disorganization in general around the house since our five children grew up and have homes of their own. My grand daughter, at age 16 has three younger siblings. Their house is a mite small for all of them, so there is a bit of overlap when each of them have ‘stuff’ out to work on; and they are homeschooled, which adds another element of ‘stuff’ not always put away!
There are some families who have extra rooms where ‘stuff’ can be out and no one ever sees! It’s often called a family room, or perhaps a den—and for the kids, there’s a play room. This can give the illusion of a very organized home.
As an independent disabled person, making sure the house remains in some semblance of order, takes a bit more effort than perhaps I put in my house. My biggest challenge is height. I’m five foot when standing straight. My biggest hurdle is toting a stool to step on to reach anything in a high place. (Unless any of my children or husband is around who are all tall!)
The value and benefit from having an organized home resounds even more loudly in the disability arena. It’s more than a convenience; it’s necessary. Wheelchairs must have clear pathways, as do walkers or other apparatus used to navigate the landscape within the home—and ease of opening drawers and doors without things falling out.
Everyone has their own strategy, method or plan that works for them when it revolves around their home. I’ve been reading a lot about minimizing, and find our material items we no longer need, use or like, should be eliminated. This helps us focus on what is important instead of ‘where am I going to put this?’
I’ve found I gravitate to the same clothes over and over again, even if mixing and matching them; while others stay on the rack (or in the drawer) and rarely, if ever, get pulled out to wear. The idea is if I don’t love it—for the color, the fit and how it looks on me, it needs to go! This provides the room I need for those items I do like without having them stuffed in the closet or the drawer.
I find this same practice necessary in my kitchen. Somehow I seem to ‘collect’ cups, without any effort of my own. Every now and again, I find it helpful to sift through my ‘collection’ and keep only the ones that really matter or that I prefer using. This mentality works with all kitchen appliances and gadgets (and I seem to collect them too!), and other items that get tossed into a drawer until I make the decision to go through it!
These ideas along with ‘items having a specific place’, allows for some amount of organization. I loathe opening a door and having ‘stuff’ fall out, or even opening a drawer and having to ‘dig’ inside to see what’s there —-or find what I want or need.
Christmas is almost here and we all receive gifts we either love, or wonder how we will use or asks does ‘it’ work for me? As you open your gifts this year, remember that you’ll receive items you’ll have to put away. How do you decide where you’ll place the newest ‘gadget, picture, unusual ‘keeper’, kitchen tool, and more?’ Having a ‘place for everything’ will help you reduce the look of clutter!.
Having additional options to choose from can be helpful on all fronts! What secrets do you have for keeping your ‘space’ organized and accessible?
#organization #disabilities #wheelchair #EverythingInItsPlace #clutter #organize #PutStuffAway #TooMuchStuff
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Photo credit: https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/organized-kitchen.htm l
Photo credit: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/child-toys-still-life_4379809.htm