Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Are You Too Good at Organizing?
Recently, it occurred to me that some of my clients are too good at organizing. Of course, what they are actually good at is fitting a lot of stuff into a small space. The problem is they can’t access it, because there is so much fit into a tight space that even if everything is sorted (markers, paper clips, envelopes) major excavation is needed to get at what they need. Also, while they might remember that the stamps are in the red tin box because they need to dig them out a few times a month, they might completely forget where they’ve “organized” the batteries because they only look for them a few times a year.
Shortly after I had this thought, I was at a friend’s house. She had a beautiful wall of shelves lined with floral boxes. Visually, I loved it. It was orderly without being sterile, and it perfectly reflected her aesthetic, which is superfeminine and abundant, not at all minimalist.
But I was curious, so I asked her if she knew what was in all those boxes.
She said she knew what was in the boxes for things she used all the time, but she forgets what’s in the boxes she uses less frequently, and usually has to look in several before she finds what she needs. I suggested she add labels, and since she makes her living as a crafter, she will probably be able to come up something pretty as well as functional. She agreed, but she said she’d also realized that some of her categories needed to be split up, because certain kinds of sewing materials, for example, she used almost daily, while others she only needs a few times a year. Currently they are all in the same box, but it if she separates them and puts the rarely used stuff up higher, she could save herself from having to sort through a lot of stuff she doesn’t need every day.
Being organized is more than just putting things in boxes or fitting everything in a drawer. It is about ease-of-use. Can you easily access what you need on a daily basis, and do you remember where to find the items you use less often?
It’s great if you’ve sorted and categorized, and it’s great if you’re good at fitting stuff to the space you have: These are the basic building blocks of getting organized. But to be truly organized, you need to make it logical, so you remember where everything is, and accessible, so you can get at it when you need it. In a way, organizing is like Hollywood: It’s all about access.