YOU’VE PROBABLY been there at least once: standing in the middle of a room surrounded by towering “to keep” piles on all sides. In the process of divesting your home of everything failing in its promise to serve you, you’ve pulled out seemingly everything you own from drawers, out of closets, and off shelves. And now it’s time to put it all back. It’s tough to feel motivated to do anything more than shove it all anywhere it fits. After all, you’ve already done so much.
And that’s exactly why you should see this juncture as
an opportunity. Seize the chance to make your belongings
work in your home and work for you. Enter local professional organizer Maria Baer, founder of The Baer Minimalist (thebaerminimalist.com). She’s cultivated a short list of three practices that are the underpinnings of any organizing effort. You’ve got this.
Be intentional.
Whether it’s a walk-in closet or a kitchen pantry, first think about how you use the space, and then put things back accordingly. “Sometimes items have been stored in a place for years, and owners don’t know why,” says Baer. “They moved in, and that’s just where the boxes landed and stayed.”
So, after you’ve done a solid edit, put everything back with an eye toward functionality. Keep items used frequently at arms’ length.
“Case in point, with a walk-in closet, maybe tank tops shouldn’t be the first thing you see when it’s winter,” she says. Place basics like underwear, socks, bras, and belts in open baskets for easy reach or, even better, in clear acrylic containers for ease of visibility. “The idea is to make your life simpler by not always having to dig for what you need,” says Baer.
Create a focal point.
Oftentimes, homeowners think they need a plethora of tiny accents to create a sense of visual interest. Not so, insists Baer.
“Once you’re cleared of clutter, decide what are the few statement pieces you want to highlight and feature in a space,” says Baer.
Many such items might have been hiding in the attic or basement. Baer will often lead homeowners through their basement bins, digging for buried treasure. “Sometimes they have a really cool family heirloom, but it isn’t being shown off prominently in the home as it should,” she says.
Maintain your new organization system.
Granted, it can be a challenge to continuously cull superfluous items. “People tend to fill whatever space they have,” observes Baer, “and that is as true of a 12,000-square-foot house as it is of a 2,500-square-foot condo.” That’s why she encourages her clients to be more mindful when they’re out shopping, whether for new clothes, housewares, electronics, or decor. “Ask yourself, ‘If this is coming into my home, is it replacing something or just adding to the clutter?’”
You might want to take a page from Baer’s personal home playbook by keeping a donation bin at the ready. “I stage things, like old toys and clothes, in there until I’m sure I’m giving them away.” Knowing that the bin is just the “maybe place” can make it easier to toss in whatever you’re on the fence about. Based on Baer’s experience, more than likely you won’t go back and pull it out. But any organizational tactic worth its salt fits your needs and your lifestyle, she adds. You may need to experiment a bit before you find a seamless system that sticks. “It’s all about finding what works best over the long term for you and your family.”