Zoning

So we've discussed how to set your home up in "zones," like a department store is set up in departments. The trick is to figure out where each zone should be. Here are some typical items I find in most homes which can be organized by zone:

* Home Repair etc. (anything you'd find at, say, Home Depot)

* Games (adult and kid)

* Toys

* Outdoor activities and toys

* Holiday stuff

* Off-season clothing

* Pet supplies and food

* Memorabilia & photos

* Gifts and gift wrapping supplies

* Office and computer supplies

* Music (tapes, CDs, I-pods, etc.)

* Film/Video

* Product manuals, warranties

* Crafts/hobbies

* Books

* Bulk food & household supplies (as opposed to your food in your kitchen or pantry -- this is that year's supply of green beans that you just bought at Costco)

* Cleaning supplies

**IF THERE IS ONE ORGANIZING MISTAKE I SEE OVER AND OVER AGAIN, EVEN IN THE MOST ORGANIZED OF HOMES, IT IS THIS:

The zones in your home must be organized according to when the items in them will be used.
This is the TIME ELEMENT to organizing. Store the infrequent-use items in the far from where you are everyday in the home. Dormant files don't need to be taking up valuable file drawer space. Bulk purchases from a wholesale outlet don't need to fill your kitchen cabinets.

Visualize your home's floor plan in sections. Color the areas of the home where you are EVERY DAY, most of the time, red. Color the areas where you are some of the time, say a couple times per week, blue. Now why is your entire costco purchase of paper towels in your kitchen, a red zone, when you only use one roll per week? Your prime real estate --- that is, where you are most frequently in the home -- should be used ONLY for the items you use on a weekly, or at least monthly, basis. The goal is to prevent you from zigzagging around the house seeking the items you need most regularly.