Dun Dun Dunnnn!!!
Earlier this week, I was asked why there is a need to tackle the same space over again, and over again. I think the conversation even ended on a "won't it ever stop!?" kind of note. There are a couple reasons that spaces may need occasional reorganization.
First and foremost, if the items in the area are consumable, then chances are as inventory is used up and replaced, the area may need some touch-ups. Think of a kitchen pantry. As jars, cans and boxes of food are used, they are replaced with other items. Sometimes with more boxes of the same product. But, other times we realize we don't want the same groceries in the house. We didn't like that brand or flavor. Our diets change, and so do our menus. Therefore, the amount and shape of items stored in the kitchen pantry tend to change. It might mean adding a bin or moving a shelf. It could mean simply needing more space for the bottles of juice or boxes of cereal. This is totally normal and is to no fault of anyone. Well, maybe your stomach....
Another major reason spaces need reorganization is frequency of use. If I reach in to my coat closet every single day to grab my coat, shoes and bag, chances are I'm going to move some things around. Probably, I'm going to throw something else in there from time to time, too. A lunch box or book that I was going to toss in my bag, but forgot. Simply because I visit the space so often and regularly means that the odds of things getting less-organized are much higher than, say, my china cabinet.
What I try to work most on with my clients is, lastly, habits. If for three years I have been stacking my mail on the dining room table, it's going to be a bit of a challenge for me to get in the habit of putting the mail in a paper sorter in the office on a daily basis. Maybe the system should be adjusted if this is an unrealistic goal. But, if in all honesty, sorting my paperwork in the office is not only realistic, but more logical to how and when I use the papers, I should be trying my best to create this new habit. And, if other people use the same office or bring mail in from the box, they should be helping to support this new habit. Hopefully, we've both discussed where items will go now and how often. It will be awkward and maybe even a pain at first. But, after awhile it will become habit. Habits are just as hard to make as they are to break.
