# How to decide "where" things should go?



## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

I know this sounds dumb, but I have the hardest time deciding "where" some things should go, applying the "everything has a place, and everything IN it's place" theory. My mother was a very organized person at work, and frequently was complimented for that, but at home, it was another matter. I never really learned where some things should go, I guess. Some things it's pretty obvious, but others, not so much, at least for me. How do YOU decide, where the "odd" things should go? How do you remember where you decided that they should go? I sometimes think, that they should go here or there, and later I don't remember why I would've thought to put it there? It's like in my mind, there is no category for it, so I don't know what to do with it. Then it gets shuffled around, and moved from place to place, without ever finding a real home for it. Help! Am I the only one that has this problem? :shrug:


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## okiemom (May 12, 2002)

I too have a hard time with that too if someone else puts something somewhere I will remember it and use that place almost forever. my mil or dh will normally help me if I get stuck on something.

I still remember where my mom had things in her house and when she remodeled I had a hard time grasping where the new places were I kept reverting to where stuff should have been. 

Have a friend come over and help.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I guess the first thing to consider is where would you use it. Pans belong in the kitchen. Boots belong near the door. Cameras belong with luggage if you only use it on vacation. Some folks put camera in their phones. Sometimes I sort by size or materiel its made from.


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## TerriLynn (Oct 10, 2009)

For things you only use a couple of times a year, have a closet that is out of the way that isn't that convenient for daily use, designated for these things. I like to put stuff in Rubbermaid containers with lids or really nice sturdy boxes with lids and label them in large letters so I'm not guessing what's in each box.......I can tell at a glance which box or container I need simply by reading the label.


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

Thanks for the suggestions! Here is a "for instance" for you. I use my camera a lot. It is NOT part of my phone. I want to be able to grab it at a moments notice. I have a 3 & 5 yr old in the house, who will happily flush it down the toilet, or take 63 pictures of the tv when spongebob is on, with it. I must keep it out of their reach, but that's becoming impossible since the little monkeys have begun dragging chairs everywhere and climbing on them. There are already "few" high places left in my house, that don't already have stuff stowed on top of them, to try to keep it out of their reach. So, where in the world do I put it? My older dd said, "At somebody else's house!" Ha ha, very funny  This kind of stuff is driving me crazy! I know, "train the kids" well I'm trying, but they aren't taking to that part too well, especially the 3 yr old, and the 5 yr old is hyper anyway, so they become "partners in crime" LOL...Help! This is just ONE instance, as I said. There are a hundred more that are similar.


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

I am of the opinion that everything is stored near where it is used as well. I'm also a huge "bin" user. I have each "bin" assigned to it's task. i.e. All of my cleaning rags are in a bin on the cleaning supplies rack....all of my canning supplies are in a bin....and so on. When things stay organized, I stay happy! I try to keep all like items together, labelled, etc. I bought one of the wire shelving units to keep in the coat closet. Gloves in the top drawer, hats in the next drawer, scarves in one drawer.... When the kids were younger, it certainly helped in getting them out and on the bus in time. No looking for matching gloves, as they were all in the same little drawer.


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

We lack the actual storage space necessary to keep things well organized (one miniature closet, six cabinets in the entire house, and two drawers), so sometimes my 'system' makes NO sense whatsoever. I have some weird stuff stored together in my kitchen. My catchall drawer contains: batteries, my badges and notes for work, all the writing utensils in the house, nylon scrapers for cleaning, oft used screwdrivers, etc. It doesn't really have to make sense so long as I don't move stuff around and forget where it is. My advice if you're not a super organized person is just pick a spot and stick with it so you can find it later  Maybe shove all the odds and ends in one spot, even.


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

Space is an issue here. There is no coat closet, and the house is 3 bedroom, with 4 kids ranging from 17 to 3. So the teens have their own rooms, and the littles share a room, and dh and I have a room. Our house isn't small, but there aren't a lot of places to put things you don't want little kids to get in to, except our bedroom. Then it ends up being a mess! I'm working on that, or trying to, and have gotten a garbage bag full of clothes to donate and free up some closet space in my room for "other stuff." I like the idea of the bins, and am going to see if I can do that in the end of my closet on shelves, now that I can actually get to them. Thanks for the suggestions!


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