1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: Today's tip is about the order in which you should 4 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: organize your household spaces. Start with any spaces that are 5 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: just yours. Then you can address common areas with storage 6 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: spaces pretty far down the list. Today's tip, like another 7 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 1: this week, comes from Lisa Woodruff, who is the owner 8 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: of the Organized three company. Lisa helps people get their 9 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: homes in order, with a particular focus on those who 10 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: may have organizational challenges. Anyway, Lisa has many folks coming 11 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: to her with the complaint that they need to get organized. 12 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: They often point to an overflowing attic or basement or 13 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: guest room as an example of their problems. They want 14 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: to tackle this ridiculous looking space with the boxes teetering 15 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: on top of each other and the Christmas lights wrapped 16 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: up somewhere around the old vacuum cleaner. Lisa, however, does 17 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: not want to start in your attic. People often think 18 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: of storage spaces first when considering tackling an organization project, 19 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: she notes in her company's publication The State of Home 20 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: Organization in twenty one Century America. But in reality, these 21 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: spaces should be tackled. Last, The fact that these spaces 22 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: are not accessed frequently suggests that other spaces in the 23 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: home should be prioritized. In other words, you deal with 24 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: your bathroom counter and your own purse or backpack or briefcase, 25 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: or the place where you take off your shoes in 26 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: your house every single day. As long as you know 27 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: where your birth certificates and car ownership information is, which 28 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 1: we talked about in an earlier episode, then your messy 29 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: basement just isn't that pressing of an issue. If stuff 30 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: has been in boxes for five years, it can stay 31 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: in boxes for a few more months, So it is 32 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: best to start elsewhere. Lisa suggests starting with your own 33 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: personal spaces. These are spaces that are owned by a 34 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: single person. Think your own section of a closet, your 35 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:41,679 Speaker 1: bathroom supplies, your car, your purse or wallet or backpack, 36 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: your own bedroom if you don't share one, or at 37 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: least your side of the bedroom. If you do, why 38 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: start there, well, because you can. Individuals often have a 39 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: high degree of autonomy and independence in creating and maintaining 40 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: organization systems in these areas. Her report notes these locations 41 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: are unlikely to be disturbed by other family members. They 42 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: create a home base from which to launch into our day. 43 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: These spaces are often a sanctuary to return to after 44 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: the chaos of the day, So tackle your space first. 45 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: Once that's done and you know where things are that 46 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: you need, you can move on to common areas. Now 47 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: it's important to have somewhat more limited ambitions. Here. You 48 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: can organize, but you need other folks to buy into 49 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: your organization. Lisa suggests that any organization systems here be 50 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: extremely functional and easy to maintain, and don't expect them 51 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: to last forever. The system to corral little kid toys 52 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: in your living room won't work once you have teens 53 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: who have electronic gear. Finally, you can move on to 54 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: storage spaces. Just do your best to group similar items 55 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: and don't create too precious of a system. After all, 56 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: you won't be the only person going in here and 57 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: accessing things, and these spaces will easily become a dumping ground. 58 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: There is probably going to be a big other category here, 59 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 1: but done is always better than perfect, And remember when 60 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 1: you get overwhelmed by the attic, you can always go 61 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 1: look at your own cleaned up closet and bathroom counter 62 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: and feel better about life because it's better to know 63 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: where your shoes are then where that special decorative bull 64 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 1: you put candy in each Halloween happens to be, particularly 65 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:53,359 Speaker 1: if it's June. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks 66 00:04:53,440 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 1: for listening, and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 67 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 68 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 69 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod 70 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: that's b E the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 71 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 72 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 1: podcast at i heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast 73 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 74 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is 75 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 1: a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from 76 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 77 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.