The Organized Home

By Carriann Johnson - TV personality, Spokesperson

Did you know the average person spends more than six months “looking for things” in their lifetime?! That’s downright crazy to me! Your home should make your life easier and nothing says that more than well organized spaces.

People frequently show me images of what they’d like their spaces to look like. And they are ALL organized, clean, and uncluttered. When people see my personal home, they comment on how everything is neat and labeled. It’s important to me to live this

One Space At A Time

way because, well, I don’t want to waste time endlessly searching for things, purchasing additional items I already have, or retreating at the end of the day to a cluttered space.

As we embark on 2023, I am challenging you to declutter, simplify, and organize the spaces within your home. To begin, you want to purchase an assortment of items, including: storage bins with lids (some clear, some not), thick black markers, clear packing tape, white cardstock, some garbage bags, and several empty boxes.

Go space by space in your home by choosing ONE SPACE AT A TIME – this avoids any chaos this process can create. Create two piles of items: one for “get rid of” items, and the other for “keep” items. The “get rid of” items will go in the empty boxes and bags. These are items you will donate or sell. You will categorize the “keep” items by the areas where they are stored. For example, if you are cleaning out your personal closet, group like items together and put those in one bin. Seasonal shoes or clothes can go in labeled clear bins. If you walk through my master closet, you will see bins labeled for work clothes, seasonal clothing, purses, sandals, boots, hats, etc. This makes it so easy for me to quickly get ready for my day. Gone are the days of staring blankly in search of what to wear!

Pantries are one of my favorite places to organize! They sell some great clear organization bins for them as well. When you see what you have, you purchase less and chances are you won’t pass your expiration dates. Put pasta and rice in labeled clear bins. Organize crackers and snacks, baking items, items for kids lunches, and your canned goods in their specific areas. I’m a stickler for labeling EVERYTHING.

Let’s talk about garages: this is my second favorite spot to organize. Think about it – this is usually the first space you see when you come home and the last space you see as you leave for the day. For me, it’s also a project space. When your car supplies, sporting equipment, clean rags, tapes and adhesives, etc. are all labeled, it’s so easy to find what you’re looking for. If items are just scattered everywhere, the scavenger hunt begins. Plus, an organized space with items properly labeled encourages those other humans you live with to keep it that way!

Take on this 2023 home challenge and notice how enjoying your newly organized space affects your emotions! Just try it –you’ll see!