The Oops List- Top Five Over-looked Systems in the Home

The Oops (wish I had set this up when I moved in) List:

On-going Project Place – Rather than keeping supplies for active projects in the areas they are being worked on, which can be unsafe or interfere with daily living, keep all project supplies in one container (if practical) and have a home for that container in an out of the way place, the same place…always.

Donation Zone- Clothes, housewares, and kids stuff are constantly cycling out of our lives and our homes (or they should be.) The likelihood of this happening increases greatly if “Donation” has a home. Stash a large bin in a closet both upstairs and downstairs, if possible. Put a large trash bag in this bin and add to it regularly. Deliver when full.

Special Delivery- Not to be confused (or stored) with Donations. this category covers the other stuff on its way out. Keep these items close to exit door. A container in a mud room or hall closet floor works great to hold library book totes, returns, stuff you’re unloading on someone else ;). Deliver efficiently by recording these tasks on your errands list. (You’ve got one of those…right?)

Needs Fixin’- Stuff breaks. First, decide if you REALLY WILL fix it or have it fixed. Intention is key to the success of this system. AFTER this decision is made, then place broken item in a box.  It should hold a REASONABLE amount of items to fix. Once it is full and you have not yet fixed the items in the box, go to the one-in-one-out rule or… Throw the box away!
Action K.I.T.  – THE #1 most common over-looked category in the home is Action Paper. This includes  mail to be processed, remains from Sunday night purse-cleaning to store, as well as the stack needed to care for home and family. Keep It Together with one location for all of your action paper.