Organization is, yes, partially about making your drawers look pretty; we can blame Pinterest and Instagram for wanting to have Insta-worthy drawers. However, organization is just as much about efficiency as it is about having nice looking pantries and closets; it's about making your life EASIER (get i? easy life, happy wife?). In order to organize for efficiency, you need to, to a certain extent, forget about the idea of where things "belong."
A few personal examples:
Most people would argue that protein powder belongs in the pantry, and it probably does, unless it's a daily staple for you. I have a protein powder smoothie every day when I get home from the gym and rounding up protein powder from the pantry, the Nutribullet from a lower cabinet, and fruit from the freezer got to be a big 'ol pain in the butt. Obviously I can't put frozen fruit in a cabinet or a blender in the freezer, but I can save a trip to and from the pantry by storing my protein powder next to my Nutribullet! I can't say I love the look of the jug next to all my shiny appliances, lined up by little soldiers, but I do love the amount of time and irritation (as small as it may be) of not having to make those extra trips every single day!
Similar situation with Metamucil (hey - we all need a little more fiber in our diets) - probably belongs in a pantry or a bathroom, but you need a cup, water, and a spoon to get it down the hatch. Ergo, we keep ours next to our drinking glasses, which are next to the fridge. Now, if you don't live in the land of heinous tap water (Florida), you could totally keep your Metamucil in the bathroom, next to a cup and spoon. Again, something that doesn't really belong in a bathroom but what can I say.
Two more quickies:
I keep toilet paper in our china cabinet because it's next to our powder room, which has no storage, and any time I try to remember to grab more toilet paper from our linen closet, I forget why I walked to the bedroom in the first place.
There is an apothecary jar of leftover conversation hearts in my two year old's bathroom because she gets a piece of candy for going "teetee on the potty," and by the time we get done with pulling up, flushing and washing, I forget about her reward!
As you're going through your daily routine, try to keep the question of "how can I do this better" (or if you're me "how can I make this less annoying") in the back of your head. And get your head out of the Pinterest pantry gutter - as I alluded to here, it's all smoke and mirrors, y'all! For more organization tips, tricks, and ideas, check out this post.
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