By Guest Blogger Lisa Dooley
This is hands down my favorite season — the changing colors, the fun activities and the cooler weather. But like most people, I don’t love managing the transition of wardrobes when it’s 75 degrees one day and 50 degrees the next. So when you are trying to organize your family’s new seasonal items, here’s a good place to start. Do you remember that song from Sesame Street — “one of these things is not like the other…”?
Keep that song in your head with the change of seasons and new items being pulled out of storage. I always recommend creating effective transitional space next to your most common entrance/exit. Because transitional space, the launching/landing pad, is generally right inside the home, it can also become a dumping ground for all the stuff coming in or going out. Are there tennis racquets next to snow boots and mittens next to beach towels? The first step to organizing your transitional space is clearing out the junk. Remove what isn’t needed in this space right now, for this season. Eliminate the junk and what needs to be either purged or stored somewhere else. Take the time to purge and donate any reusable items that will not fit your child next year — little ones grow fast and those sandals will likely not be needed next year.
Once you open up the space, it will make entering and exiting less stressful. Install sets of rack hooks that everyone can reach to make hanging up coats and jackets easier. Boot and shoe racks are a must for organization and can be as simple as a plastic mat on the floor or a bench with storage underneath. Large open baskets are ideal for hats, gloves and mittens — keep it simple. Take the time to clear out the junk before you bring new items in. Happy Organizing!
