When I was growing up, my mom was constantly in "cleaning" and "organizing" mode. I remember thinking to myself, will she ever sit down, relax, and watch a
movie? I also swear she never ate a hot meal. She was way too busy being sure everyone else was taken care of.
Being married to my mom, and because of his upbringing, my dad was always in
this mode as well.
While I personally put in a small fraction of the hours my parents did doing tasks like rearranging furniture, organizing closets, sorting through cabinets, scrubbing
floors, vacuuming, and cooking, I do use many of their "tricks" to stay organized.
Many of their methods were those my grandparents and great-grandparents used as well.
Here are just a few of these decades-old organizing tricks that have stood the test of time.
1. Everything needs a home and that's where it should be when it's not in use. There was no "putting things down in random places just for now" when I was growing up. My sister and I had to hang up our coats, put our board games and puzzles away, and wash, dry, and put away our
glasses when we were done drinking from them.
Everything had an assigned place, and we were taught to "clean your mess" when you're done. This is how my mom was brought up, and this is how
my sister and I were brought up.
It's the same in my house today. Everything has a home. After all, how would we find it when we need it if it wasn't where it should be? And putting
things down "just for now" is a two-step process...you put the item down...and then you have to put the item away. The one-step, putting it where it belongs right away, is more efficient.
2. Don't keep unnecessary stuff. My parents were not "savers" when it came to physical stuff. Pretty much anything you can imagine was in danger of not being there tomorrow. And it did not matter if it was someone else's stuff. If you didn't make it perfectly clear to "not" toss something out, you can rest assure that one day it would no longer exist.
Because I was not adamant about things that may have had a bit of importance to me later in life, I have none of my old report cards from school, none of my old bowling trophies, and even some photos have "disappeared" as well.
While my parents were both "sentimental" with people, they were never very "sentimental" with stuff. When my mom passed away in 2017, my dad donated all of her clothing, for instance, that week. He said, "she would not have wanted it hanging
around."
They lived a more "minimalist" lifestyle and so did their parents.
Me? I don't go quite as far as they do. I certainly don't consider myself to be a minimalist. That being said, I definitely do not hang onto clutter.
I ask myself, "Do I use this?" and "Do I love this?" If the answer to either of those questions is "no," that item is then a candidate for my donation bin, garage sale pile, or the trash.
That being said, I don't get rid of my husband's stuff. That's his domain and he's pretty good about not keeping excess stuff. I would also never get rid of my daughter's stuff without asking her...and I have all of her report cards, awards, etc. tucked away to pass onto her later.
3. Know what you have...at a glance. My basement, when I was growing up, was immaculate and everything in storage was labeled. My dad was a stickler about this. He was not happy if something wasn't labeled
properly.
Out-of-season clothing was always stored down there, as well as Christmas decorations, appliances they used (but not every day), and extra grocery-type items, like toilet
paper, canned goods, etc.
Everything stored in the basement was mostly in cardboard boxes and labeled with thick black markers. It was also "off the floor" and on shelves.
We lived at the bottom of a hill and sometimes we ended up with water in the basement. That wasn't fun. But because nothing was on the floor, nothing was every water-damaged.
My family, going way back, was always frugal. If it could be stored in a cardboard box and labeled with a black marker, they would not run out and get plastic bins. It didn't have to "look pretty." It just
had to be "stackable" and "neat."
Like the generations before me, I now follow suit and label things. It's a decades-old organizing trick that worked before and works
today.
However, I do opt for plastic bins for storing items in my basement. In my mind, these types of boxes last longer, sturdier, and keep the items inside safer. Plus, I like clear bins
so I can easily see what's inside without opening them. I also label them.
I also like things I organize to look nice aesthetically. They don't have to be "magazine worthy" but for me
personally, if it looks nice, it's easier for me to keep it organized.
What organizing and cleaning tricks do you use today that your parents, or generations earlier, used
back when? Reply and let me know your stories. I'll include these in future editions of this newsletter.
