Summary: If you’ve worked on B = Balance and U = Uncluttered then the next logical step is to create systems in your home that are Sustainable. What does that actually mean? According to Websters online dictionary sustainable means “capable of being sustained or maintained; being lasting, durable, enduring, permanent or abiding”. So when organising this means setting up processes and strategies that work for you, are easy to maintain and stand the test of time. Just like with every aspect of our new definition of BUSY S = Sustainable has two traits of an Organised Mum. Traits of an Organised Mum #5 – Right Tools For The Job There are a few tools that are essential for any organising job. They are: A tape measure Rubbish bags Something to make labels. We use a label maker but you can also use swing tags, sticky labels or cardboard/paper to make your own. A ladder An open mind Most people also feel like they need to buy products to help the process along. When we do any organising project we often use products to make better use of the space. Some of these products are standard across all projects but some are specific to the client and their needs. We also use certain products in specific rooms of the house, for example the kitchen and office, that are tailored made to work effectively in these spaces. But how do you know which tools or products to buy? The first thing to know is – don’t rush out and buy storage containers or something that looks pretty in the hope that it will work for you. Chances are you’ll waste money because the product isn’t right for your specific organising problem. The way to know which tools or products you need is to get in and sort and purge first. I wrote about this process in U = Uncluttered. Once you’ve sorted all the stuff in whichever space you are organising, and then purged all unwanted items, you will be ready to arrange and containerise – and that’s when you will know if you need any organising products at all. Chances are you will have items around your home that you can repurpose but if not at least you’ll know what products to buy when you head to the shops! Traits of an Organised Mum #6 – Helpful Kids This might seem like an odd trait to put in under S = Sustainable but hear me out! I firmly believe that if you want your children to grow up and move out of home you need to teach them organising skills. I’ve written about this a lot and it’s something I feel really passionate about. Remember that part of Websters online dictionary’s definition of sustainable was “being lasting, durable, enduring, permanent or abiding”. I don’t necessarily think we should look at organising skills as ‘abiding’ but any skill, no matter whether it’s knowing how to swim, write a letter or organise your pantry can only be a good thing if it’s lasting, durable, enduring or permanent. So how do you get your kids to be helpful? It’s simple! You have an expectation that they need to help. Remember that I said that changing to this new definition may not be easy? Small children absolutely LOVE helping Mum and Dad and don’t really care what it is they’re doing! It’s just the simple fact of helping and spending time with a loved one that brings them so much joy – so why not take advantage of that? Studies have shown that the earlier you start this process the better. So my questions for you today are – where do you need to develop sustainable systems in your home and when are you going to start the process? Tomorrow will be our last post in this series on our new definition of BUSY. We’ll be looking at Y = You. I hope you can join us! Until next time, happy organising!
