Doesn’t it feel good when your home looks tidy and feels organized? I’m one of those a-place-for-everything-and-everything-in-its-place kind of people, and I love it when my space is ordered.
But I have a confession. Well it’s not a secret, but it does surprise people.
I have a neutral zone – a place where things go when they don’t really belong anywhere. A place that gives me the psychological space to have some junk, without it cluttering up my space or distracting my mind.
This zone is located in a closet in my hallway. It’s near the door but out of the way.
I can put my stuff in the zone, knowing it’s out of general sight and out of mind. But because I go there often, I know I’ll get a visual prompt to deal with it pretty regularly.
In My Neutral Zone…
Currently in the neutral zone is:
- A gift for Craig’s grandmother, waiting for the next time he visits
- Some DVDs to lend to my friend Glenn
- Some DVDs to return to my friend Bree
- Receipts for a recent dress and skirt purchase – which I’ll toss once the clothes have been worn the first time
- A pair of shorts I recently bought online after too much wine – I haven’t decided whether to keep them or give them to my friend Kelly
- A pile of magazines to take to my mum’s.
I love having a place where I can throw things ‘for now’.
One trick to making it work, though, is to be aware of what’s in there and to keep stuff moving. It’s not a place junk goes to die.
The other trick is to give the zone a set size – such as a shelf or drawer or couple of baskets. When the tentacles of junk start to break out of their allocated space, it’s time to declutter.
No comments yet.