Conventional

So you are conventional? I chose conventional for this style because I feel many people will fit into this category. Are you shoving your belongings anywhere that can't be seen? I like to say you are one of the "Hidden" styles. You don't want to see your items all the time. You look very organized and clean to other people, but for people who know you know, you can't open a door without things falling out. The reason you have clutter problem is you don't make time to go through your things, you wait until someone is coming over and you run through the house like a mad person and hide all of your things. I have a husband and daughter with this style, they love to shove their things anywhere that is out of their way. It drives me crazy, especially when I am in my precise style and make very specific piles, waiting for me to organize them just so. they will come along and hide all of my piles and not anywhere that would make sense. Below are some ideas to help my Conventional family members and you. 

Kitchens;

You love to have your items hidden and in things. A must have for you

is a label maker or labels that you can put on things, or even baskets that come with reusable labels on them. You need the labels for yourself to make it quick and easy when you are in a mad dash to clean and put away. But you also need them to help the other people living in your house. Across all styles labels will make the biggest difference. It's what you put the labels on that matter the most to each specific style. So for Conventional you will want, use and enjoy containers that are opaque, and maybe translucent if you are wanting a specific color. You don't have the need to see your things at all times so you are ok if you can't see them. These pantry pictures are really demonstrating how baskets and containers keep all of your like items together, in an eye pleasing way. If you don't a a walk in pantry there are other options for you. Turning a cabinet into a pantry using pull out drawers is a great solution for you. Each drawer can hold your like items but even if the door is open all you see is the drawer with its label, and you will feel very at peace! If you don't have the option for a tall cabinet try this next idea on the left, it may require a handy man, but it will help you to stay organized and feel calm, and clutter free. Take a section of your countertops, remove the upper cabinets, create shelves and add folding doors. here you can use the shelves to hold your baking ingredients, and all of your baking supplies, mixer, spices ect. And then when not in use you close the doors and its all put away. And when you have the space designated for a specific job and only hold specific things you will not stash your random items in there. Again labeling is your best friend. It's a giant reminder to your brain-"That doesn't go here!!" or "Yes this is the space for that item!"

Create space to organize pans that can
be put away!

Trash cans are an easy item that can be
 hidden easily! 

Even your fridge can
have baskets that can
help you to know where
like things are, or
where to put them!

 Bedroom Closets, Linen closets, and Drop Stations;

Just like the pantry you want it behind the door. You want it easy and quick. Dressers were made with you guys in mind. Use them, take the time to go through each drawer remove everything and touch each item. Decide if it's an item that can be donated or trashed. If you have a really hard time deciding, ask your self " do I love this? Do I need this right now?" you can always make a maybe pile. If you can't decide put it there until you have gone through all of it. Put your "Yes, definitelys" in first, if you have room then you can take some from your maybe pile and then when you are out of room, the rest goes to donation. And an easy way to put your items away is to roll, or fold and but them in a row instead of stacking. when you stack you can't see what you have and then you don't wear it.

 Linen Closets are a pretty easy place to get so cluttered you can't even tell that it is anything but junk, then you stop opening that door and you lose all of that space and you feel like you have lost to the clutter. So start by carving out a time- maybe 4 hours on a Sunday afternoon, use one evening before to look at Pinterest, and see what is eye pleasing to you, remember opaque containers, baskets, and labels. Use Saturday to purchase the items and then get to work on Sunday. Take everything out, have baskets/boxes/trash bags, for trash, donate, keep and maybe, and needs to go to another spot in the house. Then take everything out, see what you have start putting it in the boxes you have labeled. See what you want your closet to do for you. What will go back in? Take your new containers and label them with what you have in mind. Take the keep items and start sorting them into the baskets you have labeled. If you have room for any of there maybes add those too. Once you are out of room, you are done. Put them back on the shelves with labels facing you. Now your closet will bring you joy and you will be able to find things so much easier and put things back faster and so much easier. Congratulations you will now be able to Maintain that closet and enjoy your time to relax before that last minute friend is on her way over.

Kid closets are a great way to practice your style because when they are little you are the one putting them away and taking them out to get the little one dressed. As they get older your system will help them to stay organized. You can even get as simple as just throwing the clothes into the bin. Have one for shirts, pants, socks and underwear and just throw them in when they are clean. Hang up the "nice clothes" and big items like coats, and sweatshirts. Then they can help you early on, and when they go to take something out they won't ruin your nicely folded clothes!! You can organize their toys the same way! Keep like toys together, but other then that its easy and quick. Label the front and you are ready to enjoy your easy to maintain organized home!

The best tip to give you is to set up your systems right away so that when you need to put things away in a hurry you have them ready to go and you won't shove things to get them out of the way. Even if you are well set into your ways, you must be reading this because you are looking for a change. Now is the time, take one project at a time. Remove everything. Decide what you want to keep, donate, needs to be in a different spot in the house, and what is trash. Then dedicate an opaque bin, basket, divided drawer space, for like things. Put your keep items into piles of likeness and place them in the bins. Now you are ready to tidy up with ease. Put things where you have designated your space for them and move to the next. No need to get super detailed and take out the bin to organize by color or alphabetical order, just drop it in the bucket and shut the door. When you need to wrap a present you will know exactly where to go to get the wrapping paper, scissors, and tape to make giving a gift a breeze.