More Than a Pretty Space
When I walk into a closet with the clothing arranged by color from light to dark, warm to cool, it gives me a sense of peace. Pantry items grouped in bins with similar items creates a tidy look. Clear countertops make a room look clean, even if they are sticky upon further inspection.
What new clients don’t realize, is that those choices aren’t just aesthetic.
Whether you decide to embrace the standard ROYGBIV rainbow or follow Marie Kondo’s advice and sort from light to dark, this task isn’t just about the final look. Keeping clothes sorted is actually to save time when pulling together an outfit before rushing out the door. We also often sort by sleeve length or fabric texture for the same reason - if you’re looking for a sweater, go straight to the sweater section and select by color. For those of us without the luxury of Cher’s closet from Clueless, arranging by item, color, and texture creates an upscale shopping experience in your own home. This is especially true of a decluttered closet, where everything inside is in your current style and size and has room to breathe.
In a pantry, we group by food item, or even by meal type, for the same reason. Pasta and sauce together so you can see an available meal in one glance. Snacks together, even if that means beef jerky and fruit chews are neighbors, because when you need to grab a snack to go, everything should be clearly accessible.
Clear countertops prepare you for the next task. Do you need to dismantle an appliance that’s glitching? Does your kid need to create a last minute (why is it always last minute?!) trifold poster display for a project? No problem, because you have the blank canvas on which to paint. The dread we feel when we need to unearth a countertop before we can even begin an unpleasant task is oppressive, and might keep us from getting to work at all.
There is no perfect system, except the one that works for you, and you may have to adjust and reimagine if your first attempt doesn’t help the household run more smoothly. The goal is ease, not aesthetics. Give yourself grace, and take these tasks in small bites so you don’t get overwhelmed.
