When you consolidate contents of containers with the same product, you save space. Many of my clients have multiples of one product with varying amounts in each container. These could be personal care items, cleaning products, office supplies, etc. We consolidate the varying amounts into one container and voila, more space!
I often wonder how that happens. My thought is to use up all the stuff in one container before opening a new one. If it’s the same product, why open a new one? It could be that the container being used, gets pushed behind others so it’s not seen. Another scenario could be when another family member uses the same stuff and takes it to another room and doesn’t put it back.
In these scenarios, and there may be others, the result is that there are multiple containers with varying amounts taking up more space than necessary. There is a proactive approach to take to eliminate the need to consolidate products. Getting organized eliminates that need.
The concepts and tips below will help you get organized. They also provide a proactive approach to eliminate the need to consolidate products to save space.
Storage
Make sure that you can see everything stored in an area. In open areas it’s easier to see things but still can be an issue if you are storing too many things in that space. Keep your things proportionate to the space to avoid things being pushed to the back and forgotten.
Closed in areas such as cabinets and pantries present visibility challenges, more so than open spaces. Especially if you have too many things in these spaces as mentioned above.
Pull out shelves, risers, turntables and clear bins work well for these spaces. Products need to be stored with the labels facing forward. Labeling also catches the eye for easy visibility and leaves no doubt as to where to put the product back after use.
All family members need the products they use, stored where they use them. If multiple people use the same product in different rooms, keep a supply in each room which is typically the bathrooms. This concept avoids the issue of moving products around and can potentially cause the need to open another container of the same product.
List
Keeping a list of supplies you are running low on is a good idea. No one likes to run out of things they need. When you’re using a product that is near empty, put it on the list. The next time you go to the store to restock, you have your list ready. By doing this, your important morning routines will not be interrupted and cause you to be late for work, school or other appointments. It allows you to start the day on the right foot.
Inventory
This is a term I picked up from a client. Having a space assigned for stocking up on products is a great idea if you have the space. It doesn’t need to be a big space because you want to avoid excess, but there’s nothing wrong with having backup supplies. When you keep a list of supplies you are running low on as mentioned above, the backup supplies you buy can go into inventory until you need them.
