Another day, another Netflix show to binge-watch and obsess over. This time it is a beneficial one that can improve our skills. A bit late to the party, but I finally got around to watching Netflix‘s Get Organized with The Home Edit. Amazed and then some is all I have to say. Nashville-based founders of The Home Edit, Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin are wizards of everything organisation. They would probably even win over the strict mummy-ji‘s who are sticklers for neatness. In addition to their show, they are also authors of New York Times bestseller The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your House Goals. So much talent packed into two beautiful women!
While their client list boasts several A-list celebrities, such as Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Mandy Moore, they also help out ordinary families who are in dire need of organisation in their homes. From wardrobes, bathrooms, kitchens, fridges to pantries, you name it and they have transformed the space. Whether you are someone who needs some major planning skills or has OCD to some extent, watching this show and learning from its pros is what the doctor prescribed. Especially with the pandemic still out there, we have more time on our hands to roll up our sleeves and get working. Clea and Joanna show us how to develop a system that is clever, sustainable and aesthetically pleasing. Once you are done watching, you will find yourself fluent in a ton of organising terms and invested in matching suede hangers and containers for your home.
Here are 5 takeaways from the show that you can get started with:
1) Set Goals & Edit
Before you get started with tidying, two things need to be done. Firstly, discuss your goal from the space, and secondly, create a mess. As daunting as it may sound, the process of removing everything that exists in the space and editing the items in it is essential. For instance, thinking about the desired outcome helps you to put together the recipe to fix it up. As Clea and Joanna say, planning the space around your daily routine will make the system much more functional.
Afterwards, remove everything to figure out what you have and start editing to get rid of the things that are no longer necessary. Similar to the Marie Kondo mantra, discarding items that no longer give you happiness will make planning more effective. Give away things that take up space and only keep what you use and need. Sift through your belongings’ placing items in piles for donation or discarding. As a result, your space is instantly decluttered and you are only left with the items that you need.
2) Contain Everything
After this series came out, The Container Store in the United States became so famous that their popular items are mostly always out of stock. Such was the effect of the importance of containers in The Home Edit. The golden rule implemented was that nothing should be placed in a drawer or shelf as it is. To truly maximise your space, and for things to look neat and organised, they should be placed in containers. Fondly referred to as “product”, it can be acrylic containers, stackable organisers, baskets or crates—whichever is more suitable for the purpose. Using acrylic is more beneficial as it allows you to easily see your items and prevents you from storing junk. Additional tip: matching containers makes a whole lot of difference for uniformity. These especially look great in the kitchen to neatly display our many Indian spices!
3) Labels Are Lifesavers
Labels are just not for school books, they have so much more value in the organising world. They serve as a great way to locate items that you are looking for, particularly when your items are divided as per category into different containers. For solid boxes, this is helpful, but also on transparent ones. Clea’s beautiful cursive handwriting is used to create a clear label which goes on all containers. Alternatively, you can use a label maker or even a simple white store-bought sticker and write over it. It is truly gratifying to label your snacks, cereal, spices, baking ingredients etc.
4) Everything Has A Zone
All those with some level of OCD when it comes to neatness or organisation will understand when I say that each item belongs somewhere. Items are not meant to be left just about anywhere around the house. It is important to categorise all items and place them in a dedicated zone in their respective containers. As preached by the experts, zones are the key to a functional space. For instance, if you are organising your closet, each category will have its dedicated place in it. Outerwear, denim, jewellery, handbags etc. would all be in specific parts of the closet only. Moreover, it is a physical representation of your system and is an easy way to keep a check on when its time to edit out or add-on items. You can also customise these as per your hobbies, goals or profession. Such as a zone for arts and craft, medical accessories, workout equipment and so on.
5) Signature Rainbow System
Organising that follows the rainbow colour system is the USP of Clea and Joanna’s business. They are known for their love of the rainbow colour scheme. I cannot deny the visual happiness a colour arranged space gives me. Be it books, clothes or spices—the rainbow colour scheme, honestly, applies to all. Sorting things by colour instantly transforms a space into a joyous one; it also draws you to what you are looking for. This is a great organising substitute for when you don’t have labels. You can easily gravitate towards a particular book for which you remember the colour but not the name. Likewise, when you are in a mood for a specific colour outfit, it makes the selection process must easer. I for one have already colour-schemed my entire wardrobe and am loving it!
Share with us your favourite organisation tip in the comments below!
Don’t forget to follow @missmalinifashion on Instagram for more updates.