Real Life Tidy

I live and breath tidiness all of the time and have been exploring what it means to me, the world, and those shoes that you bought and never wore. I've spent over six years professionally (a lifetime if we count the work I've done unprofessionally) helping others get their lives and spaces in order and chanting Tidiness Isms with the hopes that they'll stick to any ears that they enter. I want everyone to reach their tidying capacity and have complete control of their belongings. Together, we got this.

But in the world of social media, aggressively edited photos, and faking life to the fullest, I need to take a minute to talk about Real Life Tidy: the revolution that begins today! This development in organizing will make Martha shudder, it'll break your Instagram app when you try to post a picture that's imperfect and it may cause you to lose a follower or two (or gain thousands!). Heck, it's worth it, though, because it'll help you live in reality. So say goodbye to chalk-laden labels on every bin in your pantry, color-coded snacks lined up like your kid won't touch them, and closets that are bigger than your bedroom. It's time to get real. It's time to be bold and admit that we can still be tidy without looking perfect. Some pointers:

1) Function isn't always beautiful. This is great to keep in mind if you don't have much space. Maybe you got a lazy susan for your oils and vinegars but also want to store your honey on it because space allows. You're tempted to cringe because honey doesn't technically fall into the "oils and vinegar" category. Don't cringe. Smile.

2) Color-coding doesn't make sense unless your brain categorizes in colors. Imagine if your local library categorized books by color - it would be absolutely ludicrous! If the purpose of your book collection is to access and use the books, don't fall into the drool-worthy lure of color-coded bookshelves. Instead, store books by category or author, depending on how your brain works. When it comes to decor, feel free to go ham on the color-coding. 

3) Sometimes life gets in the way of absolute tidiness. Train yourself to let go when it's necessary. That can mean allowing your kitchen to turn into a disaster zone for a day or creating temporary piles that you'll deal with when you can. It can be tough if tidiness is your comfort zone but you can do it. 

4) You may have to move one thing to access another. It would be glorious for every belonging to have living and breathing space but alas, real life. If you're tight on space and need to double up, put the item that you access less often in the back. Do your best to keep the Tetris playing at a minimum but accept that it'll happen.

5) Don't fold your underwear. Unless it saves a ton of space and really makes your heart flutter.