I can attest that having reached a solid vintage myself, some of us never quite reach the levels of having ‘sorted our life out’ that we may once have aimed for. However, with vintage comes wisdom and being organised can be broken down into a series of short and sweet accruements that we can take control of individually. Each increment on the surface appearing to be just a tiny piece of the jigsaw puzzle but pieced together forming a much bigger picture and thus allowing a larger sense of control and calm in our lives. Of course, we are all different, and in my humble opinion, the first rule towards having an organised life is to embrace the fact that a one system rule does not work for everyone. We each have our own quirks and unique idiosyncrasies when it comes to the way in which we live that makes one person’s mess another person’s style statement, or indeed one person’s self-expression another’s anathema. A neat and tidy, colour coordinated bookshelf for instance, may be interpreted as the visual example of style over substance, indicating a person less interested in literary proficiency and more governed by the visual impact of purchasing coloured books by the meter for design interest alone – (I should know, my colour coordinated bookshelf will always garner at least one “but do you actually read them?” inquiry whenever it is featured on Instagram – and yes, dear reader, I do!)
Individual tastes aside, what I have learned over the years, is that sorting one’s life out is more about having a set of systems in place that gently guide the functionality of our home and surroundings into a place filled with ease and comfort; systems that can work for the majority of us yet that can still accommodate our own personal design preferences and eccentricities, enabling us to enjoy living freely without living in chaos.
So, what are the universally shared areas in so many homes that need the most help? When it comes to storage in the average home, there is often a burgeoning connection between acts of habit and unwitting hoarding regardless of whether our design aesthetic veers towards the sleekness of minimalist chic or the abundance of traditional English country. Most of us have the drawer of doom for instance. We were brought up with it, we vowed not to emulate it, and yet there it lies – often in the kitchen or utility room – overflowing with random bits and bobs. The draw that seems to magnetically draw all manner of all and sundry paraphernalia for which there is no other apparent logical home. It is the “Just in case” drawer…also known as the “Might be useful one day…” drawer. Batteries, Sellotape, charger wires, a fabric tape measure perhaps. A few safety pins and paperclips a pair of scissors and at least one pen that doesn’t work. Many necessary, even practical items, that may one day come in handy, but for now lie piled high and entangled atop each other, usually in such terrifyingly jumbled chaos that it can induce feelings of anxiety by simply attempting to haul it open.
The problem with the drawer of doom, is not that we don’t necessarily need the things within it - although that may often be the case – but that we usually refuse to update the contents to fit in with the current times. The drawer therefore becomes akin to a domestic safety blanket, a comforter, a reminder of bygone days and a well-intentioned if futile commitment to make-do and mend. Our parents may have kept some blu-tac and a measuring tape in a draw, and therefore so should we, for none of us want to appear wasteful and unresourceful at a time when sustainability is key.
However, if we review many of the ‘drawer of dooms’ usual culprit of contents, do we actually need them as much as we think we do? There are many reasons to keep hold of certain things, but in the words of William Morris – is it truly functional or beautiful – or does it spark Marie Kondo’s “Joy”? Why not attempt to use the ruler app on our smartphones rather than the fraying tape measure from our school sewing box. What about the battered calculator? Has anyone genuinely used it to do arithmetic since leaving 6th form? How many items double up with systems that we already subconsciously have in place in an easier form? Take a moment to root through and imagine the purpose of each item and visualise what we would do if it didn’t exist. How would we cope? If we already do cope without it, or automatically reach for something else to do then same job, then I’m afraid it’s a goner.
The next stage surrounds the actual storage capabilities of the drawer. Rather than an unwanted or an unnecessary item, the way something is contained in the drawer of doom may rarely be conducive to it being discovered easily, let alone used for its original purpose in the first place. So how do we make this ubiquitous of household nemeses an easy and accessible storage solution made in heaven. Well, this is where it becomes fun, for there are many storage solutions aimed precisely at helping us to make the practical pretty – or if pretty isn’t your thing, then at least functional.
We can start off in the most basic way with something that we may already have in our homes - a cutlery divider. These come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials to suit most aesthetic styles. It won’t necessarily allow for the bulkiest or most irregularly shaped of items, but what it will do is to instantly provide a functional and divided space, that visually encourages you to think about how things are stored rather than to simply throw them in. Labelling the separate sections will prompt the mind to keep everything in its allocated area if you want to go one step further in setting up a system.
If that appeals, then the joys of choosing a bespoke or adaptable drawer divider will provide an equally thrilling alternative. There are many examples available online and in shops. From expandable and adjustable bamboo drawer dividers to modular wooden, stiff cotton or recycled plastic storage dividers and containers that can fit together to form grid like systems in your drawer. Search for the word’s storage boxes, drawer tidys and drawer inserts and do not be put off by the descriptions of underwear or sock organisers. The wonderful thing about storage solutions is that the same systems can be put in place to cover a multitude of areas in your home regardless of what needs to be stored, which also means that systems can be repeated using the same items throughout the home.
Finally, never underestimate the long-term dopamine hit that we get from getting organised. The brain has a clever habit of deciding whether a goal is worth the effort and rewarding accordingly, so although acquiring ‘stuff’ can prove exhilarating in the short term – the reason that the ‘drawer of doom’ rarely gets tackled is because the sensory overload of constantly seeing a pile of things in disarray can lead to the type of sensory overload that causes anxiety – in short we’d rather run, hide and ignore! However, through this column, I will help you to remember that its far easier to sort your life out small step by small step, than you imagine.
