Color-coding offers visual cues that can identify anything from
road signs to sports teams. Even doctors' offices use it to
track their patients' files. But for some reason we rarely
think to apply the system at home. WD has spoken with experts to
learn how color can help you organize everything—from your
kids' bathroom routine to your home office—with maximum results
and minimal effort.
! Related Articles !
Laundry should be separated anyway, so it's a no-brainer to
extend the color-matching practice to your laundry baskets.
"Assign like colors to like things," says Laura McHolm,
cofounder of NorthStar Moving, an L.A.-based moving and storage
company. For example, choose a light blue–rimmed tote for lights
and whites, and a navy blue option for darks
*Bathroom*
For anyone with children at home, it can feel like an
insurmountable task to keep all their bathing items organized.
Assigning each child a specific color makes it much easier.
"You'll know whose toothbrush is missing when you get home
from a trip—or who left his or her bath towel on the floor,"
says Holly Bohn, founder of SeeJaneWork.com
*Home Office*
Color is a great way to keep your office in order, and for all
those type-A personalities, it can be fun to color-coordinate.
Plus, picking the right shades can not only brighten up your decor,
it can also perk up your routine. "Studies show that color is
very motivating, especially in a workspace," says Bohn. Use
basic letter trays to keep your family's taxes, bills and
report cards organized—and keep them that way
*Garage*
With all the sports kids play today, you practically need a
second garage to store all the equipment. To stay organized, use
clear bins (so you can see what's in there) with colored
handles that will provide instant recognition of which sport is in
which bin, says McHolm. Or try color-coded crates as an inexpensive
alternative. Either way, items can be easily tossed in —making
cleanup a little more fun for your star athlete
In any family, there are all sorts of food preferences, and it
can be hard keep track of what's what in the fridge. Whether you
have specific allergies (gluten, peanuts) or tend to have lots of
leftovers, Pyrex's clear glass food containers with colored
lids can help keep things separate and easy to identify. You can
also use the colors to organize leftovers by date, so you know
what's fresh (and what's not!)
*Kitchen*
Assigning each food group a different cutting board will ensure
safe—and flavor-perfect—preparation. "Meat contamination is
the obvious worry," explains Bohn. But fruit juices can also
seep into plastic cutting boards and later soak into bread, adding
an unwelcome tang. Williams-Sonoma sells a set of four cutting
boards—each a different color—precisely for this purpose
*Medicine Cabinet*
Mixing up medications is a big worry, especially with several
family members sharing a medicine cabinet or if anyone in the
household has bad eyesight. To keep pills separated by type or
family member, try sticking a product like Avery's colored
stickers on the caps of each bottle. "The dots will make
everything easily recognizable," says Bohn
*Coffee Table*
When magazines start to pile up, they can be a pain to
organize—especially if you like to archive certain issues. Make it
easy for everyone to grab what they need quickly and put it back in
its place when finished. "In my house, my home magazines are
in one color holder and my fashion magazines are in another,"
says Bohn
! Related Articles !
Post a Comment