Comments on: Organizing the Landing Zone

By: Erin

Erin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:41:49 +0000

I am so glad I am not the only one with a landing spot. I have a clear, plastic organizer that has magnets and sticks to the side of our fridge. It got so overrun with papers I wanted to put away for later. I finally labeled some file folders and have a place for everything now. But, I am careful to take action before filing papers right away and tossing junk. It’s been working great.

Also, your about me section, I love the description of busy as being under Satan’s yoke- I agree 100%. We must guard our time.

Thanks for a great blog; I look forward to coming back for more inspiration.

Erin

By: Karen van Zon (Scotland)

Karen van Zon (Scotland) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:50:14 +0000

I am actually laughing out loud as I read this! We have a space EXACTLY like this as we walk into our kitchen which drives both myself and my husband crazy… yet we just can’t seem to stop putting things there.
Officially, it is the “has to leave the house” pile – letters for the postbox, stuff to return to other people etc BUT our own stuff that doesn’t yet have a home tends to linger there.
I clear it as often as possible but I about fell off the chair laughing when you said that a broken toy and hair clip had accumulated already – I would place good money on the fact that those things are on our landing place right now!
Karen (Scotland)

By: Cara

Cara — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 12:42:19 +0000

I’ve got a spot like that in my kitchen too. Well, actually we have multiple landing zones because we just don’t have a great space for that stuff. I’ve been thinking that I need to have a new piece of furniture, like a secretary-style desk, to hide all of that stuff. I’ve got room for one of those in the entry hall or the kitchen. But more importantly, I need to have a better system for dealing with all that stuff (not just hide it in some furniture!). I need to clean up the landing zone every single day (or maybe twice a day)! Just as you mentioned, I clean this area up, but it piles up again. This is definitely my biggest organizational dilemma right now. Thanks for sharing your landing zone ideas!

By: Marci

Marci — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:08:33 +0000

Abbie – Isn’t it funny how we turn into the human garbage cans when we become parents!! Once we got rid of the daiper bag, I went back to my little purse that carries the essentials – lip gloss, hand lotion, $$ and my cell phone. I just keep it on the counter. It actually fits in the little basket on the counter!

Ginger – Simplicity is the key isn’t it?!

Kimberly- Great ideas! Love your simple system. A place for everything.

By: abbie

abbie — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:07:33 +0000

I know this feeling. Our entryway is our dumping ground. The culprit is kids junk. I think a hanging rack at toddler height would be helpful, then they can put their jacket and bag up on a hook and shoes away on the shoe rack.

The other place is my bag/purse. Not really a purse, it is actually a cotton canvas bag that I can toss in the wash when it gets dirty, which it does. I end up “cleaning it out” every day or two because half-eaten snacks, straw wrappers, shopping lists, hot-wheels, acorns, clover flowers, and yesterday a random potholder end up in there. I hate to litter, so every little bit ends up in my purse. I only really need all-natural hand sanitizer, lip balm, my wallet, one pen, and cell-phone. What do you do about your purse?

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 03:26:38 +0000

Great post…good ideas. For me, all groceries get put away. Shoes go in shoe bin by door. Pocket book on kitchen table. Keys get hung up. Any junk mail I received automatically goes to the recycle bin, along with any old papers, magazines & etc. and any new magazines, papers, etc. go directly in my magazine rack.

By: Ginger

Ginger — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:05:12 +0000

Hey Marci,
I love organizing and love that you’re keeping it simple. Often we over do it then find ourselves overwhelmed with process.

Always start with something you can commit to, then tweak as you go. It is possible to create new habits and avoid the clutter, but if we make the solution out of reach or overly organized we wont stick to it.

Ginger