Make home organization easy and stress-free with these 5 steps

I love how Marie Kondo has been shedding light on the importance of organization and decluttering to help you keep your home organized. Similar principles have been applied in multiple companies all around the world with the 5S method.

After World War 2, companies like Toyota were determined to revive the Japanese economy. They discovered that giving the employees the power to organize their own workplace, tools and machines could transform the companies.   Sakichi Toyoda, his son Kiichiro and Taiichi Ohno, Toyota engineers developed the 5s methodology as the first lean step to make the workplace more convenient for employees, innovative, cost effective and safe.

The 5S methodology is a simple method, that requires employee empowerment and relies on the power of habits. There are no stadistics or engineering methods needed only self-discipline. That’s the reason why I started to apply it in every company I work for, and even at home. It really transformed me and my family. Mostly, it helped me keep communication simple.

With working mothers and fathers and a constant flow of information, the digital age transformed not only business but also families. I have been observing how poor communication, the lack of common rules and running out of of self-discipline, increase the odds of fighting with your spouse and your kids for trivial things. As Marie Kondo says, disorganization and clutter contributes to increase your stress. It’s hard to know what’s done and what’s pending, so decision making and tasks assignements are blurred. It’s easier to get frustrated. So the 5S is based on visual management to help you keep focused on what really matters.

1) Sort

Sepparate what is needed from what is unneeded. Open every drawer, tackle every cabinet and sort. If ther is something you don’t need or have not been using in the last year: trash it out, move it to another location (a basement for example, or a place where you can use it more often), donate it or sell it.

2) Store

Whatever you sorted out, and decided that you really needed, store it. Everything should have a home, and should be kept at that home once used. Label that home, or make it obvious for everyone to find it right there. Obvious means even for your kids. Use pictures or drawings if you need it. For my playroom at home, I use transparent drawers, to make it easier for everyone, even neighbors that come to play, to find out how to organize things back.  Do the 30 seconds test: If you need more than 30 seconds to find something, it is not in the right place, find it a home. Make sure the home is convenient for everybody using it, is safe (heavy weights should be placed on top shelves) and keeps the product quality (like kitchen stuff that cannot get wet or have specific due dates).

3) Shine

Make everything look like brand new. To tell you the truth, I hate cleaning. That’s why I like 5S, because it helps me reduce my cleaning. I don’t spend the whole weekend cleaning. Here is the reason why:

• If you have less things don’t need, you have les thigs to clean
• If you make a mess, you clean after yourself, you don’t expect anybody else to clean it later on. Let everybody know that once you eat, you put your stuff back in the dishwasher or in the trash can (it helps to locate the trash can next to the dining table). The same applied to clothes, define a place to store dirty clothes in every room, have different buckets for white and color clothes, and define a picking location for clothes ready to use.  
• If there is constant dirt somewhere, find out the root cause to avoid cleaning in the future. For example, oil, salt and other condiments always seem messy, so always place them inside a container to prevent spills.
• Keeping tools and appliances always clean, help to ensure they last longer, and that you can also detect when something is wrong. If you keep your fridge clean and organized, it is easier to detect when a container is broken, a product is due or if the ice is leaking.  

These little rules help everyone understand how the house works, and there is no need for you to keep up with everything, a little help from everyone makes it easier to keep the constant flow and avoid stacking plates or clothes by the weekend.

 4) Standardize

Colors can help you to store by the due date or remind you about when to re-stock. Pictures, signs, transparent containers, everything is welcome to make it easier for everyone to understand the rules of the house. Standardization is key to avoid miscommunication. Again, communication is key nowadays. Everyone has different expectations of their home organization, so setting standards help to stop assuming. Remember, common sense is the least common of all the senses. Agree on every instruction and make it crystal clear. I know a couple that was fighting all the time due to the dishwasher. They bought a dish-washer visual sign showing if it was clean or dirty. Problem solved.

5) Sustain the self-discipline

If you got to do the previous first steps, as of now your home should be in a pretty good. All you need to do is sustain the effort. Control the labels and the rules to make sure everybody follows them. And most importantly, be the example. Self-discipline will save you hours of discussions.

I am actually pretty disorganized myself, but 5S helped me a lot to keep my self-discipline. At home, I apply 5S combined with Marie Kondo method. Success is granted! Good luck, and dream big!

Lu Paulise

luciana@biztorming.com

@lupaulise

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