How to Find Your Organizational Style
Instead of starting off Week 9 of the WHO Challenge with another project, I thought I'd check in to see how things are going. Are you having a difficult time trying to decide how to organize spaces in your home?
The first trick to overcoming this hurdle is to analyze how you operate. Knowing your organization style means understanding your preferences for Finding, Assessing, Retrieving and Returning items - quickly(good organization will take you F.A.R.R.)
For the sake of simplicity, I've broken down organizational styles into two basic categories: those who pile, and those who file. So... Are you a "piler" or a "filer"? Keep reading to find out.
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The Real Reason Organization May Be Difficult for You
Are You a "Piler" or a "Filer"?
“Pilers” like to toss similar items into a box or basket, and don’t mind searching for the specific item(s) they need later. Whereas, “filers” prefer to arrange things in layers; i.e., a box inside of a box, inside of a box. Serious filers organize things by row, type, and even according to color, and/or size.
Take a look at the photos below. Which one appeals to you most? A “filer” may like to organize their socks in small cubby holes, by color, like the photo on the right. Whereas “pilers” are content to just toss folded socks into a basket labeled “socks”.
"Pilers" like to organize similar items loosely in a contained area. "Filers" organize in layers. For example, a box, inside of a box, inside of a box.
Here’s another example. Do you like to arrange your jewelry like this?
Or, does a pretty basket or bowl, like the one below suit your fancy better?
Which Method: Filing or Piling is the Best?
Both methods are organized. Both require roughly the same amount of time. But the way they function is completely different.
“Filers” will spend more time in setting up their organization systems, making sure things are just so. But since “filers” are pretty good at maintaining their systems, this is usually a one-time task. They may however, need to take 1-2 extra steps to put things back in the same order in which they were found, after each use.
“Pilers”, on the other hand, are able to set up an organization system, and slap a label on it in a matter of seconds. Once they’ve finished using an item, they can then quickly ditch it in a catch-all basket of other like items. Grouping like items is the key to making this system work. But - “pilers” will have to take extra time search through their...piles... to find what they need.
By the way, I’m a mixture of both. As I showed you in a photograph during the bedroom organization portion of this challenge, I like to “file” my clothes. I detest having to dig around in drawers for clothing, only to pull out a wrinkle-free garment that now needs to be ironing because of the way I stored it.
But now “filing” my socks in little cubby holes by color? Nope – not doin’ it. Into the basket/drawer they go. It's the same with my daily toiletries. I just toss them into a basket and keep going.
Daily toiletries tossed, or "piled" in a basket, are another form of organization.
After reading this, with which method of organization would you say you most identify? Are you a piler or a filer? Please tell me in the comments below.
