Can’t Remember Where You Put It? This Might Be Why…
A few months after helping my son move into his first post-college apartment, I got a call.
“Mom, do you know where my swim trunks are?”
Now, we’d moved him in quickly—boxes, bags, two closets, and very limited drawer space. I didn’t have a mental inventory of every single item. But I paused and thought about the system I’d set up for him.
“Try the bin on the far right side of the shelf in the closet,” I said.
A few seconds later: “Here they are! You have such a great memory!”
I smiled. But here’s the truth—it wasn’t my memory that found the trunks. It was logic.
The Real Problem Isn’t Forgetting… It’s a Lack of Systems
We often think we’re just forgetful. But the deeper issue? We don’t have a reliable system for where things go.
When items don’t have a “home” that makes sense, we:
Waste time hunting for stuff.
Buy duplicates because we assume something is lost.
Feel frustrated and mentally cluttered, even in a tidy space.
This is especially true for things we don’t use every day—like swim trunks, holiday decor, or that charger you only use for your travel speaker.
But what if the key to finding things easily wasn’t memory… but mindful placement?
Organizing Tip | Store Items Where You’d First Think to Look
Instead of storing things “where they fit,” try this simple organizing principle:
Put it where you’d first think to look for it.
Ask yourself:
“Where would I naturally go looking for this?”
That’s often the best home. Not because it’s perfect, but because it’s intuitive.
For example:
Store party supplies near the kitchen, where you prep and host.
Keep spare batteries in the drawer close to where you keep flashlights —not in the garage just because there’s space.
Tuck seasonal items in clearly labeled bins, and group by category (e.g., "Summer Gear" instead of just "Miscellaneous Storage").
