I have been getting a lot of questions on home organization lately. Especially what to do about keeping a home ‘staged’ while it is on the market to sell or lease, and while still living in it—with kids.

I get the feeling that the questions I get around this time of year are coincidentally related to the end of summer and the impending start of the school year for many families. Along with end of summer send-offs and jean shopping for littles who seem to have grown 6 inches in three months, surely you have imagined all of the stuff they soon will be bringing home by the backpackful.

What are you supposed to do with all that stuff?

We have a place in my home right inside the doorway from the garage reaching down a short hallway to the kitchen, that we jokingly call the “dumping ground.” This is the place when everyone gets home, where, you guessed it…we dump everything. In my defense (because I should know better, right?) the dumping ground is just a landing spot before all the stuff gets to its rightful place inside the home. You, too, can create a “rightful place for all the stuff” a.k.a., a workspace, in your home whether in a dedicated room or within your current living space with these easy tips.

1. Invest in adequate furniture.
I used to be a basket and bin girl. Then I realized that even all the baskets and bins needed a home. Instead, try to invest in functional furniture pieces for work and storage. This way, if you have to incorporate your workspace into a family room or other living area, you will be able to choose pieces that coordinate with your existing décor.

Your students will need a clear work area, and that means providing adequate space for computer equipment, books, file space and a location for frequently referenced supplies and paper. Make sure your furniture (desk, chair, bookshelves to start with) provides ample space for work and storage.

2. Establish activity centers.
Divide your workspace into zones and activity areas. For example your zones can include:

• The Work Center: which includes a clear workspace, computer and frequently used supplies.
• The Reference Center: which includes binders, manuals, dictionary, books and materials.
• The Supply Center: which contains office, school and paper supplies.

5. Establish a paper processing area.

• Create an area within your Work Center for papers that need immediate action.
• Store paper associated with ongoing projects in an area that is easily accessible and within your view.
• Establish a permanent filing system for papers you will want to keep for reference, but will not need on a regular basis.

Contact me about ordering information for the Estate Organizers featured above, or the ever functional and stylish Hurston Collection.