--- title: "Back to School with STYLE: Yes, it Has a Home" description: In organization, as in real estate, location is key. Lisa Hess shares some rules on choosing storage locations that will help you -- or your kids -- stay organized. --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/10/14/back-to-school-with-style-yes-it-has-a-home#) # Back to School with STYLE: Yes, it Has a Home Oct 14, 2015 11:00:06 AM  |  by [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) [![Organizing by Style ](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Style-14.png?width=720&height=340&name=Style-14.png)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Style-14.png) If you’ve been following these posts for the last couple of weeks, by now you know that a positive outlook and confidence in your own abilities are the two key parts of the "S" in the STYLE acronym ([Start with Successes](http://catholicmom.com/2015/09/30/back-to-school-with-style-what-is-style-anyway/)). In addition, those attributes are necessary ingredients for developing a plan based on your [personal and organizational styles](http://catholicmom.com/2015/08/05/back-to-school-with-style-quiz-whats-your-childs-style/). And if you [Take it Slow](http://catholicmom.com/2015/10/07/back-to-school-with-style-taking-baby-steps/), using [simple strategies](http://catholicmom.com/2015/09/23/back-to-school-with-style-a-few-simple-strategies-for-defeating-clutter/) like [*Give it Five!* and *Don’t put it down, put it away!*](http://orgbystyle.blogspot.com/2015/03/paths-to-success.html) you'll see steady progress and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Which brings us to **Y: Yes, it Has a Home**. ![Photo: Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/1415390509mugr8-326x244.jpg?width=326&height=244&name=1415390509mugr8-326x244.jpg) Photo: [Dodgerton Skillhause](http://www.morguefile.com/creative/DodgertonSkillhause) via Morguefile When it comes to getting organized, home is simply where an item belongs. Books have homes on bookshelves. Shoes may have a home on the floor of the closet. Pots and pans find homes in kitchen drawers, or hanging from racks over a kitchen island. Very often, clutter develops because items lack homes. Consequently, things are left lying out (I need to see it or drop and run) or improperly stashed away (I know I put it somewhere, cram and jam), because we don't know what to do with them. Sometimes, an overload of stuff (I love stuff) or a dearth of time (I love to be busy) compounds the problem. The key to successful retrieval (not to mention less clutter) lies in successful storage or [finding homes that make sense](http://orgbystyle.blogspot.com/2015/04/containers-styles-and-logical-homes.html). **Location rule #1**: *Store items where they are used*. Storing an item close to where it's used (e.g., oven mitts near the oven) not only makes sense, but it also makes it easier to remember where we put things and, therefore, to find them when we need them. If we know our "somewhere" is limited to the storage spaces in the area where the item is typically used, we reduce our search parameters from "it could be anywhere" to "it's somewhere in this drawer." Quite a substantial reduction -- and one that requires much less time and energy when we need to find something, even if that something is (still) just stuffed in a drawer. ![oven mitt.freepik.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/oven-mitt_freepik_com_-326x234.jpg?width=326&height=234&name=oven-mitt_freepik_com_-326x234.jpg) Photo: Freepik.com **Location rule #2**: *Store like items together*. This key combines storage and retrieval. If we use Location rule #1 and [store an item in a place that makes sense,](http://orgbystyle.blogspot.com/2015/04/logical-homes-part-two.html) we're more likely to remember where we put it, which makes it easier to retrieve it. Storing like items together piggybacks on Location rule #1, making it easier to find things because of the associations we make  (e.g. I'm putting the oven mitts in the drawer with the cookbooks). These associations provide visual cues which act as retrieval cues. In other words, making a connection between, say, the cookbooks and the oven mitts, helps the I know I put it somewhere organizer to remember which somewhere is the one he or she chose for both items. **Use retrieval cues**. Some things can be used in a variety of spaces, making Location rule #1 challenging. And while opening the drawer and seeing the cookbooks can provide the "aha" moment that reminds us where we stored the oven mitts, it's even better if we can figure out which drawer to open in the first place. To do this, the I know I put it somewhere organizer can benefit from taking a page out of the I need to see it organizer's book, and using strategies like labeling, color-coding and see-through storage. Unlike the I need to see it organizer, the I know I put it somewhere organizer can put these see-through, labeled or color-coded containers behind closed doors (because out of sight isn't out of mind for I know I put it somewhere folks), or they can simply use these strategies and containers in the first place. Clear plastic bins come in many sizes and colors and can be incredibly helpful in revealing those "safe" storage places to I know I put it somewhere organizers. **In organizing, as in real estate, location is key.** For printable information sheets about containers and the styles, go to [Organizing by STYLE](http://www.orgbystyle.blogspot.com) and click on the [CHARTS](http://orgbystyle.blogspot.com/p/charts.html) tab at the top of the page. *Copyright 2015 Lisa Hess* * Logo background image: "Unageek color" by Unageek (2013) via [Morguefile](http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/851729). Text added in Canva.* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F10%2F14%2Fback-to-school-with-style-yes-it-has-a-home%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F10%2F14%2Fback-to-school-with-style-yes-it-has-a-home%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F10%2F14%2Fback-to-school-with-style-yes-it-has-a-home%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Back%20to%20School%20with%20STYLE%3A%20Yes%2C%20it%20Has%20a%20Home) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F10%2F14%2Fback-to-school-with-style-yes-it-has-a-home%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F10%2F14%2Fback-to-school-with-style-yes-it-has-a-home%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Lisa%20Lawmaster%20Hess.jpg) ### [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) Transplanted Jersey girl Lisa Lawmaster Hess is the author of a blog compilation, three novels, and three non-fiction books, including the award-winning Know Thyself: The Imperfectionist’s Guide to Sorting Your Stuff. A retired elementary school counselor, Lisa is an adjunct professor of psychology at York College of Pennsylvania. She blogs at [The Porch Swing Chronicles](http://l2hess.blogspot.com/), [Organizing by STYLE](http://www.orgbystyle.blogspot.com/), and here at Catholicmom.com. [Read all articles by Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess). [**](https://www.facebook.com/L2Hess/) [**](https://twitter.com/orgbystyle) ## Related Blog Articles [ Back to School with STYLE: Guidelines for Organizing with Kids Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/09/02/back-to-school-with-style-guidelines-for-organizing-with-kids) [ Back to School with STYLE: Taking Baby Steps Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/10/07/back-to-school-with-style-taking-baby-steps) [ Back to School with STYLE: What is STYLE, Anyway? Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/09/30/back-to-school-with-style-what-is-style-anyway) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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