We continue our week-long series on home organization. Today, I'm sharing you my basic principle of organizing:

Keep like things together.

It seems simple, but it's not. I tend to keep things all over the house. I've found teaspoons on my dresser! I have hair ties everywhere. Batteries can be anywhere of a number of places. 

Why are things everywhere: usually, because, instead of putting things away, I leave them the last place I used them. Or, I convince myself that I should keep everything at hand so I don't have to get up to get what I need. That may seem like a good idea on the face of it, but that's how you end up with no idea of what you have and needless duplication.

Now, there are a few things you may need to keep in more than one place. For example, I keep one set of scissors with all my stationery, one set dedicated to the kitchen, one in my bedroom for stray threads and clothes tags, and my sewing scissors with the craft supplies. You may need to keep certain medications close to you at all times for safety. It's a good idea to keep flashlights in several rooms so you don't have to search in the dark.

But generally, most things should be kept in a single place: all of your stationery (including paper, envelopes, address stickers, cards, etc.); all of your spices; your spare batteries; your socks…. Whatever it is, you should know where the extras are. Yes, that means you need to get up and get a battery when one goes bad — but you won't need to search every time since you know right where they are. You'll know when you used your last AA battery so you can go and buy more. And when you bring them home from the store, you'll know where to put them.

It's amazing how small expenditures of time to organize things pays off in the long run. It's a great investment!