I love practical ideas. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon when my teenage son and I ventured into a previously unconquered realm commonly referred to as the linen cupboard.Fed up with towels getting forced into odd places and sheet sets tumbling out whenever the door was opened, my linen cupboard was crying out with angst, for some serious attention. Argh! Boring. Hate it. Then as I looked at the unruly manchester strewn and stuffed I got a brilliant idea.
Label the shelves.
Yes, of course. It seemed so obvious. Why hadn't I thought of this before? I knew where everything went but everyone else seemed oblivious with a care factor of zero. All this time, I expected others to know and care about what I already knew and what mattered to me. They just thought if it was in the cupboard and the door actually closed that was good enough but no one could find anything.
Many times I have tidied the linen cupboard, always assuming everyone in the household understood that towels went with towels and were not to be stuffed into a vacant spot next to the tablecloths, creasing them into tight wads of unrecognisable fabric. An hour later it was done. Immediately it returned dividends. When I asked one child to retrieve a hand towel his first objection was, "I don't know where to find it." My answer: "You can read, you'll find it!" Moments later he sauntered out swinging a hand towel with a big grin on his face. Tick. One more step towards a more streamlined and functional life.
Remember; if a tiny pebble was stuck in your shoe, after a day of walking you'd have a sore foot. Better to take the time when you first notice the irritation and deal with it then. Afterall, life's too short to remain angry with the people we're supposed to care about the most. Next stop... the new kitchen!
copyright 2010 Philippa Vette
