As we welcome a new year bringing hope for a return to a new “normal”, it is interesting to reflect on the changes many of us have experienced during the pandemic while sheltering in place.  Our homes now must serve us in new and unexpected ways that we never thought possible!

Being forced to create new spaces for online schooling, working at home, and daycare have opened our eyes to how our homes function on so many levels. 2020 has given many people the rare opportunity to really evaluate our homes like never before! We can’t simply ignore what isn’t working anymore! Instead of hooking up the computers and working at the kitchen table, can we take an extra bedroom and create an office? Where do we store the masks and hand sanitizers  so we don’t forget to take them with us every time we leave the house? How do we meet all of our needs and still make our homes a respite from the realities of Covid-19? For each scenario, there are many possible solutions. How do we begin?

The organizing industry is showing us ways to make our pantries Instagram ready and our closets bursting with joy.  These episodes are entertaining; they inspire us with possibilities. Professional Organizers assist individuals and businesses in defining possibilities. The pandemic has underscored the importance of living in a home that is set up to accommodate our new normal way of living.  Is your home supporting you?  Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

Do you have what you need?

Can you find what you want quickly?

What is working?

What is not working?

Is it time to change the function of a space?

What spaces or items no longer serve your new normal?

As we contemplate change, the answers to these questions will help us determine our priorities. Perhaps one silver lining we can take from 2020 is that we have a new lens with which to view our homes.  May your home support and nurture you in 2021 and beyond.

Cathy Van Volkenburg CPO®

Accent on Organizing

Cathy@accentonorganizing.com