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Domestic Blindness –
- A condition that makes people unable to see common household objects even though they’re right in front of them;
- Personified by looking for some item (anywhere, usually in the house) but you can’t find it, so you ask your spouse for help. Upon asking your spouse for help, the spouse points to the item that you were looking for, which is usually right in front of your face.
Yes, we all know someone with this affliction.
By containerising you can save yourself Domestic Blindness Time, not to mention Money [ for things which you don’t go out to re-buy! ].
Containerising, simply, is storing like with like. This could be the same type of item or items of a category. e.g. containerising all your Pasta types in one airtight container in your cupboard or pantry [ spaghetti; fusilli; penne; macaroni; etc].
I first heard about this kind of containerising about a decade ago when a very good friend of mine put me onto it. She had just finished reading a book by author, Julie Morgenstern, who is an organising guru. Since then a lot of people have gotten on the bandwagon and made a fortune. We even have shops dedicated to organising and containerising.
Here is an example of how I have containerised some of our First Aid Kit items which in turn are placed into a larger, see-through storage box:
Save Time & Money by not doubling up on items
As you can see I have containerised items by ailment, so that I and my Domestically Blind household can see at a glance what is needed without having to ferret through a mish-mash of lotions and potions. I didn’t buy these containers; they are simply repurposed plastic containers received when buying fresh food from the deli or supermarket.
Here are some more advantages of containerising:
- It helps you avoid delays when the font is too small on the original packaging; especially handy if you have to get out of bed in the middle of the night to find the right medication at a glance;
- You save Money by not doubling up on items;
- It’s easily portable (and packable!) if you need to take some items for a domestic holiday or a weekend away;
- You can have the whole “Patch Up Kit” handy to you if someone is injured in another room or outside.
This system works in all areas of your home. Here are a few examples you can work on to Save you Time and Money:
- Bulk Purchases: If you see basic food items that are marked down considerably, store like with like and place the one with the oldest use-by date at to the front and to the top of the pile
- Emergency Kit: Store all your household’s essential needs in the event of emergencies like storms, floods; cyclones/hurricanes/tornadoes, etc. This kit needs to be at least a waterproof plastic storage box, visibly stored in a safe place that is easy to access
- Herbs and Spices: I store all of my dried herbs and spices in shoe boxes. They are shelved alphabetically A-K and L-Z for easy location, and the opacity of the shoebox is good for preventing light damage to the goods
- Shampoos & Conditioners: It seems every family member wants a different shampoo. We have ours in a plastic hanging basket in the shower recess. [ Unless, of course, you want to save even more money by giving up Shampoo altogether like I did for 9 months]. Read about my experience Take the Shampoo free challenge
- Shoes: I have my shoes sorted into Casual, Work and Going Out/After 5 so that I know exactly which box to go to, to find the right pair.
What do you containerise in your house or man shed?
Glenda
Growing Snowballs - How to Save Time & Money in your Life 
COMMENT HERE: Will you be trying this?