Location Independent Living for the Organizing Freak

One of my favorite questions to the organizational-impaired person as he or she is frantically searching for their keys (remote, cell phone, small child, etc.) is to ask when the last time was that they lost their toothbrush. This usually results in a blank stare, followed by a "Huh?" and a response (subtly implying that I am dumber than a box of rocks for asking) along the lines of, "Well--duh. Never!"

"Why?" I persist. Another blank look. "Because," I point out, "you drop your toothbrush in the same place every time you're finished using it. Be it in the top drawer, the fancy toothbrush holder or the scummed up glass on the side of the sink, your toothbrush has a HOME. That's why you never lose it."

In other words, in my life, the timeless wisdom of a "place for everything and everything in its place" has saved me countless hours of searching, mentally retracing my steps and frustration. Between keeping my stuff to a minimum and having homes for the stuff that I do have, I've managed to set myself up with one sweet little life (mostly) devoid of frantic searching and blaming of my husband when items cannot be found. (Side note: this also contributes much in the marital harmony department for it has been my experience that nearly every time I testily imply that Jeremy has appropriated something of mine, I inevitably discover that it was me who left the item in its AWOL location.)

However, our recent drastic downsizing and our impending launch of our location independent lifestyle has me wondering how I am going to implement a home base for my stuff when there is no home base for me! My designated homes are about to disappear altogether. No hook by the back door for my keys, no bin under said hook for my sunglasses, garage door opener and tissues. No basket for library books to be returned, designated plug to hold the cell phone charger nor magnetic notepad affixed to the fridge door (ditto for the mandatory pen atop the refrigerator to write on said notepad). No top nightstand drawer for my thyroid pills, hook beside my computer upon which to hang my headset, spot by the bathroom sink for my jar of Q-tips. Hell, no jar for the Q-tips in the first place. And my kitchen! Every pot and pan has an assigned spot (God, I love my dish-washing husband, who bemusedly but dutifully puts every pan back where it came from.) I swear I could whip up an entire meal in the dark.

I'm not sure how successful my transition to voluntary homelessness is going to be in this regard. I have developed my travel homes. The hotel room key ALWAYS goes on top of the TV, for example, when I am in the room. That way, I never have to hunt for it, thereby allowing me to get to the hotel lounge that much sooner. So I guess I will simply expand this technique to adopt universal homes for my limited supply of stuff as I land in the various places that are to become my temporary homes.

It's a little intimidating for an uber-organized person like myself. Maybe I'll get one of those huge trench coats with a myriad of inside pockets (like the guys who sell "Rolex" watches on the sidewalks of New York) and put everything in it from my passport to my vitamins to a small mixing bowl and a whisk. Then I can wear it always and have a home for my stuff no matter where I roam. It might make swimming a bit difficult, but I'll make the sacrifice in order to keep my sanity.


Maureen Thomson and Jeremy Myers are a husband and wife team offering professional housesitting services worldwide. Visit our HouseSitting Couple website for more information.