Organized Home Inventory System

The ABCs of Motherhood
Personal note from: https://www.theabcsofmotherhood.com/organized-home-inventory-system/

Why a home inventory system is important: to avoid completely running out of a household staple, especially when you don’t have time to run to the store
Setting up a home inventory system
- crucial to staying organized
- always having the supplies you need to run your home effectively
- e.g., household cleaners, laundry supplies, toiletries and makeup, and even kitchen staples.

HOW TO

Get Organized
- Create a list of which areas need organized
- Tackle these spots one at a time
- example:
  - Linen Closet
  - Bathroom Closet
  - Bathroom Cupboards (all bathrooms)
  - Kitchen Pantry
  - Kitchen Cupboards
  - Basement Shelving Storage
  - Mudroom or Garage Shelving Storage
  - Under Kitchen Sink
  - Laundry Room Shelves or Cupboards
  - Basically, anywhere that you store (i.e., cupboards, closets):
    - Cleaning supplies
    - Toiletries
    - Laundry supplies
    - Baking supplies / cooking supplies
- Prior to being able to set up your home inventory system
  - Organize your spaces
  - Group your items together
    - Line things up in rows
    - Gives each item a ‘home’
      - so that you always know where your stuff is
  - Routinely take inventory of what you’ve got and what you need
  - E.g.,
    - bathroom stuff
      - shampoo, conditioner, soap, shaving stuff
    - cleaning supplies
      - toilet cleaners, shower cleaners, window/mirror cleaners, carpet cleaners, etc
    - vanity cupboard
      - eye makeup remover, face wipes, face cleanser, eye lotion, acne cream, face lotion
  - Just all in a line and ready to go one by one
Keep One Extra
- (keeping an extra)
- constantly keep one extra
- e.g., when you run out of toothpaste
  - grab the new one and put it out,
  - but set the old one aside
  - until you have a moment to add it to your shopping list
- Do not throw this item away until it is on your list
  - having that visual reminder of the empty tube of toothpaste will help hold you accountable when it comes to ordering more
  - make an effort to add it to your ongoing shopping list that day
- more details on keeping an extra:
  - use up your current toothpaste
  - pull your extra from stock
  - order your replacement toothpaste
    / purchasing replacements
  - once it arrives
    - put the new one where the ‘toothpaste gap’ is in your closet
- other examples, 2 mascaras
  - 1 to be used
  - 1 is still in the package
  - when use up the last of the open bottle
    - jot on shopping list
    - open the waiting package (the extra one)
    - when the new arrives
      - put it as the stock (in wait until needed)
  - constant rotation
- Online shopping is especially helpful for difficult/chaotic seasons of life
  - the newborn stage,
  - a difficult pregnancy,
  - when the household is sick, or
  - when you’ve got a hectic week,
  - Christmas time / winter holidays, etc
- e.g., multiple rooms
  - e.g., bathroom cleaning products under each bathroom’s sink
  - each have a bottle of Windex, paper towels, Clorox wipes, shower cleaner, and toilet bowl cleaner, etc
  - keep a ‘master’ supply of these products
    - in an overall cleaning supply closet
Getting Far Ahead
- preparing for difficult or chaotic seasons of life
- instead of having one extra of each item, keep a few extras
- not for every single thing in our house
- what to keep (a few extras)
  - stuff that won’t expire and that we’ll use up fairly quickly, e.g., basic household and toiletry needs
    - laundry soap,
    - shampoo,
    - conditioner,
    - soap,
    - dish tabs,
    - garbage bags, etc