3 organizing jobs you should complete while its still Virgo season, according to a pro organizer (and Virgo!)
There's no bad time to organize your home, but some parts of the year, like the start of a new season, are considered better than others. If you trust the stars to guide you, now is an especially good window for sorting your stuff. That's because not only is fall right around the corner but Virgo season is in full swing, and according to the Zodiac, this star sign is as organized as they come.
Whether you're a rational Libra or a flighty Aquarius, now is the perfect time to harness the energy of the Virgoans (23rd August - 22 September). During this period, Mercury rules the skies - a planet that influences intelligence, analytical skills, and resourcefulness to problem-solve - which is why it's the perfect month to spare a thought to ways to organize the home.
With that in mind, who better to ask for a bit of guidance than a professional organizer, and a Virgo one at that. 'As the sun enters Virgo, I am feeling more fastidious than ever,' says Mary Carlomagno, expert organizer at Order Period and author of the book Live More, Want Less. 'In general, as a Virgo, the aesthetic look is as important as the thing that is being organized - we have little patience for extras, we mostly believe in the idea of usage and functionality, and can often be ruthless when getting rid of items!'
Want to apply these attitudes to your organizing efforts? Here are three jobs Mary's committed to carry out this month that she urges you to try in your own home.
1. Organize your drawers
Drawers are a problem area for many of us. Whether it's those in the kitchen, your bathroom vanity, or your entryway console table, they soon become a catchall for all the miscellaneous stuff that finds its way onto the tabletop above, but Virgos aren't the type to adopt an 'out of sight, out of mind' mentality.
To employ some Virgo-level organization in your home during this astrological season, set yourself the task of sorting out your drawers. 'In my bathroom, I have drawers that get very cluttered very quickly,' says Mary Carlomagno. 'I like to use an organizer designed for kitchen utensils to house odd-shaped items, like tubes of toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, etcetera.'
She suggests setting yourself the half-hour task of organizing your bathroom drawers in one fell swoop, saving different drawers for different days to avoid overwhelm. When it comes to organizing kitchen drawers, or any drawers for that matter, we love the simplicity of drawer dividers which allow you to build compartments with measurements that suit you and alter the size as necessary.
Not only do organized drawers make it easy to find whatever it is you need with barely a glance, but they'll prevent you from shoving anything inside them that doesn't belong there. Once you achieve the Instagrammable drawer interior of your dreams, you won't be tempted to clutter them any longer!
2. Add a tiered organizer to you pantry
Think of Virgos as the ant in the tale of the ant and the grasshopper. These organized, forward-planning individuals are always one step ahead, and preparing their food storage for the winter months is an absolute must this time of year.
Sparing some time for pantry organization won't only give you visually satisfying food shelves, but you'll also have an opportunity to take stock of what you've already got, anything else you might need, and any food that's past its sell-by date that needs to be thrown away.
The latter of these is often a result of lost tins and packets at the back of deep shelves. To prevent this from occurring, consider investing in some organizers that make it easier to see - and reach - your ingredients. 'My go-to pantry item is tiered storage because you can triple your space for your quick meal items like capers, tuna, and olives,' says Mary. 'If you're anything like me, you have tons of these tinned items!'
3. Designated a space to store cords and chargers
In our modern world, it can feel like you're drowning in all the various chargers, cords, and extension cables needed to power all your devices. These pesky electrical items are also notoriously difficult to organize. No matter how neatly you wind up those wires, they'll find a way to unravel and become entangled with their neighbors - unless, that is, you know how to store them properly. Since Virgos are perfectionists, you can expect them to organize the finer details of the home, and that includes cables.
'My nemesis is chord and charger storage,' says Mary. ' My motto, which I explain in an essay in my book, Live More, Want Less is “Contain Yourself!” The shorthand of that organizing practice, it’s to purge and edit first, before you head off to the store to buy lots of containers that you may not need.'
That being said, you will want a designated container for all of those leads. 'To house these uglies I use easy-to-open storage boxes, elevated and worthy of display,' says Mary. When it comes to ways to tidy cables, always look for a container with a lid so that the cords don't poke themselves out, and it's a good idea to look for a specific one with cord ties and clips that prevent them from tangling. It's also worth investing in some multi-use charging cables with built-in adapters to minimize the number of wires you need to store away.
Bamboo Drawer Dividers
Price: $27.97
Quantity: 4
Tiered Shelf Organizer
Price: $14.96
Material: Bamboo
Cable Organizer Boxes
Price: $28.99
Includes: Reusable cable ties and cord clips