A great tidbit I learned from the restaurant industry, which is also used by grocery stores, is called F.I.F.O. First in, First Out, an easy way to remind one to rotate inventory every time new inventory comes in. This is a great, easy-to-remember trick for keeping an organized home too.

First in, First Out (F.I.F.O.) will make you stop to think about what has been pushed to the back of the closet, cabinet, garage, or any number of places in the home. Go ahead and start pulling out the old and bringing in the new. You’ll feel the difference. Get into the habit of rotating your possessions, and you’ll see your home has become fit, lean, and fun in no time.

Let’s visit the kitchen pantry together. What would we discover? Maybe some out-of-date potatoes? Possibly several expired canned foods? A few ingredients you’re holding onto to make that dish? You know, you won’t get around to making one because it isn’t your favorite or takes too much work. If you’re like most people, you are shaking your head, yes.

Today why don’t you give the fridge and pantry a facelift? See what you have, remove expired items, and take inventory of purchased items. A good habit to get into is checking your fridge and pantry before shopping to avoid over-shopped, crammed shelves and drawers. So keep it F.I.F.O. from now on.

Having an organized home takes consistent effort. You can’t expect to work out once a month and be fit and toned unless you are five or have won the lottery gene pool. Very few of us have that much luck, so we all benefit from tips, tricks, and positive effort.

I have been called “naturally ” organized, but I keep my home fit and lean with effort. When areas get out of control, I make a point to put aside the time to exercise my organizing muscles. This guarantees that my favorite clothes aren’t buried or pushed to the back of the drawers or closets. So get up and practice your organizing muscle with F.I.F.O in mind.

Happy Organizing!