Organizing For Safety

This could be one of the most important blogs that I have written in a long time.

You’ll find a lot of information out there about safety in the workplace and being safe at home with smoke and Co2 detectors. But there is a lot more to safety in the home and being organized can help reduce the chances of you, your family or friends being injured at home.

When I take on a new project or get invited for a new consult and needs assessment I am always on the lookout for potential accidents that could happen as a result of disorganization. Trust me when I say that you don’t need to have a medical diagnosis as a hoarder to put yourself or a loved one at risk.

Paper Peril

Paper in the house can be a huge problem for many. Holding onto old newspapers can be a fire risk that can prevent someone from either getting out or possibly prevent help from getting in.

Not to mention that with a single spark, piles of paper spread fire incredibly fast drastically reducing the precious seconds you have to flee a roaring fire and get to safety.

I do keep two complete copies of an old newspaper for sentimental reasons but they are stored in a plastic container to both preserve them and keep them out of the way. If you have something you feel you need to refer to in a specific publication, perhaps you could clip the particular article out and keep it in a binder or scrap book rather than hanging on to the complete edition.

Bookcase Blunders

Many of us keep a collection of books that we are proud to display and lend to people for them to enjoy our favourite authors. Ensure that the book case you store them on is rated for the weight and that the shelves are not beginning to bow.

That is a sure sign of an impending spill and accident. You may want to fasten your bookcase to the wall with approved hardware as well.

Collector Chaos

Many people who are collectors store their precious items with good intentions but rarely display or even access these items for quite long periods of time. Depending on the containers used, weather and moisture, mould, dust and pests can settle in making an unhealthy environment for you and your family as well as cause potential damage to your collections.

Make sure items stored are done so safely and in a healthy manner. Or better yet, if you treasure these items so much, why not display your favourites? After all, isn’t that one of the reasons you have them in the first place?

Hobby Havoc

Does your profession, hobby or craft have you storing paints, chemicals or the like? Many of our clients are very creative souls that set out to complete a number of projects requiring a large volume of materials. Many of those projects remain uncompleted due to disorganization and a lack of time.

Creating a sense of organization in your hobby room is essential to a safe environment, especially with chemicals and paint occupying a space. Remember to rotate any new products brought into the home and store items that can be harmful to pets and children out of sight, out of reach and if possible in a locked cabinet.

When you do have to dispose of these please remember to take them to your local hazardous waste station to have them disposed of safely and in accordance to your local regulations.

Lastly take a walk around your home. Are there too many pieces of furniture for the room? Are you blocking a door or a safety exit? Can the elderly safely move about without any concern for trips or falls? Safety should be first and foremost in everything we do including in how we organize our homes. If you may need skilled, professional help in creating organization in your hobby space, contact us here for your free telephone intake.