My Mom’s “Prime” Rule Ensures Every Organizing Project Is 100% Successful

Everything my mom taught me about cleaning and organizing when I was growing up came either from what she learned from her mother and grandmothers or from her own personal experience. When my mother was first married, she moved to Israel and lived in extremely small spaces with her little family (including me!). It was during this period in her life that she learned a ton about making do with what you have, turning any place into a cozy home, and being both strategic and creative with storage in small spaces. 

Once we moved back to the United States, space was still at a premium, but our homes never felt cluttered and my mom always knew exactly where everything was. Although you never would have known it if you saw the condition of my room when I was in high school, this is the standard she set for me and what I strive for in my own home. (Sometimes I wonder if it’s actually harder to keep a pared-down home when you have more space.)

The organizing lessons my mom taught us have become staples in my own life as I go about organizing the garage (for the gazillionth time) or resetting my pantry. One that I follow every time I start an organizing project is the “prime” rule.

I approach every organizing project with the same basic steps: Empty out the space, categorize and declutter, clean the space, and put back what I’m keeping. The put-back step is crucial because it determines whether the way you’ve organized is functional and therefore sustainable. Before putting back a single item, my mom would always ask, “What’s the prime real estate?” Translation: Which spot is the easiest to access? 

“Prime real estate” is the place where the most frequently used items go, and this is the space that’s considered first. Now, you might not put these items back first because maybe some other less-used things go behind them. But prime real estate is the best, most accessible spot. 

Applying the prime rule, which is what I call this method for short, means that the space you’re organizing is functional and stays organized for longer.

Here’s an example of how it works: In our pantry, the prime real estate is the two shelves that are at about adult eye level. This is where we stash the canned goods we use most often (like black beans and diced tomatoes), as well as the sauces and condiments we reach for daily (like hot sauce or honey). In the upper cabinet where we keep our coffee mugs, prime real estate is the lowest shelf, and that’s where our favorite mugs live. 

When what you need is right in front of you and easy to pull out, you won’t have to disturb other items to get to it — or put it away. This means that most of your space, like the cabinet or drawer, will stay untouched for a while, so it won’t need to be re-organized as often. 

The prime rule applies to any organizing project you tackle, from the garage, where your reusable shopping bags need to be easy to grab from their hooks, to your closet, where your formal dresses are kept in the back corner. I’m thankful for so much that my mother taught me, and this particular trick is one that comes to mind whenever I organize anything.