Hot Spots

This is the second in a series on space-clearing. Part 1 is here.

When I share my 27/9 structure, I sometimes get asked, “what counts? Does every piece of paper count?” The beauty of making up your own system is that you get to make it up! What works for you is what counts.

One of the things that doesn’t count for me is Hot Spots. (I adopted this concept from FlyLady. She has some good structures – her whole system is a bit too structured for my taste). Hot spots are those places where stuff tends to collect. My hot spots get to be hot spots because things are on their way to somewhere else. The kitchen counter gets stuff that is on it’s way in or out; the stairs, stuff that’s on it’s way up or down.

I started my 27/9 process with the hot spots. Now, clearing the hot spots is mostly part of my day-to-day maintenance — and if I counted that, I’d never get any real space clearing done! 🙂

In FlyLady’s system, Hot Spots are checked and cleared twice a day. Right. I’m seeking improvement, not perfection, so I call it good that my hot spots are cleared every couple of days, instead of every couple of weeks – or, let’s be honest, months.

Part 3 in this series on space-clearing is here.