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Our family has not always lived in a two story home, and one of the biggest challenges with this style of house is the many misplaced items.
When we lived in a single story, it was easy enough to return a misplaced object to its home just by walking down the hall. If a sweatshirt was on the back of a dining room chair, it seemed quick and easy to return it to a bedroom. Not so with a family and a two-story layout.
After a few years of living in our current home, I developed a very simple and useful system to alleviate constant up and down trips to return misplaced items to their home.
The Two Basket System
On our main floor containing dining, living, office and kitchen space, I have a large (10" x 17" x 12") basket situated near the stairs. In the upstairs hallway outside our bedrooms and bathrooms, there is a similar basket. They are both sturdy brown woven baskets that blend relatively well with the floor. My baskets were purchased years ago, but here are a few examples available for sale:
Throughout the week, as I come across misplaced items, I place them in the nearest basket. This could be an empty water bottle on a bathroom counter that needs to go back to the kitchen to be washed, or a hammer that was used to hang a photo upstairs but needs to be returned to the lower level. The possibilities are truly endless.
Over the weekend, I carry the basket from one level to the other and return each item to its rightful home. It takes less time and energy, and keeps things contained enough throughout the week so that the house is not visibly untidy.
So, that's my two-story basket solution! It's simple but it works for us to keep all that clutter contained.
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