From todd’s Exploring Life Skills Desk. Edited by Desirée A. Christian

Here are the top 10 organizational skills tailored for home and kitchen environments, along with practical tips to make each one work beautifully:

Consistent Placement

Skill: Always store items in the same location.

Tip: Use labeled bins or drawer organizers. For example, keep all spices in one tactile-labeled caddy or drawer and return them after each use. Have a designated spot in each Room where your waterbottle and phone live; Sometimes you need two spot in a Larger Room.

Labeling Systems

Skill: Use tactile, braille, or large-print labels.

Tip: Try puff paint, rubber bands, Silicon Bands or adhesive braille tape. Tech tools like Pen Friend, Various smartphone apps or Way Around Tags can add audio labels to containers. One System or decive will work in all Situations. Feel free to be creative and experiment to figure Out What Works for you.

Categorization

Skill: `Group similar items together.

Tip: In the pantry, keep canned goods in one section and dry goods in another. In the fridge, condiments go in the door, veggies in the crisper. Bathroom, all of your teeth related items go in a glass, caddy, or Silicon pad. Laundry, laundry soap, stain remover and fabric sofenting in one caddy and dryer balls and Dryer Sheets in another.

Spatial Awareness

Skill: `Memorize the layout of your kitchen and home.

Tip: Use tactile markers on countertops or cabinet edges to identify zones (e.g., prep area, stove, sink). Use carpet runners, Rugs, and Mats to help identify what room you are in or about to be in. Listen to how a room sounds or smells. For instance bathrooms can sound Echo or closed in or have a particular smell. Living Rooms can sound open or use candles or poperi to small a Certain way.

Lighting Optimization

Skill: `Maximize usable light for your version of low vision.

Tip: Install under-cabinet LED lights and use adjustable task lamps. Avoid blue-toned bulbs that cause glare. Smart bulbs are Awesome, it’s a way to get customizable light without calling the Electrician to rewire your home but jus screwing Into a normal light socket. Smart Bulbs can Change in light tone from a cool white to a warm white or change color completely to say a red, green or purple. Smart bulbs can Also change dimness or brightness.

Contrast Enhancement

Skill: `Use color contrast to distinguish items.

Tip: Dark cutting boards for light foods, white boards for dark foods. Bright mats under dishes help with plate identification. LED Light Mats and Coasters are also Avalible and many of them change color.

Tool Familiarity

Skill: `Know your adaptive tools and where they’re stored.

Tip: Use talking thermometers and Scales, cut-resistant gloves, and heat-safe trays. Your Hat or Sunglass when going out. Your hand held Magnifier or Tactile Marking Kit. Keep them in a dedicated drawer or shelf.

Inventory Management

Skill: `Track what you have and what you need, not just in your pantry or Refrigerator, but also cleaning supplies, Hygiene Products and Other products and items that you Rebuy Frequently.

Tip: Use tactile checklists or voice memos to log pantry items. Rotate stock so older items are used first and to keep track of when you need to reorder an Item or add it to a grocery list.

Clutter Control

Skill: `Keep surfaces clear and organized.

Tip: Only keep essential items on countertops. Use drawer dividers, shelf organizers, and various sizes and Shapes of containers to prevent chaos.

Safety Mapping

Skill: `Identify and mark hazardous zones.

Tip: Use textured tape near stove edges or sharp tools. Install handholds or tactile indicators near hot surfaces. Using, Mats or Small Rugs on The Floor Can give you a heads up with your feet before you get to the Area.

Editor’s Note: Not all Vision Changes are the same. Sometimes the standard suggestions just Won’t work for your vision changes or household situation. Please Share in the comments What has worked for you.

VIP Coaching In The Dark

Organization: Home and Kitchen