Micro zones

All 114 micro zones, and how long each one takes

A room is too big to diagnose and too big to finish. A micro zone is not. These are all 114 of them, and every one has the whole method written out: what it is for, what done looks like, the six passes in order, and the standard that keeps it.

114 zones

Dining Room zone 5 of 5The Beverage or Coffee StationMake a drink and hand it over without crossing into the kitchen.30-45 min
Dining Room zone 4 of 5The China or Display CabinetKeep the good tableware safe, visible, and genuinely usable.45-75 min
Dining Room zone 1 of 5The Dining TableSeat everyone for a shared meal without having to move anything first.30-45 min
Dining Room zone 3 of 5The Sideboard StorageHold the things that only come out when the table is being set.45-75 min
Dining Room zone 2 of 5The Sideboard SurfaceHold serving dishes during a meal and a small, deliberate display between them.15-30 min
Entryway zone 4 of 5The Bench or ConsoleSomewhere to sit while you lace a boot, and somewhere to set a bag down for thirty seconds.30-45 min
Entryway zone 2 of 5The Coats and OuterwearHold the outerwear you will actually wear this week, at the moment you reach for it.45-75 min
Entryway zone 5 of 5The Door, Mat, and Immediate FloorCatch grit, water and road salt at the threshold so none of it reaches the rest of the floors.15-30 min
Entryway zone 1 of 5The Landing SpotThe spot where pockets empty on the way in and refill on the way out.30-45 min
Entryway zone 3 of 5The Shoes and BootsHold the footwear that comes off at the door, and keep the grit it carried in off every other floor in the house.30-45 min
Family Room zone 4 of 6The Blanket and Comfort ZoneHold the throws and floor cushions people actually reach for while watching or reading, in a container that tells the tr15-30 min
Family Room zone 3 of 6The Board Game and Puzzle ZoneStore games and puzzles so that anything you pull off the shelf is complete and playable tonight.30-45 min
Family Room zone 5 of 6The Charging and Device ZoneCharge the household's phones, tablets, controllers, and headphones in one place, on a surface that can take the heat.30-45 min
Family Room zone 6 of 6The Craft and Activity ZoneHold craft supplies grouped by activity so a project can start in one motion and the surface can be cleared for dinner j45-75 min
Family Room zone 1 of 6The Primary Media ZoneHold the television, consoles, and controllers so anyone in the house can start watching or playing without hunting for 45-75 min
Family Room zone 2 of 6The Toy and Play ZoneHold the toys that are in active rotation, at a height and in a form where a child can put them away without an adult.60-90 min
Garage zone 4 of 7The Automotive Care ZoneKeeps the fluids, cables, and cleaning kit for the cars you actually own upright, labeled, and separate from everything 45-75 min
Garage zone 7 of 7The Bulk and Overhead StorageHolds the things you genuinely need once or twice a year, high up and out of the way, without becoming the place decisio60-90 min
Garage zone 2 of 7The Hand Tool Wall and CabinetsKeeps the tools you reach for weekly visible, findable, and provably all present.60-90 min
Garage zone 6 of 7The Lawn and Garden Tool ZoneStores the yard tools and outdoor supplies so long handles stay off the floor and garden chemicals stay latched away fro60-90 min
Garage zone 3 of 7The Power Tool and Battery ZoneHolds the powered tools, their packs, and their chargers so a tool is always ready to run and nothing is left charging u60-90 min
Garage zone 1 of 7The Primary WorkbenchThe one surface in the house where things get fixed, glued, cut, and assembled.60-90 min
Garage zone 5 of 7The Sports and Recreation ZoneHolds the gear for the sports this household currently plays, with the in-season kit easiest to grab.60-90 min
Guest Bathroom zone 5 of 5The Guest Linen ZoneIt holds one complete fresh set of towels so hosting never starts with a search.15-30 min
Guest Bathroom zone 1 of 5The Guest Vanity CounterIt gives a visitor somewhere to wash their hands and set a phone down, with nothing of yours in the way.15-30 min
Guest Bathroom zone 2 of 5The Guest Vanity StorageIt holds the things a guest might otherwise have to ask you for, plus the cleaning kit that keeps this room ready.30-45 min
Guest Bathroom zone 3 of 5The Shower or TubIt has to be ready for someone to shower in tonight, even though nobody has used it since spring.30-45 min
Guest Bathroom zone 4 of 5The Toilet AreaIt has to be clean and stocked in a way that is obvious to someone who will never ask you where anything is.15-30 min
Guest Bedroom zone 1 of 5The Guest Bed and LinensA bed a visitor can get into tonight without you touching anything first.30-45 min
Guest Bedroom zone 4 of 5The Guest ClosetHanging space for someone else's clothes, plus whatever household storage this room has honestly agreed to carry.60-90 min
Guest Bedroom zone 3 of 5The Guest DresserSomewhere a guest can unpack, so they stop living out of a half open suitcase on the floor.30-45 min
Guest Bedroom zone 2 of 5The Guest NightstandThe handful of things a guest needs in the middle of the night without knocking on your door.15-30 min
Guest Bedroom zone 5 of 5The Guest Welcome and Work SurfaceWhere a guest lands the suitcase, charges a laptop, and answers the email they came to this room to escape.30-45 min
Hall Closet zone 2 of 5The Cleaning Equipment ZoneParks the vacuum, broom, and mop so they come out in one motion and go back without a fight.30-45 min
Hall Closet zone 3 of 5The Cleaning Supply ZoneHolds the products you clean with, grouped so you carry the right handful to the right room.30-45 min
Hall Closet zone 1 of 5The Linen Shelf ZoneHolds the sheets, towels, and blankets the beds in this house actually rotate through.45-75 min
Hall Closet zone 4 of 5The Paper and Household BackstockKeeps a reserve of paper goods, bulbs, and batteries so you never make a late-night emergency trip.30-45 min
Hall Closet zone 5 of 5The Seasonal and Guest ZoneParks the things you use a few weekends a year: guest bedding, decorations, and travel gear.45-75 min
Home Office zone 4 of 6The Bookshelf and Reference ZoneHold the reference you genuinely reach for, at the height you reach for it from.45-75 min
Home Office zone 2 of 6The Desk Drawers and PedestalHold the small tools you reach for without looking, and the live files you touch weekly.30-45 min
Home Office zone 3 of 6The File StorageKeep the documents you are genuinely required to hold, and put your hand on any one of them without opening a second dra60-90 min
Home Office zone 1 of 6The Primary DeskOne clear surface for the work you are actually doing right now.45-75 min
Home Office zone 5 of 6The Printer and Scanning StationTurn paper into files and files into paper, without hunting for either.30-45 min
Home Office zone 6 of 6The Supply CabinetHold the consumables this office genuinely burns through in a year, and no more.45-75 min
Kids Bedroom zone 1 of 6The Bed and Sleep ZoneThe place a child winds down and sleeps, and nothing else.30-45 min
Kids Bedroom zone 4 of 6The Clothing ClosetHolds the clothes that fit right now, at a height the child can dress themselves from.60-90 min
Kids Bedroom zone 5 of 6The Dresser DrawersFolded everyday clothes a child can get themselves dressed from without asking.45-75 min
Kids Bedroom zone 6 of 6The School and Activity Launch ZoneThe square meter by the bedroom door where tomorrow morning gets assembled the night before.15-30 min
Kids Bedroom zone 3 of 6The Study DeskOne clear surface where homework actually gets started rather than avoided.45-75 min
Kids Bedroom zone 2 of 6The Toy Storage ZoneHolds the bedroom toys so a small child can put them away without asking anyone.60-90 min
Kitchen zone 2 of 7The Cooking ZoneThe strip of space either side of the burners where cooking happens with your hands busy and heat already on.45-75 min
Kitchen zone 5 of 7The Lower Cabinets and CookwareDeep, low storage for the heavy pieces: pots, pans, lids, bakeware, and the big bowls.45-75 min
Kitchen zone 1 of 7The Primary Prep CounterThe stretch of counter where food is actually cut, mixed, and plated.45-75 min
Kitchen zone 7 of 7The Refrigerator and FreezerCold storage that has to keep food safe and show you what you already own before you shop.60-90 min
Kitchen zone 3 of 7The Sink and Dishwashing ZoneThe washing point for dishes, hands, and produce, and the place the whole kitchen resets from.30-45 min
Kitchen zone 4 of 7The Upper CabinetsLight storage at eye level and above for the dishes you reach for every day.30-45 min
Kitchen zone 6 of 7The Utensil and Utility DrawersThe shallow drawers holding hand tools: flatware, spatulas, peelers, measuring spoons, foil and wraps.15-30 min
Laundry Room zone 2 of 6The Detergent and Treatment ZoneHold the chemistry that actually gets used, at a dose you can measure and out of a child's reach.30-45 min
Laundry Room zone 4 of 6The Folding SurfaceTurn a finished dry load into clothes that are back in drawers the same day.15-30 min
Laundry Room zone 5 of 6The Hanging and Air-Dry ZoneDry the few things a hot drum would ruin, and get them off the rack the moment they are dry.15-30 min
Laundry Room zone 3 of 6The Sorting and Hamper ZoneTurn dirty clothes into loads that can go straight into the machine without being handled twice.30-45 min
Laundry Room zone 6 of 6The Utility and Cleaning ZoneHold the tools that keep this room and the strip of floor in front of the machines clean, dry and ready.30-45 min
Laundry Room zone 1 of 6The Washer and DryerRun loads reliably, and stay maintained well enough that the machines are never the reason laundry stops.45-75 min
Living Room zone 4 of 6The Bookshelves and DisplayHold the books you will genuinely open again, and a small number of objects you actually want to look at.45-75 min
Living Room zone 2 of 6The Coffee TableA small shared surface for whatever is happening right now, and nothing that is not.15-30 min
Living Room zone 6 of 6The Floor and Circulation PathLet anyone cross this room in the dark, carrying something, without touching anything.15-30 min
Living Room zone 3 of 6The Media CenterKeep the television, sound and consoles working, cool and cabled so a fault is findable.45-75 min
Living Room zone 5 of 6The Side Tables and LightingPut a light, a drink and one or two personal things within reach of the chair without turning the table into a nightstan15-30 min
Living Room zone 1 of 6The Sofa and SeatingSomewhere every person in the house can sit down without first moving something.30-45 min
Mudroom zone 2 of 6The Bench and Transition SurfaceSomewhere to sit while you deal with your footwear, and a brief stop for things genuinely on their way out of the house.15-30 min
Mudroom zone 6 of 6The Cleaning and Utility ZoneThe tools that keep the entry floor and the door mats fit to walk on, kept where the mess actually lands.30-45 min
Mudroom zone 1 of 6The Family Hook ZoneHolds the coats and bags that leave in the morning and come back the same evening.45-75 min
Mudroom zone 4 of 6The Pet StationEverything the animal needs to get out of the door, and everything you need when it comes back through it filthy.15-30 min
Mudroom zone 5 of 6The Seasonal Outdoor GearHolds the small weather items the family grabs on the way out, for the season you are actually in.30-45 min
Mudroom zone 3 of 6The Shoe and Boot StorageHolds the footwear actually being worn this season, and gives wet pairs somewhere to drain without soaking the floor.30-45 min
Nursery zone 3 of 6The Baby Clothing ZoneHolds the sizes your baby fits this month and moves everything else out of the house fast.45-75 min
Nursery zone 6 of 6The Books and Quiet Play ZoneA short, calm set of things your baby can reach and choose without you handing anything over.15-30 min
Nursery zone 2 of 6The Changing StationA pad you can work at with one hand staying on your baby the entire time.30-45 min
Nursery zone 1 of 6The Crib and Sleep ZoneThe one surface in the house where your baby is left alone, which is why it holds a fitted sheet and nothing more.15-30 min
Nursery zone 5 of 6The Diaper and Care BackstockHolds the reserve that feeds the changing station, in the sizes your baby is about to need rather than the ones on offer30-45 min
Nursery zone 4 of 6The Feeding StationPuts a clean assembled bottle or a full set of pump parts into your hands at 2 a.m. without a single decision.30-45 min
Pantry zone 5 of 5The Backstock and BulkHolds the reserve that feeds the working shelves, and nothing else.45-75 min
Pantry zone 3 of 5The Baking ZoneHolds everything you need to start a bake without a trip to the shop first.30-45 min
Pantry zone 2 of 5The Canned and Jarred GoodsHolds the cans and jars that turn an empty-fridge week into dinner.30-45 min
Pantry zone 1 of 5The Dry Goods ShelvesHolds the grains, pasta and cereals you actually cook from in a normal week.45-75 min
Pantry zone 4 of 5The Snack and Lunch ZoneHolds what goes into a lunchbox, and what a child is allowed to take without asking.30-45 min
Patio or Deck zone 4 of 6The Garden and Plant Care ZoneKeep the containers alive and keep everything that feeds them off the ground and out of reach.45-75 min
Patio or Deck zone 2 of 6The Grill and Outdoor Cooking ZoneCook over fire without leaving the grill to find a tool or wondering if there is gas.60-90 min
Patio or Deck zone 3 of 6The Outdoor Dining ZoneFeed people outdoors without carrying the kitchen out in four trips.30-45 min
Patio or Deck zone 1 of 6The Outdoor Seating ZoneSeats people can drop into without checking them first, with the cushions kept dry.45-75 min
Patio or Deck zone 5 of 6The Outdoor Storage ZoneGet the cushions under a lid within a minute of the first drop of rain.45-75 min
Patio or Deck zone 6 of 6The Surface, Rail, and Safety ZoneThe structure you stand on and lean against, kept sound and kept clear.45-75 min
Primary Bathroom zone 7 of 7The Linen and Towel StorageTo hold enough clean towels for the way this house actually does laundry, and no more than the shelf can safely carry.30-45 min
Primary Bathroom zone 4 of 7The Medicine CabinetTo hold the medicine and first aid you would need tonight, and nothing you stopped needing years ago.45-75 min
Primary Bathroom zone 5 of 7The Shower or TubTo keep only the products actually in use within reach, on surfaces that dry out between showers.30-45 min
Primary Bathroom zone 6 of 7The Toilet AreaTo keep the smallest and dirtiest patch of the room clean and stocked without letting it contaminate anything else.15-30 min
Primary Bathroom zone 3 of 7The Under-Sink CabinetTo store cleaning supplies and backstock around the plumbing without ever hiding a leak.60-90 min
Primary Bathroom zone 1 of 7The Vanity CounterTo hold the handful of things you touch every morning and every night, and nothing else.30-45 min
Primary Bathroom zone 2 of 7The Vanity DrawersTo hold the grooming tools and products you actually reach for, arranged by when in the day you use them.45-75 min
Primary Bedroom zone 1 of 6The Bed and Bedding ZoneThe bed and the linens on it have one job, which is to get you through the night without waking up.30-45 min
Primary Bedroom zone 5 of 6The Dresser DrawersThese drawers hold the folded clothes you wear this season, split into categories you can find without digging.60-90 min
Primary Bedroom zone 4 of 6The Dresser TopThis is where your pockets land at the end of the day and where tomorrow's watch and rings wait for you.15-30 min
Primary Bedroom zone 3 of 6The Other Sleeper's NightstandThis is the other sleeper's side, and it is the one zone in this room that is not yours to decide about.15-30 min
Primary Bedroom zone 6 of 6The Primary ClosetThe closet holds the clothes you actually wear this season, visible and reachable in one look.60-90 min
Primary Bedroom zone 2 of 6Your Own NightstandThis is your side, and it holds only what you reach for between getting into bed and falling asleep.15-30 min
Stair Landing zone 1 of 3The Landing Surface or ConsoleA small surface beside the stairs that holds a lamp and a landing spot, without becoming the house's holding pen for thi15-30 min
Stair Landing zone 3 of 3The Stair and Floor PathThe treads, runner, handrail and lighting that carry every person in the house between floors, several times a day, ofte30-45 min
Stair Landing zone 2 of 3The Wall and Display ZoneThe frames, mirror and any sconces on the stairway wall, hung so they stay put and never crowd the shoulder of someone c30-45 min
Workshop zone 3 of 6The Fastener and Hardware ZoneLet you put your hand on the right screw straight away, so a project never stops for a hardware run.45-75 min
Workshop zone 5 of 6The Finishing and Chemical ZoneStore paint, glue, stain, and solvent so they stay usable and so they never start a fire.45-75 min
Workshop zone 1 of 6The Main WorkbenchThe one surface where a project actually gets built, cut, glued, and repaired.60-90 min
Workshop zone 4 of 6The Material RackHold the wood and metal you will genuinely use, stored so it stays straight and does not fall on anyone.60-90 min
Workshop zone 2 of 6The Power Tool StorageKeep every corded and cordless tool guarded, complete with its own accessories, and ready to pick up and use.60-90 min
Workshop zone 6 of 6The Safety and PPE StationMake protective gear so easy to reach that putting it on is faster than skipping it.30-45 min

Take them with you

Every one of these on a card you can carry

The method above is free and complete. The Whole House Print Pack is the same 114 zones as 684 printable cards, nine to a page, so you carry the zone into the room instead of the room to a screen.

The Print Pack, $19 Or use the free app