1. A method for allocating spatial resources, the method comprising steps of: a) providing a store layout; b) assigning categories to locations in the store layout, creating a first store layout with assigned category locations; c) translating the store layout with assigned category locations into a first distance relationship matrix; d) providing an ideal category relationship matrix, wherein the ideal category relationship matrix provides an indication of how closely pairs of categories are related to each other; e) calculating a total score for the first store layout with assigned category locations by comparing the first distance relationship matrix to the ideal category relationship matrix; f) implementing the category assignments in a store.