Organization Insight

[Jeff C]

After 40 years I seem to have figured out the two rules to staying organized.

First, throw lots of stuff away on a continuous basis. Giving it away or selling it would work too. Second, eliminate most of the space, shelves, cabinets, etc that can collect useless junk. To make it even easier… Rule 2 more or less helps encourage rule 1 is followed.

What am I missing? Why did it take so long to figure this out?

 

[Kuma601]

Agree! One issue is the ongoing treadmill of acquiring that many of us do. All those sales and good deals that cannot be passed up, etc. I bet many of us have most the tools in 4x quantities. I try to stop at 2X maybe 3X if I use it a lot. Yes, shelves and horizontal space allow the accumulation. I still haven't made the progress I would like.

 

[ObnoxiousFumes]

I take issue with that theory lol, and here is why: today I went hunting in my OWN scrap bin for something I thought I’d thrown out but now needed (#1.) and ended up finding half a dozen OTHER things I had thrown out, but now have a use for (#2.). Truly, one man’s junk is another’s treasure, even if it’s the same guy, just at a later date!
Turns out past me was smarter than present me gave him credit for though, and the item I was originally searching for turned up in the shop after all.
So my motto is, “Throw Nothing Away”.

 

[nadogail]

After a lifetime of making do with old junk, I find it hard to pass up or discard "Neat Stuff", but I am bringing home less and am discarding more. Re thinking my way of life has not been easy.

 

[bdbecker]

After a lifetime of making do with old junk, I find it hard to pass up or discard "Neat Stuff", but I am bringing home less and am discarding more. Re thinking my way of life has not been easy.

Yeah, changing old habits is tough. I was on a roll for awhile, but have been backsliding a little over the last couple years. Wife and one of the kids are heading out of town this weekend, so it'll just be me and the boy. I'm thinking a multi-day cleanup and purge is in order since I don't have any obligations.

 

[vavet]

My wife has a "declutter weekend" built into her calendar once a month. We pick a room, closet, or storage cabinet. We go through it. We purge the stuff we no longer need. We sell, give away, donate, or scrap things we no longer need.
The kitchen pantry is eye opening - how often we find foods that are WELL beyond their use by dates.
It's actually surprising how mentally cleansing it is. I think the key is to identify an area that is feasible within the time allotted. You don't want it to consume your entire weekend and you certainly don't want it to overflow into the following week or weekend. You might have some drop offs to goodwill or neighbors that overflow, but that's the easy part.

 

[nadogail]

We are products of our history and environment. Those who have lived through times of shortage or poverty generally resolve to avoid repetition.
I had a student whose Grandmother had survived the rampant inflation in Germany followed by the Holocaust; when they cleared out the cottage where she lived after she came to America they found over a hundred cans of Tuna and an awful lot of Toilet Paper.
That woman had been through some very difficult times and she had prepared for a possible repeat.

 

[Rst277]

We are products of our history and environment. Those who have lived through times of shortage or poverty generally resolve to avoid repetition.
I had a student whose Grandmother had survived the rampant inflation in Germany followed by the Holocaust; when they cleared out the cottage where she lived after she came to America they found over a hundred cans of Tuna and an awful lot of Toilet Paper.
That woman had been through some very difficult times and she had prepared for a possible repeat.

That is my aunt. She grew up in Germany after WW2 and decided that she would never go hungry again. She went shopping everyday even after all her kids had grown up and moved away. Great house to come home from after the pub - three types of cold cuts,2-3 types of cheese, pickles you name it, she had it!

 

[ObnoxiousFumes]

Interesting thought. Doesn’t explain me though, I never went through any wars lol, heck I’m only 23. And most of my siblings are the opposite, they throw everything away...

 

[rayra]

Cant agree with #2. I do too many varied projects over long periods of time to try and keep a place emptied out. And if you haven't noticed, materials have got very expensive. Cabinets (WITH DOORS) and storage racks are a necessity for me.
But yeah, true trash and tiny remnants go, asap.
Thru many moves and cleanups my pattern is 4 piles, Keep, Sell, Donate, Trash. Be ruthless but frugal.

 

[Chris_Hamilton]

I may be the contrarian but I'm not throwing away anything that may be useful just to keep clutter down. I will clean every so often and organize my stuff as well but I don't trash stuff just to keep the clutter down. I just don't like throwing stuff that isn't complete junk away. I learned that from my Dad and it has saved me a lot of time and money over the years. JMO.

 

[mv213]

I’m all for organization and generally pretty organized, but purging unneeded stuff is a big part of it too. I started with just one of those divided plastic organizers for screws. I’m up to about 10 now with all kinds of oddball hardware and leftover bits from projects. Some of it is stuff I bought for a specific project then found something that would work better. I realized a while back I’ll never use 98% of it. Time to cut down to 2-3 organizers for hardware and junk the rest.

 

[Renegade1LI]

I have found that better organization of materials helps, mark every box or bin. I try to keep like with like, tools & spares for a machine are stored with it. Wood working & metal working requires a good inventory of material to have on hand. Nothing worse than stopping to go & try to buy a missing piece that's not in stock, I hate that. Now there are some things I won't store & try to not keep garbage & once organized but everything away when done. I think a lot of us cause our own pain when we don't clean up & start the next project on top of the last one.