The Organized Life archives

Eliminating Double Clutter

Dear Subscriber,

In my travels, I’ve found that many people have what I’ve dubbed “Double-Clutter”: they’re drowning in papers and objects, but in their attempts to get organized, they’ve put things into all sorts of miscellaneous, usually plastic, containers. This is Double Clutter: the clutter of their stuff, compounded by the clutter of random containers.

I think you know the culprits: plastic baskets, translucent drawer systems, lidded boxes, and the list goes on.

Now, I have nothing against plastic containers per se, but for the most part they belong out of sight in a closet or cabinet, or under the bed. When these types of containers begin to take over a room, they mitigate any feeling of serenity, order, or design that you might be trying to achieve.

This doesn’t have to be a problem. In fact, I think the solution to it can be pretty exciting (then again, I’m an Organizer…).

But before we get to the exciting part, if this sounds familiar, you must first empty out each container, one at a time, and inspect what’s inside. Go slowly, please, and don’t overwhelm yourself.

My guess is that they contain things such as tapes and CDs; computer peripherals and cables; cosmetics and toiletries; tools, batteries and the like; and of course the inevitable papers: photos, letters, receipts, direct mail, etc. And there’s a good chance that you’ll come across one or two things that you thought had gone missing altogether.

For every category of stuff you discover, a “home” must be found. For this purpose, it may finally be time to clean out that closet (refer to my previous newsletters: The Monster In The Closet, Part 1, and The Monster In The Closet, Part 2, or get to those bureau drawers you’ve been avoiding.

Toiletries, for example, belong in or near the bathroom. Can you fit your CDs neatly into a bookshelf near your stereo? Tools may be able to stay in their existing container, but put it in the closet. And papers -- well, in short, they need to be sorted and then filed, trashed, or acted upon (but that’s a topic for another day).

The excitement is building. You’re seeing some clear space, and some of those old containers have gone out the door. But what to do with the things that still need to be contained?

The answer is, look around your home. Chances are you already own at least a few fabulous, but under-used, containers: that woven basket from your last trip, a beautiful hand-me-down piece of luggage, a decorative box you’ve always loved…..

Now these things will perform double duty: they’ll enrich your décor, and be working for you, besides.

For example, I’ve just worked with someone who collects small wooden crates that Spanish oranges come in. She was using them for so many different purposes that at first I took them to be clutter. But we emptied them out and stacked them neatly with her tapes inside, and two problems were solved: her tapes, which had been in containers all over the place, had a home, and by stacking the crates, their unique beauty was revealed.

Her home was enhanced with this practical and distinctive solution, and we got rid of an awful lot of Double Clutter while we were at it.

So the next time you’re container shopping, consider carefully beforehand exactly where your new container will live: measure, think about color and style, and buy smart. And don’t forget: the container you need may already be right under your nose.

Until next time, Happy Organizing!

Sincerely,