messed up
March 4, 2014 7:47 PM Subscribe
Hope me! How do I organize a really cluttery room, with limited space to work within? I feel like I'm just shuffling things around.
I have a decent-sized room (live with roommates-- the rest of the place looks great), of which I am extremely embarrassed to say that about twelve square feet is clear enough to walk on. The rest is covered in totally random stuff.
The hardest part is that with such little space to work within, it feels like I'm just moving the mess around. Like I'll pick up a box of incense, put it somewhere and say "this is where all incense lives now"...but it just creates a slightly more organized clutter that I'll have to relocate again when I get to that part of the room. I don't think I have objectively too much stuff-- if I was bringing it all into a blank room, it would fit just fine-- it's more an issue of workflow.
Does anyone have, like, a concrete system for de-cluttering a room? I have ADD and have a lot lot lot of trouble with thinking systemically. I get really overwhelmed and to be successful sort of have to be able to reframe a problem in terms of concrete, sequential, small steps.
Any ideas? The thing I can't do that would probably be helpful is to remove a bunch of crap from my room and then strategically put it back in. Other than that, go wild.
I have a decent-sized room (live with roommates-- the rest of the place looks great), of which I am extremely embarrassed to say that about twelve square feet is clear enough to walk on. The rest is covered in totally random stuff.
The hardest part is that with such little space to work within, it feels like I'm just moving the mess around. Like I'll pick up a box of incense, put it somewhere and say "this is where all incense lives now"...but it just creates a slightly more organized clutter that I'll have to relocate again when I get to that part of the room. I don't think I have objectively too much stuff-- if I was bringing it all into a blank room, it would fit just fine-- it's more an issue of workflow.
Does anyone have, like, a concrete system for de-cluttering a room? I have ADD and have a lot lot lot of trouble with thinking systemically. I get really overwhelmed and to be successful sort of have to be able to reframe a problem in terms of concrete, sequential, small steps.
Any ideas? The thing I can't do that would probably be helpful is to remove a bunch of crap from my room and then strategically put it back in. Other than that, go wild.
What furniture / organizational structure do you already have in the room? (Desk, bookshelves, filing cabinet?)
posted by bunderful at 7:52 PM on March 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by bunderful at 7:52 PM on March 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
For real, you have to get rid of stuff. Throw away or donate 5 things a day until you can manage what you do have. It sucks but it's the only way.
posted by dawkins_7 at 7:53 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by dawkins_7 at 7:53 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: What furniture / organizational structure do you already have in the room? (Desk, bookshelves, filing cabinet?)
I have a small closet with a hanger rod and a shelf. I have a big old-timey steamer trunk. I have a bedside desk thing that has storage space. I have a whole bunch of weird plush cube thingies that can store items but also become furniture-ish elements when full. I know I need to get rid of some stuff but I also really don't know how to organize my current stuff into the potential storage space I have.
posted by threeants at 8:00 PM on March 4, 2014
I have a small closet with a hanger rod and a shelf. I have a big old-timey steamer trunk. I have a bedside desk thing that has storage space. I have a whole bunch of weird plush cube thingies that can store items but also become furniture-ish elements when full. I know I need to get rid of some stuff but I also really don't know how to organize my current stuff into the potential storage space I have.
posted by threeants at 8:00 PM on March 4, 2014
If you can afford even a few new items, get furniture that helps organize the things. Get new shelves (check out The Shelving Store for very affordable metal ones), put a shoe rack on top of your desk for added storage, put a file organizer from The Container Store on top of your dresser, get a cheap storage ottoman or two from Target so you get storage plus surface area for other things, get boxes to store as much as you can in the closet...
I don't have a total solution, 'cause even after doing all that, my room yet again looks like an episode of Hoarders. And I've had this problem all my life—even as a kid, my parents used to make me clear a path through all the crap on my floor before they'd read me a bedtime story. But those things did help make a dent.
posted by limeonaire at 8:04 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
I don't have a total solution, 'cause even after doing all that, my room yet again looks like an episode of Hoarders. And I've had this problem all my life—even as a kid, my parents used to make me clear a path through all the crap on my floor before they'd read me a bedtime story. But those things did help make a dent.
posted by limeonaire at 8:04 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Get several bankers boxes. Label each one as a final destination (steamer trunk, closet, shelf, whatever). As you declutter, pitch everything into its final destination box. Once you have a decluttered space, pull from the boxes to put your things away.
When you run out of space for things, start pitching stuff.
posted by phunniemee at 8:06 PM on March 4, 2014 [5 favorites]
When you run out of space for things, start pitching stuff.
posted by phunniemee at 8:06 PM on March 4, 2014 [5 favorites]
If you're going to get rid of things, get a good friend to help you, because as something of a packrat myself, I have a hard time getting rid of things but I do a lot better if someone can give me a push. "No, you're right friend, I haven't played this game in the 3 years I've had it, and I won't start now, and even if I wanted to, I could get it again pretty inexpensively."
Otherwise, because you really are working in limited space, I suggest getting a great big bin or bag to put everything into, keeping rough track of what goes in. Then figure out how much space you'll need, and pad that with a bit of breathing room. Compare that estimation with how much space you can (or want to) use to store your stuff. Will everything fit nicely, or should you buy some proper storage containers? Then buy containers before you start unpacking things from the bag or bin, otherwise you'll be repeating the process again.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:07 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Otherwise, because you really are working in limited space, I suggest getting a great big bin or bag to put everything into, keeping rough track of what goes in. Then figure out how much space you'll need, and pad that with a bit of breathing room. Compare that estimation with how much space you can (or want to) use to store your stuff. Will everything fit nicely, or should you buy some proper storage containers? Then buy containers before you start unpacking things from the bag or bin, otherwise you'll be repeating the process again.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:07 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Also, if there's stuff you just want to keep because, hey, you might want it, put all of that in a box, and tape an index of the contents to the inside of that box, with the date when you close the box. You can then 1) easily see what's in the box, and 2) re-evaluate if you've ever really needed, wanted, or thought of the contents of that box (or boxes).
As a packrat and a slacker, I packed a TON of stuff up when I moved out of my last college apartment, and ended up carrying a number of boxes for a couple moves, but I never opened them because I generally knew what was inside, and nothing was critical to my life. Years later, I was able to unpack those boxes when I had more space to sprawl, and it was fun to reminisce, but I also went through my collections of old bottles and magazines and photographed the things I really liked, and recycled a ton of stuff that had no real value to me or anyone else (while I could have looked into giving the magazines to schools or other programs for arts and crafts, they were old tech magazines, and of limited graphical interest).
Being able to get rid of stuff can feel great, once you get past the hurdle of the feeling that you're losing something.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:12 PM on March 4, 2014
As a packrat and a slacker, I packed a TON of stuff up when I moved out of my last college apartment, and ended up carrying a number of boxes for a couple moves, but I never opened them because I generally knew what was inside, and nothing was critical to my life. Years later, I was able to unpack those boxes when I had more space to sprawl, and it was fun to reminisce, but I also went through my collections of old bottles and magazines and photographed the things I really liked, and recycled a ton of stuff that had no real value to me or anyone else (while I could have looked into giving the magazines to schools or other programs for arts and crafts, they were old tech magazines, and of limited graphical interest).
Being able to get rid of stuff can feel great, once you get past the hurdle of the feeling that you're losing something.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:12 PM on March 4, 2014
Can you take and post a photo of each quadrant of your room, and your closet?
posted by cairdeas at 8:15 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by cairdeas at 8:15 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
get furniture that helps organize the things
I am a big big fan of Expedit, at your nearest IKEA. Something about the regular cube shape of each compartment lends a sense of order. Even better, they sell boxes of different kinds which fit perfectly into the cubes, allowing you to create boxes of like-with-like which still look neat as a pin on the outside. Each cube can have its own thing going on: stacked books, stood-up books, LPs, display, box of stuff, small boxes of stuff, etc.
It sounds like the furniture you have is make-do and piecemeal, and that makes this sort of thing harder. Do find some kind of comprehensive system that can absorb most of your differently-sized things that are needed on different schedules.
You kind of need to do a functional analysis on your space. What do you do in your room? Sit down and make a list: sleep, read in bed, write, computer, listen to music, crafts, yoga, etc. Then analyze your list. What objects/furnshings? are associated with each activity? What activities don't have associated furniture? That is probably a big part of your problem, as it's how you end up with piles that move around all the time. Make a list of the furniture you would need to accommodate your real activities and functions, and then buy them new or used or scrounge them. But beware: a lot of stress comes from using things for something they're not good at. For instance, I used to have a steamer trunk coffee table. It looked bohemian and awesome. But at the same time, it was lame because the stuff I stored in there - board games, guest blankets - was inaccessible whenever there was stuff on the top, which was all the time because it was a coffee table. This wasn't the best furniture solution for my needs. Having a normal coffee table with a cabinet below was way better in the end. So think about getting something that's really adapted to your need, and what that would look like, even if it's not free, cute, etc.
If you have a lot of stuff around that is not involved in any of your room functions, guess what, that stuff can go into storage because you don't use it regularly. Create a backstage spot, get a couple Rubbermaid tubs, and throw that extraneous stuff in there. For instance, I have a couple bins for out-of-season clothes and sports equipment, and then a couple archival-type boxes for sentimental keepsakes and things like that, which live in the attic.
posted by Miko at 8:19 PM on March 4, 2014 [11 favorites]
I am a big big fan of Expedit, at your nearest IKEA. Something about the regular cube shape of each compartment lends a sense of order. Even better, they sell boxes of different kinds which fit perfectly into the cubes, allowing you to create boxes of like-with-like which still look neat as a pin on the outside. Each cube can have its own thing going on: stacked books, stood-up books, LPs, display, box of stuff, small boxes of stuff, etc.
It sounds like the furniture you have is make-do and piecemeal, and that makes this sort of thing harder. Do find some kind of comprehensive system that can absorb most of your differently-sized things that are needed on different schedules.
You kind of need to do a functional analysis on your space. What do you do in your room? Sit down and make a list: sleep, read in bed, write, computer, listen to music, crafts, yoga, etc. Then analyze your list. What objects/furnshings? are associated with each activity? What activities don't have associated furniture? That is probably a big part of your problem, as it's how you end up with piles that move around all the time. Make a list of the furniture you would need to accommodate your real activities and functions, and then buy them new or used or scrounge them. But beware: a lot of stress comes from using things for something they're not good at. For instance, I used to have a steamer trunk coffee table. It looked bohemian and awesome. But at the same time, it was lame because the stuff I stored in there - board games, guest blankets - was inaccessible whenever there was stuff on the top, which was all the time because it was a coffee table. This wasn't the best furniture solution for my needs. Having a normal coffee table with a cabinet below was way better in the end. So think about getting something that's really adapted to your need, and what that would look like, even if it's not free, cute, etc.
If you have a lot of stuff around that is not involved in any of your room functions, guess what, that stuff can go into storage because you don't use it regularly. Create a backstage spot, get a couple Rubbermaid tubs, and throw that extraneous stuff in there. For instance, I have a couple bins for out-of-season clothes and sports equipment, and then a couple archival-type boxes for sentimental keepsakes and things like that, which live in the attic.
posted by Miko at 8:19 PM on March 4, 2014 [11 favorites]
My suggestion would be to start by looking at the stuff you have and breaking it down.
1) identify a category of stuff (books, cosmetics, clothing) . Start with the stuff type you have the most of.
2) determine how you use it and how you need to access it and how often
3) consider the storage solution you already have (for instance, if it's clothing, perhaps tidying the closet would help everything fit).
4) consider whether you need to keep all of the things in that category. be firm with yourself and get rid of things.
5) figure out how much space you need for the stuff that you really have to keep
6) move on to the next type of stuff.
When you're done with your assessment, go shopping for shelves or whatnot.
Like you, I get really overwhelmed with this sort of thing. Having a friend come over and help makes a huge difference.
posted by bunderful at 8:34 PM on March 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
1) identify a category of stuff (books, cosmetics, clothing) . Start with the stuff type you have the most of.
2) determine how you use it and how you need to access it and how often
3) consider the storage solution you already have (for instance, if it's clothing, perhaps tidying the closet would help everything fit).
4) consider whether you need to keep all of the things in that category. be firm with yourself and get rid of things.
5) figure out how much space you need for the stuff that you really have to keep
6) move on to the next type of stuff.
When you're done with your assessment, go shopping for shelves or whatnot.
Like you, I get really overwhelmed with this sort of thing. Having a friend come over and help makes a huge difference.
posted by bunderful at 8:34 PM on March 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
I moved from a 5,000 sq ft house to a 2,200 sq ft house. I threw out two huge dumpsters worth of life's little accumulations. I also gave away or donated a lot of furniture. I had to declutter for the house sale. I can tell you that as you noted moving stuff around is mental masturbation. Until you get rid of it altogether or get a larger space, you will be on the clutter treadmill. Throw it out.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:36 PM on March 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:36 PM on March 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
The bed is the time honoured organising space.
Make piles of similar things on the bed. Have one 'stuff I would like to be able to find easily and quickly, but doesn't appear to have a catagory' pile, and another 'stuff it is nice to have but I rarely need, but doesn't appear to have a catagory' pile. The first pile is the junk drawer. The second pile is a box under the bed. Every other pile gets put into smaller storage options.
You have to finish before the end of the day - or you're sleeping on the couch.
posted by kjs4 at 8:37 PM on March 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
Make piles of similar things on the bed. Have one 'stuff I would like to be able to find easily and quickly, but doesn't appear to have a catagory' pile, and another 'stuff it is nice to have but I rarely need, but doesn't appear to have a catagory' pile. The first pile is the junk drawer. The second pile is a box under the bed. Every other pile gets put into smaller storage options.
You have to finish before the end of the day - or you're sleeping on the couch.
posted by kjs4 at 8:37 PM on March 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
phunniemee has it with the boxing stuff. Don't be worried about it being a multi-day project, either. Day 1: Box everything that currently has no home, sorted by where you think its eventual home should be. Make an "I don't know" box, too. Tell yourself congrats, go do something fun. Day 2: Pick one organizational unit (closet, desk, trunk, etc) and unpack everything in it to your bed or the floor. Add stuff you boxed for that spot. Assess. Do you need sub-containers/organizers? Is there anything you can get rid of? Acquire sub-containers, sort, put away. Tell yourself congrats, go do something fun. Repeat Day 2 process as many times as necessary. Your room stays neat in the mean time because all the clutter is boxed. Last Day: Tackle "I don't know" box. Decide if you need another piece of organizational furniture to handle it, or if there's now room for it in your better-organized spots.
A couple more thoughts: labels really help me later. It may seem silly to write "hair accessories" on a clear container obviously full of headbands and hair ties, but next time I go to put something away, the label helps keep me from just tossing crap in a drawer. And going forward, put things away as you finish with them. It only takes a couple things on an otherwise clear surface to topple the whole system, at least for me.
posted by donnagirl at 8:39 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
A couple more thoughts: labels really help me later. It may seem silly to write "hair accessories" on a clear container obviously full of headbands and hair ties, but next time I go to put something away, the label helps keep me from just tossing crap in a drawer. And going forward, put things away as you finish with them. It only takes a couple things on an otherwise clear surface to topple the whole system, at least for me.
posted by donnagirl at 8:39 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
However you organize, it does not have to be perfect. That is the step I get hung up on!
posted by variella at 8:45 PM on March 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by variella at 8:45 PM on March 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
Do you have a friend to help you? I'm actually pretty organized, and I still do way better with someone helping me. They can give you a fresh perspective and they don't get overwhelmed as easily because it's not their stuff.
posted by radioamy at 9:06 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by radioamy at 9:06 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Oh also one tip is don't forget to have a space for transitional and everyday usage stuff. For instance, I have an over-the-door hook for this sweatshirt that I wear a lot at home and to walk the dog - I'm too lazy to put it in the closet, and I wear it almost every day, but if it's on the hook it's at least off the floor. Create a "landing zone" for your purse or keys or backpack. Think about a space for stuff that's constantly coming in and out, like dry cleaning, library books, etc. All that kind of stuff tends to pile up when you don't plan for it.
posted by radioamy at 9:13 PM on March 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by radioamy at 9:13 PM on March 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
There are a lot of organizing websites, blogs, and tips. Some of them are overly hokey, but they might give you a framework. I like OrgJunkie a lot, she has a whole guide for getting organized.
I've read a lot of organizing tips and tutorials and such, and one common theme is that bins, boxes, and containers are your friend! Things don't have to be perfectly organized in each, but if you have a bunch of receptacles to contain everything, it gives you a sense of order and an easy way to put stuff away. You don't have to spend a ton either - you can find a lot at dollar stores. For example, my books used to get piled up on my nightstand. I got a cheap canvas bin at Dollar General (and added a ribbon to make it slightly nicer looking) and kept the books in there, and it looked so much better.
When you're deciding where to put things, figure out what makes sense to *you* and how to make your life easier. For example, I used to keep my belt rolled up in a drawer, but it was annoying to take out and put away. I put a Command Hook (an organizer's best friend) in my closet on the wall, and suddenly my belt lived right next to the pants they hold up! Again, this is just an example of something that works for *me.*
posted by radioamy at 9:20 PM on March 4, 2014
I've read a lot of organizing tips and tutorials and such, and one common theme is that bins, boxes, and containers are your friend! Things don't have to be perfectly organized in each, but if you have a bunch of receptacles to contain everything, it gives you a sense of order and an easy way to put stuff away. You don't have to spend a ton either - you can find a lot at dollar stores. For example, my books used to get piled up on my nightstand. I got a cheap canvas bin at Dollar General (and added a ribbon to make it slightly nicer looking) and kept the books in there, and it looked so much better.
When you're deciding where to put things, figure out what makes sense to *you* and how to make your life easier. For example, I used to keep my belt rolled up in a drawer, but it was annoying to take out and put away. I put a Command Hook (an organizer's best friend) in my closet on the wall, and suddenly my belt lived right next to the pants they hold up! Again, this is just an example of something that works for *me.*
posted by radioamy at 9:20 PM on March 4, 2014
Most of these are excellent suggestions -- but one more is to separate cleaning the place up from discarding stuff.
That is, box up everything that's piled on the surfaces, ideally in an orderly fashion so you remember what box the incense might be in) and shove those boxes somewhere (in the closet? In the basement? in the attic?) so you have a clean space at your disposal. Eventually you will need something that's in the boxes (I want the incense) and you'll have to dig it out. Do this, put everything back in the box and put the box back.
After a couple of weeks of this, you'll know what stuff you use regularly, and what stuff you just don't need. This stops you from discarding stuff you actually use. It also gives you the pleasure of a clean, orderly space.
posted by jrochest at 9:40 PM on March 4, 2014
That is, box up everything that's piled on the surfaces, ideally in an orderly fashion so you remember what box the incense might be in) and shove those boxes somewhere (in the closet? In the basement? in the attic?) so you have a clean space at your disposal. Eventually you will need something that's in the boxes (I want the incense) and you'll have to dig it out. Do this, put everything back in the box and put the box back.
After a couple of weeks of this, you'll know what stuff you use regularly, and what stuff you just don't need. This stops you from discarding stuff you actually use. It also gives you the pleasure of a clean, orderly space.
posted by jrochest at 9:40 PM on March 4, 2014
It's my personal belief that boxes make hoarding worse. Anything you can't see into without touching it is basically a tarpit.
if you have a bunch of receptacles to contain everything, it gives you a sense of order and an easy way to put stuff away
If I have a bunch of receptacles to contain everything, all that happens is I swap being snowed under by a mountain of things I want, for being snowed under by a mountain of receptacles. Also, finding the thing I want takes five to six times as long when I can't see everything without needing to open and close boxes or shove them about to read their labels which will, in any case, rapidly go out of date.
Large wide floor to ceiling shelves are my own solution. That, and being absolutely rigid about discarding two old things for each new thing I bring into my space.
posted by flabdablet at 9:42 PM on March 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
if you have a bunch of receptacles to contain everything, it gives you a sense of order and an easy way to put stuff away
If I have a bunch of receptacles to contain everything, all that happens is I swap being snowed under by a mountain of things I want, for being snowed under by a mountain of receptacles. Also, finding the thing I want takes five to six times as long when I can't see everything without needing to open and close boxes or shove them about to read their labels which will, in any case, rapidly go out of date.
Large wide floor to ceiling shelves are my own solution. That, and being absolutely rigid about discarding two old things for each new thing I bring into my space.
posted by flabdablet at 9:42 PM on March 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
Banker's boxes.
Shove the things you'd be removing from the room into the boxes. You might label them things like "papers from desk", "stuff from closet floor", or not. Stack them neatly along one wall or wherever else they will fit. Clean all the now-empty surfaces and storage areas.
Open one box, deal with what's in it, repeat.
Reuse the boxes for labeled and sorted storage or get rid of them.
If you need the room to not look like there's a stack of banker's boxes, put a bit of fabric or a sheet over them.
posted by yohko at 9:43 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Shove the things you'd be removing from the room into the boxes. You might label them things like "papers from desk", "stuff from closet floor", or not. Stack them neatly along one wall or wherever else they will fit. Clean all the now-empty surfaces and storage areas.
Open one box, deal with what's in it, repeat.
Reuse the boxes for labeled and sorted storage or get rid of them.
If you need the room to not look like there's a stack of banker's boxes, put a bit of fabric or a sheet over them.
posted by yohko at 9:43 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Hard to say exactly without knowing your layout, but :
- Would get rid of the trunk and replace it with a dresser. Sweaters, socks underwear, miscellaneous in the drawer s. Ikea also has drawer dividers - I like this for belts. Toiletries can go on top of the dresser. If you want to put them in a basket or something, ok, no biggie if not. Lots of people with organization al issues like to see where their stuff is
- stuff that was in the trunk, as mentioned, in bankers boxes in the closet
- coat rack for coats and bags ; this thing doesn't take up a lot of space and holds a lot: http://m.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/art/80202023/
- shoe rack
- little table right next to door for keys and mail
- over the door hook s for towels and robe
- clothing rack for clothes that aren't dirty and aren't fresh from the wash . Can't Google from here, but it'd be like a slim A-frame with several rods/rungs. Alternatively, a chair
- laundry bags to hang in closet - 3, one each for darks , lights, delicates
- just hang in the closet everything that isn't a sweater or underwear or socks. Folding is a pain. There are hangers that can take 5 shirts or 5 pairs of pants at a time
- all this wardrobe management is much easier when you get rid of stuff you don't wear
- you absolutely must have some kind of shelving. If you have room, you could get a shelf with an integrated desk, for computing stuff and pens and things
- waste basket
- plastic boxes that go under the bed for blankets or out of season clothes
You need a place for everything to put things in place.
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:44 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
- Would get rid of the trunk and replace it with a dresser. Sweaters, socks underwear, miscellaneous in the drawer s. Ikea also has drawer dividers - I like this for belts. Toiletries can go on top of the dresser. If you want to put them in a basket or something, ok, no biggie if not. Lots of people with organization al issues like to see where their stuff is
- stuff that was in the trunk, as mentioned, in bankers boxes in the closet
- coat rack for coats and bags ; this thing doesn't take up a lot of space and holds a lot: http://m.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/art/80202023/
- shoe rack
- little table right next to door for keys and mail
- over the door hook s for towels and robe
- clothing rack for clothes that aren't dirty and aren't fresh from the wash . Can't Google from here, but it'd be like a slim A-frame with several rods/rungs. Alternatively, a chair
- laundry bags to hang in closet - 3, one each for darks , lights, delicates
- just hang in the closet everything that isn't a sweater or underwear or socks. Folding is a pain. There are hangers that can take 5 shirts or 5 pairs of pants at a time
- all this wardrobe management is much easier when you get rid of stuff you don't wear
- you absolutely must have some kind of shelving. If you have room, you could get a shelf with an integrated desk, for computing stuff and pens and things
- waste basket
- plastic boxes that go under the bed for blankets or out of season clothes
You need a place for everything to put things in place.
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:44 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
I think the write up at Unfuck Your Habitat is pretty good: http://unfuckyourhabitat.tumblr.com/post/42115227575/emergency-cleaning-unfuck-your-whole-house-in-the
posted by 2bucksplus at 9:58 PM on March 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by 2bucksplus at 9:58 PM on March 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
I'm going to take your word at it that you have an appropriate amount of stuff. It sounds like you don't have enough appropriate places to put your stuff. I'm a big fan of Expedit as well (I've got a platform bed that involves 40 cubes of Expedit!) but if you're on a tight budget the ClosetMaid cube organizers are a decent low-budget alternative that are available at Target, Walmart etc. In a small space you need to think vertical, so this is a much more sensible solution that "weird plush cube thingies" and a big steamer trunk that all sit on the floor.
posted by drlith at 3:51 AM on March 5, 2014
posted by drlith at 3:51 AM on March 5, 2014
Get Expedit while you can. It's being discontinued, apparently.
posted by vitabellosi at 3:57 AM on March 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by vitabellosi at 3:57 AM on March 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Replacement for Expedit looks a lot like Expedit. Don't panic. (But seriously, they - or the Rubbermaid version of cube storage - are very handy, especially the 8-cube version which you can use horizontally or vertically.)
posted by Sweetie Darling at 4:41 AM on March 5, 2014
posted by Sweetie Darling at 4:41 AM on March 5, 2014
I can tell you that as you noted moving stuff around is mental masturbation. Until you get rid of it altogether or get a larger space, you will be on the clutter treadmill. Throw it out.
This is what I was going to say. If you have a bunch of just-in-case stuff (old art supplies, clothes that don't fit, half-used notebooks), get rid of them. Their value is negative -- they are costing you mental peace and happiness, and anything that you need in a year can be purchased then. Every cluttery person I know has mounds of just-in-case stuff and in every case they will never use any of it.
Once that is gone, then you have the question of how to organize and store the things that you actually use and need to own, and the suggestions above about types of furniture and ways of thinking are all good. But the first step is to get rid of everything that is broken, unused, or otherwise not needed in your life. Throw it away or donate it (or if it has actual value, then get it sold ASAP), but one way or another get it out of your room immediately.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:08 AM on March 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
This is what I was going to say. If you have a bunch of just-in-case stuff (old art supplies, clothes that don't fit, half-used notebooks), get rid of them. Their value is negative -- they are costing you mental peace and happiness, and anything that you need in a year can be purchased then. Every cluttery person I know has mounds of just-in-case stuff and in every case they will never use any of it.
Once that is gone, then you have the question of how to organize and store the things that you actually use and need to own, and the suggestions above about types of furniture and ways of thinking are all good. But the first step is to get rid of everything that is broken, unused, or otherwise not needed in your life. Throw it away or donate it (or if it has actual value, then get it sold ASAP), but one way or another get it out of your room immediately.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:08 AM on March 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
You are me. It sucks not having space so this is how I do it. Your bed is your landing pad as others have said. Tackle one section at a time and take EVERYTHING off of a surface/ drawer etc. Throw away trash as you go and put everything else on the bed. Then sort through it all. Take stuff back to the kitchen, return to roommates, etc. Then everything that actually belongs in said location can go back while other junk stays until you get to the section it belongs. I usually did an "office" area first because so much clutter migrates to and from it and then the bedside table.
If you don't think you'll finish before bedtime put an extra sheet on top of your bed that you can fold up and move out of the way for the night. I suggest powering through it though...
Everyone else has good suggestions for storing things which is important but I understand thew struggle of making enough room for that storage system to go.
posted by missriss89 at 5:43 AM on March 5, 2014
If you don't think you'll finish before bedtime put an extra sheet on top of your bed that you can fold up and move out of the way for the night. I suggest powering through it though...
Everyone else has good suggestions for storing things which is important but I understand thew struggle of making enough room for that storage system to go.
posted by missriss89 at 5:43 AM on March 5, 2014
I know I need to get rid of some stuff but I also really don't know how to organize my current stuff into the potential storage space I have.
I've come to live by the mantra, you only get to have as much stuff as you can store. You need to figure out what you need to have, how much stuff you can store and what the difference between those two things is.
You can figure out from doing that mental math if all you really need is a new organizing box thingie and it'll solve all your problems!
Or if you're so far up shit-mountain that you're going to need to cut things in half.
The allure of new plastic-organizing-thingies is strong. Don't get me wrong, sometimes they are wonderful and exactly what you needed. Sometimes they are overpriced bundles of hope that get you to solve a problem by buying more things which feels a lot better than getting rid of things.
But, if you want a system here's one that might work: imagine you're going on a very long trip. What would you need to pack? Clothing, toiletries, medicine. Maybe some important documents, computer, a photo album? What would you leave behind? What is something you wouldn't use in 30 days time? Or 90? Or only once a year? What would you never use?
posted by fontophilic at 6:10 AM on March 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
I've come to live by the mantra, you only get to have as much stuff as you can store. You need to figure out what you need to have, how much stuff you can store and what the difference between those two things is.
You can figure out from doing that mental math if all you really need is a new organizing box thingie and it'll solve all your problems!
Or if you're so far up shit-mountain that you're going to need to cut things in half.
The allure of new plastic-organizing-thingies is strong. Don't get me wrong, sometimes they are wonderful and exactly what you needed. Sometimes they are overpriced bundles of hope that get you to solve a problem by buying more things which feels a lot better than getting rid of things.
But, if you want a system here's one that might work: imagine you're going on a very long trip. What would you need to pack? Clothing, toiletries, medicine. Maybe some important documents, computer, a photo album? What would you leave behind? What is something you wouldn't use in 30 days time? Or 90? Or only once a year? What would you never use?
posted by fontophilic at 6:10 AM on March 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
You gotta throw most of it away. You'll feel so much better. Boxing up a bunch of crap you don't use is just postponing the problem.
Dump it all on the floor. Pick out the things you LOVE and NEED, and put those on a shelf for now. Do not include anything unless you LOVE it (treasured heirlooms, photo albums - at most, one package of incense!) or NEED it (clothes that you actually wear, your computer, etc.) Now, without mercy, without second guessing yourself, shove anything that didn't make it into these piles into trash bags and get them into a dumpster. Sure you could try bringing the castoff clothes to Buffalo Exchange or whatever, but are you really going to do that today? No, that pile is going to sit in the corner and mess up your room. Just get rid of it.
Now, consider organization. Expedit, as mentioned above, is great and cost-efficient. Another alternative is bracket shelves across an entire wall. Put your stuff where you can see it.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:09 AM on March 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Dump it all on the floor. Pick out the things you LOVE and NEED, and put those on a shelf for now. Do not include anything unless you LOVE it (treasured heirlooms, photo albums - at most, one package of incense!) or NEED it (clothes that you actually wear, your computer, etc.) Now, without mercy, without second guessing yourself, shove anything that didn't make it into these piles into trash bags and get them into a dumpster. Sure you could try bringing the castoff clothes to Buffalo Exchange or whatever, but are you really going to do that today? No, that pile is going to sit in the corner and mess up your room. Just get rid of it.
Now, consider organization. Expedit, as mentioned above, is great and cost-efficient. Another alternative is bracket shelves across an entire wall. Put your stuff where you can see it.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:09 AM on March 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm a VERY organized person and even I have to sit down and actually tackle it. Here's my plan.
1. Get a big glass of something to drink.
2. Put on some music, I prefer Ella Fitzgerald sings the Cole Porter Songbook, but this has been my clean the house music since I was 12.
3. Get a box of garbage bags.
4. Get some plastic tubs. (or boxes from the liquor store, I like plastic tubs, but if you're short on cash, or don't have a place to keep them when you're done, use boxes)
5. Get sticky notes and a sharpie.
Label the tubs Keep, Donate, Think About it. (with sticky notes and sharpie)
Now, start with one part of your room. Let's say the closet. Go through your hanging clothing. If you're keeping it, great, leave it on the hanger. If it's horrible, just throw it in a garbage bag, if you can donate it, awesome put it in that tub. If you want to think about it, put it in THAT tub.
When the garbage bags get full, throw them away. When the tubs get full, put them in the hallway temporarily, to get them out of your way.
When the Donate tub gets full, fill a garbage bag with whatever is in there, and put it in the hallway, with a sticky on it saying, "Donate."
Once the closet is done, do your chest of drawers. Go through the process again. As tubs become full, transfer the contents to garbage bags. Donate goes into the hall. Keep stacks up neatly in the living room for the time being.
You can put a time frame on it, but once I get going I like to power through.
So now you've got a third of your stuff you're throwing away or donating. A third of your stuff you're keeping, and a third of it that you're going to think about.
So, let's organize the stuff we're keeping.
1. Important Papers. You'll need a file. You can get a pretty banker's box from Office Depot or Ikea or Wal-Mart. Get some Manilla file folders and some Pendaflex (sometimes I can cadge these from the office. The world is full of ancient, green Pendaflex folders!) You probably don't have a lot of papers, but what you have should be easily accessible. So Birth Certificate, Passport, Insurance Papers, School Transcripts, etc. Label a manilla folder, and file it. You'll only ever do this once. So get set up and do it. It will take less than an hour.
2. Photos. If they're loose, put them in an album, or a shoebox. Better yet, scan them and upload them. I have a plastic tub full of photos and a scanner. My project is to scan all and upload into the cloud. Then I'm tossing it all! Jesus, what a load of crap to tote around.
3. Sentimental bullshit. We all have it, our 'baby books', an essay we wrote in the third grade, love letters, greeting cards. These are things that should be protected and honored. Tie up letters or cards in ribbon and put in a pretty box. Put any artwork or school work in a sleve and then into a Binder. These can go in the bottom of your trunk. Be brutal. I kept the cards we received for our wedding , thinking I'd scrapbook them. I've tossed them. It's okay, after 13 years, I think we're safe.
4. Books. We don't need that many books. Think about donating them to a library or a school or to the Goodwill. You will keep a few. Put them properly in a bookshelf.
5. CDs/DVDs. Lord, I hope you don't have any of this stuff. If it can be digitized, do that. If not, get these storage boxes. Nothing looks more cluttered than plastic boxes with colorful lables.
6. Make-up. Get a great Make Up table/pouch/organizer (Caboodle)
7. Shoes. Get a nice storage unit. If you're low on space, use one under the bed. Keep it all together. Note, we usually wear only 2 pairs of shoes on a regular basis, the rest of our shoes are for specific outfits or occasions. So they can be stored away.
8. Out of season clothing. If you can, fold neatly and store in your trunk with cedar balls.
9. Containers. Get some containers (folding cloth boxes, baskets, plastic shoe boxes) whatever works with your budge and aesthetic and categorize the rest of your stuff. Incense and candles in one box. Tape, and office supplies in another. Hair supplies in a third box. Like things with like.
Go back to the things in your "think about it" boxes. Re do the process. If you have a place for it, put it there. If you dont' want it, donate.
Now your habitat is unfucked. Be sure that nothing comes back into your room that you don't intend to use.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 9:51 AM on March 5, 2014 [4 favorites]
1. Get a big glass of something to drink.
2. Put on some music, I prefer Ella Fitzgerald sings the Cole Porter Songbook, but this has been my clean the house music since I was 12.
3. Get a box of garbage bags.
4. Get some plastic tubs. (or boxes from the liquor store, I like plastic tubs, but if you're short on cash, or don't have a place to keep them when you're done, use boxes)
5. Get sticky notes and a sharpie.
Label the tubs Keep, Donate, Think About it. (with sticky notes and sharpie)
Now, start with one part of your room. Let's say the closet. Go through your hanging clothing. If you're keeping it, great, leave it on the hanger. If it's horrible, just throw it in a garbage bag, if you can donate it, awesome put it in that tub. If you want to think about it, put it in THAT tub.
When the garbage bags get full, throw them away. When the tubs get full, put them in the hallway temporarily, to get them out of your way.
When the Donate tub gets full, fill a garbage bag with whatever is in there, and put it in the hallway, with a sticky on it saying, "Donate."
Once the closet is done, do your chest of drawers. Go through the process again. As tubs become full, transfer the contents to garbage bags. Donate goes into the hall. Keep stacks up neatly in the living room for the time being.
You can put a time frame on it, but once I get going I like to power through.
So now you've got a third of your stuff you're throwing away or donating. A third of your stuff you're keeping, and a third of it that you're going to think about.
So, let's organize the stuff we're keeping.
1. Important Papers. You'll need a file. You can get a pretty banker's box from Office Depot or Ikea or Wal-Mart. Get some Manilla file folders and some Pendaflex (sometimes I can cadge these from the office. The world is full of ancient, green Pendaflex folders!) You probably don't have a lot of papers, but what you have should be easily accessible. So Birth Certificate, Passport, Insurance Papers, School Transcripts, etc. Label a manilla folder, and file it. You'll only ever do this once. So get set up and do it. It will take less than an hour.
2. Photos. If they're loose, put them in an album, or a shoebox. Better yet, scan them and upload them. I have a plastic tub full of photos and a scanner. My project is to scan all and upload into the cloud. Then I'm tossing it all! Jesus, what a load of crap to tote around.
3. Sentimental bullshit. We all have it, our 'baby books', an essay we wrote in the third grade, love letters, greeting cards. These are things that should be protected and honored. Tie up letters or cards in ribbon and put in a pretty box. Put any artwork or school work in a sleve and then into a Binder. These can go in the bottom of your trunk. Be brutal. I kept the cards we received for our wedding , thinking I'd scrapbook them. I've tossed them. It's okay, after 13 years, I think we're safe.
4. Books. We don't need that many books. Think about donating them to a library or a school or to the Goodwill. You will keep a few. Put them properly in a bookshelf.
5. CDs/DVDs. Lord, I hope you don't have any of this stuff. If it can be digitized, do that. If not, get these storage boxes. Nothing looks more cluttered than plastic boxes with colorful lables.
6. Make-up. Get a great Make Up table/pouch/organizer (Caboodle)
7. Shoes. Get a nice storage unit. If you're low on space, use one under the bed. Keep it all together. Note, we usually wear only 2 pairs of shoes on a regular basis, the rest of our shoes are for specific outfits or occasions. So they can be stored away.
8. Out of season clothing. If you can, fold neatly and store in your trunk with cedar balls.
9. Containers. Get some containers (folding cloth boxes, baskets, plastic shoe boxes) whatever works with your budge and aesthetic and categorize the rest of your stuff. Incense and candles in one box. Tape, and office supplies in another. Hair supplies in a third box. Like things with like.
Go back to the things in your "think about it" boxes. Re do the process. If you have a place for it, put it there. If you dont' want it, donate.
Now your habitat is unfucked. Be sure that nothing comes back into your room that you don't intend to use.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 9:51 AM on March 5, 2014 [4 favorites]
Elaborations: I suggested the coat rack on the assumption you can’t put holes in your walls. If you can, definitely make use of wall hooks for as many things as possible. And line them up with the height of the dresser or shelf – that way, things feel less out-of-control and imbalanced. Measure everything before you buy and/or install it - this will help you get things to work together: e.g., shoe rack could fit under the little keys table. (Or, if you can use nails, put up a little shelf near the door – get a shelf the same width as the shoe rack, again so things line up and feel balanced.)
If you have a radiator messing up your layout, put a shelf over it and use that surface for something.
If money is an issue: free-standing shelves and/or dresser (the latter’s more likely to be in decent shape), you can get cheaply on craigslist or at your local Goodwill. You could use those big $1 grocery totes for laundry bags (that’s if there’s room in your closet for hooks to hang them on; if they’d go on a bedroom wall, might spend a little on these, so you don’t hate looking at them).
I am not a naturally organized person, and the things I’ve described have helped me keep some kind of order. It took me longer than I’d like to admit to work it out O_o . I like being able to access things (hence hooks and shelves and hangers vs. folding – on that, if you like that idea but your closet’s too small, you can get a garment rack. And this is an example of the hangers I meant – non-slip is good so you can just throw things on them and they don't wind up on the floor.)
Also: hooks and shelves are not necessarily interesting things to look at, but I feel like the only people who can get away with cool stuff are a) people with a lot of space / money b) actual or should-be designers who are naturally tidy and whose jenga-sense is top-notch. Most of us need the boring things to externalize structure we don’t have internally.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 11:15 AM on March 5, 2014
If you have a radiator messing up your layout, put a shelf over it and use that surface for something.
If money is an issue: free-standing shelves and/or dresser (the latter’s more likely to be in decent shape), you can get cheaply on craigslist or at your local Goodwill. You could use those big $1 grocery totes for laundry bags (that’s if there’s room in your closet for hooks to hang them on; if they’d go on a bedroom wall, might spend a little on these, so you don’t hate looking at them).
I am not a naturally organized person, and the things I’ve described have helped me keep some kind of order. It took me longer than I’d like to admit to work it out O_o . I like being able to access things (hence hooks and shelves and hangers vs. folding – on that, if you like that idea but your closet’s too small, you can get a garment rack. And this is an example of the hangers I meant – non-slip is good so you can just throw things on them and they don't wind up on the floor.)
Also: hooks and shelves are not necessarily interesting things to look at, but I feel like the only people who can get away with cool stuff are a) people with a lot of space / money b) actual or should-be designers who are naturally tidy and whose jenga-sense is top-notch. Most of us need the boring things to externalize structure we don’t have internally.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 11:15 AM on March 5, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
Make space for yourself. I'm serious.
(what I mean is you should throw out as much surface junk as you can, then organizing will be much much easier.
once you start, you'll be surprised how much "junk" has accumulated.)
posted by jbenben at 7:51 PM on March 4, 2014 [8 favorites]