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43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

How do you organize random crap?

I recently set about cleaning up my office (a terrifying and wholly unpredictable proposition) and realized that I have loads of tiny individual things that, if everything was to receive its own spot or container, would result in thousands of tiny boxes knocking around creating more clutter than before. Organized clutter, mind you, but still...

So, my question to you, 43F boarders, is this: How do you organize things that in the past would have gone in that most ubiquitous of locations: the hallway junk drawer. I ended up using shoeboxes, but I think this might be my i-don't-know-what-else-to-do-and-shoeboxes-are-the-only-solution-to-the-problem-that-i-know-of reaction to the problem. Suggestions and anecdotes are welcome!

TOPICS: Life Hacks
Berko's picture

It you are talking about...

CathyHughes wrote:
It you are talking about wires, screws, cables, and the like, stick each in a ziploc bag of the appropriate size, then put them in a box or a drawer sticking up like a file folder.

I use my labeler to label the ziploc bag towards the top of the bag. When I put something I've used back, it goes in front of the box or drawer.

If you need something to make the bag "stick up" for smaller pieces, insert a piece of cardboard or cardstock into the bag.

Ciao!


Yes, wires, screws cables. The ziploc bag is a great idea and I think we have about a bazillion of them around. Thanks for the tip, Cathy.

Some of the items are slightly bigger than that though. The two surround speakers for my computer speaker set that I can't use right now, for instance. I may brave the depths of the boxes to see what else is in there and report back with a sample inventory.

 
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