The Clutter Fairy Weekly Survey #158 Results
Organizing on a Budget
Who Helps You Organize?
We asked our audience: Which of the following statements describe the help you’ve received in managing your organizing projects? (Check all that apply or have applied in the past.)
Note: Hover over any pie slice to see the name of the category and the number of respondents who selected that answer. (Mobile users: Click on the slices for details.)
Click on the Other Responses tab to see what other responses our audience members have provided.
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Other Responses
Shopping for Products
We asked our audience: Where do you shop for organizing products? (Check all that apply.)
Note: Hover over any pie slice to see the response and the number of respondents who gave that answer. (Mobile users: Click on the pie slices for details.)
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Other Responses
Responses to Essay Questions
To view the detailed survey response from any respondent, click on their name in the table below. (You may also find it easier to read long responses in the detailed view.)
| Name (click to view full survey response and comments) | Which of the following statements describe the help you’ve received in managing your organizing projects? | Describe an organizing product, resource, book, video, or other solution that you bought but never used for the intended purpose. | For which collections or categories of stuff do you find it difficult to obtain or employ organizing and storage solutions, and why? | What’s your personal favorite inexpensive or free organizing solution? | Here’s your chance to ask Gayle and Ed any question you’re curious about. It need not be related to this survey’s topic(s). |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anonymous user |
| Underbed folding storage | Little junk that's random but useful | Mailing boxes cut up for magazine holders | |
| Anonymous user |
| Scrap book paper storage unit | Pictures | Jars | I inherited a box of stuff that belonged to my sister who was killed when she was 7,I was 3, and I really don't have any real memories of her. I have 2 sisters, but they want me to keep at my house that I inherited from my mom. It's like that with so much and I feel quilty getting rid of anything. What do I do? |
| Anonymous user |
| Small sample of different china sets (5). Two dinner plates. Want to stack the ten plates with 2” of paper plates all in same stack. Maybe I can just use one plate of each set. | |||
| Fe |
| Papers | Banker boxes | ||
| Barbara |
| I haven’t bought anything that I haven’t used but I saved magazine holders and desk trays from my husband’s stash for close to ten years before letting them go. | I had three large drawers in a built-in buffet. It’s 15 months since I moved and I still haven’t found a place for all of it. Just miscellaneous stuff that I don’t want to get rid of. | Any pretty, sturdy box. Christmas card boxes hold photos, pens, buttons. Cosmetic boxes minus their inserts hold travel supplies and cosmetic samples. Interesting jars or tins for cardamom pods or cinnamon sticks or tea bags. I used wooden clementine crates in the garage for gardening supplies. My sister said I had a box hoarding problem and I reluctantly threw away about 20 before I moved. | How to organize old ( >100years) photos |
| Deborah | I have a couple of books, but I actually DO use them | Everything from my Dad’s house | Boxes from Aldi’s to hold my next donation… | How to get rid of things that still have a useful life, but are not anything other people would want. The stuff that is in between trash and useful to Goodwill is my biggest problem. | |
| Steve |
| Basic cleaning supplies. I’m so far behind that basic cleaning doesn’t get done because of the clutter. | Bills, I don’t know where to put them and if I really need to save them since I have online receipts and banking. Papers in the mail such as financial statements. Amazon boxes, everything that comes in the house is in a cardboard box. Trash, I just put things down like wrappers and stuff. | I don’t use anything out of the ordinary. I could use help in that area. | Hi! I am having issues decluttering. I work better when there is someone around. On my own I get overwhelmed. Finding someone to help at a reasonable price, and regular schedule. I found two women that have a service but it’s a $2000.00 to have 2 ladies come in for two days. I don’t know where to start or what to do with everything. You can’t clean one area because stuff belongs in another area, but the second area is cluttered. There is no space to put good stuff while you get organized. Running the house can take up your time. Then you add the clutter and nothing gets done. |
| Caren |
| Books I have read a little, then stopped and didn't follow through. Also, online courses that I've started strong for a short time and stopped. | Paper, mail, books, gifts from loved ones. | Cutting down cardboard boxes to use as separators/organizers | Sorting mail past the obvious recycling stage, from "smaller piles" to "gone"! |
| Ashley Curry |
| The dreaded lipstick organizer. It doesn’t even fit lipsticks, but I’m working on a modification for art tools. Also suction cups for hanging kitchen tools, it’s not happening. | At present, I have a unique collection of hundreds of NatGeo vintage magazines. They live in cardboard boxes ( think pallet size collection) and I’m researching ways to display or making a profit by selling. | This is my favorite question so far in all of the sessions I’ve attended: I save all sturdy materials. I have dedicated catch spaces for clear plastic recyclables #1 & #3. I triple fold, inside directional, all boutique retail bags ( think Victoria’s Secret ) and I have a tutorial on how to make these drawer height & sturdy. I often pick up cardboard dividers at Sam’s Club in expired displays that are set to be recycled. I cover these with nice solid colors ( IKEA paper wraps) and cut them easily to size. I save the frame from corrugated yard signs and make two, mid folds to create a sturdy hanging file. From our military base, the munitions team had a massive collection of small wooden crates for torpedoes & simulated smoke. These are so unique! I had to be permitted & have credentials to even go out to the refuse site. | I am an organizer that’s new to NAPO, but not new to organizing. I wanted to ask if you knew of any organizers who could help with product innovation guidance. I attempted to join the special interest group, Technology, since I’m in Professional status. I have searched POINT and asked my chapter aficionados, but wanted to ask you. The technology I am developing is responsive cube storage for playroom, classroom, and adaptive environments to teach kids positive reinforcement in putting toys away. I appreciate your group so much! It has been so encouraging to me to tune in and hear you bring composure & creativity to families on a global reach. Thank you for this AMA. |
| Anonymous user |
| Paper! I have organizing solutions for paper and I try to attack it when it comes into my home. There's just so much to shred or keep: car documents, insurances, tax stuff, work stuff, etc. | I use mini ceramic loaf dishes given as presents to store makeup in the bathroom and to keep little items corralled for working from home (pens, nail file, hand cream, lip balm, etc). | ||
| Alexis |
| None | None | Sorry, still none. | |
| Anja |
| Tools because there a so many tiny items. | Shoe and tissue boxes. | ||
| Michelle |
| ? | Miscellaneous stuff as it defies my "like with like" systems | A round 3 tier chocolate box, which folds out into discs, perfect for my sewing stuff. | |
| A.G. |
| Baskets that hang off a shelf to provide storage space under it. They just never seemed to work out right - wrong size, cupboard door wouldn't sit right, things on the shelf they hang off of getting in the way, etc. The fit of the was just a *little* off everywhere I tried them. | Drawer organizers seem to be a tough one for me sometimes - getting them to fit the drawer well and getting all the stuff to fit in them well can be very frustrating. I'm a little picky I guess but it sometimes takes me a while to find something "just right" - or close to it anyways. But I do eventually! | 1) Sometimes my drawer organizers are great but they slide back in the drawer when it gets pulled in and out because it may not be the full depth of the drawer so I put empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls behind them to keep them pushed forward. 2) I also have used the cardboard dividers from boxes of wine to divide my dresser drawers up (I roll tank tops and fit them in the sections in my dresser). | |
| Em |
| Can't think of any. | Books, because used bookshelves command high prices, even at garage sales. Canned goods and pantry items, because apartment is not designed for people who cook. Need racks that would allow cans to be fed from the top and taken from the bottom. Computer stuff, because there are so many components that involve cords and they are not used at the same time. Parts that are not in current use are in plastic bags (so that they do not tangle) inside boxes, but accessing them requires much more work than keeping them in a shallow drawer would. | I made an artful arrangement of my handbags near my bedroom door by using tiny nails. It is so handy that I did something similar in my kitchen with certain good-looking ironware and utensils beside the area where they are used. Continuing with the idea, there are about 6 utensils I always need beside the refrigerator, so I have them in an artful display on the side of the refrigerator, using magnets. I also put my antique glassware, china, silver pieces, tin, and wooden items to work as storage containers for everything from rubber bands and batteries to cosmetics and candy. | Have people confessed to you after a decluttering how their lives were changed? It seems to me that, for the decluttering to last, they would have a mental and/or emotional shift. Can you inspire with us any stories these people shared with you about a shift? Also, is there a way to get the paper organizing booklet after already being on the mailing list? |
| Linda |
| Hangars that could hold multiple pairs of slacks, which were just a nuisance to use. Drawer dividers for small items, socks, undies, etc., which also were more bother than they were worth. To solve these two issues, I just pared down the volume and now everything fits in the closet or drawer without any organizing paraphernalia. | Nothing at the moment, but I did just recently employ Command hooks on the wall to hold some cleaning tools which were previously difficult to access in a cupboard. Working great, and easy and inexpensive. | Heavyweight vinyl shelf liner, the type that is just slightly tacky on one side, has really made old wood cabinets and drawers so nice to use. I scrubbed out the insides with Murphy’s Oil Soap and then put in the liner and they are like new. Using white liner also makes everything easier to see in there. In the past, I might have thought I needed containers on the shelves or in the drawers, but the nice, easy to clean surface was really all that I needed. | |
| Marsh |
| Well, that would be the multi colored Crayons, Felt Markers and large whiteboards' as my intention was to make outlines, hang 'em up and use the colors to create the completion flow as I checked each task off. I instead have found myself more inspired to create brilliantly colored artwork as I do decoupaging in all the "dirty details" of my future life/living space...Interesting is that I have begun to freely complete piles and clutter somehow following an unbidden inner inspiration; where as before I kept finding "excuses" or "emotional barriers" to NOT follow through by my overwhelm in making the decisions to let stuff go. GREAT Question! | Up First: is my essential environment. Living in an o l d Mobile Home, I either am too cold or too hot which drains my limited physical energy. 2nd: Once I obtain then embrace the ideas from Clutter Fairy and our group to move my clutter forward I come up against the absolute physical barriers of NOT enough room = period! 3rd: As I seek to employ these wonderful organizing solutions offered to us all/me I have to struggle with multi decisions of just doing essentials ie...kitchen/food stuffs, personal care items/laundry, managing bills/other pertinent paperwork...then the minute spaces I have left I feel forced to really... 4th: Create very slimline storage solutions giving up more stuff just to manage my environment with some sense of beauty and organization that inspires me to keep going. | I now have monthly pick ups of those organic cardboard Granola/Health Bar boxes from the 3 main stores I frequent. I am using them for EVERYTHING. Food stuffs, art utensils, soaps, paper flow, freezer shelves as they stack in order..Spice racks! .I use them for my change or receipt holders till I add my weekly expenses to my Excel Spreadsheet. I carry them in my car as I put new mail in to carry into my home. Toothpaste/brush', combs, makeup/hair ties...lastly they hold my cell phone/cords/ tv/dvd remotes. When they wear out I just pull another one from my stack. NO plastics or extra money spent. Talk about repurposing. OH and I also give stacks to my local special needs kids and the pet places for the cardboard is not toxic if chewed on or dropped on the floor (they bounce/don't shatter!).Another really fun question! | |
| Anonymous user |
| "The Magic of Tiding Up" book | larger kitchen appliances such as Instant Pot, slow cookers etc | boxes such as phone ones | |
| JoAnne from Virginia |
| hanging wine racks I use to hold rolled up bath towels; 1 for each bathroom | large coffee boxes are my go to, as they are of a consistent size. | ||
| Kara |
| I’ve gone through a lot of books, and lots I’ve then given away. They have helped so I can’t say I never used them. | Old books like yearbooks from 1918 and old bibles and other books from another country. They’re in the garage - not best place but they are stinky! Don’t want in the house. Haven’t clarified what to do. Feel too guilty to throw out. Ack! | Crayons in a jam jar. Not totally ingenious but it makes me happy. | |
| Linda |
| Old family photos because of their large or various sizes. | I use cardboard containers that cases of canned goods come in. I get these from Costco.I also use small boxes (the tops and bottoms separately) to organize items in drawers. | ||
| Lenette |
| I don't have difficulty | Gift boxes that were originally filled with expensive chocolates. I use them on my desk for my paperclips, post it pads, etc. They evoke memories of the giver that make me smile. | ||
| Anonymous user |
| Binders, they are too big | Photos Jewelry Took photos out of albums, put some in zip lock bags. Haven’t figured out a good jewelry storage system. | Cut back on inventory and stop storing stuff. | One laundry basket? Two? Where to put it? |
| Darby |
| I have bought storage bins for the playroom for specific toy types (Lego, dolls, matchbox cars, etc) that my family uses to shove random toys and objects and even trash when it's clean up time. So, clean floor, but no idea what's in each bin (puzzle pieces, beads, Lego, crayons, lollipop wrapper); drives me crazy | My husband's and son's camping equipment. I have no idea how to corral the stuff, if it can be stored in the garage or not, and they just dump it when they get home. Right now, it's all scattered in the garage, my son's room and the guest room/miscellaneous room. The bins in the garage I thought they bought for storage are half empty or worse. | Some shoe boxes or product boxes are very solid and made with thick, stable cardboard: I love those for crafts or trip souvenirs. My daughter made a cat bed out of a cardboard box (probably Amazon): does that count as cat storage? | |
| Bina |
| I bought a towel rail to hang in the spare room for gym gear, never put it up. A knife strip in the kitchen, it might go in the garage , maybe. Lots of books and courses never finished or implemented. | Everything. Nothing seems to work or fit eg Dvd and CD sleeves to replace cases but cant get anything to put them in | ||
| Anonymous user |
| Family photos | I repurpose pretty shoeboxes for my socks that serve as drawers on my shelf in the walk-in closet | How to store bed linens, blankets, pillows and also how to store them temporarily at the end of the day. They are so bulky. | |
| Becky |
| n/a | Misc household items, Such as stapler, stamps, batteries, etc. | Any suggestions for storage when you don't have enough drawer space for the little misc items that you need to keep on hand - Batteries. matches, stamps, etc. | |
| Jill |
| A riser for spices that goes down one side, across the back and up the other side of a cabinet. It placed too many spices in the back, didn't allow enough room under it so it was basically lost space, and my sleeves knocked over whatever was in front of the spice I was reaching for. It works great in the bathroom closet however for things we don't use often. Bar soap and toothpaste fit under the little shelf so there's no lost space. | Snacks-they come in all different sizes and I don't always have a container that let's them sit level in the cabinet. The snacks vary from week to week so there is no set place for each one. | My favorite freebie is Velveeta cheese boxes. Perfect size, sturdy, disposable and they have a coating that doesn't feel waxy but seems to repel dirt and stains. | |
| Anonymous user |
| I am a minimalist so tend not to buy books and videos, but get them from the library or for free online. | Hmmm. Not sure, maybe electronics stuff that I don't remember what they are for. You'd think I would have labeled everything. | Tupperware that is missing a lid. | I've heard you address this before, but in today's supply chain environment, it is hard for me not to keep a big backstock of cleaning and personal care items. In fact, don't laugh, but I am STILL using up the toilet paper from March 2020. |
| KeriSue |
| I've purchased numerous books, magazines, contai ers, shelves and furniture for organizing and decluttering. Clearly there is an underlying issue. My situation has improved over the years but still feels out of control. | Scrapbooking There is just too many categories | ||
| Lisa Beth |
| I don't spend money on storage until I have a specific need and exact measurements. I have hauled things home that I'm not currently using and are stored around "just in case." | Systems that my husband would use instead of "open" space on the floor, tables and flat surfaces. | Heavy weight puzzle boxes as sliding drawers. | |
| Anonymous user |
| None | Indoor plant supplies...There are so many odd shapes and sizes i.e., round flower pots, square, tall stuff, heavy stuff, light stuff, etc. Eventhough most of the stuff sits on a shelf in the garage as neatly as possible, it still looks messy. I don't like putting all of it into a large container as it's dark inside and takes too long to access what I need at the moment. Items I use several times a week are inside near the plants. That's less and easier to keep neat. | some of the plastic food containers have been useful, esp. the square ones | |
| Hila |
| paper folders, clear boxes | sport euipment, beacause it very big, paper, beacause i need to rearrange when my seeing worst, and when i had arteritis | boxes from delivery, food boxes from restorant, paper bags from the supermarket, | |
| Sandra |
| My sister bought plastic translucent stackable shoe box front sliding drawers which she used for her and her husband’s shoes she had some spare and gave them to me which I used in my craft room to store some of my craft supplies these are brilliant as you can see what’s in them and they stack but you pull the drawer out so you don’t have to remove upper boxes to get into the lower boxes (my sister’s husband died last year and had more of these spare as no longer needed them after she sorted his shoes so I’m swapping out more cardboard boxes in my craft room for these and when I’m done sorting my craft room I may buy more of these as they are brilliant | I use cardboard boxes from products and cardboard boxes from deliveries to store/organise my stuff I’ll cut boxes down to fit the size I need if it has to fit a certain space or size of item - I also put multiple smaller boxes into larger boxes to keep the contents neat and organised - my care staff cut down a very large box to make ‘drawers’ to put on one of my shelves in my upstairs kitchenette the shelving is very deep (kitchen counter-ish deep) so these ‘drawers’ go from front to back but are only just over 1 jar size wide so each drawer contains specific jars (e.g. jams/marmalades - chutneys - pickles - marmite/peanut butter/honey - instant gravy/sauce granules etc) this makes it easy for me to get to items behind the front ones without having to move everything in front of it and finding places to put them whilst I get to the item I want and then have to put them all back again so it saves me a lot of energy and a lot less time struggling to stand (I’m disabled) I used empty plastic square cracker(for cheese) selection boxes are used to store/organise my medications and just fit nicely in the narrow cupboard (old kitchen wall cupboard bought some screw on legs for it and now stands) in my bedroom my care staff have to fill my dosette boxes weekly to so storing my medications in there is very convenient for them | ||
| Isabelle |
| I got a kitchen caddy for free from a Freecycle group. Never used it and I have not passed it on yet. | The equipment for my indoor plant collection (200 + plants, I stopped counting). I need empty pots, cache pots, tools, compost, various growing media, fertilizers, treatments... This needs regular work (repotting, growing and planting cuttings, treatments on occasions), and everything takes space. It is organised in my covered side passage, but I struggle to maintain order there, despite decluttering regularly. There is always the "I might need this" factor, and in fairness, I usually end up using what I have stored... | I have repurposed a box of Ferrero rochers into a ear rings storage for my daughter. Each hole holds a pair of earrings and it fits nicely in a shallow drawer, so she can find them at a glance and put them away very easily. | |
| Karen |
| Wire thing that some use to organize pot lids. | My husband's office supplies and work papers, and his hobby and tool collections in the basement. He doesn't think or sort or organize like I do, so he won't use what I think would work well. | Cardboard boxes of any kind --- cereal, shoe, paper boxes, those really nice boxes that smart phones come in. I use what I have, and cut/tape as needed if too long, too tall, etc. I've often thought that I'll replace them with fancier ones at some point...but why bother? Most work very well as is, so why go to the expense to get containers that probably won't fit as well as those I've customized? | |
| Kelley |
| I ordered some organizational containers from an online scrapbook store that weren't made of the material I thought they were and have one still in the plastic because I missed the return window. | Within my papecraft collection, I am challenged with finding a usable die cut storage option. I keep trying different things but haven't found the right one yet. General household area of difficulty is cords/extra parts and pieces that go with an item. | This isn't new but I have used shoeboxes forever to store photos I have already gone through for scrapbooking. They're arranged chronologically and labeled (when I finish culling them). For saving paper scraps for cardmaking, I use file folders and keep a page protector inside it to hold small pieces of paper--they're all sorted by color. | |
| Celina |
| a very small shelving piece of furniture... look slike a flower/bedside/coffee table. Also, my decoupage boxes. | my floor/chairdrobe. My WIP craft projects. My dolly boxes (they're huge, dolls are at times even 2ft tall and keeping boxes is necessary for the sake of future reselling). | I like those round plastic boxes you get from flat, dry gingerbreads for fabric scraps I later use for my patchwork. The fabric is close to rubbish, so I wouldn't spend money on additional boxes. But plastic bags aren't as cool. Plus, the boxes forexer keep a pleasant smell (not all food boxes keep a pleasant smell lol). | I'm moving overseas in several months (yay!), but I'm not a "whole family", but just one girl who's just graduated, so I'm what you call a typical graduate student situation. What's your advice for such small, "one person" moving? I'm moving because I want to earn significantly more money, so I won't take my "whole life", because I know that soon I'll start to earn enough to rebuy some items. However, some I need to take, especially since I'm going there to earn, not spend (I'm not this type of a person who'll go crazy with "wow look at all the stuff and brands I can now afford". I know myself, plus even where I live I'm privileged financially...). Maybe other viewers have also similar experiences? What's not worth moving, what's worth remembering? Thanks! 🙂 |
| Anonymous user |
| About 8-10 decluttering books; some only read a few pages, the rest not at all! | None; I figure out something. | Repurpose clear plastic food containers that easily stack for craft materials. Correct size coffee cups or ceramic planters for pens, pencils, markers & paint brushes. Empty kleenex boxes & small used shipping boxes for various storage containers. | |
| Anonymous user |
| Marie Kondo’s books, and a few other books about dealing with clutter. | Toys because some of them are bulky | How do I get past thinking I need to find the perfect place to donate stuff to? I keep thinking women’s shelters or anywhere kids end up and would like toys. I get hung up on worrying they will reject my donation. | |
| Michelle |
| Used books from the 80s/90s which focused on organizing office and home | Clothing and shoes that aren’t worn much since i tend to keep them in a spare closet instead of donating. Furniture would be hard to store | Dressers to store a lot of fabric wrapped like files around recycled cardboard slats and stored vertically. Shoe boxes as drawer dividers for socks and under garments. Used jars to store bacon grease or small items. | |
| Lea |
| Currently none...have started to minimize stuff and only keep what is needed or is being used | use storage type bins of different sizes to store vitamins and supplements outside of bathroom, also for cleaning supplies and other under the sink items, makeup, nail polish, etc | Should boxes from purchases be kept and if so how long should they be kept? Over the years, I have kept the boxes for things like slow cooker, air fryer, computer. They do take up space but for small appliances, i put back into box when they are not in use. | |
| Anonymous user |
| Photo album | Medical papers | Repurposed pretty “Thank You Card” boxes to hold Knick knacks. | How do you deal with medical papers |
| Noreen |
| Bamboo Spice drawer inset. It did not fit in my drawers. so I sold it on Facebook marketplace. | Craft supplies and kitchen utensils | ||
| Craig |
| I'm sure I'll run across a dozen or so in the next year, but can't think of any right now. I can tell you this, I'm certain we're filling up more space with empty containers and boxes and drawers and mis-used cupboards than the stuff around them! 🙁 | Too embarrassed to let anyone in, so honestly don't know. | My wife is the QUEEN of this!! EVERYTHING is repurposed into a storage container! I actually found that small paper cups work very well in my office drawers! Wire mesh silverware trays are FANTASTIC in "junk drawer" and officer drawers and bathroom drawers (Note, the ones with solid bottoms are too hard to keep clean!). We had some very simple wire shelves we thought we would use in the pantry, but ended up not working. After they sat around for a while, we put a reverse osmosis filter in under our kitchen sink ... and ended up using them to put the water tank on! Doubled the usefulness of that cabinet. The plastic shoe box size containers are not expensive and work for MANY things. Ohhhh ... my favorite: 4-drawer lateral filing cabinet that my work was getting rid of has turned out to the be best tool chest garage storage unit ever!! | Do Gayle's clients tend to maintain the organization after she leaves??? |
| Kathy |
| Ammonia Special spray cleaner for frig and stove Endust for a dust mop | Pins have several more organized since started listening but have a hoard. Also have few spaces haven't looked at or addressed for a couple of years. | Stackable plastic storage boxes with squares for Pins ... which was my late husband's boxes for fishing lures. | Appreciate the creative topics others have came up with.... guilty haven't changed patterns or addressed spaced and things. |
| CHRISTINE |
| I bought a plastic makeup box, it looks like a fishing tackle box. too bulky to use in a tiny bathroom. it never was easy to use for makeup, so now I store my sewing supplies in it. | Paperwork. I gave away my big file cabinets, because when I down size I will not have room for them. So I transitioned to other methods, that will work in a smaller place. the only problem is that my "organizers" are all over the house in about 3 rooms..wherever they will fit. My fear is that in a much smaller space, paperwork will take up too much room. I have found digitizing many decades of paper work takes too long and takes too long to retrieve. files in plastic milk crates for monthly paperwork, thick 3 ring binders for needed but records (vital document copies/medical / banking, plastic shoes boxes for cards/stationary, cardboard boxes for old taxes, milk crates for household appliances/construction manuals. desk for important, current paperwork plastic shoe boxes for photos | Gayle Goddard suggested this idea awhile back, I tried it, and LOVE it. Gayle suggested organizing with those fine mesh, zippered bags ( originally used to protect delicate clothing in the wash machine.). You can easily see what is in them, very light weight, many sizes, washable, not too expensive!, Mesh bags are a huge upgrade on plastic zipper bags because they last many years, are breathable so no mold/mildew, and their zipper is easier to use So now I use those mesh zipper bags to organize clothes for the closet and dressers, household items like electronics cables, everything in my suitcase for travel, produce or packets of food in the pantry, small toys like legos. | Moving season is coming up. Great ideas in your previous moving episodes, like taping a box also around the middle (like a belt), make boxes not too big or heavy, The combo of both moving and downsizing is the best motivation to declutter for me. So I do not add to the moving load, I now buy only things I can use up now, so I will not have to move them, essentials like paper towels, food, bottles of water. The cost of moving an item is a reality check for me. I might like that old sofa, but what will it cost me to move it? Maybe it would be better to take that money to buy a new sofa. |
| Deb |
| Items like stepladders, vacuum cleaner. There's nowhere for them to be put away but I need and use them. | My three tall bookshelves that used to be full of unused books now have other things in them. The various shelves and compartments hold sorted categories like art supplies, batteries and chargers, small kitchen appliances, etc. I like to see what I have and know where they are so I can find them easily. | ||
| Lala |
| I have several plastic drawer cabinets and wooden cubbys waiting in storage. Now I just need to make room for them. | Most of my stuff is divided into: Use daily/weekly/monthly, store for use later, a few sentimentals, and sell for cash because my checks are not enough (mostly collectibles from auctions & estate sales). I lack motivation to sell and deal with the public (dumb questions and 'wow you have a lot of stuff, but I'm just looking' as they touch every single thing I have on display. Or, 'I already have too much stuff' at a flea market with an entrance fee. Or, Will you be here again tomorrow/next week?' Oh yes, please let me pack it up, offload at home/storage. and load it up again and spread it all out for you again next time! And then you don't even show up. What I need is a box lot buyer, I'm too old for this stuff. Auctions are way too fussy due to the abundance of stuff available. Grrrrr. | Can't think of one, sorry. | Love to visit a site for re-sellers looking for stuff to sell. Know of any? I currently have 11 areas full and need to sell all of it. |
| Julia |
| Tall yogurt containers make great trash bins on my beading table, and hold everyday tools right in a handy spot. | |||
| Lela |
| ??? | ??? | My small vacation/travel bag is actually a fishing tacklebox. It's made of canvas with many handy zipper pockets to store small items. It came with two clear plastic boxes with adjustable dividers -- I'm assuming for fishing lures and bobbers -- that I use for medicines, Q-tips, bandaids, jewelry, and such. It would be perfect if only I could remove the picture of a bass fish embroidered on the front pocket. Lol | |
| Marina |
| Organizing books. I always intend to read books in general but then never sit down to read them. I get through half of the book but then get bored and never end up finishing the book. I had bought both Marie Kondo’s books and Cass from the Clutterbug’s books. I prefer consuming my content with videos that I can listen to in the background or watching the videos (glancing occasionally) while I’m working or doing something else. | Dining room objects. We don’t have a buffet yet nor do we have a proper storage closet in the house to store dining things. So all the placemats, napkins, salt and pepper shakers, Shabbat candles, Epi pen and table toppers sit on top of all the dining chairs we don’t use in the dining room. It drives me crazy but my partner isn’t ready to buy a buffet yet. It’s been this way since we moved here in 2020. We are looking at buffets now since I’ve told him it’s driving me bananas when you pull out a chair, a bunch of stuff is there or stuff falls onto the floor from the movement. | Illy coffee containers are metal and I like to wrap them with black Kraft paper and put my collection of sharpie markers in there. I also really like the yogurt cardboard boxes that separate the yogurt stacking rows at the store since those are nice to organize long drawers with. A thin beading storage container I got from the container store I can fit a small thin cut piece of soap in for inside my purse to use at bathrooms away from home since I’m allergic to soaps and can’t use harsh soaps. | If you use the Cricut, do you know of good ways to store all the Cricut heads? I was tempted to ask my partner to 3D print me a storage system for all these Cricut heads. The spot they give you to store some, it’s underneath the mat that the machine uses to cut so it’s very inconvenient to store them there when you need to interchange the heads for different functions — cutting, foil transfer, engraving, perforated edges… |
| Janice |
| I made a notebook, put it in a bookshelf and it sat there for about 5 years | Yarn and knitting supplies | Shoebox tops make a nice tray.dairy containers hold pencils | |
| Sue |
| I believe I've used all products I've bought to organize..not much. | China, my China cabinet was taken from me. | Egg containers to organize jewelry sorted by type and color...or it started out that way | |
| Paula |
| I picked up some baskets at a thrift store last year. Ended up using two for only a few months as they didn't work out as well as anticipated. They went back to the thrift store. | Spices have been my nemesis for years. Tried many systems. If I didn't like and use them so much I'd chuck them all out. | This came from you Gayle: baggies. They're cheap, readily available, and easily contain items like rubber bands. I wandered around a craft store one day and saw a plastic box with several compartments used for painting supplies. I realized I could use my late husband's fishing box for my paint supplies. Works like a charm. | |
| Lise |
| I purchased a mini three ring binder to use as an address/contact information book. Instead I entered all the information on my "people" email file. So, the binder still is hanging around on the self completely empty collecting dust. | Sentimental items are my biggest issue. I have clear plastic containers & baskets... without a proper place/home for them. I want to honor the items but I am conflicted with wanting to protect them as well. What to do... ? | I took this tip from Ann Gambrell (a NAPO founding member). One needs only two sets of sheets per bed and to store the spare set in between the mattress & boxspring. This keeps the sheets on hand in the room they are to be used freeing up prime linen cabinet space. An extra bonus the sheets will be pressed without having to iron. (I no longer can do this great tip since our current mattress is too heavy for me to lift.) 🙁 | |
| Anonymous user |
| Garage - affordable shelving usually open and dust/debris from tools etc inevitably gets around everything, even plastic bins Knitted wear - large collection and so bulky to put into drawers take up too much space Winter or seasonal - large mass of items in an out of the way place Cleaning supplies - way too many and always needed in different parts of the house. | How do you organize a garage space on a budget? Proper shelving and storage systems for the garage are usually sold at a premium price. It's a space with a large mass and a variety of objects to wrangle. | ||
| T |
| Vacuum bags for clothes storage. Never used them . Sounded like a great idea . | Children's toys: Too many. Too much. Not even sure what there is anymore. All toy bins are full. I want to display them so it’s easier to see, play with & put it away. Pictures: I have not gotten around to putting them in photo albums or scrapbooking them . Fabric: I started quilting as a hobby prior to pandemic .I was taking a free class at our local library. I have quite a bit of fabric but haven’t gotten to make 1 block in over a year ☹️ I tried YT on my own but lost my mojo. Now I’m not sure how to store it so it’s accessible & project ready . I do want to start again. Adult children’s clothes: Why is it here?! They will never be in 1st grade again or 12th grade for that matter & I have no grandchildren to pass it on to. Gardening supplies: I have to garden off site . So I haven’t figured out how to put my gardening seeds & supplies in an easily accessible , organized manner. Just all thrown in 1 bin. | My husband covered a shipping box with wrapping paper to throw stuff in. It’s junk but I guess at least it looks clean . | |
| Karen |
| More totes than needed. | Holiday decorations as I have more than I need but can’t seem to part with them. I come from a family of decorators so that’s where the issue comes from. | I use ice trays for my jewelry that I keep in a drawer. | Can you clarify what ages you find fall into minimalism, collecting, storing, etc. if you know what I mean. Example 18-30 are minimalists, 31-50 are collectors…. |
| Nancy |
| Book, Essentialism, Used one time and not again...some plastic containers that I bought for organizing the refrigerator. | Family room. Too many activities go on so things are always coming out and not always put away. | I love open-top, rectangular, or square baskets. They hold anything/everything and I don't have to fuss with taking lids off or putting lids back on them. They look neat from a glance in a closet or pantry. They don't have to exactly match but can be similar and still look good. They are reusable over and over again. | You cover so many topics already that I don't have any extra questions. |
| Ginger |
| None | None. I frequently make my own containers. | I do this a lot. ▪️Tissue boxes, cardboard boxes - cut to size, painted, decorated for pantry. ▪️Plastic coffee cans painted and decorated to hold dried beans. ▪️Jars used to hold food & dried goods, ▪️Sturdy iPhone, iPad, large music CD boxes, shoe boxes & lids used as trays in drawers. ▪️I make my own baskets from newspaper - woven and painted. | |
| Lora |
| My sewing craft - need to have things out to use and see. Being able to see all the fabrics to choose is my biggest challenge. I have storage cabinets with solid doors so not able to see all that I have. I then keep buying more. I need to use what I have because unable to purchase new cabinets. Having the ability to see all would help me improve my ability to stop buying more. | Transformed a TV cabinet to be a storage unit to hold household paperwork and other necessary documents | ||
| Millie |
| When I come across a pretty box (usually a gift box), I take the lid off and turn it into an organizing box. For example I folded my socks the Marie Kondo way and have them organized nicely in my sock drawer inside a used gift box bottom. Recently I used the bottom of a shallow rubbermaid container as an organizer in a kitchen drawer. It keeps a very messy drawer organized and makes me smile when I open it. But you can use any box. I got this idea from Marie Kondo. I also used old christmas gift wrap to line shelves of drawers in my bathroom. It works great and the cheerful paper gives me a good feeling when I open the drawers. (I feel so clever, LOL!) | |||
| Jeanne |
| I love the Container Store but not one in my state | Walkers Shortbread tins, the large Christmas edition. Shoe care box, sewing box, and battery box, Sometimes I use-for my home baked cookies! | ||
| Kenny R. |
| N/a | My mobility | Give my kids semi free rein to take whatever they want with defined exceptions. I pay for movers to help and ship since they fly in. I have final turn downs for occasional personal or sentimental items. | The clutter fairy is the way to go. Worth every penny. |
| Amanda |
| I've bought a couple organizing books and never actually gotten through them. Now I try to borrow them from the library. | Things I use on a daily basis and need to remember (like vitamins) - I have room to store them out of sight, but I worry I will forget to use them without my visual cues. | Shoe boxes make good drawer organizers. | |
| Jo |
| We have a very small entrance area so I needed to utilize every inch of the 4x8 ft space. We live in a northern state that has 4 distinct seasons with a very cold winter so we have lots of cold weather clothing. I bought a fabric shoe organizer that we put gloves, knitted hats and scarves in the pockets. There is enough room to put our folding umbrellas as well. It is an over the door organizer so I hung it on a press fit curtain rod that just fit between the small bump out and closet door. It still allows access to the closet and there is enough room underneath for the shoe/boot rack. | The garage items. We rent and are allowed to put up some shelving but haven’t found reasonably priced sturdy shelves. So everything is piled on top of each other gathering dust. Also need a solution for the off season tires rather than having them stacked on boards on the floor. It’s a one car garage so everything is smushed to the far end of the garage making it a chore to get anything needed out. | I use a plastic folding box to hold games on the floor of one closet. A locker organizer holds our bike helmets on its top shelf while under the shelf is just enough room to hold my cookbooks neatly. Also use another locker organizer in the entrance closet. It holds regular hats on the top shelf while underneath the shelf a shoebox fits perfectly and holds all of our baseball and summer hats that can be folded. | |
| Connie |
| Vegetable bins are now storing random papers that are smaller than the A4 size. CD racks now housing part of my collection. A mini-tool box now houses assorted sequins, beads and special wires and earring dooodahs. | shoes that litter the entrance hall, tried racks, they remain unused, tried cabinet, fogetaboutit. Have learned to live with this quandary by now. Odd pieces of paper and notes and lists that continually lie scattered around laptop on desk. They seem to multiply every week! | Big straw basket to hold craft supplies. Old film canisters for buttons and beads, and nuts and bolts and such sundry. Stacked bins of craft materials with a pretty tablecloth serves as night stand in guest/ study room Old repurposed bookcase placed behind bathroom door to hold laundry supplies. Old repurposed hanging cabinet to store WC paper and feminine hygiene products Cut down sturdy boxes to size to use as dividers in kitchen drawers. Sturdy letter holder now holds my cutting boards A ring binder cut to size holds recycled paper (half A4 size) for shopping lists | How best to store lightbulbs that vary in size? |
| Jessi |
| I can't think of any honestly! My partner and I were very poor for a long time and couldn't afford any, so we made a lot of our own, and what we did buy, we definitely used! | Art supplies and fabric/sewing supplies lol There are a lot of irregular shapes for art supplies with no one ideal storage solution, and the fabric is a challenge due to the floppiness of it, as well as its nature of changing sizes from yardage to scraps. I need all the supplies for art and sewing at different times of the year and for different projects that pop up, so I have to be flexible and constantly be considering the use of space in my less than 500 square foot apartment. I've found a method that works for each, but it's still a challenge. | Glass jars! I save them from things like jarred pears, as well as purchase some larger ones for things like sugar. Excellent for storing food (also keeps it away from bugs and mice), colored pencils, paintbrushes, and more, and it's also great for homemade food gifts such as chimichurri or pesto! It also is an inexpensive way to get a nice aesthetic on a very limited budget lol A recent favorite is a collection of small, round, 1 oz metal tins that came in a tea advent calendar! Great for when I downsized pushpins in particular, and I keep some office supplies in them in my drawer. | |
| Trish (formerly Pat - Michigan) |
| I don't buy the product until I determine the use/need for it (per the Clutter Fairy)! | After 10 years of retirement (and working the Clutter Fairy ideas) I have good solutions to use. | My favorite is Dollar Tree (or other cheap source) for plastic shoe boxes... CONTAINERIZE ! Also Bankers boxes. | I love the new format with more than one topic.... also like single topic discussions. Budget organizing should be a good one! |
| Richard |
| I have a number of container bins that remain empty and a file sorting stand that isn't being used. | Household bills, sheet music (manuscript and printed), current project materials (notes, sketches, recent draft printouts), electronic documents including all the above | I like to use the boxes that one of my son's snacks come in and the boxes from our food and coffee subscriptions | Are there any good bulk scanners for making PDFs out of paper documents and then a good way to organize them? Right now, I can scan with my printer but then I have to manually rename and file all the files. |
| Sue |
| I have found books and magazines on the subjects pretty worthless, i.e. nothing new under the sun. Otherwise, actual products such as elfa shelving, basic clear lidded shoe boxes [non cardboard] for sorting and storing small components very effective. But I usually wait to purchase any new containers or shelving until AFTER decluttering/organizing and meauring. I have not needed to returrn/exchange org. items in decades. That is why, elfa, albeit pricey, can be configured almost infinitely. | Nothing yet, except most packing/storage systems for delicate or fragile antiques simply aren't adequate. | my ancestors used quirky packing/moving methods that seemed frugal and creative, but were lucky; had I repeated those methods [currency in hardback books, jewelry in the flour canister, small collectibles in toes of packed shoes and boots] I'd have had nothing unbroken or unstolen to show for it. | |
| Anonymous user |
| I paid a professional organizer to review my space and provide me a written plan. I received the plan but never implemented it. The greatest barrier was my inability to de-clutter at the pace the organizer thought I should be moving. | I have collection of decorative flower pots that all live in a pair of plastic tubs. They aren't easy to display due to the amount of space needed. | I have a large quantity of free paper boxes from my workplace. Which means my living space looks like a storage unit more than anything else. | No questions. They have all been answered. The difficulty is implementing them. |
| Margaret |
| found objects used for assemblage art - bulky, not easily categorized | fishing tackle box for kite flying supplies for repairs in the field (barrel swivels, extra string, hacksaw blade for cutting kite sticks, tape, glue, etc.) fishing tackle boxes are also good for art supplies and sewing supplies | ||
| Anonymous user |
| ||||
| Isabelle |
| 2-3 books which were less about organising itself but the mental implications And I am just realising that "organising" is the only area, where I really used ALL the few resources (boxes, labeling mashine etc.) that I bought for this purpose ..... can't say that about other areas in my life ;-))) | some kitchen gadgets .... too many of them, probably need to still downsize those .... plus my kitchen is rather small for the amount of cooking, preserving etc. I do ... Paper crafting .... it's like "yeast" PLUS it requires expensive storage .... plus you don't use 99% of the stuff ..... that's why I decided to eliminate that hobby .... still having to sell *good grief* | nothing in particular .... but I took the IKEA closets from my kitchen (tall units and pull-out drawer closets) from Germany to Switzerland and transformed them into my built-in wardrobe, and recently I have transformed them once again into my pantry-pullout-cabinets and after 30 years of use, they look terrific in their current spot and are very practical and useful. | |
| Tami |
| Prior to my Clutter Fairy conversion, I bought every book I could find but I just shuffled stuff around. Something clicked when I watched your old YouTube video on clutter and aging. I started to declutter after that, decluttering the entire time I listened/watched you two and I’ve listened/watched multiple times. I consider myself in maintenance mode but a friend and I are doing a daily one item declutter and it’s keeping me honest and motivating her! | It used to be photos but again…TCF conversion. Once I got rid of crap photos, the rest are in a few albums and one photo box:) | Any iPhone box is a winner but not exactly free. Big fan of clementine wooden boxes because they stack and fit where I need them to be and hold categories nicely(tape, bulbs, batteries, etc) toilet paper rolls hold extension cords that I need at Xmas and fit in a clemmie bix | Like you two, I have pets (2 dogs and a cat)and they refuse to help declutter, insisting on keeping the most ragged toys. Suggestions? |
| Bonnie |
| Marie Kondo’s godawful book | Books I buy too many but am switching to kindle for novels. Paper because it exhausts me and I don’t stay ahead of it. Clothes because I keep 4 sizes and because I buy classic, solid colour pieces that never go out of style and I never throw them away | Velvet ring cushions that hold lots of stud earrings, | |
| Anonymous user |
| accordion file folder to file papers | clothing -- not enough closet space or even space to put wardrobe/garment racks | ||
| Cathie |
| Cutlery trays--too short for serving spoons & pancake turners. Used them elsewhere. | FABRIC! I own too much yardage to display on the wall of shelves. Keeping them in storage totes prevents seeing them & being inspired to use it. I keep making/using some, and sorting out "duds" to donate. Not there yet. | Those cutlery trays mentioned in "orphan" section. Now, I use them in desk drawer for pens, rulers, stamps, etc. Junk drawer tray is for batteries, flashlights, votive candles, and matches for emergencies. | Keep up the good work. |
| Brigitte |
| I don’t have one. Organized with what I had first and bought a few small boxes where needed… | For extra items fitting to our Kitchen Aid. In the first round of organizing I did not say ‘goodbye’ to them, because that were expensive and I always thought I might need them later. Now - after listening to Gayle and Ed, I’m ready to let them go🙏 | An old chocolate 🍫 box - red plastic and shaped like a heart - I use for the items that I love to write letters and wishing cards🎴with, like stamps and stamp pads and so on. Every time I open the draw, I become instantly happy😊 | 😘😘 |
| Maida |
| The clips for the velvet hangers for pants. I’m better at storing pants rolled or folded in larger drawers. | Clothing and shoes; paper management could be better | Dollar store buckets are small, maybe a gallon, they stack, sit up right and have a handle. We sorted cleaning supplies and tools in my parents home. Sorting like with like. | |
| Anonymous user |
| not very unlikely but I have a LOT of Ikea and other inexpensive travel packing cubes, thrifted small duffel bags for tools and other household items. Duffel bages for stored/backstock clothes, towels, bedding, fabric. I have a lot of herbs and spices (in bulk quantities) that I am going to put in reuse glass jars. | |||
| Intignia |
| Inside drawers I use those nice sturdy boxes that our cell phones or tablets came in. I use large gardening totes which are round or square-round with handles to corral my messes until I can get it sorted. | |||
| Anonymous user |
| Sports equipment | |||
| Summer |
| Jiffy Professional Clothes Steamer | Hands down - Photos & Memorabilia Inherited momentos Difficult to sort--so draining emotionally | Heavy duty coated boxes - ie., Apple or hish-end shoes | |
| Evelin |
| something like this--> https://www.amazon.de/Aufbewahrungs-Korb-K%C3%BCchenschr%C3%A4nke-Kleiderschr%C3%A4nke-Unterbauschrank-Unterbau-Regal/dp/B01N7K87C4/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=unterbau&qid=1677154170&s=kitchen&sr=1-10" tried it for a very short time but didn’t work for me | (hot) hair styling tools like curling iron...etc | I cut down cereal boxes and wrapped them in pretty paper to hold pens and office supplies (see the inspo here http://www.iheartorganizing.com/2013/01/diy-cereal-box-drawer-dividers.html ) and they worked well. After a few years I changed them out for the little boxes that mobile phones come in, these are even sturdier. | |
| Lynn |
| Years ago I bought my mom a decluttering video from the Slob Sisters in hopes she would get some inspiration to declutter her stuff. She watched it once, had a good laugh and never did a thing to declutter. She just bought more storage containers and furniture to hold the stuff,, but there was never enough storage to contain it all. | Generations of my mother's family historical documents, photos and correspondence. I feel an obligation to do something with it other than just toss it all since I am the last in line. But, I have little desire to sort through it all and find places that might be interested in it. So, it just sits in storage bins waiting for me to do something with it. | I reuse boxes of all shapes and sizes to help me sort things and pack items to be donated into my truck. I reuse canning jar boxes to store my canned products on pantry shelves and long bungee cords to thread canning jar rings onto for storage. I use dollar tree small bins for sorting spices in the kitchen, cleaning products under kitchen and bathroom sinks, and small hardware items in the garage. | |
| Kristina |
| I purchased some cupboard organizers but I have not put them together yet. They will eventually give me some extra storage space to hold items. | In Canada our stores don’t have nearly the selection of the American stores for organizing options (based on videos online) but organizers for kitchen pantry items are costlier and not as stylish. Clear plastic storage containers are more expensive here which is what I prefer so I don’t lose items. | Oh I love free/inexpensive organizer ideas. The videos from “Do it on a dime” makes it very affordable to organize on a budget. Plastic storage boxes can be spray painted if the colours are too bright or don’t match but are the perfect size. File organizers can be repurposed to hold reusable water bottles for example. She has lots of ideas and most come from dollar stores. | How do you organize for the future? With the cost of everything going up it’s hard to know what the best plan is for buying now what is surely to keep and get more expensive as time moves on. |
| Anonymous user |
| "Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do, or do without" Everything I've bought in the way of an organizing product has been used, but not necessarily for its' original purpose. (eg.: office products in the bathroom, kitchen products in the office, etc.) They may travel from space to space as my needs change, but I repurpose things over and over. | photos and family memorabilia | I use small bath/kitchen containers from the dollar store to hold socks, undies, leggings, etc., in my bureau. I use one for each type of clothing and fold everything the Kondo way. Measure the drawer and get multiples of the same type, so that it always looks neat and "pretty". | |
| Name (click to view full survey response and comments) | Which of the following statements describe the help you’ve received in managing your organizing projects? | Describe an organizing product, resource, book, video, or other solution that you bought but never used for the intended purpose. | For which collections or categories of stuff do you find it difficult to obtain or employ organizing and storage solutions, and why? | What’s your personal favorite inexpensive or free organizing solution? | Here’s your chance to ask Gayle and Ed any question you’re curious about. It need not be related to this survey’s topic(s). |
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