The Container Store, Houston Texas

I was thrilled to see the “Coming Soon” sign at Green Hills Mall heralding the arrival of a Container Store. “Containerizing” helps to align all of your material ducks in a row by grouping like items. 

Likely candidates include jewelry, videos, and photographs. There are already store bought solutions to help you in these areas, and there is of course your own ingenuity in devising creative storage solutions. The jewelry rack featured below was formerly a place to hang belts; now, I can see my costume jewelry at a glance.

The grouping of like items allows you to see what’s there, to purge the unnecessary, and to sort what’s left. This process may even make room for new treasures. My home spun version of a video cabinet was not only cost effective, but it forced me to gather dvds and vhs tapes from many corners of my house. Some of these were destroyed, some bequeathed to the local senior center, while a few were moved to my school office.

The remaining shelf space is now filled with both classics and new releases. Grouping removes the hunting, pecking, and general mismanagement associated with storing your stuff in  disparate locations. My video storage is a makeshift bookcase, but it serves the purpose of allowing me to select my favorite movie at a glance.

Pictures are great memories, but the storage of your past treasures in a box is an ineffectual manner of display. Recently I tossed many that were out of focus, in general poor quality, and which no longer held personal meaning. A digital frame will house the ones that I truly adore and that brighten my day.

If you’re so inclined, below are some store bought resources which may help with “containerizing” your own space:

Jewelry Storage:

• wall mirror
• armoirs
• ring storage

Video storage:

• CD spindles
• furniture CD storage

Photograph storage:

• Boxes – albums
• more storage boxes
• plastic storage boxes

The beauty of “everything in its place” is the enlightenment of finally knowing what, how many, and in what condition are your possessions.  Containerizing is the first line of defense in streamlining your space, and in surrounding yourself only with items that bring joy. The “findability” of your things bestows both mental clarity and a peace of mind.