3 Big Clutter Culprits

Boxes, bins and bags are all great for containing what we need, putting like things together and helping to keep us organized, but...they can often be the cause of unnecessary clutter.Boxes: Do you hold on to a plethora of shipping boxes because you might have something to ship that size in the future? How long have those boxes been sitting around? Think about the amount of extra storage space you have. If you have space to store some boxes for shipping, having a couple on hand is a good idea. The clutter problem creeps in when you don't pay attention to how many boxes you're holding on to and the stockpile keeps on growing. Weigh the value of those boxes taking up storage space, or even worse, living space in your home. It may not be worth it to save them if they are causing unnecessary clutter.Bins: What about bins and storage containers? Do you have a grand plan to organize all the shelves in the basement? You bought the containers two years ago and they're still sitting there waiting for the project to begin (maybe it's time to get that organizing session with Chaos To Order on the calendar).  Cross the project off your list and remember in the future, don't buy the bins until you've started to tackle the project. Think of them as a reward for all the purging done. You may find that fewer bins are needed after you've weeded through and purged.Bags: The biggest culprit of all is bags. We see more plastic grocery bags, reusable eco-friendly bags, shopping bags, storage bags, garbage bags, etc... Somehow many people feel the need to stockpile bags for that just-in-case moment. Another bad habit that occurs with bags is when people with good intentions put a group of things together in a bag, for a later purpose. If they fail to label the bag, they end up looking through dozens of bags for the one that housed the items they're looking for. Rather than bags, put like things together in a way that you'll be able to see and find them again. Whether that's a bin, container or a bag that's clearly labeled, make sure you think of how you're going to find what you need when you go to look for it.The bottom line is, getting organized is all about helping you manage what you have now so you can access it properly in the future. Evaluate what you're holding on to and make sure that containers are not causing more clutter.