Think Before You Store Stuff

It is amazing how human nature loves drawers -- look at all the space I can fill up! I could put such-and-such in there!

While adding some furniture to a room I was helping to declutter, a client was excited about the new storage space the small chest would offer. I had to dampen her enthusiasm by noting that just because we had the space available didn't mean we had to use it. It's a foreign and strange-sounding concept to many that I say it to, I know.

We were in the middle of decluttering -- throwing things away, sorting, donating, moving items around. We were trying to get organized, and yet here, in her mind, was some more space to store things. Aack! No -- don't do it! Drawers conceal their contents, and often times in cluttered homes, the drawers are dumped out to reveal the most random assortments of things. Thus my concern for her excitement about drawer space. Think: out of sight, out of mind. Think: junk drawer.

It is OK if you have drawers or shelves that are NOT filled. (Surely you didn't hear me say that?) Yes, it is OK if you have storage space that is not filled. If you need it and it is being used to store items that logically go there, by all means. But do not fill space just because you have space!