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Holding pattern ideas
Aren’t sure of if you should get rid of an item in your home right now? Want to go through a trial phase of having that item out of sight, but not out of reach?
I recommend that everyone in your family have one MeBox in your garage, attic, or basement to store those items that are in flux. Allow yourself only to keep in limbo items that you can fit inside the box. Twice a year, go through the box and get rid of everything in it that you didn’t access. I think that you’ll be surprised at how many times you get rid of everything in your MeBox, and you may eventually discover that you don’t need a MeBox at all.
Popularity: 7% [?]
11 comments posted
Posted by Tim - 05/08/2007
It’s sort of interesting that immediately following a post about thinking about buying less, you have a post about using a MeBox. How about just a box? Available for free at most grocery stores or liquor shops, or from people around your town who have just moved and are getting rid of their moving boxes.
Though I have to admit, the pictures of the MeBoxes are really pretty and made me want to buy them. Darn it!
Posted by DaveTheWave - 05/08/2007
$40 for something you can buy for under $5 or better yet, get for free… Oh Vey…
Posted by Jerry Brito - 05/08/2007
One of our guiding principles here at Unclutterer is that simple living is not about monasticism, it’s about finding balance with the things you do have. In fact, if you do carefully choose the few things you have, I would argue it makes sense that they be luxurious. Can you get a box for free? Sure. Will it be as beautiful and sturdy as a MeBox? Certainly not. Is paying $7 for a box incompatible with living a ‘minimalist’ and organized life? Not in the least.
Posted by Gretchen Rubin - 05/08/2007
Hi–I LOVE Unclutterer — and what a great logo, too. Just wanted to let you know that I posted about your site on my blog, http://www.happiness-project.com, to help other similarly minded folks find you.
I think that having an orderly environment helps make for an orderly spirit. And it’s a lot easier to vaccuum.
May we both have a million readers. I’m off to poke around your archives.
Posted by PJ Doland - 05/08/2007
That price is for a set of 6 boxes. They also sell single boxes for about $7.00 each.
Posted by Erin - 05/08/2007
Tim and Dave — An ordinary box is fine. I just thought the MeBoxes were cute
And, if you followed the link, you can see that each box in the set is a different color, which speaks to my inner interior designer.
Posted by Tim - 05/09/2007
I agree that they’re very pretty. Careful though: all six boxes in the set are the same color. Though, you could get 4 individuals to get the color range.
Posted by Alex Fayle - 05/09/2007
I advocate clients to set up a MeBox for those things they just don’t want to decide what to do with.
And when people do go through the box, here are some questions they can ask themselves to help with those decisions:
Who gave this item to you?
What is important about this item?
How would you use it?
Where would you use it?
Why don’t you know for certain?
When will you make a decision to keep or get rid of it?
Cheers,
Alex
Posted by Sarah - 05/11/2007
Wow, this is so simple but I can totally see how this would work for me. This will free me from the piles of “stuff I need to decide on” that I can’t quite decide on… yet. Thanks for this site - I just discovered it (from Gretchen’s link actually!).
Posted by Damian - 05/17/2007
“One of our guiding principles here at Unclutterer is that simple living is not about monasticism, it’s about finding balance with the things you do have.”
Ooh! The Zen of buying stuff! How enlightened! Do you get a referral credit every time someone buys a “MeBox”?
Posted by Erin - 05/17/2007
Damian — If you read my comment above, I said that I only linked to these exact boxes because I thought that they were cute. A regular cardboard box could work just as well.
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