What I was going to say is that, in my experience, thrift stores are not actually full of stuff that’s great for organizing (YMMV based on the store in question). Going into a thrift store is dangerous for people trying to unclutter, because it’s easy to walk out with things you never intended to buy.

Last time I went (for sheets to use to cover my flower beds in early spring and late fall), I wound up with the sheets, a plate I use almost every day (good) and some children’s encyclopedias from the 1970s that I bought for the art (bad).

Obviously this has to do with personal willpower, but I find that thrift stores are the ultimate Impulse Buy Temptations, and I tend to save money by going to a store where I know exactly what I will find, where to find it, and what it will cost — I’ll get in and get out quickly. Stores like Big Lots also sell inexpensive storage options.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?query=helmer

Two of them stand next to each other, and the other two are stacked on top (on those I left off the casters these units have). They are perfect for sorting all kinds of office or crafts stuff or even clothing. I live in a one-room apartment with lots of bookshelves and hardly any drawers and always had small stuff lying around (still do, as a matter of fact, but far less…) and that helped a lot. In two of the drawers are underwear and socks which I used to have to dig out of a pretty unaccessible closet every morning.

They are pretty inexpensive for what you get. I bought them in white, you can also have silver and red. They are made of metal, so the side can double as magnetic board (or even the front, why not label them with magnetic-poetry-letters?). Each drawer can be taken out completely, so I can take one, use it for my project (my tools are in there as well) and put it back. Careful though, don’t pull them out too far by accident, the metal edges do hurt when dropped on your foot…

No matter how you dress it up, it’s still stealing. Now not only are you a thief, but you’re a dishonest, slimy, excuse-making one. Classy!

The thing about ethics and social mores is that our society collapses if we start ignoring the right thing to do and decide to just be out for ourselves.

Also, if you have kids, don’t teach them this garbage — rude, entitled kids are really, really annoying for the rest of us to have to deal with.

My local Goodwill is a treasure trove of storage options. Last week I found two arcylic jewelery containers from the Container Store, and four brand new Rubbermaid photo-sized boxes.

My pot shelves (no, the kind they build into these homes in the Southwest) are decorated with several large baskets used as long term storage. I have collected these over time at the Goodwill.

When I phase out one system or style of container, I automatically send the items back to Goodwill. It’s all one big circle of alternative consumerism.

One person misusing 10 boxes is one thing. But you are clearly suggesting that lots of people do it. Add it up.

They started printing the inside of the boxes because they wanted to stop people from using them inside out for other forms of mail.

They also make you check a box that you understand the boxes are for priority mail only.

Justify stealing all you want – it’s not right and I really hope no one takes your advice.

http://bit.ly/3RHljH

I did go back to storing my Holiday decorations in cardboard (off the floor of the basement) bec I read somewhere that plastic doesn’t let the air circulate (and I did have a few items discolor, so this is sort of a test run).

But MY FAVOITE is that I use the dresser in the guest room for wrapping paper etc. Smaller things like tape, sissors, gift cards in the top drawer, gift bags, tissue, bows and ribbons, small boxes and tubes of paper take up the rest. I love that it is all in one place when I need it and it prevents me from putting “clothes, I don’t wear but dont want to toss” in it. I had the wrap-n-craft and where they work great in theory, they didn’t give me the sence of ‘organized’ I wanted.

I have to say I am an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ person and cardboard boxes ‘hide’ items from me. I am in the process of converting items I currently use into plastic tubs and putting paperwork, etc in cardboard boxes.

Also, I have one of those fabric (stand alone) closets that you can get at Bed, Bath and Beyond and the like. We weren’t using it as a closet any longer, so we set it up in our extra room and stacked boxes inside of it to give a better appearance than just cardboard boxes stacked up..much more eye appealing.

Once they are lined up on a shelf, you see only the small front section of each holder, so that’s the only part you really need to cover or paint if you don’t like the cereal-box appearance.