Comments on: Don’t forget your materials

By: 1-2-3 Pack Your Bag « Declutterer

1-2-3 Pack Your Bag « Declutterer — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 12:27:04 +0000

[...] Don’t Forget your Materials [...]

By: BB

BB — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:36:20 +0000

Thanks for the response Erin, that makes sense now!

By: allen

allen — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:41:40 +0000

I love this idea! I’m returning to school after a few years away, and I’m sure that the first few days/weeks will be heck-tick for me, forgetting stuff. I’ll have to work on a way to adopt this to fit my life…

Thanks!

By: Don’t forget your materials | Ben Brooks

Don’t forget your materials | Ben Brooks — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:14:07 +0000

[...] Link. [...]

By: It’s 5 O’Clock. Do You Know Where Your Tools Are? – Gearlog | A Bit Eclectic

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:09:57 +0000

[...] Unclutterer blog has a great low tech tip for keeping track of your stuff. When I was teaching, I helped a student with severe ADHD develop a system to help her get between [...]

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:32:55 +0000

I also use the tote-bag approach. I work a full time job and own a business with my husband so I am constantly carrying my multiple lives around with me (to go from one work to another requires not only a wardrobe change but a whole new set of supplies) between home/work/business. I sometimes have two tote bags, depending upon the amount of stuff I need, but I am always good about leaving them either in the car or in my way when trying to leave the house. I also use a color code for my supplies (hot pink for work, bright orange for business) so that I can easily spot anything I may need to transfer between locations. The totes help me because then I really only need to remember “1″!

By: gypsy packer

gypsy packer — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:22:47 +0000

What I want is a multi-tag, multi-vendor RFID or the equivalent for the home handyman or rental maintenance worker/department. My boss has lost numerous tools to undiagnosed meth monster maintenance men. He refused to allow me to put up a blackboard/whiteboard checkout because his brother would be insulted (bro “borrows” tools, too but my disabled boss has to keep him happy to get the work done).

The Ex ‘s litany of “keys, wallet, knife” is familiar. Knife is known as a “Georgia tool box” from Tennessee to S Fla. Duct tape is “Alabama body shop” , upholstery, or name your trade.

I have an organizer purse, dollar from the flea market, with numerous pockets. Grab it and I’m done, although half of its pockets have just been made redundant by Apple Apps.

Don’t some of those fancy camping towels come with pouches? Still waiting for the price to drop…

By: s

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:11:39 +0000

Thanks, Molly.
I actually hadn’t really thought of that. I don’t like to have too much “extra” stuff around. I use a fancy, quick-dry camping towel, but maybe having 2 is the right answer! I love it.

By: Molly

Molly — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:21:36 +0000

S- Why not have two towels, so one is in the gym bag and one is drying?

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:03:17 +0000

@BB — The numbering with dots is so that you know which tool is missing. It appears I left a line out of the above article that should have said to write down what object the numbers correspond to.

By: Mo

Mo — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:50:02 +0000

One thing that people are missing here is that often there are multiple people taking tools in and out of the truck. Multiple contractors, assistants, gophers, etc. and they are all likely working in different parts of the site.

This is also a good anti-theft system. (Which happens A LOT on job sites – including swapping your older drill for a newer one of the same model.) Just having to get the tag off, and knowing that the theft will be detected that day, would be a real discouragement.

Also – Ford and DeWalt are both market leaders in their fields.

By: crunchycon

crunchycon — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:30:46 +0000

I carry one of those fancy-schmancy leather totes for women, which serves as a purse on workdays, as well as holding my planner/files (and occasionally, my laptop). It has tons of pockets/loops/snaps for my keys (personal keys and classroom keys), phone, wallet, employee badge, glasses case and phone. Little stuff like lipstick/aspirin/etc. goes into a leather pouch which has its own leash and loop in the bag. Similar to 1,2,3, I make sure the pockets and such are filled appropriately before bed, and I know I have everything I need for the day. I can just grab and run.

By: Cliff

Cliff — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:42:18 +0000

I don’t think the counting trick would work for me. I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD recently (as an adult) and it does make sense now, looking back. But I never really left things behind. As long as I can remember, I always looked back behind me as I left a place — ANY place! even a public restroom, or a cafe where I was sitting drinking a coffee — so I guess that was my coping mechanism. Another thing that I generally notice, is that I take a lot longer to pack or unpack my “day bag” in whatever context I’m in. I’m currently in school again so I have created sub-compartments — a huge backpack; then, pencil cases and other sub-bags that zip up, each for related sorts of stuff. Larger mesh drawstring bags for gym clothes, smaller zip nylon bags (pencil cases at Office Depot!) for medicinals, for weird gadgets (gotta have that Swiss Army knife; and Leatherman; and ear plugs for concerts; and duct tape …); pencil case for post-it notes of varying sizes / colors (necessary for law school); etc.

This thread has been helpful for me to begin my own lifetime of learning coping skills about ADHD. I have known many people who left things lying about — one girlfriend left her running shoes on the subway every single day that she ever brought them to the university with her — but I never really left anything lying around. Once in a while, I guess. C

By: Another Deb

Another Deb — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:59:46 +0000

I do the marking trick when I hand out things to be used in class. All of my markers have a band of hot pink paint or tape on them so I know if someone is still using one.

Erin, your trick for counting items will certainly come in useful for the things I want students to have out in class as the day begins. It’s only two days into the school year so I have time to teach them a system! “PJP: Pencil, Journal, Plannner”

My husband and I always say “Touch the tickets” as we pull out of the garage heading for the theatre or the airport. This helps us confirm that we have them!

(A friend has taught her daughters the order of life mantra this way. It goes “college, marriage, babies”)

By: Onlinehandyman

Onlinehandyman — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:07:47 +0000

As a contractor I think that this is a great idea. I don’t leave a lot of stuff behind because I am very organized and systematic, but once in a while when I do it is very annoying.

I don’t like having to drive all the ways back to the job just to pick up one of my tools. However, I am relieved when I find it and would be really upset if I left a Dewalt product behind because they are kind of expensive.

I have seen a lot of good examples here and have considered using a checklist although I have not implemented the idea yet. So far I have been about 95% good at not leaving things behind just by using the mental checklist.

Interesting post – thanks!