There are many fabulous organizing products available. I enjoy browsing at the Container Store, Storables, and office supply stores the same way other people love shopping for shoes. But we need to be wise shoppers here like everywhere else. Like everything in any store, you should only buy something that fills a need you already have. We just add to our clutter if we buy a lovely container, and then ask ourselves what we could put in it. Companies are constantly inventing new things to make money, not necessarily to fill a need. Sometimes they attempt to create a need, or encourage you to save something you really shouldn’t.
Today’s horrible example: a Baby Tooth Memory Book
I can’t believe there is more than one company selling these. And describing them as “Heirloom Keepsakes.” Unless you are the heir to a throne, no one will want your baby teeth, other than the tooth fairy. (This actually made me lie awake wondering if Queen Elizabeth’s baby teeth are saved somewhere.) If the tooth fairy wanted to keep them, a matchbox or pill bottle would be a smaller- and cheaper- container. Maybe the first tooth would fit into the baby book with a lock of hair. but this sort of product just encourages hoarding.
In my humble opinion, the only thing that you should keep that comes out of your body is a baby. And even that will move out of your house in due time.
I submitted this idea to one of my favorite organizing websites, unclutterer.com. Every Wednesday they feature a useless unitasker product, and they agreed with me about this one April 10. If you decide to check out Unclutterer, also have a look at their serious post of April 11, Nine things to organize before a tragedy. Great advice.
