Maximalism and Organization

 I was flipping through a magazine yesterday when I came across a layout of a table set in a cacophony of colors and patterns — an example of maximalism, according to the piece.

I’d never heard of maximalism. After a few minutes of pondering, I went to my favorite search engine, where I discovered the maximalism is indeed a design style, exemplified by the idea that more is more. More colors, more patterns, more quality and quantity, according to one site.

As you might have concluded by my use of the word “cacophony” in the first paragraph, this style does not appeal to me, but that’s immaterial. There are lots of styles that don’t appeal to me; that doesn’t mean that they should be banished from anywhere except my own home. But another question quickly arose in my mind.

Does maximalism have a place in organizing?

Since decluttering and downsizing are both key parts of keeping our stuff under control, it would seem that the answer would be no. “Let it go” is, after all, one of the key elements of STYLE, which would seem to indicate that more would not be more when it comes to organizing. When we have too much stuff for our space, minimizing what we have would seem to be called for. And once we have gotten that quantity under control, we need to store all of those things.

And that’s where maximalism might just come into play. While the function of a container is arguably its most important attribute, the look of the container plays a role as well. We’re more likely to use -- and perhaps even more motivated to use -- things we find attractive. Colors, textures and patterns can add a lot to a space and can also serve as visual reminders for what goes where.

Recently, I bought a new tote bag. I didn’t need it but this particular item (which, not coincidentally, matches my favorite planner) kept calling out to me and so, when it went on sale, I splurged. Every single day when I pick up this bag and take it to work, it makes me happy. Part of the reason for that is that it distributes the collection of miscellany that I carry back-and-forth to work quite nicely, making it easy for me to haul what I need to from place to place. 

But honestly? One of the biggest reasons that I like it is because it’s pretty -- a black tote bag with white polka dots that adds a lovely pop of pattern to solid outfits. 

Do I change my tote bag, swapping it out each day to find one that matches my outfit? I do not. On its own, this tote bag works well for me on both an organizational level and an aesthetic one. Consequently, some days, I'm a walking example of maximalism as my tote bag bounces on my hip alongside a patterned sweater, jacket, or pair of pants. 

Hmm. So much for my personal ban on maximalism.

When we struggle to get organized or stay organized, we need tools in our arsenal that make the task fun. And if that means choosing a wide variety of non-matching containers, each of which we love for not just its function but its beauty, then it seems silly to quibble over whether or not things match. And, if we also happen to have a style that is visually driven (I need to see it), and/or benefits from using distinctive or unique organizers (I know I put it somewhere), crossing "it matches" off our list of attributes might even be an advantage.

While I lean more toward minimalism than maximalism, and you won’t find me espousing the joys of bringing as much stuff as possible into my home or setting up a row of containers that don’t at least complement each other in terms of style or pattern, I definitely see the potential value of maximalism, particularly with it comes to choosing storage systems. I have two caveats, though: there can't be so many containers that we can’t remember where things go, and the look of the container shouldn’t outweigh its function.

Beauty is, after all, in the eye of the beholder. And Organizing by STYLE is built on the idea that each beholder should be true to his or her styles.

4 Things to Consider Doing This Fall

 I have always loved this time of year -- the time when we return to classrooms and learning and all things back-to-school. For one thing, back-to-school coincides with fall, which is my favorite season (even if my allergies protest). Second, it's a great excuse to freshen up our supplies of notebooks, writing implements, and all things stationery. 

But, perhaps best of all, the start of a new school year feels like a fresh start. We talk about spring cleaning but, personally, I feel more motivated to get my house in order in the fall. Here are a few of my favorite fall organizing tasks, inspired in no small part by the spend-free week I wrote about a few weeks ago.

• Switch the closet from summer to fall. Living in Central Pennsylvania, I find that this happens gradually because summer temperatures often persist well into the start of the school year. But, since I work in education, it also happens organically as I pull out clothes to wear to work, only to discover they no longer work. I often don't recognize that items that are too big, too small, too tired, or too blah are taking up space in my closet until I pull them out to wear to work and immediately discard them. Making the donation box the next stop for those pieces I threw on the bed in frustration before leaving the house helps to ensure that my closet is up-to-date. Or, at the very least, it means I won't keep reaching for the same sub-par items because they'll no longer be there. 

• Try something new. As a big fan of the one in/one out rule, I saw an opportunity in all of those discarded clothes. I've been subscribing to a clothing box for seven years (my present to myself when my daughter started college and I needed a little empty nesting pick-me-up) but, lately, the boxes have looked more like the donation pile than wardrobe staples. So, I decided to try another service. I loved the first box (which I got to try with a $20 credit) and I could put a few new pieces into my closet guilt-free because I'd made room for them with all those clothes that went from closet to me to bed to donation box. If you're not into clothing, you can try something else -- a new hobby, a new class, a new hair style (or color), a new organizer...the possibilities are limited by only your imagination and your budget.

• Unsubscribe. While you're weeding the closet, why not weed out your email inbox? When I did my spend-free week (actually closer to two), I don't know why I was so surprised that most of the incoming junk mail was an obstacle to modest spending (via an invitation to spend or donate money), but it was an eye-opener. I never want to miss a coupon or a sale but, if I don't need something, not buying it is cheaper than any sale. And, if I need it, I know where the store (or website) is. Meanwhile, all of those emails are simply temptations that wear us down. The first one is easy enough to delete, but the more of them we see, the more likely it is that we'll click (and buy). If I unsubscribe, I don't see them, making me less likely to buy things I don't need.

• Buy a little peace. As a rule, I don't set up notifications for apps. My phone dings, buzzes, and plays songs often enough as it is. But a long time ago, in the interest of being conscientious, I set up notifications for my work mail. They're visual, not auditory (they pop up on my Home Screen or Lock Screen), which makes them less distracting, but do you know what would make them even less distracting? Not having them at all. So, in late August, I bit the bullet. I turned the notifications off, and I don't miss them at all. Now, I check email on my own terms and, because I'm not distracted by newsletters, announcements, and junk mail, I do it less frequently and more efficiently.

In his book When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, Daniel Pink talks about opportunities for fresh starts. For me, I think the back-to-school fresh start is the best one of all.

What will you do to organize your space, your life, or yourself this fall?