Containers are perhaps the most important tool in our organizing arsenal. Whether as small as a basket for our car keys or as large as a bedroom closet, containers help us to corral clutter, create homes for the things we use daily and store the things we use less often. Though they are many and varied, containers have essentially three key components.
The form they take. Form refers to a container's physical attributes -- things like size and shape. In addition, containers can have features like lids or handles and can be rigid or yielding enough to allow for extra expansion. The form a container takes can draw us in or turn us away and can make the difference between our storing things well and wishing we'd made a different choice.
The function they serve. Function is exactly what it sounds like -- the purpose the container serves. This doesn't have to be carved in stone, though. Using containers (including furniture pieces with shelves and drawers) in creative ways can mean making a better connection between our styles and our storage. A shelving unit, for example, can serve myriad function, from storing books to storing clothing or shoes.
Their style. A container's style comes from its aesthetics -- color, texture, pattern, uniqueness. Sometimes we want containers that match or blend; other times we want something that's unique or unusual. This container attribute may seem frivolous but, think about it. Aren't you more likely to use a container you like than one you don't?
All of these attributes matter. How much each one matters depends on its use (function), our available space (form) and personal taste (style), along with our personal and organizational styles. To create successful, sustainable organizational systems, we want to choose containers that appeal to us on all three levels, and that are a good fit for our space, our taste, and our style.
Finally, when it comes to containers, bigger isn't always better. Choosing containers that are the right size for what we currently own, but with a little space for future acquisitions, helps us to fight the urge to acquire more than we need, as well as protecting valuable space in our homes.
As I look around my office, I can see that my containers help to create a unified color scheme (black and white, with pops of color), while serving my I need to see it and drop and run styles. I can immediately tell which ones are overworked (the file holder on top of my table) and where another container might be needed (the floor is not a permanent home for my books), as well as those that have become catch-alls (the top drawer of my shelving unit).
Our containers help us do exactly what they promise -- contain things -- but they're only one tool in our organizing arsenal. Fortunately, there are plenty of containers out there -- each with its own form and style -- to fit nearly every function, taste and, of course, style, in every sense of the word.
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