Are You a Packrat?

Due to the popularity of several television shows, the affliction of hording has been gaining more attention. Although hording isn't something that's new, it has recently received more attention and this has raised awareness of this obsessive compulsive behavior. However, just because a person has "packrat" tendencies does not necessarily mean that they are a hoarder. In fact, in today's challenging economy, there's a lot to be said for keeping a stash of useful items that you might be able to put to good use, instead of simply discarding them. Whether you've always considered yourself to be a packrat or have been told by friends and associates that you seem to have packrat tendencies, here are some tips that can help you get better organized.

Separating the Useful from the Useless

The ability to separate items that are truly useful from those which might simply be useless trash can often be difficult for those who have packrat tendencies. Before you stash yet another cardboard box or plastic container, ask yourself what you plan to do with the item. If you have an obvious need or a clear plan for using the item, then there's no problem with keeping it. However, if you have already saved more of one particular item than you'll probably ever use, then it might be time to stop saving more of that item.

Separating useful items from trash can be especially difficult for the creative person. A highly creative person can generally see useful qualities in almost any item. While an empty egg carton might look like trash to most people, the crafty individual might see it as a valuable piece of crafting material. However, if you plan on saving items for scrap crafts and other purposes, it's vital that you find a good organizational strategy that works for you.

Devising Workable Storage Solutions

Good organizational strategies and creative storage solutions are both vitally important to the person who has packrat tendencies. Storage solutions should be well organized, attractive and safe. However, this doesn't mean that you have to spend a lot of money on fancy containers, shelves and organizers. There are plenty of homemade storage solutions that can work just as well. For example, although plastic or metal organizers work great if you want to keep your magazines and crafting instruction sheets under control, you could also make a similar storage container from an empty cereal box. Instead of buying pricey storage racks, try stacking inexpensive plastic milk crates on their sides to form a collection of storage cubicles.

When storing your items, always make sure to keep safety in mind. You should never stack anything too high, especially if it is heavy, breakable or potentially dangerous. Additionally, be sure to keep all stored items a safe distance from heat sources such as heating vents, stoves or portable heaters.

Clear storage containers and easily readable labels can also improve the efficiency of your storage strategy. After all, it doesn't do any good to save something if you can't find it later when you need it.