last updated: 2026-08-14
a little guide for lifechanging storage tips i've learned.
i'd argue a "temporary zone" is the most important thing in any space! it's a place where you can put things you don't know where to put anywhere else! or things you're too lazy to properly put back right away...
of course seeing a pile of things mount up on your temporary space should motivate you to return them to their proper location. or if they don't have a space, it should incentivize you to find a new location for them.
it also means anyone can use your workshop, get what they need, and not have to put it exactly where they got it from. in an ideal world you'd remember where everything went. in the real world: you have hundreds of little gizmos, and the worst thing that can happen is having important gizmos being returned to the wrong places!
this is the idea that: you should store items by where you first think they should go. for example if you have a spoon and your first thought is "kitchen cabinet" - there's no need to debate it any further. simply place it in the kitchen cabinet. similarly in your room you might have a place for your phone that you think is ideal. perfect. place it there. the idea is to have items placed where you instinctually will go find them.
if there isn't a location where an item can be placed instinctually? it goes in the temporary zone.
there are a few types of containers. small, medium, and large. these also have: open and enclosed versions. small items are anything that can fit in pencil cases or a small toolbox. medium items are anything from a drill to a keyboard. and large items are anything bigger!
open containers have no lid or holes in them, while enclosed containers can be fully closed without anything falling out. you want enclosed containers. because guess what? things get dust, and dirt, and moisture, and everything in between! the worst thing that can happen is for everything you have to be more messed up than you used them. which is why you want some containers to protect whatever is inside.
there are times where you want containers exposed. like containers in your drawers. your drawer is essentially a big enclosed container, so everything inside can have a small half-container to store items, but still easily accessible for you. or milk crates to store cans, or paint buckets, because that stuff is already enclosed.
as a general rule: i try to standardize my storage. this is difficult because companies love to make containers that don't work with other containers. my best solution has been short and long milk crates and a totes. a lot of them are designed to be stackable but you don't actually want your containers to be stacked. because anything stacked on top of your containers make them more difficult to access.
the ironic thing about storage, is that (i'd argue) you don't want storage. in fact: i think the goal should be to have the least amount of storage possible. the longer something is being stored, and the less often something is being used, the less the item actually matters.
this is a broad statement and not everything applies. for example i use a welder about once every 6 months - but the tool is still useful to have. and it's expensive and i don't want to throw it away. same with my passport which i don't use on a daily basis but when i need it? i want to make sure i have it around.
there's a slippery slope to this that you must reflect on. because the difference between garbage and valuables can be a bit blurry. childhood toys, old games, niche tools, unused pictures.
i'd actively encourage you to change your enviornment to value items you actually want to keep. instead of having your childhood toys in a box? display them on a shelf. instead of keeping the unused pictures in a bin? make a coffee table book and display it.