Plastic Storage Box Addiction

The plastic storage box just may be one of the best organizational tools known to mom. You can see what you have without it being all over the place! See how Life as Mom contributor Deanna puts hers to good use.

Hi. My name is Deanna, and I am addicted…to plastic storage boxes with drawers.

It all started innocently enough. I have never been naturally drawn to organizing. Growing up and sharing a room with my extremely organized sister, it was not uncommon for me to walk into our spotless room…with my stuff (that had been previously obliterating the entire room) piled high on top of my bed. (Thanks again, sister dear.)

Moving on to college and then our first married apartment, I became a master stuffer. Throw into. Stuff down. My organizational system in a nutshell (stuffed into the nutshell, of course).

I always thought- it’s the space’s problem! If I had more space…or if I had more closet space…or a better system inside the closet…THEN I would be organized.

But then as we grew and grew and grew our family inside of a small home that we bought while still just a childless couple, I started to organize out of desperation. There are a lot of us in a tiny space. The closet space here isn’t horrible, but it isn’t ideal either (unless I am some day trying to sell you my house. In that case the closet space here is fan-freaking-tastic).

Plastic Storage Box Addiction

Over time my organizational skills have evolved from Master STUFFER to Master Plastic Storage Box With Drawers User. Baby steps, really.

It started with the toys…and then diapers. Everything was layered into a three drawer system. With labels. It then evolved to my closet. It became extremely necessary to stack a system into the pantry so that the granola bars could have their OWN SEPARATE DRAWER and didn’t have to touch the applesauces (the horror!) And then the linen closet- drawer for all of the pillow cases? Don’t mind if I do! And most recently, the craft dresser contents which were plastic drawered on up and then stored in the front closet (freeing up an entire corner in the Dining Room. SCORE.)

Last weekend, a friend asked me to come hang out and I was all like, “No thanks, I need to stay home and spend some more time with my plastic drawer systems.” When I went to the store to stock up on more drawers and because of space in the cart I had to choose between leaving behind a new drawer or a child at the store…I had to really think it through for a while.

I didn’t reorganize anything for a couple of weeks and started to get a bit twitchy. PLASTIC STORAGE BOX. MUST ORGANIZE NOW.

(okay fine…slight exaggeration taken here. I need a sarcasm font.)

The addiction began to grow.

I am addicted to these plastic drawers that take my “stuffed” items and neatly put them in a place of belonging. With a label.

I still don’t consider myself an organized person, but with (almost) 4 children in a small house, I rely heavily on my systems. And these systems are all comprised of…wait for it…plastic drawers.

The Living Room system tackles everything I need right before we walk out the door. Winter hats get one drawer. Gloves get the next. And diapers because…well, you know. The kitchen systems get constantly reorganized as the food staples call for it. And the bedroom systems? I’m just going to admit it- they probably need the most work.

photo source, used by license

Oh I almost forgot my favorite one. The bathroom system. Top drawer: kid socks. Next drawer: kid underwear. And then three drawers for each separate child’s shoes. They know which drawers to look into for their things…and where to help put away when the laundry is all folded and looking for a home.

A couple of weeks ago I tackled my linen closet which had been stuffed full of tablecloths, sheets, quilts, and lots of other stuff. Every time we opened the door things would fall out on us, and it became kind of a “danger zone BEWARE” situation. I swept in with determination, a plan, a hard hat, and….plastic drawers. After sorting through, throwing out, and plastic drawering everything up, I got super excited and texted a picture to a bunch of friends.

“Um…why are you sending me pictures of plastic drawers?”

“LOOK HOW ORGANIZED IT IS!!!!”

“Yeah, so…what?”

I forget that everyone doesn’t come from a background of stuffing. Because us stuffers? An organized plastic storage box is a dream come true. Spoiler alert: we no longer require hard hats to walk by the linen closet. Oh, AND I can locate anything I need within seconds. Mind. Blown. (But not by things falling down onto it from the top shelf. I know…amazing.)

I may be addicted to plastic drawer systems. But my house is sighing in relief and thanking me for it. I think it’s safe to say that this stuffer has been reformed (Until the next plastic drawer emergency arises. Baby steps.)

How do YOU feel about the plastic storage box?

Deanna is passionate about special needs advocacy and new motherhood- two things that go hand in hand for her right now. Three kids four and under, the oldest of which has Down syndrome- keeps her quite busy. But there’s always enough time left at the end of the day to write all about the insanity at her blog Everything and Nothing from Essex. And to laugh- always, always there is time to laugh.

Technically labeled a “special” mother, Deanna really finds nothing special about herself. Truly, special needs parenting is just about taking it one day at a time- enjoying the highs, sloughing through the lows, and stumbling through the mundane while drinking too much coffee. Read all of Deanna’s posts here.

Be sure to check out the entire Organization for Normal People series.