The Clutter Catch All

January 23, 2013

Among the staple features I find in nearly every home I visit (others include paper bags, old invitations, and jars of decrepit pens and pencils) is the clutter catch-all. Lurking most commonly on kitchen counters, these are trays, baskets, and jars filled with- there’s just no other way to put this- shit.

Pennies covered in dried up gum, one lego, five keys, none of which can be identified, at least two tubes of Chapstick, a broken earring, pieces of a broken glass tile, a broken miniature picture frame and broken ceramic cocker spaniel figurine, an unidentified electrical item, usually a cord, a plastic Buzz Lightyear toy, the souvenir of a fast food trip three years ago, a tin of mints, three M & M’s, at least three screws and four batteries– those are the contents of catch-alls the country over.

 

But don’t think the list is limited to just that. I’ve also unearthed from clutter catch-alls a random Porsche key (my client drove a Mercedes), old popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, stray vitamins and pills, a hearing aid, a bottle of personal lubricant, a Rolex still keeping time, runaway raisins, sugar packets, sand, dirt, crumbs, are you getting the picture? I couldn’t make this stuff up.

So here’s the deal with the catch-alls: they’re great in theory! Great as in, I’ve encouraged some people to use them in places like their entryways as a landing spot for keys, wallets, etc, on bedside tables for jewelry taken off just before bed, and so on.

There is a catch, though, with the catch-all.

There are two kinds of people in this world: the kind that can be trusted with a catch-all and the kind that sure as Heinz Ketchup can’t. The former will respect their catch-all. They will have established the items it will be a landing place for and will continue to use it for only those things over the course of many months. And then there’s the other kind of person.

The kind who says, “Yes! A place to toss all the stuff I don’t actually feel like making decisions about! So much better to throw it in this basket of overflowing crap than to actually have to face the fact that perhaps I should throw out this three year old mini halloween candy bar.” And also, hey guy, got any idea what’s in that basket of yours? “Like, umm, nope! Not a clue! Ha! Isn’t that funny! I don’t have any idea what’s in there to be honest with you!”

I sort of wish you hadn’t been.

So this is the key: be real with yourself about which kind of person you are. If you can realistically maintain a catch-all then it can be a wonderful organizational solution. If you lack confidence in yourself to do so, just don’t. Don’t give yourself the chance. Never have a catch-all. You’re banished and you heard it here first folks.

And if you, reading this now, have a catch-all that has gone all clutter, go empty it out pronto. Sure, go ahead and sort through the stuff on the off chance there’s a stray Porsche key hiding in there, but the rest of it? You can most likely just throw it all out.

The truth is that whatever it is, if it’s been squandering its dirty, dried up, broken existence at the bottom of a basket for the past year and a half without your even knowing it was there, it’s safe to say you don’t need it. You’ve been getting by fine without it.

Image credits: Vogue, Sunset, Sort Order Space, Jessica Love, Rollick House, Pointless Pretty ThingsHello Unknown

6 Comments

  1. Mary Catherine on January 23, 2013 at 5:38 am

    This is an amazing post! SOOOOO true. I think I have a few of these catchall baskets around my place (yes, I’m one of those people….) and will get rid of them ASAP. Thank you for the inspiration! Just found your blog and love it 🙂

  2. Crystal on January 23, 2013 at 7:47 am

    I don’t have catch alls for the simple reason that everything has its place and it needs to be put in that place. If I had a catch all, my family would use it and abuse it (a lesson a learned many, many years ago). So, everything has to be put in the proper room/place. It helps maintain my sanity.

  3. hausandhome on January 23, 2013 at 5:54 pm

    Oh I am a huge fan of catch all’s, mine don’t look this organized and neat though! I even have the leather snap one for when I travel!

  4. Serena Faber Nelson (@Pretty_Fluffy) on January 23, 2013 at 6:46 pm

    Ha ha – I can totally be trusted with a catch-all but my husband can’t at all 🙂
    So everything has it’s place in our house.

  5. delia on January 23, 2013 at 9:37 pm

    I have a clear cake stand that I use for my catch-all. It’s perfect.

    And I LOVE the monogram bracelet 🙂

    delia

  6. ashley on January 24, 2013 at 11:32 am

    what happens if you are the type of person who can be responsible with a catch-all, but your husband isn’t?? i can’t for the life of me keep him from putting his collar stays, keys, spare change, and batteries(???) in my tray.

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6 Comments

  1. Mary Catherine on January 23, 2013 at 5:38 am

    This is an amazing post! SOOOOO true. I think I have a few of these catchall baskets around my place (yes, I’m one of those people….) and will get rid of them ASAP. Thank you for the inspiration! Just found your blog and love it 🙂

  2. Crystal on January 23, 2013 at 7:47 am

    I don’t have catch alls for the simple reason that everything has its place and it needs to be put in that place. If I had a catch all, my family would use it and abuse it (a lesson a learned many, many years ago). So, everything has to be put in the proper room/place. It helps maintain my sanity.

  3. hausandhome on January 23, 2013 at 5:54 pm

    Oh I am a huge fan of catch all’s, mine don’t look this organized and neat though! I even have the leather snap one for when I travel!

  4. Serena Faber Nelson (@Pretty_Fluffy) on January 23, 2013 at 6:46 pm

    Ha ha – I can totally be trusted with a catch-all but my husband can’t at all 🙂
    So everything has it’s place in our house.

  5. delia on January 23, 2013 at 9:37 pm

    I have a clear cake stand that I use for my catch-all. It’s perfect.

    And I LOVE the monogram bracelet 🙂

    delia

  6. ashley on January 24, 2013 at 11:32 am

    what happens if you are the type of person who can be responsible with a catch-all, but your husband isn’t?? i can’t for the life of me keep him from putting his collar stays, keys, spare change, and batteries(???) in my tray.

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