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Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
70,218
13,607
126
www.anyf.ca
I'm a hoarder due to Inattentive ADHD. I solved it like this:

1. Single spreadsheet called MLOE ("Master List Of Everything"). Google Drive, searchable. 5 columns:

Quantity | Part name | Bag number | Bin number | Notes

For example:

6x | HDMI cables | Bag #4 | Bin #2 | Various length HDMI cables

2. Everything that fits goes in a 27-gallon yellow-top tote bin, unless I use it on a regular basis. Everything goes in a Ziploc bag (1, 2.5, or 5 gallon). Every bag gets labeled with painter's tape. Each label has the MLOE #, Bag #, and Bin #. I can find anything I own instantly as a result. Big stuff goes on a shelf with a painter's tape label.

3. They sell storage racks or you can buy plans on Etsy so that you can slide the bins out. I use the "reverse sorting" procedure: dump the whole bin out on a table & then put each bag back in until I find the one I want, then slide the rest of the bags back in the bin. I do a lot of hobbies with tons of parts (cooking, 3D printing, computers, home theater, etc.). This way my workspaces stay clean & usable for instant access & my inventory requires zero rummaging.

Everything I own is on that spreadsheet. I only use labels on the storage bags & bins. If I buy something new on Amazon (ex. cherry pitter), it gets an MLOE #, bag #, and bin #. I add it to the spreadsheet & then I'm done forever! That way next year I can dig it out for the summer & actually FIND IT!!

View attachment 127564

I've actually thought of building an inventory system for all my stuff, especially parts in quantities like electrical parts, cables, plumbing parts, electronic parts etc where they could just go in numbered bins and if I need something I lookup which bin number. It would be so much work to set that up initially but it would be way more organized than just having my stuff all over the place and having to look for stuff each time. I'm especially bad for tools, nothing really has a specific home so they just get left where they were last used. Then when I need a tool I need to recall what was the last thing I did with it so I can find it. The fact that I own like 5 hammers, 3 drills, and other duplicate tools shows that I'm not always successful. :p
 
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Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
50,927
6,868
136
That's a library of congress #kitchenlord edition.

So if you want a spatula, you search the MLOE, find the bin, bin location, which sub-box and eventually you find the spatula?

Nope. I keep my daily stuff in the kitchen. I have a very small half-galley kitchen so I have to be selective:

1. I have my daily hand tools in their designated spots (drawers & utensil holders)

2. I have my most-used appliances (my landlord did let me gut the pantry for all of my robot ovens a few years ago!)

3. Everything else goes into easy-access storage (instant spreadsheet lookup) in the bin/bag system or on a rack shelf.

Separate from cooking for fun, I treat meal-prepping as a daily chore:

1. I plan once a week, which simply means picking out 7 individual thigs to make, one per day, then go shopping for what I need.

2. Each night before bed, I clean up the kitchen, print out the recipe, get the tools out, and get the non-perishable supplies out. My Inattentive ADHD makes me quit easily, so if I get home from work & I have to clean uo first, forget it lol.

3. After work each day, I cook just one small batch to divvy up & freeze. The recipe is pre-selected, so no indecision or decision fatigue. I already got most of the stuff out & already went shopping for what I needed, so there's no rummaging around for what I need. I tend to use tools like the Instant Pot, Anova Precision Oven, and Ninja Creami to do the work for me.

Math:

1. A single batch typically yields 8 servings.

2. An average month has 30 days.

3. One 8-serving batch per day times 30 days = 240 servings in my deep freezer every month, for what mostly amounts to pushing some appliance buttons every day.

Simple dinner:

1. Pressure-cook frozen corn-on-the-cob. Set to 4 minutes. Takes about 15 minutes total with preheat. Butter, Maldon sea salt, freshly-cracked black pepper.

2. Plain chicken breast. Score with a knife in a grid pattern to make a cool texture. Airfry to 165F with a wireless thermometer in it. Use a silicone brush to baste with Frank's hot sauce halfway through. Flip & brush on honey mustard sauce 5 minutes before finishing. Top with garlic sauce & drown in more honey mustard sauce.

Literally a few minute's worth of pushbutton work. This would cost me $19 at a restaurant locally. People wonder why I get all jazzed up about stuff like the Instant Pot:

1. Excellent ROI, VERY hot deal! I have 3 Instant Pots. Typically do meat, rice, and veggies in parallel. Usually do them from frozen. No babysitting required while they cook!

2. Pushbutton repeatability...find a recipe you like, lock it in, perfect every time!

3. Literally minutes of active, hands-on effort. I can't focus for 20 minutes to watch a pot boil & cook macaroni lol. My Instapot Kraft Mac & Cheese recipe takes longer (30 minutes), but there's no stirring or draining involved (and it comes out better!).

The average family of 4 in America spends $15,000 a year in food. $4,000 of that is food away from home. An Instant Pot is $99. I saved so much money from not eating out as much every month when I adopted meal-prepping a few years ago that I bought a Mustang lol.

1753233676909.png
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
50,927
6,868
136
I'm not gonna lie I kind of love this but there is not a snowballs chance in hell I would ever be able to convince my wife to even try this. Her idea of kitchen organization is shove it in any drawer that fits.

I was the same way...I was a "piles of stuff" hoarder my whole life because I didn't know where to put stuff. My house was a dumpster fire most of the time. An endless sea of computer cables & parts, kitchen gadgets, etc. The goals were:

1. Keep my work surfaces clean 24/7

2. Keep the daily stuff in designated locations (drawers & utensil holders), That way I could effectively clean up because everything actually had a place.

3. Everything else went in a bin:

a. Single 5-column spreadsheet for all physical belongings. Doubles as an insurance log in case my house burns down!

b. "Living space" stored items (ex. spatulas, silverware, toaster, etc.)
c. "Storage space" items (90% yellow bins on racks - must be able to slide out, NO STACKING because then it's to hard to get to). Store bins in the attic, basement, garage, shed, under stairs, etc.

Instant LUT™ system: ("Look Up Tool)

1. CTRL + F search spreadsheet

2. Find bag & bin

3. Go get it! Slides right out

I spent a lot of time reading organizational books & watching the Hoarder's TV show. I was really more a "piles" person than a full-on "hoarder" (no dead animals, trash, etc.); in the ADHD world we call those "doom piles". I simply didn't have a system & was too mentally tired to figure it out my whole life! Now everything I buy gets a "Place of Honor" in either a Living Space (ex. my tongs or pancake spatula) or a Storage Space (ex. yellow bin #4, plastic bag #7, under the basement stairs, on a rack...the spreadsheet has a 2nd tab that has a list of all bins & their location).

It's the dumbest, easiest, most brilliant personal organization system I've ever used lol. I've completely eliminated "finding stuff" from my life! I also use Tile Trackers because my brain still gets hazy & misplaces stuff, so I have Tile keychains & stickers on my lunchbox, work bag, keys, etc. For your wife, if she saw you use the system & trusted it, she might adopt it too! My wife does a lot of crafting. We bought an 18" raised bedframe with a tall bed skirt & keep her 27-gallon totes under the bed so that she doesn't have to go to the basement to get stuff.

House stays clean, can find anything INSTANTLY! I recommend just buying one tote or wire rack a week & slowly filling it up so that it';s not a monster hassle. I like it for odds & ends too...I just bought a gas swing-arm for my computer monitor so that I could get more space on my desk. I threw the spare parts & instructions in a bag, tagged it with the MLOE/BAG/BIN numbers, and added it to the single lookup spreadsheet. No clogging up any drawers, no being MIA when I need it!!

 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
50,927
6,868
136
I've actually thought of building an inventory system for all my stuff, especially parts in quantities like electrical parts, cables, plumbing parts, electronic parts etc where they could just go in numbered bins and if I need something I lookup which bin number. It would be so much work to set that up initially but it would be way more organized than just having my stuff all over the place and having to look for stuff each time. I'm especially bad for tools, nothing really has a specific home so they just get left where they were last used. Then when I need a tool I need to recall what was the last thing I did with it so I can find it. The fact that I own like 5 hammers, 3 drills, and other duplicate tools shows that I'm not always successful. :p

Get a 3D printer:


Print a custom Multiboard system:


1753236060901.png
 
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Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
70,218
13,607
126
www.anyf.ca
Are those style containers standardized? My only worry with building something like this is you break one down the line then can't get an exact replacement. It would bother me so much if one ended up different and didn't fit the same way anymore.
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
50,927
6,868
136
Are those style containers standardized? My only worry with building something like this is you break one down the line then can't get an exact replacement. It would bother me so much if one ended up different and didn't fit the same way anymore.

No. I always get mine from Home Depot because then they are the same. Sam's etc. all have their own slightly different sizing. Which works fine on a wire rack that just acts as a shelf, or if you custom-build a solution that allows for some flexibility. These are the plans I have:

 

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,942
403
136
I was the same way...I was a "piles of stuff" hoarder my whole life because I didn't know where to put stuff. My house was a dumpster fire most of the time. An endless sea of computer cables & parts, kitchen gadgets, etc. The goals were:

1. Keep my work surfaces clean 24/7

2. Keep the daily stuff in designated locations (drawers & utensil holders), That way I could effectively clean up because everything actually had a place.

3. Everything else went in a bin:

a. Single 5-column spreadsheet for all physical belongings. Doubles as an insurance log in case my house burns down!

b. "Living space" stored items (ex. spatulas, silverware, toaster, etc.)
c. "Storage space" items (90% yellow bins on racks - must be able to slide out, NO STACKING because then it's to hard to get to). Store bins in the attic, basement, garage, shed, under stairs, etc.

Instant LUT™ system: ("Look Up Tool)

1. CTRL + F search spreadsheet

2. Find bag & bin

3. Go get it! Slides right out

I spent a lot of time reading organizational books & watching the Hoarder's TV show. I was really more a "piles" person than a full-on "hoarder" (no dead animals, trash, etc.); in the ADHD world we call those "doom piles". I simply didn't have a system & was too mentally tired to figure it out my whole life! Now everything I buy gets a "Place of Honor" in either a Living Space (ex. my tongs or pancake spatula) or a Storage Space (ex. yellow bin #4, plastic bag #7, under the basement stairs, on a rack...the spreadsheet has a 2nd tab that has a list of all bins & their location).

It's the dumbest, easiest, most brilliant personal organization system I've ever used lol. I've completely eliminated "finding stuff" from my life! I also use Tile Trackers because my brain still gets hazy & misplaces stuff, so I have Tile keychains & stickers on my lunchbox, work bag, keys, etc. For your wife, if she saw you use the system & trusted it, she might adopt it too! My wife does a lot of crafting. We bought an 18" raised bedframe with a tall bed skirt & keep her 27-gallon totes under the bed so that she doesn't have to go to the basement to get stuff.

House stays clean, can find anything INSTANTLY! I recommend just buying one tote or wire rack a week & slowly filling it up so that it';s not a monster hassle. I like it for odds & ends too...I just bought a gas swing-arm for my computer monitor so that I could get more space on my desk. I threw the spare parts & instructions in a bag, tagged it with the MLOE/BAG/BIN numbers, and added it to the single lookup spreadsheet. No clogging up any drawers, no being MIA when I need it!!


I asked Gemini for feedback on your post:

This forum post details a highly organized and systematic approach to decluttering and maintaining order, particularly effective for someone who previously struggled with "doom piles" (a term often associated with ADHD).

Here's an analysis of the post:

I. Core Problem & Motivation:

  • Problem: The user identifies as a "piles of stuff" hoarder, struggling with disorganization due to not knowing where to put items. Their house was a "dumpster fire," characterized by an "endless sea of computer cables & parts, kitchen gadgets, etc."
  • Root Cause (Self-Identified): Lack of a system and mental fatigue to figure one out. The user explicitly links this to the "ADHD world" and "doom piles," suggesting a neurodivergent perspective on organization challenges.
  • Motivation/Goal: To achieve a consistently clean and organized living space, specifically:
    1. Clean work surfaces 24/7.
    2. Daily items in designated, easily accessible locations.
    3. Everything else systematized for storage and retrieval.
II. The "Instant LUT™ System" - Key Components:

The user developed a multi-faceted system built on clear categorization, accessible storage, and a digital lookup tool.

  • Categorization:
    • "Living Space" Items: Daily use items (e.g., spatulas, silverware, toaster). These get "Places of Honor" in drawers, utensil holders, or other easily accessible areas.
    • "Storage Space" Items: Less frequently used items. These go into bins.
  • Storage Philosophy:
    • Bins: Primarily 90% "yellow bins on racks."
    • Accessibility: Crucially, bins must be able to slide out, NO STACKING, to prevent accessibility issues that lead to "doom piles."
    • Location: Attic, basement, garage, shed, under stairs, etc.
  • The "Look Up Tool" (LUT™):
    • Single 5-Column Spreadsheet: This is the core of the digital indexing system. It lists all physical belongings.
    • Dual Purpose: Serves as an organization tool and an insurance log.
    • Retrieval: CTRL + F search the spreadsheet to find the item's bag & bin number, then retrieve.
  • Integration of New Items: Every new purchase immediately gets a "Place of Honor" in either "Living Space" or "Storage Space" and is logged in the spreadsheet.
  • Addressing ADHD-Specific Challenges:
    • "Instant LUT™" for "Finding Stuff": Directly tackles the common ADHD struggle of misplacing items or forgetting where things are stored. Eliminates the mental fatigue of "finding stuff."
    • Tile Trackers: A supplementary solution for items that are frequently misplaced despite the system (keys, lunchbox, work bag). Acknowledges that a system helps, but neurodivergent brains might still have "hazy" moments.
    • Slow Implementation: Recommendation to buy "one tote or wire rack a week" to prevent overwhelm and "monster hassle," catering to potential executive function challenges.
III. Perceived Benefits & Success:

  • "Dumbest, Easiest, Most Brilliant": The user's enthusiastic description highlights its simplicity and effectiveness for them.
  • Elimination of "Finding Stuff": A major win, directly addressing their past struggle.
  • Clean House: The ultimate outcome.
  • Positive Impact on Spouse: The wife adopted a modified version of the system for her crafting supplies, showing its adaptability and potential for household-wide benefit.
IV. Influences:

  • Organizational Books: Implies research into existing methodologies.
  • Hoarder's TV Show: Used to self-identify and differentiate their "piles" behavior from clinical hoarding, understanding that their issue was a system problem, not a pathological inability to discard.
  • ADHD Community: The term "doom piles" and the acknowledgment of "mentally tired" are strongly suggestive of influence from ADHD-focused organizational strategies.
V. Analysis & Takeaways:

  • Personalized System: This isn't a generic "KonMari" or "Marie Kondo" approach focused on discarding, though decluttering is a byproduct. It's a highly personalized system designed to manage belongings efficiently, especially for someone who struggles with traditional "put it away" methods.
  • Digital Indexing as a Game-Changer: The spreadsheet/LUT is the unique and powerful element here. It externalizes the "where is it?" memory function, which is often a major hurdle for individuals with ADHD or executive dysfunction.
  • Accessibility is Key: The "no stacking" rule is crucial. If retrieval is difficult, the system breaks down.
  • Understanding vs. Labeling: The user clearly understands the why behind their past disorganization, moving beyond just labeling themselves a "hoarder" to understanding the underlying cognitive challenges.
  • Practical & Actionable: The post provides concrete steps and actionable advice (e.g., buy one tote a week, use a spreadsheet, Tile trackers).
  • Relatability: The user's honest self-assessment and enthusiastic sharing make the post highly relatable for anyone who struggles with disorganization, especially those with ADHD.
In conclusion, this post is a valuable share from someone who effectively tackled significant disorganization by developing a pragmatic, digitally-aided, and accessible storage and retrieval system, specifically tailored to overcome executive function challenges.
 
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Reactions: Kaido

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
50,927
6,868
136
I asked Gemini for feedback on your post:

This forum post details a highly organized and systematic approach to decluttering and maintaining order, particularly effective for someone who previously struggled with "doom piles" (a term often associated with ADHD).

Here's an analysis of the post:

I. Core Problem & Motivation:

  • Problem: The user identifies as a "piles of stuff" hoarder, struggling with disorganization due to not knowing where to put items. Their house was a "dumpster fire," characterized by an "endless sea of computer cables & parts, kitchen gadgets, etc."
  • Root Cause (Self-Identified): Lack of a system and mental fatigue to figure one out. The user explicitly links this to the "ADHD world" and "doom piles," suggesting a neurodivergent perspective on organization challenges.
  • Motivation/Goal:To achieve a consistently clean and organized living space, specifically:
    1. Clean work surfaces 24/7.
    2. Daily items in designated, easily accessible locations.
    3. Everything else systematized for storage and retrieval.
II. The "Instant LUT™ System" - Key Components:

The user developed a multi-faceted system built on clear categorization, accessible storage, and a digital lookup tool.

  • Categorization:
    • "Living Space" Items: Daily use items (e.g., spatulas, silverware, toaster). These get "Places of Honor" in drawers, utensil holders, or other easily accessible areas.
    • "Storage Space" Items: Less frequently used items. These go into bins.
  • Storage Philosophy:
    • Bins: Primarily 90% "yellow bins on racks."
    • Accessibility: Crucially, bins must be able to slide out, NO STACKING, to prevent accessibility issues that lead to "doom piles."
    • Location: Attic, basement, garage, shed, under stairs, etc.
  • The "Look Up Tool" (LUT™):
    • Single 5-Column Spreadsheet: This is the core of the digital indexing system. It lists all physical belongings.
    • Dual Purpose: Serves as an organization tool and an insurance log.
    • Retrieval: CTRL + F search the spreadsheet to find the item's bag & bin number, then retrieve.
  • Integration of New Items: Every new purchase immediately gets a "Place of Honor" in either "Living Space" or "Storage Space" and is logged in the spreadsheet.
  • Addressing ADHD-Specific Challenges:
    • "Instant LUT™" for "Finding Stuff": Directly tackles the common ADHD struggle of misplacing items or forgetting where things are stored. Eliminates the mental fatigue of "finding stuff."
    • Tile Trackers: A supplementary solution for items that are frequently misplaced despite the system (keys, lunchbox, work bag). Acknowledges that a system helps, but neurodivergent brains might still have "hazy" moments.
    • Slow Implementation: Recommendation to buy "one tote or wire rack a week" to prevent overwhelm and "monster hassle," catering to potential executive function challenges.
III. Perceived Benefits & Success:

  • "Dumbest, Easiest, Most Brilliant": The user's enthusiastic description highlights its simplicity and effectiveness for them.
  • Elimination of "Finding Stuff": A major win, directly addressing their past struggle.
  • Clean House: The ultimate outcome.
  • Positive Impact on Spouse: The wife adopted a modified version of the system for her crafting supplies, showing its adaptability and potential for household-wide benefit.
IV. Influences:

  • Organizational Books: Implies research into existing methodologies.
  • Hoarder's TV Show: Used to self-identify and differentiate their "piles" behavior from clinical hoarding, understanding that their issue was a system problem, not a pathological inability to discard.
  • ADHD Community: The term "doom piles" and the acknowledgment of "mentally tired" are strongly suggestive of influence from ADHD-focused organizational strategies.
V. Analysis & Takeaways:

  • Personalized System: This isn't a generic "KonMari" or "Marie Kondo" approach focused on discarding, though decluttering is a byproduct. It's a highly personalized system designed to manage belongings efficiently, especially for someone who struggles with traditional "put it away" methods.
  • Digital Indexing as a Game-Changer: The spreadsheet/LUT is the unique and powerful element here. It externalizes the "where is it?" memory function, which is often a major hurdle for individuals with ADHD or executive dysfunction.
  • Accessibility is Key: The "no stacking" rule is crucial. If retrieval is difficult, the system breaks down.
  • Understanding vs. Labeling: The user clearly understands the why behind their past disorganization, moving beyond just labeling themselves a "hoarder" to understanding the underlying cognitive challenges.
  • Practical & Actionable: The post provides concrete steps and actionable advice (e.g., buy one tote a week, use a spreadsheet, Tile trackers).
  • Relatability: The user's honest self-assessment and enthusiastic sharing make the post highly relatable for anyone who struggles with disorganization, especially those with ADHD.
In conclusion, this post is a valuable share from someone who effectively tackled significant disorganization by developing a pragmatic, digitally-aided, and accessible storage and retrieval system, specifically tailored to overcome executive function challenges.

Dang, that thing is more wordy than I am!

FYI Marie Kondo gave up after having children:


Kids = fatigue from being a mom 24/7/365 = need energy to maintain a clean home.

My system = a place for everything & thrn just "reset" the room/bin back to the blueprint, as designed.
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
31,761
31,752
146
This would cost me $19 at a restaurant locally. People wonder why I get all jazzed up about stuff like the Instant Pot:

The average family of 4 in America spends $15,000 a year in food. $4,000 of that is food away from home. An Instant Pot is $99. I saved so much money from not eating out as much every month when I adopted meal-prepping a few years ago that I bought a Mustang lol.
This is the way.

We recently bought a bunch of stuff on Prime Day. Replaced my 8? year old ARLO wireless camera system with the newer 2048x1080 cameras. I liked the magnetic mounting system better than the slip on one they use now. The arm does not articulate as much as I'd like.
 
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JM Aggie08

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2006
8,364
960
136
Picked up a Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 24 last week. Got $100 off for members' week at Lowe's and had ~$1k in Lowe's gift cards from work. Super excited.

The biggest differentiation between the WW PRO and other pellet grill is the smoke box. There's a box in the middle, just above the fire, that can be filled with wood chunks/chips to add more smoke flavor. Based on what I've seen, this DRASTICALLY diminishes that gap between the kind of BBQ you can get out of an offset vs a pellet smoker. It should be arriving Friday -- will report back on my first cook.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,511
10,028
126
DarnTough is having a sock sale, and I got 16 pair of socks for <$60. Says it ends in ~2hr. I recommend these socks very highly, and you won't touch these prices anywhere else.

edit:
Bullshit link removed. Sorry :^(
 
Last edited:

thestrangebrew1

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2011
3,926
660
126
DarnTough is having a sock sale, and I got 16 pair of socks for <$60. Says it ends in ~2hr. I recommend these socks very highly, and you won't touch these prices anywhere else.

This is awesome. They have some great socks and customer service is top notch (I think I posted something about them a few months ago) Anyways bought 10 pair for $58. Mostly some no show socks, but a few hiker ones as well. Screaming deal!
 
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Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
22,048
6,330
136
Proper term is "Butler's pantry", except mine is "Butler's basement" lol

View attachment 127574
I had something like this in my last house. Gave away tons of stuff, took a ton to the dump rather than move it. I found tools that I hadn't laid a hand on in thirty years. Never again. When I think about buying anything durable my first question is "where am I going to store it?" To much crap is a curse.
My garage is my workshop, I refuse to have it become a storage unit. I've actually designed sort of a stealth storage unit for my back yard since sheds aren't allowed in my HOA at this time. Just so I have a place for garden equipment.
 
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Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
33,121
12,533
136
DarnTough is having a sock sale, and I got 16 pair of socks for <$60. Says it ends in ~2hr. I recommend these socks very highly, and you won't touch these prices anywhere else.

so i googled darn tough socks when i got home...there's

and

which one is the "right" one? :eek: note the difference in the URLs - darntough vs. darntough-socks
 
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