Dealing with a “DOOM” Box

Have you heard about "DOOM boxes"? DOOM stands for “Didn’t Organize, Only Moved”? Here’s a great example:

They're boxes filled with lots of random stuff and they’re not organized or sorted in any way. They are often created as a quick way to clear up space when you're in a rush. And let's be honest, we've all had a "junk drawer" or a box of miscellaneous items at some point, right?

I confess that I have a few “DOOM boxes” in my home right now, too.  They were created when my much older sister died and I just was overwhelmed with it all, so I tossed it all in a box for “the future”.

TIP 1 = If you create it, you must DATE IT!

It is essential to date the box or bag so that you know how much time has passed since you made it. I guarantee you that the older your “doom” is, the quicker it will be to sort and toss most of the contents!

TIP 2 = WHY do you make them at all?

Was it a specific reason, like in my case?  Specific situations are because people were coming over, you were moving and ran out of time or you left your job and the box was the contents from your office.  

Or was the reason that you could not deal with it because of not knowing where things would go or even how to go about organizing them?

Knowing the reason WHY can help prevent “doom” boxes from multiplying like mold in a damp space.

TIP 3 = PREVENT “Doom” from happening.

BEFORE you start boxing things up, ask yourself a few questions. What exactly is it? And is it worth keeping? Can you make a quick decision on it? If it's junk mail, for example, you can easily throw it out. And if it has a place where it belongs, like a pile of mail on your desk, move it there instead of stuffing it into a box.

TIP 4 = Make a date to DEAL with your “Doom.”

Finally, make a firm plan to go through the box/s and put things away, whether it's right after a dinner party, within a month of moving in, or on the 4^th weekend of each month.

If you find yourself constantly boxing things up, it's time to address the root cause of the problem – having too much stuff for the space that you live in and not carving out time to make decisions.

By following these tips and taking a little time to think it through, you CAN prevent doom boxes from taking over your home.