It's hard enough to store the stuff you actually care about, don't add on the burden of storing all the packaging that came with it too.
Assorted tips:
- You are not beholden to the manufacturer's idea of ideal packaging. They are optimizing for entirely different problems than household storage. You can modify anything or throw it away entirely if it works for you.
- For items which come covered in plastic backed by a large piece of cardboard, such as toothbrushes and batteries, cut off the excess cardboard. It's usually there for hanging or display. Unless you also make a habit of hanging things, it's only going to make things harder to store.
- If something comes in multiple layers of packaging, only keep the inner one. This is particularly common with bags in boxes or round containers because they're easier to ship and stock in stores that way. Exceptions include if you need the labels on the external packaging or it's useful, such as for protecting something delicate. Bathroom products are a common offender.
- Decant only for ease of use, not space. Decanting often takes up more space because you're transferring from flexible bags to rigid containers, and creates problems with managing excess. Unless the original packaging is unreasonably bulky, you'll only create more work for yourself.
- Prioritize adaptable storage. Ziploc bags are fantastic because they take up the space they need and no more. Many rigid containers, such as boxes, will take up space quickly.
- Keep soft things in boxes so they don't flop around everywhere. Note that this probably shouldn't be the original box, but a much larger one so you can still get the space savings of the individual soft containers.
- Consider the amount of packaging you'll have to keep when buying products. It shouldn't be your primary concern, but it can make the difference for common generic goods like cleaning supplies.
- Individually packaged and portioned items which come in large bags can be grouped together into one bag when each bag is running low. Large, almost empty bags, will take up disproportionate space unless you corral the material somehow.
- Take off stickers and labels if you don't need them. It's just visual noise, enough of them will make a space feel more full than it is.
- Rew
Nightly Notes
Occasionally I notice how much of the trash I'm throwing out is unnecessary packaging, and something inside me slowly dies. It's not even about the environmental harm, though it certainly doesn't help. It's the idea that there was an entire process to manufacture the packaging, all that energy and logistics and material and space spent so I can have the great privilege of traipsing down to the bins to throw it out.
I've received boxes the size of my torso which were 70% air, 10% crumpled paper for padding, and 20% boxes for the things I actually wanted. What a waste.
Surely we all have better things to do than this.
- Rew