Theory: re-evaluating storage systems and the significance of possessions

photographer unknown

It seems that the current prevailing methods of efficient storage are large multipurpose plastic bins with removable lids. These bins are successful in its accommodation of the growing number of toys whilst allowing parents the option of categorization. "Systems" of storage are thus almost defaults to the way in which clutter should be encountered. In other words: common conceptions deem systems as what is needed to efficiently and successfully cure clutter in child's play. It is however quite evident that a large number of children still despise the notion of cleaning up after play. This may partly be due to the problem that these storage bins are in fact most often adopted for ease of use by parents, and not at all suitable for small children.

Though it may be purely semantics, but the idea of "systems" seem far to do with the act of play, especially in the context of children, (which alludes more to a sense of spontaneity rather than a organized chronicle of events). Systems are in place to organize things in large quantities, so to discard the habit of systems we first should re-evaluate the things in which we need systems for.

It has occurred to me that issues concerning clutter stems deeper than that the methods used to organize. I was reminded to question the accumulation of artifacts as a necessary means to satisfy a child's need for enjoyment. We purchase different toys because each of them serves a different purpose; we purchase many toys because we wish for our children a variety of enjoyment. Furniture (that functions as tools for systems) are thus designed to be considerate of the many things that we need organize in result of our children's wealth of choices in toys.

What if we are to re-evaluate possessions and its inherent meaning as a personal artifact? A child's safety blanket or a particular stuffed animal, for whatever reason, is irreplaceable (and in many cases inseparable from the child) when compared with the rest of their possessions. Their "favorite" dolls or toy trucks or puzzles often provide more learning outcomes then a series of toys combined simply because the child is most familiar and comfortable with that specific toy. If we are to recognize this behavior of favoring, there wouldn't be any need for the collecting of related things. We can thus conclude that ideally the only way the cure clutter is to not have the excess of items to begin with.

Although an ideal theory, this favoritism of a selected few toys may be utilized to inspire the orientation of a child's stored possessions. If the design of a storage device takes in consideration not the amount of toys it would have to accommodate, but the importance of the toys that is to be stored, would then the approach to organization be different? It would, I believe, be less of a systematic way to organizing; instead it would offer a intuitive method to which a child can categorize his or her own belongings. Would this not be a more efficient way to tackle the inevitable mess created during acts of play?

The above is just a theory, literary support is in progress.