(Video link HERE.) I LOVE this video! Filmmaker/designer Casey Neistat describes his great Intuitive Categorization Method for organizing his tools and little stuff. I’m loving it especially because it showed up right on time, in time, this morning.
I’m in a big studio cleanup and just ordered some nifty, inexpensive plastic boxes with adjustable sections to reorganize my jewelry tools and supplies.
The surprise challenge has been that although I had decided to organize them one way, the materials demanded that I organize them in a another, more intuitive way. “Function follows form!” they shouted.

I capitulated to their niggly little metallic, glass and stone suggestions, and now all that remains is to figure out how to label them. I’m liking the polka dot, color code solution. Something about all that scribbly writing on the exposed boxes is offputting. Like having a cereal box in the middle of the breakfast table, ads and ingredients hollering at you. Am I being overly sensitive?
NOT. Whatever works, is what I’m going with.
Editor’s Note: Intrigued by Casey Neistat‘s very cool, markable red plastic boxes…

…we tracked ’em down at Amazon (or something very close): Akro-Mils Red 12-Inch ProBox Plastic Tool Box. Akro-Mils makes several styles of red (and other) storage bins.
A life change has me embarking on a massive studio reorganization and clean-out — perfect timing, as always! Have always found using word labels intrusive, and label my flat files with snips of what’s in them. Example: the water color paper drawer has a snip of water color paper (colored with a light wash) paper in the label holder.
I’ve long used a tackle/tool box some of my crafts stuff–one for sewing gear, the other for knitting doodads. On another topic, I’m in the process of moving my desk/work area from the bedroom to the living room or kitchen. Lots of thinking and improvising going on. Stay tuned.
You will love this: http://www.ted.com/talks/alexa_meade?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2014-08-02&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_content=top_left_button
Linda – Thanks for the link! The effects are spectacular, but I’m puzzled and want to delve further to understand if and how the final results actually exist – in real time and space. Great suggestion.
Susan
What a wonderful idea for labeling files. I hate seeing type as well. A bit of the material is a great idea and tells you immediately.
When I was a food stylist, I used giant tackle/tool boxes that at the time, you couldn’t buy in NYC. I had to wait for a trip to West Virginia where they really used those things. They had accordian drawers that pulled out for little stuff like tweezers and thread, and an open lower area for big tools like spatulas and strainers. Still have ’em, just in case.