Starting to transfer to a spreadsheet instead of my usual paper notebook I list all my electronics in to get a grasp on all my parts (towers, laptops, memory, motherboards, videocards, etc). Lately I’ve been on a kick of labeling all my shelves (medicine, linen, kitchenware) and trying to sort things into random plastic bins I’ve had laying around waiting for a purpose.
I realize I could dive into deep rabbit holes for every category. With electronics I’m thinking of documenting every chip, board, and component along with compatibilities. Pantries and personal goods could be inventoried and auto-reordered, better tracking of my tools and materials with service reminders for equipment, etc etc.
I’ve gone through years where I throw everything away and get rid of anything not used recently and years where I horde everything and anything. Seems moderation in both is key and why keeping it all in mind and documented seems like the right thing to do if you have the time to kill.
tldr, what tips or tricks do you use to keep up with all your shit?
I think this is a good question for a therapist. I mean no disrespect. Feeling the need to label shelves with the things on them sounds like a compulsion. As does oscillating between hoarding and purging and several other things you said. A therapist can help you manage these desires and keep you out of the rabbit holes.
Holy crud, that’s a new hot take. Changes that occur over decades and because of different living conditions doesn’t account to “oscillating” if you actually read my comments. Also, you’ve apparently never lived with multiple people and a large pantry, this is just basic organization like a linen closet your grandparents had. You didn’t have to label them in the past because usually a singular person was in charge of placing everything (never heard of the husband trope that can’t find anything?).
The difference between what I would “imagine” a good organizational setup to be versus what I’m willing to actually do is a huge gap. If you had any clue about my actual life the compulsion comment would be rather hilarious. I would suggest not looking at a few internet comments and immediately telling someone to seek therapy with an arm-chair diagnosis you’ve deemed responsible, that in itself seems like an unhealthy disorder.