“Clutter isn’t just the stuff on the floor, it’s anything that gets between you and the life you want to be living.” This saying by famed Australian organizer Peter Walsh is a profound one. It speaks to the hundreds of little details that get tacked on to our to-do lists and add stress to our already over scheduled lives. While we can’t always take things completely off our plate, there are tools at our disposal that we can use to virtually declutter our lives. All-in-one platforms, for example, allow us to create a digital inventory of our physical assets that we have at our fingertips 24/7. Here are some things people include in their digital inventory, and how having one of your own can make your life easier.
Everyday Items: You’re still working from home and realize you’re out of paper on the day you need to print something out. Your teenage daughter suddenly announces she’s a vegan and presents you with a new grocery list. You need these things right away and don’t have time to wait for Amazon. Now, though your day is packed, you have to run to the store. Creating a digital inventory can prevent these kinds of stressful surprise interruptions. You simply list (and/ or upload photos of) items you typically need to the platform, then assign their purchase as “tasks.” Whether you do your own shopping or have staff to do it for you, including such things in your digital inventory will ensure your house runs smoothly.
Valuables: Many items such as artwork or automobiles need professional maintenance – yet another thing that must be arranged and/supervised on a regular basis. Creating a digital inventory of these items keeps them top of mind and allows you to assign their care as tasks to yourself, family or staff members. You can also upload pictures and other information about each item, including their value, to build a provenance, which allows you to respond quickly if someone would like to purchase them.
Wardrobe: If you’re a clotheshorse, you know it’s easy to forget what you have, especially if you’ve collected couture or classic items that one keeps for many years. Usually you remember them at the most inopportune moments, for example, when you’re dressing for a meeting and realize the perfect dress or shoes are packed away in a box somewhere, or even in another home. Having a digital inventory brings the fun back to your wardrobe. You can take pictures of each item (or have someone do it for you), and upload it to the platform. Whether you’re preparing for a luncheon with friends or a vacation overseas, you can pull up the entire library and choose exactly what you need. You can also let staff in other homes know if they need to ship an item to you or your destination.
Initially, creating your digital inventory may take a fair amount of work, especially if it’s been years since you took stock of what you own. Once you get past that hurdle, however, you will find it frees up hours a week, maybe even days. Moreover, it allows for seamless communication with anyone who has permission to access the platform, so they can do their jobs more efficiently, and within a safe space.
