Designated Pocket and Cube of Forth

An everyday system, TM, is a simple, commonsense solution to an everyday problem, grounded by a pun or metaphor. Propose/discuss new systems here.
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reinhard
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Designated Pocket and Cube of Forth

Post by reinhard » Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:25 pm

These are mini-system successors to the long abandoned "Sieben Sachen der Wissenschaft." (a sensible effort, and I built on some of the underlying concepts as you'll see below, but ultimately insufficient -- especially when I stopped wearing a watch and was thus down to sechs Sachen :-))

I've been practicing these two new systems for a few months at least and am pretty satisfied with them.

The problem: Doodad Management -- how to keep track of the increasing number of electronic and other doodads one has to carry around constantly.

The solutions:

There are two, the first is for outside the home, the second for inside.

1. Designated Pocket: Each doodad has an assigned pants (or backpack) pocket. Whenever you leave the house you religiously stick each doodad in its assigned pocket. Advantage: you can feel with a pat of the hand whether you've got everything. Example: my wallet and cell phone go in my left pocket, my keys and audio recorder go in my right, my ipod and headphones go in my middle backpack pocket.

2. Cube of Forth (aka "Mobile Command Station", aka "Portable Spot"): This sytem requires a
"prop." My wife was getting tired of finding my doodads on every surface in the house, and got me a transparent plastic cube to keep them in. I immediately fell in love with the thing, and it made me realize why I hadn't been able to solve this problem before. It had always been obviously to me that the key to organization is giving every object an appropriate place. But objects that necessarily move from room to room frequently can't have just ONE appropriate place or you'd be running around the house non-stop retrieving them and putting them back, and multiple appropriate places gets unmaintainably complex. Cube of forth solves this problem by being a mobile appropriate place. Yes, there's now the danger that you will misplace ALL your doodads, but "putting your eggs in one basket" makes the basket a lot easier to find. I've never actually had a problem with this. The name is sort of D&Dish ("Cube of Force"). It's a cube of "forth" because, well, it's a cube, and you can move it forth. The D&D pun gives it an inspiring dose of nerd awesome.

They may seem like tiny, tiny behavioral tweaks, barely worthy of being called systems, things that a sensible person might do more or less naturally and automatically, but a) I'm not such a person and b) small as they are, they've made a big difference to me in terms of time saved looking for stuff, anxiety ("oh no, did I forget my phone?"), and interpersonal relations ("Honey, can you stop sprawling your stuff all over the counter!?!!").

Reinhard

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winnie96
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Post by winnie96 » Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:08 pm

I was intrigued by these ideas, knew there was a place for them in my scheme of life, and have been puzzling about exactly what that might be. I think I've arrived at a conclusion after trying the Cube/Pocket system for a bit. (My problem is slightly different in that it involves the transition from the Always-Accompanying-Pocketbook to a more mission-oriented selection of doodads to be taken offsite).

I always used to carry a fully-loaded pocketbook, kind of a default "Cube of Forth". There was no place I went that I didn't bring my trusty 25 lb purse, so I always knew I had what I needed, plus some! Until ... (a) my doctor suggested that strapping that thing over my shoulder might have something to do with my neck pain, and (b) I started walking much more and discovered the joys of just traveling with a light wallet in my pocket -- no cumbersome pocketbook to compromise my stride, or inspire purse-snatching.

However, as the number of doodads has grown, and since the doodads I take aren't always the same (depends on the mission), I have ended up at the grocery checkout with my credit card home in my purse, on a long drive with my license home in a closet in my parka pocket, stuck in traffic with my cellphone on the nightstand -- you get the idea.

So I pressed a little bin thing I had into service, and have made Laws:

-- All doodads reside in that bin when I'm home.
-- All pockets/pocketbooks are emptied into the bin 1st thing when I get home.
-- Each doodad has a designated pocket in coat or jeans.

So far, it's working really well, both for insuring that I leave the house correctly accoutered, and for in-house toting around of doodads.

My only regret is that the bin is sort of oval, not a cube, but next time I'm out shopping, will look for a something square. I find "Cube of Forth" an attractive name & concept, and really want to be using a cube!

So anyway, Reinhard, you've come up with another brilliant Everyday System! Thank you! (Is there any way we can have you put in charge of The World?)

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Tue Feb 24, 2009 7:40 pm

I'm glad these resonate with you, Winnie.

I'll consult my Dungeon Masters Guide (1979 edition!) for a suitable ovoid pun. I'm SURE it's in there somewhere. :-)

Reinhard

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la_loser
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Am I doing this and didn't know!? Cool!

Post by la_loser » Tue Feb 24, 2009 7:54 pm

So I guess that's what I do when I always designate specific area/pockets on my purse and briefcase/computer bag for specific things. My purse has multiple zipper compartments and I put little key rings with different charms on each so that I know that the "purple" one is the one where my lipstick goes and the pocket behind it is for keys; the larger charm indicates the zipper to open the largest part of the bag, etc. And so it goes.

The iPod Touch goes in the front velcro pocket and well, my phone, is never off my person so that's not an issue!

Oh, gee, am I organized and didn't know it!? Actually, I think I have a lot of "systems" in place including my "pile" system of organizing all the stacks of paperwork in my office. Don't touch it-I know exactly which pile to find what in!

I too have switched to a smaller everyday bag/purse but my solution to "what if I need something" is that I have put most of the excess stuff "that I'd normally carry but not necessarily always need but want to have it just in case stuff" in an old purse with lots of compartments and keep it in the trunk or under the seat so it's always available. And just as I stop carrying it, yes, I do indeed "need" something from it and there it is.

My son would be surprised at the D & D link!
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Post by BuckeyePink » Tue Mar 10, 2009 3:14 pm

We have a similar system for keys, but cuter. I found a 20 inch tall statue of St. Francis who is holding a small dish. Designed to be a bird feeder/garden dweller. We parked him by the front door (or on the kitchen table, temporarily) so when we walk in, the car & house keys are automatically dropped into St. Frank's bowl as our daily alms-giving. :D

For my work keys, I buy purses which have an outer pocket. The work keys are tucked in every evening as I lock my office door.
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Post by davestarbuck » Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:49 pm

I have a small bust of Sherlock Holmes that I throw my stuff in (keys,phone,pocket knife, etc.). If I don't grab it from there in the morning that item will absolutely not be on my person when I need it..

Now that I think of it, it's a bit ironic that I use Sherlock to help me organize, as his apartment on Baker Street was famous for being in disarray!!!

-Dave
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Post by Bushranger » Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:22 am

You could call the oval bin "The Black Hole of Calclutter". Cheesy? Oh yeah! Awesome? Oh yeah!

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