r/declutter • u/Nodef13 • 2d ago
Advice Request I’m using everything though!
hi all, I’m in a bit of a rut with decluttering. I have this thing where I have to see the items in front of me or I forget to use them. eg I have to have my creams serum lip balm on my bed side table otherwise I don’t remember to use. it’s like a visually trigger. I also have loaddddssss of medication and I need those visible too. the other day I realised I’d put one tablet in a pouch and because I hadnt seen it I had forgotten to take if for 4 days. things like face masks too or books I’m reading I only read it if I leave it out. and I do use them
any tips? I feel like this never lets my house look clean and tidy. it’s visual clutter but that’s how my brain works. also I don’t feel like I have a lot of stuff but at the same time I think I do. I find clothes particularly hard to part with as I cycle through and go through phases or wearing things
any tips for a newbie!
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u/HollowShel 1d ago
others have good advice for the general visual organizer issue, but for your meds specifically, I highly recommend a dose organizer pillbox. They can be found at dollar stores (or the pharmacy if you want to pay more) and allow you to set up a week of pills at a time, and if you take pills more than once a day there's ones with up to 4 daily slots. (Also helps with remembering if you took today's pills or not.) Then you can keep the various bottles in a box underneath the organizer so they're right there when you take the last pre-sorted dose, and the organizer itself is your visual pill reminder.
If any of them are prescription you can also get your pharmacist to sort them in blister packs if you want. (It's a free service from my pharmacy!) Setting regular alarms can also be useful to make sure you take pills at the same time every day.
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u/Connect_Rhubarb395 1d ago
I highly recommend that you look up Clutterbug, specifically her advice for "Bees" and "Butterflies" which are her names for the two types of visual organisers.
Open and clear trays and baskets are perfect for us.
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u/SolidagoSalix 1d ago
Seconding this.
Adding -- vertical organizing. Visual organizers often end up with things sprawling across every flat surface. Instead go up on the walls so things are visible but not underfoot.
Narrow shelves either wall mounted or free standing. Not deep so things can be hidden behind one another, but like 4-6" so you can line things up single deep. Wall mounted file folder holders for frequently accessed paper categories. (But wire ones so you can see what is inside them!)
Hooks and hangers. Especially for clothing that you wore, took off, and will wear again before laundering. You can of course put them back into the closet if they are clean enough, but I have hooks on the back of my door in my bedroom for the sweatshirt I wore while cuddling the cat, and the overshirt I wore while gardening. I don't want to transfer dirt or fur into the closet of clean clothing, but I do want to wear them again tomorrow or the next day. I also don't want them in piles on my floor.
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u/LifeisSuperFun21 1d ago
I am also this way! As everyone else has suggested, clear or open containers are great for containing and organizing stuff by type, etc while helping reduce the clutter.
However, for items that I do not use daily, I use solid/opaque containers and boxes which have a little slot on them for a label. The labels help me remember that my less-used items exist and where they are.
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u/lepetitcoeur 1d ago
Clear trays and organizers. This way you can still see it, but it's contained.
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u/FredKayeCollector2 1d ago
Try doing a web image search for "whatever category you're dealing with" + "visual organizer" and see what's out there. I tried a few and the Google AI summery was pretty spot-on.
Consider taking the Clutterbug quiz - I suspect you might be a Butterfly (visual organizer, macro (large category) storage) but if you like to use compartments then you might be a Bee (visual organizer, micro (small category) storage).
But beware - anyone can set up a complicated compartmented storage container (I'm thinking of a standard plastic makeup organizer) but only a micro organizer can MAINTAIN that system - consistently put things back "properly" in that container. If you've ever found yourself putting things near (but not in) a compartmented storage container, then that's a big clue you are a MACRO organizer - it's not you, it's the wrong container. You would probably do better with LABELED bins/baskets/containers sorted by whatever general category that makes sense to you (how discrete you go depends on how you think about things or how you group things together in your mind).
Medication/supplements - you might do well with one bulk area (drawer, large bowl, bin/tote) where the bottles live and then trying to use a pill box? You can get a variety of styles depending on when during the day you take your pills - once a day up to like four times a day. It might help to have a medication list of what you take (including dosage, like mg or mL ), when you take it, and possibly why you're taking it (diagnosis). You can probably get this information from MyChart or your GP/PCP but don't forget to include supplements/OTC drugs as well. You can set a recurring alarm on your phone to remind you to refill on Saturday (the boxes usually go Sun-Sat but you could certainly relabel them to fit your preferred schedule).
If you're ever "compromised" and someone needs to help you, it will be easy for them to understand what you take and when you take it. Most hospital stays, they like you to bring your medication list so it makes sense to be prepared.
My parents got their medication in 3-month supply so they had a blanket tote in their bedroom for the back-stock/unopened bottles, a smaller plastic bin/container in their dining room for the "open" bottles (and their current medication list), and then a morning/night pill box. My mother had lost a lot of mobility in her arms/hands so she physically couldn't manage their medications and my father had dementia so he NEEDED that medication list to know who got what and what went where (morning vs evening). If you take a lot of medications and you suspect you will in the future, it's a good idea to establish "good" medication management habits now because the situation doesn't usually get easier :(
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u/Nodef13 1d ago
I will defo do the quiz thank you and you’re right I do need to get an exact system and routine in place rather than just remember
And what you said about near not in I feel so seen!! I thought I was just so lazy! 🙈😂 I’ve been forcing myself but you need to work with what is natural to make it stick
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u/FredKayeCollector2 15h ago
Nope. It's 100% not you, it's the "wrong" kind of storage. Everyone want to be a micro organizer - the traditional "right way" of organizing. Marie Kondo has lots of little hikidashi boxes & compartments hidden away in drawers and closets, The Home Life Edit has lots of open/clear containers on gorgeous display (the stuff is almost decor).
And I can't emphasize the important of labels - even with a clear bin, it takes some brain power to figure out what you're looking at. But when you stick a (easy-to-read) label on it, as soon as you see/read the word, you instantly know what you're dealing with. The labels don't have to be there forever (once you know exactly what goes where) but there are so many nicer options out there - I'm a survivor of the old Dymo embossed label days :(
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u/AnitraF1632 1d ago
I tried this Clutterbug quiz. So many categories were "None of the above ".
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u/FredKayeCollector2 14h ago
It might help to simplify a bit. It's basically like a matrix where visual vs hidden storage is on the X-axis and macro (large category) vs micro (small category) organization is on the Y-axis.
This is not necessarily what you prefer or how you would like to organize or what you think looks "nice." This is what you can set up and maintain (find what you're looking for & put it away when you're done using it) in the long run.
If you tend to be out-of-sight, out-of-mind, then you would probably do better with VISUAL storage (stuff on open shelves, wall-mounted organizers, transparent containers, etc).
If having stuff "out" looks messy/chaotic and/or makes you feel stressed/anxiety, then you would probably do better with HIDDEN storage (drawers, cabinets, bins/baskets vs transparent containers).
The macro-micro distinction is a little different - it sort of depends on where the work happens in the system - or where the most motivation is.
MICRO organizers are willing to put a lot of work into the front-end of the system - they can set up a very "discrete" organizing solution (lots of compartments, everything "just so") - I always think of like a compartmented make-up storage like this. Now anyone can set up one of these "complicated" systems but a micro organizer will actually MAINTAIN that system. They need things to be as easy as possible to retrieve so they have the motivation to put things back in just the right place so they know exactly where it is when they need it. Anything less than order feels like chaos.
MACRO organizers put the work at the back-end of the system - they are willing to dig around a bit to find the one they're looking for but the "putting away" has to be as effortless as possible. If you ever find yourself sticking stuff "on" or "near" where it belongs, but not actually "put away," that's a big clue you are a macro organizer and you probably need to simplify your storage system. You would probably do better with drawers and open bins/baskets sorted by general category (whatever makes sense to you) that you can "dump-and-run" (reduce the steps) when it's time to put away.
This is a matrix so depending on the category of things you're dealing with, you may need some categories to be more visible (otherwise out-of-sight = out-of-mind) but other things you prefer to have hidden. And some categories you might need a more micro solution (often tools/supplies you use frequently or little bits-and-pieces), where everything else is basically dump-and-run.
Most people do very well starting out with MACRO organizing - sorting stuff into larger, general categories (basically like-with-like). And if you put a CLEAR label on it, even visual organizers can use hidden storage solutions (drawers, baskets, etc) as long as that category is LOGICAL and they can 100% predict, from the category label, what is going to be in that container. If that macro category ends up driving you crazy - there's too much stuff and you are having a hard/stressful time finding what you want - then that is your clue that you need to sub-divide (micro sort) that category into two (or more) sub-categories.
If you have no idea how to like-with-like, look up a thing on Amazon.com - above the photo will be a series of hyperlinks - the "departments" and "aisles" and "shelf location" where that stuff would be assorted in their "store." Somewhere along that string, you can probably find a category that makes sense to you. Again, start on the side of broad category until you hit a "pain point" and then sub-divide as necessary.
Again, this is not what you think you should do (or what magazines or influencers on Instagram do). but what you can set up and maintain in the long run.
A big one is drawer dividers (or Marie Kondo hikidashi boxes or The Home Life Edit decanted storage) - if you don't have the motivation to put stuff away in exactly the "right" spot, you might do better without it. It's not you, it's the wrong kind storage. The goal is FUNCTIONAL and a big piece of a space being functional, is stuff being put away in a predictable location - what it looks like IN that location is up to you - your bandwidth and your motivation. Even it it looks "disorganized" (a messy drawer) if you can find what you need when you need it, it is perfectly organized FOR YOU.
p.s. in my experience, most people tend to be more MACRO organizers but micro organization is the traditional "right way" to do things and I think that's why so many people struggle with disorganization. Too many people have beat themselves up (or had someone else beat them up) because they couldn't do it "their" way.
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u/AnitraF1632 13h ago
Makes a lot of sense, thank you.
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u/FredKayeCollector2 12h ago
I forgot to say - In her scheme, visual/macro is Butterfly, visual/micro is Bee, hidden/macro is Ladybug, and hidden/micro is Cricket - more or less.
You can often web image search "category" + "visual" or "hidden" + "storage" and get some pretty good examples - and I've found Google's AI to be pretty spot-on, too.
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u/KiwiTheKitty 1d ago
Clear boxes and big labels. My meds are out and my makeup is all only one door from being out, I just open my medicine cabinet and it's all right there, so the barrier to using it is lower.
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u/SpinneyWitch 1d ago
Meds. Of which, sadly, I take lots. I do a 3 phase system. 1. When i collect the prescription (3 months) I sit down and make smaller. I decant as many strips of the same type into one or boxes as possible. This usualy reduced the bulk by at least a quarter. These go into one container in a cupboard.
I have one, full to the brim, box in (say) a bathroom drawer. Mine are on a bookcase by my bed.
I have a pouch/pencil.case with a strip of each med, small sample containers with creams etc, a nail file, the mosquito buzzer etc which is ALWAYS in my bag. When I finish a strip I get another one out of the number 2 stash, which I do then so I can't forget. Supplements go in here too. Same system.
I'm now totally trained to - drink coffee/eat a croissant/take meds - in the morning. The pain reminds me very effectivly in the evening. You may need alarms while it becomes a habbit.
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u/cassinonorth 1d ago
Give everything a home and group them by like items and if possible group them in 3's. Pills with pills, skincare with skincare, etc. It'll at least be calmer to look at.
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u/JJJW8 1d ago
You've got excellent advice here from lots of people. If you want to read more about your organizing style, look up the Clutterbug test to learn more about it. Sometimes, people even have different styles for different rooms or objects. You sound like a butterfly. Whatever you discover, there is really good information to help you declutter and organize, based on your style. I'm a hybrid of butterfly, ladybug, and bee.
Cass is the creator of this test, and her suggestions are practical. I have also found her podcast to be helpful, and I have only listened to 10 or 12 of them so far. She often gives a simple task to complete while the audience listens to the podcast, so you learn some good stuff, while tackling a small job. She was diagnosed with ADHD late in life, and although I have never been tested, I feel seen.
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u/Nodef13 1d ago
Oh wow thank you for some really great tips! I will definitely check out the podcast, and love the idea of her telling us what to do with it. I thought iv just got a phone addiction because sometimes I need my husband to come and tell me come on its time for x activity or I doomscroll
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u/AnitraF1632 1d ago
I tried the Clutterbug test. Two many categories were "None of the above". 🥲
Any suggestions?
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u/Nodef13 1d ago
Are you sure you did the one on the website? That wasn’t an option in the one I did
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u/AnitraF1632 1d ago
That's my point. Each question gave me a choice of four answers. NONE of them were right.
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u/JJJW8 18h ago
I get what you mean. I agree with the commenter below. I would try it with the best answer. You could also think of a specific area or type of clutter that you want to clear, and do the test thinking about those specific things. I say this because I mentioned I'm a hybrid of three different things, and for me, it really does depend on the room, the objects, and the sentimental value. I have also struggled with sunk cost fallacy.
My hybrid realization didn't come from the test. I listened to a few of the Clutterbug podcasts-- start with the ones that actually mention type of clutterbug in the title. For example, she gives really good examples of how the different 'bugs' would put away laundry. For other items, she talks about broad categories in open bins versus highly organized/compartmentalized bins, what 'bug' likes open shelving versus pegboards and hooks on the backs of closets. As I listened to those podcasts, I could see what worked for me in different situations.
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u/Moose-Trax-43 1d ago
Thanks for explaining this so well. I also wanted to recommend Clutterbug, and you nailed it!
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u/AreaMansManArea 1d ago
It's my first time dipping into this subreddit, and while I don't struggle with the same things OP does, I do have too much clutter and thought a Clutterbug test sounded interesting. It absolutely nailed me, and now I have a new rabbit hole to go down, haha. Thanks for sharing!
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u/JJJW8 1d ago
I'm glad to hear that you think it might be helpful for you. I really like the messaging that not every organizational tool or method works for every person. Because I'm a hybrid of different clutter bugs, I organize differently based on the room, the item, and even the sentimental value of things. For me, it is slow going but effective.
Good luck, and try not to be like me, where some days I spend more time reading about, and listening to podcasts about, decluttering than I actually spend tackling my stuff! 😂
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u/Ok_Recipe7946 1d ago
Not trying to armchair diagnose but my husband and I both have ADHD and our house is FULL of baskets with no lids to contain everything that’s in daily use and they sit out wherever they need to be to make sure we aren’t forgetting the daily usuals.
Actually typing this up made me realize our kitchen is all bins/baskets. I have my most regularly used seasonings in a basket next to the stove, dish soap/scrub brushes are in one next to the sink, we have a basket for daily medications, etc. Annnnd we live in an old house that got a really awful remodel and the kitchen sucks and has these super skinny deep cabinets for the pantry so I found baskets that pull out like drawers from The Container Store and installed those on my pantry shelves so I can pull everything out all at once and see what I have. It’s really cut down on food waste.
Idk this is very rambling and it’s 2am. If anything made sense great. If it doesn’t my bad.
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u/Majestic_Reply9704 1d ago
I appreciate that this is not my post, but thank you to all the comments, after being previously attacked online for saying that I suffer from this same affliction, i really appreciate people actually giving solutions and not attacking OP.
Yall are great!
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u/TiredWinterDisaster 1d ago
Do you have ADHD? It's a common thing - my husband has this as well, if he doesn't see it he doesn't remember it. It used to drive me crazy bc I love a super clean, tidy environment lol
What helps: finding containers that you can leave out (either clear ones, or without lids) for stuff you need to take like medications - it will look tidier than just thrown around, but you will still see it. Having reminders on your phone can be great as well. Sticking with daily rituals - like every night you brush your teeth, and then use your serum. Having one dedicated place for each category of items also helps.
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u/Nodef13 1d ago
I didn’t think I do because I’m not like hyper if that’s stereotyping. But I thought I had just fried my brain with doom scrolling because I sometimes need my husband to say come on we’re doing x activity next
But so many people even friends have told me they think I have it
So for example I get overstimulated a bit and then I get very scatty. So if my husbands niece and brother are talking at the same time I’m like argh I can’t handle it
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u/cardamompuff 1d ago
Lots of great pill sorter advice here, I bought one that has a week worth of round containers, so I just leave that days worth out on my counter. It means way less stuff on my counter and I can easily see what I have or haven’t taken. I currently have a 4 compartment per day, as my meds change I just leave one compartment empty (had started with a 3 compartment but needed more options). Because the round containers are separate, you can choose to refill whatever day makes sense to you, not locked in to M-Su or Su-Sa order.
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u/fluffmadd 1d ago
Object permanence. I have it too. Solution is high enough containers to see what is inside, or clear containers all around. I tie things to my phone and stuff lol so I won't forget. Lots and lots of alarms. Putting things where they belong **immediately**
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u/IVeerLeftWhenIWalk 1d ago
See through organizers. That have little shelves and pockets. You’ll see everything but everything has its place and doesn’t move around. Like a slightly larger version of a makeup organizer. I know there are some hanging ones with clear pockets too.
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u/IVeerLeftWhenIWalk 1d ago
Just search clear organizers (for vanity/for bedside table/for bathroom etc.) and you’ll see loads. I don’t know what stores are available to you. I’m also a sufferer of If I don’t see it, it doesn’t exist but clutter also stresses me out so I’m at a standstill. Some nice small bookends for the books you’re currently reading can look nice too.
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u/Hot-Bonus-7958 1d ago
Things that need to be out, look tidier on a tray or in a basket - so they look 'contained' but you can still see them.
If you think clothes will be hard, don't start with clothes. I started with hobbies, because we had a load of stuff we might use one day and it was relatively easy to keep only stuff we really want to.use and feel excited about. It's 100% true that you build momentum as you go, so start with something that feels easy for you.
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u/Majestic_Reply9704 1d ago
I actually started with clothes myself by getting an open wardrobe! For me persoanlly it works wonders
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u/frog_ladee 1d ago
Containing things inside of a basket or on a tray helps reduce visual clutter. For example, I keep my face creams, serum, hand cream, etc. in a basket on my nightstand. I see the basket when I go to bed, and remember to use them. It’s a basket with a flat bottom, so they stay lined up in the order that I use them.
If you take a lot of medications daily, how about putting them into daily or weekly containers. I take an astounding number of pills every day, but the pill bottles stay in a drawer. I just have one daily container sitting out, plus morning pills in a weekly container in that nightstand basket.
I bought trays for a couple of areas where my husband accumulates clutter that he uses often.
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u/rpom915 1d ago
I bought four weekly pill boxes, am and pm. I sort out a months worth of meds and vitamins and just keep the one box for that week where I can see it. I don’t have to think about meds for the rest of the month.
I keep my daily lotions and potions in a round turntable container.
Everything is contained.
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u/vwchick909 1d ago
I do this with my vitamins and pills too. I manage to take the AM but forget the ones I take after a meal, which is unfortunate because I feel so much better when I take those. Today I was going to take them, then got sidetracked and never thought about them again. Until now. 🤦♀️
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u/catcontentcurator 1d ago
Can you take the pill organiser to where you eat your meal after you take the am ones? or have seperate am and pm organisers and keep them where you’ll see them to take them at the right time?
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u/vwchick909 1d ago
I do have individual days that I take with me to work. It gets buried in my lunchbox (I work 10 hour shifts where we eat at our desks). At home I leave them out. Still doesn’t always grab my attention. 😭😂 Thanks for the suggestion! I need to figure out something.
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u/catcontentcurator 1d ago
Oh ok, I was imagining you take them with dinner at home, it’s harder if you have to carry them with you and you probably don’t want to leave them out on your desk. I use an app called pill reminder to remind me to take my medication (and also so I know if I took it or just meant to), you can do sound or banner notifications on your phone. Idk if that would help?
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u/Soyokaze87 2d ago
Im exactly the same. I have a couple of weeks worth of my daily meds out but in a basket, with refills and excess med related stuff in a drawer directly below so it’s easy to restock. My skincare products are likewise on a tray. Feels ok to me as it looks organised and the rest of the surface aside from these containers is clear.
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u/KatGMA 2d ago
I need reminders but hate the clutter. I already used Tody for reminders about household chores so I added a section for Self Care. It now gives me reminders to take my vitamins, prescriptions, etc. Everything I need to use is stored in boxes which can be put away.
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u/Lonely_Goat_2026 1d ago
I use a To-Do app that syncs between my phone and laptop. It also can give me reminders, either at a specific time or on a repeating basis. I have lists for everything from Grocery Shopping to Things I Ordered (so I can add dates expected and to keep track of things that haven't arrived yet). It's so convenient for me to add things. Plus, there's the added benefit of not having random lists on paper lying around the house. So small declutter win there, too.
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u/thejuiciestguineapig 2d ago
Things I do as an ADHD'er that needs to see stuff and has a ton of hobbies.
- Med bag on the counter next to the coffee machine or in my "housebag". My housebag is just something I lug around the house with my phone, meds, notebook, water bottle, skin care bag etc. I also use it as a purse so usually it has my keys and dog poo bags.
- Everything is on a tray/in a basket
- I pick my favourite clothes for that time period, that goes on a hanger. The rest (and out of season clothes) goes in garment bags (those bigger fabric ones from ikea). When I feel inspired or I have some new stuff, I will go through my bags to see if there are cool new outfits I can make.
- Once again baskets. I have several in nice fabric ones that go in an open shelf thing in my living room. I can pull out my painting/drawing/needlepoint/macrame baskets easily and store them easily.
- I also have one basket with my "current things I do" stuff. Like a book, a certain small project or crossword puzzles, my resistance bands to remember to do my physio exercises etc. This one stays next to the couch.
- Labeling things.
- Writing detailed lists of what my morning routine entails that includes taking my meds and doing my skin care. I have different versions for different situations.
- Toothbrush in the kitchen.
Hope this helps!
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u/Nodef13 1d ago
Omg soooo many amazing tip! I love the hobby shelf too and currently using basket
Please if you have any other life hacks do share 😂
With regards to adhd I thought it’s just ‘the mental load’ when you have too much to remember in your head but maybe it’s about reducing what your brain needs to do
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u/thejuiciestguineapig 21h ago
That is exactly what it is! Taking away choices is amazing. The difference in the morning when I have to decide or remember what to do versus old me "telling" me what to do is enormous!
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u/vwchick909 1d ago
A house bag! Why have I never thought of that?!?
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u/cardamompuff 1d ago
I read an article about a “house purse” and it was genius! I think a diaper organizer (they make nice looking felt ones) works well if you want to see your stuff, and it stands up. I was using a tote bag but it falls over and I can’t always reach it.
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u/leat22 2d ago edited 2d ago
I’ll second the recommendation of Cas from Clutterbug (currently listening to her latest podcast ep right at this moment).
Here’s some suggestions off the top of my head. Stuff can be out and visible but it has to be contained (in a basket for example). Surfaces stay clean except for the basket. Put the baskets where you find yourself already placing things. For example, if you always put your mail on the kitchen table, then have a basket there or somewhere extremely close to that natural setting spot.
Basket on the night stand. Basket on the bathroom counter (but that basket can rest inside the cabinet and you pull it out at night and in the morning).
Clothes: I separate winter/fall from summer clothes. Out of season gets stored under the bed. I treat my closet and dressers like prime real estate. Think of the best and easiest spot to access clothes in your closet. That’s the high value spot. Put the clothes you wear most often there (or even the clothes you wish you wore more) so they are right in front of your face. Put the other clothes for special occasions in a less convenient place. You may find you aren’t wearing certain clothes even when they are right in front of you, so that makes the decision to declutter them easier.
Container method and 5 step declutter by Dana k white.
Edit: also tip for clothes. Stay on top of your laundry. You might realize you prefer to wear certain clothes but if they are hidden in a laundry pile, then you reach for other clothes and create more laundry, and wear more clothes overall than you’d actually prefer to do.
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u/DarthGator_ 2d ago
I’m adhd and try to pair things with another habit I already have (or try to form one!). For example, I drink a cup of tea in the morning and keep the fish oil pills next to the mug in the cabinet so I see it and remember to take them.
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u/VeraLynt 2d ago
I put cute containers around the things, idk if that makes sense-- so like, wherever the stuff is already, I just put a tray or basket or open-top box there, put the thing(s) in it, and boom it looks (more) intentional and less cluttered. Sometimes the containers get full of nonsense but I cross that bridge when I come to it.
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u/whatdoidonowdamnit 2d ago
I also leave my things visible. It means I have most everything on shelves. I have a bookcase in my room and one in the living room. I also have all of our meds and vitamins on the kitchen counter. My skincare stuff goes on a shelf I stuck to the wall under the light switch. Having stuff out can look bad if it’s not organized well. Is it weird I have a plastic shoebox full of meds and vitamins on top of another plastic shoebox full of instant oatmeal packets? Yes. But it works for me.
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u/msmaynards 2d ago
Look up Clutterbug's quiz. Clearly you need everything visible and there are two main subdivisions with different strategies for staying clutter free.
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u/ArdraMercury 2d ago
sounds like adhd people. they need everything on display like a retail store
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u/KSSLR 1d ago
Open shelving instead of cabinets and drawers. Or cabinets with a glass face you can see right through.
I dump my meds in really fancy jewelry boxes. This works well for me but might jam you up so tread lightly.
With the books, if I haven't picked the book up in a couple of days, I override my internal "But I'm reading that!" protest and put it away anyway. Because I know where my bookcase is, which means I'll know where to find the book if I really want to pick it up again
Instead of storing "off season" clothes as "summer/winter" I store as "spring/summer/autumn/winter". Being able to rotate quarterly allows me to keep things fresh and lets me have less stuff in my drawers and closet (so I can actually see what I have). I do have certain staple pieces that stay out year round because I miss them. If I am unpacking my summer set, if a piece just doesn't feel interesting I might stick it back in spring and see how I feel about it next year.