The Difference Between a Collection and “Why Do I Have 37 of These?”

Hi, I’m Jodi from Happy Helper Organizing, and I have a confession: I own way too many cords.

Not in a cute, curated, “this sparks joy” kind of way.More like… why do I have 37 of these and what do they even go to?

When I tell people what I do for a living they assume I must live in a home where everything is neatly labeled and magically stays that way.

In reality… I don’t live alone.

I have kids who bring things home constantly. Papers, projects, tiny objects that are suddenly very important.

I also have a wonderful husband who has wonderful stuff of his own and his own way of organizing it.

So no, my house is not some untouched, perfectly maintained space. It’s active, busy, and very lived in.

Here’s the other thing: I’m not a minimalist.

I Actually Like a Good Collection

This year alone, I’ve worked with clients who had collections of:

• Pins

• Mickey Mouse ears

• Hats

• Headbands (unclear if this was a collection or just a strong preference, but we made it look great)

• Even a bin full of shower curtains, which wasn’t exactly intentional, but once we contained them, it kind of became one

  
  

And honestly? I support collections.

Collections can be fun. They can be meaningful. They can even be part of your personality.

So What’s the Difference?

A collection is:

• Intentional

• Contained

• Something you enjoy and want to keep

  
  

“Why do I have 37 of these?” is:

• Unintentional

• Overflowing

• Slightly annoying every time you have to deal with it

  
  

That’s the category my cords fall into. And extra pens. And random office supplies I definitely didn’t mean to collect.

Why Does This Kind of Clutter Feel So Frustrating?

It’s not just about having too much stuff, it’s about how it affects your space.

When you have excess in categories you didn’t choose, it starts to create friction:

• You can’t find what you actually need without digging

• The space starts to feel more chaotic than calm

• It takes up room that could be used for things you actually use

• Every small task becomes slightly more annoying than it needs to be

  
  

This past Sunday I tackled one category: the “why do I have so many of these?” items in the office.

This is what I did,

• Pulled everything out

• Kept what I realistically use

• Let go of the extras

• Gave what’s left a simple, contained home

  
  

That’s it. No big production.

When I cleared out the excess (especially the unintentional kind), something really noticeable happens:

• You can see what you have

• You stop rebuying things you already own

• Your space feels easier to manage

• And there’s actually room for what matters

  
  

Not because you got rid of everything, just because you got rid of what wasn’t serving you.  I labeled one box for the cords and sorted through them. I saved a resonable amount of the ones my family would use and the rest went into the donation bin. The end goal being the box would shut and all the cords would fit inside instead spread throughout the room.

If you’re staring at a drawer thinking,

“Why do I have 37 of these?”

That's probably a good place to start.