Lots of stuff and very little storage space. Add to that the inability to decide what can go, and there’s only one possible outcome: a storage room where you can barely move. I already find it incredibly difficult to declutter at home, but it’s even harder when it comes to items that colleagues have deposited over the years. Old prototypes, exhibition materials, administrative files. What can be thrown away? None of it is mine. But do colleagues even realize what we’re holding on to?

And then there are the T-shirts and sweaters—several boxes full of them. Good-quality items, probably worn only a few times at that one conference or event. And because they feature a specific name or date, they can’t really be reused for another occasion. We’ve already recycled some of the T-shirts for our annual multi-event competition. We wear them inside out, so the old print isn’t visible anymore.

I realize that a lot of these “goodies” are purchased by me and my colleagues in communications. That said, the amount of printed materials, giveaways, and disposable items has already been drastically reduced in recent years, ever since we decided to organize greener events and include sustainability in our checklist.

Still, there’s often a desire to give something away to reinforce our message. All I have to do is open the kitchen cabinet to see how many mugs we’ve accumulated—and handed out—over the years. More sustainable than plastic or disposables, sure. But does every milestone really need to be marked with a new mug? I don’t think so.

I’ve decided to postpone the big storage clean-up until after the holidays—and to enlist the help of colleagues who have a real talent for organizing. Everything that’s still usable for students or colleagues will be collected in a central location, where anyone can browse and pick what they need. 

We may also be able to donate items to a clothing bank or a thrift store. And hopefully, in the future, we’ll think even more critically about what we order and how much, so that items used only once don’t end up gathering dust in storage yet again.

Annemarie van Malsen is a communications officer at TU/e’s Department of Industrial Design. The views expressed in this column are her own.

This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.