Re-homing draw??

I quite often end up with things belonging to my friends;

• Items they have left at my house.
• Things they have left at a party.
• Items I have borrowed and need to return.
• Stuff to return on behalf of someone else.
• Something I think a friend would find useful.

You know the kind of scenario. That friend who always leaves something wherever they go!

As the sharing economy becomes more common I feel the level of borrowing intentionally, rather than items forgotten, will mean we all have more items to return.

How my re-homing draw works

In order to make this easy, not lose things, or forget where I have put them, I have a re-homing draw. One space in my hallway where all these things go. Sometimes with labels attached if I am not seeing the person for a while. Or it is not obvious who it belongs to.

If it’s too big for the draw, or it’s something we are using for a while, then I might put a note in the “loans & borrowing” folder in my ” To do” app. This is also where I list things of mine I have leant to someone else.

See my 1 min Vlog of what’s in my re-homing draw right now.

I thought this was normal!

I realised this is not common practice when I have said to friends “I have something in my re-homing draw for you”. Or I’ll put that in my re-homing draw until I see X again”. This is often met with a blank stare and a request for an explanation.

Some people very impressively manage to just remember this kind of thing. My brain needs a bit of extra help.

How do you remember things you have borrowed and need to give back?