Yesterday I was in Charlotte speaking to the team at Rubbermaid. What a thrill! I got to tour the design area where they draft new designs and create prototypes in their workshop. I was there to teach them about the professional organizing industry, what we do, what we teach our clients, and what we have learned about our clients. In the audience we had engineers, marketing people, and a diverse mix of other departments who were curious to hear about their customers in a different way.
I also got to meet the person who oversees the line of products that includes my very favorite Rubbermaid item, the 27-gallon spring bag. It's my favorite organizing tool after my label maker– it is intended for raking leaves, but I have used it on almost every organizing job I have ever had, plus I use it for picnics, camping, parties, and opening gifts at holiday time. It is a collapsible cylinder that stores flat, and it holds a black lawn & leaf bag open so you can throw things away easily. It was very fun to give this person a big high five and tell her how much I love the product! I am such a dork to be a big fan of a garbage can. The best price I have seen for these is $7.99 at "The 5 and 10.com" store. You can also find it on Amazon, prices are in the $15 range there.
Most exciting new thing I saw there– the Fast Track® garage organization system. It's a set of accessories that snap onto a mounting rail that is easy to install. It's versatile, expandable, and works even if your garage is not drywalled. The accessories include various general shelving and basket options, as well as special pieces to hold items that are otherwise difficult to store, like wheelbarrows, ladders, power tools, fishing poles, and skis. You customize it to meet the needs of your own garage. You can buy this system currently at Home Depot.
I have been getting great feedback from the presentation, and I learned a lot myself too. Rubbermaid makes so many products– I saw in the airport on the way home that the security x-ray bins are Rubbermaid and so were many other things around the airport.
Notice today how many things in your home have the Rubbermaid logo. You will be very surprised! Write in the comments how many Rubbermaid things you find in your home, and I will give a prize of an autographed copy of my book for the person with the most! And, Rubbermaid told me they'd throw in a 20-piece set of their Easy Find Lids food storage containers. No cheating– honest reporting is expected from my high caliber readers! :) I will award the prize next Friday, and I have to require that the winner be someone that can receive packages mailed to a United States address (sorry). Have a great weekend!
PS: If you are a Just-A-Bite newsletter subscriber, it did not go out on Thursday- we are having some technical problems with Constant Contact and it can't get resolved until they open on Monday. We'll send it out then as soon as they fix the error. We apologize!
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myriad.
a plethora?
what IS a grouping of Rubbermaid called?!
a GAGGLE?
Suffice it to say I have a lot.
a PRIDE of Rubbermaid if you will 🙂
MizFit
I counted as many as I could find, and came up with 19 separate items. (Not counting the lids and tubs separately.) All our Christmas decorations, a few food-storage containers and our large deck box!
I just finished a local move, and while we had a moving company handle the furniture and large boxes, a lot of stuff we just ferried using five old Rubbermaid tubs, which conveniently filled my car.
I was also promoted to Staff Sergeant in the alley next to the Rubbermaid outlet in Wooster, OH before a performance of The U.S. Army Field Band in 1998, and went back the next day and bought three spatulas to commemorate the event.
So off the top of my head, at least 8. Not a competitive number, but some good stories nonetheless.
Not counting tops/bottoms, I did a quick perusal of the garage, basement, kitchen and came up with 110. I have long been the Queen of Rubbermaid.We are a military family and it simply can’t be beat.
I had a meal moth problem when we moved into our house just over 4 years ago. My Rubbermaid containers have been indispensable, keeping our home moth free! So far, I’ve counted at least 72 (not just containers, but also spatulas, measuring cups, mixing bowls, condiment containers — the list goes on!), but that doesn’t include the large Rubbermaid containers in our attic and garage holding all our seasonal items.
I counted 123 containes and lids in my storage/ art supplies and Girl Scout paprphanalia closet. I’ve counted at least 83 containers, measuring cups, bowls et al in my kitchen and have not made it to the garage / shed yet. I guess I am more of a Rubbermaid junkie than I realized…but I do like the produucts and they really help me stay organized….
It’s 10:45 pm, and I just read about the contest. I can’t stay up to count. I’m a Rubbermaid junkie, too, but I’m having a hard time finding things in local stores like their rubber spatulas (preferably with wooden handles), the little 2953 wastebaskets I bought when I moved here 21 months ago–that were gone forever when I got around to shopping for more, and the older style food containers that I use in papercrafting. I even have an outlet across the freeway–without these items. Is there an online Rubbermaid store? I haven’t looked–I kind of like to hold things before I buy them. Does Rubbermaid take requests?
Yes, Rubbermaid does take “requests!” They love hearing ideas from consumers. They do sell a limited number of their products online at Rubbermaid.com. You can also order pretty much anything from their product line at your local Ace Hardware stores. – Lorie
Lori, I’m glad that you reminded me how great Rubbermaid product are. I don’t think I have enough to participate in the contest.
Edit
http://www.editdesign.ca
I have replaced other brands of storage boxes, for the Rubbermaid brand, because they are sturdier and don’t crack, even in a cold below freezing garage. I have 3 in my garage and 6 in my basement.
But I wanted to say that I think it is smart of Rubbermaid – and other manufacturing companies, to seek input from organizing specialists. It will be fun to see if they come up with even more clever items that help us in our ongoing organizational goals!