| Official
Gadgeteer Hands On Review: ClutterBuster
Organizer by Judie Clark Last date revised: 06/13/2002 |
So what happens when you have a desktop where every inch of space matters? I happen to share a desk with my fianc�, and between our two laptops and all of our other clutter, it can get a little bit "tight" sometimes.
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Even though I did have the courtesy to move the majority of
my PDA cradles to the side desk when we opted for this set-up, space is
still a premium as you can see. There's the mug filled with pens, the mug filled with styli, the PDA cradles, the drink coasters, the picture frames, the cellular phones, the bills, letters and stapler - not to mention the lamp, two sets of laptop speakers and a printer...never mind the loose memory cards, stamps and other little bitty items that I can't find a place to keep but I can't afford to lose... What a mess! |
| Then along came a product called the ClutterBuster that promised to be the perfect place for my "stuff." Well is it? Lets take a look... |  |
 Picture courtesy of the ClutterBuster website |
The ClutterBuster is a tall, thin, plastic container that
can be configured in a variety of ways by swapping out the little drawers or
the CD Jewel-case holder trays and placing them wherever you would like for
them to go. The unit itself measures roughly 13.5" tall x 4.75" wide x 4"
thick at its widest points. These are some examples of various configurations taken from the ClutterBuster website.
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| This is what the ClutterBuster looks like when you take it
from the box. There is also an extra jewel-case tray that you can swap out
the removable drawers for, if you have lost of disks lying around - which I
don't, so I promptly removed the little tray.
Let's talk about the unit itself for just a moment: It is made of the same dull putty plastic that most corporate computers come in these days. So if you are needing an item like this at work, it will most likely look very nice next to your computer. If you want to use the ClutterBuster at home, like me, you may wind up wishing that it came in either different materials or colors. But as usual, that is just me being picky. ;0)
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 Notice the two pen holsters on the side? This was a nice touch. |
One of the major selling points of the ClutterBuster is that you can mount it in a variety of ways by using the strip of 3M Dual Lock� tape attached to the unit's side and on the little arm located at the top of the unit. Here are some of the possible mountings:
 CPU Mount Picture courtesy of the ClutterBuster website |
 CRT Mount Picture courtesy of the ClutterBuster website |
 Flat-Screen Mount Picture courtesy of the ClutterBuster website |
| As you probably noticed, we are both using laptops, so none
of these configurations will work. Instead, I simply set it on the desk,
where it works just fine as a free-standing unit.
Here you can see that my stamps, styli, memory cards, stapler and a couple other small items fit into this unit quite nicely. If you are left handed, there are even included instructions on how to better orient the ClutterBuster to suit your needs. |
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So here is the "after" picture of my desk.
As you can see, much of the clutter was cleaned up, but unfortunately, in my case, I still have quite a bit that can't possibly fit into this unit; mainly things like letters and bills. However, all of my little easy-to-lose items fit nicely into this unit. If for no other reason than that, I am impressed with the ClutterBuster. |
So will the ClutterBuster help you stay organized? Quite possibly. If you don't mind that it is made of plastic and only comes in a generic putty color, you should be quite pleased with what it can do.
Price: $24.99
Pros:
A great place to store little items that tend to get lost in the vast
waste-land of your desk
Can mount to the side of your CPU, monitor, or be left free-standing on your
desk
Cons:
None
| Let me know your
comments
on the ClutterBuster Organizer, and read what others have to say. Back to Main Page. |