In what feels like a personal torment, TikTok relentlessly serves me hyper-organizational videos on my For You page. If you haven’t encountered these clips, let me summarize: they feature quick-cut footage of someone meticulously arranging household items—be it a pantry, fridge, closet, or drawer—with a robotic efficiency. The outcome is always a picture-perfect, supposedly gratifying showcase of a once-messy area, with everything aligned, stacked neatly, and labels facing outward, devoid of any unsightly boxes or oddly-shaped containers.
These videos often come with ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) elements—the rhythmic sliding of containers on shelves, the satisfying “swoosh” of a jar lid being twisted off, and the “pop” of an airtight container being opened.
The comment sections are rife with enthusiasm: “So satisfying!” “I could watch these ALL day!” and “I need to organize my pantry, ASAP!”
While these videos are designed to induce satisfaction, I find myself firmly in the opposite camp. Sure, I appreciate a good #cleantok video or watching a driveway get pressure-washed, but these hyper-organizational clips evoke the same visceral reaction in me as a video showcasing hundreds of cockroaches scurrying or a gymnast suffering a serious injury. They make my chest tighten and my skin crawl.
Why the Disgust?
But why do these videos elicit such disgust and irrational anger in me? For one, I can’t help but wonder what happens to the leftovers when those fancy containers can’t hold everything from the original packaging. What about that half-empty store-bought container? Where does it go? Is there a hidden, messy pantry or garage where all these unattractive bags and boxes end up?
The existence of a pristine storage area implies the necessity of a second, unsightly one. So what’s the point?
I’m not alone in my thoughts. A TikTok user named Jenna stitched an organizational video, posing the question of whether there’s a “cupboard of shame” lurking somewhere. Another commenter wondered if these organizers ever order takeout or have leftovers, and if so, how do they manage that? It seems that indulging in takeout could disrupt their hyper-organized system.
The Tedium and Wastefulness
There’s an air of tedium and wastefulness in these videos, alongside an implied privilege. Do these creators not realize they have only one life? Are they truly choosing to spend their limited time making sure that all the labels in their pantry are perfectly aligned or transferring cereal from its box into an expensive plastic container? Ugh! Why not take a nature walk, cuddle a dog, or learn a new language instead?
Some videos make light-hearted references to OCD, as if the disorder is merely a quirky trait. “Haha, sometimes OCD comes in handy!” Yet, those genuinely struggling with OCD would argue that it is neither amusing nor beneficial. If you don’t have OCD, stop pretending you do; it’s not cute.
The Excess and Materialism
Consider the creator with 4.2 million followers. She “organizes her pantry” by transferring contents from unattractive bags into prettier containers for display. But all the unattractive bags still contain items. This means there’s an additional, unappealing pantry somewhere. The excess is what irks me the most—having two storage areas, one to flaunt and another to hide away.
In another video, the creator showcases a home office with over 21 million views. The blatant materialism is staggering. While many people globally lack basic necessities, this individual has multiple computers, sleek stands, and an abundance of identical pens to choose from. It feels grotesque.
In a particularly alarming clip, a detergent that resembles sugar is poured into a jar that looks like it could hold sugar. Talk about a poison hazard! As she stocks her container, she layers new products on top of the old, ensuring that some items will never get used.
Toward the end, she pours crushed red pepper from a labeled jar into a clear glass jar, then adds her own label that reads “crushed red pepper.” It’s mind-boggling.
Then there’s another video about freezer organization. Why would anyone want to create this much extra work for themselves?
Conclusion
So, yes, I detest these organization videos. However, given their popularity and the substantial following of these creators, I may very well be in the minority. Just know, if you also find these videos nauseating, you’re not alone.
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Summary:
This article critiques the popular hyper-organizational videos on TikTok, expressing a visceral dislike for their extravagant and tedious nature. The author questions the practicality and underlying privilege of such content, wondering what happens to the leftovers and excess items that don’t fit into the pristine displays. The piece highlights the absurdity of prioritizing aesthetic organization over more meaningful pursuits and critiques the trivialization of OCD within this context.
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