I have a tiny tray by my desk that I pile dirty dishes on.

The tray is small and green with a painted filigree pattern and matching handles from the Halloween section of a big box store one year.

The dishes are mostly mugs and tea strainers, a bowl of pistachio shells, an empty toast plate, sometimes a teapot.

As the day goes on, I add dishes to the tray.

When the tray is full, I bring the dishes to the kitchen.

(Though never on the tray, I just realized. Just a few handfuls at a time until the tray is cleared. The tray does not leave its spot by my desk. Possibly for fear of desk debris encroaching.)

There are a couple things I love about this dirty dishes set up:

1. I no longer run out of mugs.
2. It is adorably twee. When I have a tiny tray with a teapot and a mug and the remains of a plate of toast, I feel like I just had a tea party. Even though that was not the experience of consuming that food.
3. It is the perfect use for this tray. Which I bought for something else that didn’t work out.

But perhaps most of all, I love how simple it is.

I talk a lot with clients about creating containers for creative chaos.

I’m not sure how creative a pile of dirty dishes is. But I know they are chaotic.

This tray creates a container with very clear boundaries. And when the container is full, this system has a very clear next step.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I just finished my pistachios and have a tray to empty.

Photo by Rodolfo Marques on Unsplash