Item Categories & Classification

The Philosophy of Classification 🏷️

Item categorization in MononoMori goes beyond simple filing systems. It’s about creating meaningful relationships between your belongings that reflect how you think, live, and interact with your possessions. Good categorization becomes invisible—you find what you need without thinking about the system.

Classification Principles

Cognitive Alignment:

• Categories should match how you naturally think about items
• Group things the way your mind wants to group them
• Consider context of use, not just physical properties

Flexible Hierarchy:

• Items can belong to multiple categories simultaneously
• Categories can have parent-child relationships
• Cross-cutting concerns handled through tags

Evolutionary Design:

• Categories grow and change with your life
• Easy to reorganize without losing information
• Support for gradual refinement over time

Built-in Category System

Primary Categories

🍳 Kitchen & Dining:

• Cookware, bakeware, serving dishes
• Small appliances and gadgets
• Food storage and containers
• Dining accessories and linens
• Best for: Comprehensive kitchen organization

🧴 Personal Care:

• Skincare, haircare, oral care
• Health and wellness items
• Cosmetics and grooming tools
• First aid and medications
• Best for: Bathroom and personal items

💻 Technology:

• Electronics and devices
• Cables, chargers, accessories
• Software, media, documentation
• Repair and maintenance supplies
• Best for: Digital life organization

👔 Clothing & Accessories:

• Garments by type, season, occasion
• Shoes, bags, jewelry
• Care and storage accessories
• Fabric and sewing supplies
• Best for: Wardrobe management

🏡 Home & Garden:

• Tools, hardware, maintenance supplies
• Furniture, decor, artwork
• Plants, gardening supplies
• Household consumables
• Best for: Home maintenance and improvement

📚 Books & Media:

• Physical and digital books
• Movies, music, games
• Educational materials
• Reference and documentation
• Best for: Knowledge and entertainment collections

📄 Documents:

• Important papers and certificates
• Financial records and receipts
• Instructions and warranties
• Digital files and backups
• Best for: Administrative organization

🎨 Hobbies & Recreation:

• Craft supplies and tools
• Sports and outdoor equipment
• Musical instruments and accessories
• Collection items and memorabilia
• Best for: Personal interests and passions

Category Customization

Creating Custom Categories:

1. Identify natural groupings in your items
2. Consider your lifestyle and priorities
3. Start broad, then add subcategories as needed
4. Use descriptive, memorable names

Subcategory Strategy:

🏡 Home & Garden
├── 🔧 Tools & Hardware
│   ├── Hand Tools
│   ├── Power Tools
│   └── Fasteners & Hardware
├── 🎨 Decor & Furnishing
│   ├── Wall Art
│   ├── Lighting
│   └── Textiles
└── 🌱 Garden & Plants
    ├── Indoor Plants
    ├── Garden Tools
    └── Plant Care Supplies

Advanced Classification Strategies

Multi-Dimensional Classification

Primary Classification: Main category (what it is) Secondary Classification: Usage context (how you use it) Tertiary Classification: Attributes (characteristics)

Example: Kitchen Knife:

• Primary: Kitchen & Dining
• Secondary: Daily Cooking Tools
• Attributes: #sharp, #needs-care, #frequently-used

Classification by Lifecycle

New Items:

• Recently acquired, still learning about
• May need temporary classification
• Often require more detailed information

Established Items:

• Well-understood purpose and place
• Stable classification and location
• Rich metadata and usage patterns

Legacy Items:

• Long-owned, deeply integrated into life
• Complex emotional and practical value
• Often candidates for Memory Forest

Contextual Classification

Seasonal Categories:

• Winter gear, summer equipment
• Holiday decorations, seasonal clothing
• Garden items by growing season

Project-Based Categories:

• Items grouped by current projects
• Temporary classifications that evolve
• Cross-category item assemblies

Maintenance Categories:

• Items needing repair or attention
• Supplies for specific maintenance tasks
• Tools grouped by maintenance domain

Template-Based Classification

Understanding Templates

What Are Templates:

• Pre-configured category structures with custom fields
• Standardize information capture for similar items
• Ensure consistency across related items

Built-in Templates:

📱 Electronics Template:

• Model, brand, purchase date
• Warranty information
• Specifications and capabilities
• Maintenance and accessory needs

📖 Book Template:

• Author, publisher, genre
• Reading status and notes
• Location (physical vs. digital)
• Rating and recommendations

🧥 Clothing Template:

• Size, color, material, season
• Care instructions
• Outfit coordination
• Wear frequency and condition

🔧 Tool Template:

• Brand, model, specifications
• Safety requirements
• Maintenance schedule
• Compatible accessories

Creating Custom Templates

Template Design Process:

1. Identify Item Groups: What items share similar properties?
2. Define Common Fields: What information is consistently relevant?
3. Set Field Types: Text, numbers, dates, selections, ratings
4. Configure Defaults: Speed up data entry with smart defaults
5. Test and Refine: Use with real items and adjust as needed

Template Field Types:

• Text: Names, descriptions, notes
• Numbers: Quantities, measurements, values
• Dates: Purchase, expiry, last used
• Selections: Predefined choices (size, condition)
• Ratings: Quality, importance, satisfaction
• Checkboxes: Features, attributes, status flags

Template Best Practices

Start Simple:

• Begin with essential fields only
• Add complexity as you understand needs
• Too many fields discourage consistent use

Think Long-Term:

• Consider information you’ll want in the future
• Plan for item lifecycle changes
• Include fields that support decision-making

Maintain Consistency:

• Use templates religiously once created
• Regular review and refinement sessions
• Document template purposes and conventions

Category Management Workflows

Regular Category Maintenance

Monthly Review:

• Identify items in wrong categories
• Look for emerging category needs
• Clean up unused or redundant categories

Quarterly Deep Clean:

• Analyze category usage patterns
• Consolidate similar categories
• Update category descriptions and rules

Annual Restructure:

• Major category reorganization if needed
• Archive categories no longer relevant
• Plan category structure for coming year

Category Migration

Safe Migration Process:

1. Backup Data: Export before major changes
2. Plan Structure: Design new category system
3. Test Small: Try with subset of items first
4. Gradual Migration: Move categories one at a time
5. Verify Results: Check that items moved correctly
6. Update Documentation: Record changes for future reference

Migration Tools:

• Batch category updates for multiple items
• Search and replace for systematic changes
• Undo functionality for mistake recovery
• Export/import for major restructuring

Cross-Category Organization

Tag-Based Cross-Classification

Complementary Systems:

• Categories define primary organization
• Tags enable cross-cutting concerns
• Search bridges both systems

Tag Strategies for Categories:

• Functional Tags: #daily-use, #seasonal, #backup
• Status Tags: #needs-repair, #excellent, #donate-candidate
• Context Tags: #shared, #personal, #work-from-home
• Project Tags: #kitchen-renovation, #camping-trip, #holiday-prep

Smart Category Features

Auto-Classification:

• AI suggestions based on item names and photos
• Learning from your classification patterns
• Bulk classification for similar items

Category Analytics:

• Most/least used categories
• Category growth trends over time
• Items that might be miscategorized

Cross-Category Insights:

• Items that frequently move between categories
• Categories with overlapping purposes
• Opportunities for category consolidation

Category Psychology

Making Categories Meaningful

Personal Relevance:

• Categories should reflect your life and values
• Consider emotional significance, not just function
• Include aspirational categories for life goals

Cognitive Load Management:

• Limit top-level categories (7±2 rule)
• Use subcategories for detailed organization
• Provide multiple pathways to find items

Habit Formation:

• Consistent categorization builds mental models
• Muscle memory for where things “belong”
• Reduced decision fatigue over time

Cultural and Lifestyle Considerations

Cultural Approaches:

• Western: Function-based categorization
• Eastern: Harmony and balance-based grouping
• Minimalist: Need-based essential categories
• Maximalist: Detailed, comprehensive categorization

Lifestyle Adaptations:

• Urban vs. rural living requirements
• Family vs. individual organization needs
• Professional vs. hobbyist tool organization
• Temporary vs. permanent living situations

Troubleshooting Category Issues

Common Problems

“I can never find the right category”:

• Create more intuitive category names
• Use multiple classification paths (categories + tags)
• Implement search-first workflows
• Consider your mental model vs. imposed system

“Items seem to belong in multiple categories”:

• Use primary category + descriptive tags
• Create more specific subcategories
• Consider item’s primary use context
• Accept some ambiguity as natural

“My categories keep changing”:

• Normal during system development phase
• Focus on stability over perfection
• Document category purposes clearly
• Plan migration workflows in advance

Advanced Solutions

Category Validation:

• Regular audits of category usage
• Identify orphaned or duplicate categories
• Survey category effectiveness regularly

System Integration:

• Link categories to location strategies
• Coordinate with tag systems
• Integrate with maintenance schedules

Performance Optimization:

• Archive old categories rather than deleting
• Optimize frequently used category paths
• Use shortcuts for power-user workflows

Your category system should feel like a natural extension of how you think about your belongings. Take time to develop a system that works with your mind, not against it. 🗂️✨