Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
An example of a Cocoon Grid-It
Pros:
- versatile
- various sizes (and colors) depending on need/want
- durable
- secure, the items really do stay in place
- fabulous for traveling
Cons:
- might not be the best for frequently used items
- sometimes specific Grid-Its are limited in longer elastic straps
- wish they had a tiny size for those small purse items!
Review:
In my newsletter almost a month ago, I shared a video from the winner of the 2011 NAPO conference for Best Technology Product – Cocoon Grid-It. This was definitely a hit with all the organizers at the conference – and long before the last day, the Grid-It’s they were handing out were all gone! I was fortunate enough to pick one up and after my husband got a look at it, we bought more. Need I say more?
Yes, I do. My first thought while I was at conference was that this is one of the few “male” styled tools for organizing. There’s the simply functional, the closet and shelving systems, but many smaller tools and supplies for staying organized are often pink or floral or otherwise quite feminine – these are almost more masculine. They do make a pink Grid-It in a number of the sizes, but otherwise the color options are black, gray, royal blue, or racing red. Unless you get one of their bags, since those come with their own Grid-It with some different accent colors.
As I was first looking at them, I didn’t notice, the elastic bands are sewn in throughout the grid. This means that it controls how much it will move and will hold items in place more securely. Yet this isn’t obvious and the design is well done, it’s a fascinating crisscross of various sized elastic strips. These elastic strips are wide, also useful for holding the items in place.
The smallest Grid-It offered is 7.67 x 4.5 x 0.375 while they’ve finally added the Grid-It wraps which can hold a computer in a pocket and has a neoprene wrap that keeps the device in the pocket and protects the items in the grid while it’s being moved around. Although the computer size is interesting, I find the iPad and e-reader size wraps to be the most intriguing. It could be a self-contained unit that is a grab and go; with everything you need right there.
I don’t know about you, but when I travel, I have so many cords that sometimes I stick them into a baggie or even, gasp, put them loose in one of the suitcases. I have now traveled with my cords and other items all neatly contained in my Grid-It. All the cords were neatly together and easy to access once we’d arrived.
My Grid-It for traveling
As I was playing with the ones I now have, I was considering what to put into it. Although there were tons of things that would fit, I didn’t want to use it for the frequently used items. My sunglasses live in a case, which sits well in my purse and is easy to access while I’m driving. Adding that to the Grid-It would just have made it more complicated to access. As with all organizing tools, sometimes it will work well and other times, it might not be for you. For me, I would love a tiny one, maybe 3 x 3 (or maybe even 4 x 4), for things like just the lip balm, nail file, pill case, etc. that would fit into a small pocket in my purse (I am not a fan of the little bags for that).
I have one set up for working – you’ve probably seen it if I’ve come over – it has a notepad, some pens and a pencil, a nifty measuring tape, and a stack of my business cards. The Grid-It is sturdy enough that I can write on my notepad on the Grid-It. The back of this one has a zipper pocket, which easily holds standard papers folded in half. They also say the back of many of their Grid-It’s can be used as a mouse pad.
My Grid-It for working with clients
Overall, this is a great product, which can fill many different needs. As long as you consider your needs and decide this can meet them. (I think this way about all organizing tools!). It’s wonderful to see an organizing product that can fulfill so many potential needs. I also saw as I was getting the links for this post that if you buy a Grid-It this month (July), they will donate part of their proceeds to The Wounded Warrior Project in honor of our veterans – of which I do work with a couple of. 🙂
As usual, this is written as unbiased as possible, without compensation, and simply because I’ve now used it.
