Comments on: The pumpkin rule http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/ Daily tips on how to organize your home and office. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:43:54 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: iLashGirls.com » I Need Help! Simple Recipe Organization http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-41841 iLashGirls.com » I Need Help! Simple Recipe Organization Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:06:15 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-41841 [...] than we are and you’d really like to organize your recipes on your computer, read about “The Pumpkin Rule”. She developed eChef software to help digitally manage her recipes just like her photos and [...] [...] than we are and you’d really like to organize your recipes on your computer, read about “The Pumpkin Rule”. She developed eChef software to help digitally manage her recipes just like her photos and [...]

]]> By: Julie http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-36988 Julie Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:33:56 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-36988 I organized my recipes online by creating a free gmail account. Gmail allows you to easily search through your emails by keyword, so I email myself all of my recipes and if I've got extra chicken on hand, I simply search for "chicken" and all of my chicken recipes are found. Same idea, but it's free and I can search my recipes from anywhere that I have internet access. I organized my recipes online by creating a free gmail account.

Gmail allows you to easily search through your emails by keyword, so I email myself all of my recipes and if I’ve got extra chicken on hand, I simply search for “chicken” and all of my chicken recipes are found.

Same idea, but it’s free and I can search my recipes from anywhere that I have internet access.

]]> By: William http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15605 William Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:26:09 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15605 It seems to me that your conclusion and the "Pumpkin Rule" don't align. What I've gathered from your story is that in order to grow, to learn to do more than we believe we can do, we must take on much more than we believe we can. By letting your recipe collection grow out of control, you naturally encountered a situation that forced you to adapt and to grow, to learn new tools, to adopt new ways of thinking and working. That is really what your story says, not that you gave up (found a lighter pumpkin) because you couldn't carry the load. You didn't focus on this hobby by eliminating other activities (like you claim the "Pumpkin Rule" is about). You got smarter. You can handle more because you tried to carry more. You even said it yourself: "Necessity breeds ingenuity," not, "Necessity requires simplification." Not to take the analogy too far, but our arms only grew stronger by lifting pumpkins that are heavier than the ones we carried the time before. If we're afraid to try to lift what looks like a heavier pumpkin, then we'll never know whether we can really "handle" it or not. We'll just keep carrying the same-sized pumpkins our whole lives. It seems to me that your conclusion and the “Pumpkin Rule” don’t align. What I’ve gathered from your story is that in order to grow, to learn to do more than we believe we can do, we must take on much more than we believe we can.

By letting your recipe collection grow out of control, you naturally encountered a situation that forced you to adapt and to grow, to learn new tools, to adopt new ways of thinking and working. That is really what your story says, not that you gave up (found a lighter pumpkin) because you couldn’t carry the load. You didn’t focus on this hobby by eliminating other activities (like you claim the “Pumpkin Rule” is about). You got smarter. You can handle more because you tried to carry more. You even said it yourself: “Necessity breeds ingenuity,” not, “Necessity requires simplification.”

Not to take the analogy too far, but our arms only grew stronger by lifting pumpkins that are heavier than the ones we carried the time before. If we’re afraid to try to lift what looks like a heavier pumpkin, then we’ll never know whether we can really “handle” it or not. We’ll just keep carrying the same-sized pumpkins our whole lives.

]]> By: Colleen http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15548 Colleen Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:51:19 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15548 As an eChef user, I can't recommend this software more. There is so much feature functionality. But my favorite is the ability to create shopping lists based on the recipes. I can create a menu for the week and create an entire shopping list. This makes my life so much easier! As an eChef user, I can’t recommend this software more. There is so much feature functionality. But my favorite is the ability to create shopping lists based on the recipes. I can create a menu for the week and create an entire shopping list. This makes my life so much easier!

]]> By: Jasi http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15447 Jasi Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:17:15 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15447 My father issued a similar directive for vacation packing. If you cannot carry it, it gets left behind. Usually he'd carry it for us, but on occasion we've been taught the merit of packing light. My father issued a similar directive for vacation packing. If you cannot carry it, it gets left behind. Usually he’d carry it for us, but on occasion we’ve been taught the merit of packing light.

]]> By: Jeff Pollard http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15423 Jeff Pollard Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:31:53 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15423 The Pumpkin Rule is a perfect way to remind everyone to periodically streamline their lives. Excellent! Congrats on your guest authorship too, Megan Drayton. You are SO above average - lol Much success and continued best wishes! PS: Cool corporate ID/product logo! ;-) J. www.POLLARDdesign.com The Pumpkin Rule is a perfect way to remind everyone to periodically streamline their lives. Excellent!

Congrats on your guest authorship too, Megan Drayton. You are SO above average – lol

Much success and continued best wishes!

PS: Cool corporate ID/product logo!

;-)

J.

http://www.POLLARDdesign.com

]]> By: Deb http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15335 Deb Sat, 28 Jun 2008 04:11:56 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15335 Hey there, Megan, You have a great point there about sharing files as well as purgin that which is not worth typing! I'll keep it all in mind! Deb (only 4 more weeks until school starts!) Hey there, Megan,

You have a great point there about sharing files as well as purgin that which is not worth typing! I’ll keep it all in mind!

Deb (only 4 more weeks until school starts!)

]]> By: Jennifer http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15328 Jennifer Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:05:22 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15328 Wow, I really like that you mentioned Pownce in there, haha. I think that this really is a great rule. As a teenager just starting to discover the benefits of living a better organized life, I think that your pumpkin rule will really help me a lot when I move on to college and so forth. Thank you! Wow, I really like that you mentioned Pownce in there, haha.

I think that this really is a great rule. As a teenager just starting to discover the benefits of living a better organized life, I think that your pumpkin rule will really help me a lot when I move on to college and so forth. Thank you!

]]> By: Megan http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15322 Megan Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:37:28 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15322 @Deb: Like anything else, translating your recipes to a useful digital format (one that indexes ingredients and allows you to build automatic shopping lists, etc) is never totally effortless. Entering my recipes was a great way for me to cut down on my excessive inventory -- if I didn't like a recipe that much, it wasn't worth the effort! Plus, I could easily look at recipes that were in the system to see if I already had something similar. I had a lot of duplication. How many variations on spinach and artichoke dip does one person need? :) Of course, as more people start to share their eChef files via email or personal websites, you can import files and not be required to type everything in for yourself. I have a lot of eChef files on my personal site. You are welcome to use those as a starting point! Thanks so much for your comments! @Deb: Like anything else, translating your recipes to a useful digital format (one that indexes ingredients and allows you to build automatic shopping lists, etc) is never totally effortless. Entering my recipes was a great way for me to cut down on my excessive inventory — if I didn’t like a recipe that much, it wasn’t worth the effort! Plus, I could easily look at recipes that were in the system to see if I already had something similar. I had a lot of duplication. How many variations on spinach and artichoke dip does one person need? :)

Of course, as more people start to share their eChef files via email or personal websites, you can import files and not be required to type everything in for yourself. I have a lot of eChef files on my personal site. You are welcome to use those as a starting point!

Thanks so much for your comments!

]]> By: Deb http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15321 Deb Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:19:33 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15321 When reading the article, I am struck by how similar the recipe "hording" is to my lesson plan collection. I teach science, so I have a kazillion clipped and printed ideas all over the place. Literally, about 20 binders full (purged down from 70 last summer). After 20 years of new state standards, workshops, technology revolutions and conference materials, I am a mess! The generalist nature of middle school science means that I need resources for every discipline in science, from genetics to the stars. So, my post above this one is seconded by my wish to access teaching materials more effectively as well! When reading the article, I am struck by how similar the recipe “hording” is to my lesson plan collection. I teach science, so I have a kazillion clipped and printed ideas all over the place. Literally, about 20 binders full (purged down from 70 last summer). After 20 years of new state standards, workshops, technology revolutions and conference materials, I am a mess!

The generalist nature of middle school science means that I need resources for every discipline in science, from genetics to the stars. So, my post above this one is seconded by my wish to access teaching materials more effectively as well!

]]> By: Deb http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15320 Deb Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:11:22 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15320 I love the idea of having the indexing capability of a recipe application. The issue with binders and cookbooks is a problem with me. How do you go digital without having to recopy all the books and recipes you have? What do you do with the hard copy recipes other than scan them in? I am not going to spend the time typing the recipes and I end up printing off the internet ones I need at the time anyway. I have one binder of clipped recipes that are trimmed as small as possible and glued to printer paper I recycled after other uses. I can fit three of four recipes on each side and each page is for a specific category. If I print off a recipe, I also place it in the binder if it is good enough to use again. I still have a good 2 linear feet of cookbooks and a box of recipes but my goal is to reduce these to what I really use. I love the idea of having the indexing capability of a recipe application. The issue with binders and cookbooks is a problem with me. How do you go digital without having to recopy all the books and recipes you have?

What do you do with the hard copy recipes other than scan them in? I am not going to spend the time typing the recipes and I end up printing off the internet ones I need at the time anyway.

I have one binder of clipped recipes that are trimmed as small as possible and glued to printer paper I recycled after other uses. I can fit three of four recipes on each side and each page is for a specific category.

If I print off a recipe, I also place it in the binder if it is good enough to use again. I still have a good 2 linear feet of cookbooks and a box of recipes but my goal is to reduce these to what I really use.

]]> By: Beverly http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15319 Beverly Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:05:30 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15319 This looks like a wonderful thing. However, I've just finished entering my 1000+ books into LibraryThing, which was a HUGE undertaking, and the very THOUGHT of entering the hundreds of recipes in my collection is exhausting. I really want to be more organized, but it's so much work. Maybe next week... This looks like a wonderful thing. However, I’ve just finished entering my 1000+ books into LibraryThing, which was a HUGE undertaking, and the very THOUGHT of entering the hundreds of recipes in my collection is exhausting. I really want to be more organized, but it’s so much work. Maybe next week…

]]> By: lana http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15315 lana Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:45:42 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15315 Really great post, Megan. Thanks for sharing. It's funny, I'm pretty good about applying the pumpkin rule to tangible items like clothes, books, and electronics, but I'm terrible when confronted with intangible items (like the dozens of demo applications I keep meaning to test which are currently cluttering up my hard drives). The Pumpkin Rule has inspired me today! Thanks :) @Katie: I use YummySoup (stupid icon, great software). Read about it here: http://hungryseacow.com/ Really great post, Megan. Thanks for sharing. It’s funny, I’m pretty good about applying the pumpkin rule to tangible items like clothes, books, and electronics, but I’m terrible when confronted with intangible items (like the dozens of demo applications I keep meaning to test which are currently cluttering up my hard drives). The Pumpkin Rule has inspired me today! Thanks :)

@Katie: I use YummySoup (stupid icon, great software). Read about it here:

http://hungryseacow.com/

]]> By: penguinlady http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15313 penguinlady Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:31:50 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15313 That rule works great with packing too. If you can't carry your luggage then you've packed WAY too much. That rule works great with packing too. If you can’t carry your luggage then you’ve packed WAY too much.

]]> By: Katie http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15307 Katie Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:48:50 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15307 The eChef Software looks like a great tool, but it doesn't appear to be compatible with the Macintosh operating system, which is what we use. Too bad. :( The eChef Software looks like a great tool, but it doesn’t appear to be compatible with the Macintosh operating system, which is what we use. Too bad. :(

]]> By: Anne http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15306 Anne Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:39:01 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15306 great visual.... 4 kids here, we do take what you will eat rule...and that has brought smaller portions...but I really like the idea in life. You can't carry it, don't get it! LOVE it! Time to initiate it! Hey kidlets...I got a new idea............ great visual….
4 kids here, we do take what you will eat rule…and that has brought smaller portions…but I really like the idea in life.
You can’t carry it, don’t get it! LOVE it!
Time to initiate it!
Hey kidlets…I got a new idea…………

]]> By: Tara http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15305 Tara Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:33:58 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15305 What a thought-provoking post, Megan. Thank you for sharing The Pumpkin Rule with us! What a thought-provoking post, Megan. Thank you for sharing The Pumpkin Rule with us!

]]> By: Matt http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15303 Matt Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:24:10 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15303 As well as the commercial eChef, there is an open source alternative KRecipes for Linux and so on. No idea if it's any good. http://krecipes.sourceforge.net/?p=screen As well as the commercial eChef, there is an open source alternative KRecipes for Linux and so on. No idea if it’s any good.
http://krecipes.sourceforge.net/?p=screen

]]> By: Erin Doland http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15301 Erin Doland Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:15:29 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15301 The link is fixed! Sorry about that, everyone. The link is fixed! Sorry about that, everyone.

]]> By: Megan http://unclutterer.com/2008/06/27/the-pumpkin-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-15300 Megan Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:13:35 +0000 http://unclutterer.com/?p=1404#comment-15300 @Kurt -- looks like the link just has a little Unclutterer love at the beginning of it. Hey, we're friends. ;) You can find our website here: www.echefsoftware.com @Kurt — looks like the link just has a little Unclutterer love at the beginning of it. Hey, we’re friends. ;)

You can find our website here: http://www.echefsoftware.com

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