Unclutterer

1. Posted by Ellis - 06/09/2009

   is extreme minimalism monday coming back?

2. Posted by samu - 06/09/2009

   What were the complaints?

3. Posted by Amanda - 06/09/2009

   Here is a fluffy-gram. I love your site. There are some times items mentioned that I don’t have use for because I don’t: have a pet, kids or work from home. But I can often glean something from even these posts. Keep up the good work!

4. Posted by sunshine - 06/09/2009

   I LOVED extreme minimalism monday too.

5. Posted by Peggy - 06/09/2009

   This is the first time I’ve EVER commented on any of the many blogs I enjoy reading. I thoroughly enjoy Unclutterer, have recommended it to many friends/family. Isn’t it a simple uncluttered idea to NOT read blogs you don’t like or agree with? I enjoy the product ideas, doesn’t mean I have to buy them. Keep up the good work.

6. Posted by c - 06/09/2009

   “Smart consumerism is only buying products that you need or that help you to pursue the remarkable life you desire.”

   Wow, I need to frame that, Erin. Or maybe just print it on a wallet card. You just talked me out of going clothing shopping after work today.

   And you just perfectly demonstrated how awesome the site is. To use diet as the analogy, it’s not about don’t and can’t and going on a master cleanse. It’s about sensible steps. And a full-time healthy way of life.

   If Unclutterer were as uncluttered as some holier-than-thou grumps apparently think it should be, the site would be useless to me. I don’t need attitude; I need exactly what you provide.

   Thanks.

7. Posted by Gayle - 06/09/2009

   I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the unitasker wednesday posts are written in poor taste. They’re unfunny, mean, and useless and make me want to take you off my RSS feed every time I see one. If you have to qualify that “this is a joke” every time you do it, I think maybe you’re approaching it wrong. I DO think you can effectively make fun of the objects you’re choosing but I think you need to re-assess the tone of it as it just doesn’t come across properly.

   I do otherwise enjoy the blog.

8. Posted by Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome - 06/09/2009

   Beautiful manifesto Erin! I love your description of smart consumerism.

   I too have a bunch of unitasker type tools, but I love them.

9. Posted by Jeff - 06/09/2009

   Your motto is the same as Rosie from the Jetsons:

   http://www.tv.com/The+Jetsons/.....mmary.html

10. Posted by Ashley - 06/09/2009

    I LOVE your site. I’m basically an organized person, but your site has helped me re-think some of my shopping habits and refine my organizational techniques.

    Unitasker Wednesday is very funny. The comments are always far meaner than the original entry!

11. Posted by Geri G. - 06/09/2009

    After reading today’s blog about product reviews, I felt compelled to come to “Unclutterer’s” defense. Afterall, isn’t it addiction to & poor decision making of consumer products that got all of us into our cluttered mess? I love reading “Unclutterer” & it’s the blog I usually read first thing in the morning. You keep me on track, offer helpful advice & entertain all in one delightful package. Now, that’s a product I can live with!

    *Satisfied customer*

12. Posted by Dawn - 06/09/2009

    Erin – I think there are just too many bitter, unhappy people in the world who find a tiny bit of pleasure out of ripping into other people on blogs. It’s easy for them to lash out on a blog since they can’t be seen face-to-face. What sad people they are…

    I truly L-O-V-E Unclutterer and it’s usually the first blog I check out in the morning! It’s interesting, intelligent, sometimes comical and always informative. You share real-life stories and real-life pictures – all in an effort to help people make choices about getting organized and living organized. Keep up the GREAT work and keep on laughin’! (Unitasker Wednesdays rock!)

13. Posted by Jacki Hollywood Brown - 06/09/2009

    I LOVE this website and I’m all for Smart Consumerism. Why waste money?

    I do have some unitaskers and while they may be clutter in somebody’s life, they make my life far easier and that is what it is all about….

    Make life easy doing as much as you want with as little as possible.

14. Posted by Wilhelm Scream - 06/09/2009

    I really like the Unitasker posts! I find them just the right side of mean – they poke fun without being overly cruel. However, a suggestion – if Unclutterer staff own some of these things, can we have photos of them with their Unitasker? Or a special feature called “Me and my Unitasker – why it is an essential part of my life”?

15. Posted by Molly - 06/09/2009

    Another request for more minimalist mondays! I think those are great, and they always give me something to think about!

16. Posted by Eric - 06/09/2009

    Why the need to justify this site to those that will never read it? Sounds like there are a lot of people going through the stages of grief as they come down from their unsustainable ways.

17. Posted by Rue - 06/09/2009

    @Gayle: The disclaimer is there because when posts were made without it, several people would comment on each complaining about how the unitasker was totally against Unclutterer’s philosophy.

    Smart consumerism is the only kind of consumerism there should be! Of course, if that were the case, a lot of companies wouldn’t be making a lot of money…;) I buy the things I need or really want, and not much else. It’s the easiest and smartest way to live!

18. Posted by Jeri Dansky - 06/09/2009

    I enjoy the reviews, Erin – and I think you’re serving your readers well in providing them.

    Here’s what I’ve said on my own blog: “Products don’t solve all your organizing challenges. I’ve gone into many homes and offices littered with products that didn’t work – or maybe never got used!

    “But I do believe it is important to use tools (address books, calendars, storage containers, etc.) that are perfectly suited to you, both functionally and aesthetically (if that matters to you). If you find your perfect tools, you are much more likely to use them!”

19. Posted by Sarah - 06/09/2009

    I feel bad that you have to justify/explain sarcasm. Bad for you, but worse for those who don’t get it.

20. Posted by Jasileet - 06/09/2009

    I miss extreme minimalism monday, too.

21. Posted by Jes Billings - 06/09/2009

    I am astounded by people who have time and energy to protest a humorous, harmless post. Get a life, there are issues out there that deserve protest. Or at least, get a sense of humor. I enjoy this blog, I wouldn’t read it if I didn’t.

22. Posted by Sarah G - 06/09/2009

    @C- I couldn’t agree more. I was just thinking the same thing.

    This post is probably a good one for all of us to bookmark to remind ourselves before we go shopping or in the midst of some heavy-duty cleanup.

    If only they made debit/credit cards that said: “Smart consumerism is only buying products that you need or that help you to pursue the remarkable life you desire.”

23. Posted by gypsy packer - 06/09/2009

    I enjoy the Unitasker column. Please accept my sincere apologies for any offense I might have given you re my defense of the Rotato. I know the blog has a predominantly urban audience, but your recent column on home canning was a pleasant surprise.

    Most of my home-canning utensils would be unitaskers, but I try to find antique and vintage canning and kitchen tools, if at all possible, which can be used as decorator items when not in use. Unfortunately, some items–hair combs, pressure canners, razors and Rotatos–are doomed to unitasking and unloveliness.

24. Posted by RML - Being More Through Having Less - 06/09/2009

    I love our site too and your raison d´etre is totally in line with mine. Can´t believe you are receiving nasty grams! No one is forcing anyone to read your blog. Thanks for the wonderful inspiration.

25. Posted by Louise - 06/09/2009

    @Gayle: Go away. Just go away. Don’t read the site anymore. Or, don’t read the Unitasker posts. If you’ve “said it before,” then now you have your answer. Most other readers enjoy that column so it is clearly here to stay. The majority has ruled. If you don’t like it, leave.

    I don’t know how to make it any clearer than that. Unclutter your life! Stop reading websites that annoy you, because you’re annoying those of us who enjoy it here. Take Unclutter off your RSS feed and don’t let the screen door hit you in the keyboard on the way out.

26. Posted by Liz - 06/09/2009

    I’d like to add my kudos as well. My husband would forward me the occasional post until I started reading this daily myself. I am a loyal reader and find myself nodding along or noting things I would like to be doing.

27. Posted by Krys Slovacek - 06/09/2009

    I love Unitasker Wednesday! It’s not for the “literal at heart”. I love that aspect of it, perhaps most of all!

    Question about smart consumerism: How do you remind yourself in the heat of the moment (the home organization aisle at Target, perhaps?) that you really DON’T need that bin/basket/shelf extender?

    I’m a new mom, and I seem to be buying LOTS of new baskets, bins, shelves, etc., in my quest to organize my baby’s stuff. So far, most of it has been helpful, but I can feel myself losing perspective. Some advice about how to rein myself in would be appreciated.

28. Posted by Jesse - 06/09/2009

    Extremism in any form is destined for failure. I have friends are freegans, frankly they’re bummers to hang out with. All I ever hear is whining about how hard life is…sheesh, have a beer and get over it.

    Anyway, I for one love this site and the suggestions and tips have really helped me with a major purge of STUFF in preparation for an international move later this summer. And, I’m actually considering a career helping others declutter like I did once I get there…so cheers!

29. Posted by Gayle - 06/09/2009

    I’m sorry if I offended anybody. I hate people who bash and I certainly never meant to do so. I’m not going anywhere but I thought it was important to mention. As I said, I enjoy all of Unclutterer except for the unitasker wednesday posts as they seem to miss the mark and tend to offend people – hence the need for disclaimer. I’m not personally offended, I just don’t think they’re funny and they come off as trying too hard. I was trying to convey that there might be a better way to do it, is all.

    I certainly didn’t think anybody would start taking personal shots at me or telling me to get the hell out of here for voicing my opinion.

    Sorry.

30. Posted by Krys Slovacek - 06/09/2009

    Gayle, we don’t all think you need to leave. No one should be bashed for voicing an opinion.

31. Posted by Erin - 06/09/2009

    Are people upset about your NeatWorks review? I’ve been hoping you’d review NeatWorks for awhile now – you can’t please everyone, but you sure are pleasing me! Thank you!

32. Posted by Sky - 06/09/2009

    I love Unclutterer. Of course, some articles help me more than others but all are worth reading.
    I miss minimalist Monday too.

33. Posted by Sheena - 06/09/2009

    I enjoy the site. Lots of helpful tips. Every article isn’t useful for me and I don’t always like some of the comments but I don’t take it as a personal attack against my life..thus I continue to come back to learn more information.

34. Posted by konalizzi - 06/09/2009

    Keep it up! I love your reviews! I love unitasker Wednesday, too!

35. Posted by Karyn - 06/09/2009

    I love Unitasker Wednesdays! Actually, they’re one of the main reasons I look forward to reading your blog. Of course the practical uncluttering stuff comes in handy, too, and I get lots of good ideas and inspiration, but I’m also a bit of a smartass and get a kick out of the plethora of unnecessary crap being manufactured and marketed in the modern world. That we sometimes disagree about the uselessness of a given Unitasker just makes it all the more fun. The banter and debate that grows from each Unitasker post is even more enjoyable than the original post–and, hey, sometimes we even learn something.

    But, seriously: Can ANYONE possibly object to mocking the battery-powered Spin the Bottle game???

36. Posted by Christine - 06/09/2009

    I love this website! I almost always agree with your opinions on the Unitaskers and find the articles funny! Even if one day I see something I own up there, I’m sure I’ll still get a chuckle out of your article!

    Keep up the good work – this site is awesome

37. Posted by lettuce - 06/09/2009

    i am an avid reader of unclutterer and am constantly trying to unclutter my life more.

    however, i do wonder why you emphasize “remarkable lives” so much. it makes it sound like being an unclutterer were a prerequisite! i obviously think that uncluttering is good and makes life easier, otherwise i wouldn’t enjoy reading unclutterer, but it still sounds very strange to me.

    if there’s anything that bothers me about the unitasker posts, it’s only the part of the introduction that says “we want you to laugh at their ridiculousness”, which, well, in my opinion at least, does sound unnecessarily malicious.

    @Dawn: isn’t that also ripping into other anonymous people on blogs? ; )

    first post here by the way, so i’m not one of those who have sent any of the “nasty grams”.

    aren’t blog comments clutter, too? ; )

38. Posted by Erin Doland - 06/09/2009

    @lettuce — “Remarkable life” is our catch-all phrase for whatever you want your life to be. It’s the life you can lead when you’re able to focus on what matter’s most to you. Distractions (clutter) are whatever is keeping you from that life you desire.

39. Posted by Soochi - 06/09/2009

    Don’t change a thing! I love it just as it is as do many others. Remember that some people seem to only feel alive when they’re complaining. Either it makes them feel important or juices up their adrenalin. Please ignore them and, to repeat, don’t change a thing. This is my fave blog.

40. Posted by Erin Doland - 06/09/2009

    @lettuce — It’s not meant to sound touchy-feely, it’s just hard to label something that is different for everyone. The general categories might be similar (family, friends, hobbies, health, career, etc.), but the specifics are quite varied. We talked about the phrase “remarkable life” for a long time before deciding on it.

41. Posted by Jay - 06/09/2009

    Great site. Unitasker Wednesday is fun.

    It’s unfortunate that some people are so self-centered that they are offended when a website does not please them in every way.

42. Posted by Rhiannon - 06/09/2009

    Unclutter is my absolute favorite blog and the first one I read in my RSS feeder. Do not change a thing!

    Unitasker Wednesdays are my FAVORITE! I always think of your blog when I see something that would qualify…and then I promptly forget to tell you about it (trying to unclutter my brain too). But, seriously, I saw the best one yesterday! Now if only I could remember what it was…

    Love, love, love this blog and all that’s contained in it. You have a very satisfied customer here and a fan for life!

43. Posted by Nina - 06/09/2009

    I like your website and the Unitasker posts always make me smile and cringe at the same time to think that someone spent their time (and others their money) to make/buy said item.
    I do think it’s a shame that you had to add ‘this is a joke’, because to me it was just always obvious that you meant it ironically and for the (hopefully few) who don’t understand it, well that’s their problem. But i guess they make it your problem.

    As far as nasty comments and emaisl go: If I ran a blog it would probably bother me too, but I think the best way is to try to ignore them. You cannot make everyone happy and as people have pointed out, some people seem to enjoy getting annoyed about things they could just skip (like reading a blog entry).

    So I guess in a way I wish you would stop feeling the need to defend yourself because there seem to be enough people who get and like what you are doing and as far as the others go – ignore them.

44. Posted by Laura - 06/09/2009

    I frequently stop by for new ideas or product reviews, and I *love* Unitasker Wednesday. Of course you have to post a disclaimer– there are probably people out there who think Gulliver’s Travels was meant to be non-fiction. Let’s face it, you could put a disclaimer in 5-foot high flaming letters and someone would miss it. Some people are humor-impaired.

    Anyway, keep up the good work! Keep inspiring us to be smart about our choices.

45. Posted by Gayle - 06/09/2009

    @Lys: Thank you.

46. Posted by Juli - 06/09/2009

    I’ve really enjoyed reading your site for a long time– and some might group me in the ‘ascetic’ category! I started reading Unclutterer while participating in “The Compact”- striving and mostly succeeding in buying nothing new apart from food, medicine and underwear for a year. That led to my current focus- seeing how much plastic (especially one-time-use ‘disposable’ plastic) I can eliminate from my life.

    Then, as now, my ‘asceticism’ is about getting rid of the things I don’t value in my life to make room for the things I do. That matches up pretty well with your purpose here at Unclutterer

    I always get a kick out of your weekly Unitasker feature. Ever notice how, 9 times out of 10, the thing is made from plastic?

47. Posted by Judy - 06/09/2009

    Read the blog every day — love it — am mature enough to use what I like and ignore the rest. And I always kind of assume that Erin isn’t tailoring the blog to my personal tastes! As for the people who take the time and emotional energy to write hateful messages, maybe their time would be better spent doing some emotional uncluttering.

    Gayle, while I don’t agree with your post, you don’t owe any apologies for stating a personal opinion and I applaud your integrity in doing so publicly. My disclaimer of course is that I’m a senior citizen and no longer particularly care what ANYBODY thinks of me! ;-}

    Erin, you do wonderful job with this blog and I think you are wise to address the snotty messages publicly. Must admit Unitasker Wednesday isn’t my favorite topic, but it does always remind me of a joke — “Me? Sarcastic? Of course not…I’m far too ditzy to grasp the subtleties of mockery.”

48. Posted by Ericka - 06/09/2009

    I look forward to Unitasker Wednesday every week! People need to just relax!

    Unclutterer is the only blog of its type I’ve actually stuck with (besides ZenHabits, which is how I found out about Unclutterer).

    P.S. – I do miss Extreme Minimalism Mondays though too.

49. Posted by prairiegal - 06/09/2009

    I love Unclutterer and I read it everyday. I think the nastygrams you are getting are unfortunate. Unlcutter to me means that I don’t have an excess of superfluous items. I don’t keep clothes that are worn out or don’t fit. I only have one of each appliance, and when it breaks down I replace it. Meaning I buy a new one and throw out/recycle the old one. And yes, I buy things! I’m a consumer, but I strive to keep my things are organized and tidy. Keep up the blog! And yes, I like Unitasker Wed. It makes me giggle.

50. Posted by Erin Doland - 06/09/2009

    Everyone, thank you so much for your outpouring of kindness! It definitely wasn’t what I was thinking would happen when I wrote the post. Thank you!!

51. Posted by Cat - 06/09/2009

    Fellow fan here – I drop by every day for the most part. Not every post is interesting to me, but enough of them are that I look forward to checking, and occasionally on the blackberry… which brings me to an uncluttering suggestion for Unclutterer – on a blackberry screen, you have to scroll past all of the info in the “Welcome” column, (including categories, etc) before arriving at the entries. If there’s a way to swap the order, I’m sure other mobile readers would appreciate it as well!

52. Posted by lettuce - 06/09/2009

    @Erin: thanks for the clarification! things always make more sense when you know where they’re coming from.

    i wanted to write about how i thought it was pretty funny how someone seemed to have gotten much more worked up over my comment than i over what i was commenting on (which certainly wasn’t meant to be hateful or anything), but since that other comment seems to be gone now, oh well, whatever .

    but seriously, again, unclutterer’s the best! how many web sites can claim to have a real impact on how people lead their lives?

53. Posted by Kara - 06/09/2009

    I discovered Unclutterer when I found a challenge on someone else’s blog to get rid of 100 things in 100 days. Since then I’ve been a huge fan.

    Over the last couple of years one thing I’ve noticed is that the hardcare “frugalists” (or whatever they call themselves) are often very intolerant of anyone who doesn’t practice frugality the way they do. I remember getting blasted one time because I admitted that I enjoy movies enough to go to the theater and pay full price for them. *gasp*

    Doesn’t matter that I drive a 10 year old car, rarely eat out, make my own condiments from scratch (ok, that’s mostly about flavor), and a dozen other things to save money. I go to the movies and that means I have to summarily be drummed out of the ranks of the frugal.

    So many people don’t make allowances for individual need/taste/desire and forget that this world is NOT one-size-fits-all. I for one appreciate Unclutterer as a place where I can go and get great ideas and tips and tricks – plus the occasional joke – and not someplace that demands I adhere to some strict code about what makes one’s life uncluttered and what doesn’t.

    So … all of that to say: Keep doing what you’re doing. Criticism is good and keeps you on your toes. Extremism and intolerance can just be roundfiled.

54. Posted by MAM - 06/09/2009

    Add me to the chorus of voices who appreciate the site. It is for me both educational and motivational. Thanks, Erin and staff.

    Unlike those that check in first thing in the morning, though, I usually wait until later in the day when the comments have accumulated. I like to see the various viewpoints, and frequently someone else’s perspective is even more useful to me than the original post. So thanks to the rest of you as well.

    –Mary

55. Posted by CeeGee - 06/09/2009

    Thanks for your site. I read it every day and find it useful and inspiring. Sometimes I find the degree of uncluttering advocated in the posts or (more often) in the comments alarming, and have acted out a couple of times… Will use the count-to-ten rule as well as mentally tailoring the advice to my own situation. My very best to you and your staff. CG.

56. Posted by Susan Jones - 06/09/2009

    You have a Four Star site! I am a frugal freak but everyone needs to live their own life.

57. Posted by Phil B - 06/09/2009

    +1 for extreme minimalism mondays!

58. Posted by Erin Doland - 06/09/2009

    @Cat — Wow, that is annoying. We’ve never tested on a Blackberry since not a single one of us has one. Ack! I’ll talk to our programmers and see what we can do.

59. Posted by Mary - 06/09/2009

    This is one blog where I always find useful information, thought provoking ideas I agree with and some that I don’t, but always something worth reading. Thank you for having a sense of humor (even if some of your readers don’t). Keep up the great work. Love your site!

60. Posted by Sapphire - 06/09/2009

    I love Unclutterer. I think I’ve read it every day for the past two years. Sure, some of the posts don’t apply to my particular situation. So what? Obviously they apply to somebody or they wouldn’t be there! And I love Unitasker Wednesday, both the posts and the comments always make me smile and frequently make me laugh, causing others in the house to wonder if I’ve gone crazy. Well, crazier…:D

61. Posted by BMY007 - 06/09/2009

    All unclutterers are different. I am a minimalist unclutterer as Erin has pointed out, some may be a organized uncluttere. The main goal for every unclutterer should be to strip out the unneccesary drama and the inessential to live a wonderful and fulfilling life!

62. Posted by PWL - 06/10/2009

    I’ve always thought Unclutterer is a rare gem of wise consumerism, avoiding extremism in both directions. Like the last few posts point out, unclutterers come in many varieties, and I think you do a great job serving all of them.

    That said, though, I’m with Gayle that I think Unitasker Wednesdays often hit the wrong tone. (And I don’t think anyone should tell her to shut up and leave if she thinks so. Sheesh! People and their unprocessed hostilities!) And frequently, that tone is “Who could possibly need this [because I don't]“… which kinda misses the first point: people’s needs differ widely.

    At worst, it can become a textbook example of ableist discourse — “Everyone has the same abilities as me.” Search for “disability” and “disabled” in the archives and Unitasker Wednesday frequently comes up. Usually it’s in a comment, either someone going “I understand these might be useful for someone with a disability, but…” or someone objecting along the lines “Um, this is meant to be an assistive device.”

    I totally understand that Matt et al. absolutely don’t mean to disparage anyone with a disability. Of course not! But seriously, if you suspect an item might be marketed towards the elderly, the disabled, etc. to make their lives easier, really don’t make a post about it saying or implying “Are people so lazy that they can’t X for themselves?” Even if you post a disclaimer — if anyone has to post a disclaimer along the lines of “I understand that someone with a disability might…”, it’s the wrong product. Choose a cheap plastic howler like motorized spin-the-bottle that’s of no use to anyone. (Those are funnier anyway!)

    [Sorry, that's bugged me for a while. I'm not disabled, myself, but as I learn more from friends active in disability fields, I realize how easy it is for us to unintentionally promote the dominant narrative that people all have the same needs and abilities, or that there's something "lazy" about having to use a device to do something that "normal people" do without effort.]

63. Posted by Leah - 06/10/2009

    You are by far the stand out clutter/organisation blog and the only one I have remained subbed to since finding you a year or so ago … I want a streamlined life but I also strive to get enjoyment from the everyday things I use, so your blog hits the spot for me.

64. Posted by AG - 06/10/2009

    One of our forefathers said it best,

    “If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.”

    Benjamin Franklin

65. Posted by Erin Doland - 06/10/2009

    @PWL — I understand your sentiment, but believe that you’re overlooking one major point: I have a disability. People with disabilities like to laugh, same as everyone else.

    I’ve found that the vast majority of opposition we’ve had to Unitasker Wednesday products on the site that may be beneficial to someone with a disability are from people who _don’t_ have disabilities. This is nice, that there are people out there taking a stand for their fellow man — but it isn’t always necessary (or wanted). Anyone with a disability who is able to hop online and read our site, has the ability to voice his/her concerns if he/she has any.

    If you’ve watched any of the videos of me on this site, you probably haven’t even noticed my disability. Very few people do, and I’m always amazed. You can learn more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidermolysis_bullosa

66. Posted by jw - 06/10/2009

    I was curious if Unclutterer gets a commission on purchases of the Unitasker products from Amazon? From my perspective, profiting from the products you poke fun at would go against the site’s mission of promoting smart consumerism.

67. Posted by Erin Doland - 06/10/2009

    @jw — All Amazon links on this site are affiliate links. We’re very open about this and we hope that readers who like our site choose to support us by using the links IF they’re already going to buy something. If someone is already going to buy something, it doesn’t cost them anything extra to help out our site by using the affiliate links. It’s a win-win situation since it costs us thousands of dollars a month to provide content for free to our readers.

    Smart consumerism is about buying what YOU need or want to achieve a remarkable life. If someone chooses to buy a Unitasker, it’s because they have decided for themselves that it is a smart purchase. We don’t know their situation or their reasoning, but we trust that people are using their best judgment.

    As far as hypocrisy goes, our readers (thankfully) aren’t in the habit of buying the items we poke fun at in the Unitasker Wednesday column. My guess is that we’ve made a total of 30 cents in two years from people buying Unitaskers. Refunding that money would cost more than the 30 cents.

68. Posted by CoffeeKim - 06/10/2009

    I would like to applaud you, Erin, for a very finely done, non-offensive website, as I thought you might like to know that even though I don’t actually use the internet much because of a Christian conviction that the Bible would have us live away from many worldly influences, when I DO have need of it I ALWAYS visit your site! It is actually pretty much the only one I go to, as it has encouraged me to rethink purchases and cull down “stuff” that interferes with a plain lifestyle. Thank you. You are inspiring, even though I have to skip all the “technological” stuff. (I don’t care for much of it, nor does it make much sense to me most days )

69. Posted by Dave P - 06/10/2009

    Wow… I started reading a few responses before I realized there were too many to read! I enjoy your site because I’m a wannabe unclutterer… so I guess you could say that right now I’m a clutterer. But I drink the lemonade and I’m a believer… it’s just that DOING is much harder than WISHING. Like I need to drop 30 pounds and get my Mac files organized and convert my slides & movies & CDs to digital files, etc., etc. Please keep up the good work. Ignore the complainers.

70. Posted by Laurie - 06/10/2009

    Thanks for a great site. I love it and learn a little something everyday. It is definitely a site a visit everyday. One of my top buttons on my iPhone! I really like unitasker wed. Think it’s really funny. And truely appreciate a site that let’s me focus on my organization obsession (even if I don’t always have the best follow through). Thanks!

71. Posted by T - 06/10/2009

    As someone who expressed some frustration on an earlier post plugging a product (although I sure don’t think anything I said could be considered “nastygram” range!), I thought I’d give a bit of a defense of why I thought my concern mattered beyond some strange desire to want everyone to live like I do.

    I basically believe that advertising has an effect. For the same reason that watching a lot of tv with fast food commercials mixed in tends to make people eat more fast food (and you can maintain that it doesn’t hold true for you, but there are pretty clear studies that say at least on a population level it’s true), seeing a lot of ads for random stuff you don’t need, particularly from ‘trusted’ sources, tends to increase the likelihood you’ll buy extra stuff.

    Now, I’m not saying that there’s never any need for stuff, or that you should never post reviews on a site like this. What I am trying to say, though, is that there’s a cost to having too high a proportion of posts that serve, in practice, as advertisments for products – particularly products that may, on a slick blogpost when someone with authority in the decluttering world says “this is likely to help make your home more attractive and functional, just like mine!”… but which, once you get them home, are likely to actually just end up sitting around, taking up space.

    Where this balance is probably varies from person to person, and perhaps I have a smaller home and just less space (or money) than most people on here, pushing my line further towards “I need to just have less stuff – not fancier and more expensive ways to arrange it”. But, for me, at least, I have been finding that while I like the idea of the Unclutterer blog – in practice, the biggest effect of reading it seems to be having to catch myself thinking “oh, hey, that looks like a nifty gadget that might make my life nicer!” more often than I do when I don’t read the blog. For this reason, I’ve been leaning towards cutting it from my RSS feed.

    Clearly, that’s fine. If most people want to have more reviews like this, then I should just go ahead and cut it, and everyone else can keep reading – and that’s probably what will happen. But since I figured if I ran a blog like this, I would want to get feedback as to why people who were initially very excited about the blog found themselves frustrated by the blog and/or left, then it was a nice thing to do to pass along similar feedback myself.

    That’s all.

    (for context’s sake, I didn’t complain about the unitasker posts – I just left a comment on the little illuminated circles post suggesting I thought it was something the site ought to be more likely to discourage than promote)

72. Posted by Michael - 06/10/2009

    Erin, very well said–although the hunter/gatherer comment was a bit snarky (still made me smile!)–and I hope you don’t get too upset at the nay-sayers who really have too much time on their hands and are far too sensitive.

    I think this blog sits between demographics. On the one hand, it will attract Gen X and Gen Yers like myself who consider themselves “lifehackers” trying to make their lives more productive, easier, and more streamlined. These people understand you because, well, we are just like you.

    On the other hand, it will attract matronly housewives looking for hints not unlike Martha Stewart’s and Family Circle’s intended audience. These people, it seems, have difficulty catching the subtleties of internet humour (or irony, for that matter), and will find something as innocuous as the Unitasker Wednesday posts offensive. How these people would react to Gizmodo, Collegehumor, Explosm, 4chan, or any other dark corner of the internet is beyond me and well worth an academic study.

73. Posted by Michele - 06/11/2009

    I suspect I’ve commented more harshly than I should regarding some articles that I believe discuss products that are counter to the goal of uncluttering. If I’ve offended you, Erin, or the other writers of Unclutterer, I apologize!

    Lately, when I see something I don’t agree with, I’ve been better able to hold my tongue, or at least to try to express my confusion as to how a featured product could help people who are trying to unclutter their lives. (The recent post about the cat litter robot comes to mind.) But I’m not always careful, and I should do better to keep in mind that this blog is about uncluttering, not frugal living. I think the 2 concepts should go hand-in-hand, but not everyone is always on the same page.

    So that’s my explanation, but it’s no excuse for being offensive. I’ll reiterate my apology — I shouldn’t go around making the site unpleasant for the authors and readers!

74. Posted by Marie - 06/11/2009

    People who can’t appreciate a little parody and sarcasm are not fun to be around. That’s probably why they need to fill their time b*tching about “mean” posts.

    If you think Erin is mean, you haven’t been around the Interwebz block. I’ve seen flame wars that would turn your hair white.

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