Unclutterer

1. Posted by Jack - 08/21/2009

   Neat and clean, but should this really be considered “uncluttered”? I see lots of unitasking and redundancy…

2. Posted by Another Deb - 08/21/2009

   I love the very short shelf holding the paperbacks at the ceiling. The fire marshall would never let me do that at school but it uses that last space before the ceiling to the max!

   Re: two scanners. Those two are not redundant. I have both on my desktop as well and I am not a gearhead at all. My Epson scans slides and other items that will not fit into the sheet fee of the Scansnap and my Scansnap takes the volumes of papers I scan from notebooks and projects.

3. Posted by becoming minimalist - 08/21/2009

   i’m impressed… especially considering the cables which i didn’t even think about at first. i’d be interested to see an underside photo of how the cables have been concealed.

4. Posted by Shannon - 08/21/2009

   Wonderful! Now I can show my husband that just because you are a gearhead doesn’t mean you can’t be neat too!

   I would also like to see how the cables are concealed.

5. Posted by Rob - 08/21/2009

   artfully arranged unitaskers != unclutter.

   with all of this electrical equipment this person must be a walking static charge. or tumor.

6. Posted by Andrew - 08/21/2009

   do you really need all those books (at the top shelf) You’ve probably read them all, and unlikely going to re-read them again. It’s difficult to see and get at them. It would probably be much easier, and save more space if you stuck all those books in a box labeled paper-back book, and put it in storage. It will take the same amount of effort open a box and browse the books as it does to climb on your desk to browse. It does not look easy to pick any one of those books off the shelf.
   If you moved all the books to a side shelf on the left wall, and put decorations where those books are instead, it would look alot simpler. and it would be easier to access the machines and books.

7. Posted by Erin Doland - 08/21/2009

   Just a simple reminder that uncluttering is not a competition.

8. Posted by Elizabeth - 08/21/2009

   Ditto to Shannon! I’d love to see detail about how the cables are organized.

9. Posted by JC - 08/21/2009

   I like the row of pottery/baskets at eye level when working. Rather than be distracted by book titles, or looking at machinery, there is a pleasing view of lovely items.

10. Posted by Kathryn - 08/21/2009

    I, for one, find it helpful to see photos of home offices where actual work appears to take place, rather than a single laptop on a lovely, minimalist flat surface without a pencil in sight, let alone a pile of peripherals.

11. Posted by Brandon Green - 08/21/2009

    Well organized, but there’s still a lot of stuff.

12. Posted by Kate - 08/21/2009

    I like it! I am a semi-unclutterer in that I sometimes find truly “uncluttered” desks and homes to look a little sterile. I like this office because it still has “stuff” and feels well lived in, but looks neat and organized. I think I will always like my “stuff” around me (even books that I’ve already read, but just like having a shelf full of them) but it can still be well organized.

13. Posted by Pammyfay - 08/21/2009

    I think it looks nice, too — whatever the owner decides was necessary to keep (and we ought not to second-guess that; it’s not our life, it’s BayAreaBaw’s) is organized.

    My one question: Do you have a stool tucked away for use in getting stuff off the mid- to higher shelves? I know I’d be sticking myself in the side every time on the cute plant shelf!

14. Posted by Bruce Williamson - 08/21/2009

    For those of you wondering about how I’ve organized all the cables in this office, just click on the “BayAreaBaw’s peripherally intense office” link at the top of this blog entry and it will take you to the Unclutterer Workspaces page on Flickr. Then just click on the small photo to the right of the main picture, and you’ll find a series of three photos showing how I handle the cables behind the desk. There’s also a photo about how I organize my networking equipment on the other side of the wall in the hallway.

    To get the top books I do use a stool or simply climb on top of the desk. The very thin shelf at the top was put there mostly to hide the ugly but functional bar that all of the uprights and shelves hang from. I’m now thinking about some other ways to make that top shelf more functional.

    My goal for this little office is for it to always keep evolving toward greater simplicity, functionality, and beauty. Thanks for all of your comments, ideas, and suggestions!

15. Posted by SMB - 08/21/2009

    Looks awesome. Very clean. Agree with the comments implying that it’s BayAreaBaw’s business what he decides to keep.

16. Posted by Gina - 08/21/2009

    Agreed — I’d rather see books on a high shelf than in a box in storage any day. My thought is if you have so much you’re storing it in a cardbord box in a closet, that is maybe when you need to declutter. For all we know those are their most prized books and the only space they have for the books.

    There is a lot going on in that space and it would make me anxious, but I have to assume it’s all equipment that gets used. It’s very difficult to come up with a good solution for all those components. They did a fine job.

17. Posted by Matt J. Baier - 08/21/2009

    I love that fact that NONE of the peripherals have been placed on the vital work surface. This is fundamental to effective office organizing.

18. Posted by Mick Chicago - 08/21/2009

    Well, it is arguably cool and neat AND organized! My zen master however would highlight the following: “My challenge has been how to arrange so much gear”

    What this post does not provide is an assessment of whether all this freight is necessary to the productivity and success of subject.

    I recall well my 7 years in a studio in NYC where I became increasingly attached to organizing the maximum of stuff in the minimum amount of space.

    I’m not suggesting this subject suffers from same. Perhaps every single object displayed here has met the scrutiny of various and highly individual decluttering criteria. Hooray for that.

    All that I am saying is that from my perspective, having been there, done that, that I am beyond the paradigm of maximizing stuff in minimal space. I am now into minimizing stuff to maximize space. I breathe a huge sigh of relief with each new layer of decluttering.

    I came to the realization today that decluttering is the ultimate in optimism and in believing in a social / supportive network. If I need three extra … whatevers… or a tool designed to do … I can probably borrow it from friends. And loan them my, whatever. It’s a beautiful thing.

    Books, I agree with earlier poster, if you’re not reading them, pass ‘em on. We know you’re smart and well-read. We don’t need to see the evidence. Jot down your life-long reading list, like Art Garfunkel (Google for his reading list over decades — impressive).

    Two cents plus. But hey, that’s the CHI-KAAAH-GO way. Ask Richie Daley.

19. Posted by Jack - 08/22/2009

    I’m as happy to cart a lot of my books back to the used bookstore when I’m done with them as the next guy, but are you guys seriously complaining that someone owns any books? Or specific tools to do different jobs? Do you also have a toolbox with just a hammer because you can bash screws into the wall just as well as nails?

    Uncluttering is not about getting rid of the tools you use, it’s about getting rid of the things you don’t use.

20. Posted by Jessiejack - 08/22/2009

    Well said Jack- my thoughts also.I agree with getting rid of unnecessary items but I don’t see anything wrong with keeping an infrequently used tool. My priority is my time so I don’t want to spend it trying to borrow tools, arranging pick up etc. If I need an item I want it accessible. This is a beautifully arranged space

21. Posted by Jessiejack - 08/22/2009

    Also I keep books that I love and reread and I would never think to put them in a box instead of displaying them like old friends. If I have to box up books,I purge them. The owner of the office said he used the books to hide the wall attachments. That’s a great use of books in that area for storage and aesthetics.

22. Posted by Gina - 08/23/2009

    For the record — since I’m not clear if somebody thinks I am — I am NOT advocating just getting rid of the books. I have no issues at all with the books on display here. (when I said it makes me anxious, it’s all the components that make me anxious).

    I agree with Jessie — the books I have are books I love and/or use. NOT to impress anybody with how well read I am. Good grief! Do people really do that these days?

    My only point was if you’ve got the book, put it on a shelf, not in storage. Where it can indeed be an old friend and not something you’re hiding away.

    And since I’m moving this week, I’m painfully aware of books as I’ve already boxed up 10 boxes of books and have probably 5 to go. I have 3 boxes of dining room/decorating stuff combined and 15 boxes of books! You know I love my books.

23. Posted by Arvin - 08/23/2009

    I just appreciate an example of what’s clearly a functioning, not just functional or asthetically pleasing workspace. Oftentimes I see workspaces featured that are pristine and austere but can’t actually imagine people working in that space without it getting cluttered as soon as their butt hits the chair.

24. Posted by Gabriel - 08/24/2009

    Why on Earth would you need a laser and an inkjet printer?

25. Posted by BayAreaBAW (Bruce) - 08/24/2009

    I use the black & white laser printer for almost all of my work. It is the primary, dependable workhorse with an extremely low cost per page. But occasionally I do need to print something in color so I have that small inkjet printer, which is definitely not low cost per page but does double-duty since it is small enough to easily take with me when I travel or meet with clients.

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