Archives for October 2009

O’Reilly wants to help with your computer book clutter

cover-scalaAs one of the programmers here at Unclutterer, I spend quite a bit of time educating myself on new technologies. My bookshelf is pretty crowded, mostly with books that I’ve already read, and now only need to refer to once in awhile.

I’ve been looking for a good way to unclutter my programming bookshelf, so I was excited to find out that O’Reilly, one of the foremost publishers of technology books, is currently running a promotion to allow owners of paper versions of their books to buy ebook versions at a substantial discount of only $4.99 per book.

While many people prefer paper versions of books for readability, ebook versions have a few notable advantages that make them particularly useful when it comes to technology books.

  • Tech books are typically big and take up a lot of shelf space. Ebook versions are quite a bit smaller, and take up approximately zero shelf space.
  • Code samples cannot be cut and pasted from paper books. Some books include an additional DVD, or link to a website, that contains sample code. This is unnecessary with an ebook, and can save a lot of time when trying to learn new concepts quickly.
  • Ebook text can be searched much more easily than paper text. Especially across multiple books at once.
  • Ebooks make it possible to take your bookshelf with you on the road, and nobody wants to be anchored to an office just because that’s where his books are.

To take advantage of this offer:

  • Visit oreilly.com and log in to your account, or create a new one.
  • Register each book you own using its 13 digit ISBN number.
  • Find one of your registered books in the O’Reilly store and add the ebook version to your shopping cart.
  • Enter the discount code 499UP during checkout.

The promotion runs through the month of October.

Posted by Brian on Oct 20, 2009 | 17 Comments | Tweet This

Unclutter Your Life in One Week: Your questions answered

The following are the most common questions I have received about Unclutter Your Life in One Week since I signed the contract to write it almost a year ago. If I don’t answer your questions in this post, feel welcome to leave them in the comments. I’ll try to check in over the course of today and tomorrow and respond to the questions that have been asked there.

  1. Is the book a reprinting of posts from the website?
    No. Obviously, it is the same message and tone as the website, but the vast majority of content is new for the new medium. “The Weekend” chapter of the book does include a portion of the text from the post “Saying farewell to a hobby,” and that is because a.) it’s my favorite post of all time, and b.) it fit in perfectly with the chapter.
  2. Will there be an electronic version of the book?
    Yes, and it should be available for pre-order this week. I’m also under the impression that it is going to be available in the three most prominent electronic formatting types. I have no idea what the price will be through the different retailers. Prices are set by the publisher and retailers — unfortunately, authors have no say in how the prices are set.
  3. Will there be an audio version of the book?
    Simon and Schuster doesn’t decide what books will be released as audio books until after the first wave of hardcover sales. I don’t know what formula they use to make this decision, so I won’t even try to predict the answer to this question.
  4. Can I see some of the text from the book before I buy it?
    Yes. Currently, Amazon.com has a chunk of the chapter “Foundations” up on its website. Go to the book’s page, and click on the link “See all Editorial Reviews.” An excerpt of this chapter should appear after the advance reviews.
  5. Is the David Allen who wrote the Foreword to your book THE David Allen?
    Yes. I am truly honored that he wrote the Foreword. His book Getting Things Done is a life-changing text.
  6. Can you print the Table of Contents?
    Here is an abbreviated version –

    • Foreword
    • Erin’s Story
    • Foundations
    • Monday: Your Wardrobe, Your Office, Your Reception Station
    • Tuesday: Your Bathroom, Fixing Your Files, Household Chores
    • Fall Cleaning Guide
    • Wednesday: Your Bedroom and Commute, Communication Processes, Kitchen and Dining Room
    • Thursday: Living Spaces, Productivity, Your Home Office
    • Spring Cleaning Guide
    • Friday: Scheduling Strategies, Work Routines, Living with Clutterers
    • The Weekend
    • Celebrating and Maintaining Your Success
    • Notes
    • Resources
    • Acknowledgments
  7. Did you write this book?
    Yes.
  8. Is it available outside the U.S.?
    Yes. It should be available November 3 in Canada, Australia, Britain, and most other English-speaking countries. Foreign rights are still being negotiated, but I know a publisher picked it up in France and others are in the works.
  9. Will you do a book tour?
    This questions receives a big “sort of” as an answer. I didn’t want a book tour in the traditional sense because sitting in a bookstore talking about my book for 45 minutes is not really my style. Instead, I’m going to have casual meet-n-greets in bars. A small bookseller will have books available, people can talk to me one-on-one, and readers can also get to know each other. Once these dates are set, I’ll post them on the site. As of right now, these happy hours are being planned for New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Kansas City, and Los Angeles. More cities may be added.

    10. Posted by Erin on Oct 19, 2009 | 29 Comments | Tweet This

    A year ago on Unclutterer

    2008

    2007

    Posted by PJ on Oct 18, 2009 | Comments Off | Tweet This

    Sheetseat eco-friendly and ultra-storable folding chair

    With the theme of Thursday’s Blog Action Day being climate change, we’ve been thinking more about green organizing and uncluttering. Even just rethinking everyday items can make a small difference, like the Lunch Skins that Erin posted about on Tuesday.

    I’m always a big fan of new solutions to old problems, so I was impressed with Ufuk Keskin’s unique take on portable seating with his Sheetseat folding chair:

    Folding chairs are certainly not a new concept — the idea dates back around 4000 years to the Middle Kingdom of Egypt — but Keskin’s Sheetseat is the first I’ve seen that collapses down to a thickness of a mere thee quarters of an inch.

    The simplicity of this design and the use of little more than a small sheet of plywood make the Sheetseet quite environmentally friendly. And the fact that you can easily store seating for six friends inconspicuously behind a curtain or couch, or under a bed, is about as uncluttered as you can get.

    Posted by Brian on Oct 17, 2009 | 28 Comments | Tweet This

    Ask Unclutterer: Overwhelmed with clutter

    Reader Jennifer submitted the following to Ask Unclutterer:

    What is your advice for a seriously organizationally challenged family?

    Our house looks like it should be on one of those messy house shows, the kids homework is all over, the daddy (coaches the boys baseball team) lost a check for $500 from a new baseball family, and the mommy (me) is just a hot mess.

    I’ve ordered your book but I don’t know if our family can wait until November at this point.

    My daughter’s birthday is in two days and I’ll have grandparents in my house doing that heavy sigh “at least they seem happy” thing … I guess I am looking for a band aid before the transfusion that is your book.

    Thanks for being here, wish I found you earlier.

    Jennifer, let me start by suggesting that you find a comfortable chair, take a deep breath, and close your eyes for a few minutes. You deserve some calm before the whirlwind birthday adventure begins, so go ahead and take it now.

    Next, remember that even the most organized people in the world feel anxiety before their parents and in-laws come to visit. It’s natural. I know I regularly freak out before they come.

    This visit, however, is a great opportunity for you. Let all of the grandparents see the mess. Don’t hide it, don’t try to find a band aid, just let it shine in its glorious disorder. Let them get a solid understanding of your “before” status, like the television cameras capture on the organizing shows you referenced. This way, after you get your home organized in the coming weeks, they will truly appreciate all of the hard work you did. They will know how far you have come, and they will be in awe of your “after.”

    If letting it all hang out is too much and you still want to grab a cardboard box and toss some things into it before the majority of the party guests arrive, do it. Just don’t let this box become a permanent solution. But, if it puts your mind at ease in the short term, I don’t see the harm in it. Get your daughter to help, too. If she’s old enough to have a birthday party, she’s old enough to help with an emergency clutter pick up.

    Also, try not to focus on the stuff and instead focus on your daughter and the people who come for her party. Clutter or no clutter, the people in your life are worth more than the stuff.

    Finally, between now and when the book arrives, think about why you want to get the clutter out of your life. What do you want to permanently focus on instead of the clutter? Figure out what matters most to you, and this will help you significantly when it comes time to purge the clutter from your life.

    Good luck and have fun! Happy birthday, too, to your daughter. Thank you, Jennifer, for submitting your question for our Ask Unclutterer column.

    Do you have a question relating to organizing, cleaning, home and office projects, productivity, or any problems you think the Unclutterer team could help you solve? To submit your questions to Ask Unclutterer, go to our contact page and type your question in the content field. Please list the subject of your e-mail as “Ask Unclutterer.” If you feel comfortable sharing images of the spaces that trouble you, let us know about them. The more information we have about your specific issue, the better.

    Posted by Erin on Oct 16, 2009 | 34 Comments | Tweet This

    Workspace of the Week: Privacy begone

    This week’s Workspace of the Week is 0June0′s open-to-everyone desk at work:

    When I made a call for entries a couple weeks ago, this was the exact kind of office I wanted to see more of in the Unclutterer Flickr Pool. So often, our offices in buildings outside our homes are anything but ideal. This desk lacks privacy and walls — yet its owner has stepped up and made it into an area where work can really get done. There is a designated inbox and outbox, an area under the left side of the desk where the worker can store documents that need to be exchanged with co-workers, and only those things that are regularly used are on the top of the workspace. Filing cabinets are nearby, for relatively easy access. A great entry, 0June0, thank you for your submission to our pool.

    Want to have your own workspace featured in Workspace of the Week? Submit a picture to the Unclutterer flickr pool. Check it out because we have a nice little community brewing there. Also, don’t forget that workspaces aren’t just desks. If you’re a cook, it’s a kitchen; if you’re a carpenter, it’s your workbench.

    Posted by Erin on Oct 16, 2009 | 11 Comments | Tweet This

    Blog Action Day: Climate change and personal change

    Today is the third-annual Blog Action Day. This year’s theme is climate change, and all participating bloggers are asked to write on the topic from their perspective.

    When I first learned about this year’s topic, it was the word change that caught my attention. To make any sort of behavioral change — to help the environment, become uncluttered, stop smoking — is difficult. We’re creatures of habit, and we find ways to rationalize our behavior even when it’s detrimental to ourselves and/or others. Even major life events don’t always motivate us to change our ways.

    But, we all know a kid who was a troublemaker in high school who became a law-enforcement officer in adulthood or an alcoholic who is more than 10 years sober. I was a someone who had so much clutter in her home that I had to walk along a pathway of waist-high boxes from my bathroom to my kitchen, and now I’m clutter free and work 40-plus hours a week to help others achieve the same. People can change, but the path to transformation isn’t always easy.

    A recent weight-loss study by researchers at the University College London found that it took participants 12 weeks to develop new habits:

    … participants gave a figure for how long it had taken to develop habits and the mean was 3.0 months (s.d. 1.8).

    The study tracked the participants and discovered that the previously reported statistic that it takes just three weeks to develop a new habit is incorrect. The majority of the participants didn’t even have healthy eating behaviors established by eight weeks, and some of the participants took between 20 and 24 weeks to master the new routines.

    In addition to teaching the participants better ways to eat, the study also recommended that people should:

    … form ‘implementation intentions’ plans that specify when, where and how the behaviour will be performed because these have been hypothesized to accelerate the habit-formation process.

    If changing your behaviors to help save the environment or improve your eating habits or live an uncluttered life is at the top of your priority list, then give yourself time to become accustom to your new routines. Write down your “implementation intentions,” make the changes, and then prepare for it to take 12 weeks before all of your changes start to feel like second nature. For some of you, it may even take twice that amount of time — but it will happen. Change is possible.

    Posted by Erin on Oct 15, 2009 | 15 Comments | Tweet This

    Unitasker Wednesday: Onion ring holder

    All Unitasker Wednesday posts are jokes — we don’t want you to buy these items, we want you to laugh at their ridiculousness. Enjoy!

    It is rare that I am at a loss for words, but this week’s unitasker has changed that:

    Thank you, reader Kimberly, for introducing me to what may be the most unitaskery unitasker of all time: the onion ring holder.

    Posted by Erin on Oct 14, 2009 | 60 Comments | Tweet This

    Unclutter Your Life in One Week and a special bonus

    Yesterday morning, my UPS delivery woman crushed my productivity when she brought me advance copies of my book:

    I couldn’t stop staring at the books in the box. I was transfixed. I may have even cried a little — okay, more than a little. Writing a book has been at the top of my life’s to-do list since the first time I ever made a life to-do list. And writing this specific book has been a goal since I began my personal uncluttering adventure. Seeing the finished book in print and being able to hold it in my hands was one of the most incredible moments of my life.

    Unclutter Your Life in One Week would not be possible without you, Unclutterer.com readers. In fact, you’re the first people thanked in the acknowledgments section of the book. As a sign of my appreciation, I want to offer you all something in return. I wish that I could give you a discount on the book, but the publishers and retailers have a tight lock on that part of the process. So, here is a special bonus that I can give without ruffling any feathers:

    If you order Unclutter Your Life in One Week online before it is available in stores November 3, I will e-mail you PDF copies of the worksheets in the book as a free, special bonus. Simply fill out the special bonus form to redeem your PDFs. For those of you who have already ordered the book, feel welcome to fill out the form to get your copies.

    All PDFs will be e-mailed to you on November 3. The PDFs are copies of worksheets in the book so that you don’t have to recreate them on your computer to use them — I’ve done the work for you already.

    I have decided to do this promotion on the honor system. I am trusting you and taking your word for it that you ordered the book. And, along those same lines of the honor system, I’m also requesting that no one posts these PDFs online after you receive them. I want to offer something special just for Unclutterer readers, so I hope that you respect my requests.

    This is a limited offer and it will disappear the night of November 2 from the website.

    Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some of the book’s content on the site, answering your questions about the book (for example: yes, my publisher has assured me that there will be an e-book available for pre-order and yes, it is being translated into French), and letting you know where and when I’ll be talking about and signing copies of the book. Thank you, again, for being such wonderful readers and making all of this possible.

    (Thanks also to Tyler Cowan at Marginal Revolution for the special bonus idea.)

    Posted by Erin on Oct 14, 2009 | 81 Comments | Tweet This

    A year ago on Unclutterer

    2008

    2007

    Posted by PJ on Oct 14, 2009 | Comments Off | Tweet This

    Organize your closet like a pro

    Scott Roewer, a certified professional organizer based in DC, recently created a how-to series for the video site MonkeySee. His topic, organizing your closet like a professional, takes viewers step-by-step through the uncluttering and organizing process. The series is terrific and it’s worth a view if you’re looking to get your closet in order.

    The series was filmed as nine short episodes (each between two and five minutes), and I’ve embedded the first here. See below for links to the other eight episodes.

    Posted by Erin on Oct 13, 2009 | 10 Comments | Tweet This

    Lunch skins reduce waste and save lunch

    Thursday is Blog Action Day and this year’s topic is Climate Change. As a result, I’ve been thinking about green organizing and uncluttering advice that will be applicable to the topic. Obviously, living an uncluttered life is better for the environment than living a life of excess and materialism. However, I’ve been searching for specific recommendations that I can give beyond the general.

    One green solution that a friend recently brought to my attention is Lunch Skins. They’re reusable sandwich and snack bags:

    The bags are dishwasher safe, food safe, and resistant to grease and moisture (no need to worry about your jelly leaking out of the bag). Plus, they come in many fun patterns. Lunch Skins aren’t great for long-term storage of foods in the freezer, but they are are perfect for lunchboxes and snacks when you’re on the go. Reducing your waste when you can is greener than doing nothing at all.

    Posted by Erin on Oct 13, 2009 | 37 Comments | Tweet This

    Celebrity decluttering: Barbra Streisand

    Singer-actress extraordinaire Barbra Streisand will be auctioning off more than 500 of her belongings October 17-18 and the proceeds of the auction will be going to charity. CNN reporter Kareen Wynter asked Barbra why she chose to purge her things:

    Barbra Streisand: We really never possess anything — I mean, not forever. We borrow things and then we let them go and be used and shared and enjoyed by the next generation and the next generation. So if you can’t really use something anymore, even though it belonged to you for a long time and you loved it, it’s great to pass it on.

    Costumes she wore in movies, furniture from her home, and her piano are some of the things she is putting up for auction. You can find the entire collection on Juliens Auctions.

    Purging your life of more than 500 items is a significant decluttering endeavor and I’m impressed to read about it. Uncluttering kudos to Barbra Streisand.

    (Image from Juliens Auctions, and a hat tip to reader Katie for directing us to the story.)

    Posted by Erin on Oct 12, 2009 | 14 Comments | Tweet This

    Keep notes close with a pocket briefcase

    I’ve mentioned before that I’m a huge fan of using 3×5 cards to capture and organize tasks and ideas, but they can be somewhat inconvenient to use. Various cases and Hipster PDAs attempt to make note cards easily accessible, but they rely on carrying around yet another item in your pocket.

    Last year, I picked up a Pocket Briefcase, which has now become one of my favorite organizational tools. Instead of carrying around a wallet and a stack of note cards, I’m able to carry just a wallet, because the cards fit inside. This particular briefcase has a pocket for cash, slots for a few debit and ID cards, and two pockets to organize used cards. I recently went on a trip out of the US and discovered that my Pocket Briefcase will even fit my passport.

    20091006-pocket-briefcase-2

    This works for me because even when I don’t want to carry a notebook, I’m always carrying my wallet, so I’m never without a pen and paper. If you use note cards with your personal information on them, then you’re carrying business cards too!

    Levenger’s pocket briefcase isn’t cheap, so if you want to see if this kind of tool will work for you without spending a lot of money, you can find similar items in many stores that carry office supplies.

    Posted by Brian on Oct 12, 2009 | 22 Comments | Tweet This

    A year ago on Unclutterer

    2008

    2007

    Posted by PJ on Oct 11, 2009 | Comments Off | Tweet This

    Ask Unclutterer: Managing a wardrobe of many sizes

    Reader Petra submitted the following to Ask Unclutterer:

    Uncluttering is not a huge problem for me — with one exception: my wardrobe. I’m a stress-eater and easily gain weight, nevertheless I try to get rid of the extra kilos whenever possible. Those ups and downs expand sometimes over periods of a year.

    My clothes are of high quality and just prime, timeless wear. Due to my weight problem I have every item needed in three to four different sizes. How can I unclutter this huge amount of clothes without the need to shop whenever my weight changes ? (Yes, I know I should do something about the weight problem permanently…) I would love to hear from you.

    To begin, I want you to know that you are doing two things right already — your wardrobe is full of well-made and classic clothing. You will get many years of use from your clothing and won’t have to replace what you will ultimately decide to keep. You’re definitely on the right track.

    Next, I recommend going through all of your sizes and identifying the pieces that look best on you at each size. You know these pieces because they make you feel good when you wear them, people compliment you when you wear them, and you never hesitate to put them on when they’re clean. These items should go into your keep pile.

    If you still have some space in your closet, I recommend keeping your most classic pieces — for instance, a black suit that can be worn to a meeting, dressed up to attend a dinner party, and is also appropriate for a funeral. These extremely versatile, classic items will be fine to keep in all of your sizes. I call these items the basic wardrobe, and you should create one that best meets your needs.

    Beyond these two types of clothes, you won’t really need much else. You may find, however, that you want to increase your accessories — scarves, jewelry, shoes, and drapey cardigans that can be worn at any size. Use these items to give color, spice, and a trend to the current to all of your outfits. Fortunately, (well, except for the shoes) these items are considerably easier to store.

    Thank you, Petra, for submitting your question for our Ask Unclutterer column.

    Do you have a question relating to organizing, cleaning, home and office projects, productivity, or any problems you think the Unclutterer team could help you solve? To submit your questions to Ask Unclutterer, go to our contact page and type your question in the content field. Please list the subject of your e-mail as “Ask Unclutterer.” If you feel comfortable sharing images of the spaces that trouble you, let us know about them. The more information we have about your specific issue, the better.

    Posted by Erin on Oct 9, 2009 | 37 Comments | Tweet This

    Workspace of the Week: Realistic working conditions

    This week’s Workspace of the Week is ChirhoDesign’s cramped but organized office:

    I chose ChirhoDesign’s office because it represents the conditions so many people work with in their jobs. The office is tiny and in less than an ideal location, but its user has found a way to make it meet all of his needs — and meet them efficiently. ChirhoDesign has everything he needs to design, program, upload photographs, and manage the administrative aspects of his job from this small, uncluttered space. Bravo! This is a fine workspace. Thank you, ChirhoDesign, for your entry.

    Want to have your own workspace featured in Workspace of the Week? Submit a picture to the Unclutterer flickr pool. Check it out because we have a nice little community brewing there. Also, don’t forget that workspaces aren’t just desks. If you’re a cook, it’s a kitchen; if you’re a carpenter, it’s your workbench.

    Posted by Erin on Oct 9, 2009 | 8 Comments | Tweet This

    DIY everyday camera bag

    The primary disadvantage of DSLR cameras is the inconvenience of trying to carry them everywhere. In searching for the perfect everyday camera bag, I found that bags for cameras are designed to carry only camera equipment. Some backpacks will fit a laptop and a few personal items, but if you prefer a messenger bag, there really isn’t any middle ground.

    But it turns out that Timbuk2’s new Commute 2.0 bag is just the right size for adding a single insert to carry a DSLR. Two inserts that seem to be the right size are the Billingham 12-21 Superflex insert and the Domke FA-211 insert. I didn’t really feel like paying $30 for this experiment, so I constructed one myself from some foam and duct tape, then attached it to the inside of the bag with industrial strength Velcro. I’ve been using it for a couple of months now, and it has held up nicely.

    3752870491_8a3fb6905a 3752871663_2ef35186c9

    3753668736_1a6bef632f

    As you can see, there is plenty of room for my camera, along with the other items that I like to carry with me. If i need to bring my laptop, there’s a zipper compartment on the outside of the bag so that the laptop doesn’t take up interior space.

    Posted by Brian on Oct 8, 2009 | 13 Comments | Tweet This

    Organizing a party pantry

    I was recently given a copy of the book Simple Stunning Parties at Home by its author Karen Bussen. In the book, Karen suggests organizing a “party pantry” so that “when it’s time to throw a dinner party or a wine and cheese night on the spur of the moment, I look [to it] for design inspiration, and I pull together all the elements I need.” She lives in a small New York City apartment, so her party pantry isn’t large or cluttered. She recommends a “small closet, a cupboard in the kitchen, or an antique hutch — whatever works for you.”

    One of the reasons I have committed myself to living an uncluttered, simple life is because I want to be able to enjoy time with those I love. Being able to invite friends and family over to the house on a moment’s notice is important to me, and an uncluttered home makes this stress-free and simple. Having an organized party pantry makes these surprise events even easier — and so I’m working to create one in my kitchen.

    In addition to the obvious tableware, Karen suggests having snacks and condiments with long shelf lives in your party pantry. I’ve always struggled with knowing which types of snacks work well as appetizers or finger foods, so I found this list extremely helpful (from page 23):

    • Packaged plain breadsticks
    • Jars of olives, pickled jalapenos, stuffed grape leaves, and roasted sweet peppers
    • Pistachios and mixed nuts or trail mixes
    • Dill pickles
    • Bottles of my favorite pasta sauce and a few types of past
    • Boxes of crispbreads and crackers
    • A variety of unusual chips (root vegetable, pita, tortilla, and others)
    • Dried fruits (apricots, cranberries, cherries, and golden raisins)
    • Plain microwave popcorn
    • Dried Italian sausages and salami
    • Biscotti and other cookies

    Obviously, you wouldn’t need to keep all of these items in your party pantry. Rather, this is a list of possibilities for things that are good to store and serve. It is also fun to finish the rest of the jar or box of snacks after your guests leave. My mouth is watering just thinking about this list.

    What snacks and supplies do you have on hand for unexpected guests? How do you organize your party pantry? Tell us about your setup in the comments.

    Posted by Erin on Oct 8, 2009 | 29 Comments | Tweet This

    Unitasker Wednesday: Microwave Popcorn Storage Dispenser

    All Unitasker Wednesday posts are jokes — we don’t want you to buy these items, we want you to laugh at their ridiculousness. Enjoy!

    This week’s unitasker comes to us from reader Debra. For just $15, you can own the Microwave Popcorn Storage Dispenser and have a container to hold your unpopped bags of popcorn — just like the box the popcorn bags are sold in:

    With a footprint of 7.5″ x 6.5″ you can sacrifice a good portion of your kitchen counter space for this quaint device! Sure, when you store your microwave popcorn bags in the box they came in inside your pantry you sacrifice no counter space whatsoever — but we shouldn’t think about that. Ignore the obvious! Buy a Microwave Popcorn Dispenser today!

    Posted by Erin on Oct 7, 2009 | 26 Comments | Tweet This