Archives for October 2010

Five simple ways to easily organize your things

When organizing items in your home, it’s best to use systems that make the most sense to you and are simple to use. You should look at your cupboards, files, closets, or shelving and instantly know how objects can be returned, retrieved, or added to their storage space. The easier it is to store something, the more likely you are to put it in its place.

It’s almost always a good idea to store like things with like things. Your board games should all be in one closet on one shelf. Your pots and pans should all be in the same cupboard, and your wrenches in a single toolbox. Once grouped with similar items, your objects should be stored in the most convenient place for where you use the objects. Dog food should be stored near the dog food bowls, office supplies should be in your office, and spices should be in your kitchen in a dark and dry cupboard or drawer near your food prep area.

When you have like things with like things, you may need to organize the objects even more. This is especially good for things where there are more than three objects of a kind — such as papers in a filing cabinet or books on your bookshelves. The following systems are extremely obvious, which means you’re more likely to remember the system because it is so simple:

  • Chronologically. You can put things in order of oldest to newest (a good idea if you want to use something up, like breakfast cereal) or newest to oldest (great for filing bills). Chronologically also works well in some people’s closets when they want to make sure they are regularly rotating through two or three week’s worth of clothes.
  • Alphabetically. Great for organizing files, your address book, and other items with words on their labels (like spices in your kitchen). Alphabetical order is what people assume you will use as an ordering method whenever letters are involved.
  • By size. When stacking, it’s usually a great idea to put the largest items on the bottom and the smallest items on top. You can order from largest to smallest or smallest to largest when working with objects where size is relevant to its use, like drill bits and hex keys.
  • Seasonally. Objects like holiday decorations and outdoor apparel can easily be stored based on what season you use or wear them. Ordering by season means that you’re less likely to find your Fourth of July decorations in with your Thanksgiving items.
  • By occasion. Similar to seasonally, when you organize by occasion you group things based upon when you use the item. This is a great idea for organizing all of your soccer supplies in a single duffel bag so that everything is together in a kit when you’re ready to head to soccer practice.

If you store textiles (like yarn for knitting or paper for scrapbooking), you might also consider ordering items by color or materials. However, color and materials don’t work well for filing things like memos — all memos printed on yellow paper were probably just printed on yellow paper because the person making the copies couldn’t find a ream of white paper. When color or materials add meaning to the object, it’s okay to consider using them as an ordering system. When the color or materials don’t add meaning to the object, it’s best to use another organizing method.

What systems do you use when organizing your things? Could using a more simple organizing method increase the likelihood that you will put things away after you use them? Not only does simple organizing make your life easier, it also makes it easier for others to return, retrieve, or add objects to a system when you’re not there to supervise.

Posted by Erin on Oct 7, 2010 | 22 Comments | Tweet This

Is uncluttered and remarkable living the best path for you?

Unclutterer: Someone who chooses to get rid of the distractions that get in the way of a remarkable life.

There are three important words in this definition –

  • Choices. No one can be forced into being an unclutterer.
  • Distractions. Usually referred to as clutter, distractions are the unwanted physical, mental, time, environmental, and emotional hurdles that get in the way of your remarkable life.
  • Remarkable life. A life fully focused on what matters most to you.

Have you chosen to be an unclutterer? Is it actually something you want to be? Unless you’re putting yourself or others in danger, being an unclutterer might not be the best life for you. Maybe it is? Only you know if it’s your right path.

Have you identified all of the distractions that are keeping you from pursuing your remarkable life? What stands in your way? Is laundry, a toxic relationship, or something else sucking up your time and energy?

Do you know what is important, really important, to you? What would a perfect day be for you? How do you imagine spending your time when it is focused on what matters most? What is your definition of remarkable living?

If your children are on your list of what matters most to you, are you working the right job that allows you a symbiotic relationship of career happiness, reasonable financial compensation, flexible scheduling, and the ability to focus on your children when you’re not at work? Or, is your job impairing your relationship with your kids?

If your health is on your list of what matters most to you, are you regularly finding a way to have fun exercising? Or, are you sitting on your couch feeling guilty about not working out?

If your relationship with your spouse or partner is on your list of what matters most to you, do you have romantic dates together or write the love of your life silly poems of admiration? Or, do you just hold on to memories of the past when you did these things together?

If you want to be an unclutterer — choose to be one, get rid of the distractions, and pursue your remarkable life. Stop making excuses, formulating excuses wastes time and energy, and just start living in a way that focuses on what is really important to you.

Life is short, choose to live remarkably.

Posted by Erin on Oct 7, 2010 | 21 Comments | Tweet This

Unitasker Wednesday: Easy Feet

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

I love infomercials because of how they portray people as being completely helpless without the specific product being advertised. How did we ever survive without this doodad or trinket?! The travesty! The HORROR!! (My all-time favorite example of this is the EZ Cracker.) Reader Ida has found a new infomercial gem for us in the Easy Feet. Because, you know, most people have no idea whatsoever as to how to wash their feet:

Sure, this product might be nice for someone with arthritis or a mobility limitation, but for the majority of readers who are abled-body it looks like a GIANT mildew and dead skin trap. Wait! A new opportunity abounds for a manufacturer to produce an Easy Feet mildew and dead skin removal unitasker. Get busy, unclutterers — there are millions to be made!

(Confession: After watching this video 10 times, I now really want one of these unitaskers. I will refrain, but CURSES you, woman with the British accent! You are so convincing!!)

Posted by Erin on Oct 6, 2010 | 44 Comments | Tweet This

A year ago on Unclutterer

2009

  • Rethinking the vase for a small space
    I recently learned about the store-flat reusable Vazu vases and instantly thought about our apartment and small-space dwelling readers.
  • Uncluttered mealtime
    Reader Beth sent us the following wonderful suggestion for organizing meals at home for little money and little stress.
  • Being a smart furniture consumer
    Smart consumerism is based on the principle of buying the best quality of good to meet your needs and budget. Saving up your money and buying a beautifully crafted piece of furniture out of durable materials will ultimately keep you from wasting money and time in the future. Plus, if you research and buy only quality goods, you won’t make impulse purchases.
  • Organizing medical billings and paperwork
    Professional organizer Julie Bestry speaks from personal experience on how to organize medical billings and paperwork to avoid bankruptcy in her article “Don’t Let Hospital Billing Errors Bleed You Dry.”

2007

Posted by PJ on Oct 6, 2010 | 1 Comment | Tweet This

Review: Essential Travel Jacket by Scottevest

Ever since airlines started adding extra surcharges for checked baggage, I’ve been working to perfect the art of jamming everything I’ll need when traveling into my carry-on bags. Unfortunately, overly-packed bags are difficult to access whenever I want to get at a personal item, like a book, while flying.

A few weeks ago, the folks at Scottevest sent me an Essential Travel Jacket with 19 pockets for us to review.

I’ve been wearing it since it arrived and I’ve taken it on a few trips during that time. It’s quite nice to be able to carry a book, my camera, an iPhone, my wallet, and sunglasses all close at hand.

I don’t have an iPad, but apparently you can even fit one of the front inside pocket, provided you wear a men’s medium or larger.

What impresses me the most about the jacket is that it is both fashionably simple and inconspicuous. Ordinarily, garments with an extreme number of pockets tend to make the wearer look like either Walter Sobchak or a pro bass fisherman. As you can see, this is not the case.

Essential Travel Jacket by Scottevest

X-Ray View of Essential Travel Jacket by Scottevest

The garment seems very well made and my only real complaint is that it attracts and shows lint a little more than I would like. For that reason, you might prefer to opt for the red or beige version instead of buying it in black. I definitely recommend it.

Posted by PJ on Oct 6, 2010 | 33 Comments | Tweet This

Three places clutter might be hiding in your life

After having to scrape frost off the car windows yesterday morning, I’m finally willing to accept that fall has arrived. As I have been pulling out all the cold-weather supplies (coats, hats, boots, shovels, grill covers, etc.), I’ve stumbled upon some unexpected clutter in these storage spaces. If you haven’t already pulled out these supplies in your own home (or done the same with warmer-weather supplies if you live in the southern hemisphere), be sure to check out these locations for hidden clutter:

  • Linen storage. I found a couple blankets and flannel sheets that I stored over the winter that should have been donated to our local animal shelter back in April. The elastic is shot in one set of sheets and two of the blankets have worn thin in places. Inspect your cooler weather linens to see if they’re ready for six months of use. (And give your warmer weather items a serious inspection before putting them into storage.)
  • Exterior storage boxes/sheds. If you store items outdoors during the winter, but in protective storage, be sure to give these areas a good review before putting tools away for the season. Small rodents and other critters may have been using these locations for living quarters during the summer months.
  • Car trunk. While loading a blanket and some freeze-dried snacks into the trunk of our car, I noticed a number of summer items hadn’t made it out of the trunk yet. Pull everything out of the trunk of your car and evaluate if it should live the winter in this space. If you don’t have a car, inspect the basket on your bike or thoroughly go through your backpack.

Have you found hidden clutter in your home while getting things ready for winter? If so, tell us where so we can all give these spaces a good review before the cool temperatures have us nesting indoors.

Posted by Erin on Oct 5, 2010 | 20 Comments | Tweet This

Creating a mail center in your home

One of the easiest ways to keep paper clutter from overwhelming your space is to set up a mail processing center immediately inside the door by your mailbox. In a buffet, chest, armoire, or another piece of furniture that matches the decor of your home, install a recycling bin, shredder, and trash can. Also, have mail cubbies for each person in your home so whoever sorts the mail can have a place to immediately store everyone else’s mail.

When you sort the mail, you have four options:

  • Recycle. Most flyers, postcards, and papers can easily be recycled. If you don’t want or need the mail, and it doesn’t include any personal information, drop it straight into a recycling bin.
  • Shred. Credit card applications, notifications, and other junk mail that includes your private information should be shredded to help prevent identity theft. A few seconds shredding these documents can save you hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars fixing a stolen identity.
  • Trash. Not all mail can be recycled. Check with your local recycling center to know which types of papers and envelopes can be recycled and which ones can’t. For example, envelopes with the plastic window pane often have to be trashed.
  • Process. Keep a pen in your mail center to write action items on the mail you choose to keep. “Pay by November 1.” “Send to lawyer by October 15.” Give yourself as much direction as possible so you don’t waste time re-reading the mail again.

The truly organized might also have a scanner in this location to immediately scan materials that don’t need to be kept in physical form, but can be retained digitally.

You can be proactive and reduce a good chunk of junk mail by opting out of direct marketing materials through DMAchoice.org. Additionally, call the customer service number on any catalog you don’t want and request to be removed from their mailing lists. You can also contact the three credit reporting agencies to opt out of credit card applications for five years at a time. (You will need to contact all three agencies — TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.) There are also companies that do all of these mail reduction services for an annual fee, such as 41pounds.org and PreCycle.

A mail center is also a great place to empty clutter out your pockets, backpack, and/or briefcase. The less paper clutter that comes into your home, the less clutter you have to worry about getting rid of later.

Posted by Erin on Oct 4, 2010 | 18 Comments | Tweet This

A year ago on Unclutterer

2009

  • Unitasker Wednesday: Rock, Paper, Scissors Card Game
    First, you need hands to be able to deal, hold, and play the cards. Hands that you could simply use to PLAY THE GAME. Second, you — wait, forget a second point. I think the first point about HANDS says it all.
  • Organizing the events after a loss of life
    The website About.com has an extremely helpful set of downloadable PDF files that you can print to aid in organizing all of the events after a loved one has passed.
  • Eliminate collaboration clutter with Subversion
  • Workspace of the Week: Call for entries
    This week, instead of highlighting an office, we want to make a request. Our Unclutterer Flickr Pool is full of images of amazing spaces — but the vast majority of those spaces are in people’s homes. I work from home, so I’m quite the fan of the home office. However, we know that most of our readers work in offices in buildings outside their homes. We would love for you to share an image of your corporate-style office space.
  • Ask Unclutterer: Partner’s messy desk
    I’ve been living with my boyfriend for 3 years now. We live in a flat, not very big. I’m really worried about his stuff.

Posted by PJ on Oct 3, 2010 | 1 Comment | Tweet This

On the Forums: Furniture rental, foreign coins, and Christmas

Ask Unclutterer is taking the day off today, but some great discussions are currently underway on the Unclutterer Forums:

Be sure to check it out and add your thoughts to the mix. Remember, you can start your own thread (which our system calls a “topic”) by clicking the “Add New” link under Latest Discussions on the Forum homepage.

If you use an RSS reader to follow your favorite blogs, you can easily keep track of what’s going on in our new forums. Add the feed for latest topics or all the latest posts. You can even follow specific topics using the RSS link just below each topic’s title, or create an RSS feed of your own by adding topics as favorites.

Posted by PJ on Oct 1, 2010 | Comments Off | Tweet This

Workspace of the Week: Small-space simplicity in black

This week’s Workspace of the Week is TypeFiend’s (Gregory Han’s) closet office:

I don’t usually choose offices from our Flick pool that I know have already been highlighted on other websites for our Workspace of the Week selection. However, I’m so in love with TypeFiend’s office that I’m making an exception. Check out “The Black Hole Home Office” on Unplggd to see how a walk-in closet has been transformed into a home office paradise (well, at least for someone who isn’t claustrophobic). The office extends to the left where a printer, equipment, and office supplies are stored. Thank you, TypeFiend, for your submission to our Flickr 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 1, 2010 | 16 Comments | Tweet This