Archives for December 2010

Sitter information forms

When you leave your home, you may have a babysitter, pet-sitter, or house-sitter watch over your children, pets, or things. Completing an information sheet with important contact and vital data can keep you and the sitter organized and ready for anything.

You can print and fill out these forms exactly as they are, or use them as inspiration for creating your own.

Babysitter:

Pet-sitter:

House-sitter:

Posted by Erin on Dec 13, 2010 | 7 Comments | Tweet This

A year ago on Unclutterer

2009

  • Extreme minimalist living
    Voluntarily living in less than 175 square feet permanently is a skill. It is not a skill I possess or necessarily wish to possess, but I have a respect for the people who do. They find a way to do without traditional conveniences of a home. They sacrifice a great deal of comfort to pursue whatever it is that matters to them more. This week, I’ve been mesmerized by two articles on extreme minimalist living I want to bring to your attention.
  • Unitasker Wednesday: USB-powered eyelash curler
    Why should I safely curl my eyelashes in front of a mirror when I could do it blindly in front of my laptop with 5V current?
  • Status update: How are your 2009 resolutions working?
    What was/were your 2009 resolution(s)? Do you need to get a plan in action now to make sure you achieve it before the end of the year? I’m interested in reading about your successes in the comments.
  • PEEP: A place for everything and everything in its place
    Reader Alexandra introduced us to the post “The NICU goes Lean” on the Running a Hospital blog written by Paul Levy who is the president and CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. In the article, Levy details how the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in his hospital used Lean 5S process improvements as motivation to organize and streamline their supply room.
  • Workspace of the Week: Just enough

Posted by PJ on Dec 12, 2010 | 1 Comment | Tweet This

Simple steps to save you time

These tips aren’t revolutionary, but they’re simple ways to save time when working around the house.

  • Open kitchen cabinet doors before putting dishes away, and then close all of them when you’re finished. You won’t waste time opening and closing doors.
  • If you have a dishwasher, wipe crumbs off the counter into the open dishwasher. Keeps your hands and floor clean, and speeds up cleanup.
  • Dust from high to low, and sweep after dusting.
  • Always store your keys in the same place.
  • Replace batteries in clocks, carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, and flashlights all on the same day, twice a year.

What simple steps help save you time around your house? Add your tips in the comments.

Posted by Erin on Dec 11, 2010 | 35 Comments | Tweet This

Ask Unclutterer: Regrets and legacy items

Reader Andrew submitted the following to Ask Unclutterer:

I agree and aspire to be neat, minimalist, the epitome of uncluttered … but I have a couple of high priced items that I haven’t used in some time but feel I would regret if I didn’t have them … primarily because I feel my kids could one day use them. So I wonder:

  1. Have you ever regretted getting rid of something?
  2. What do you do about “legacy” items?

The items are few, but still weigh upon my mind.

Great questions, Andrew!

Addressing the first question: Yes, I have regretted getting rid of something.

In my early days of uncluttering, I wanted to be uncluttered RIGHT THEN. I was ready to live my uncluttered life and I didn’t want to have to sort through all of my possessions. I just wanted the clutter magically gone.

One day my patience grew thin, and I tossed to the curb some boxes I hadn’t unpacked since my previous move. I didn’t even look in the boxes. I figured if I’d lived without the stuff for a year, I couldn’t possibly need it.

Except, in one of the boxes was stuff I needed — my passport, my birth certificate, my immunization records — all my vital documents.

I’ve been able to replace these items, but doing so was an extremely long and frustrating experience. Had I simply opened the boxes, I would have instantly seen the mistake I was making. But, I was in a hurry and didn’t want to take the time to do the project correctly. I regret getting rid of those things.

I’ve never regretted getting rid of something that I took the time to sort through and conscientiously review.

Addressing the second question: I keep a few legacy items for my son.

We have a large Rubbermaid storage box in our office closet with my son’s name on it. There isn’t much in it right now — his baby book, his first pair of shoes. However, this is the box where we plan to store any legacy items we think he might want of ours when he is an adult.

We can’t keep everything we think he might one day want, so we limit ourselves to only storing things we can fit in this very specific space. If it doesn’t fit, we don’t store it. Things we don’t store, we either use or give away. Our goal isn’t to clutter up his future home with our stuff, so we are making the decisions during his childhood instead of forcing him to deal with a giant amount of our things when he’s an adult.

Additionally, in our Wills we have directions for items we regularly use — like the watch my husband wears, which isn’t very expensive but has sentimental value — stating that if he wants these things, we would like for him to have them. The Wills also give him permission to not keep the items if that is his choice. We know he doesn’t need permission, but we want to make it clear that he shouldn’t feel any guilt if he chooses to part with the objects.

Legacy items are reminders that you are part of a family, and the items honor and represent these caring relationships. I think it’s nice to pass on a few things to your children. That being said, don’t go overboard. You don’t want to overwhelm your children with stuff that can clutter up their adult lives. I’ve found that putting space restrictions on storing these items is a good way to keep out the clutter and only store the most treasured items, the items your child will truly cherish and appreciate that you kept.

Thank you, Andrew, 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 Dec 10, 2010 | 30 Comments | Tweet This

Workspace of the Week: Wonderful workspace

This week’s Workspace of the Week is ATypical Type A’s crisp home office:

The white background with the yellow and red accents makes this office a wonderfully decorated workspace. Additionally, the three yellow boxes and the three white baskets provide stylish but functional storage. The desk has ample storage space, the filing cabinet is easily accessible, and the bookshelf has fashionable form and function. Check out the additional five pictures of her home office in the 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 Dec 10, 2010 | 10 Comments | Tweet This

Six reasons to let it go

Are you trying to decide if you should keep or get rid of something? These are six reasons to trash, recycle, sell, or donate an object:

  1. You don’t use it, love it, need it, or want it.
  2. It’s broken, busted, damaged, or destroyed and you haven’t fixed it in six months or more.
  3. You have multiples of the same object, and the other one is vastly superior in quality.
  4. It’s expired.
  5. You don’t have anywhere to store it.
  6. It doesn’t fit in the life you desire.

Posted by Erin on Dec 9, 2010 | 38 Comments | Tweet This

Unitasker Wednesday: The Keyboard Quiet Cover

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

Are you a really loud typist? Do you insist on typing with ball pein hammers or finger cymbals to properly express your joy for work? If so, then the Japanese company Thanko has the perfect product for you (and your annoyed coworkers) — The Keyboard Quiet Cover:

For just ¥2,980 (about $35), you can own this highly fashionable muffler.

Sure, you could save your Yen and stop typing with so much vim and vigor. But the Keyboard Quiet Cover is perfect if your heart won’t let you. Believe in your dreams! Type on loudly! Type on.

Thanks to reader Dave for sharing this Unitasker with us.

Posted by Erin on Dec 8, 2010 | 34 Comments | Tweet This

A year ago on Unclutterer

2009

  • Reducing visual clutter in Mail.app
    In just a few steps, you too can simplify and de-clutter Mail.app.
  • iPhone alarm clocks
    My husband and I need a new alarm clock and, after many deliberations, we have decided to go with a unit that works in conjunction with our iPhones. Since the units are all multi-functional (they’re all chargers, and all but the first include speakers), I thought I would share with you our finalists.
  • PDFs and t-shirts: New in the Unclutterer store
    Introducing the new internal Unclutterer store. Available are two t-shirts: “Simplicity is revolutionary” and “Less is more.” Also available are the seven worksheet PDFs that accompany the book Unclutter Your Life in One Week.

2008

Posted by PJ on Dec 8, 2010 | Comments Off | Tweet This

Pursuing the life you desire

Before my son joined our family, my husband and I talked at length about how we wanted to raise Future Child. It was easy to discuss parenting Future Child since we didn’t know his or her personality, wants, or needs. Now, as actual parents, my husband and I laugh about these conversations we used to have — they were well intentioned, but incredibly naive.

One of the decisions we made before becoming parents was to both have jobs that allow us to work from home. We wanted — and still want — to be the full-time care providers for our child. In theory, having full-time jobs and being full-time care providers was easy. In actuality, it’s wonderful, but it’s an incredibly complex juggling act.

My husband and I love working from home and being here with our 17 month old son, but we’ve had to completely rearrange our lives to make it happen. My husband’s job demands that he be available during normal working hours, and, even though my writing schedule is more flexible, I still have administrative and consulting obligations that overlap with his, and writing by moonlight is a big adjustment for me. We’ve had to call in a babysitter a few times, and we’ve both found ourselves wishing the grandparents weren’t a thousand miles away, but most days it works out and we know we made the right decision for our family. We also know that this complex juggling act is a temporary situation — our son will be heading off to pre-school in a year and then to elementary school shortly after that. Normal work schedules will return to us in a blink of an eye, and we’ll be nostalgic for these elaborately scheduled days when they do.

When my husband and I talked about raising our Future Child, we imagined it to be different than the reality we experience. That being said, the reality is so much better than we imagined. We wouldn’t trade this time with our son for anything in the world. We’ve had to rearrange most every aspect of our lives, but we don’t regret these adjustments because we are focused on what matters most to us. We’ve cleared the clutter in our schedules to make way for the life we desire.

Only you know what matters most to you and your family. And, only you know what clutter needs to be cleared to prioritize these desires. You might need to adopt a complex schedule or make some major changes to the way you live your life, but when you’re focused on what really matters to you, you don’t regret a single minute of living. You know you’re living the best life for you.

Are you pursing the life you desire? Are you clearing the clutter that is distracting you from a life focused on what matters most to you? Are you finding a way — simple or complex — to make it happen?

Posted by Erin on Dec 8, 2010 | 16 Comments | Tweet This

Pack rats in fiction: Through the Looking Glass

Many months ago, reader John directed me to re-read the Alice adventure Through the Looking Glass. John said there was a terrific example of a pack rat contained in the book, and I discovered it exactly as he said I would. In chapter eight of the tale “It’s My Own Invention,” Alice encounters the White Knight, a man with a nasty manifestation of Just-in Case syndrome.

The White Knight’s character description begins on page 122 of the book — a book you can access for free on Google Books, since the book is in the public domain. An example of his pack-rat ways:

“You see,” [the White Knight] went on after a pause, “it’s as well to be provided for everything. That’s the reason the horse has all those anklets round his feet.”

“But what are they for?” Alice asked in a tone of great curiosity.

“To guard against the bites of sharks,” the Knight replied. “It’s an invention of my own. And now help me on. I’ll go with you to the end of the wood — What’s that dish for?”

“It’s meant for plum-cake,” said Alice.

“We’d better take it with us,” the Knight said. “It’ll come in handy if we find any plum-cake. Help me to get it into this bag.”

This took a long time to manage, though Alice held the bag open very carefully, because the Knight was so very awkward in putting in the dish; the first two or three times that he tried he fell in himself instead. “It’s rather a tight fit, you see,” he said, as they got it in at last; “there are so many candlesticks in the bag.” And he hung it to the saddle, which was already loaded with bunches of carrots, and fire-irons, and many other things.

The White Knight has “so many things hung round the horse” that he falls off the horse every few feet. Most every time he falls from the horse he hits his head on the ground. His clutter and irrational collection of Just-in Case items keeps him from living the life he desires (certainly one where he is an amazing horse rider).

Are you keeping things you don’t need, like the White Knight, just in case you might one day need them? You probably aren’t falling or hitting your head because of these items, but is storing them causing problems in other ways? Are you wasting money on a self-storage unit? Are you sacrificing storage space in your home or office that could be used in other ways for purposes you value more? Would letting some of these items go improve the quality of your space? Only you know if you would see the White Knight if you looked in a mirror.

Posted by Erin on Dec 7, 2010 | 13 Comments | Tweet This

On the Forums: signed books, uncluttering vs. frugality, and the minimum number of condiments

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 Dec 6, 2010 | 2 Comments | Tweet This

Five stress-reducing strategies for the holidays

December is one of the most stressful times of year. If you don’t watch out, you could end up crying and in a terrible mess of anxiety. Here are five things you can do now to reduce the clutter and stress at the holidays:

  • Make a list. Whether it’s a grocery list, gift shopping list, or list of things you need to do — write it down. Once it’s out of your head and onto a sheet of paper, you’ll stop cluttering up your mind with the items and stressing out about trying to remember it all.
  • Check it twice … or as often as you need. Once you’ve made your lists, be sure to review them and/or bring them along with you. A list isn’t good to you if you don’t have it when you need it, where you need it. A to-do list should be reviewed regularly, until all items are completed.
  • Find out what’s naughty. Walk around your home and/or office with a laundry basket or box and pick up any items that are out of place, and then put them away. Do you have a used glass on your desk that should be returned to the kitchen? Do you have shoes in the middle of the living room floor that belong in your closet? Reduce the stress caused by visual clutter by putting everything back in its place.
  • Find out what’s nice. Take time each day to enjoy some down time. If you meditate, meditate. If you do yoga, do yoga. If you simply want to sit and drink your coffee in silence for 10 or 15 minutes, do that. Give your brain some much needed time off each day during this busy season.
  • Get ready to travel out of town. If you’re traveling or even if you’re staying put, now is the time to confirm all of your reservations — travel, hotel, dinner, movie — or those of your guests. The less you leave up in the air, the less you’ll worry about your plans between now and then. RSVP to parties, find out what you’re supposed to bring to holiday dinners, or even learn which friends are coming into town you’ll want to see while they’re visiting their relatives. Get everything on the calendar and be ready for as much as you can.

Posted by Erin on Dec 6, 2010 | 8 Comments | Tweet This

A year ago on Unclutterer

2009

Posted by PJ on Dec 5, 2010 | 3 Comments | Tweet This

Ask Unclutterer: How long should it take to unclutter my space?

Reader Alex submitted the following to Ask Unclutterer:

How long do you think it really takes to become uncluttered and maintain an uncluttered life? I grew up in a cluttered home. I could not fit all my clothing in my dresser as a child because it was filled with my grandfather’s underwear. (He died when I was five and my parents never cleaned it.) I am working at becoming more organized but my husband and I work full time and have three kids and I am wondering how long it will realistically take.

Thankfully, uncluttering is not a race. There also aren’t people who will give you grades on your uncluttering efforts, and there are no such thing as uncluttering police. As long as your living situation is not so cluttered as to be a danger to yourself or others, you get to determine how uncluttered your life will be and how long it will take you to achieve that state.

Realistically, it doesn’t typically take very long to get rid of physical clutter. You look at an object and decide if you want to keep it or get rid of it, and then you trash, recycle, donate, and/or sell the clutter. It took me just six days to get rid of the physical clutter from my life, and I had a ridiculous amount of it.

Remember that it’s not uncluttering that takes a large amount of time — it’s organizing the things you choose to keep and learning to maintain an uncluttered and organized life that are the time-intensive endeavors. I’m considered by some people to be an “expert” on this subject, and I’m still learning how to keep my life and possessions orderly. Having an uncluttered and organized life isn’t the goal, rather, living simply is a path to achieving the life you desire.

My suggestion is to set a timer and work with your family for 30 minutes a day on uncluttering and organizing. Eventually, it will all get done. Take as long as you need, and don’t feel pressure to rush through the process — unless you want to commit to more than 30 minutes a day — it’s your choice. Decide what an uncluttered and organized life looks like to you, and then work to make it happen.

For a family of five, if all kids are in school, my guess is that it will take you three months of everyone in the family uncluttering and organizing for 30 minutes a day to achieve a less-cluttered, organized space. You’ll have a few set backs, a few power weekends where you get more done than you ever imagined, but most days you’ll just work through the 30 minutes without giving it much thought.

When it’s time to maintain your newly uncluttered and organized life, come back to Unclutterer and search through our archives. We’ve written on just about every type of maintenance strategy out there. Good luck to you and your family — I know you’ll do a terrific job. Keep us posted.

Thank you, Alex, 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 Dec 3, 2010 | 29 Comments | Tweet This

Workspace of the Week: Wherever you wander

This week’s Workspace of the Week is KillYourCar’s temporary workspace:

One of the nicest things about working with a laptop is you can take it wherever you want. If you want to sit at a tall table next to a bay window on a drizzling Saturday morning and do some work — you can! I don’t think I could work from this setup every day (I enjoy back support), but I’d definitely enjoy working from this spot a few mornings a week. Its simplicity is inspiring. Thank you, KillYourCar, for submitting your workspace 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 Dec 3, 2010 | 15 Comments | Tweet This

2010 Holiday Gift Giving Guide: Ultimate generosity

In 2007, we recommended the Fujitsu ScanSnap (PC and Mac) as the dream gift for an unclutterer.

In 2008, we suggested the Kindle as the most generous uncluttered gift of the holiday season. (Back then, a Kindle was $359.)

Last year, my book Unclutter Your Life in One Week was the ultimate item on the list. (Note: The paperback version of it is being released later this month, and is currently selling for less than $10 on Amazon.)

This year, we thought a great deal about it and had many debates over our selection. Ultimately, we decided to go with the Intellishred crosscut paper shredders from Fellowes. They are truly generous and helpful for unclutterers.

There are two versions of this shredder we are recommending:

For the home, we suggest the Intellishred PS-79Ci ($191)

And, for the office, we recommend the heavy-weight champion Intellishred C-120Ci ($664)

These shredders are quiet (well, as far as shredders go), rarely jam, accept multiple media types, and come with great warranties (two and three year, respectively). Best of all, they help you get rid of paper clutter, while also keeping your private information secure.

Be sure to check out all the items in our 2010 Holiday Gift Giving Guide for more uncluttered and practical ideas.

Posted by Erin on Dec 2, 2010 | 24 Comments | Tweet This

Holiday season perfect time to sell or donate items

Does your son have a Thomas Train set he ignores? Is your daughter’s Radio Flyer wagon gathering dust in the garage? Are you storing golf clubs you never use? Do you have a formal gown you wore once and don’t plan to wear again?

All of these lightly used items — and thousands of others — are in high demand on Craigslist and eBay right now. Buyers are looking to save a few dollars, and sellers are hoping to make a little money. With the economy sloshing around in stagnant water, there is increased activity on resale sites during the holiday season.

If you’re interested in getting unused items out of your home and selling them on Craigslist or eBay, I highly recommend checking out the extremely thorough article “Sell It Now — how to make hundreds of dollars in 37 minutes” by Ramit Sethi. The article is targeted toward eBay, but works just as well for Craigslist. It’s especially helpful if you haven’t ever sold anything on a site like this.

If you aren’t interested in taking the time and energy to sell your lightly used items, now is also a great time to donate them to charity. Remember, charities aren’t dumping grounds for used stuff, so only consider donating goods that are still in excellent condition. Also, give your local charity a call before making a donation to confirm they have a need for your specific items.

Posted by Erin on Dec 2, 2010 | 9 Comments | Tweet This

Unitasker Wednesday: The Half Time Knife

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

Are you someone who is clumsy and shouldn’t operate kitchen knives? If so, I have the perfect tool for you. With the help of the double blade Half Time Knife you can injure yourself twice as often, twice as severely!

In addition to making a mess of your fingers, the Half Time Knife won’t fit into any knife blocks for safe storage, so you have to use a special magnetic knife stand that comes with the knife. As an added bonus, it also requires owning a “specially designed cleaning brush” and the Half Time Knife Sharpener that you must find space to store. It’s a unitasker that comes with three additional unitaskers — that’s FOUR unitaskers for just $70! The Half Time Knife is a unitasker that just keeps on giving.

Thanks go to reader Fifteen Spatulas for forwarding us this generous unitasker.

Posted by Erin on Dec 1, 2010 | 22 Comments | Tweet This

A year ago on Unclutterer

2009

2008

  • Bedroom storage
    Excess storage in the bedroom can lead to expanding one’s wardrobe beyond what is needed.

2007

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

Storage Wars: A new show on A&E

There is more than 2.3 billion square feet of self-storage space in the United States, according to The Self Storage Association. Some of this space is used wisely — by people serving overseas, people storing personal things while they sell their homes, or for other temporary situations — but a lot of self-storage space is used as a very expensive extra room to hold people’s clutter.

Unfortunately, when people stop making payments on these units, they are sealed off and put up for auction. The television network A&E is tracking this auction phenomenon in a new series called Storage Wars:

A&E presents the new original real-life series “Storage Wars,” which follows four professional buyers and their teams as they scour repossessed storage units in search of hidden treasure. Part gamblers, part detectives, these seasoned veterans have found everything from coffins to the world’s most valuable comic book collection, paying as little as ten dollars for items valued in the millions.

The series begins tonight at 10:00 p.m. EST/9:00 p.m. CST with the episode “High Noon in the High Desert“:

It’s a showdown in the high desert as the buyers crack open a trove of abandoned storage lockers. Barry Weiss unearths the personal possessions of rap magnate Suge Knight. Jarrod Schulz and Dave Hester throw down their bankrolls in hopes of scoring a classic organ. And Darrell Sheets reveals a historic, one hundred and fifty thousand-dollar find. Classic items, wily personalities–let the storage wars begin!

I’m interested in seeing how A&E handles this material. I’ve written before about my frustrations with the television show Hoarders (and also here), and how I believe the editing of the show pushes aside the mental health aspects of hoarding and instead aims to wow viewers with shock and awe. I think the show can be dehumanizing. (Again, I want to stress that I think it’s the editing of the show and not the actual professional organizers and psychologists who are responsible for the dehumanizing.) A large part of me fears that Storage Wars is going to forget that there are people who once owned the possessions being laid out for bidding. I’ll watch tonight and see how this sensitive topic is handled by A&E. My fingers are crossed that they have found a way to highlight the self-storage problem in the United States without ridiculing or embarrassing the people who are losing their things.

(Image from A&E.)

Posted by Erin on Dec 1, 2010 | 20 Comments | Tweet This