Archives for September 2011

Knowing what you need clears a path for an uncluttered life

Back on September 1, 2009, the ABC News program Nightline aired the segment “Antivirus Software Pioneer John McAfee Gets Dose of Reality.” The segment discussed how McAfee lost close to $90 million that year, and how it changed his understanding of possessions.

McAfee’s net worth dropped from within the ballpark of $100 million to less than $10 million, he told ABC News. But instead of feeling a sense of loss, he says he feels free.

“I feel a sense of freedom,” he said. “People think that it’s a joy to own things. But it really isn’t.”

The article continues:

“I feel freer. I have less responsibility and obligations. And I have enough money left to feed myself,” he said.

After 65 years, his attitude about money, he says, is forever changed.

“I think most people don’t sit down and ask, ‘What do I need?” not “What do I want?” Because we all want everything,” he explained. “But what do we need? We don’t need very much. We really don’t … The things we want and the things we need are two different things.”

The perspective is a good one, even for a man with $10 million still left in his pockets. Knowing what you need is an essential component of an uncluttered life. When you can tell the difference between the things that are important, and those that are not, you can clear the clutter and pursue a life focused on what really matters to you.

The full article.

Image from Quorumex, McAfee’s new company based in Belize.

Posted by Erin on Sep 8, 2011 | 36 Comments | Tweet This

Unitasker Wednesday: The Olive Oil Dispenser Pump

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

“Portion control” is one of the latest buzz phrases in the healthful eating movement. You can’t hear a nutritionist speak without the phrase coming up numerous times in the conversation. As the phrase has risen in popularity, so have contraptions and doodads related to portion control. For instance, the 2 pc Olive Oil Measure Dispenser Pump that was recently featured on Dr. Oz:

At first glance, the device seems like it could be useful. However, after thinking about it for a good while, I’ve realized how wonderful of a unitasker candidate it is. For starters, although it says it is just two pieces, it is really five — the oil reservoir, the internal straw, the pump, the measuring head, and the lid. Five pieces are a lot to clean compared to just a traditional measuring spoon, which performs exactly the same task. I imagine that if you don’t clean the device regularly, oil can get caught in crevices in the pump and go rancid. Also, with so many parts made of plastic, it just seems like there are a lot of pieces that could crack, shatter, or simply stop working properly. In my lifetime, I’ve never had a measuring spoon break on me. Finally, if you have one for oil and one for vinegar (as the site suggests), you’re out at least $40. If you keep on using the measuring spoons you already own, you’re not out a dime.

Although, the device does look fun to use … pump, pump, pump!

Thanks to reader Mary for sharing this device with us.

Posted by Erin on Sep 7, 2011 | 36 Comments | Tweet This

A year ago on Unclutterer

2010

2008

Posted by PJ on Sep 7, 2011 | 2 Comments | Tweet This

Coming back to work after vacation without chaos and stress

Returning to work after a vacation or long weekend rarely goes smoothly. If you’re oblivious to the chaos because you’re still in a vacation haze on your first day back, the mayhem will settle in on day two or three. Your to-do list is more extensive than usual, the backlog of email seems overwhelming, and your reaction time to even the smallest of problems is as if you are immersed in a bowl of thick maple syrup.

The easiest way to avoid this stress and disorder is to prepare for it before you leave:

  • Notify the people you regularly interact with that you will be out of the office. When people know you’ll be gone, they often don’t try to contact you for the small things. This helps significantly to reduce voice mails and emails for things that are resolved before you return.
  • Clear your schedule so you don’t have any meetings or appointments the first day (or two) you’re back at the office.
  • Clear the inbox on your desk and your email inbox so it will be obvious what new items you must attend to when you return.
  • Try to wrap up all action items so you have nothing old to finish up when you return. This may be impossible with the type of job you have, but if you can do it, I highly recommend it.
  • Do as much preparation work for your first day back as you can. Any automated tasks or work you can do in advance, try to do it. You want your load to be as light as possible when you return.

After you return, these strategies can help you to regain order and your sanity:

  • Arrive an hour early to work so you can find your footing before everyone else arrives in the office.
  • Scan the contents of your physical inbox, your email inbox, your calendar, and anything else that has appeared on your desk. Get an idea of all of the new items that you’ll have to do and what old items are still on your task list.
  • Gracefully bow out of as many obligations as possible that would take you away from your desk for the day (or next few days).
  • Schedule deadlines for all of your new action items on your calendar — and keep these deadlines realistic. It will take awhile to get back into the rhythm of your work, so be sure to pad in more time than usual for tasks.
  • As you’re working, alternate between old action items and new action items and between mindful and mindless tasks. Take a break at least once an hour, and don’t forget to eat (your brain and body need the fuel).
  • Mind other people’s expectations of when to receive work from you. Now is the time to under promise and over deliver.

Posted by Erin on Sep 6, 2011 | 8 Comments | Tweet This

A year ago on Unclutterer

2010

2009

2008

  • 8-in-1 mini tool
    The SwissTech Micro-Plus features the following eight tools: #1 flat screwdriver, #2 flat screwdriver, #1 phillips screwdriver, #2 phillips screwdriver, precision pliers, wire cutters, wire strippers, and a sheet shear.

Posted by PJ on Sep 4, 2011 | 1 Comment | Tweet This

Ask Unclutterer: Recycling 25 years of academic journals

Reader June submitted the following to Ask Unclutterer:

I have academic journals in my field for the last 25 years and am moving again. Rather than just bring them along in boxes I am looking for a site who might not have access to the Internet or a library in a third world school who might have a use for them. I realize the cost of shipping might preclude my current feeling of generosity but I hate to burn or throw out all those years of knowledge. Do you have any suggestions?

Great to hear that you’re not planning to move the boxes of journals again. Twenty-five years of journals must take up a lot of space, and you’ll certainly feel a lot freer without all of them.

Getting rid of the journals may not be as difficult as you think it might be. Right after college, I went to work for a small publication called the Kansas Government Journal (I’m sure you all have heard of it and have subscriptions). I would often field calls from teachers, librarians, and individuals looking for back issues. I never, however, received offers from people wanting to give us these back issues. It would have been nice had someone offered to give us their back copies since we had a limited supply.

Noting this, I think your first plan of action should be to contact the editorial staff of the journals. If the publication doesn’t want your old copies, they very likely have an idea of someone who does.

If your calls aren’t fruitful, you might also check with your university libraries or with other professionals in your field. Also check the comments to this post where our readers will (hopefully) provide even more ideas for backup suggestions. Remember, since what you’re trying to get rid of are magazines and paperbacks, you can mail them book rate through the U.S. Postal Service. You won’t likely have to spend a fortune if you end up mailing the collection.

Finally, the recycling bin is always an option if nothing else pans out. At least at that point, you’ll know you tried to get them into the hands of someone who wanted them.

Thank you, June, 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 Sep 2, 2011 | 26 Comments | Tweet This

Workspace of the Week: Streamlined studio

This week’s Workspace of the Week is Maumusica’s music masterpiece:

When you have a hobby or job that requires lots of computer peripherals, it can be easy to have a desk that looks cluttered and is frustrating to use. Maumusica’s office, however, avoids this problem by being extremely organized and maintained. In the second image you can see that every piece of equipment has a place that works incredibly well for the user and everything is in its place. I also like that there isn’t any doubt about what Maumusica loves to do — the equipment is front and center in the home. This is really an impressive space.

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 Sep 2, 2011 | 6 Comments | Tweet This

Get rid of the clutter in your clothes closet

Even if you’re not a student or don’t have students in your house, the start of the school year is a terrific time to sort through your wardrobe and purge the clutter. We recently went through this process in our home, and used some new strategies as we sorted.

First, we started by looking at photo albums from before my husband and I were married (11+ years ago). If we spotted any items of clothing still in our wardrobes that we were wearing in the old pictures, those items of clothing immediately left the closet. I had just two pairs of shoes that met this standard, so I decided to increase the scope by looking at pictures from before I turned 30 (7+ years ago). This strategy yielded better results — getting rid of a fifth to a quarter of my stuff. Items I couldn’t see in pictures but that I remembered had been around this long (many old socks were part of this category), went into the purge pile.

Second, I got rid of all of my summer clothes that I didn’t put on a single time this summer. This isn’t a new strategy, but it’s a good one for this time of year. If you’re in the southern hemisphere, this process would work for your winter clothing.

Third, and this new strategy turned out better than expected, my husband and I gave each other permission to purge the two items we least liked from each other’s wardrobe. He got rid of two pairs of my yoga pants that were what I wore whenever I was sick. He was right, they needed to go. I got rid of two of his shirts that weren’t flattering on him, and he agreed they should go. If you don’t live with someone, you can implement this same strategy with a close friend or family member. Remember, though, to make it about the clothes, not about the person.

Implementing our old strategies also helped a great deal to purge even more clutter from our closets. We kept to our styles and didn’t let any clothes stay that don’t meet our current style. We limited our wardrobes to items that fit right now, things we want to wear, and clothes that project our desired image. Check out our article “Discover your style to keep clutter out of your closet” if you’re looking for more tips on what to keep in your wardrobe and what to purge.

Remember: Most clothing (except for previously worn underwear and socks) can be donated to local charities. However, clothes that someone wouldn’t buy in their current condition should be bundled up and labeled as rags. Groups like Goodwill recycle these well-worn clothes to be used again, but in a different form. Be sure to contact your favorite local charity before making any donations to be sure that they are currently accepting clothing donations.

Posted by Erin on Sep 1, 2011 | 51 Comments | Tweet This