Unclutterer

1. Posted by VeritySa - 02/06/2012

   This is a great post! I found the insights really helpful!

   I’d enjoy more posts like these! Have you posted on strengths and weaknesses and personal organizing styles ect. before? I’d love to read those articles!

2. Posted by Erin Doland - 02/06/2012

   @VeritySa — Check out our two-part series on organizing styles: http://unclutterer.com/2008/05.....ed-part-i/

3. Posted by Elena - 02/06/2012

   I have good pattern recognition which helps in many ways however I’m easily overwhelmed by piles of things and long to do lists. This weakness leads to a kind of organizational stupor where I can’t motivate to prioritize and try to do a little of everything at once so no one task is completely done and then the motivation evaporates further. I find 15-20 minute fast cleans helpful where I make myself focus on one corner, one pile and just work on that during the allotted time and not pick anything else up while sorting it. That way at least something gets done and I get a little sense of accomplishment.

4. Posted by Kai - 02/06/2012

   I still find it insanely weird that Americans wear their shoes inside the house.
   I never lose my shoes – they are always right by the door. Or maybe in the closet beside the door if they’re infrequently worn.
   I know that is equally applicable to other things, it’s just so weird to read about people taking off their shoes in the bedroom or in the living room.

5. Posted by Sue - 02/06/2012

   I’ve spent a lot of time on this type of analysis. Luckily, I have areas where I am successfully organized and de-cluttered, and areas where I am not. I can analyze the areas that work and figure out what’s different than the areas that don’t work. I’ve made major progress on my weaknesses through this approach.

6. Posted by Jodi - 02/06/2012

   Kai, that’s interesting! I wonder what other ways cultural variety affects organization.

7. Posted by Kai - 02/06/2012

   As a child, I always assumed that in (American) TV shows, where everyone walks around with their shoes on all the time, that it was just one of those made-up TV things. I didn’t actually realize until I was an adult that people really did that. Actually, I think it might have been a post on this website a couple years ago regarding whether it was acceptable to require people to take off their shoes when visiting. I was surprised that there was any other option!

   I don’t think something like that makes a big difference. A lot of Americans don’t consider where to store their big puffy winter jackets over the summer, but minor things like that don’t really change the major systems.

   But hmmm.. we always rotated clothing, so the dresser didn’t have to be too huge. I wear a lot of the same clothes year-round now, but still have one spot where I put my shorts in the summer, and my sweaters in the winter, while the other is stored in a box high up in the closet out of the way. I suppose that sort of thing isn’t done in places with no climate variance. If you could wear the same thing all year, you’d need less stuff.

8. Posted by Bethann - 02/06/2012

   I also find it strange that people wear their shoes inside, and it’s simply because I grew up on a farm, and you had to face Mama’s wrath if you wore those muddy shoes beyond the backdoor. My husband’s family ALWAYS has their shoes on, to the point that their shoes are beside the bed so they can put them on at NIGHT to go to the bathroom. They are totally bamboozled by me that goes barefoot all the time, and might even…*shocker* go outside with no shoes on! It’s just funny.

9. Posted by Gabe - 02/06/2012

   Is it strange that I have dedicated footwear for indoors at home?
   Thong sandals or some (clean)old tennis shoes.

   Your feet, your risk.
   Footwear is a safety issue for me. (I do enjoy the grass between my toes though if the lawn is free of hazards.)

   -Ever have your friends’ small dog vomit on your foot? (Fortunately, I had my shoes on.)

   My feet are well calloused, however-
   Here’s why I enjoy footwear in the house;
   When I was younger and still living with parents and two younger brothers… got up off the sofa and stepped onto a cassette tape case, it splintered and a shard pierced the arch of my foot, becoming lodged there. Had to be physically pulled out, it was that deep.

   Several other instances involved plates,bowls, glasses being dropped in the kitchen (either by me or someone else). The times I was wearing even rudimentary footwear (sandals), I was able to traverse the floor littered with broken shards to retrieve the dustpan and broom/mop, etc.
   During such instances when barefoot, an individual basically becomes an invalid as you cannot move from your present location or risk ceramic/glass splinters in your feet.

   And yes, when visiting friends homes I keep my shoes on unless my shoes have gotten dirty.

   Back on topic-
   In the past, my weakness has been the “what if..”, which has led to clutter. In the past year or so, I have been breaking the habit of keeping all the “what if” items and have made several charity donations of items purged from our condo.
   With my girlfriend helping declutter, we make a good team. She will divide things (hers/mine/ours) into piles of keep/donate/trash/other. Well, I am responsible for making piles of the things she singles out as being “mine”.
   We have started going through the condo an area at a time.
   Thanks for the continuous inspiration you provide in running this blog.

   Less is more.
   Gabe

10. Posted by Katrina - 02/06/2012

    Great article Erin.

    I have a tendency to over-plan and not act … because I’ve created such a huge plan to deal with. I’ve found that I need to limit myself to analysing one or two issues and then I can act on them quickly and efficiently.

    Kai,
    Here in Australia we generally wear our shoes in the house. Some people have indoor shoes and outdoor shoes.

    However, it’s very rare to have a pile of shoes by the front door. Where I live, this is done for practical reasons. Poisonous spiders like hiding in small places, especially near external doors. So, in Australia most people don’t have pot plants by the outside of doors, and don’t keep shoes just inside the door. (Or if they do keep their shoes there, the shoes are shaken and banged on the floor before they are put on).

11. Posted by Another Deb - 02/06/2012

    I grew up wearing my shoes in any part of the house. When I lived in South Texas I found that even in the heat and humidity, I had to wear them because a stray grassburr might be lurking and they stick like needles when you get them on your foot.

    Nowadays I have foot issues that make it extremely painful to be barefoot. If I don’t wear my shoes with the orthodics in them I will be limping around for days after. Bare feet on my tile floors don’t last longer than the shower.

12. Posted by Another Deb - 02/06/2012

    You might want to check into a book called “Organizing for the Creative Person” by Lehmkuhl and Lamping. It deals with styles and brain-based research.

13. Posted by Little Miss Perfect - 02/07/2012

    I grew up in New York and always wore my shoes into the house when coming in from outside before I moved to Montreal, Canada. Here in Montreal I quickly learned that wearing your shoes inside is in poor taste because the northern climate tends to be messier (e.g., mud and snow) and tracks more dirt inside. Therefore I have become acclimatized and now shed my boots or shoes before entering someone’s home. It’s the polite thing to do. I keep an old pair of sandals handy to wear inside the home because my feet find it more comfortable to be supported. When I visit someone’s home I take off my footwear at the door.

14. Posted by Amber - 02/07/2012

    I am great at editing (words especially) but get overwhelmed about where to start on huge tasks. Have learned that lists help, if I actually use them but they work best for me if they aren’t too long and have mostly easy-to-complete tasks on them and even some fun ones (naps quite often make their way on to my lists!). Breaking bigger tasks down into small parts helps too.

    I am surprised by people who wear shoes inside the house but have found it isn’t entirely a location thing either. I grew up in Northern BC where there is snow and mud and dust and shoes usually get left by the door if there is a lot of carpeting in the house. I’ve noticed more people leave shoes on now though if there is hardwood or tile floor. My last trip up, in the winter, I took slippers with me and carried them around to houses I knew I’d be walking around in a lot. I need some support on my feet too, but miss walking around in bare or sock feet. To each their own, I guess, and just be considerate of people you visit!

15. Posted by April - 02/07/2012

    I have a great eye for aesthetically appealing yet functional organization. When in someone else’s space I can pinpoint why something isn’t working and offer tips to make it better, as well as look nicer. But actually doing it myself is another matter, especially in my own space. I see my piles and just feel overwhelmed.

    I’m also bad about postponing decisions. Here’s something that needs to be put away, thrown away, filed away, given away, etc., but I put it down on the nearest surface instead. If I stop and pay attention, I can see what needs to be done with each item, and if pressed can deal with it all. But in my everyday activities I don’t think about it. I just put things down and never get around to dealing with the item until I’m overwhelmed by all of the clutter and don’t know where to start.

    As for shoes, I grew up in a no-shoes-indoors household (in Japan, and have moved back here now as an adult). When I visit the US I especially find it unsettling to wear shoes on carpet, even if my shoes are clean. It just feels wrong to wear them indoors.

16. Posted by WilliamB - 02/07/2012

    For me, out of sight is out of mind. This means that whatever is undone, needs to be on my desk.

    Immediate projects goes into a pile on my desk. If it builds up (“if” I say optimistically) I make subpiles and deal with each one in turn. Examples of this category include daily mail, bills, snippits about events I want to go to, and unread magazines.

    For project that I can’t deal with immediately I use plastic file folders with rewritable labels for my desk, and a step-staired folder holder next to my desk for files I access quickly (my filing cabinet is not near my desk). Examples of this category include house repairs that require a contractor, tax issues, legal docs, vacation planning.

17. Posted by Shalin - 02/07/2012

    Great post – know thyself!

18. Posted by Sue - 02/07/2012

    When you consider all of the stuff you walk through outside, I’m amazed anyone would choose to wear shoes inside. Gross! And it also tracks in more dirt, which means more to clean. From an “unclutterer” perspective, stopping dirt before it gets inside seems like a good thing.

    I don’t like being barefoot, so I keep “inside shoes” by the door. In the winter I wear slippers, and in the summer I wear flip flops.

19. Posted by Sarah - 02/07/2012

    At work (I’m a 5th grade teacher), we call our accountability partners “accountabilibuddies.”

20. Posted by gjm - 02/07/2012

    I wear my shoes inside most homes, because it hurts my feet to walk on a floor. On a ceramic tile floor, it hurts almost from the moment the shoes are off. On a carpet, it takes a half hour or so.

    However, I make sure my shoes are clean and dry first. If not, then I take them off and deal with the pain.

    I normally don’t ask permission, but sometimes, I do. It does make me uncomfortable sometimes on a carpet, but on a floor, I see no problem.

21. Posted by chacha1 - 02/07/2012

    My strength is organizational skills. Some natural, some learned.

    My weakness is hyperefficiency. That’s a weakness because I know I can do a lot in a very short period of time … which enables me to justify egregious procrastination.

    I’m rarely late delivering on a needed task, but only because I can work fast. This isn’t a healthy pattern IMO because I berate myself every time I do it.

    “Know thyself” is good, “fix thyself” would be more rewarding over the long term!

22. Posted by Rally - 02/07/2012

    Being a nurse, I have to say the following:

    People with diabetes are recommended to wear well-fitting shoes with socks while indoors (outdoors too, of course). Small cuts and toes bumping into things can turn into infections.

    As for the topic at hand: my challenge is to remember that the to-do list is never-ending, and I get caught up in the idea that I need to finish all the things that must be done before doing some things that I want to do. I try to complete several priority tasks and reward myself with doing something fun.

23. Posted by creativeme - 02/07/2012

    I’m a pattern person… 4 leaf clovers leap out at me. But for some reason the skill doesn’t seem to translate to organizing. I do love having a pair of scissors, pen and nailclippers in every room.

24. Posted by Natalie in West Oz - 02/07/2012

    I’m going to guess that all you people who take your shoes off at the door dont have spiders – especially redbacks – or other nasties that will crawl inside within seconds and dont have hyperhydrosis or other odour problems.

    My son visits a boy whose mum is Japanese. She expects people to take off their shoes. I have to wash my feet before I go over so that everyone doesnt get overwhelmed by the smell of my feet (and no, I’m not exaggerating). She also takes her shoes off when she visits my house even though I’ve told her she doesnt need to. There is ALWAYS sand on my floors as it blows in on the afternoon breeze or travels in within my childrens shoes or out of their pockets or even their school bags.

    I figure I have to wash the floors and vaccuum the carpets anyway so who cares about shoes?

    As for the post itself, yep, great idea. My husband is useless at getting started and cant prioritise to save himself so he actually asks me to tell him what to do, and that is exactly what I do! Usually he tidies the boys rooms, which I’ve already organised so things only have to go where they belong, and then its make the beds and vac the floors, while I do everything else that people will actually see

25. Posted by Karen Newbie - 02/07/2012

    Wonderful post and comments. I would amend them only to say if you have a weakness (or you absolutely hate to do something, even if you’re relatively good at it), give yourself permission to have/hire someone else to do it. This allows you to prioritize the items and get them done (whether or not they’re your strong suit), and move on to other things in life beyond the to-do list.

    And as for shoes, I grew up wearing them inside, in New England. We had an old, drafty farmhouse that didn’t get cleaned very often by anyone. Fast forward to having my own place and beautiful area rugs that needed cleaning, as well as a baby crawling/rolling around. The rug cleaner told me the best thing for everyone (the baby, ourselves, and our rugs) would be to take our outdoor shoes off, thereby leaving any dirt/germs/whatever-you-walked-in-today from getting into our carpets and home. Since then, it’s become such a habit for me to take my shoes off that it feels weird to wear shoes in anyone’s house, not just in mine. In suburban Washington, DC, we don’t have the nasty spider issue that some have mentioned.

26. Posted by Kai - 02/09/2012

    Indoor shoes or slippers make sense to me for people who prefer support or protection indoors. My mother has a dedicated pair of indoor running shoes, and slippers are very common in winter.

    I think climate makes the big difference. In places that tend to be wet or muddy, people couldn’t really wear their shoes inside for a good chunk of the year, and don’t get into the habit of it. In places where it’s warm and dry, and where creepy crawlies lurk, people often do wear shoes indoor/outdoor.

    I really can’t imagine wearing even just mildly dusty shoes on carpet – but then, carpeting is also more common in places that get snow and sopping boots.

    I could wear my shoes inside in the summer, I suppose, but at least 8 months of the year, you would NOT want to track in what you’ve been walking through.

27. Posted by Kat - 02/10/2012

    Insanely weird to wear shoes inside? Not so, if you are disabled. I have a dear relative who cannot take her shoes on or off without great trouble, and usually the assistance of a contraption (or human being). I know other elderly friends who also have trouble in this area. I would consider insanely inconsiderate to request that they remove their shoes.

28. Posted by Kai - 02/10/2012

    There is a difference that I would think fairly obvious between a common practice and an allowance for an individual with a problem.
    That said, if your dear relative visited my house in a Canadian winter, you bet she’d be taking her shoes off. (Or someone would be helping her to remove them, as is common with the elderly here.) Aside from the fact that people are usually quite happy to get their big boots off, if people wore their outside shoes inside, the inside would be a disgusting soggy muddy mess. Carpets would need a major steam-cleaning on a weekly basis, hardwood would rot, and linoleum would be dangerously slippery.

    Again, it’s interesting the way that different cultures are about this. Americans who normally wear shoes in the house consider it horribly inconsiderate to be asked to remove them. Canadians (and Japanese, for one I know) who don’t wear shoes in the house would consider it horribly inconsiderate for someone to expect not to remove them.

    In the same way you find this absurd, it seems absurd to me to wear them inside. We get used to what we know as the norm.

29. Posted by Layla - 02/24/2012

    @gabe: “Ever have your friends’ small dog vomit on your foot? (Fortunately, I had my shoes on.)” no this has never happened to me, but I would think that dog vomit would be easier to clean off your feet and socks rather than shoes.

    I wear slippers. They keep my feet warm in the winter. In the summer I walk around in bare feet.

30. Posted by Layla - 02/24/2012

    I guess I shoulda mentioned my strengths and weaknesses:
    strength – if I don’t have too much stuff, I’m pretty good at putting it away (I always do the dishes after dinner… I cook for myself but live with roommates, so I feel guilty if I leave them a pile of gross dishes.)
    weakness – getting distracted.

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