Archives for A Year Ago
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- Business cards: Replaceable with Evernote?
Use Evernote to get rid of business card clutter and make cards a thing of the past. - Unitasker Wednesday: Cotton candy maker
Some foods weren’t meant to be made at home. - Reader’s Digest tips to tame kids’ clutter
The 6 Ways to Tame Kids’ Clutter isn’t groundbreaking stuff, much of it is common sense, but it is helpful nonetheless. - Rock Band clutter: A possible solution
A decent Rock Band stand for all of your numerous Rock Band controllers. - Workspace of the Week: Spring Green
This office makes clutter a thing of the past and productivity the present and future. - Creating temporary storage that can be reused over and over again
InterMETRO shelving can be moved from room to room as your storage needs change.
2007
- Paper clutter begone, part 4
A checklist for papers that need to be saved in a filing cabinet. - Extreme minimalism Monday: The spork
Why have two utensils when you can have one? - Retail tricks that get you to buy more
Understanding retail strategies can help to keep your spending in check and clutter out of your home. - Holding pattern ideas
Putting items that you’re unsure about getting rid of immediately into a MeBox can help you to feel secure in your decision to declutter. - Clutter-free Mother’s Day gift giving
In the spirit of a simpler lifestyle, we at Unclutterer offer up the following Mother’s Day gift ideas. - Reader question: Shelving your CD collection
What do you do when your CD collection starts taking over your living space. - Photographing your mementos
Taking digital photos of your mementos can get rid of clutter, free-up storage space, and provide you with a simple way to walk down memory lane. - Cat Filth is Clutter
The litter-robot gets rid of cat filth clutter better than every product we’ve ever found. - Conquering coin clutter
Keeping your spare change under control.
Popularity: 11% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- April wrap up
These are the things that made April 2008 a great month at Unclutterer.com. - Wi-fi printer on sale now
The Brother HL-2170W is now on sale for a very reasonable $99.99. - Declaring laundry bankruptcy: How to use the laundromat to get your laundry routine under control
In two hours your entire laundry mess can be solved — and you don’t even need to be the one to wash your clothes. - CNET’s guide to wireless products
The good folks over at CNET have a feature highlighting just about everything you can think of that is available in the wireless world.
2007
- Decluttering Tip: An Alternative Use of eBay for Removing Clutter
Use eBay to help fight the urge to keep something just because you might someday need it again. - Organizing your workspace
The trick to office organization is the same as for organization in any other part of your life: reduce the clutter. - Vacuum sealed storage bags
Space Bags are the “as seen on TV” vacuum sealed storage bags that claim to save you tons of space. - Purveyors of clutter
There are certain places that people should not shop if they are trying to curb their clutter.
Popularity: 11% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- Getting to know you wrap up
We garnered a slew of great ideas for future posts from your responses to our Getting to Know You post. - Unitasker Wednesday: The Dough-Nu-Matic
If you are addicted to freshly deep fried doughnuts, now you can have your cravings quelled by investing in the Dough-Nu-Matic. - Swimming in children’s clutter
We are about to celebrate her second birthday and the grandparents are the nemesis against my anti-accumulation project. - How to digitally encode VHS home movies
Instructions on how to create digital files of VHS home movies. - Workspace of the Week: Bedroom office
A serene bedroom office keeps rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation intact. - Scooter your way to clutter-free transportation
Consider buying a scooter to unclutter your driving needs. - Jamie Lee Curtis: A fan of simple living
Jamie Lee Curtis bares it all to AARP Magazine and discusses her love affair with simple living.
2007
- No more wire hangers!
No starch, hold the hangers and plastic bags, please. - Tackling your iPod clutter
Belkin has a solution that adds virtually nothing to your desk space and keeps the iPod wires where they belong — out of sight. - Paper clutter begone, part 3
FreedomFiler is a filing system that does exactly what it claims to do and brings sustainable order to papers in the home. - Curing Costanza wallet
This website creates a single paper card with multiple barcodes on it to replace the stack of plastic loyalty program cards in your wallet. - Do you really need those boxes?
What does one do with boxes? - Fixing your folding chair fiasco
Olivia Folding Chairs have a sleek design and a wall-mountable hook to help you fix your folding chair fiasco. - Uncluttering ideas on Oprah
- Iron no more!
Embracing a non-iron lifestyle can save you time and space, as well as rid your home of laundry clutter. - Ending cable confusion
One of the best ways to reduce cable-clutter is to make sure cables are sized appropriately.
Popularity: 11% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- Strategies to clear food clutter in your kitchen
Ways to clear food clutter in your kitchen to promote healthier eating habits. - Handling sentimental clutter
We all have something that we are holding on to that serves no purpose other than to remind us of someone, something, or some important event. - The highchair is in the way, again
In our recent move to a smaller home, we have noticed that our daughter’s highchair is in the way more often than not. - If you have a job you hate, prioritize what is important to you and align your career accordingly
Life is to short to have a job you hate with every fiber of your being. - Amazon’s Kindle is in stock
Amazon has since increased production and the Kindle is now available for immediate shipment.
2007
- Paper clutter begone, part 2
Manuals and instruction booklets can be stored digitally to free up storage space and decrease clutter in your home. - There’s wealth in simplicity
The advice in The 4-Hour Workweek jibes very well with our own philosophy here at Unclutterer: simplify to be happier, not to be a monk. - Toy clutter treatment
Teach your kids to take charge of their own toy clutter.
Popularity: 14% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- Storing out-of-season clothing
The best ways to store out-of-season clothing in your home. - Unitasker Wednesday: The Squeasy Tea Bag Squeezer
Tea lovers your prayers have been answered. - Creative storage for kid’s clutter
- No time to unclutter? Consider turning off your TV
If you constantly doll out the excuse that you don’t have enough time to unclutter, consider turning off your TV to find the necessary hours. - Workspace of the Week: Door desk office
A recycled door sets the stage for this inspiring office space. - Exploring procrastination
Research on procrastination identifies who does it and why. - Clutter saved their home
As a tornado ripped through a small town in Tennessee, one man’s cluttered trailer was credited with saving the home in which his family sought shelter.
2007
- Undo the junk mail damage
I knew that someone out there had to have a service to take care of the junk mail problem for me. Not only did I find a company to do the work, but I found a company that also works toward improving the environment. - Reader question: Magazine clutter & organization
Keep all your magazines together in one place, pull out only the one you’re reading, and always put it back before you take out another once. - Junk Removal
What do you do with all the garbage the city won’t collect? - The Collyer brothers, a study in compulsive hoarding
The Collyer brothers’ story is bizarre and illustrates the depths people will go to hold onto anything and everything. - The tupperware is everywhere!
One of my pet peeves in the area of kitchen clutter was the tupperware drawer.
Popularity: 15% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- Organizing pet information in case of emergency
Having a pet run away or get lost can be a stressful endeavor. We hope it never happens to you, but if it does, you should be prepared. - Save storage space with the telescoping ladder
As I lugged my ladder out of my basement the other day, I thought to myself, “There has to be a better way to store a ladder.” - Finding order on your bookshelves
Systems for organizing your books.
2007
- Paper clutter begone, part 1
To rid our home of the unnecessary papers, we invested in the Fujitsu ScanSnap (available for the Mac and PC) and scanned all of the papers that weren’t vital for us to have in paper form. - Slay your wire monster, part 2
Belkin has some very useful alternatives to your usual run-of-the-mill surge protectors.
Popularity: 11% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- Printing to PDF
How to print to PDF without having to drop hundreds of dollars on Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional. - Unitasker Wednesday: Movie Time Kettle Popcorn Maker
- Bathroom storage is key
- Five spring organizing activities
Five things you can do right now to get ready for the warmer weather. - Workspace of the Week: More closet workspaces
Kimberly’s closet sewing station and Adam’s closet workbench make the most of their closet spaces. - Getting to know you
Unclutterer asks readers to tell us about themselves. - Simple charging station
The Driinn Mobile Phone Holder is a small, reasonably priced, sleek, charging station.
2007
- Bedrooms are for sleeping, part 1
Ideally, your bedroom is a place for sleeping. That is, it’s a place for rest and relaxation. Anything in your room that doesn’t contribute to the relaxation will likely only keep you from recharging your batteries. - Bedrooms are for sleeping, part 2
Once you’ve got everything out of your bedroom that doesn’t belong, what should you be left with? - Freecycle
If you’re looking to get rid of clutter in your home, Freecycle might be one way to say goodbye to your stuff.
Popularity: 10% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- Using Flickr to get rid of your adult child’s clutter in your home
If your child hasn’t lived at home in 10, 15, or 20 years, it’s time to finally clear their clutter from your home. - Unpack now, not later
I always hear people saying, “We moved X months ago, and we are still unpacking boxes.” The obvious remedy for that is to unpack as soon as you move in. - Bringing your bookshelves back to order
Rules for curbing book clutter.
2007
- Tough questions for your things
Here’s a lists of questions to ask yourself about every object in your home, and about objects that want to come into your home. - Clutter creeps into the car
Traveling in a clutter-free vehicle will keep your mind on the road and make your travels safer and more enjoyable.
Popularity: 7% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- A simple way to simplify email — From Stowe Boyd
Online social networking guru Stowe Boyd offers advice on curbing e-mail clutter. - Unitasker Wednesday: The egg cracker
Must this five second process constitute a gadget that takes up more drawer space? - Unclutterer in the news
Unclutterer on NYTimes.com, Slate.com, and in the Washington Post. - Clearing clutter by evaluating your stuff before a move
No one likes the process of moving, but it is an excellent chance to evaluate all the stuff that you have accumulated since you lived in your current space. - How is that false sense of security working for you?
Internal hard drives stored off site can bring a new level of satisfaction when it comes to backing up your data. - How to organize a business meeting
Tips for having effective business meetings … and the only three situations when you should have them. - Workspace of the Week: Closet office
Reader Mlle_Bleue transforms a closet into a home office. - How to subscribe to toilet paper
Ordering home staples online reduces trips to the grocery store and frees up your time to focus on more important matters. - Reader suggestion: Put membership numbers on cell phone
aMem-Business can help you store all of your membership numbers in one place on your cell phone.
2007
- Selling your house? The one time you should definitely declutter
Cutting down on your house’s clutter can get it ready for the market. - Charity, Repair, Switch, and Store
Before beginning any spring cleaning routines, I like to have what I call a Charity, Repair, Switch, and Store Party. - Slay your wire monster
The cable monster behind the TV seems to double in size every other year. - Put an end to remote control clutter
Quick quiz. How many remote controls are in your den?
Popularity: 6% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- What to do with old gadgets and hardware
- An argument against multi-tasking
For higher-level activities, like organizing, it can be better to make these mono-tasks instead of multi-tasks. - Getting rid of maternity clutter
Maternity clothes are a necessity, but to buy clothing that will be worn for a few months and stored away until another pregnancy is a bit wasteful. - How to store your tax returns
The most convenient way to store your paper tax returns in your filing cabinet.
2007
- The psychology of clutter
Dr. Amie Ragan, a clinical psychologist in private practice, has recently started a blog looking at the psychology of clutter. - Solving the Imelda Marcos problem
Too many shoes littering your closet? Cut down and organize using clear plastic boxes.
Popularity: 7% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- Ten tips for planning a simple wedding
Tips on how to plan a simple wedding. - Unitasker Wednesday: The condiment gun
Yes, that’s right, you can now dispense condiments out of a barrel of a gun. - Resources to help you during a move
These websites will provide you with valuable information for you big moving day. - Reader question: How to organize rechargeable batteries?
Solutions for storing rechargeable batteries. - Unclutterer on Productivity501
Unclutterer is interviewed by Productivity501 on ways to make your computer your friend. - Workspace of the Week: Briefcase office
This week’s workspace of the week is Chuck_Notorious’ gig bag office. - Saying farewell to a hobby
What to do when you’re just not that into your hobby. - Weekend Project: Knick knack round up
Gather together all of your knick knacks and decide if they should stay or go.
2007
- Minding the storage
To me, storage is a dirty word. What do you store? Things you don’t use. And if you don’t use something, why store it? - Another cautionary tale
Man dies in Md. blaze; clutter hindered firefighters’ efforts. - Photo processing (with a garbage bag)
Considering that most of the photo print are blurry and overexposed, why not take a trash can and go through them. Organize or digitize the keepers.
Popularity: 9% [?]
Ask Unclutterer: What should I do with old x-ray films?
Reader Piper submitted the following to Ask Unclutterer:
I have a bunch of old X-Rays hanging around. Various broken bones, MRIs and things like that.
I don’t really want to throw them away (I’m not quite sure why) but I don’t know what to do with them either. I know I’m not the only one that keeps these things because I’m moving into an apartment and found a couple of X-Rays from the previous occupant.
Right now, they live in the bottom of a dresser drawer. That doesn’t take up much space, but it seems silly to have a curiosity like that around but hiding in the bottom of a drawer. I thought about putting them on a window as a decoration, but decided that was just too macabre and weird.
What an interesting question!
First, you should know that the Environmental Protection Agency claims that x-ray films do “not appear to be hazardous waste.” This means that if you have them in your house in an envelope, you’re storing them safely. The films themselves don’t retain any toxic levels of radiation. I was actually worried about this for a while, so I was glad to learn that handling them was fine.
Now, just because you aren’t poisoning yourself by having them around, doesn’t necessarily mean that you should keep them. The next time you go to your doctor’s office, bring along your collection of x-ray films. Ask your doctor which of the x-rays are worth keeping, and which ones you can purge. If you have an on-going medical condition, your doctor will probably instruct you to keep all x-ray films of importance to that condition. However, your doctor will probably tell you an x-ray of a broken wrist you had in the third grade won’t be important to keep.
The x-ray films your doctor recommends you keep should be stored in your personal medical file in your home filing cabinet. If you don’t still have the envelope they came in, ask your doctor if you can buy one from her. They usually run about $1 an envelope (if your doctor even chooses to charge you). I don’t recommend displaying or doing anything crafty with these x-ray films since you or someone close to you might need to access them in a medical emergency.
Best case scenario, your doctor will offer to recycle any x-ray films you don’t need to keep. If she doesn’t, call your local hospital and see if they accept old x-ray films. If neither your doctor or local hospital recycle them, check your county’s website to see if they have a recycling program for such items or if a recycling center in your area does. Most old x-rays have silver in them, which means that they’re relatively valuable in the recycling market. I’ve never had any difficulty finding a recycling center that accepts old x-ray films.
If you want to do something more creative and artsy with your old x-ray films, I suggest only using ones that have out-dated information on them. An image of your bones while you were still growing is probably safer to use than an image of your bones as an adult. Or, if you had a pin put in your ankle, an image before you had the pin put into it would be safer to use since it’s not how your ankle currently looks. X-rays are very personal information and you wouldn’t want it to get into the wrong hands and have to fight an insurance fraud case.
Thank you, Piper, 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.
Popularity: 32% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- Simple strategies to clear email clutter — From Gina Trapani of Lifehacker
- March wrap up
These are the moments that made March a great month at Unclutterer.com. - Diaper wallet
An old CD case can become a diaper wallet, via Ikea hacker. - Reader question: How to hide a shredder?
Suggestions for how to camouflage office equipment.
Popularity: 9% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- Unitasker Wednesday: Pickle picker and unitaskers explained
The Pickle Picker is just what any pickle lover would want. - The Real Cost of Financial Clutter on the Road to a Remarkable Life
Trent Hamm, author of the blog The Simple Dollar, presents an inspiring column on financial uncluttering as part of our month of sharing. - San Francisco health workers offer help to hoarders
San Francisco’s Department of Aging and Adult Services and the nonprofit Mental Health Association of San Francisco have created the Institute on Hoarding and Cluttering. - Managing Computer File Clutter Pt. 2: External Storage
For his final installment of his data organization series, Brian extols his wisdom on external storage systems. - Workspace of the Week: The non-office office
TheHappy1 shows off her office, which can fit into any living space. - Can someone be a collector and be uncluttered?
An uncluttered collector, by definition, takes pride in his or her collection and displays it fully and respectfully. - Unclutter on The Simple Dollar and a (sort of) new e-mail feed!
Unclutterer writes a post on mindful consumption on The Simple Dollar and also launches a new e-mail subscription feed. - Weekend Project: Clear clutter from under furniture
Pull out the clutter from under your furniture and find it a permanent home that shows that you honor and respect your belongings.
Popularity: 12% [?]
A year ago on Unclutterer
2008
- Semi-homemade cooking for busy people
Lee’s cookbooks are perfect tools for modern, busy families. - Collapsible gardening container
For those of you who have spring fever and are itching to get outside and clean up your yard, here is a nice 30 gallon gardening container that may interest you. - Additional cookbooks for busy people
Since readers were so outraged by our Sandra Lee suggestion, here are other fast and easy cookbooks for busy people. - Your boarding pass on your cell phone
As paper becomes less and less important in the digital age, the paper boarding pass may also be a thing of the past. - Being organized: A learned behavior
Is disorganization inherited genetically? Phooey!
Popularity: 10% [?]
