Archives for Decluttering
Less mess in the music room
My husband and I love music. We devote more space in our home to storing instruments and their supplies than to any other type of object (including books, clothes, and food). Add to that recording and listening equipment, and music-related stuff easily occupies half the space in our house. (Even on my computer, music files take up the majority of space.)
When music is such an integral part of your life, you constantly look for ways to store and minimize what you own. The following are some of our solutions:
Frozen Ape Tempo. We got rid of our metronomes recently after discovering this iPhone application. It’s actually better than all the metronomes we had in the house. My favorite feature of the program is that I can plug my earphones into the audio jack and have the beats pulse straight into my ear. The program is 99 cents. Yet again, my iPhone replaces a unitasker.
Storage boxes for strings. A few years ago, we noticed that a CD storage box is the perfect size for holding spare strings. We buy strings online at a discount, so it’s nice to have a permanent place for them to reside until we need them. And, since 10 of our instruments have strings, we regularly need them.
Self-binding sheet music. After years of having sheet music strewn around the house causing a mess, we reached our breaking point. We sorted the sheets of music into piles and then used a CombBind C55 at the office to bind it all into nicely bound books. We created an index for the front of each book and store the bound music on our bookshelves. No more loose papers, simple storage, and it took us less than half an hour to create. If you don’t have a binder in your office, they do the same service at Kinkos for a minimal fee.
Repurposed decorative items. On a table in our music area we have some candles and a decorative jar. We purposefully bought a decorative jar that has storage space inside of it so that it can have multipurposes. Now, this pretty little piece of art holds my harmonicas, castanets, and a case for guitar picks.
What tricks do you use in your music room to contain the numerous supplies that come with instruments? We’re always on the lookout for solutions, so please share your ideas in the comments.
Popularity: 12% [?]
It’s All Too Much Workbook has insightful tips for keeping your cool when talking to others about their clutter
While I was writing Unclutter Your Life in One Week, I stopped reading books to review for the site. Truth be told, I simply didn’t want to think about books after spending five or more hours a day working on mine. I had experienced my fill, at least temporarily.
Now that the text of my book has been shipped off to the publisher, I’m back to reading books again for review. First up on my list was Peter Walsh’s It’s All Too Much Workbook, which apparently came out in April. (April? There was an April this year?!) His workbook is a companion to his popular narrative It’s All Too Much.
What little text is in the Workbook appears to be the same as in the original. Mostly, it includes lined pages where you can physically answer questions and complete charts. There are a few pull-out boxes that contain new text, and one of these boxes really caught my eye on page 39:
COMMUNICATION QUESTIONS
Here are some questions to help you make decisions about what to keep without starting arguments or passing judgment. The goal is to reframe the discussion away from the item itself to its significance in your lives.
EXAMPLES
- Instead of “Why don’t you put your tools away?” ask “What is it that you want from this space?”
- Instead of “Why do we have to keep your grandmother’s sewing kit?” ask “Why is that important to you? Does it have meaning?”
- Instead of “There’s no room for all of your stuff in there,” say “Let’s see how we can share this space so that it works for all of us.”
- Instead of “Why do you have to hold onto these ugly sweaters your dad gave you?” ask “What do these sweaters make you think of or remind you of?”
- Instead of saying “I don’t understand how you can live with all of this junk,” ask “How do you feel when you have to spend time in this room?”
His tips here are right on the mark. They get to the heart of the matter without antagonizing or assigning blame.
If you haven’t read It’s All Too Much, you can benefit from getting both it and the new It’s All Too Much Workbook. (The original is one of my favorite books on organizing and uncluttering.) You definitely will want the original book, though, as the Workbook isn’t a stand-alone product.
Popularity: 10% [?]
All-in-One Card Stamp
Ji Lee, creative director for Google Creative Lab, created an “All-in-One Card Stamp” to make card sending simple.
Why buy many cards for different occasions if you can have an “One Card for All Occasions Stamp”? It saves time, money and headache.
I wholeheartedly agree that it saves time, money and headache, but I don’t know how my specific group of loved ones would respond. I think they would laugh the first time they received a card from me, but on second and third mailings it would start to wear thin. Utilitarian? Yes. Solution for everyone? No.
Still, I like it’s practical nature and that Ji Lee was thinking of ways to reduce clutter. What are your thoughts? Uncluttered and cool, or over-the-top minimalist?
(via NotCot)
Popularity: 13% [?]
Crowning the king or queen of clutter
Angie’s List, a website where consumers provide reports and reviews of local service companies, is having a Clutter Contest this summer:
Submit photos of clutter catastrophes — whether you own or another worthy candidate’s — and a brief explanation to mailbag@angieslist.com by August 1. We’ll select the most awe-inspiringly hideous office or home and crown a national king or queen of clutter. Whoever “wins” our contest will qualify for a clutter cleanout compliments of a highly rated service company in the Organization-Home and Garage category [on their website]. And we’ll feature the winner in our magazine.
Even if you aren’t a contender to be the king or queen of clutter, you might know someone who could use some help. Pass the word along (kindly, of course) and maybe your friend can win a free makeover!
Popularity: 11% [?]
Your children can have toys and you can have an uncluttered home
A few times after speaking and writing about having an uncluttered home, people have said to me:
You obviously don’t have kids.
I know that these are lighthearted statements meant to let off a little steam about one’s personal experience, but they always rub me the wrong way.
Simply stated: Having children and being uncluttered are not mutually exclusive endeavors. You can have both. Problems occur when people (of any age) have more stuff than they can store and routines do not exist to take care of the things they own.
If a child has so many toys that they are strewn in every room of the house, it’s time to get rid of a large selection of the toys. If the child doesn’t have a toy chest, cabinet, or closet to properly store his toys, then he needs one. Lay out all of your child’s toys on the living room floor for him to review. Next, have him pick which toys will be kept and which ones will be donated to charity (or recycled or thrown away, if necessary). Have your child go with you to make the charitable donation so that he can see the children who are benefitting from his generosity. Then, after returning home, organize the remaining toys in a designated storage area.
A reader on the site recently left a comment that I agree with wholeheartedly:
If a child is old enough to get out a toy to play, she is old enough to put it away.
Yes, it takes diligence to monitor a child’s behavior to know when to encourage her to put away her things after play time, but it’s not impossible. If you’re unable to keep on top of toys being put away at the end of every play time, then have a routine in place where the child walks through the entire house and puts away all errant toys 15 minutes before starting her bedtime routine. Teaching children these life skills at an early age will help them to always live an uncluttered life. Yes, there will be times when your encouragement will be met with resistance, but such are the ways of parenthood.
Be sure to check out our previous posts in the Baby and Children categories to get even more ideas and suggestions about keeping toy clutter under control.
Popularity: 14% [?]
Illuminate your clutter hiding spaces
Clutter has a way of accumulating in poorly-lit spaces. If you can’t see it, you forget it’s there, and it’s easier to mindlessly add to the disorder. Deep drawers, basements, closets, lower cabinets, and garages are especially vulnerable to dark spaces where clutter can hide.
After you clear the clutter from an area, if it is poorly lit, I recommend putting in an adhesive LED Puck Light ($14 for a 3-pack). They require very little energy, can be used with rechargeable batteries, and help the spaces to stay clear of clutter going forward — just be sure to put the light in a place you can easily reach.
How has better lighting helped keep clutter out of your home? Is there a space where better lighting could help you? Tell us about your experiences in the comments.
Popularity: 17% [?]
Capturing data from The New York Times
The New York Times had another great article last week, this specific one was “Bringing Order to the Chaos of Notes.” The article discusses the many ways that someone can capture and organize lists, notes, and all the random pieces of paper that can clutter up our lives.
Referenced in the article are:
- One Note for PC by Microsoft ($100)
- Notebook for Mac by Circus Ponies ($50)
- Yojimbo for Mac by Bare Bones ($39)
- Together for Mac by Reinvented Software ($39)
- Evernote for PC and Mac (Free with advertisements)
What do you use to capture notes? Regular readers already know that I’m a big Evernote fan. Tell us about your system and why you like it in the comments.
Popularity: 15% [?]
Do you have a big ‘But …’?
I was in sixth grade the first time I saw the movie Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. My friends latched onto the “I know you are but what am I” line from the film, and I quipped “Everyone I know has a big ‘But …’” no fewer than a thousand times.
Sure, the line I often quoted from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure was juvenile, but it was strangely accurate. Everyone I know actually has a big “But …” in their lives:
- I would get my office organized but [insert excuse].
- I would ask the kids to help with chores around the house but [insert excuse].
- I would start exercising but [insert excuse].
- I would finish this project but [insert excuse].
There are times when excuses are warranted, such as with health issues (I would eat a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup but I won’t since I’m allergic to peanuts). However, most “But …” excuses are purely a resistance to change.
We keep bad habits and clutter in our lives because they’re known quantities. We know what life is like when things are disorderly. Life after a change is different and unfamiliar. It might be better, but we don’t know that from where we are now.
As someone who went from a clutterbug to an unclutterer, I can vouch that life is really greener on the organized side. I have more time and less stress in my life than before. The change was worth it, but making the change was difficult and I know I said my fair share of “But …” excuses as I was going through the process.
So what is your big “But …”? What is keeping you from letting go of your clutter? The next time you catch yourself making an excuse, think about what you’re saying. Is your excuse warranted, or are you just voicing a fear of change?
Popularity: 16% [?]
Hanging coats
Since today is a national holiday in the U.S., we’re going to keep posting light this Monday. We’ll be back to our regular posting schedule tomorrow.
—
If you don’t have a closet near the front door to your home, a free-standing coat rack might be a good way to keep your summer jackets from ending up on the back of every couch and chair in the adjacent room. Website Remodelista has a roundup of 13 pieces that might be useful in your home:
On the left: The Sprout Coat Tree for $99. On the right: 10 Degree Coat Rack for $49.95. Both available at CB2.
Check out the post “10 Easy Pieces: Free-Standing Coat Racks” for eleven more ideas.
Popularity: 20% [?]
Organizing from A to Z
Unclutterer and Erin are mentioned numerous times in the June 2009 issue of Real Simple magazine in the article “Get Organized. Stay Organized. How to control the clutter for good” by Liz Welch.
The article works through the letters of the alphabet, giving organized suggestions for everything from artwork to grills and propane tanks to zippers and sewing items.
The most efficient way to store recipes is to “scan them, then organize them with a software system, like eChef recipe software,” says Doland. The program, which also lets you save recipes found online, has an easy-to-use search function: Type in “asparagus” and find every one of your recipes that calls for it.
The June 2009 issue of Real Simple is currently available on newsstands. Unfortunately, only the products mentioned in the article that you can buy are online. However, once June 1 rolls around, I expect the full text of the article to be available digitally.
Popularity: 18% [?]
The desk whisperer
Thursday evening, I was a presenter at the first Ignite-DC. An Ignite presentation is exactly five minutes, contains 20 slides, and each slide advances automatically every 15 seconds. An evening consists of 16 artists, technologists, thinkers, and personalities talking about subjects they love.
I gave a lighthearted presentation on the perception of productivity. (Not actual productivity — because that is what books are made of, not humorous five-minute presentations.) I wanted to entertain as well as inform, and I hope that I achieved that. Check it out:
(If you can’t see the above video, check it out directly on YouTube.)
Feel welcome to check out the other Ignite-DC presentations from Thursday and the world-wide Ignite website to see if there is an Ignite event scheduled near you.
Popularity: 19% [?]
Be organized with a Butler Bag
A couple weeks ago, I met a group of power professional organizers for drinks. These people are no-nonsense business owners who employ staffs and kick clutter’s arse. Additionally, they make me laugh, which makes checking in with them a few times a year a lot of fun.
As we toasted our drinks, I realized that all of the women in the group were carrying the same purse. I had to ask them about it because it was such a bizarre sighting. I mean, maybe in junior high a girl gets the same purse as her best friend, but it’s not something you typically see with a group of adults.
It turns out, none of the women were aware of the other women’s handbags. Each said she purchased her Butler Bag for the same reason — the purse’s inside structure. These organized women had all purchased the most organized purse they could find.
After talking to these organized women about their bags, I decided to buy one. (That is my purse in the above pictures.) I bought the “Classic” style in the color espresso. It’s only 13″ x 5.5″ x 5″, yet it holds all of my things with an unbelievable amount of remaining space in its five sturdy compartments. Check out the website to get a better idea of all of the things you can carry in one of these small purses.
I no longer have to search for anything in my bag. I don’t have to worry about the top coming off a pen and marking up my cell phone. And, since the purse is really cute, no one knows that I’m carrying it for utilitarian reasons.
If you don’t need a new purse, check out these purse organizers that make lots of pockets on the inside of your purse. For $20, they seem like a nice alternative.
Popularity: 18% [?]
Fake plants: Erin’s secret timesaver
When I decided to get clutter out of my life — physical, mental, time, and productivity clutter — I did it because I wanted to have more time and room in my life for the things that matter most to me. There are only 24 hours in the day, and I want to spend the majority of my waking hours doing what I value and find important.
Sure, there are chores (about 30 minutes a day) I don’t love, but doing them keeps stress and other negative effects out of my life. My overall life is better because I have routines in place to take care of the not-so-great parts.
One thing I don’t like doing is gardening or anything to do with the yard. I know that some people love gardening and are horrified that I don’t like it, but I enjoy things that I’m sure they have no interest in doing (cheese making, doing stand up comedy, reading mystery novels, playing the pedal steel guitar). We’re all different, which is what makes unclutterers so great.
Since I’m not fond of gardening, I have fake plants in all of the flower boxes on the front of my house. These are high-end fake plants. Even when you’re standing inches away from them, you have no idea that they’re not real. But, unlike real plants, I don’t have to do anything to maintain their beauty.
- No watering.
- No weeding.
- No dying plants.
- No plant diseases or pests.
- No maintenance.
If you’re interested in sprucing up a flower box with fake plants, follow these tips to make it so that no one on your block has any idea:
- Use high-end fake plants. If it looks bad in the store, it’s going to look bad in your flower box. The French make the world’s best fake plants, and if you can afford them, buy them. My favorite is Trousselier at 73 blvd Haussmann in Paris. If heading to France isn’t in your future (Trousselier doesn’t have an online shop), check out your local craft store and be very picky about what makes it into your cart.
- Buy plants, not flowers. You don’t have to worry about things blooming in the wrong season if nothing blooms. And, even when they are very well made, fake flowers can still look fake.
- Only display the plants during appropriate seasons. If a fern wouldn’t be growing outdoors in January, don’t have a fake fern outdoors in January. Store it into a garbage bag in your garage, and put it back out in the spring.
- Only buy fake plants that could grow in your region.
- Take the time to plan out and landscape your flower box before you go shopping for fake plants. You want the plants to look as natural as possible.
- Buy fake plants with realistic looking imperfections. Not every leaf on a plant is the exact same shade of green, and sometimes a leaf or two is brown. Nature isn’t perfect, and neither should your fake plants be.
- “Plant” your fake plants in gravel with fake moss or fake grass as ground cover. Weeds won’t grow in rocks, but they will grow in dirt. If you “plant” in dirt, you’re still going to have to pick out weeds.
Okay, now you know my time-saving secret. Where do you cut corners to free up time in your schedule to pursue the things that matter most to you?
(My apologies about the picture being small. It was hard to line up an image that didn’t flash my neighbors’ license plates to the internet.)
Popularity: 21% [?]
Hinge hooks
Back when I was a home renter instead of a home owner, I spent a lot of time trying to hunt down organizing and storage solutions that didn’t force me to change my space. I haven’t forgotten that frustration, and I like to keep an eye out for products that I can recommend that renters and home owners can use.
Recently, I learned about these simple hooks that fit over the pins of door hinges. You pull out your hinge’s pins, slip the hook onto the hinge, and then slide the hinge pin back into place. When it’s time to move, you remove it as easily as you installed it. No nail holes to fill or patches to paint. Plus, the hook is behind the door and out of sight when the door is open.
Popularity: 24% [?]
35 luxury notebooks to organize your life
I’m a list keeper. I used to keep lists on stray pieces of paper around my office. Whatever was within reach would get a list on it — backs of envelopes, stray receipts, post-it notes. After I got the iPhone, my random paper list-making decreased significantly. The Notes application and I become fast friends.
However, I’ve once again found myself looking to good ol’ pen and paper to write down some of my ideas. Instead of turning to scraps of paper that will eventually clutter up my desk, I’ve decided to buy a notebook.
In my pursuit of finding the perfect notebook, I have discovered that there is a gigantic market of luxury notebooks out there. I honestly had no concept of how large it is. So, if you’re in the market for a good notebook to keep your ideas in one organized location, these are the brands to explore:
- Awagami
- Alwych
- Apica
- Bienfang
- Canteo
- Cartesio
- Cavallini
- Ciak
- Clairefontaine
- Derwent
- Doane
- Eccolo
- Exacompa
- Fabriano
- Field Notes
- G. Lalo
- Guildhall
- HandBook
- Kunst and Papier
- Markings
- Maruman Hongasen
- Miquelrius
- Moleskine/Kikkerland
- Myndology
- Nomad
- Pen and Ink
- Pentalic
- Piccadilly
- Quo Vadis
- Rag and Bone
- Rite in the Rain
- Rhodia
- Smythson
- Whitelines
- Xonex Ru
I made my decision about which to buy based on reviews I came across on a couple of notebook blogs. The blog Black Cover has pictures and reviews of some of the little black notebooks. And the website Notebook Stories has reviewed 19 different brands.
Are you a traditional notebook aficionado? Is there a brand or style that didn’t make my list? Please let us know about it in the comments!
Popularity: 29% [?]
