Archives for Simple Living

Hedonic adaptation: Why buying more won’t make you happy

A Sunday New York Times discussing the happiness benefits associated with simple living in its article titled “But Will It Make You Happy?” The main point of the article is that people can easily adapt to living with less, without suffering many negative consequences, but that when we are constantly pursuing more, we have to get even more to stay happy:

Another reason that scholars contend that experiences provide a bigger pop than things is that they can’t be absorbed in one gulp — it takes more time to adapt to them and engage with them than it does to put on a new leather jacket or turn on that shiny flat-screen TV.

“We buy a new house, we get accustomed to it,” says Professor Lyubomirsky, who studies what psychologists call “hedonic adaptation,” a phenomenon in which people quickly become used to changes, great or terrible, in order to maintain a stable level of happiness.

Over time, that means the buzz from a new purchase is pushed toward the emotional norm.

“We stop getting pleasure from it,” she says.

And then, of course, we buy new things.

The phrase “hedonic adaptation” was made popular by Shane Frederick and George Loewenstein in chapter 16 of Well-being: The foundations of hedonic psychology (the article begins on page 302). Much of their research focuses on prison inmates becoming comfortable in their confined prison cells — a process that surprisingly occurs quickly — but it also looks at the growth side, when people acquire new and larger things:

Although hedonic adaptation confers enormous benefits by reducing the subjective effects of adverse conditions, it has associated costs as well. The most obvious cost of hedonic adaption is that it occurs for goods as well as bads, creating what Brickman and Campbell (1971) have called the “hedonic treadmill” — the tendency for transitory satisfactions to eventually give way to indifference or even dissatisfaction. Scitovsky (1976) comments that “the attainment of a goal seems, when the moment of triumph is over, almost like a let-down” (62). Adaption to pleasurable experiences may also be responsible for destructive addictions, which are due in part to the decreasing pleasure from a given level of a good or activity and in part to the displeasure (craving) when consumption of the good or activity ceases (see, for example, Koob et al. 1989; Loewenstein 1996).

In short, if you are constantly in pursuit of keeping up with the Joneses and conspicuously buying, you’re more likely to become addicted to shopping and feel less pleasure and happiness each time you buy. Conversely, reducing your consumption, living more simply, and focusing instead on experiences will ultimately — as this research shows — make you happier.

What also exists in this research is an explanation for why it is difficult to see your clutter the more you have. You adapt to your cluttered surroundings and become immune to its presence. (Hoarders, for example, are often in denial that they’re hoarders because they don’t see the mess.) In the text, researchers Frederick and Loewenstein liken it to how your nose becomes numb to foul odors the longer you stay in a stinky environment.

Thanks to reader Tim for bringing the New York Times article to our attention.

Posted by Erin on Aug 9, 2010 | 22 Comments | Tweet This

Many paths can lead to the same, remarkable goal

I’m rereading Colin Beavan’s No Impact Man right now. I mentioned it in the “Ask Unclutterer: Best methods for recycling” post a couple weeks ago, and decided to reread it when I saw it on my bookshelves a few days later. I’m not much of an environmentalist — I’ve never tried to save the whales, or even just one whale — but simple living advocates and proponents of waste reduction often find themselves in the same professional circles. I thought Beavan’s words might have something to inspire me in the work I do, and I was correct.

Beavan’s book, with the phrase “save the planet” in the extended title, is more about saving himself than saving the Earth. It’s obvious from the first page of the text he doesn’t know what he wants from life. He feels disconnected, like he’s only going through the motions of living, and that his priorities are out of whack. He wants to make a change for the better, and living without impacting the environment is more of his path to discovering what matters most.

The similarities between choosing to live without distractions (being an unclutterer) and choosing to live without damaging the planet (being an environmentalist) are arbitrary since both, at least in this case, end up in the same place: a remarkable life. When Beavan talks about his previous habit of constantly eating out at fast-food restaurants, he’s really talking about getting rid of the clutter so that he can focus on what matters most to him. From pages 45 and 46:

So much of my trash-making and waste is about making convenient the taking care of myself and my family. It’s about getting our needs out of the way. But is this so? When did taking care of ourselves become something so unimportant that it should be got out of the way rather than savored and enjoyed? When did cooking and nourishing my family become an untenable chore? What is more important that I’m supposed to do instead?

He continues on page 47:

Even modern replacements for priests, rabbis, and Zen masters — the positive psychologists — have something to say on this point. That new breed of shrinks has discovered that happy people spend a lot of time being grateful for what they have and savoring their experience. They don’t rush through “now” to get to later. They don’t make taking care of themselves or taking care of their families something they have to get over with so they can get to the good stuff. Instead, they insist that this moment, whatever it is, is the good stuff.

What is it that matters most to you? What is your vision for a remarkable life? What path are you taking to get there?

These are all good questions, with limitless sets of answers, and ones that I keep asking myself and discerning on a regular basis. If you’re searching for a more remarkable life, maybe they’re questions you also want to be asking yourself.

Posted by Erin on Aug 3, 2010 | 15 Comments | Tweet This

It’s a table! It’s a desk! It’s a table …

There is a new addition in Ikea’s Vika build-your-own-table series that is wonderful for people who live in small spaces. The Vika Veine begins as a small table, perfect for all your small table needs:

but then transforms into a really great office for a laptop user:

The Vika Veine comes in white and a black-brown and works with the VIKA table legs. The interior of the desk includes cable outlets inside the desk unit, so only one cable runs to the table/desk. The inside lid pockets are made with a heavy felt that Ikea says “absorbs sound and can also be used as a notice board.” And, like so many of Ikea’s products, the Vika Veine is pretty reasonably priced at $100 — not too bad for two highly functional pieces of furniture.

Posted by Erin on Jul 17, 2010 | 20 Comments | Tweet This

Blog to watch: UN v2.0

Alec Farmer, a graduate student in Glasgow, Scotland, is spending a year living in a micro-structure and is blogging about his experience on the new UN v2.0 site. The UN in the blog title is an abbreviation for urban nomad, and it aptly describes Farmer’s interesting project in small-space living.

The structure Farmer built to live in for the year was designed more than 30 years ago by famous minimalist architect Ken Isaacs.

If you’re unfamiliar with Isaacs’ work, Dwell magazine created a design leader video series that included Ken Isaacs and the structure at the center of the UN v2.0 blog. (The structure first appears in the 4:16-long video around 1:26.)

Farmer’s adventure begins in September (I’m assuming at the same time the Glasgow School of Art, where Farmer attends, starts its fall classes). His first entry on his site explains the reason for the experiment:

Having studied [the Urban Nomad] subject for a few years now, one can only speculate so much. Reading can only get you so far, before you have to take another step and actually try it.

So thats what I’m doing.

Follow along on Farmer’s micro-structure living journey at his blog UN v2.0. You also can download a free copy of Isaacs’ How to Build Your Own Living Structures through the PDF library at The Pop-Up City. This document includes architectural plans to a few micro-structures designed by Isaacs.

(via The Pop-Up City)

Posted by Erin on Jul 13, 2010 | 14 Comments | Tweet This

Choosing simple living

An unclutterer is someone who chooses to live without the distractions that get in the way of a remarkable life.

Contrary to what you might assume, the most important word in the definition of an unclutterer isn’t distractions (or what we also call clutter) or even the goal of a remarkable life. The pivotal word in the definition is chooses.

The pursuit of an uncluttered life begins with a choice — you choose to practice simple living. No one can force you to be an unclutterer, and you don’t stumble into a simple life by mistake. Even people who lose all of their possessions in a catastrophe are not unclutterers, as they might choose to fill up their homes and lives again when circumstances permit.

Choosing to live an uncluttered life starts with wanting to get rid of distractions. Once this desire is present, you begin to see your life from this new perspective. When your mindset has changed, your actions will follow. Getting rid of clutter is usually the first outward sign of your choice to be an unclutterer.

From these first steps, you continue to choose to live simply every moment you’re awake. There will come a time when you stop acknowledging this moment-to-moment choice, but you continue to make it (or not make it). Then, when you turn your focus to the things that matter most to you, your reward is the remarkable life you desire.

It all begins with a choice …

Posted by Erin on Jul 8, 2010 | 23 Comments | Tweet This

If it’s not important to you, don’t consume it

Trent Hamm at TheSimpleDollar.com on Saturday reviewed the classic book Voluntary Simplicity. When I read the book seven or eight years ago, I interpreted the focus of the book to be about reducing one’s impact on the environment. However, Trent points out in his review that there is a larger theme beyond responsible environmental behavior that speaks to the heart of simple, uncluttered living:

“… you don’t have to overconsume in areas that aren’t important to your life. If you don’t watch television, don’t buy a television or have a cable box. If it’s nice outside, don’t run your air conditioner. If you’re not into clothing, wear clothing until it’s actually worn out — and then even consider mending it. In other words, if it’s not all that important to you, don’t consume [it].”

It is so easy to buy, acquire, and own things that aren’t important to us simply out of habit or because other people have these things. If you don’t want the responsibilities of home ownership, rent. If you aren’t looking forward to an episode of Wipeout, turn off the television. Stop consuming for the sake of consuming, and buy and spend time on only those things that you need and matter to you.

The phrase, “If it’s not important to you, don’t consume it,” is now hanging on the bulletin board next to my monitor. I think it’s as important of an uncluttering phrase as “a place for everything and everything in its place.”

Posted by Erin on Jul 1, 2010 | 17 Comments | Tweet This

Finish it! Erin’s third set of 2010 resolutions

First things first — How is it July already? Honestly, I am flabbergasted that my calendar doesn’t say April. Time is definitely playing a trick on me this year.

Even though I am in denial about it being July, another three months have passed and my second set of 2010 resolutions have come to a close. Today begins my third set of resolutions for the year.

My second quarter resolutions to plant and tend to an herb and vegetable garden, take a knife skills class, and go rock climbing were all achieved. However, completing all 67 tasks on the “Spring Cleaning for the Overachiever” list from Unclutter Your Life in One Week are not finished — I have 13 more projects left to do. And, I’ve got three more rooms to sort through for my minimizing project.

I was obviously much more interested in learning how to climb up the side of a mountain than I was to take on my kitchen cabinets. Which, if you knew me in the world beyond your computer screen, would actually surprise you. I’m quite terrified of heights and am still shocked that I went through with the rock climbing lessons. (Even more so since I spent most of April and part of May in a wheelchair and on crutches.) My only explanation is that I was greatly motivated by Christopher McDougall’s book Born To Run and his amazing stories about the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico.

Okay, that is enough about the old, let’s talk about the new.

My resolutions for the third quarter of 2010:

  • Identify all of my unfinished projects.
  • Finish ALL of my unfinished projects.
  • Take on no new projects until all old projects are finished. (This one might be impossible, but I’m going to give it my best.)

These resolutions do not apply to on-going projects (such as my life), but tangible projects I’ve started and never finished. There are dozens upon dozens of these in my home right now — I need to sew a band around the edge of the quilt I made for my son, finish my second quarter uncluttering and spring cleaning tasks, my next book proposal is written but not edited, I recently discovered a box of photographs that were never digitally scanned, and many more projects similar to this stand in limbo.

I have so many unfinished projects right now that I sincerely don’t know if three months is enough time to accomplish all of them. What is worse is that I have so many unfinished things that I’m going to have to walk through my house and make a list to get an idea of all I have to do. Now is when all the energy I worked on obtaining during the first quarter of 2010 is going to be put to use. Wish me luck!

How are you doing with your 2010 resolutions? Even if you don’t keep resolutions, could you spend the next three months finishing all of the unfinished projects in your life? If so, join me on my adventure. My goal is to head into the fourth quarter of 2010 with more energy and less stress.

Posted by Erin on Jul 1, 2010 | 24 Comments | Tweet This

Uncluttering: One versus many

In my quest to live an uncluttered life, I’m reminded from time-to-time that convenience and efficiency don’t always coincide with fewer physical objects. An example of this, at least in our home, can be explained with scissors.

In theory, we only need one pair of scissors. We could begrudgingly survive with just one pair, and having seven pair likely seems excessive to a minimalist. However, for the sake of convenience, we have a pair that I use with food in the kitchen, another is in our present wrapping kit, I’ve got one in my clothes closet to cut off stray threads and tags, one in my desk drawer and one in my husband’s desk, a hefty pair in with my gardening supplies, and there is a small pair in the bathroom that is sanitized and stored in our emergency medical kit.

For our family, having fewer than seven pair of scissors would be frustrating. We’d waste time hunting down the one pair of scissors, and there would likely be more than one person needing the scissors at a time.

Another obvious example of this is clothing. Sure, we could get by with just one change of clothes, but it would be extremely inconvenient to have to do laundry every night.

Uncluttering isn’t about having the fewest things, it’s about having the right amount of things for your life. Clutter is any distraction that gets in the way of the life you desire — and sometimes, having too few things can be just as distracting as having too many.

As you are going through the uncluttering process, remember that there isn’t a competition to see who can have the fewest things. The purpose of uncluttering is to right-size your possessions and commitments so that you can focus on what matters to you most.

Posted by Erin on Jun 28, 2010 | 46 Comments | Tweet This

Less stuff, more adventure

Today’s guest post is from Sean Ogle a location independent writer and entrepreneur who is currently based out of Bangkok, Thailand. Welcome, Sean!

For years I’ve strived to live a simple lifestyle. And, up until four months ago, I had failed miserably at it. I’ve always been a pack rat, and the amount of meaningless stuff I’d acquired would make a pawn shop owner blush.

So how have I chosen to go about uncluttering my life? I quit my job, sold my car, and am working while traveling throughout southeast Asia. Oh, and I’m doing it all with nothing but a backpack the size of one an eighth grader might use.

Yes, it’s a drastic way to go about changing my life, but drastic times call for drastic measures. I wasn’t happy with my job as a financial analyst, and I knew that if I didn’t have my global adventure soon, my obligations would get the better of me. With the help of my trusty North Face Surge, I disposed of everything I owned, except that which I could fit inside my new pack.

I have no affiliation with North Face whatsoever, but I have to tell you, this is one of the most well designed and useful packs I’ve ever used. It’s much more flexible than a traditional laptop case, and has enough room for everything I’d hoped to bring on my six month trip. That’s saying something.

I’ve been on the move for about three months, and it’s incredible how simple my life has become. No longer do I worry about all of the details that seemed to be such a big deal. Does the car have enough gas to make it to work? Did I leave the coffee pot on? Am I going to get that big raise this year? Sure, I have my own set of concerns, as I’m now working for myself on a variety of web-based ventures, but those hold true for any entrepreneur; giving myself the freedom from overwhelming amounts of “stuff” has been well worth it.

I fully understand that this is an extreme way to reduce clutter in your life, and it is certainly not for everyone. However, for those looking to make a change, and perhaps experience a little adventure, living out of a backpack for a short (or long) period of time is the perfect way to figure out what is truly essential in your life.

Posted by Sean on Jun 24, 2010 | 30 Comments | Tweet This

Practicing simple living

I recently led a three-day workshop titled “The Practice of Simplicity.” When choosing the name for this program, I specifically chose the word practice for the title because of its broad meaning.

People who aspire to a life of simplicity often consider themselves practitioners — in the sense that a doctor might say she practices medicine, an unclutterer might say he practices simplicity.

At the same time, living simply requires practice. No one goes to bed one night in complete chaos and disorder and wakes up the next morning master of an organized and clutter-free wonderland. Transformation doesn’t happen over night, and achieving and maintaining it most definitely takes practice.

Along these lines, simplicity isn’t a goal or an end result. Simplicity is a means to an end, with the ultimate destination being a remarkable life focused on what matters most to you. You don’t practice simplicity for simplicity’s sake, you practice simplicity to clear the distractions that get in the way of the life you desire.

Before I practiced simplicity, I spent a lot of time practicing other, less helpful skill sets — lack of focus, stress, worry, poor time management, operating on auto-pilot, pack rattiness, bad sleep and eating habits, and frustration immediately come to my mind. I practiced these unproductive skill sets so often that I became an expert on these traits and have spent the past nine years training myself not to use them.

What are you practicing? Are you a practitioner of simple living? If you’re struggling with your uncluttering efforts, remind yourself that it takes practice, even for people with already streamlined homes and offices. Keep at it! You’ll get better each day you choose to practice simplicity.

Posted by Erin on Jun 16, 2010 | 24 Comments | Tweet This

Streamlining your morning routines

To know me is to know my love of coffee. My entire morning routine is structured around brewing the perfect cup and drinking it before the busy-ness of the day begins. Hanging on the bulletin board above my computer screen is my mantra: “When in doubt, drink more coffee.”

I’m not really addicted to caffeine, I’m more addicted to the routine of crafting an ideal cup of joe. If there were a caffeine-free drink I savored more, I would be consumed with making it. However, except for a glass of whole milk minutes after coming out of the cow or a Batida from Ceiba restaurant in downtown, D.C., there aren’t any other drinks that capture my attention so strongly.

Why am I telling you all of this? First, it’s a way for me to talk about another of my passions. Second, and this is more applicable to you, I want to share with you my strategies for organizing morning routines.

When we wake up after a night’s sleep (or day’s sleep if you work the night shift), we go through the same steps every time. For most of us, these steps include showering, getting dressed, brushing teeth, eating breakfast, drinking coffee, and possibly helping a small human go through similar steps. Your routine might vary a little bit, but for the majority of days you do the same things over and over and over again.

How many of the things you use during your morning routine, though, aren’t convenient to access? Are your breakfast items strewn in multiple cabinets across the kitchen, bathroom supplies in five different drawers and cabinets, and clothing kept in three different places across a bedroom?

Think about all of the things you access each and every morning, and reorganize these things to better meet your needs and make your routines more efficient. For example, if your family eats breakfast cereal, put all of your cereal boxes into a basket so that putting the boxes on the table each morning is one simple movement. If you have a shaving routine, store all of your supplies in one container that you can pull out of the drawer, set on the counter, and then return to the drawer all at once. In your bedroom, consider arranging your furniture so that your dresser is next to your closet. Store all of your coffee-making supplies together with your coffee cups, above or next to where you prepare your coffee.

Keep the things you use together, in containers that you can pull out and use in the most convenient location, and store them in the easiest place to access.

It’s also a good idea to time yourself to see how long it actually takes you to get ready in the morning. Many of us are under the delusion that we’re faster at getting ready for the day than we actually are — especially families with children. If you have difficulty getting out the door in the morning, I recommend that parents get completely ready before children (especially young children) wake up and always padding your get-ready time by 15 minutes.

The more streamlined your morning routine, the more likely you are to have a smooth, stress-free morning. And, the more time you’ll have to enjoy that beautiful, rich, amazing cup of coffee.

Posted by Erin on Jun 14, 2010 | 35 Comments | Tweet This

You are not your stuff

I was recently captivated by the article “The mess he made: A life-long slob decides it’s time to get organized” by Michael Rosenwald in the June 7 issue of The Washington Post. As the title of the article references, the piece is a first-person narrative of a diagnosed hoarder who went to see Randy Frost for help to change his ways. During Rosenwald’s visits with Frost, he came to the following inspiring conclusion:

This didn’t feel as bad as I had thought it would. I kept telling myself, This stuff isn’t me. If it all disappeared in a fire, my body would not implode, my identity wouldn’t turn to ashes. I would emerge, walking out the front door with soot on my face, the same person I was before the flames, only without the stuff. The stuff was not me, the stuff was not me — it felt like some self-help mantra. The more I told myself that story, the easier the tossing became.

Rosenwald’s realization — that his things are not him — is one we all have to go through if we want to make the transition from a clutterer into an unclutterer. This change of mindset was essential for me when I started my transformation. I saw my vast collection of things as proof I had lived a fun and exciting life, when in fact my clutter was actually preventing me from having a good life. It wasn’t until I realized my unhealthy relationship with my things that I could finally let go of all the trinkets, papers, doodads, and memorabilia filling every inch of my space.

Unfortunately, Rosenwald reverts to his messy ways at the end of the article, but hopefully he’ll keep practicing his new unclutterering skills. He seems to have already made the hardest step — a change in his relationship with his things.

Posted by Erin on Jun 12, 2010 | 21 Comments | Tweet This

The art of being still

Performance artist Marina Abramović recently completed a two-and-a-half month exhibition named “The Artist is Present” at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Every day, from the time the museum opened until after it closed, she sat as still as she could in a wooden chair and invited visitors to the museum to sit down for a few minutes in the chair across from her.

To get an idea of how physically and mentally demanding this type of a performance was — a fixed gaze, not speaking, not getting up to go to the restroom, trying not to fidget — watch just 30 or 40 seconds of the time-lapse video of the exhibit. You’ll see she often collapses at the end of a day:

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal’s “Speakeasy” blog, the artist talked about the arduous realities she experienced being part of the installation:

First of all this was extremely painful physically. It looks simple. I am sitting peacefully there, but it is incredibly painful for the body and the muscles and for the eyes … I didn’t have any social life. I went home every evening. I didn’t talk to friends three months except just the people I work with, like a security guard, a curator or my private assistant. It was so difficult to be under these four lights. For three months I feel like human fish.

She wasn’t the only artist performing live for the exhibit. Many other artists sat and/or stood from March 14 until May 31 as parts of the exhibit. All of the performance artists trained for the grueling experience of being in one continuous position, keeping absolutely silent, for 8- and 10-hour days.

In our busy lives, it can be difficult to be still for even just a few moments. I try to sit in silence for only 15 or 30 minutes a day and often find the task extremely difficult. Many days, instead of being present during this silence, my mind fills with thoughts of things I want to do, regrets, frustrations, and a powerful desire to get up and do something else. But, by being still for more than 700 hours, Abramović said that she really learned how to control these distractions, live in the moment, and connect with other people:

You are sitting there, and you are reflecting on your own life, all the things that are important, not important but what’s really happening? Seeing the other people you come to that state where you start to feel unconditional love for the total stranger. That is what happened to me. My entire heart opened to the level that was incredible. You see them and by being still they become eyes like the door of the soul, you really start knowing them on the most intimate level. That is why people avoid looking in the eyes, especially here in New York. I looked by now, 1,565 pair of eyes. This is enormous amount of eyes. It was so touching to see I knew the people so intimately but never spoke word with them.

As a final interesting tidbit, you can view portraits of each of the people who sat across from Marina Abramović during the exhibit. Many of the people appear to have had very strong emotional responses to the experience of being still.

Posted by Erin on Jun 8, 2010 | 27 Comments | Tweet This

Choosing to display, store, or get rid of an item

I am a firm believer that everything you choose to own should be display worthy, even if you choose not to display it. My hammer is stored in a toolbox along with screwdrivers, pliers, nails, and other tools because a portable box is the most efficient and uncluttered solution. The way I think about it is that I could hang my hammer on my living room wall, but I don’t because that would be inconvenient and a little odd with our decor. (Now that I’ve written about it, though, I must admit that I’m incredibly tempted to do it. Very dada.)

The fronts of my kitchen cabinets are mostly glass, so even my plates and cups are on display. Since I follow the red velvet rope test for my closet, I’m fine if people see my clothes, although I don’t know why they would want to look at them. My office supplies are stored in a closet, but the closet has made so many appearances on Unclutterer that people actually ask to see it when they come to visit.

For a possession not to be on display in my home, it must meet one of four strict standards: security, safety, efficiency, and anti-distraction.

  • Security: If having an item on display risks your personal security, then by all means keep it stored out of sight. Your social security information, your passport, and other sensitive data is more secure if it’s difficult for strangers to find in your home.
  • Safety: Cleaning supplies, weapons, and medications should be stored in such a way as to make it difficult for children and visitors to accidentally poison or injure themselves. If you or someone in your home has a mobility disability, keeping things stored away might also help reduce injuries.
  • Efficiency: Storing tools in a toolbox is a good example of the efficiency factor — it is more efficient to carry a single toolbox to a project than to take each tool off a wall and carry it individually to a project. It’s efficient to store pots and pans in a kitchen cupboard because it keeps dust, bacteria, and grease from collecting on the items.
  • Anti-distraction: This is a tricky standard and should be used carefully. It would be easy to justify storing every note you wrote in middle school in a box in your attic because displaying them would be a visual distraction. But, if you would be embarrassed to have any of the notes on display, you would be abusing the anti-distraction standard. The anti-distraction standard is for when an object being out on display distracts you the same way clutter does. Office supplies are better stored in a drawer if they infringe on your work surface and draw your attention away from your work. Your goal at your desk is to work, so your desk surface should be clear of all distractions.

Another good standard is the embarrassment factor: If I would be embarrassed for someone to know I owned something, it’s clutter and I get rid of it. Socks with holes in them and stained t-shirts become dust rags, for example.

If an object is not on display or stored because of one of the above standards, I recycle, trash, sell, or give it away.

Do you use standards or guidelines to help you decide what objects in your home belong in storage instead of being on display? I’ll admit that my standards are more strict than other people’s, but they work for my family and our small space. These standards also help us keep clutter to a minimum because if I don’t think an object is worthy of being on display (even if I choose not to display the item), I’ll get rid of it. Fewer possessions result in fewer things to clean and maintain — and I greatly value these benefits of an uncluttered life.

Posted by Erin on May 27, 2010 | 27 Comments | Tweet This

Motivation tips for slackers

Today we welcome guest post writer Chaya Goodman, editor of the website Networx. Chaya’s website provides information on how to fix, renovate, and decorate your house.

I spent most of my life procrastinating, and, as a result, lived in very messy, cluttered apartments.  A year ago, I moved into a studio apartment and I made a binding resolution with myself that I would keep it clean and free of clutter. I can happily tell you that I stuck to my resolution. A messy, cluttered house can be symptomatic (or the cause itself) of problems with procrastination and motivation. As a former procrastinator who has undergone a transformation into a tidy minimalist, I’d like to offer some compassionate, but straightforward, advice:

  1. You can’t organize your life all at once, nor can you get to the root of your organizational problems in one fell swoop. Start small.

    First things first and last things last. I have a friend who can’t seem to hold down a job or keep a space clean, largely because she decided a long time ago that the root of her problems is that she can’t find the right community to live in.  Thus, she has spent years packing and unpacking her belongings, living out of boxes, and losing important items and holding onto stuff that she “might need one day.”  If you can’t hold down a job or keep a room clean, then work on getting up and going to work every day — don’t worry about why you can’t do it, focus on doing it.  Tidy up your house for 10 minutes every night.  Don’t skip town.  Eventually, the problem and its root might just disappear.

  2. Accept that work, especially house cleaning and organization, can be boring.  You might have to spend time doing tasks that you think are below your intellect.

    If you believe that you are too busy, intelligent, or talented for grunt work, your space is probably going to be a disaster area.  I know this first hand.  I used to write poems instead of doing dishes, or get so busy with community projects that I couldn’t find time to put away my laundry. Believing that you’re too smart for house work is faulty logic and egotism. Do I find folding laundry boring? Yes.  Do I sometimes wish I could sit and write instead of mopping my floor? Yes.  However, footwork is a means to an end. I accept that I get to read books and write stories after I’ve tidied up my apartment. Having a clean house allows me to think more clearly than ever, and washing the dishes is a great distraction-free time to brainstorm visionary ideas.

  3. Progress, not perfection.

    The biggest bug behind procrastination is making plans that are too grandiose. I used to write up these elaborate meal plans and organizational plans that always bombed, because they were far too ambitious.  One of the biggest revelations I’ve had in maintaining a healthy diet and reducing the number of dishes I have to wash is that I essentially gave up on cooking during the week.  I keep a large plastic bowl at work, and a sharp vegetable knife.  Twice a day, I take 5 minutes to rinse off a few vegetables and throw together a big salad in my plastic bowl.  For protein, I throw in some nuts or beans or sprouts, and I eat a couple pieces of sprouted bread from the health food store.  If I were limiting my definition of healthy eating to making elaborate macrobiotic meals, I’d be fat and unhealthy, and I’d have dishes piled up in the sink.  I found a way to eat my vegetables in 10 minutes a day. Is it a perfect diet? No, but it works.

  4. Know your limits.

    I’ve noticed that the cycle of slacking for me goes like this: 1. Taking on way too many projects (organizational or otherwise), to compensate for having slacked off; 2. Trying to do all the tasks using poor time management skills; 3. Failing at fulfilling responsibilities; 4. Giving up hope; 5. Slacking. When tasks start piling up, do not touch the dust of taking them on all it once.  Be honest with yourself — you’re not a superhero who can stop time. Instead, make a list and deal first with the task with the biggest penalty for slacking.  For example, renewing my driver’s license has the biggest financial risk associated with it, so I decided to undertake it before putting away my laundry.

  5. The best way to tackle responsibilities is to multitask.

    You can master time management by multitasking.  For instance, I like to throw dinner parties, but my minimalist kitchen only has one burner and a toaster oven, and I only have one morning a week available for house cleaning. When I throw a dinner party, my plan might look like this:  On the morning before a dinner party, I start by writing a list of tasks. Next, I organize what jobs I can do concurrently.  First I cook the rice.  While the rice cooks, I sort my laundry into piles and chop vegetables for stew.  Next, I put the stew on the burner to cook.  While the stew cooks, I take my laundry to the Laundromat on my block.  Once my laundry is out of the house, I sweep and mop the floor. Then, I wipe down my baseboards and windowsill. I take the stew off the burner and start making salads. I set the table.

    Eventually, you will be able to gauge how long particular tasks take, and you’ll be able to do several actions at the same time.

Essentially, what I have learned over the past year of staying organized and living efficiently is that the best safeguard against slacking off and procrastinating is doing the task now, whatever it is.  I often remind myself that whatever chore I want to put off will be harder later. The anxiety that procrastination causes is much harder than just bucking up and doing it now.

Posted by Chaya on May 25, 2010 | 35 Comments | Tweet This

Assorted links for May 18, 2010

Things from the uncluttering, productivity, and simple living worlds that are worth sharing:

Posted by Erin on May 18, 2010 | 3 Comments | Tweet This

What to do when you fall off the organized wagon (and you will)

No one is perfect, and eventually your organizing system will fall apart. How you respond when this happens, however, will determine how much anxiety, stress, and clutter paralysis you will feel.

Keep Things in Perspective:

  • Failure only happens if you never recover. If your system falls to pieces but you eventually get things back in order, you simply learned a lesson. You only fail when you give up entirely and abandon all uncluttering and organizing efforts for the rest of your life. You’re not failing; you’re learning.
  • Being organized takes practice. You wouldn’t play a musical instrument or a sport like a professional if you hadn’t put in hundreds of thousands of hours practicing, so don’t expect professional organizing results without years of practice.
  • Who cares?! Unless your health or welfare are at risk, being disorganized is not the worst thing in the world. Watch 30 minutes of the national news to help put things in perspective.
  • Embrace the mess. Since you will eventually get off your bum and get back to an organized existence, take a day (or seven) and enjoy the chaos. At least temporarily, let go of the stress.

Find Motivation:

  • Determine why you want to be organized. As I’ve written in the past, if you don’t know why you want to be organized and clutter free, you’re going to struggle with every attempt you make to be an unclutterer.
  • Ask for help. Call a friend and ask him/her to help you get your project started again. If you don’t want your friends to see your place a mess, call in a professional organizer.
  • Plan a party. Nothing gets me moving faster than knowing there will be people coming into my house. Plus, the reward is that when your space is orderly, you get to celebrate with a party!
  • Acknowledge that you’re procrastinating. I don’t know why this works, but simply admitting to yourself that you’re avoiding a task can help get you motivated to change. Check out “Eight strategies to stop procrastinating” for tips on what to do next.
  • Plan your project. As you would a project at work, plan your entire uncluttering and organizing project to help you get back on track. Pull out your calendar, determine the scope of your project, create action items, and block off time each day to reach your goal. Being specific (and realistic) about what you will want to accomplish helps to alleviate the overwhelming Cloud of Doom and realize you can get things back to normal.

Get Started:

  • No excuses. Follow your project plan and just do it. There isn’t an easy way. You will have to do the work. However, the end result is definitely worth it.

Maintain:

  • Create household routines. In my home, we have “Doland Duties.” If you don’t have a chart of daily routines and responsibilities, now is the time to establish one or evaluate your old one.
  • Use a meal plan. The easiest way to eat healthy and keep from stressing out about what is for dinner is to create a weekly meal plan.
  • Declutter. The less you own, the less you have to clean, organize, store, and maintain.
  • Enjoy the calm. Take some time to reflect on how different you feel when things are uncluttered and organized instead of chaotic and disorganized. Remembering this feeling, and enjoying the remarkable life you desire, are great motivators to keeping you on course in the future.

Posted by Erin on May 6, 2010 | 22 Comments | Tweet This

Simplification trends in product design

Since the dawn of time, inventors have searched for ways to build the proverbial better mousetrap. Engineers envision a society where everything is (to steal from Kanye West Daft Punk) “harder, better, faster, stronger.” Our cold relief medicines don’t just treat a runny nose, they treat “sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy-head, fever” ailments. Bring on the bells! Bring on the whistles!

A counterculture has gained prominence, however, in the technological community that is focusing their efforts on simplification instead of pure optimization. Case in point, the new Vscan from GE:

The pocket-size ultrasound imaging device is straightforward, bare-bones diagnostic equipment. It’s the ultrasound equivalent of a stethoscope and it costs under $8,000. It doesn’t do the things a six-figure, mini-fridge size, full-blown feature ultrasound machine can do, but that isn’t its purpose. Medics can carry it into crash sites and on the battle field, rural doctors can bring it directly to their patients, and primary care physicians can do preliminary scans in their offices before sending patients to specialists.

The Economist calls new products like the Vscan “frugal innovations” in their April special report on emerging markets. The article “First break all the rules” looks specifically at India and China and how manufacturers are “working backwards” to make simpler products:

Instead of adding ever more bells and whistles, they strip the products down to their bare essentials … Frugal innovation is not just about redesigning products; it involves rethinking entire production processes and business models.

The rise of simplification trends in product designs means that more people can get what they want without extraneous features, and usually at a reasonable price. Obviously, I’m a fan of this trend and I look forward to learning about what comes into the market. Be sure to check out the full article to learn about more products like the Vscan that reflect this simplification trend.

Posted by Erin on May 4, 2010 | 15 Comments | Tweet This

How much living space do you need?

After watching the YouTube video of Gary Chang’s 344-square-foot apartment, writing about Japan’s hotel “capsule” housing and reading WSJ.com’s blog post “The Optimal Amount of Living Space,” I’ve been wondering: “How much dwelling space do humans require to be happy and safe?”

Since safety and happiness are major concerns in U.S. prisons (“happiness” in the sense of keeping rioting, violence, and suicide rates at a minimum), I expected minimum square footage per inmate mandates to exist. Turns out, the federal government does not define how many square feet a prisoner is required to have for conditions to be considered something better than “cruel or unusual.” As a result, inmates are given anywhere between 35 square feet (common when two prisoners share a 70 square foot cell) to 100 square feet (quite uncommon, but more likely to be found in solitary-confinement situations where prisoners never leave their cells). And, research about the penal system shows that rates of riots, violence, and suicide don’t appear to be directly correlated to cell size (much like job satisfaction isn’t based on office size).

The amount of space humans need to be happy and safe, therefore, is quite minimal (based on how it’s configured, it could be difficult for most people to even lie down in 35 square feet). So the question isn’t really one of need, but one of want.

Many factors go into answering the question: “How much space do I want to be happy and safe?” Location of property, floor plan, cultural norms, rent/mortgage, amenities, storage, air quality, and aesthetics are all considerations that weigh into an individual’s want response.

Have you ever stopped to consider how much space you want? What factors are guiding your answer? Are you letting your stuff dictate your response? I’m eager to read your thoughts on this issue in the comments.

Posted by Erin on Apr 28, 2010 | 59 Comments | Tweet This

Job satisfaction: A study in favor of an uncluttered, detached career

I’ve written in the past about my belief that there are only two types of jobs that aren’t clutter: The immersed career (you love what you do with a deep passion and it’s directly linked to who you are and everything you do) and the detached job (you clock in, do your job, clock out, like your colleagues, but rarely think about work when you’re not there). All other types of employment typically create frustrations, stress, and disappointment (also known as clutter).

A recent analysis of employment data in the UK by economists Richard Jones and Peter Sloane sheds some light on why the second job I’ve described above — the detached job — might be a cause for happiness and job satisfaction. The study “Regional differences in job satisfaction” from the March 2009 issue of Applied Economics found:

Job satisfaction is significantly higher in Wales than in London and the South East, the rest of England and Scotland. This is despite the fact that among these four regions, earnings are lowest in Wales.

The study makes five conclusions as to why this is the case:

  1. Because unemployment is higher in Wales than in other regions, people with jobs are simply happy to have jobs.
  2. Industrial relations between employers and workers is perceived by workers to be better than in other regions.
  3. Workers in Wales are less concerned about their income as it relates to overall job satisfaction.
  4. Dissatisfied workers tend to move out of Wales and move into the other regions.
  5. The culture of Wales trends toward happier workers.

What I took from these findings is that the people of Wales tend to care about things beyond what they do for a job. Their working conditions are fine, they make enough to meet their needs, and their passions lie elsewhere. They are attached to their jobs only in the sense that they are glad that they have them.

I think a great deal can be garnered from this study for anyone who is currently feeling the clutter of their career. Can you adjust your mindset to be more like the people of Wales? Can you detach from your job so that your work stays at work? What do you think about this study and the concept of detached employment? I’m interested in reading your thoughts in the comments.

Note: The study is $30 to read online, so I recommend a trip to your local library if you wish to check it out for free.

Posted by Erin on Apr 20, 2010 | 46 Comments | Tweet This