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noveldevice at 04:26pm on 20/12/2010
noveldevice at 04:26pm on 20/12/2010I found this online today, and read it in slight disbelief. First of all, there are really only about seven actual items here, and there are only a couple that aren't totally stupid.
The Ten Commandments of Clutter
It is apparently from a book by Stephanie Culp called Streamlining Your Life. It's all over the intarwebz0rz, and I actually saw it on Hoarders: one of the subjects had a printout of it buried in the crap in their house.
It seems attractive at first read, but on closer inspection I think it has a lot of problems. Maybe this will work for some people, but I think that some elements of it promote unhealthy attitudes toward the "stuff" that we all acquire, possess, use, store, dispose of.
The text as found in bold, my comments in plain text.
I. STOP PROCRASTINATING
Stop putting off until tomorrow what you can do today, especially when you know you probably won't do it tomorrow anyway. Decide to decide what you are going to do with the next piece of clutter that you pick up.
This is actually a great way to start a list like this, although I think the heavy dose of guilt and shame is less helpful than it might be. Basically, though, it didn't get messy overnight, and it's not going to get unmessy overnight, so you might as well pick something up and either clean it and put it away or throw it in the trash right now.
II. QUIT MAKING EXCUSES
Stop making tiresome excuses for you [sic] clutter. You are only fooling yourself, and the clutter is not going to go away by itself.
See above in re guilt and shame. I think this could have been folded in with number one above very usefully, but maybe she really only had the nine and felt like ten was a better, bigger, rounder, more portentous number.
III. USE IT OR LOSE IT
If you're not using it, lose it. Period.
This is exactly the kind of stupid thing that people who don't read books, use reference materials, or have longstanding hobbies preach. If I were rephrasing this, it would look something like this:
Do you still enjoy and engage in the activity that this item is used for? Is this item still in working condition? If it is a craft supply, is it nearly empty? Have you already replaced it? If it is yarn or fabric, is it something that is easily replaceable? Do you have immediate plans for it? If the answers to these questions indicate that you should get rid of or pass the item on, maybe you should go ahead and do that.
IV. LEARN TO LET IT GO
As lives change, needs change, but somehow clutter accumulates with no regard for our challenged lives.
Clutter that is merely taking up valuable space and giving you nothing in return should be tossed or given away.
This is true, although I would have phrased it differently. Maybe something like this:
Your life isn't made up of your stuff. Stuff is not memories or feelings. If it is in bad condition, unusable, uncleanable, and superfluous, maybe you should let it go.
V. BE A GIVER
Give things away. Don't wait until you die to give away china that you don't ever use now. Every garment you never wear could be worn by a less-fortunate person. Friends, relatives and charities all appreciate a giving person far more than they do a pack rat.
Ahahahah. Hahah. For the most part, people don't want your crap. If it's family heirlooms, people can wait until you move or die, unless you want to pass it on now. Please don't present everything you no longer want to someone in lieu of pitching it. When you do that, you are only making your crap someone else's problem, and they probably have enough problems of their own.
VI. SET LIMITS
Limit the amount of space you allocate to house your clutter. Closets, bookcases, filing cabinets - all should be limited. Just because one space fills up doesn't mean you should find or buy more space. It means it's time to weed out your clutter to reclaim the space you already have.
Again, spoken like someone who doesn't read or use books or have hobbies. If your only hobby is watching tv, sure, this probably works. If not, not. Be sensible about your possessions. When you run out of space, cull.
VII. USE THE IN-AND-OUT INVENTORY RULE
If something new comes in, something old goes out. Apply this rule to everything from toys to clothes to books and magazines. Stick to it, and you'll always be in control of your clutter.
Stupidest rule ever. 'Nuff said. Also could have been combined with item six above.
VIII. LESS IS MORE
The less clutter you have, the more time, money and energy you will have. People will stop nagging you and you'll be under less stress. You will be more productive with a streamlined life.
Magical thinking. This is in no way true, and acting like it is is stupid. You will be more productive, however, if you can find everything you own quickly and don't have to overturn piles to do so. But that's not the same as believing that getting rid of your stuff will magically make your life better.
IX. KEEP EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE
Find a place for everything, and keep everything in its place. (The blender does not belong in the bedroom, and the mail does not belong in the bathroom.)
This I agree with totally.
X. COMPROMISE
Compromise when you organize your clutter. Don't let perfectionism keep you from doing it or allowing someone else to help you. Functioning efficiently is more important than functioning perfectly. Remember: perfect is not the same as excellent, and sometimes good is good enough.
This is very true. Perfectionism, and the corresponding fear of failure, can render you tharn, so don't worry about doing it "right", at first. Just start doing it. You'll figure it out as you go along.
Lists like this want to treat your possessions as though they were a drinking problem, and tell you that what you really really have to do is just stop owning things. However, unlike booze, you cannot live without at least some stuff. You need clothes and furniture and kitchen appliances and stuff to eat off of and with and toiletries and bedding and books to read and DVDs to watch and art supplies etc. Just keep it in check and you'll be fine. The solution is not to stop having stuff--the solution is to have stuff in a functional way. Stuff that makes your life better and easier, not stuff that stops you from having one.
And those are my thoughts on this. :)
The Ten Commandments of Clutter
It is apparently from a book by Stephanie Culp called Streamlining Your Life. It's all over the intarwebz0rz, and I actually saw it on Hoarders: one of the subjects had a printout of it buried in the crap in their house.
It seems attractive at first read, but on closer inspection I think it has a lot of problems. Maybe this will work for some people, but I think that some elements of it promote unhealthy attitudes toward the "stuff" that we all acquire, possess, use, store, dispose of.
The text as found in bold, my comments in plain text.
I. STOP PROCRASTINATING
Stop putting off until tomorrow what you can do today, especially when you know you probably won't do it tomorrow anyway. Decide to decide what you are going to do with the next piece of clutter that you pick up.
This is actually a great way to start a list like this, although I think the heavy dose of guilt and shame is less helpful than it might be. Basically, though, it didn't get messy overnight, and it's not going to get unmessy overnight, so you might as well pick something up and either clean it and put it away or throw it in the trash right now.
II. QUIT MAKING EXCUSES
Stop making tiresome excuses for you [sic] clutter. You are only fooling yourself, and the clutter is not going to go away by itself.
See above in re guilt and shame. I think this could have been folded in with number one above very usefully, but maybe she really only had the nine and felt like ten was a better, bigger, rounder, more portentous number.
III. USE IT OR LOSE IT
If you're not using it, lose it. Period.
This is exactly the kind of stupid thing that people who don't read books, use reference materials, or have longstanding hobbies preach. If I were rephrasing this, it would look something like this:
Do you still enjoy and engage in the activity that this item is used for? Is this item still in working condition? If it is a craft supply, is it nearly empty? Have you already replaced it? If it is yarn or fabric, is it something that is easily replaceable? Do you have immediate plans for it? If the answers to these questions indicate that you should get rid of or pass the item on, maybe you should go ahead and do that.
IV. LEARN TO LET IT GO
As lives change, needs change, but somehow clutter accumulates with no regard for our challenged lives.
Clutter that is merely taking up valuable space and giving you nothing in return should be tossed or given away.
This is true, although I would have phrased it differently. Maybe something like this:
Your life isn't made up of your stuff. Stuff is not memories or feelings. If it is in bad condition, unusable, uncleanable, and superfluous, maybe you should let it go.
V. BE A GIVER
Give things away. Don't wait until you die to give away china that you don't ever use now. Every garment you never wear could be worn by a less-fortunate person. Friends, relatives and charities all appreciate a giving person far more than they do a pack rat.
Ahahahah. Hahah. For the most part, people don't want your crap. If it's family heirlooms, people can wait until you move or die, unless you want to pass it on now. Please don't present everything you no longer want to someone in lieu of pitching it. When you do that, you are only making your crap someone else's problem, and they probably have enough problems of their own.
VI. SET LIMITS
Limit the amount of space you allocate to house your clutter. Closets, bookcases, filing cabinets - all should be limited. Just because one space fills up doesn't mean you should find or buy more space. It means it's time to weed out your clutter to reclaim the space you already have.
Again, spoken like someone who doesn't read or use books or have hobbies. If your only hobby is watching tv, sure, this probably works. If not, not. Be sensible about your possessions. When you run out of space, cull.
VII. USE THE IN-AND-OUT INVENTORY RULE
If something new comes in, something old goes out. Apply this rule to everything from toys to clothes to books and magazines. Stick to it, and you'll always be in control of your clutter.
Stupidest rule ever. 'Nuff said. Also could have been combined with item six above.
VIII. LESS IS MORE
The less clutter you have, the more time, money and energy you will have. People will stop nagging you and you'll be under less stress. You will be more productive with a streamlined life.
Magical thinking. This is in no way true, and acting like it is is stupid. You will be more productive, however, if you can find everything you own quickly and don't have to overturn piles to do so. But that's not the same as believing that getting rid of your stuff will magically make your life better.
IX. KEEP EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE
Find a place for everything, and keep everything in its place. (The blender does not belong in the bedroom, and the mail does not belong in the bathroom.)
This I agree with totally.
X. COMPROMISE
Compromise when you organize your clutter. Don't let perfectionism keep you from doing it or allowing someone else to help you. Functioning efficiently is more important than functioning perfectly. Remember: perfect is not the same as excellent, and sometimes good is good enough.
This is very true. Perfectionism, and the corresponding fear of failure, can render you tharn, so don't worry about doing it "right", at first. Just start doing it. You'll figure it out as you go along.
Lists like this want to treat your possessions as though they were a drinking problem, and tell you that what you really really have to do is just stop owning things. However, unlike booze, you cannot live without at least some stuff. You need clothes and furniture and kitchen appliances and stuff to eat off of and with and toiletries and bedding and books to read and DVDs to watch and art supplies etc. Just keep it in check and you'll be fine. The solution is not to stop having stuff--the solution is to have stuff in a functional way. Stuff that makes your life better and easier, not stuff that stops you from having one.
And those are my thoughts on this. :)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Am I glad that I am more functional about my stuff? So much yes. Did it make me magically a better person? Sadly, no.
(no subject)
I have a kid with Male Pattern Blindness. He can't see a gallon of juice in the fridge if there's a pint of milk in front of it. If the Tylenol bottle is turned so you can't see the front of the label, then we're out of Tylenol and will I buy more because he has a frickin' headache right now!!!
I consolidated several 1/2 empty bottles in my bathroom de-cluttering exercise.
Books are my big issue. I have 2 kinds: ones I want to keep because they are either interesting or useful and the "read once and pass on" variety. The read once part of that I'm good with, it's the "pass on" bit that I tend not to get round to.
I need to set my shredder up in the kitchen because that's where I open my mail. That way I can shred stuff straight away instead of putting it on the "shred later" pile which gets out of control pretty quickly. Come to think of it, I've still got 10 minutes of my 30 minutes chore time left. I'll go do that now. And shred a few things too!
(no subject)
The biggest problem I have with the list is an omission: get shelves, bins, drawers, and other equipment and store your stuff in an organized, functional way. Most people can do a lot more of that than they have, and it's completely a useful alternative to letting things go. After all, we're doing a big book cull now, but we got by for almost 20 years with very minor culls but increased bookcases.
For people who have organized everything and still just have too much, though--too much to fit & can't or don't want to move somewhere bigger or rent storage--rules 6 and 7 do make sense to me. However, I also might have mentioned choosing what you want most, not only by item but by category, if room is short. Some people might want only a couple pans but a lot of books, some the reverse.
And rule 8 makes sense to me as long as you make sure the person or institution actually wants that stuff. Maybe the author felt it went without saying, but of course it doesn't.
(no subject)
I saw an episode of Hoarders today where one of the psychs said that hoarders often have problems with feeling that if they don't have their stuff, they need to make sure it goes to someone who will use it "right", and until they can do that, they just don't let go of it. This is very true to my experience with people with stuff problems. Their city doesn't recycle, so they end up with a room full of recyclables. They no longer sew, but they won't get rid of their fabric unless they're confident that it will be used in a way they will approve, so they just don't. Etc.
(no subject)
One reason I spoke up is this comment on my own LJ, which left me a bit sensitive. As I said in this comment, I do like the idea that someone else can get use out of the item. But we are both (1) putting a lot of effort into finding people or institutions who do want the stuff, and (2) definitely NOT using it as an excuse to keep stuff, but in boxes-to-be-gotten-rid-of. And we do recycle battered books no one would want.
The key to me seems to be whether getting rid of something "correctly" is a way of not getting rid of it at all. But even there, it's hard to tell where desire to actually hang on to the recycling ends and a battle between good intentions and limited energy begins. Even the second is a psych issue, but it's a totally different one, more the kind everyone has.
(no subject)
The odd thing is that when I said "people don't want your crap", I didn't mean thrift stores or charitable institutions, which demonstrably want your crap, or books. Because of everyone wants books! I have my own blind spots. :)
I feel like there's a huge difference between giving used books to people and giving almost anything else to them. But that's probably because I belong to the cult of the book, like every other sensible human. :)
(no subject)
Ranj's ex-wife "recycled". KC didn't have curbside, so what she actually did was fill parts of her house with recyclables until it was impossible to move, and then drive just enough to the recycling centre until she could get in the door again, and then stop.
(no subject)
Also, I would definitely exclude things that are new or like new: presents that were well intentioned but not really what you want, for instance. Or untouched skeins of yarn after I got carpal tunnel syndrome and had to give up knitting. Or things that really last without showing wear, like statues or good china, that you're just tired of.
I probably do err on the side of giving Goodwill stuff they'll just throw out, but I know they will also find a lot of it re-sellable. My own date with reality was when I realized that while I could sell some of that on eBay and make the money myself, I wasn't getting around to it, and I should let Goodwill or some other charity do the work & get the money.
But this is not, any of it, per se trash. The info about Ranj's ex-wife is scary.
My personal take on that is that while I prefer to recycle--to do anything to minimize stuff in landfills--I have to be realistic. For instance, when we cleared out Supergee's mother's house, we decided that we had too much to cope with anyway and we would just throw out all plastic, glass, and paper, even returnable bottles or cans.
And now Supergee takes deposit-type bottles and cans to the supermarket that accepts them, but then leaves the plastic sack right in front of the machines. Anyone who wants to can get the money for just the time to feed the items to the machine, and someone always does. And Supergee doesn't get all snarly about the task.
This conversation is making me realize how much I'm not a hoarder, even though some people, including the writer of the list, might think so from our house now.
(no subject)
I always want to show people like this our house and hope they faint.
P.
(no subject)
Bah, sure it does.
I am the child of a book collector and a paper-hoarder, but because I moved around so much for a while (and now live in a small house) I didn't have much choice about getting rid of stuff or just not acquiring it in the first place. That certainly had advantages regarding making moving easier (again, not entirely by choice) and it is freeing at some level not to be bound to a mass of possessions, but it was also in many ways wrenching and unsettling. I don't think those experiences made me a better person. There are some things I now regret getting rid of, and I wish I had been in a position of stability such that it would have been all right to settle in and hold on to a little more.
(no subject)
(no subject)
I will admit that my house is cluttered, that there is a GINORMOUS stack of books that needs to go downstairs and get shelved, that the sewing room right now looks like it is slowly taking over the office (actually it's just that the current *project* has taken over the office. But that's because I do stuff and some of it takes up space.
(no subject)
Now that I think of it, we have never had more than three copies of any other book, and in this huge go-through we've at most found duplicates. Do you think the decluttering book was self-replicating? Maybe to make more clutter so people would buy more copies. ;-) Actually, I think one friend gave us two copies on separate occasions!
(no subject)
I also had a brief flash of scanning to disk and then discarding my vast array of files of research materials. And then thought that in the time that* would take I could probably write 3 heavily-researched books and numerous articles...
*I'm an archivist: I know something about digitising non-digital materials...**
**Which is, it takes a lot longer than you would think, even without the necessity of creating metadata so that you can find the scans again.
(no subject)
Ha.
(no subject)
Whereas I'm pretty sure that people who only have that many books have no souls.
(no subject)
I mention this
to be a smartassmainly because e-books are my hope for spending 20 more years in this same house without actually having to get rid of any books I want. We don't yet have a reader we like, but we did just get rid of about 6 shelf-feet or more of records because we have the whole albums downloaded.