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Remembering George Carlin
George Carlin, my favorite comedian of all time, passed away last night at the age of 71. He was controversial, insightful, and most of all hilarious. His commentary on culture and politics were second to none and his no-holds-barred style of stand-up comedy will be missed.
Here at Unclutterer, we highlighted his bit on “Stuff” from his 1986 Comic Relief performance. This was some of Carlin’s more tame subject matter and not the scorched earth musings that made even the most progressive thinking folks sometimes cringe. If you’ve never seen his “Stuff” routine, we recommend you take a look. He will be missed.
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Depression-era mindset and clutter
My grandmother passed away in 2002. She was old enough to remember being a child in Pittsburgh during the Great Depression. She used to tell stories about her childhood to let us know how lucky we were to have all of the things that we were undoubtedly taking for granted. She remembered sharing what little clothing she had with her two sisters and squeezing her feet into shoes that no longer fit. One year, her Christmas gift consisted of crayons which she received as a joint gift with her sisters. I’m sure those crayons were used in the most judicious manner.
Flash forward to the years when my grandmother used to shove sugar and ketchup packets in her purse when we went to a restaurant and you could understand why she did such things. The abundance with which we are so accustomed is easily taken for granted because we really don’t have a frame of reference for the really tough times. My grandmother was also a “pack rat” (ie. highly cluttered) which we didn’t fully realize until we had to empty her house.
She lived in her last home for over forty years, twenty six of those years she lived by herself. The clearing out of all of the stuff from her home was quite a chore. She kept everything that might one day be useful–for example, she had more than five non-working vacuums.
I understand why she behaved the way she did, and why others like her do the same. But the reality is that in today’s more prosperous economy it can actually cost a person more to hang on to broken things and store sugar packets. Real estate is expensive, and energy use to properly heat and cool a home in such a way as to keep mold and mildew off of belongings is pricey. If you’re keeping items in an off-site rented storage unit, you’re probably spending more in rent over time than you would if you had to repurchase what you’re storing. Erin’s discussion of sunk costs also addresses this issue.
Keep in mind the real expense of holding onto clutter and fight the urge to keep something just because you think one day it might be useful. In many cases, the expense of storage is greater than any cost you may at some point incur.
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No more Organize subscriptions
I am sad to report to you that after our post last week on My favorite organizing magazines, I learned that Organize magazine is no longer taking subscriptions. I received the following text in an e-mail from the magazine’s editor:
“You are welcome to remove the [subscription] info from your site completely as we are in flux right now and I certainly don’t want you to confuse your readers.”
She also recommended that if anyone signed up for a subscription through Amazon that they should CANCEL that order.
I’m not certain what “in flux” means exactly, but it doesn’t sound good for one of our favorite organizing magazines. Sorry for the inconvenience to anyone who placed an order through Amazon, if we would have known, we wouldn’t have posted the subscription link!
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A year ago on Unclutterer
- Surround sound without the cable clutter
Looking for a surround sound system, but you really don’t want all those wires running around the room to every speaker? - The load thing
We’ve been on a big charging station kick here lately, so reader Leigh sent in this way cool design. - 10 Places to find hidden clutter
Ten places to start looking for hidden clutter in your home. - Unitasker Wednesday: Portable ice maker
Need ice on the go? No problem! Skymall has you covered with its Portable Ice Maker. - Avoiding children’s party clutter
Presents, although well intentioned and truly appreciated, can still end up as clutter. Listed here are ways to keep this clutter under control. - 8 ways to cut back on computer cables
Follow these 8 simple steps to get rid of the birds’ nest of cables behind your computer. - Peter Walsh answers questions for Unclutterer.com
Peter Walsh took time out of his busy schedule to participate in an interview with Unclutterer.com. - Switch purses often? Don’t miss a thing
Switch purses often? Then you have no doubt been faced with the problem of missing items that results from switching the contents of your handbag in a hurry. Well, here’s the solution.
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Some light reading
Reader Peter brought the following Time magazine articles to our attention:
From the 100 Things article:
“Stuff starts to overwhelm you,” says Dave Bruno, 37, an online entrepreneur who looked around his San Diego home one day last summer and realized how much his family’s belongings were weighing him down. Thus began what he calls the 100 Thing Challenge. (Apparently, Bruno is so averse to excess he can’t refer to 100 things in the plural.) In a country where clutter has given rise not only to professional organizers but also to professional organizers with their own reality series (TLC’s Clean Sweep), Bruno’s online musings about his slow and steady purge have developed something of a cult following online, inspiring others to launch their own countdown to clutter-free living.
I also love Julie Morgenstern’s organizing advice, and I’m so happy to see her getting good press in Time. Have you seen any inspiring articles on organizing recently? Please feel welcome to share their links and your response to the above articles in the comments.
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Difficult downsizing decisions
As I was packing up the kitchen for our big move, I came across a slicer that went in the cabinet a year ago and has not been touched since. Clearly I don’t need it. Or do I?
When I put the slicer in the eBay pile, my husband asked why I was getting rid of it.
“I haven’t used it since before we moved in. Why should I keep it?”
He pointed out that the new apartment will have a much larger, more usable kitchen so it won’t get buried in the depths of an unusable cabinet. Plus, I’ve recently discovered jicama, which requires peeling and slicing. Using the slicer will make Sunday afternoon preparations for weekly lunches a lot easier on me.
I agreed to pack the slicer and bring it to the new apartment with the stipulation that it must be used in the next 3 months. If it goes unused, it gets eBayed. Now I just need to put a sticker on it with a date in September so I know when the three months are up and get rid of it…unless it becomes my new favorite kitchen tool.
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Workspace of the Week: Cube sweet cube
This week’s Workspace of the Week is Tiffany’s naturally lit cubical:
One of the reasons I like this cubicle is because it has a lot of personality and light in it. It’s organized, but it also looks like someone uses it. From the description on flickr:
The desk part is pretty bare; since I work with digital media, I rarely have occasion to collect paper in my cube, and that’s often the first thing new employees comment on when they come see me.
The fact that other people positively comment on her cube leads me to believe that this is how it looks on a regular basis. It’s efficient and fun. Thank you for submitting your cubicle’s photograph, Tiffany!
Want to have your own workspace featured in Workspace of the Week? Submit a picture to the Unclutterer flickr pool. Check it out because we have a nice little community brewing there. Also, don’t forget that workspaces aren’t just desks. If you’re a cook, it’s a kitchen; if you’re a carpenter, it’s your workbench.
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Rubbermaid products solve messy lid problem
I recently saw an ad for the Rubbermaid Premier and the less expensive but similar Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids food storage containers. I really like how the lids snap to the bottom of the containers so that they don’t make a mess in the cupboard.
From the Rubbermaid press release about the products:
The average American owns 15 or more food storage containers, many of which eventually lose their lids, get damaged or become stained. In a recent study, 71 percent of consumers said they are routinely unable to find a lid to match their container while another 52 percent had lost the lids completely. Other research identifies staining as the #1 reason that food storage containers are discarded. Rubbermaid is helping consumers to overcome all these food storage challenges with its new Premier line of food storage containers.
Rubbermaid Premier is making “lost lids” a thing of the past with its patented Easy Find Lid” design that allows the lids to snap to the bottom of the containers for storage, so the right lid is always at hand. Each lid fits multiple sizes of containers, and lids and bases nest inside one another to free up even more coveted kitchen cabinet space.
If you own either of these products, let us know about them in the comments section. I’m eager to hear if the reality lives up to Rubbermaid’s description.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Keep your gardening tools together
Since my move a couple of months back, there are still things that aren’t organized the way I want them. I’m not a huge gardener, but I do have a handful of tools that I use to keep my yard in order. Those tools are scattered throughout a few locations and tracking them down is rather annoying. I then remembered seeing a couple of gardening tool organizers that would probably solve this problem.
As a very novice gardener I don’t need anything too extensive so this Bucket Caddy (pictured) is probably the right thing for me. It is a simple solution that will keep all of my tools in one place for easy access.
For those of you who need a little more room for all of your gardening tools you may want to check out the John Deere Garden Tool Organizer. It has more storage and looks easier to tote around due to the wheels and retractable metal handle.
I will most likely go with the Bucket Caddy because of its smaller size. It will take up less space when not in use and, like I said before, I don’t have that many tools to store anyway.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Unitasker Wednesday: Rechargeable electric wine opener
There are many options for opening a bottle of wine, but none of them will make your gadget loving friends as envious as this Peugeot Rechargeable electric wine opener from Williams-Sonoma.
This electric opener needs to be plugged in when the power gets low, but it is ready to pop out some serious corkage when charged. If you are in the market for a wine opener upgrade you’ll have to drop $120(!) on this thing. That is a small price to pay for the minutes that you will save instead of using the old fashioned non-electric alternative.
Ok, if you own a wine bar or have a drinking problem this thing will save you a lot of time and is probably very useful, but this thing seems like quite a bit of overkill for a rather easy task–especially with some amazing non-electric alternatives.
**Each week, the Unitasker Wednesday column humorously pokes fun at the unnecessary, single-use items that manage to find their way into our homes.
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A year ago on Unclutterer
- Are you a clutterer?
A quiz from a reader to determine if you might be someone who is prone to clutter. - The first step in organizing your pots and pans
The lids get in the way of the stacking process, but this little rack easily solves the problem and for only $8 you can’t go wrong. - Using what you already own
Evaluate your things and identify if they are in their best place and if you’re using what you already own. - Extreme minimalism Monday: traditional Japanese bedding
Save space in your home by getting rid of your bed.
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My favorite organizing magazines
In my column a few weeks ago on RealSimple.com, I wrote about my favorite organizing and productivity books. A reader responded and asked me if I could write a column about my favorite organizing magazines. I felt a little weird writing about non-Real Simple magazines over there, so I thought I would address the question here on Unclutterer.
Magazines are pesky creatures since they can quickly become clutter. They contain great information, though, so the trick is to process them immediately when they arrive. (Remember, I pull out all of the articles, scan them, and then toss the magazine into the recycling bin.) I subscribe to many magazines for work and these are the ones that repeatedly give me organizing inspiration:
1. Real Simple
More than two million subscribers join me in my love affair with this Time, Inc., publication. The pictures are beautiful, the suggestions practical, and I always learn something from reading it. Under the direction of editor Kristin van Ogtrop the magazine has found its voice and strength.
2. Martha Stewart Living
Martha Stewart is the queen of all things related to the home. She and her staff produce a magazine full of advice that often leaves me in awe. The content ranges from the extremely practical to the truly decadent. Every issue offers inspiration for how to keep your home in tip-top shape.
3. Ready Made
If you’ve never seen this gem of a magazine, you’re missing out on one of the best in the business. Ready Made is all about using what you already own or can easily obtain to create solutions to meet your needs. Without contest, it’s the hipster’s choice in organizing magazines. Published six times a year, it’s also my husband’s favorite on this list.
4. Organize
Organize is the newest member of the organizing magazine world. It has a board of professional organizers who serve as advisers to help guide its content and contribute in other ways to the publication. The fewest advertisements of the four magazines listed here, and, as a result, is a bit more expensive. I’ve found it to be a quality addition to the genre. (UPDATE: Organize is in flux and may not be continuing. Subscription information has been removed from this article as a result.)
The first three magazines listed here have special rates for Unclutterer readers. So, if you’ve been thinking about picking up a subscription to one of these, clicking on the links above should land you a decent deal. I also want to add that we do NOT receive any sort of a kickback if you subscribe to any of these three. If you want to subscribe, that’s cool. If you don’t, that’s cool, too. I just wanted to let you know about the deals.
What magazines inspire you? Are there magazines you wouldn’t necessarily consider home or organizing themed that often have great anti-clutter articles in them? Let us know about your favorites!
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Interview on The Happiness Project
Yesterday, I was interviewed by the wonderful Gretchen Rubin who writes the inspiring blog The Happiness Project. Gretchen spent a year auditioning every major “principle, tip, theory, and scientific study [she] could find, whether from Aristotle or St. Therese or Martin Seligman or Oprah” to see which ones worked, which ones didn’t, and how she could use them to help her be happy. She has a book coming out in late 2009 chronicling the year she test-drove all of the theories, and her blog also details these experiences. You may recognize Gretchen’s blog because she also is a member of the LifeRemix network and writes a column for Real Simple’s Simply Stated community in the Life section.
When Gretchen asked if I would sit for an interview, I dropped everything to do it. The topic of the interview isn’t directly related to getting rid of physical clutter, but it definitely touches on the bigger-picture idea of mental clutter that can prohibit a person from being happy. Check out the article if you’re interested!
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The six way opener multi-tasker
While reading not martha last week, I saw a link to a wonderful multi-tasker: The Six Way Opener.
Look at all that it can do:
Now this is a multi-tasker! How nice it would be if more kitchen gadgets took the lead from the Six Way Opener and combined multiple functions into one, small unit. I can see this little guy being a perfect gift for someone with arthritis or who is just setting up a kitchen for the first time.
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The big picture: Organizing work files
When I was in college, I served on the International Board of Officers for a community service organization. More than 10,000 kids across the world were members of the organization and 11 of us served on the Board the year I was a Trustee. Being on the Board was an incredible experience and it taught me a great deal about leadership, running a large organization, and time management. I was traveling nearly every weekend and I was constantly struggling to stay on top of my school work and other responsibilities.
A girl named Lisa was one of my fellow Trustees. She is one of the most naturally organized people I’ve ever met. If you say that you need something, she’ll reach into her purse and retrieve whatever it is you requested. You say that we should schedule a meeting, and her calendar is already open. Nothing is left to chance in Lisa’s world. And, since I was completely disorganized, she was definitely a positive influence on me.
At a meeting early in our year of working together, Lisa chided me for having a horrible filing system. I had four notebooks with pieces of paper shoved into them and referred to them as my “files.” After the meeting finished, she pulled me aside and gave me some of the best advice I’ve ever received:
“This organization was here before you were a member and will continue on after you graduate. If your files are messy, it’s fine for you now, but you’re not thinking of the people who are to serve after you.”
She was right. At some point, I would have to pass along my “files” to the next group of Trustees. I didn’t plan on being on the Board forever. When I inherited my files from the previous Board, they certainly didn’t look like they did when they were in my possession. I wasn’t inconveniencing myself, I was making things harder on the people who would serve after me.
I went home and immediately organized my files.
Since that day, I’ve always kept organized files for the exact reasons Lisa outlined for me years ago. Eventually, I’ll leave a job and someone else will have to come in to do the work. Or, if I need to take time off, a colleague might need to access the files without me there to point the way. Some files may have personal use, but, on the whole, work files are there to serve as a record for those who come into the job after you leave.
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