How to Cure PackRat-itis

Photo: Comprex from contemporist

How do you feel when sitting at home? Calm and peaceful, nestled in your neatly kept place? Or could your space use some love, organization and cleaning? If you fall into the former category, that’s awesome, skip the article and please share tips on how you keep such a tidy place in the comments. If you can barely type over the pile of stuff on your desk, then hopefully you’ll find inspiration in the words below.

I used to be quite a pack rat. I seldom threw anything away. I loved to take home everything I could get for free, such as promotional items from work, or odds-and-ends donated from friends. At one point, I discover that I had stuffed more than 20 techie t-shirts from various University recruiting events at the back of my closet. Yikes!

Perhaps I formed this habit during my poor, uncared-for university days. Maybe I was influenced having grown up in a communist country, where everything was limited and nothing was thrown away. Basically, I had accumulated A TON of stuff from years past.

Not only was it difficult to find things, but my mind was constantly filled with thoughts about what to do with all my stuff. Each time a closet was opened, I was reminded of the stuff I had, and the endless organizing I still needed to do (maybe I need a hoarding treatment). Even if we claim that our messy environment doesn’t bother us, each piece of clutter still takes up mental energy in our minds.

I believe that we are a product of our environment. The physical environment in which we spend most of our time affects how we think and feel. I know the environments in which I feel especially creative and relaxed. Some spaces give me the sense of nervousness, anxiousness and tightness.

I find that I prefer living places with lots of lighting, wood floors, open space and high ceilings. Personally, this gives me the most effective amount of creative energy boost.

In addition to the physical surroundings that make me feel best, I’ve also found that the clutter in my environment negatively affect my performance. When I am surrounded by mess and disorganization, I feel more mentally cluttered, less decisive, slightly anxious and more easily annoyed. I’ve learned that in order to be at my best, I needed my physical surrounding to be clean, organized and clutter free.

Please note that I am not a clean freak. Far from it, but I am working very hard every day to ‘protect’ my space from clutter. It’s something I have to work at and be conscious of. The following are tips and tools I’ve used in my journey towards a clutter free home. The mental clarity and personal satisfaction is worth the effort of cleaning. I promise!

Pack Rat Decluttering Tips

Give each item a home – If you don’t know where something belongs, it can easily become part of the clutter in your house. You have to think about where to put it, and it will always conveniently find its way to the top of the nearest surface or the first drawer in sight. You know what I mean? Each time you see an item out of place, you are reminded once again that you still need to find it a home. Over time, putting things on random surfaces or drawers makes it difficult to find things when you need them.Assign each item a home. Not only does this create a place where it belongs, but it also saves mental processing when you need to put stuff away instantly, or locate them later.
Keep the flat surfaces empty – The flat surfaces in your home are likely to be the easiest targets for clutter. Clearing off a surface (tables, counter tops) are also the easiest way to create an environment that appears clean and organized. Sometimes, I get so tired of looking at a particularly messy surface, that I would throw everything on the surface into a box or bag. I then find homes for each item in the bag. Clearing off surfaces seems to have an instant calming effect on me.
- Whenever you need to choose, always choose to put things out of sight.
- Make it a point not to place mail on an open surface when you come home. Keep your mail in a box, or in a cupboard.
- Make it part of your daily ritual to remove items from flat surfaces. Put them in places where the eye cannot see, like a drawer. Make quick sweeps whenever possible.
Clean as you go – One major tip for keeping your home free of clutter is simple – when you’re done with something, put it away immediately. When you finish a project, put everything away. When you take off clothes, do not drop it on the floor, toss it in the laundry basket or a closet instantly. This habit gives two things. First, you won’t have to clean up after a pile accumulates. Second, a clean home discourages others from leaving their clutter around (proactive de-cluttering).
Downsize your stuff – This can be a challenging, but relieving experience for people. Ridding ourselves of unused stuff removes the clutter and is mentally liberating. Make it a project to get rid of clothing you haven’t wore in more than 2 years, DVDs you’ll never watch again, books you’ll never read again, kitchen stuff you haven’t used in over a year. Give it away. The less you have, the less clutter and the less you’ll have to clean.
Set a timer – It’s been said many times before, but setting a timer and cleaning like crazy for 15 minutes really does work. One or two 15-minute sessions can make a huge difference in keeping your house clean in the long run.”Start doing the thing to have energy to do the thing” – Bob ProctorOnce you’ve started moving, you will gain the momentum to keep going and clean up other areas of your home. I personally use a physical timer for this purpose: ‘a cute little red number bought online for $14′.

Multiple projects – The thought of cleaning your entire living space can seem daunting and time consuming. I always tell myself that ‘I have no time‘, as an excuse to delay tidying my apartment. I’ve found it helpful to write out on paper, all the sections of my home that need organizational love. For example, I would put down:
- my desk
- cupboard surface by the front door
- area behind my desk
- area behind dining table
- surface above the credenza
- etc.
Then I make each one a mini-project, where I’d tackle one every week. Make sure that each mini-project has a measurable goal, where it is achievable within an hour. If an area requires many hours, then break it up into several mini-projects. This way, the cleaning tasks seem manageable and will not take all day. Completing each mini-project also gives me small wins along the way, creating momentum to tackle the next mini-project.

Pack Rat Organization Tools

Labels - This might sound extreme, but when I last cleaned out my dressers and closets (after 3 years of resisting to change), I gave each type of clothing a home, and I labeled the locations within dressers to reminder myself. For example, I divided each dresser drawer into three compartments, I have 4 such drawers. I’d then gave each compartment names like:
- white tank tops
- black tank tops
- workout/house pants
- dark knit tops
- white knit tops
- house t-shirts
- swimwear
- etc.
I’ve found the labels to act like little tidy traffic signs directing where to steer my clothes after the laundry cycle.

Boxes - It’s the loose stuff that can get tricky. I have the habit of leaving loose things on the table and other surfaces, because it’s easy. :) This of course, isn’t sustainable. I live in an open loft, where there isn’t much closet space, so everything is exposed. I’ve found that attractive boxes serve as great storage for loose items. They look modern enough to blend-in with the furniture and they are very reasonable priced. I get black ones and red ones from IKEA (various sizes) for about $5 each. The idea is to group like items together into boxes, so that they will be easy to find when needed, but hidden from the surface when they aren’t. Some examples of boxed collections are: receipts, incoming mail, paid bill stubs, research papers for stocks I track, office supplies, pictures, wires, blank CDs, loose magazine cut outs, pens. I even have a box labeled ‘Personal Development’, where I keep blank cue cards, quotes, journal, notes from seminars/reading/home-courses (pretty geek, I know.).
Drawer Dividers – These are awesome, if you keep your underwear/socks/t-shirts in one drawer, a divider will keep them separate. The divider may seem a bit expensive, but trust me, it is well worth the price. It’ll give you a piece of mind in the long run. I got mine from IKEA for around $8. [1] [2]
Utility Drawer Containers – Find small boxes (I use soap boxes, small Glad tupperware and store bought utility drawer containers) for your utility drawer. Get a box for every small item that you toss in that drawer. Example: batteries, stamps, elastic bands, random pens, scissors, notepads, etc. Give each small item a home. Since I started doing this, my utility drawer is no longer a mesh of random items, and I can finally find stuff when I need it (most of the time).

A clean home will add peace and harmony to your life. I hope that you find some of these tips to be useful and try for yourself.

Do you have any tips for cleaning and tidying? Share your thoughts with us in the comment area. See you there!

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66 Responses (50 Comments, 16 Trackbacks ):

Comments

Raymond

Nov 29 07, 7:24 am PDT

1
Hi Tina,

I guess I have the same problem.

I like to collect stuffs too such as plastic bags, recycle papers … etc with the thought that I may need them someday. So, I never throw them.

When I have new furniture, it seems clean and clear at first, but weeks later, I can begin to see pile of books, mails, stationery, container … etc.

I do clean those clutters up once a while. I put them all in a box but, you know …. it grows back weeks later with new stuffs.

The same goes for my closet. I pack up all the clothes that I rarely wear from time to time but new clothes (free stuffs) keep coming in.

It’s like a never ending nightmare. :-)
Megan

Nov 29 07, 7:32 am PDT

2
I was born with “the need for clean” in my genes, so I’ve never been considered a pack-rat. However, despite the lack of clutter in my life, I still practice detachment & donation. You pointed out some great reasons, Tina, why you may be a pack-rat (long-held beliefs that shape your actions). I think a lot of people have various (similar) reasons for thinking they can’t or don’t want to let go of something:
- memories
- “I may need this some day”
- family heirlooms
- special meaning associated with something (gift given by someone special)
- it represents affluence or achievement, which they may never have had before
- etc.

I know you’re a big fan of “The Secret” and something that stood out for me in an Oprah interview I watched with the cast last year was: when you cling too tightly to that which you have, you prevent new (possibly better) things from showing up. Like a fist that’s clenched tightly, it can’t hold anything new.

For me, when I’m able to give away my stuff – especially the things I don’t use and am holding on to “just in case” – I feel free, trusting, and in harmony with the natural rhythms of the Universe.

Good luck as you declutter!
David Finch

Nov 29 07, 7:43 am PDT

3
Attachment is the beginning to all clutter and yes, I’m guilty. I’ve never had a problem with being neat. I’m to analytical to be messy, but I can keep things longer than what I should.

Magazines, articles, notes, and books begin to pile up in neat little piles around my desk and bookshelves until I begin to let things go. That’s when “purge” becomes my action of choice.

At first it was extremely difficult because I felt like I would miss it. Guess what? I never knew it was gone. Now I have time where I separate things in to two piles… keep and purge. The cool thing is that “purge” doesn’t always mean throw it away. Many times I give things away to individuals that I know would benefit from it.

Word of the day… purge! It’s easier than you think!
John

Nov 29 07, 10:16 am PDT

4
I too am guilty of keeping too much stuff. I tell myself that I may want it someday, and I put it someplace obvious so it will be properly organized/filed/stored, and slowly it becomes random detritus. Moments before I am buried alive I purge it all out. I am slowly learning to calculate the odds of me wanting it, and I’m feeling much better now. Really. Honest.
m.c.cookie
Nov 29 07, 11:52 am PDT

5
Thanks for the solid article. The only thing I would add is a preference to The Container Store for supplies as they are typically long lasting and the company has a rep for being good to it’s peeps.
Valerie

Nov 29 07, 12:10 pm PDT

6
The tips are fine but the problem with articles like this is that it just gives superficial tips on how to keep organized. People who are truly clutter bugs, don’t need tips like “assign everything a home” they need mental help on why they feel the need to keep a hold of everything that comes into their lives. You can assign your 400 tshirts a home in the closet but it doesn’t get at the WHY do you feel the need to keep 400 tshirts in the first place.

I’m not a clutterbug but my husband is. I can’t get him to understand that it’s mental. He just thinks if he reads enough articles or books on organization “how to” he’ll finally be able to do it. It’s a bigger issue than “tips”. That’s the first thing clutter bugs need to accept before they can overcome it.
AlwaystheOcean
Nov 29 07, 12:20 pm PDT

7
This is something I struggle with as well.

I found the book Scaling Down : Living Large in a Smaller Space by Judi Culbertson, Marj Decker, and George Booth had a lot of useful things to say about all the different reasons why people feel the need to keep things which they don’t use often (or at all), as well as useful strategies for decluttering
(including the best new homes for your old stuff, whether you’re selling it or giving it to charity).
Ahmed
Nov 29 07, 1:10 pm PDT

8
This is probably one of my biggest problems. I can never throw anything out! I develop an emotional attachment to everything and anything i own, always justifying it by telling myself i might need it later even though i never do. I have done that my entire life, as a child, and to my mother’s horror,i would come home with my pockets stuffed with candy wrappings because i couldn’t throw them out! The odd thing is everyone in my family is the opposite, they are all aggressive purgers! so I don’t quite understand the roots of my packratitis. I honestly believe that some of us are just wired that way and the best we can do is develop techniques to counter it. Nothing i have tried so far has worked prefectly, but atleast from time to time I manage to get rid of some stuff which ends being very satisfying and relieving.
pedro
Nov 29 07, 1:58 pm PDT

9
I’m a recovering packrat, and I have some advice about how to start down the road to getting more organized.
1: to get a friend to help you begin, particularly one who is relatively well organized.
2: start in one place. Be it one bookcase, one room, one closet. Just start somewhere.
3: realize that this is going to be hard. You are going to look at a half-broken screw, or a broken pen that just barely works that you got from a fantastic hotel, and you are going to be thinking “how could I get rid of this? I loved that hotel!”
That is where your friend comes in. “How can you keep a half broken pen when you’ve got a zillion that work!” It’s just a pen! You have plenty of pictures and memories of the trip without keeping the pen!” It’s that perspective that your clutter buddy will give you.

Starting to rid you life of clutter is something that once you do, is a phenomenal feeling. The epiphany that I had when I realized that if I just kept everything in a “home” (and while people had told me this, I had to experience it on my own to fully comprehend it) was unbelievably liberating!

I have to repeat, it’s NOT easy to start. And it takes some work to keep up, but being able to walk into a room without piles of stuff everywhere is a great feeling. Knowing as you fall alseep that your house is in order helps you sleep that much better.
It’s hard, you’ll need help, but it’s worth it.
tyler rooney

Nov 29 07, 2:08 pm PDT

10
great post tina. i’ve been meaning to clean up my stack of important documents for ages. to the container store!
Andrea
Nov 29 07, 2:36 pm PDT

11
Great ideas! I am so bad I have a book called “Decluttering for Creative People” cluttering up my bookshelf!

I do go through organized periods in my life. I find that having a place for things helps as does getting into a routine and making things a habit. For example, I used to look for my keys like it was my part-time job. Now, I have a handy key hook next to my door, so I unconsciously put my keys there.

Another tip for those of you who don’t want to spend the $$$ on the drawer organizers is to use cardboard boxes cut off or shoe boxes. If you have a selection of sizes, you can find a good configuration that works for those socks and undies that roam around a big drawer.

One more tip that I found somewhere is that you can put stuff in a sort of purgatory for a few months before you purge it forever. If you haven’t found yourself wanting the item after three months, donate/trash it. This helps me avoid that huge “well, I might need it” pile.
Catdetect0r
Nov 29 07, 3:06 pm PDT

12
A really effective way to prevent packratitis is to move house at least once a year.
Amanda
Nov 29 07, 4:26 pm PDT

13
I grew up with a bunch of pathological packrats, so my first day of college I swore to myself that from henceforth I was going to be orderly. And over a decade later, I’m still going strong! So if you are really serious about changing your life, I guess the best advice I can give you is to move. Or if you are lucky enough to be moving anyway, this is the time to start over completely, only take with you the things you need, don’t buy anything new (unless it’s from the Container Store), and keep everything in its new place no matter what. I’m guessing for people I know who are packrats, the hardest thing for them is getting everything straightened up. I watch my friends live in squalor until they finally build up the strength to clean everything, and maybe on account of this they only associate cleaning with the huge task that they make for themselves over the course of years. But it’s really important for people to realize that, once you make orderliness a habit, it’s really very easy, and actually kind of relaxing and fun. I essentially put everything away the second I’m done using it, so my nightly routine involves some nice rituals like folding up my clothes and wiping down the sink, which are hardly any work, but feel very satisfying since I wake up the next morning with everything in place. So my advice would be to get everything completely clean, no matter how long this takes you, and then try to not make any huge cleaning tasks for yourself again by finding ways to clean a little as you go. Put away the flour while your waiting for the food to cook. Sort through the mail and throw away the junkmail as you’re walking to your home. Clean out the drain when you finish your shower. Try to instill all these little habits in your daily life that will keep you from ever having such a big task ever again.
mike

Nov 29 07, 4:56 pm PDT

14
I read a tip once about the “keep it in case it comes in handy some day” problem … the advice was “If you can buy/get/borrow it when you need it, let it go.” The woman who wrote this said that we’re crippled in part by a kind of warped sense of thrift (it seems wasteful to throw out a “perfectly good xxxx”). But unless it really would be a hardship to get one again, it should go.

I try to remind myself of this every time I go at it again. :-)
Keiichi

Nov 29 07, 5:17 pm PDT

15
I totally needed this since I’m a total packrat!
I would like someone to come over and throw all my unnecessary crap away!
MadMumbler Mommy

Nov 29 07, 6:18 pm PDT

16
http://www.flylady.net is THE best place to learn how to deal with clutter. She teaches gentle behavior modification, how to set and maintain routines, without beating yourself up over it. And it’s all FREE. She is also not “born organized” and she teaches the way she learned how to overcome her clutter. My house isn’t perfect, but I’m making progress and it’s a LOT better (and getting better all the time) than it ever was.
Terri Holley

Nov 29 07, 7:00 pm PDT

17
I recently renovated the environment in my bedroom and I am sleeping like a baby. Good post!
ZHereford

Nov 29 07, 7:09 pm PDT

18
Tina this is a great post and you’ve inspired me to get organized!
miran
Nov 29 07, 9:59 pm PDT

19
A sure fire way to keep from buying shoes, ladies. You must donate 2 pair for every new pair you buy. Replacing a worn out pair is excluded. I’ve bought no shoes in two years. I’m about to have to replace my Birkenstock Loafers, but the footbed is still good. Just worn out the soles.
Larissa

Nov 29 07, 10:28 pm PDT

20
I just have to say that this site is AMAZING (yes, with a capital everything). I love all of your practical life insights.

With regards to un-pack-ratting, I’m ruthless about throwing out/giving away anything I don’t think I’ll use in a year. I’m currently trying to convince my book-loving husband to get rid of some of the books that haven’t been touched in ages.
Linda

Nov 29 07, 11:29 pm PDT

21
I just want to say; thanks for this inspiring post! Good value to digg it and come back soon again ;)
Beth Terry

Nov 30 07, 2:16 am PDT

22
This article has some great ideas. I especially appreciate the tip: Downsize your stuff. I’ve been giving things away like crazy lately, realizing that I can live with much less than I have. My favorite way to give things away is through my local Freecycle group. It’s a great way to match people with the things you have, rather than taking them to a thrift store where you don’t know if they’ll be purchased by someone or end up landfilled.

In conjunction with giving things away, we also need to refrain from buying new things. It would be great if we could all pause to think before we obsessively purchase. I totally agree with Mike’s comment: “If you can buy/get/borrow it when you need it, let it go.” Also, if you can borrow it, you don’t need to buy it.

I actually wrote a post on my blog recently about sharing and borrowing rather than owning things. It’s at http://www.fakeplasticfish.com/2007/10/learning-to-share-and-borrow.html. I blog about plastic and ways that we can reduce our plastic consumption and plastic waste. Since I’ve been ridding my home of unnecessary plastic, it’s become much less cluttered!
Tracy

Nov 30 07, 7:04 am PDT

23
Love this…it could help us all!
Capella
Nov 30 07, 7:33 am PDT

24
I’ve had this problem since I married my husband – both he and I are horrible packrats, and our families have the affinity for buying “cute” things. Our family brings us more crap, and I am tot he point of of chucking the first thing I see in the garbage or Goodwill bag. And I have! I’ve thrown out boxes, and bags, and more boxes of stuff, yet I find more. It’s awful, your house eventually becomes a storage of all the stuff you never use, but you can never find stuff you DO need, so go out and buy that item again and again.

Here is what I’ve tried to resolve the situation and it helped me in many ways:

- First – make a list of things you will do. Not a list of things you feel you need to do, but an actual list of things that you will do. I put things like “wash floor in the kitchen”, “take care of the clothes pile in bedroom” on it. They are little things, but I get to cross off each one as Im done. And at the end of the day – there is a list of many things that were done, and it’s almost like a game at that point, instead of chores.

- It’s hard, but I force myself to chuck something I haven’t used in 5 years – to the garbage. Or donation bin. Usually garbage is safer though, once it’s out of my sight, I am less likely to go back into the garbage to retrieve it. Just do it. You’ll forget it existed in a day or to – trust me. If someone gave it to you – they don’t remember they gave it to you. Especially if you haven’t used it in 5 years. You won’t.

- Don’t buy things in bulk! I used to, but I always end up loosing what Im not using right away, and then having to buy it again, only to find much later – i have 5 of them!!!
Camille White
Nov 30 07, 10:19 am PDT

25
I am a chef and my job is to save time and money in a kitchen. Here are a few things I have discovered that will keep your home kitchen tidy and run smoothly. Mainly written for the procrastinator and those who are growing weary of the dishes.

Three simple rules.

1) Keep your clutter to a minimum. If you have 3 in the family, have only 6 of each dish, cup, spoon, fork, etc. No reason for a set of twelve of everything to be available to get dirty. Coffee cups should be restricted to 2 per adult.
In the same spirit, keep your kitchen stocked with hardware that you actually use. That electric wok or magic bullet that you’ve tucked away, just in case, needs to be stored in a box with a date and inventory list in the outside of the box. If you don’t use any of your “just in cases” in one year, sell it, recycle it, or donate it. It’s very unlikely to be used and just takes up space.

3) Wash your dishes as you go. After you’ve plated your food, rinse out or soak the last of the pots and pans on the stove before you eat. The food will not get too cold. If you’re feeding a family, have a helper with you to do the dishes as you go, help prep, and manage setting the table. Always have someone scheduled for dish duty after meals. The dishwasher is also in charge of taking out the trash, composting, recycling, and final clean up of the kitchen. This motivates the family to want to cook, because no one wants to be the dishwasher all of the time. Cooking is an extremely valuable skill for all family members to have and will save everyone a lot of money in health care and food costs.

4) The stovetop is easy to keep clean if you clean as you go; but can be a nightmare if you let it set. Same for the oven, if you spill it, clean it up. Don’t be shy about a hot oven, be smart. Use tongs that hold a towel to mop up spills; wear a pot holder for extra hand protection. As things are cooking, I constantly wipe all around the stove top with a rag, making sure that spills get cleaned up immediately. That way the stovetop is always shiney and clean!

Good luck
alex awesome

Nov 30 07, 10:50 am PDT

26
My “secret” is that laundry is a necessary evil, but I *hate* doing it. Once I do do it, it’s fine, it’s easy, and I find myself folding every last article. But I just can’t get myself to do it until I have to (getting a jump on weekend laundry by doing it on Thursday, for instance).

What do I do instead? Everything else. I clean my entire apartment top to bottom to avoid doing laundry.

… I’m weird, aren’t I.
Lucid

Dec 01 07, 8:56 pm PDT

27
Call me crazy but… I throw almost everything out. I am the opposite. My mother is always yelling at me because of it. She is a bit of a clutter bug, so you know it drives her up a wall lol :) . . .

Nice post! Have a great weekend!
Personal Development for the Book Smart

Dec 01 07, 9:46 pm PDT

28
I keep everything too and refuse to throw stuff away such as the notes from my university etc. even though I don’t think I will ever refer to them again. It’s just comforting to know they are there in case I need them. =P
Raymond

Dec 01 07, 10:26 pm PDT

29
Me too. I still have my exercise books when I was 10 and of course my university notes too.

I just want them to be there. :)
Ashley
Dec 03 07, 10:43 am PDT

30
I find that when I clean…I get distracted easily. So a trick I try to stick to is to start in one corner of the room and work my way in some sort of order until that area is finished, I can’t move on to the next area.

Sometimes I would have the problem of placing something in a spot, then in the new spot I would find something else attractive to start working on and leave the previous cleaning area waiting to be finished.
jaes
Dec 04 07, 4:07 pm PDT

31
We finally found a surefire way to quit collecting….

We moved our family of 5 into an 884 sq. ft. home!

We also stacked recycling bins in the kitchen, right by the trash can. Sometimes when I don’t want to “pitch” I can talk myself into, “recycle.” We use a vegetable bin by the front door to hold shoes, and on top is a box for keys and mail. The kids only have 3 drawers and 10 hangers each. It keeps from accumulating too many articles of clothing. They have one tub each for out of season. I make a trip a month to donate clothes outgrown or toys that have not been touched for awhile. (Usually if I haven’t seen it played with for 2 months, it’s gone.) We have bookshelves that face the books outward for the kids hanging on the walls so they are more used, don’t pile up, and easy to find. We never buy books, cds or dvds anymore, everything is rented from the library. I keep a shredder out so I shred junk mail asap and it doesn’t pile up. I donated boxes of all the “extra” blankets to a homeless shelter. (Who needs THAT many extra blankets?!) Take the doors off your kitchen cabinets. When you have to look at it constantly, you are less likely to keep cramming more and more into them.

Simplicity is amazing. The better I get at it, the calmer and happier I am!
gale

Dec 04 07, 11:29 pm PDT

32
the girls in my family are TOTAL packrats…they shall find this link helpful. great + practical post tina
Free Chat Rooms

Dec 07 07, 6:39 pm PDT

33
Just throw old junk away when you don’t need it anymore. My grandma keeps old newspapers in an old dryer, we’re talking years and years old. What is the sense in that?
Robert @ reason4smile

Dec 10 07, 11:04 pm PDT

34
Regarding one of your tips, downsizing your stuff, I find it not an easy thing to do, as I’m naturally a keeper. I always think that all the stuff I have will be useful someday, where I’m going to need it again. Hence, throwing things are hurtful to me.

The mindset that I find we necessary to have is the abundance attitude, confidence that we are not going to need those stuffs and we are able to find it from other sources.

I find it especially useful when I’m throwing all my magazines, notes, and informational stuffs. Beforehand I think of keeping them as I may need them, but reading your articles, I’m inspired to downsize my stuffs, especially with the belief that I won’t need it, as the information is abundant, much available on the net.

Similarly, to be generous to others, believing that the resource we have is not scarce, we are willing to give out.

That’s all from me, thanks for the inspiration.
Robert
Jim Hinds

Dec 13 07, 8:12 am PDT

35
Your whole article starts with a bogus assumption: “How do you feel when sitting at home? Calm and peaceful, nestled in your neatly kept place?”

Bah, and double bah! A neatly kept place makes me feel as if I’m nestled in a straight-jacket. Stifled. bored. trapped, lifeless. Worse than dead, because I remember the vividness of chaos.

And you want to give hints on how to be creative?

Sorry, your cup of tea is cold and weak. Give me a rich life: full of chaos. Chaos worth adapting and commanding. Full of me and the detritus of activity.
tyler rooney

Dec 16 07, 2:27 pm PDT

36
Heard an excellent tip yesterday from a friend on cleaning your closets. The friend, who is recently married, tried to get his new wife to clean out her closet. When he’d ask “when was the last time you wore this?” the answer would be “2 years ago” but she couldn’t throw anything out because everything had some sort of sentimental value to her.

The compromise: 1 sentimental box per person. Every item that falls under “sentimental” has to fit in the 1 box. So if you’re really attached to some huge ass trench coat, then you better make room for it in the sentimental box. It’s a simple limiting factor.
Gerald Hand
Jan 29 08, 7:18 am PDT

37
Jim- It may not be your cup of tea, but MOST people I know prefer to live in some sort of order. Mind you, I am not friendly with college students (they are half my age), but to say that is a bogus assumption is off base. It is simply not applicable to you and your ilk, not that there is anything wrong with that. I am a bit messy, but my wife is fastidious to a fault. Without her, I would be a typical male slob. For me, I will try to embrace this article and some of the suggestions as I am a HUGE pack rat when it comes to articles and reference material.
Liara Covert

Feb 04 08, 7:43 pm PDT

38
I agree that each of us is the product of our environment. We model our mentors and role models consciously and unconsciously. It is part of our growing process to raise awareness about what we outgrow and no longer need. Moving house is a great impetus to cull!!!
jd

Feb 08 08, 2:20 am PDT

39
Tina – I VERY much like flat surfaces empty. It feels good.

On the idea of pack-ratting, I like how one of my friend’s put it to me … they said they think in terms of the trade-off … at some point, keeping stuff is more work than letting it go.

For me, I’m getting rid of as much as I can. I’m pretty simple. I only really need people and experiences. Things can come and go.
Diane

Feb 09 08, 7:03 am PDT

40
Great article, Tina! – Good luck with the adventure of your mini-retirement as well!!

I think a lot of this may have trickled down from our grandparents and their reactions to living through the depression. I am not yet ready to throw everything we learned from them away.

Then there are the lessons we get from our ancestors, and today we can see this repeated in our friends who came to this country recently and came with almost nothing but a suitcase. Not all of the memories and the things that we all cherish. If I started over (moving is a great lightening – you shake your head at paying to move the crap you’ve been keeping), what would I want in my new space?

I have things my grandmother left me and I do not need – silver for instance. I know she was thrifty for a long time before she had that, and how much having a dining room meant to her. My grandparents paid cash for their houses! I marvel at that. They didn’t put money in the bank until some time in the 70s I think, then gave my cousin and I each a full set of china that was a gift from the bank – plain white with a silver or gold band, but still china.

I do not need her silver. I have my own. I could use the money for it. I have other mementos of my grandparents. I have sons, not daughters. But the silver gift causes me a lot of guilt. So, I guess it will be one area I will have to walk around, and use the tips for the kitchen (thanks, Chef), the closet (many of you!) and papers.

I disagree with one thing about “out of sight” because for me, if it is out of sight, it is truly out of mind. But a home for everything is very important. I also found a bowl/tray that is very attractive and which I keep by the entry (from garage now) for those things I bring in and out – like keys, sunglasses, things to take with me next time I leave. When I was in an apartment, I put my cell phone there so i could hear it ring everywhere. Now in a 2-story house, that would not work well.

Labels are also good and part of the “leaning” principles as well – a place for everything. If you go into a well-organized garage/shop, you will find sometimes outlines of the tools on the pegboard itself so one can visually see which tool is missing. I am not sure how to put labels on my good wood dresser – perhaps inside on the lining paper? Truth be told, tho, the cheap dresser my parents bought me when I was 10 – with big deep drawers – are better at holding my clothes than the shallow ones that came from Lexington furnitures gorgeous dresser. And where to put sweaters? I have them now on the top shelf in the closet, with sweat shirts – things too bulky to put anywhere else.

And the way the economy is going, I am not sure I can replace everything, but I do like two ideas very much – purging, but also putting it into a “temporary” purge container. This could be adapted on a quarterly basis even (every equinox, same as needed for Jet Dry and replacing mascara) so that if it’s still in the box in 3 months, off it goes and the box is emptied and another purge is started.

Thanks for all the great ideas! Keep providing them – you who have already figured out a way to do this! I found weeding done best the same way – a walk-around the garden daily to admire what was blooming and just pulling the few weeds that managed to catch my attention.

Also the 15-minute timer is a flylady.net idea and she is great with ideas for those who can keep up with her. I will use the mini-projects idea of Tina’s myself, and the 15 minutes (tho just what I can do within that time, not “scrambling like mad”) just to get myself moving. If I want to quit afterwards, then fine. But I made progress.

Diane

I
Betty Million
Dec 07 08, 4:56 pm PDT

41
Read your article with interest, especially after scrolling thru 15 pgs of sites with “giving things away” as the keywords. Yes, you are on Page 15. I’m trying to get rid of clutter, but how in the hell can I when the only place I can find is Freecycle, which requires your life history in order to register? I refuse to pitch this stuff — will only get rid of it if I can give it away. Is everyone so affluent these days, that no one is interested enough to sign onto a website with an anonymous donor? I can’t even get ahold of our local homeless shelter. They have better things to do. Thanks for letting me let off steam, but the clutter still abounds.
Diane

Dec 08 08, 8:04 am PDT

42
Betty Million – I’m not sure where you are that you can’t find a place to take your stuff, but here are some other suggestions.

Battered Women’s – Domestic Violence, etc. Each community seems to have a place for these women and their families and usually they are starting over.

Vietnam Vets of America or AmVets – these guys will pick up (unlike the one above)

Food pantries – nearly every county has one. You can call a local prominent (you saw it, so that qualifies usually) church and ask the folks there where food pantries.

Local churches, synagogues, mosques, etc., are all good sources of people who can help you donate your items locally. If you can’t drive and can’t deliver, they can help you with that as well. These folks can be found online and called or even emailed at times.

Don’t give up – give away.

Good luck!
Margarita
Mar 15 09, 9:45 pm PDT

43
Stuff is a never ending battle. But, the universe does NOT provide, and the “clenched fist” analogy is a bunch of crap.

C’mon people! Think!

I will always regret getting rid of my Grandpa’s giant magnifiers that he used on projects. Now my Dad is almost blind, and we can’t afford to buy one.
I got rid of our large computer monitors because they were out of date. My Dad would be able to go on the computer if he still had them.
I kick myself every day for not predicting blindness in the future when I got rid of things.
Repeat after me: The universe does not provide.
Think carefully about what you get rid of, especially if you are low income.
Rebecca
Apr 12 09, 9:03 am PDT

44
What about living with someone that is a pack rat? This woman collects empty yogurt cups and microwave food bowl that are only meant to be used once. Even the containers that meat comes in. She doesn’t do anything with them just collects. You can’t even see the floor in her room and it’s coming out in the hallway as well. I even have a bag full of leaves sitting on my freezer because she liked the way they look and she bleaches them. I want to pull my hair out. I realize she is old and that’s how she was raised but give me a break. I have managed to keep some of it out of her reach by cutting it up but it just makes her mad and she tries even harder. I just don’t know what to do anymore. Anyway, thanks for letting me rant.
Mirandairanda
Apr 26 09, 11:34 am PDT

45
packrat-itis means inflation of the pack rat. itis means inflation of. smart.
wie bali

May 06 09, 12:02 am PDT

46
Thanks for sharing. The only thing I would add is a preference to The Container Store for supplies as they are typically long lasting and the company has a rep for being good to it’s peeps.
Oleg Mokhov

Oct 17 09, 2:42 pm PDT

47
“Anything you cannot relinquish when it has outlived its usefulness possesses you, and in this materialistic age a great many of us are possessed by our possessions.” -Peace Pilgrim

Hey Tina,

Effectively cure PackRat-itis by maximizing functionality of each item you own while reducing the number of them.

Have clothes that are multi-functional or high-performance, not just for looks. Moisture-wicking shirts that don’t stink and dry quickly, so you need less of them. Breathable microfleece long-sleeves to provide warmth without sweating indoors.

Rather than 3 gadgets, have 1 that does all 3 functions. Instead of an external keyboard and mouse, own a laptop with an excellent keyboard and trackpad.

Can you use one item for multiple functionalities? And is the performance of the item itself awesome enough to where you don’t need multiple items?

Nice list, these tips will really help people who want to minimize their possessions but don’t know where to begin reducing,
Oleg
change your life

Mar 01 11, 5:57 am PDT

48
I like how one of my friend’s put it to me … they said they think in terms of the trade-off … at some point, keeping stuff is more work than letting it go.
Suzanne Stanford

Apr 29 11, 12:01 am PDT

49
I admit it! I’m sentimental. Especially as a single mom with only one child. As I’ve gone through my storage unit which I spent $125 per month on since 2000, it seems as though I’ve kept every drawing and project of hers. I also kept my expensive wedding dress for my daughter, things from my parents and family members who have now passed away – now holding treasured memories, and beloved books that I will never read again and of course, a collection of Disney VHS tapes.

I am in the process of de-cluttering and it is very challeging.

What I can tell you, now that my child is a young woman of 21, is: She doesn’t want her old drawings or projects (except maybe 2) and she definitely does not want my wedding dress. She has her own style and wants her own dress… when the time comes.

I have trouble getting rid of things because since the recession, with money being “tight” is how to turn what I have into money. The problem is that can become a full time job.

My tip for all those with sentimental cluttering issues is: “Take a picute of it, print it out, and put it in a scrapbook!
Sanur Bali Hotel

Jul 24 11, 10:39 pm PDT

50
Nice posting anda very helpfully , i will try to practice it thank you

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