Outer Order, Inner Calm

by Gretchen Rubin

  But in many cases, storing a possession is just a way to delay deciding what to do with it. It’s tempting just to “collect and neglect”—that is, dump something in the attic or the basement rather than figure out whether and how to toss, recycle, or give it away. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 25 percent of people who have two-car garages don’t park their cars inside because that space is used for storage.

  In the long run, you’ll be happier if you don’t put much into “storage.” Before you squirrel something away, ask yourself, “Why am I keeping this?” Realistically, are you going to reread your old college textbooks?

  TOSS UNNECESSARY PAPERS.

  Paperwork is one of the toughest forms of clutter to vanquish. Getting rid of old papers is less satisfying than cleaning out a closet or a desk drawer, and it’s often much more anxiety-provoking.

  To decide what to keep and what to toss, ask:

  Do you actually need this piece of paper or receipt? What specific use does it serve?

  Have you ever used it?

  How easy would it be to replace it if you needed it? Except for items like old letters and journals, most things can be replaced.

  Will it quickly become dated—like travel or shopping information?

  Does the internet mean that it’s no longer necessary? For instance, the instruction manuals for most appliances are now online.

  What’s the consequence of not having it if you do need it?

  Was it once necessary but is now related to a part of your life that’s over?

  Could you scan it, so that you have a copy if you need it?

  At work, does someone else have a copy of it?

  Have you verified your assumptions? For instance, when you took your current position, your coworker told you, “I always keep these receipts,” so you assumed that you need to keep them, too. But maybe you don’t.

  ONE OF THE BIGGEST WASTES OF TIME IS DOING SOMETHING WELL THAT DIDN’T NEED TO BE DONE AT ALL.

  I got an email from a teacher who complained about how much time she’d spent shredding old lesson plans and student essays.

  Why do those papers need to be shredded at all?

  My sister had accumulated a huge mound of statements and receipts. She wanted to buy a file box to store everything away neatly, but she realized that she’d never needed the papers in the past and that it wouldn’t be hard to get copies if she ever did need them. So she tossed all of it.

  She didn’t need to organize those papers at all.

  MAKE A MOCK MOVE.

  Moving is a great time to clear clutter. Often, when we must go to the trouble to pack up something, we realize that we don’t want it anymore.

  Take advantage of this phenomenon by doing a mock move. Walk through your rooms, look at what you have, and ask yourself, “If I were moving, would I bother to wrap this in bubble wrap and stick it in a box? Or would I chuck it or give it away?” You may decide not to pack that battered Monopoly game, or the giant ceramic serpent that your daughter made in second grade, or the rice cooker that you’ve used only once.

  So don’t wait for a real move. Make your home nicer by tossing, recycling, or donating these items now.

  CLEAR CLUTTER BEFORE YOU MOVE, NOT AFTER YOU MOVE.

  Moving from one house to another is a stressful, busy time, and it can be tempting to think, I’ll just pack everything and sort through it at the other end.

  Try to do your sorting before you move. First, you’ll save the expense of moving something that you’ll eventually just toss or give away. Also, you want to outfit your pristine new home only with the things that you truly need, use, or want. Don’t fill it—even temporarily—with useless or unwanted items.

  ESCAPE FROM CLUTTER LIMBO.

  Sometimes, clutter is caused by uncertainty. That toy might be broken or maybe it just needs a new battery. The label-maker might be defective or maybe I didn’t push the correct button. This CD might be permanently scratched or maybe it would work if I wiped it off. Did I stop reading this novel, fifty pages in, because I didn’t like it or because I just misplaced it?

  Move objects out of clutter limbo by taking the steps needed to decide their fate.

  CONFRONT DEEP CLUTTER.

  There’s clutter and then there’s deep clutter.

  Deep clutter is easy to ignore. In deep clutter, items are well organized and put away neatly, and to the inattentive glance, everything looks great—but, in fact, these things are clutter because they aren’t used, needed, or loved.

  For a long time, I maintained a big notebook with plastic sleeves that held business cards. I’d taken great satisfaction in how perfectly the business cards fit into their slots and how nicely the notebook fit on my shelf.

  Then one day I realized that I hadn’t consulted a single business card in the past two years. The notebook and the cards were pure clutter. I cleared out the notebook and gave it away.

  After we’ve eliminated the visible and annoying layer of clutter that lies on the surface of life, we can turn our attention to the deep clutter that weighs us down unnoticed.

  CLEAR ANY OFF-SITE STORAGE UNITS.

  Once you’ve stashed items in an off-site unit, it’s easy to forget about them. But you’re paying to store them, month after month after month.

  Do you even know what’s inside your storage unit?

  Visit your unit and make tough choices. If you never need or want these things, why are you keeping them?

  FIGHT WASTE BY NOT ACQUIRING.

  Many people have trouble clearing clutter because they hate the idea that they’re adding more junk to the landfill and putting more trash into the world. But once we own something, that object exists, whether it’s in the basement or at the dump.

  If this is an issue for you—and even if it’s not—fight waste by not acquiring that item in the first place.

  DON’T FOIST YOUR CLUTTER ON OTHER PEOPLE.

  Getting rid of things can be tough. One unhelpful strategy? To push our stuff onto other people.

  Sometimes we press people to accept our things to relieve our own bad feelings: We feel guilty because we spent money on an item that we never used or because we’d like to replace a perfectly serviceable item with something new. To make ourselves feel better about this wastefulness, we push our possessions onto other people—who may or may not actually want them. We use generosity to disguise our true motives.

  I’ve told myself, “I never wore this shirt, but I’ll give it to my daughter, and she can wear it” or “I never found a way to use this platter, so I’ll give it to my sister.” If these recipients really want to have these things, that’s wonderful, but I shouldn’t press them to be the receivers of my discards to avoid the prick of conscience.

  They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.

  ANDY WARHOL

  2

  Create Order

  To live in perpetual want of little things is a state, not indeed of torture, but of constant vexation.

  SAMUEL JOHNSON

  Once we’ve made the key choices about the fate of our possessions, we can begin to establish order.

  Imposing order is difficult, but it’s also very satisfying to organize, to repair, to put things into their proper places, and to bring life to overlooked areas.

  For most people, it’s deeply calming to see outer order emerge. Perhaps it’s the tangible sense of control, or the relief from visual noise, or the release from guilt and frustration. Creating order—even with things as mundane as socks or supplies—gives a disproportionate boost of energy and cheer. There’s so much we can’t control, but we can control our stuff.

  Create order.

  FIX YOUR “BROKEN WINDOWS.”

  The “broken windows” theory of policing holds that when a community tolerates minor examples of disorder and pet
ty crime, such as broken windows, graffiti, turnstile jumping, or drinking in public, serious crimes are more likely to ensue.

  As a law-enforcement theory, it’s controversial, but whether or not it’s true on a citywide level, I think it’s true on a personal level. When our environment is disorderly, it’s easier for our behavior to become disorderly.

  Some common personal broken windows include:

  unsorted mail and unanswered bills

  messy stacks of newspapers

  shoes in odd places

  no toilet paper

  cluttered counters

  dirty dishes scattered in every room

  piles of laundry or trash

  an unmade bed

  It’s true that a pile of unsorted mail isn’t a big deal. Nevertheless, small instances of order make us feel more in control—and happier.

  BEWARE OF “CLUTTER MAGNETS.”

  In just about everyone’s house or office, certain areas become “clutter magnets.” When I was growing up, it was our dining room table. Nowadays, it’s the top of the chest of drawers in the hallway. Also a certain chair in the bedroom. And the counter in my home office. Plus the kitchen table, of course. And I have a tendency to use the bedroom “floordrobe.”

  Now, every night, I make a real effort to clear those areas. Why? Clutter attracts clutter, so once clutter begins to accumulate, an area tends to get worse and worse.

  Get in the habit of clearing clutter magnets regularly. That way, the mounds can never grow too high.

  REMEMBER: IF YOU CAN’T RETRIEVE IT, YOU WON’T USE IT.

  Try to keep things stored within easy reach.

  In general, it’s more useful to think about accessibility than to think about storage. If you want to store something but don’t care if it’s accessible—well, that’s a clue that you may not need to keep that item at all.

  STOP SEARCHING.

  Most of us have one item that somehow we can never find. We spend a lot of time and energy searching for our keys, sunglasses, phone charger, work badge, current book, and so on.

  Identify your problem object and then find a way to solve the search problem.

  Can’t find your keys? Put a hook in your front hall and always put your keys on that hook. Can’t find your phone charger once you get to work? Splurge to buy a few charging cords and place them in convenient spots—and never unplug them. Can’t find a pen? Buy a bag of pens and put a few in every drawer.

  With a little thoughtful effort, we can save ourselves time and spare ourselves frustration.

  DON’T WAIT TO START CREATING ORDER.

  At any age, decluttering a house can feel like an overwhelming prospect, and as we get older, it becomes even tougher to do a big sweep. It takes a lot of energy, time, physical strength, and taxing decision-making—plus, it’s emotionally draining.

  So if your attic, basement, garage, guest room, or office needs to be tackled, don’t put off the task too long.

  In fact, David Ekerdt, professor of sociology and gerontology, observed that after age fifty, the chances that a person will divest himself or herself of possessions diminishes with each decade.

  This can be a real problem, for you and for others. Some people can’t move to a new place because they can’t face clearing out their current house, and so that burden falls to others.

  Do it now. Waiting will make it harder, not easier.

  SOAP AND WATER REMOVES MOST STAINS.

  Usually, we don’t need highly specialized cleaning products to deal with common problems.

  CHOOSE A “FLAVOR OF THE MONTH.”

  To make clutter-clearing more fun, choose a theme for the month and focus on the objects in that theme. This approach is arbitrary, but that’s one reason that it’s effective: it helps us to see our environment in a new, playful way.

  Possible themes? Books, clothes, toys, office supplies, kitchen equipment, or bathroom products.

  BEWARE OF BUYING SOUVENIRS.

  These items may seem wonderful when you’re visiting new places, but will you really want to have them on your shelves when you get home?

  If you do love to buy travel souvenirs, consider acquiring items that are small, easy to display or use, and yet are good at conjuring memories, such as Christmas tree ornaments, cooking spices, charms for a charm bracelet, postcards.

  THINGS OFTEN GET MESSIER BEFORE THEY GET TIDIER.

  Sometimes, it can be discouraging to clear clutter, because the process itself generates so much disorder.

  It’s worth it.

  IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM.

  Make your workspace more convenient and orderly by taking the time to identify a specific problem.

  Is your coat or sweater always in your way? Get a coatrack, use the common closet, or get a hook.

  Are you constantly getting tangled in your headphones? Get a desk headphone hanger.

  Do you constantly misplace paper with important information? Use a corkboard, take notes in a single notebook, create an in-box for “current vital info,” use a vertical file holder to keep papers organized yet within reach.

  Many problems have simple solutions—once we take a moment to identify them.

  IN ACTIVE AREAS, STRIVE TO KEEP SURFACES BARE.

  Put away kitchen appliances you don’t use every day; don’t cram stuff onto every inch of your desk. Some people thrive in abundance and overflow, but even for them it’s helpful to have some clear areas for active work.

  DECLARE A CLUTTER AMNESTY DAY.

  Often, we feel guilty for spending too much money on possessions that we didn’t really need. And we feel guilty for buying possessions that we’ve never used at all. And we feel guilty about adding our forsaken possessions to the junk heaps of the world.

  Because of that guilt, we hang on to possessions even when we don’t want, use, or love them.

  Declare a Clutter Amnesty Day. All guilt is absolved. All mistakes are forgiven. Clear that clutter.

  The fact is, done is done. Recycle all the unread magazines and articles. Give away unworn clothes, dusty dishes, and abandoned equipment. Declare an end to unfinished projects. Get rid of that single mitten. Then start afresh.

  Set all things in their own peculiar place, And know that Order is the greatest Grace.

  JOHN DRYDEN

  CREATE A “TECH SACK.”

  Gather any tech items you often use—such as a power cord, wall adapter, headphones, headphone adapter, external power supply—and create a “tech sack” that you can store in a drawer or throw into your briefcase, backpack, purse, or luggage.

  BE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN HOME.

  Visit every place in your home or office. See what’s inside every cabinet, drawer, closet, and crawl space. Don’t feel pressure to deal with it, just look.

  When I went on my tour of my apartment, I found troves of plastic cups, thumbtacks, and cotton balls.

  Most of us have lots of overlooked areas, where stuff has been stored and forgotten for years. No matter how useful an item might prove to be, if we don’t know we possess it, we can’t use it.

  BATTLE YOUR DUNGEONS.

  Most of us have dungeonlike areas in our surroundings—places that seem dank, dirty, neglected, even haunted.

  That’s unpleasant, so take steps now to eliminate this nastiness. Make sure that no area in your home smells bad, feels dirty, or seems abandoned.

  Deal with anything that’s sticky, moldy, or musty, whether it’s an old jar of honey, a cosmetics bottle streaked with foundation, an oily toolbox, a mildewed shower curtain, a bag of nuts that smells stale, or a laundry-room floor covered with a layer of soap.

  If possible, figure out why an area might be damp or crumbling or unstable, and fix it.

  In particular, pets can be a source of nastiness: stinky kitty litter, masses of dog hair, smelly aquarium water, old carpets, open bags of food.r />
  These disagreeable and neglected areas weigh us down, so by transforming them, we make the experience of our homes more pleasant.

  Brass shines with constant usage, a beautiful dress needs wearing; leave a house empty, it rots.

  OVID

  ASSIGN EACH DAY ITS OWN TASK.

  I love the Little House books of Laura Ingalls Wilder. As a child reading Little House in the Big Woods, I was fascinated by the idea of assigning a particular household chore to each day of the week. According to Laura,

  Wash on Monday,

  Iron on Tuesday,

  Mend on Wednesday,

  Churn on Thursday,

  Clean on Friday,

  Bake on Saturday,

  Rest on Sunday.

  This approach can be adapted to the work week, for tasks that are best done periodically. You might…

  Update spreadsheet on Monday,

  Process expense receipts on Tuesday,

  Work on monthly report on Wednesday,

  Invoice on Thursday,