This strategy helps overcome that difficulty. The point is to start with small tasks, rather than taking on a big job all at once.
I recommend that you first try to establish a place where you won’t put things (Strategy Variation 1). It’s easier to feel the impact if you’re dealing with a place you can see.
The first thing you’ll notice is how many unnecessary things you have around you, and how they increase in number day by day. As this begins to bother you, you’ll want to do something about it.
By following this strategy you’ll also develop the habit of disposal—of reducing the number of unnecessary things you have. Instead of picking redundant things up and then putting them back, you’ll pick them up and dispose of them. This is why it’s important to start with a compact place. If the job is too onerous, you’ll get fed up before discarding becomes habit.
But once you’ve seen the effect on a small scale, I hope you’ll want to apply the Art of Discarding to all aspects of your life.
10
WHO DISPOSES OF WHAT? DECIDE RESPONSIBILITIES
If space is being used by more than one person, it’s important to establish who is responsible for disposing of what.
In a home, for example, the husband might be given responsibility for mail and newspapers, while the wife is accountable for clothes, food, and things to do with the children. An alternative approach would be to allocate responsibility by area, rather than by item.
Similarly, in the workplace it’s good to establish who’s responsible for the spaces beyond individual desks.
Strategy variations
1. Divide responsibility by items
2. Divide responsibility by area
Strategy variations in practice
1: DIVIDE RESPONSIBILITY BY ITEMS
• Newspapers, flyers, magazines; mail (bills, junk mail, advertisements, catalogues, etc.); books
Let’s say a husband has responsibility for disposing of newspapers. This doesn’t mean that he automatically disposes of every newspaper he sees. It means that when unwanted newspapers have been lying around for a while, it’s up to him to get rid of them.
If, for example, there’s a newspaper on the living-room floor and a couple hasn’t fixed their respective responsibilities, then there may be confusion—each might think the other still wants to read it, or get irritated that they have read it but not thrown it away. Worse still, they may not even notice it, so that it lies untouched for days on end.
Allocating responsibilities averts this situation. In this case, the husband will wonder whether the newspaper should be discarded. He’ll check the date and, if it’s yesterday’s, he’ll ask his wife if she’s read it. If she has, he can throw it away there and then. If she hasn’t, he’ll say “Do you want to read it? If not, I’ll throw it. If you do want to read it, then could you throw it away afterwards?”
Of course, if the wife notices a newspaper on the floor, she should be able to suggest throwing it away. She shouldn’t feel it’s nothing to do with her. But the main responsibility would be with the husband.
I have included newspapers, mail, and books in this section because responsibility for these items might easily be taken by anyone. Disposal of most things in the house is often down to women—clothes, shoes, socks, general household goods, etc. But I think it’s a good idea to have at least some division of responsibility.
In the workplace, there are often a lot of people, so allocation of responsibility is even more helpful.
Take magazines for example: say A is responsible for weekly magazines and B for other magazines. In this role A has established a rule that all weekly magazines should be disposed of after two weeks. If anybody wants to keep one of the magazines at the end of that period, they tell A. They can do so by leaving a message to A in the magazine. If, after two weeks, A sees a magazine belonging to the company lying on someone’s desk, it’s his role to pick it up and dispose of it.
2: DIVIDE RESPONSIBILITY BY AREA
• The kitchen table, the lavatory, the hall, the living-room table, the staircase
Let’s say the husband has responsibility for the kitchen table (see Strategy 9, here). Whenever he looks at it, he’ll wonder whether anything can be discarded. He may see his wife’s credit card statement, some printouts from school, or flyers from the morning paper, and he’ll ask if they can be thrown away. This will be an opportunity to discard things that have been put there “for now” and have no real purpose.
In the living room, kitchen, and other large, well-used spaces, I recommend that responsibility is set according to category of item rather than place. Just as with the house overall, the burden of having full responsibility for these rooms is too great. The person will feel resentful and arguments are likely.
Why this strategy works
Making responsibilities clear will enable you to avoid situations where everybody thinks someone else will act, but nobody does. It takes effort to make and implement decisions, and people are only too pleased if someone else assumes responsibility. So they leave it, and things that should be thrown away stay put.
Issues of responsibility came up repeatedly in my survey: “I’m living with my boyfriend now and some things that are necessary to him don’t seem necessary to me, and vice versa” (female, age twenty-four); “Now I’m living with someone else, I can’t just throw away things like credit card statements” (twenty-something female). In these cases, things proliferate because people think they don’t have the right to discard them. Another respondent had no such problem with her husband’s things, however: “When you marry, you’ve suddenly got twice as much stuff around you. I have no problem discarding other people’s things, but I can’t throw away my own” (female, age forty). (This last example reminds me of myself when I got married!)
All of these people would benefit from clarification of responsibility. The first two would then have the right to ask if they can throw something away, while the third would be encouraged to think she must discard her own things in the same way that she discards her husband’s. Dividing responsibility in the home by room can help to avoid disputes, as the person who has responsibility for the room in question clearly has the right to ask about anything in it.
But I’d like to express just one important caution for the sake of a peaceful life: don’t be too interfering.
PART THREE
How to feel better about getting rid of things
Alternatives to throwing away
In this last part I will provide some information that may help you to dispose of things without feelings of resistance or anxiety.
So far, I’ve encouraged you simply to dispose of things, introducing you to attitudes and strategies that will help you. I’ve mentioned various methods, including throwing away, recycling, selling, etc. And, as I said under Strategy 8 (see here), throwing away and recycling are the same in that they both get rid of things. This has been my basic stance.
That said, it is tough to throw things away when you’re thinking that it’s a waste, or that perhaps someone else could use the item. It’s sad for the thing itself. So at this point I’d like to say that throwing things away is the most extreme in the range of disposal methods.
We can dispose of anything by throwing it away. It may cost some money, but if you feel no resistance, throwing things away is easy. Before throwing things, though, there are plenty of other methods of getting rid of them—methods which many people may find more appealing.
I have tried to identify methods that anybody can use. In doing so, I have focused on things that people find difficult to dispose of, and on things that people want useful information about. I have also gathered some information that might allow people to throw things away more readily. I would like to share some of that with you and hope that it will help make disposal an easier process.
WHAT INFORMATION DO PEOPLE WANT?
First, let’s consider what information people want about disposal methods. In the “Can’t
-discard” survey described in the Introduction, my last question was: “What information do you want about disposal?” Over 20 percent of respondents (twenty-eight people) said they wanted to know about the reuse of items. Within this category, the information required ranged from the very general to specific points on particular types of reused items, second-hand shops, flea markets, and how to make the sale, donation, or recycling of second-hand items go smoothly. It seemed that many people want things to be reused where possible.
Ten people wanted to have information about garbage disposal. More specifically, how to separate it, services that take things away for no charge, how to dispose of personal information, etc.
Eight people wanted to know about storage and organization methods. They seemed to think this might lead to more space being available and, therefore, relief. I would suggest that these people read Part One, Attitude 7: “Storage and organization methods are not the solution” (see here).
FEELING GOOD ABOUT DISPOSAL OF BOOKS
Methods of obtaining and keeping information have changed considerably in recent years. Although the focus now is not so much on having information as on how to use it, the feeling remains that information shouldn’t be wasted.
Let’s look at books, leaving aside the love of books as things to collect, and talking about them as information. I believe it is time to stop overestimating the value of the contents of books. This, of course, includes fiction and images.
If the content of a book is essential, then you can generally assume you’ll be able to obtain it again—via the Internet for a start. So you don’t have to worry that a book you dispose of may “sometime” prove necessary. And for people who can’t dispose of books out of a sense of waste, there are charitable organizations that will take them, as well as the traditional second-hand bookshops. Why not give them a try?
Some ways to dispose of books
The following are useful methods of book disposal:
1: SELL TO SECOND-HAND BOOKSHOPS
Not all second-hand bookshops deal in books that are old and valuable, so you might be able to find one that would be interested in what you are selling. Books usually have to be in good condition. Even if there are some books among those you take in that they deem valueless, they may still take them all.
2. SELL TO INTERNET BOOKSHOPS
An Internet search “second-hand bookshop,” “second-hand book,” or “old books” should throw up a lot of options. Many have been set up by individuals, others are existing second-hand bookshops that have expanded online.
To find a suitable shop, look at what you have to sell. If there’s a match between the books you have and the type sold by a particular second-hand bookshop, approach that shop.
Next, confirm online whether the books will be accepted. Some sites run by big bookstores will not buy. Those run by individuals are more likely to do so.
3. AUCTIONS/FLEA MARKETS
Internet auctions get a lot of attention these days and the number of people using them is growing rapidly. It’s easy to take part, so why not have a go (see here for details)? It’s a nice feeling if books you’ve looked after go for a good price, and if you don’t find a buyer, then throwing them away will be the inevitable choice.
4. LIBRARIES
Many local libraries will accept donated books, although different ones will have different policies, so it’s worth telephoning first to inquire, so that you don’t find yourself having to carry a heavy load home again.
As mentioned above, there is also the option of selling to second-hand bookshops, which still has an attraction for people who love books. It’s a wonderfully satisfying feeling to find a bookshop that wants your books.
FEELING GOOD ABOUT GETTING RID OF CLOTHES
A lot of people donate clothes to second-hand shops or sell them at yard sales or flea markets. Many second-hand shops stock valuable designer items and appreciate donations. This is useful if you have a quantity of clothes, and don’t want money for them, but don’t like the idea of throwing them away.
Ways to dispose of clothing
The following are useful ways to get rid of clothes:
1. CHARITY SHOPS
Most high-street charity shops will accept second-hand clothing. You can take your unwanted clothes to the shop yourself, or some organizations will send bags through mailboxes and then collect them on a specified day.
2. RECYCLING
Local-authority recycling centers usually have bins for unwanted clothing. There are also companies that will collect clothing from your home for recycling, some of which will pay for them.
3. SECOND-HAND SHOPS
In addition to donating, selling is also an option. Second-hand shops can be located both on the high street and online. An Internet search will tell you what’s available in your area, as well as directing you to websites where you can sell online.
FEELING GOOD ABOUT DISPOSAL OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
Electrical items can often be tricky when it comes to disposal. Here are some ideas:
Domestic appliances
Home electricals will usually sell in second-hand shops up to a maximum of three to five years from original purchase as long as they are in good working order. For telephone chargers the cut-off is about two years, while for fridges and washing machines it’s about three. (If you live alone and don’t use the washing machine much, it might have a life of up to five years.) Televisions are OK if they work properly, but it’s best for them to be less than five years old.
For machines that are easy to use, such as a fridge or washing machine, it is OK if you don’t have the instructions. For more complicated TVs, telephones, or music systems, the price offered will probably be lower if you can’t supply instructions.
Personal computers
PCs and related equipment are often sold between individuals over the Internet. If a seller has what a buyer is looking for, a good price may be paid. So it’s worth considering putting your PC into a flea market or auction. But this kind of trading is best for people who have a certain amount of knowledge, so if you’re a beginner you may feel more secure going to a second-hand shop or consulting PC magazines.
People may be concerned that their PC will have personal information on it when it is disposed of, but as long as you erase the data properly you should not have to worry about disposal.
Lastly, recycling is again an option for disposal here. The local authority recycling centers provide an area where PCs can be dumped.
DISPOSING OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE WARRANTIES, INSTRUCTIONS, ETC.
Electrical products come with a lot of documents. They look important, so it takes courage to dispose of them. But if you’re going to just use the product yourself, there’s not much call for them.
Warranties
If you lose your warranty, some companies will still honor its terms. They will check with the retailer when the appliance was sold and therefore whether it is still within the warranty period. If the warranty period is over, it’s possible that the company concerned will mend your appliance for a fee. But either way, there is no necessity for you to keep the warranty forever.
Instructions/manuals
There is no problem if you throw these away. Most manufacturers have websites and if you look there, you will find information about how to use their products and related accessories, etc. If your product is still in circulation, it is likely that you will find any necessary information on the Internet.
People who don’t like using the Internet can telephone the company. They will give you detailed advice. Many have free customer support helplines and they’ll tell you what’s in the instructions, or give advice on basic aspects of use. They might even offer to send you the relevant information.
It’s probably advisable, however, not to dispose of the basic operating instructions for a PC. When you talk to the support centers they often respond with reference to the manual—for example: “Look at page X of the instructions.” But if you
do happen to lose (dispose of) the manual, they will still handle your queries, and may offer to send you photocopies, so you don’t have to worry.
Boxes/packaging
When sending a PC in for repair or when moving house it’s not necessary for it to be transported in its original packaging. The fact that the box is exactly the right size doesn’t mean that it is especially effective in protecting against impact. Removal companies may say it’s best to have the same box, but they are just playing safe. Any cardboard box of the right size will do.
FEELING GOOD ABOUT DISPOSAL IN GENERAL—INTERNET AUCTIONS
When you want to recycle or sell something there are various steps you can take: ask the local authority, put it into a local flea market, sell it to a second-hand shop, have a garage sale… These methods are well known and relatively easy to implement. You can find plenty of information about them on the Internet, using keywords like “flea market,” “personal sale,” “auction,” “recycle,” and by adding other words, such as “books,” “children’s clothes,” “branded goods,” “toys,” “cars,” “PCs,” you can narrow your search. You can find anything. There are also a lot of specialist magazines.
The Art of Discarding Page 10
