Lurking at the back of the filing cabinet in our home office, I recently discovered a folder of handwritten performance appraisals from the early 1990s. Finding and reading through them inspired me to dust off the Clutter Tales series.
Tackling out-of-sight clutter in a January decluttering blitz
We all do it. To keep our homes looking tidy, we stuff things in drawers, baskets, cupboards, and closets. In January, I’ve been tackling this out-of-sight clutter in a series of decluttering blitzes. It has been a productive and interesting experience.
Say NO to Black Friday and YES to Buy Nothing Day
Are you ready for the silly season to kick into high gear? Black Friday is coming up next week. This day best known for retail mayhem is also Buy Nothing Day—an opportunity to rethink out-of-control consumerism. Today, I look at the origins of Buy Nothing Day, and offer alternatives to heading to the malls on Friday.
Why a digital declutter is good for you…and the Earth
When was the last time you did a digital declutter? You probably don’t give much thought to all those emails, photos and digital files on your phone, your computer, and in the cloud.
Today’s post looks at the environmental cost of our digital lives and offers tips on how to reduce your footprint with a digital declutter.
7 areas you may overlook when decluttering
When you begin decluttering, it makes sense to start with the most obvious areas—places you can see or things that will have an immediate impact. Once the low-hanging fruit is out of the way, many more opportunities to declutter and simplify remain. Today’s post looks at 7 areas you may overlook when decluttering.
Understanding the Diderot Effect can simplify your life
Are you familiar with the Diderot Effect? Even if you don’t have a name for it, you’ve likely experienced its effects. It’s a common side effect of a consumer culture that conditions us to want new things, even when our old things are perfectly fine.
Read on to learn about the Diderot Effect and get tips on how you can control its impact on your life.
Throwback Thursday – Are you feeling stuck with decluttering?
Today’s Throwback Thursday post from June 2023 discusses the benefits of decluttering bit by bit.
The Sunday Spark – Survivor guilt and life’s big questions
Have you ever experienced survivor guilt? Hearing about the lone survivor of the recent Air India crash was a reminder of the fragility of life and the need to keep seeking answers to life’s big questions. Learn more in this week’s Sunday Spark, along with bioswales, compostable meat packaging, and the powerful 2-minute tidy.
10 super easy decluttering and organizing tips
Regular readers know I’ve been decluttering on and off for several years. Through two rounds of the 52-Week Decluttering Challenge, I’ve purged thousands of items, yet there’s always more to do. Today’s post is a roundup of my top 10 decluttering and organizing tips.
The big lie of convenience culture
Convenience. On the surface, it sounds so appealing. But have the things that promised to simplify life delivered on their pledges? Or has convenience culture just complicated our lives and put our happiness, our relationships, and ultimately our lives, at risk?
Today’s post has 10 ways you can reject convenience culture and regain control of your life, your health, and your time.