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Post by stressedbythemess on Jun 7, 2008 17:18:29 GMT -5
So, I use this, and thought I'd share. I call it "zen" because I think I picked it up after reading the Blog Zen Habits. I know that if I owned less stuff, life would be easier. So, I'm trying to do that by tracking every item i toss every item I bring in the house Things like toothpaste and most toiletries don't count (makeup does), and I'm not a food hoarder (that's the roommate who I can't do anythign about), so edibles don't count either, or trashbags, sponges (stuff we replace all the time) etc etc just because that's what works for me. I do all this in a google doc spreadsheet with the in column, the out column, each of which have what i tossed, and then the # of items that it was. So like today I took 2 pair of shoes and some clothes and a table runner to good will so I have an entry for Shoes 2 Clothes 10 Table Runner 1 As far as how I'm progressing with it - The in column is 485 The out column is 368 and the ratio then is (roughly) for every 4 things I've brought into the house, I've tossed 3. I did count a 150 piece drill set I got as 150 things though, instead of one. I think i may change that because it's all in one case/box. Which gives me what feels like the more accurate number as I feel like I own less stuff - a ratio of 1.09 so rounding a little for every 10 things I bring in, I tossed 11. Odd and obsessive I suppose, but can you tell I'm an engineer by day yet?  I would be more upset with myself for not getting rid of "more", but I started the list a couple months before Christmas which is 5 days before my birthday, so that includes all the gifts and I still have 6 more months to get rid of things before the holidays! |
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Post by stressedbythemess on Jun 7, 2008 17:22:29 GMT -5
Oh, and another bizzare thing I found useful, likely from the same websources. I've gotten rid of about 6-7 things this way, but it's worth sharing.
I take digital (so effectively free), photos, of things that have sentimental value but not enough to justify their space, or things I really like but are just too worn out to keep. I also did this with the flowers I got after a family member died (I did keep the pot but I didn't feel nearly so bad about tossing the flowers themselves, i have photos!).
Now granted, this is trading one form of clutter (digital) for another. But i'd rather have a harddrive that takes up 2 decks of cards of space full of photos, than the real stuff in my closet.
Btw - I give these tips because i found them to work. I'm still living in a messy messy place, they didn't solve all my problems, and I'm not trying to lecture anybody or say I have the answers. I just realized I might have come off that way.
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Post by glowworm on Jun 7, 2008 17:31:25 GMT -5
It's a good plan. Less stuff = less stuff to clean and maintain. |
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Post by messysue on Jun 7, 2008 20:52:22 GMT -5
My sister helps her kids make a notebook of each school year. Pictures, events, etc. etc.
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Post by crazycatlady on Jun 7, 2008 22:56:07 GMT -5
Btw - I give these tips because i found them to work. I'm still living in a messy messy place, they didn't solve all my problems, and I'm not trying to lecture anybody or say I have the answers. I just realized I might have come off that way.
Great job on moving stuff out of the house! Woot Woot! |
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