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The Four Laws of Simplicity, and How to Apply Them to Life

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. - Leonardo da Vinci

The problem with many books and guides on simplifying your clutter, your work life, your desk, your life, is that they are usually too darn complicated.

We need a simple method of simplifying.

It’s been nearly a decade since I first started trying to simplify my life, and in those years I’ve struggled with clutter, I’ve had surges and ebbs of complications and simplicity, I’ve tried dozens of methods of simplifying from as many sources. It’s been an interesting journey, although not one that I can recommend to everyone. If you’re looking to simplify a certain aspect of your life, you don’t want to go through that kind of confusion.

So I’ve boiled it down to a simple method of Four Laws of Simplicity (apologies to John Maeda) that you can use on any area of your life, and in fact on your life as a whole:

1. Collect everything in one place.

2. Choose the essential.

3. Eliminate the rest.

4. Organize the remaining stuff neatly and nicely.

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. - Confucius

To illustrate, let’s take a quick look at how to declutter a drawer. Let’s say this is the worst junk drawer in your home — it has take-out menus from restaurants that closed down a dozen years ago, manuals for computers that used DOS as their primary OS, tools that you have no idea how to use, more rubber bands, paper clips and chopsticks than you can ever use, mementos from your unfortunate foray into rubber stamp hobbying, souvenirs from that Mexico City trip you’d rather forget about, not to mention a funky smell that reminds you of gym class.

You could spend all day sorting through such a mess and still have a mess. (Or more likely, you’ll close the drawer and forget about it.) But let’s see how the 4-step method would be applied to our drawer:

1. Collect. Take out everything and put it in a pile. Empty the entire drawer, and pile it all on a counter or a table. Take everything out, down to the last paper clip.

2. Choose. Pick out only the few things you love and use and that are important to you. Just sort through the pile, picking out the really essential stuff. Be very selective. Put the important stuff you pick out into a separate, smaller pile.

3. Eliminate. Toss the rest out. You know you’ll never need those manuals again. Don’t be sentimental with this step. Either throw everything into a big trash bag, or find a new home for some of the items if you think someone might have a use for them — donate them to charity or give them to a friend who would love them. And yes, you have to toss out all the chopsticks.

4. Organize. Put back the essential things, neatly, with space around things. Clean the drawer out first, of course, and put the very small pile of things you chose back in the drawer, grouping like things together and leaving space around the groups. Having space around things makes everything look neater and simpler.

That’s it. You now have a very nice, simplified junk drawer, with (let’s hope) a much less funky smell.

This simple method can be applied to every area of your life. My suggestion is to focus on one area at a time, apply the method, and then move to the next area. So, if you just wanted to simplify a couple areas of your life, you could focus on one per week, but if you wanted to simplify your entire life, I’d do one area every couple of days until you’re done.

Here are some examples of how you could apply the above method to other areas of your life:

Closets. Focus on one area of the closet at a time — a shelf at a time for instance. Take everything off the shelf and put it in a pile on the floor. Pick out only the really important stuff that you love and use. Put the rest in a box to donate. Put the important stuff back on the shelf, grouping like things together and leaving space around the groups. You could use containers for groups of things, using clear containers and labeling them. Or just leave the shelves fairly empty, and get rid of most of your stuff. Move on to the next area. My suggestion is to leave the floor of your closet clear — it makes it look much nicer and simpler.

Your desk. Clear everything off the surface of your desk (excepting, perhaps, you computer and phone). For the surface of the desk, I would suggest only putting your inbox and a nice photo or two, and nothing else. Put supplies in a drawer, and file the papers. Toss out the rest. Then do the drawers of your desk the same way, one at a time, leaving space in each drawer. It’s so much more relaxing to work in a simplified environment. After you’re done with the desk, do your walls.

Your work tasks. Have a long to-do list (or a bunch of long context lists)? Spend a little time adding every task or project you can think of to your lists, until it’s as complete as you can (GTD’s brain dump works for this). Then choose only the tasks that you really want to do, or that will give you the absolute most long-term benefit, and put those on a separate, shorter list. The rest of the stuff? See if you can eliminate them, or delegate them, or at least put them on a someday/maybe list to be considered later. Then only focus on your short list, trying to choose the three most important things on the list to do each day.

Your commitments. Make a list of all your commitments in your life, from work to personal. Include hobbies, clubs, online groups, civic groups, your kids’ activities, sports, home stuff, etc. Anything that regularly takes up your time. Now pick out the few of those that really give you value, enjoyment, long-term benefits. Toss the rest, if possible. It might be difficult to do that, but you can get out of commitments if you just tell people that you don’t have the time anymore. This will leave you with a life that only has the commitments you really enjoy and want to do. Leave space around them, instead of filling up your life.

Your wardrobe. Do you really need 40 T-shirts? Or 40 pairs of shoes? How many jeans do you actually wear? One drawer or section of your closet at a time, put everything on your bed in a pile, choose the clothes you really love and actually wear on a regular basis, donate the rest, and put the ones you love back in your drawers or closet. Leave space around the clothes — don’t stuff your drawers full.

A room. If you’d like to simplify your cluttered rooms, start with the furniture. Which ones do you love and use? Get rid of the rest. Now clear every flat surface in the room, from counters to tables to shelves to desktops. Choose the stuff you love, and get rid of the rest. Leave the flat surfaces as clear as possible, only putting back a few choice objects. Now do the drawers and cabinets the same way. Also do everything on your floor that’s not a piece of furniture, leaving the floor as clear as humanly possible.

Your email inbox. Have an email inbox full of clutter? Dump all your emails in your inbox into a folder. Scan through the folder, choosing only a few to reply to and putting those in a separate folder. Delete or archive the rest.

As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness. - Henry David Thoreau

If you liked this article, please bookmark it on del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

The Four Laws of Simplicity, and How to Apply Them to Life

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. - Leonardo da Vinci

The problem with many books and guides on simplifying your clutter, your work life, your desk, your life, is that they are usually too darn complicated.

We need a simple method of simplifying.

So I’ve boiled it down to a simple method of Four Laws of Simplicity (apologies to John Maeda) that you can use on any area of your life, and in fact on your life as a whole:

1. Collect everything in one place.

2. Choose the essential.

3. Eliminate the rest.

4. Organize the remaining stuff neatly and nicely.

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. - Confucius

1. Collect. Take out everything and put it in a pile. Empty the entire drawer, and pile it all on a counter or a table. Take everything out, down to the last paper clip.

That’s it. You now have a very nice, simplified junk drawer, with (let’s hope) a much less funky smell.

Here are some examples of how you could apply the above method to other areas of your life:

As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness. - Henry David Thoreau

If you liked this article, please bookmark it on del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

Posted on 6 January 2008 in Simplicity |
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Comments (84)

David Zemens Says:

January 6th, 2008, 22:13 pm

OK, I am going to start with one junk drawer. You know, the drawer where my keys, receipts, coins, chopsticks, etcetera is located.

Here goes. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

I will report back when I finish. If you never hear from me again, you can assume I never finished. :-)

David Says:

January 6th, 2008, 22:21 pm

Funny that, I only cleared out my bed-side drawers (which are junk drawers) tonight before this was posted!

I will apply the same process to my work (hopefully)! It’s difficult when there isn’t physically enough room to store the 10 TFT monitors that sit around my office idly doing nothing =(. Good article too, kept things simple.

Suzie Cheel Says:

January 6th, 2008, 22:23 pm

So timely as I have a goal to spend 20 minutes each day simplifying all areas of my life so by Feb 1 I will have more time and be more effective.

I have realized how having in-completions stifles my productivity, my creativity , basically all areas of my life.

Putta Says:

January 6th, 2008, 22:41 pm

I started out cleaning a closet this morning by accident. After reading your post, I realized I had not done a great job cleaning as there were still many things left in the closet… Okay. Tomorrow, I’ll declutter it again to make sure I am ABLE to DO it once and for all… Thanks for the inspiration and direction.

John B Says:

January 6th, 2008, 22:42 pm

This is a great post, Leo! My wife and I recently moved, and we were really going to do this beforehand, but like always life intervened and we ended up moving a ton of junk we didn’t need. It was horrible, and we’ve vowed not to do it again.

Extending the process to non-material things (relationships) is interesting, and something I’m willing to try.

sunny Says:

January 6th, 2008, 22:45 pm

I’ve been waiting a long time for this very article - but didn’t realize it until I was reading it! THANK YOU for putting into words what I needed to hear.

[my method of organizing a closet is usually to get everything out, sort it ALL into piles to keep, give away, toss, and “not sure”… then deal with each pile. Loving your recommendation to pick through and choose what I love/need and then simply get rid of the rest.]

the whole article had me going “ahhhhh” in relief. Thank you for specific examples to apply the four step method.

Brett Legree Says:

January 6th, 2008, 22:46 pm

Leo - this is an awesome post, like everything else you write. I have been reading your work for about a year and I have been applying your simple ZTD at work and at home, with great results. I also rise at 04:30 like you do - I have to, I have 4 kids - and 2008 is the year I am going to break free and start to work for myself.

Thanks for the words of inspiration - Brett

Andrew Flusche Says:

January 6th, 2008, 22:54 pm

Another winner, as usual, Leo! It’s definitely time for some simplifying in my life. Hopefully I can take this to heart in our spare junk room. :)

Goal Setting College Says:

January 6th, 2008, 23:12 pm

Leo, thanks for the simple straightforward tips. I’m a minimalist lover too. The way I go about clearing my inbox’s pretty similar too. Review, reply or delegate and delete/archive. Those still in the inbox are really outstanding stuff that I’ll followup. So far, that has kept my inbox pretty neat.

Very good and concise tips.

Cheers,
Ellesse

Matt Says:

January 6th, 2008, 23:30 pm

I’ve been taking a similar approach for a while. The daunting thing is the amount of clutter that keeps building up. I am amazed at the amount of crap that I keep around the house, you know ‘just in case I need it’.

Great post Leo, as always a nice concise way of putting it that can be translated to virtually every aspect of our day to day lives.

Charles Says:

January 6th, 2008, 23:41 pm

Great post, Leo!

I’ve recently realized how much happier minimalism makes me. I have better days when I get up to a clean, organized house.

I’d just recommend one other thing, and thats to be thoughtful when deciding homes for things. For example, it might make sense for you to have a charging station on your desk for computer connectivity. I don’t though, because I inevitably drop everything as I come in the door, so my charging station is downstairs in a desk drawer. Rather than beating myself up for not putting things where they go, I try to put them somewhere that is practical.

Keep up the good work, Leo!

Jeff Pickett Says:

January 6th, 2008, 23:42 pm

Two things have helped me simply my clutter. I catalog all emails into ONE folder and use Google Desktop to sort when I can’t find the email I need. HUGE help and eliminates all those folders I use to have. In addition - I’ve eliminated all extra folders and clutter from my desktop - saves on stress, anxiety and helps me focus.
Great Post Leo!

Tina Su - Think Simple Now Says:

January 6th, 2008, 23:52 pm

I love this. So simple! I especially like your examples for applications of the simple four laws. Commitment is one that I hadn’t thought about before. Nicely put!

You know what? this is also applicable for writing.
Writing blog posts for example. You start with a topic:

1. Collect. List out all your ideas for the article in a document. List everything that comes to mind. Empty your entire mind, and pile it all on a word processor document. :)

2. Choose. Pick out only the few ideas and phrases you love and use that are important for the topic. Just sort through the list from step 1, picking out the really essential ideas. Be very selective. Put the important stuff you pick out into a separate, smaller file in point forms.

3. Eliminate. Toss the rest out. You know the extra verbose words are not useful anyway. Don’t be sentimental with this step. Either delete it all, or find a new home for some of the sentences and ideas if you think you can use them in another article.

4. Organize Take the bullet points from the new and smaller file and organized the points in logical sequences. Now add in additional words to join the ideas together into sentences. Then organized them into comprehensible paragraphs. Keep them short and make sure to have lots of whitespace around paragraphs. Having whitespace around words and images makes everything look neater and simpler.

hehehe.. thanks for the inspiration.

Tina

Soham Says:

January 7th, 2008, 0:24 am

Hi Leo,
Its quite an interesting post and yes, quite simple. I have often used this four step method to de-clutter my home, workspace, life and yeah even thoughts :)….

I believe the most essential part is starting off. The very act of starting at the bottom of the heap and turning the entire thing upside down. Its tough, if you have let your negligence build the mess over the years. And the second toughest job is to let go of the mental attachment with the petty things. :). I often pick up nuts and bolts, irregular shaped objects (and basically anything which looks good) from anywhere I get… and pile them up… The main struggle comes in accepting that they will never come to real use for you, and so let them go away… So essentially I believe at a mental level its can be shrunk to 2 steps:
1. Win over your fear (of starting)
2. Win over your attachment (which stops you from letting go something)

And you know what, Leo? With a little practice both are achievable :)

Enjoy…. keep coming with such food for thought… :)

Adam Kamerer - JoyChaser.com Says:

January 7th, 2008, 0:30 am

I’ve used this sort of “clutter triage” myself, when cleaning out closets and such. I’ve found that a good rule of thumb is that if you haven’t used / worn the item in the past two years, you’re not likely to need it again, and it can be gotten rid of. This applies to just about everything, in my experience, though I’m sure there’s a few items, like that old pair of crutches in the garage, you might want to keep for emergency purposes.

Emily Says:

January 7th, 2008, 0:42 am

I have a widget on my iGoogle homepage of Henry David Thoreau quotations, and today’s is “Our life is frittered away by detail… simplify, simplify.” Sounds like he’s the man of the hour. Rock on, Leo!

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

January 7th, 2008, 1:06 am

I really wish I read this in high school instead of being “committed” to two instruments, an orchestra, a choir, a student council, and heading up an entertainment committee! Simplicity is the only way to go!

My approach now is to start by assuming everything will be eliminated and then putting back the essential. It’s slightly different from assuming everything will stay and then simply choosing what won’t. It seems I get rid of more this way. I just tried it a few weeks ago when clearing out my dorm room and I couldn’t believe how much junk I managed to throw out. Thoughts?

Warren Says:

January 7th, 2008, 1:19 am

I have to say, that is the most simple way to simplify I have ever read. Simply.

C5 Says:

January 7th, 2008, 2:25 am

Hi Leo (my first time here)…

My husband will be ecstatic and tell me, “See, I told you so!”

You see, I’m a recycler, how can that apply? :D

But honestly, you’ve done a great post. And so has Tina Su.

I’ll see what I can do. Being in a poor country and always looking for ways to earn a living, material stuff such as reorganizing my things get the bottom of my priority list. Blogging opportunities that pay come first. :)

Another thought…how can this apply to spontaneous people who normally go as needed, at the spur of the moment, without turning back (or rarely does he or she turns his or her back)?

Marley Says:

January 7th, 2008, 3:26 am

Great post Leo - as always!

As a brand new blogger (mainly inspired by you I have to say), I also loved what Tina Su had to say - eloquently described and very wise words.

Regarding the main post, the ultimate step from here is to slow down or stop the inevitable re-building of clutter.

If Sohams point about avoiding the attachment can be done earlier in the life of ‘clutter’, we may be able to stop the problem before it’s begun.

However few of us are that disciplined or your blog wouldn’t be so popular!! Therefore, as I said, Great Post!

Ardi Says:

January 7th, 2008, 3:51 am

Nice, i like this article a lot. Since my mind is full with any kind of stuff, I think I need to organize all of it. And I think, I need to apply this method for my mind.

And also, can I put this article in my website? I will put the source where this article come from.

Thank you

Leo Says:

January 7th, 2008, 3:58 am

Thanks for all the great feedback, guys! I’m loving all the comments. Tina, love the application to writing!

@Ardi: I would prefer you didn’t reprint the article in full, but quote parts of it if you like.

Klaus Says:

January 7th, 2008, 5:36 am

Hi Leo, nice and short application of the simplify rules. I would suggest that you add a cleaning step in your drawer example. Usually this is self evident but often forgotten! After you empty the drawer, clean it thoroughly and also clean everything before you put it back.
This definitely gets rid of that funky smell!

Regards from your german fan club!

Klaus ;-)

Ian Davidson Says:

January 7th, 2008, 5:42 am

What a great way to start my day. Thanks for sharing! I think I’ll start with my closet tonight…I think I do have 25 T-Shirts at least!

Sal Says:

January 7th, 2008, 5:43 am

This sounds like a good principle to apply to acquaintances.

Jon Bischke Says:

January 7th, 2008, 7:05 am

One of the best ways to “get simple”?

Move.

A close friend did this recently and actually paired down to just what he could take on the plane to his next locale. Forced him to throw out everything non-essential (vast majority of his stuff).

His feedback?

Doesn’t miss “the stuff” at all.

That’s a big lesson to me. :)

Craig Harper Says:

January 7th, 2008, 7:46 am

Timely post. I think New Years is a great time to chuck old stuff out. There’s something cleansing about cleaning out your drawers with the stuff you never wear.

Welcome to Paradise Says:

January 7th, 2008, 8:33 am

The suggestions are very basic and very simple. I also hope to follow by them.

Sam Says:

January 7th, 2008, 9:27 am

It can be simpler in the long run to keep those essential financial records for reference, the insurance policy number and the software license.

Throwing away things you “don’t need” which represent other complexity that you don’t also abandon can be a bad idea.

(I remember having to fix someones computer because they deleted a load of files which they didn’t need - but the system did).

Of course I don’t think the author was suggesting this, but I do think the author over simplified the process.

Benglued Says:

January 7th, 2008, 9:33 am

The suggestions are very simple to go ahead in life.Thanks

ooyes Says:

January 7th, 2008, 9:47 am

Greath site

http://www.ooyes.net

Emma Says:

January 7th, 2008, 9:48 am

Perfect suggestions. I did something very similar with my junk drawers and closet over the Christmas break. I feel much better for having done it although the 7 bin bags of stuff to go to charity is cluttering up my hall!

SJ | RichGrad.com Says:

January 7th, 2008, 10:29 am

Great Advice… Although I must say… Eliminating is the hardest part.

http://RichGrad.com
Personal Development for the Book Smart

Gene Says:

January 7th, 2008, 10:36 am

“Less Is More”

Great strategy

Work to Simplify Says:

January 7th, 2008, 10:37 am

The simple rules and guidelines outlined here are neatly and clearly elucidated with the photograph which spells sereness.
Its sad that in our everyday world , with its hustle bustle , that we are ovewhelmed again and again with commercial stimulus , as well as messages and even threats from our bosses and employers.
In the end , all of these demands and foolishness do not matter. In the end it all comes down to basic values that your grandparent or a child could tell tell you.
Thats what it all comes down to in the end.

Hunter Nuttall Says:

January 7th, 2008, 11:03 am

Keeping my inbox empty is something I’ve been working on recently. It doesn’t have to be complicated at all–I mainly just use one “Save” folder in combination with liberal use of the delete key.

Fuente Palmera Says:

January 7th, 2008, 12:16 pm

and a little of light job

Never the Same River Twice Says:

January 7th, 2008, 12:37 pm

I am a huge fan of the Clean Sweep television show. They use a similar process, but on a larger scale. They literally haul everything in a room out onto the lawn. It is jaw dropping to see the mountain of clutter that people can acquire.

A big problem that gets uncovered on that show often, is people attaching memories and emotions to “stuff.” For example, not getting rid of Grandma’s vinyl records because they remind you of her. The break through moment always occurs when people realize that they can hold onto the memories but get rid of the “stuff.”

Sarah Says:

January 7th, 2008, 12:38 pm

There is another way don’t get the clutter in first place. Simple to say difficult to do. I have discovered in my life journey that being poor is a great moderator of clutter.

business Says:

January 7th, 2008, 13:03 pm

Perfect for the New Year! Time to uncomplicate my life, Dugg and bookmarked. Even your suggestions are simplified. Thanks.

security Says:

January 7th, 2008, 13:10 pm

Cant find a more relevant new year resolution. Dugg too, thanks. Now all I have to do is motivate myself to do it

y f dubble Says:

January 7th, 2008, 13:21 pm

so necessary. great post… but does this mean i can’t print the article and leave it on my desk???

Kinglink Says:

January 7th, 2008, 13:34 pm

I’m sorry Jane, I can’t see you any more. No I’m just simplifying my life and you just didn’t make the cut.

Steve Kwan Says:

January 7th, 2008, 13:57 pm

The funny thing is, these simplicity principles also apply when designing something like a software app.

grace Says:

January 7th, 2008, 14:12 pm

Simplicity, this is always my favorite subject.I’ve become very good at decluttering my material world and find it curious that this can make others uncomfortable. Maybe they feel vunerable without the clutter to hide behind. I am now in the phase of trying to declutter my mind . Any successes?

RJC Says:

January 7th, 2008, 14:30 pm

Nice tips. I usually box things up and store it away but I may have to open these things that are boxed up and get rid of all my clutter.

We all are a little bit of pack rat and see way too much sentimental value in junk. Time to unclutter my own surroundings and get organized, at least this will make for a good New Year’s resolution to keep.

brandy Says:

January 7th, 2008, 14:42 pm

great article, although i wish you place more emphasis on recycling and giving away the items, rather than “tossing” them. we are the ones responsible for collecting this junk–should we be more responsible when we don’t want it anymore?

also, step 5: don’t collect more junk! maybe you should make some “laws” for shopping, and knowing the difference between wanting something because it’s “nice to have”, or actually needing it. (then, please, inform my relatives so they stop giving me all this crap. lol)

here is a very relevant link–you should pass this one to your readers, if you haven’t already!

http://storyofstuff.com

Opus Vir Says:

January 7th, 2008, 15:43 pm

My space at work is simple, my phone, my PC. My email inbox is immaculate, all of my mails stowed away in archived folder. My space at home, well that’s work in progress. Great advice though.

Lloyd Woods Says:

January 7th, 2008, 17:05 pm

Kevin: I drink this every day.

Here is the link:

http://www.strandtea.com/black.htm

PU-ERH TRIBUTE TEA
China souchong tea leaves are partially dried, then buried in clay according to ancient tradition to make this highly distinctive tea. It has rich earthy tastes and is thought by the Chinese to have special health properties. A true specialty tea.
Item Code B134
2 oz 3.50 • 4 oz 5.95 • 8 oz 10.95 • 16 oz 18.95

Lloyd Woods
Associate Editor
Portland Business Journal

Christian Says:

January 7th, 2008, 17:17 pm

Hey Leo!

The davinci quote is excellent! I think I might get it tattooed on my arm.
It would be a great quote to live by!

Heather Says:

January 7th, 2008, 17:19 pm

I love it! How did you know I needed this advice TODAY! I feel overwhelmed, with too many things on my “to do” list and too much clutter in my life! I am learning as I go that less is more - with toys, with clothes, with so many of the things we collect.

OlliS Says:

January 7th, 2008, 17:48 pm

This is maybe a little bit of repetition to your older blogs, but makes sense; really! I do this once in a while, should do it more often though! You just have to get past the “starting of”-point and then really get into the flow :)

But I have to say that simplifying too much isn´t that good either… balance and harmony, key words.

Andrew Says:

January 7th, 2008, 19:22 pm

That is exactly what I have been doing with my junk drawers and boxes. I actually dump it out in the middle of the room, because it forces me to do something about it right away. Great article.

Erica Ross-Krieger Says:

January 7th, 2008, 19:24 pm

I’m a day late in my comment. I was busy applying the 4 steps to my kitchen junk drawer. As always, your stuff rocks. Only one tweak…the chopsticks stay…they are essential:)

Kristin Says:

January 7th, 2008, 19:34 pm

This is exactly how I do it, simple and sweet!

Dawn Says:

January 7th, 2008, 20:38 pm

Great post. This is how I usually declutter and organize…clothes, drawers, files, CDs, etc. My preferred place is the living room rug…nice large area to spread everything out, and I can pop on a movie to keep me entertained at the same time.

Adam Says:

January 7th, 2008, 21:22 pm

Well, thanks for the tip…I decided to apply this to my backpack and my missing iPod fell out when I unzipped all the zippers and turned it upside down. That was exciting…actually, it was a little too exciting and i just stuffed everything back in my bag and went off in search of my iPod cable…so my backpack’s even more messy than it was before…oh well. Win some, lose some…

C5 Says:

January 7th, 2008, 22:24 pm

I’ve to brandy’s recommendation about The Story Of Stuff. It is a great video and thought-provoking.

I just don’t buy stuff. So I don’t pile up things that will just later stay in the corner (out of things I personally bought). Being a recycler I collect those juice foils and tetra packs and coffee sachets and turn them into something useful like wallets and bags.

I can easily give away stuff without sentimental value. Those with sentimental value, on the other hand, are categorized as such not because of the stuff but because of the person who gave it who is the one sentimental about the stuff given. Not wanting to offend that person, I pile up stuff.

Our house can look more like a junk shop than a house. Seriously. :D And most are bare essentials and sentimental stuff (again, not my end). Being in a poor family in a third-world country, you don’t (understandably) have the right to complain if you were given old stuff since you can’t buy them yourself. We just learn to be content, though.

I’m more inclined to rummage through old clothes, though….and make rags out of the worn-out ones.

You might want to check my recycled stuff: How To Make Use Of Nescafe Sachets To Turn Into Keychain Wallette, Holdless Purse, Organizer, And Lady’s Wallet

C5 Says:

January 7th, 2008, 22:25 pm

I’ve *been* to…

Marc Says:

January 7th, 2008, 23:43 pm

I cleaned up the tie rack in my closet and put a whole bunch of ties (remember the thin ties from the 80’s, I even still had my zipper tie from high school!) and belts in a bag to be donated to charity. Felt good and now my ties have a bit of breathing room.

(I wear a tie maybe once a year, if that, so just keeping 3 or 4 ties is still maybe overkill, but maybe I’ll get rid of more later).

I’ve also for the past few months kept my work email inbox almost empty. Some colleagues can’t understand how I am able to function with an almost empty inbox. But some have at least considered following my example (which I of course learned from this blog - thanks Leo!)

Treo Says:

January 8th, 2008, 0:26 am

Simple principles, very practical, thank you for sharing.

4mind4life Says:

January 8th, 2008, 0:52 am

Very true, very real advice. Thanks for sharing some simple, yet powerful advice with everyone!

Bamboo Forest Says:

January 8th, 2008, 1:27 am

This is wonderful advice. I will take it to heart.

Norman: learn to "Kiss", the door to success Says:

January 8th, 2008, 7:48 am

Excellent article, could not agree with you more. I realized I wasted a lot of time on multiple e-mail accounts, multiple passwords, especially the retrieving password is really a headache. So my plan to simply my life is:

1. Use as less email accounts as possible, one is more personal and secured and the other is for online shopping (a typical spam collector!)

2. Use Roboform.com to manage passwords. I think this is one of better softwares out there.

3.Use google reader, igoogle to keep up with favorite new sites and blogs. Netvibes is also an excellent personal home page to use.

This is my goal for this year, I called learn to kiss, the door to success.

Rikster Says:

January 8th, 2008, 11:12 am

Thanks Leo, great tips….I have printed this out in duplicate (in case I lose one) and stored them in both my wardrobe and shed… :o)

Miss Gisele from myBeautyMatch.com Says:

January 8th, 2008, 11:18 am

This is another great post Leo!

I hate clutter with a passion so I’ve been basically living the life your describe since I was 5 years old :-)) !

Gisele

Luke Says:

January 8th, 2008, 13:22 pm

Wow! Amazing post Leo.

Most of the time it’s necessary to have a large amount of information in one post (good thing you simplify those with easy to read, paragraphs etc.)

Sometimes though, it’s just so refreshing to have a simple concept such as this to read about. Makes you feel like you can start applying it straight-away.

It’s school holidays for me, and I’ve been having trouble finding the motivation to do the things I’ve been wanting some free time to do. I’ve been in a bit of a rut lately. Waking up a midday, going to bed way past midnight. It’s not good.

That’s my January challenge. To go to bed at midnight each night and wake up before 9:30. Although, I’ve clearly failed tonight miserably…

C5 Says:

January 9th, 2008, 2:00 am

Congra me…I’m halfway; when I’m done, you can -tulate me then. :)

One advantage I have over people who lived a clutterless life, though: I *can* work and my surroundings do not affect my working capacity.

My attempt to do general cleanup is hampered halfway because what I have to do is more important and time-sensitive (problogging) :)

Paul Says:

January 9th, 2008, 7:28 am

In my experience, if you can get through step two, you’ve got it made. However, I think step two comes from a perspective that is entirely alien to some people (my wife being one of them). We’ve had conversations about decluttering on many occasions, and what’s interesting is that there is something “blocking” her ability to decide whether one thing is more important than another. So I’ve come to see that step two is really a skill, and for some it does not come naturally. For some of us, it might be as simple as looking at the pile and picking out the important stuff, but for others everything seems to be of equal value. If this is the case, I’d advocate starting small and practicing regularly as the two keys to developing the skill.

marcao Says:

January 11th, 2008, 18:57 pm

Adorei o seu aproach. pena que nao serve pro mundo todo. infelizmente sou minoria aqui: leio ingreis mas nao screvo a lingua. olha, legal o esforço, dou a maior força pro confucio e pro budismo, mas na real isso nao vale muito pra maioria das pessoas no mundo, pois a maioria das pessoas no mundo nao tem muito, muitos não têm nada. portanto… sei la de onde vc vem, nao li o post todo… mas se vem dos eua ou de um pais igualmente consumista como esse.. voilá.. força aí nos teus propósitos. se nao, entoa… vc sabe, é a regra da casa… pois nóis não tem nada e fica filiz quando tem arguma coisa. bem, força e saúde pra ti. cheers!

Annalea Says:

January 11th, 2008, 20:47 pm

What Paul said was really interesting to me. I’ve had to make the precipitous leap from a desperate psychological need for abundance to a trusting and abundant state of mind. There’s such a difference from a need for abundance and a state of abundance.

I grew up in a family that scraped by. Stuff was kept because it couldn’t be replaced easily. Seeing the potential in something (”Hey, I could fix this!” or “Wow, I could use this for . . . “) was highly approved–no matter how strange the object. Now that I have a husband that provides at a much higher standard of living, (such a difference for this farm girl!), I’m trying to sift through and eliminate most of nearly 10 years of “putting by”. I haven’t made it very far yet, but at least my conscious state of mind is more in line with how I want to live (and how much maintenance effort I want to expend).

For me, it has been a matter of recognizing that if I’m careful with my means, I can provide what I need, when I need it, and don’t need to hoard things for a rainy day. So, what is essential and important and vital to me today is what’s important. Not what I *may* need in the future.

Life is so much simpler when you’re not planning and hoarding for every possible contingency!

db Says:

January 13th, 2008, 5:26 am

I’ve been working on simplifying and de-cluttering for years — I’m finally getting to a really good place with it.

I think it’s good to remember that it doesn’t have to happen overnight if you’re coming from a place where you’re an accumulator or a horder. It can take time — it’s really a process of learning the right balance of things to empty space.

In my family — well, I come from poorer people who lived through being immigrants working their way out of the coal mines and then the depression. It took my parents 1 1/2 years to clean out the house where my grandmother lived most of her childhood and adult life, because there was all this STUFF that had accumulated for close to 100 years because they were horders against scarcity.

My own parents also have a difficult time clearing out the clutter. My mother cries at the thought of getting rid of a book. My dad squirrels away whole boxes of used car parts in case he needs to fix a car.

And I confess — I’ve never been a neatnik. But I’m getting much better.

I am keeping it simple. I try to make a sweep of the house every evening just before bedtime and tidy around the edges. I try to keep my kitchen counters and sink clean. I try to keep my desk and table clean. I have vigorously cleaned out my closets and my bookshelves.

And when I buy something, I play a game with myself — I have a goal to move abroad in the next few years. So I think to myself — do I want this enough to pay to move it to another country? It really keeps me from buying!

When I’m successful with these things, I feel so much more relaxed.

Leo Says:

January 13th, 2008, 13:05 pm

These days I think very carefully about what I actually need in my life. I find that this process actually slows down consumption and quenches the impulse buy.

I’m also on the look out for things that have no longer become useful to me. When I moved from LA to Philly, I never fully unpacked and item unless I really needed it (few towels, the clothes I wanted to wear). After 6 months I found I still had a load of stuff in my garage that I was clearly not using or missing. This stuff was passed on to other people that might be able to use it. The next time you move, try it. Leave everything packed up until you actually miss it. I bet well over 50% of your stuff you can do without.

The only remaining issue was the things I only used once every few months. A good example of this is all my outdoor kit. I only go skiing 3 times a year, but I still have a set of skis. Some of my cooking kit also falls into this category.

The problem of these “rare” use items got me thinking: “wouldn’t it be better if there was a convenient way to rent this stuff when I need it rather than have it clutter up my house for the other 12 months”. This is why I started rentnotbuy.com, to allow users to share their stuff when they need it.

My partner and I are preparing for an even bigger “decluttering exercise” as we move out of our town house in philly and into an airstream for a year. My consultancy business is going mobile and in a much more confined space :).

Explodingpony Says:

January 15th, 2008, 6:09 am

Don’t throw out those DOS manuals, they’re worth a fair amount of cash.

TheJeffe Says:

January 18th, 2008, 12:25 pm

I have been trying to simply my life for some time. My wife and I have the same rule for everything that comes in we take something out. I also try to detach from one thing each weekend.

Anne Says:

January 20th, 2008, 19:37 pm

It’s so easy. I have been doing this for a while now. I went to Veitnam for 3 weeks and returned home opening my eyes to how much “stuff” I have that I NEVER use. We have twin teens, and actually just downsized from a 3 story house to a 1.5 story house. I’m ready to down size again, realizing that even in a smaller house there is still space and stuff we don’t use. Incredible how much we gather. My goal is a 700 sq. ft. house.

joe Says:

January 21st, 2008, 16:30 pm

i began doing this about a year ago on my own and have simplified my life a lot! After i got divorced, I was forced to change my lifestyle and have taught myself that material things are not the most important things. Nowadays, I have clear counters, less clutter, less junk, and have eliminated all credit debt. I am debt free except for basic monthly expenses, but after I began uncluttering my life, I began to feel more free and life is so much simplier now. Great post, and thanks.

BillinDetroit Says:

February 2nd, 2008, 19:25 pm

Excellent post. I have recently done essentially this with my home office which is, of necessity, partly living space (clothes closet) and partly shared (second desk and filing cabinet) with my wife.

While I was at it, I went through the kitchen. The chop sticks stayed … but they are now in the bag with the bamboo skewers in the pantry with the other inedible items like wax paper, aluminum foil, zip-lock bags and plastic film wrap.

The next part, arguably harder, is to change my patterns of thinking so that the clutter of things, ideas, people and commitments is not allowed to accumulate again.

I married a hoarder … she still has college assignments and text-books from 30 years ago. So that adds another dimension to the problem, one not completely in my control.

I’m going to link to you from http://nmwoodworks.com/life. I think that this is a post that I would like to share with my readers.

Bill

Perfect Life Project Says:

February 3rd, 2008, 1:25 am

Leo,

As usual your content is inspired. Simplicity is at the heart of my Perfect Life Project. I am a strong believer in “less is more”.

Congrats on your blogging success.

Anne Says:

February 3rd, 2008, 23:47 pm

We just emptied out seven boxes of things that we decorated our girls nursery with…mind you, they are 13 now. We called them down and if there was something that they wanted, they could take it or we would keep it packed for them. They both amazingly only chose a set of bookends. The rest is gone. Still can’t figure out why we kept it all for so long. It’s so nice to have some more “clutter” out of my life.

Sarah Says:

February 4th, 2008, 12:02 pm

I came across a great website that could help with the decluttering and bring a lot of benefits. Rentnotbuy.com is a great idea try it. Not only will it make good use of the clutter that you cant bring yourself to part with you may meet some interesting people in your area.

Carl Says:

March 27th, 2008, 19:44 pm

Hi everyone. Yes, this is a very good article. Quite inspiring and applicable to so much of my life.

The one problem I have is the ‘toss’ stage. With any kind of environmental awareness one comes to worry about throwing lots of junk out that you know will just end up under the ground and will take years to degrade. I’m talking of plastics and composite items (electrical goods). Anyone

As Brandy mentioned above, there should be more of an emphasis on recycling and reusing and storyofstuff.com is a big eye opener in this respect.

Of course, having to have a mental eye on these details takes away a lot of the simplicity, and the ease of it, and hence the motivation. Roll on the day when everything that has been “made”; composited of various materials, can as easily be unmade and it’s resources sent back to the earth. Until then it makes the process of de-cluttering either more complex or more guilt ridden.

Anyway, your ideas are sound. It’s just important to have a wider awareness too.

Vegas Dude. Says:

May 9th, 2008, 17:21 pm

Great article. I agree that the toss stage is the hardest. My wife is the worst. Even if she hasn’t used something for 5 years, she will somehow convince herself that she may have a use for something 1 day. Don’t forget that you can always donate certain items. I love having a tidy house. I think you are less likely to throw junk in an organized tidy drawer, and possibly less likely to buy the clutter/junk in the first place.

becoming minimalist Says:

June 11th, 2008, 22:44 pm

genius. of course, steps #2 and #3 are what is making this process take a long time for my house. maybe i should just get a bigger black garbage bag…