crash course in simplification

  • "Use it or lose it" is the golden rule of simplifying one's life

  • Don't become obsessed with saving everything for a later use. How many plastic and paper bags does one person need? (My favorite)

  • Think of everything you do in terms of priorities. What are your priorities in life? Do you want to have more time with your children? Identify your top few priorities and then observe how your actions affect them.

  • When you're organizing and come across something you 'kind of like', but don't really use, try to think of someone who not only likes the item, but also will use it. Make that person's day by giving it to them.

  • Tackle one project at a time—if possible. Some people can't.

  • If you can't figure out what a gadget does, then all it's doing is taking up space.

  • Take ten minutes every night to un-clutter. Have a race with your kids to put everything away. If you do this nightly as part of your bedtime routine you avoid the danger of letting your house get out of control.

  • Limit junk drawers.

  • Teach "the art of simplicity" to your kid. Less can be more.

  • If you don't have a place to put something, don't buy it. Try to avoid making space for more clutter.

  • Don't waste time looking for warranties, manuals or important receipts. Create a special drawer where only these things are kept. Using a drawer eliminates the chance of the papers never making it to a file or being misfiled.