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Clutter-busting
Why I Have a Junk Drawer.
Posted on Oct 9, 2008 3:22:00 PM  |  By GretchenRubin

When a friend told me that she always kept an empty shelf, someplace in her house, I was immediately persuaded that I need to have an empty shelf. I have one now – it’s not big, but it’s completely bare,...

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Clutter-busting
Want an Easy, Cheap Way to Keep Your Desk Uncluttered?
Posted on Sep 25, 2008 5:11:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

I figured something out the other day – a new strategy to keep my desk cleaner and my mind clearer. All day long, until recently, I’d write little notes to myself: phone numbers, URLs, “call John Doe” reminders, shopping lists,...

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Clutter-busting
Why I Keep Stacks of Magazines Out of Sight
Posted on Aug 12, 2008 6:14:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

For me, outer order helps bring inner peace. I feel much calmer when our apartment is fairly tidy and when most things are put away in some semblance of order. I've found, too, that I can boost my sense of...

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Clutter-busting
Throw Away Your Extra Hangers
Posted on Jul 15, 2008 5:00:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

Here’s the easiest clutter-busting tip of all time: get rid of your extra hangers. For fun, I coax my friends into letting me help them clean out their closets. I get a huge buzz from seeing the order and space...

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Clutter-busting
My Brilliant Solution: Toy Jars
Posted on May 27, 2008 2:00:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

One of my personal Twelve Commandments is to “Identify the problem.” I’ve realized that often I’ll put up with a problem for years, because I’ve never actually examined the nature of the problem and how it might be solved. For...

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Clutter-busting
A Wrong Way to Fight Clutter
Posted on May 13, 2008 2:00:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

Most of us fight a never-ending battle to control the clutter in our homes, especially if we live in an apartment – here in New York City, apartments are just too small to dump stuff into the attic or basement...

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Clutter-busting
Follow the One-Minute Rule
Posted on May 1, 2008 12:32:00 PM  |  By GretchenRubin

I’ve been following a very simple, easy rule that’s incredibly effective, when I do consistently follow it. The “one-minute rule” requires only that I do any task that can be finished in one minute. Hang up my coat, read a...

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Clutter-busting
Lesson From a Clutter-Busting Addict
Posted on Apr 10, 2008 2:00:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

I have almost no hobbies, but I do love to help my friends clear out their clutter. Clutter-clearing always provides a huge buzz (just try it yourself, if you don’t believe me), and it’s much easier to clear other people’s...

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Clutter-busting
My Brilliant Solution to Kid Clutter
Posted on Apr 1, 2008 2:00:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

One of my most obvious yet helpful happiness-project 12 Commandments is to “Identify the problem.” I’ve been struck by how often I allow myself to be bugged by problems that I haven’t made any effort to solve – and by...

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Clutter-busting
A Key to Happiness: Make Your Bed
Posted on Mar 18, 2008 2:00:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

Some small number of people thrive on utter chaos. For most of us, though, outer space influences inner space. That’s why I, for one, find myself fantasizing about alphabetized spice jars, color-sorted sweaters, rainbow-hued filing systems, and bare countertops. When...

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