GTD for your cluttered wardrobe, bookshelf, room etc.

[TesTeq]

Some time ago I've read "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" by Marie Kondo. Now I'm rereading it in Polish. And suddenly I had the BFO (Blind Flash of the Obvious):

This book is the GTD practice applied to the things that clutter your home.

Why?

As in GTD you take each thing (piece of your clothing, book etc. - your home is your inbox) and "process it" to discover your level of engagement with this thing. You throw out everything that you don't love or don't absolutely need. Then you organize the "leftovers".

 

[SiobhanBR]

That book resonated with me, as well. Perhaps not every bit of it, but I found much that clicked and I'm implementing some of it. Processing each item is a very good way of looking at it. Maybe that will help to let go of some things that seem so hard to let go of (toys and books my son has outgrown is my soft spot).

 

[TesTeq]

I find similarity between GTD and KonMari fascinating:

# GTD - properly engage with your life

# KonMari - properly engage with your possessions

 

[GTD-Sweden]

What I took away from glancing at the book: only keep the things that brings you joy.

 

[ArcCaster]

I may have to re-examine some habits. I have kept some decrepit shoes -- I figure they are good for when I tar my driveway, or paint my house, or do any chore that will destroy whatever I am wearing -- but, I don't love them, and I don't see doing any of those things in the near future -- so I should toss them?

Likewise with scraps of lumber -- seems like old 2x4s will have a use someday -- but again, not in the near future. Maybe I should toss my scraps of lumber too.

 

[TesTeq]

What I took away from glancing at the book: only keep the things that brings you joy.

I am sure that your conclusion from glancing at the GTD book is that you should be getting all the things in the world done to make David Allen happy. And "Lord of the Rings" is about a skillful jeweler... :evil:

 

[TesTeq]

I may have to re-examine some habits. I have kept some decrepit shoes -- I figure they are good for when I tar my driveway, or paint my house, or do any chore that will destroy whatever I am wearing -- but, I don't love them, and I don't see doing any of those things in the near future -- so I should toss them?

Yes. And maybe buy a new pair - neat and comfortable shoes that you will love.

Likewise with scraps of lumber -- seems like old 2x4s will have a use someday -- but again, not in the near future. Maybe I should toss my scraps of lumber too.

Yes. In my case these scraps end their life in a fireplace. They are very rarely suitable for new projects. In the meantime they are just a clutter.

 

[GTD-Sweden]

@Testeq: There is a real hype around Kondos book. Personally I think there are better organizing books. I find her a bit forced and simplistic in her approach. Try out the books of Julie Morgenstern or Andrew Mellen instead. They are more strategic and intellectual in their approach. And I think they in a better way can be attached to the GTD-methology.

 

[ArcCaster]

OK -- maybe I am willing to part with my old shoes and my 2x4s. And, if I want to get rid of my pile of electronic stuff (chargers and cables and connectors) I simply have to scour the house for everything that could possibly connect to them, and then simply throw out the no-longer-needed stuff. The scouring could be time consuming -- but it sounds like it would really eliminate clutter.

 

[TesTeq]

There is a real hype around Kondos book.

That does not mean she isn't right.

Personally I think there are better organizing books. I find her a bit forced and simplistic in her approach. Try out the books of Julie Morgenstern or Andrew Mellen instead.

Yes! But Marie Kondo is in a strong opposition to "organizers". She calls them hoarders. She says: get rid of the things that are not useful or have no value for you. Then organize.

So suggesting any organizing book instead of KonMari is like suggesting a cookbook instead of a dietary guide.

And I think they in a better way can be attached to the GTD-methology.

Can you describe this better attachment. I can find Capturing, Processing, Organizing and Review workflow steps in KonMari. And some connection to higher horizons of focus.

 

[TesTeq]

And, if I want to get rid of my pile of electronic stuff (chargers and cables and connectors) I simply have to scour the house for everything that could possibly connect to them, and then simply throw out the no-longer-needed stuff.

Marie Kondo says that if you don't know the purpose of the cable and it is not connected to anything - you don't need it and probably you'll never figure out what it is for. So get rid of it.

 

[Myriam]

I'm with TesTeq on this one. I really loved that book, just because it was so simple, and yet it was practical enough to give you the tools to make real improvement. Wait, ... this sounds familiar ! ;-) Yes, indeed, I must admit, her book and ideas resonated with me in the same way Getting things done did when I first discovered it.

The only part in her book I really didn't value is the part when she becomes lyric in describing how she thanks her hand bag every night for the good service it provided. That was definitely not for me.

But her approach is really working, what I found most usefull where these 2 insights:
- start with the easiest type of items, like clothing, and end with the most difficult ones, souvenirs, pictures etc
- don't declutter room per room, do it item type per item type throughout the house (all clothing, or if that's to much, just all coats, then all pants, ...

I did this with my children, and for clothing, I just had to look at their faces. Holding up an item, either their face started glowing, and I knew this was an item that they would still wear a lot. Or they would just go "mm, yeah, that still fits", and I knew they would not wear it at all. It helped us to discard the clothes they wouldn't wear anyway, and give them a closet with clothing they really enjoy wearing (and less clutter).

 

[vutpakdi]

I am very fond of her first book as well. Some of the cultural nuances (such as thanking her hand bag) may suffer in translation, but the core resonates.

Ron

 

[Folke]

I have not read the book, nor any similar book, but I do agree with TesTeq that many parallels can be drawn between GTD and "processing and organizing" your belongings.

In general I think we can all benefit greatly by observing such parallels - and differences. Parallels allow us to benefit from knowledge and experience we have already gathered from seemingly unrelated fields, whereas observing essential differences helps us see where the parallels and implications cannot be drawn any further.

For someone who has contemplated GTD but has never contemplated "home decluttering" I am sure that there are benefits to be gained from drawing the appropriate parallels. And vice versa - those who have attained high proficiency in sorting out their belongings can prabably draw parallels from there that help them sort out their various other actions and projects, too, even if they have never studied any documented form of time management or personal efficiency discipline, such as GTD.

 

[Oogiem]

Yes! But Marie Kondo is in a strong opposition to "organizers". She calls them hoarders. She says: get rid of the things that are not useful or have no value for you. Then organize.

I've read all of the Julie Morgenstern books and she NEVER says organize first. In fact her SPACE system exactly follows GTD principles:

S = SORT - group similar items (Collect)
P = PURGE - if you don’t love it or need it - let it go (Process)
A = ASSIGN A HOME - following logical sequencing and safety rules (Organize)
C = CONTAINERIZE - to keep grouped and limit size of each collection (Organize but specific to physical things))
E = EQUALIZE - evaluate whether the design is working for you. (Review)

She even talks about doing regular reviews of your stuff much like the weekly review although she says to adjust the time frame based on your own needs.

The Kondo book seems far to "toss it all" without really thinking about it to me.

 

[Oogiem]

Marie Kondo says that if you don't know the purpose of the cable and it is not connected to anything - you don't need it and probably you'll never figure out what it is for. So get rid of it.

Except in my own experience said "useless" cable is nine times out of 10 going to be critical to keeping something running within 1-5 years. I can't even begin to count how many times we've gone to the old cable box to pull out some old interface cable or a charger for a now dead device that can be repurposed for a new item or project.

 

[TesTeq]

The only part in her book I really didn't value is the part when she becomes lyric in describing how she thanks her hand bag every night for the good service it provided. That was definitely not for me.

Yes, but I Iike the idea of thanking disliked clothes for teaching me what I don't like. It gives me mental explanation for both a wrong purchase and for getting rid of them.

 

[TesTeq]

S = SORT - group similar items (Collect)
P = PURGE - if you don’t love it or need it - let it go (Process)
A = ASSIGN A HOME - following logical sequencing and safety rules (Organize)
C = CONTAINERIZE - to keep grouped and limit size of each collection (Organize but specific to physical things))
E = EQUALIZE - evaluate whether the design is working for you. (Review)

It seems that Marie Kondo has read Morgenstern's book... ;-)

 

[TesTeq]

Except in my own experience said "useless" cable is nine times out of 10 going to be critical to keeping something running within 1-5 years. I can't even begin to count how many times we've gone to the old cable box to pull out some old interface cable or a charger for a now dead device that can be repurposed for a new item or project.

In my experience "useless" cable is in nine times out of 10 dedicated for the device that I got rid of ten years ago... Other cables are labeled and stored in a "cable drawer".

 

[Oogiem]

In my experience "useless" cable is in nine times out of 10 dedicated for the device that I got rid of ten years ago... Other cables are labeled and stored in a "cable drawer".

Yes, agreed, often from devices that are no longe owned but often the cables are more valuable than the original device. We reuse them lots of times.