

The Happiness Project: Myths of De-Cluttering - cwan
http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/happinessproject/archive/2009/11/11/eleven-myths-of-de-cluttering.aspx

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tungstenfurnace
Possessions are only a burden if you identify with them. The strain of this is
enough to cause some people to throw out important stuff. (It causes others to
ceaselessly acquire new things but that problem is well known.)

A more sane approach is to treat possessions as part of the scenery and solve
household problems as and when they arise.

Much of the configuration of your house represents the result of solved
problems. It embodies knowledge which you, the owner, may have forgotten. This
is why after moving house it can take months or years to get your domestic
life back together.

So solve clutter problems as and when they arise. Don't go _looking_ for stuff
to throw out. That would be like vacuuming under the couch.

e.g. If a pile of books is impeding entry into the bathroom, then by all means
chuck some books or put up more shelving.

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olimay
All of this seems to fall under the general principle of "eliminate before you
optimize", but it's good to have reminders of specific applications every once
in a while.

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billswift
Think before you eliminate.

Happiness is having what you need, not thinking "I had that a year ago, but
sold it because I wasn't using it; where can I get another one quick." There
is another Edison quote I've seen beside the one about inspiration and
perspiration, "To invent you need ideas and a big pile of junk." These take
care of 5, 6, and 7 especially for hackers/tinkerers.

