You might think it’s dumb that I write about things like pen caps and sock hangers — but that would mean you were missing my larger purpose. My assignment (call it a compulsion if you must) is to scrutinize each and every little item and ask the big questions — go all the way back [...]
Entries Tagged as 'throwing stuff out'
Collectivitis combined with the ecological mindset
March 18th, 2013 · 1 Comment · Collecting, Consumer Issues, Disposability, Philosophy, The Packrat Mind, Trash Disposal
Tags:cheaply made goods·collecting·collectivitis·disposability·garbage problem·landfill·packrat mentality·throwing stuff out·too much stuff·waste·waste disposal
Sentenced to sort
February 9th, 2013 · No Comments · Decluttering, Passing it on, Recycling, Trash Disposal
A few days ago I took out all the pens I could find around the house and put them on the dining room table so I could sort them: “Pens to keep” and “Pens to get rid of.” But each of those categories has several subcategories, like Pens I love but need ink refills; Pens [...]
Tags:clutter reduction·decluttering·despair·getting rid of stuff·pens·plastic·recycling·throwing stuff out·too much stuff·writing implements
Hoarder, Packrat, what’s the difference?
December 11th, 2012 · 1 Comment · Hoarding, Packratting
Have you ever watched the TV reality show called Hoarder? I haven’t, but I don’t really need to, because I’ve seen hoardiness in person. During the Broke Era of my life, i.e. my twenties and thirties, I lived for a year in a sort of …. rind of a boarding house … where I shared [...]
Life’s Important Questions about Junk
December 6th, 2012 · No Comments · Consumer Issues, Decluttering, Excess of Possessions
Nowadays, every item I choose to purge brings up a whole list of complicated questions, such as: How did this item get into my house, why did I keep it, and what shall I do with it now? After a while, getting rid of stuff becomes a tiresome chore, and you begin to ask even more [...]
Tags:clutter reduction·decluttering·getting rid of stuff·purging·throwing stuff out·too much stuff