"Holding onto old books doesn't allow you to create space for new ideas and ways of thinking to come into your life." I can't say this has ever been a problem for me.

I suspect we would all be happier if these self-help people would cease writing books. The trees certainly would.

Thanks for the tips. I SERIOUSLY need to declutter and pare down my belongings

I think a laundry basket would make a good "outbox"

I don't even remember the stuff that I've gotten rid of...20s or otherwise. The separation anxiety was a big issue for me, but now that I've gone thru it once in a big way, stuff has much less of a hold on me. I can get rid of things easily now without having an out-box (for me it was a "for my next yard sale bin"). The key for me was that I couldn't see the items on a daily basis: Out of sight, out of mind.

In my world, books are not clutter.

But I have a serious clutter problem, and this post is a good reminder. My kitchen is finally cleaned up, yay, and more decluttering on the way.

I agree with cyberval, that thing about how keeping "old books doesn't allow you to create space for new ideas and ways of thinking to come into your life" is inane. I've often noticed in pictures of the homes of really artistic and creative people--writers, painters, musicians, whatever, they generally have lots and lots of books.

I love the blinds in the white bedroom. Where are they from??

Clutter is a big problem of mine, too. I started my outbox on Monday and it's been a really great experience. Coming to terms with getting rid of things before actually disposing of them is clearing the clutter out of my mind as well... it's helping me see what I actually like and don't like, right now. And it's also helping me see the floor, which is a relief! :)

Like cyberval, I also don't understand that line about getting rid of books to make room for new ideas. Our brains always have room for new ideas regardless of shelf space! If I had had more shelf space, I wouldn't have gotten rid of all those books in my twenties--books that I remember fondly and miss terribly (some of which, as Lisa Hunter cautioned, I actually hunted down and bought used).

Thanks for the tips.

I am missing a decluttering gene, but am still always trying to make a bit of order out of the chaos around me.

Every bit of good advice helps.

When my grandmother passed away, my mother and aunts distributed all of the equipment from her kitchen. She was a mighty cook (of the Southern variety) and had the equipment that goes along with cooking large meals 2 times a day. I now find my kitchen shelves filled with her bowls and jars and pots and dishes, and I can't get rid of them.

I don't need it all; my kitchen was certainly well-stocked before I got grandma's stuff, but I can't just send it away. The memories of the breakfasts she used to cook me when I was sick from school and all the times our family gathered in her kitchen are too tied to it all. I find myself almost resenting my mom & aunts for giving all that stuff to me.

I fear I will never be able to send it down the road.

Art and reference books I keep, but novels go. I can't say I miss anything I threw out in my 20's, though my mom threw out an amazing pair of Norma Kamali sneaker pumps. Oh well, they hurt my feet anyway.
Thanks for posting pics of those beautiful rooms.

I'm digging the pumpkin-colored ceiling in the white bedroom...

Regarding clutter: the self-help articles have the same message but are forever timely in my world. My problem is that I enjoy "finding" items from the past in my home ... "oh, that thing!" That said, I cleared off my piano to have it tuned. When I sat to play, I found myself playing on the bare piano with a different mindset. Kept it that way for a week, but my chachkes needed their home back, so back they went.

This is a great idea! I have no problem getting rid of things and do it all the time. My husband on the other hand has boxes of stuff that just sit in our closet. The anxiety of throwing his stuff away is too much for him. I'm going to try this outbox idea and see how it goes.

I have never had the desire to register or post a comment before reading this advice about disposing of books. Retaining old books on my shelf does nothing to stop the onslought of new ideas from coming into my head or home. If I need to make room for more books on my shelves, I merely give lesser favorites away to friends or charity.

I think this manic desire to hyper-control & constantly declutter one's environment is a larger reflection on the interior of the person, rather than the home itself. Just a thought.

I'm as big a fan of books as anyone, but why do we cling to them so tightly? I don't mind keeping the books that I like to skim from time to time, and some work well as decor, but I rarely re-read books because I'd rather be reading something that's new to me -- so I have to donate or sell books on a regular basis to, ahem, make room for new ideas/books.

P.S. Great post.

Not understanding the hate here. I live in Florida so books are definitely clutter and hard in upkeep. Mine are in a plastic bin and no good to anybody. With more and more books online, I'm looking to let go.

My relatives up north have plenty of books, but it's much less damp there and they have bigger houses, high ceilings with which to fill with bookshelves. And even so, my grandmother doesn't let books take over the house or hoard them tightly. She shares them.

I'm finding at 30 that "out with the old, in with the new" is very true. I suspect that if you lost beloved items in some sort of trauma (poverty, fire, etc) it's only human nature to try to run around anxiously replacing them, whereas if you deliberately let go of old things and old emotions you won't miss them in the slightest.

Heck, I have anxieties not about stuff I got rid of and now need but about stuff I need to dump that I'd forgotten that I'd already purged. Ha!

My galley kitchen works 100% better with less stuff. I let go of the heirlooms. Some framed prints that remind me of loved ones work way better and I don't have to feel guilty about not using/chipping them. :)

I have found it gratifying and liberating to give books away after I have read them (except for a very few). I am an allergy sufferer so can do without anything that collects dust or mold and can easily find books and/or ideas on the Internet or at the library if I want to revisit them. With my children now grown, I live in a smaller space and am enjoying having less "stuff" to manage/clean/deal with. Perhaps I'll add more later on, but for now, am loving living in a nearly blank canvas (less furniture, less artwork, fewer decorative items), organization, simplicity. The more I let go, the easier it is to let more go! My ultimate Outbox is a small storage unit -- it holds sentimental keepsakes that ultimately I will give to my children when they have homes of their own. It has just a few things (baby blankets, photos, artwork) from my childhood and theirs -- for them to hold onto for themselves, give to their kids or give away as they see fit -- but not so much that the stuff owns them!

I followed this advice when I cleared out a storeroom..wait...walk in closet of mine last month. Took every thing out of the closet, divided it into categories and put back only what I loved and needed. Much of the leftover items were put in an outbox...I needed that separation time to lose the attachment (as you described above). Two weeks after the big clean out, I was able to move the outbox items to their proper destinations (thrift store, recycling bin, or to friends. Many friends were given items and it was fun to see the smiles on their faces when they received their items. I asked them first if they wanted such-and-such item and most jumped all over it to get what I no longer wanted or needed.)

It's now time to do a cleanout of the linen/junk closet and the kitchen. ugh.

Your words are wise and have really encouraged me. In my experience, physical clutter often gets in the way of emotional readiness for new adventures, new projects, new ideas. Clutter becomes an excuse for stagnating. Thanks for your motivating post!

I like the Outbox idea, I've done that with a bag in a closet, but I find even that gets cluttered and forgotten about.

I have a really hard time letting go of old clothes. I've tried the "if you haven't worn it in a year...." idea, but I usually end up taking the piece of clothing out and think "ooh, I really liked this!" or "but it was expensive!", then back it goes.

The only solution that's worked well for me (with clothes) is to have my best friend come over. She loves my clothes, we have similar body weight, and she doesn't have a lot of money to buy things herself. So we go "shopping" in my closet and have fun with it. I feel so much better giving her my clothes that I end up usually clearing a ton away -- even stuff I wear now! She's done this twice with me in the last year and its amazing how much its helped. I start looking forward to giving her as much as I can. I think she sometimes now says "oooh, I love that, yes I'll take it!" even if she doesn't so I'll be sure to get rid of it (then she takes it to consignment or gives it away). That's what friends are for I guess. :)

One last thought: she also hosts a "clothing exchange" with friends. Every few months, everyone goes to one house with a bag of clothes or objects to give away. As long as you bring a few things, you can "shop" from anyone else's pile. Take as much as you want. Whatever is left over is rounded up and the host gives it to charity. Add wine and some appy's, and it makes for a fun's girls night...and free shopping!

There is something about the book thing...if you love to read and you love books they can takeover your life. However, I cannot bear to rid myself of books I love. My solution, somewhat imperfect, is to not buy a single book unless I absolutely love it and know I will refer to it. I take everything out of the library. Or if not convenient, literally gift books within a week of having read them, if they are not special to me.

I definitely own too much stuff so this may sound like the alcoholic praising the virtues of one glass of red wine per day but I find that people who own very few things are usually very boring. They usually haven't lived and traveled widely. They don't have deep interests/hobbies etc. They usually seem more interested in tidiness than LIFE.

The homes that most appeal to me are the ones that have wonderful, special, choice things but have arranged things so that everything has its place and lends warmth and interest but is not busy and cluttered.

THAT is nirvana to me.

I think the main message is to only keep what speaks to you and enriches your life, if that is books, then keep the books. I know I have some I would never get rid of. But go ahead and toss that trashy novel you bought for a long flight. And while you are at it that dusty broken blender and those shoes you never wear you and are constantly tripping over in your closet.

It really does feel good to clear it all out.

That bookshelf you show. Really? That's uncluttered? Looks like it's from the set of Sanford and Son.

I really needed this. I have to go out of town for a few days but when I get back...:)

Wow, people sure are up in arms about their books!

"Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui" by Karen Kingston is the single most helpful & life-changing book I have EVER read (and I'm in my thirties and am a total bookworm).

To all of you who have any doubts as to the merit of anything mentioned in this article: Please find that book I just mentioned, read it, then come back here and tell me it didn't completely change the way you think and feel about every material item you own or have ever owned.

I'll be here waiting.

I HATE CLUTTER!

I love dumpsers.

My husband has old ugly things from 1825 and on - no NOT beautiful things in my eye. He has old electronics, falling apart woobly crap, homemade potholders, ratty, and I do mean ratty linens that not even his nieces wants, clothing from his 'beatnik days' Oh scream!

I thought that photo by Michelle McCormick was a "before" picture for this essay.

Why are books always the first item that is recommended for the trash when a "de-cluttering" article appears? It's almost like there is some unconscious anti-intellectualism going on when I read about books being the "bane" of a clutterful world.

Books seem to be given a bad rap on this website. Folks are either coming up with ways to "hide" books (wrap them all in brown paper, shelve them by "color") or they are recommending that books not be part of the home because they don't "fit in" or are too "clutter looking."

I don't know if it has to do with the general anti-intellectualism that has swept the Yew Ess in the last 20 years, but to me it's pretty sad that books seem to always be taking a hit with decorators.

Thanks for this post. Good advice. I love books but i collect SO many of them that I agree that sometimes you can actually have too many. I have 2 sets of bookshelves and need to keep it to that. One or two cherished ones, but many things I'm waiting to read. As for decluttering, it's not in my nature, but i move every year or two and use that as a great motivation for living a less is more life!

Pet Peeve!

Why don't furniture makers make "small" end tables with DRAWERS. They are great declutterers. They hold all sorts of itsy bitsy crapola.

The drawers are creat for pencils and paper to write notes. Great for landline phones and a phone book.

Nope they are as rare as ice storms in the Sahara.

I'm moving in 3 weeks, so I'll be doing this over the next few weeks! If it's been in a box all this time, I don't need it! (with exception of my kids' pictures, etc.)

This is very timely - I was just thinking about books the last few days, which I have many of(large coffee table tomes), and how I rarely just sit and look through them. Sometimes I try to justify a purchase saying it will be worth a lot more someday, but I rarely sell them so who cares?
For the inherited things, my problem is laziness mixed with a bit of guilt. Just finding someone to look at the jewelry or coins and selling them. I am good at donating lesser valued items, but it's really difficult to know what to do with the better stuff that I don't use.

That first photo of the kitchen looks nice, but can you imagine having to get to that microwave or toaster on a daily basis? And how do you reach the stuff on the high shelves,...always stand on a stool? I don't like photos like this that just look great, but in reality, are not very user-friendly or functional.

Having moved over half a dozen times since my college years, I definitely learned to let go of things easier now. I now keep an "out with the old, in with the new" principle, and I've found it to be really helpful when it comes to decluttering.

Yes keeping things tidy can become an obsession that's not necessarily healthy, but it doesn't have to be that way for most people. What's wrong with seeing clean lines in your home and have the space more open up?

Having less memorabilia doesn't mean that you're less experienced or less traveled. Some people don't need to show off what they have done in the past. Those things that enrich your life will eventually reflect in your everyday conversation, your outlook to life, and your depth of thoughts.

1. Books are not clutter. Unless of course they are books you read and did not fall in love with. I have books that belonged to my father about Kennedy's years in the White House, the Watergate scandal, etc. They are not only important histories, they are the embodiment of my beloved and missed father. he was a voracious reader. that's the first thing that comes to mind when i think of him.

If you want to get rid of books you don't want, I suggest craiglsit (of course) and Goodreads.com. The latter has a "marketplace" where you can advertise whatever books you have to spare, and people request them. Understand this doesn't always work. In an era where writers can make millions for books about child-magicians, anything goes.

As for me, I will NEVER read a book online. There's something about turning pages. my eyes don't take kindly to have to squint at a screen, especially after having spent all day at work in front of a computer.

2. I'd love to know where those kitchen shelves in the first picture were bought. I'm guessing Restoration Hardware?

@ blondrea: my thought exactly!

@Mariposa_3676: They are from Ikea of course. Grundtal: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00011428

"I guarantee that if you throw out all your "clutter" in your twenties, you'll spend your middle-age years trying to buy it all back in second-hand stores."

The only thing I had in my 20's that I wish I had now was that lovely old 1971 Volvo...

...it's the things my parents and their friends had in their 20's and 30's (or the things they couldn't afford but I wanted back then) that I keep looking for in the second-hand stores and eBay.

This post is extremely timely for me. I'm looking for an organizer in San Francisco to help me de-clutter my little apartment. I want to paint and change the decor and I really want to start from a fresh space.

My Mom is a retired English teacher who collects and loves books and my Dad was the same way. I'm still sorry I lent my John Irving novels to friends in my 20's since I never got them back. But, I'll admit that I do have many that are just taking up space. Of course, I also have many that I haven't had time to read yet...I love bookstores. In the past, I had a bad habit of buying too many books at a time and many are still sitting waiting to be read.

I love to write and learned to cherish the written word at a very young age. I don't own a Kindle and can't imagine enjoying reading a book that I couldn't hold in my hands. I love the feel of them and the sound of a page being turned. But, you've made it easier for me to start going through the containers of books I have that are stifling me. It's time to free myself to allow my own creative energy to flourish.

If anyone knows of a good organizer in San Francisco, please let me know. ;) Thanks!

I have issues getting rid of things from my past. I have 2 boxes of school references/readers and notes which I have moved about 5 times. No, I have never looked at them since I graduated 8 years ago. Ah, but I might one day. Gawd, the logical side of my brain is very annoyed but the other side just can't let go.

I also have a few (smaller) boxes of stuff in my closet. Totally random - trinkets collected on holidays, and bits and pieces which I know, one day, I will NEED. Problem with this, is that I also have a horrible memory and don't remember what I have in there.

Oh and as for books, I lightened my collection a few years back and now have a one in-one out rule. I don't buy many books anymore so it's easy.

Some of the advice is good, some not. The comparison to cavemen is a bit contrived.

I found it odd, however, that both of the photos in this post are full of clutter. Especially the second one. Calling it art doesn't change the fact that it's still cluttered. Art, like anything else, needs to breathe and not compete with so many other things.

The biggest thing needed when decluttering is fearlessness. I've recently been helping people declutter and let go of unnecessary things that are bogging them down. The biggest reason they can't let to is fear. Fear of lack and poverty.

Once my clients are able to see empty space as full of potential, they lose their fear and it's quite freeing.

We are readers but we borrow from the library or read digitally. I don't understand the need to have all of these books in the home that you aren't re-reading or aren't special. Personally, they feel like clutter not to mention that they are a pain to keep clean and take up a lot of real estate.

I started a drastic book diet two weeks ago. I had tons and tons of books I don't read and won't be reading. I gave some of them to friends who were interested; I donated rare books to my high school library; the rest I'm giving away to charity. I think I have about 25% left of what was an big bookshelf (actually, four shelves).

I find myself fonder of the books I kept. Those I can cherish. They are reminders of who I was, what I loved and what mattered to me. I kept an empty space for the few new ones I'll be buying. I kept books I still read and reread all the time; great editions of books I loved, even if I don't read them anymore, because they are both beautiful and meaningfull.

I just can't see paperback editions of novels kept for years unopened and full of dust as anything else than clutter. I give those away. If I want to reread them, there's the library and/or ebooks.

My problem with clutter is what drew me to Apartment Therapy in the first place, and I can honestly say it changed my life.

Here's the photo that changed everything: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/personal-health/simple-key-to-clearing-clutter-067601 (note the drawers, dakini123!

About 10 minutes after seeing that, I found the listing for what eventually became my home, thus ending a 6-year search and years of living in crappy apartments.

What have I learned? Like Jen Chu, I only kept what I loved, and that's made all the difference. Keep what inspires you or just keeps you curious. And even then, move it off your surfaces--tables, chairs, and desktops--after a week. Yes, I said chairs.

I think also the practice of giving to others -- whether it's time, attention, or in my case, quite literally a ton of stuff -- helps you put focus on what is valuable in the now and not what will be someday, which for me is quite powerful.

Never have I ever heard anyone say my home is cluttered and I have a lot of "stuff" with books being #1. I refer to all of these things as "My toys" and I am counting the days until I can retire to stay home and play with them.

I'm a bookworm but I've decided long ago that books were just vessels. What's important is what they contain, not the object itself. Once you've acquired the content, it's ok to let go. I think a lot of people who cling on to books and other knowledge symbols have intellectual insecurities. Kind of like people who cling on status symbols have insecurities. A lot of people I know own tons of books written by by intellectual elite; they've never read them and I doubt they ever will. What's the point?

Libraries (and computers/ipads/kindles) are for storing books. Really. Why keep all the books you've ever read? To me--it's just intellectual currency on display.

While books are great resources and markers of of experience, we all tend to hold on to more than we actually use. And many of us hold on tightly! In order to declutter them, we need to realize that books are collections of memories and OLD THOUGHTS, not new ones. As she says, "Holding onto old books doesn't allow you to create space for new ideas and ways of thinking to come into your life."

Okay, and what does this woman say about all those pesky studies that correlate a child's educational attainment to the number of books the child is exposed to in her parent's home? Not read from. Just exposed to. I think all this rah-rah "book burning" would be tempered if this woman realized her special snowflake would greatly benefit from the mere exposure of books in the home.

There's something missing from this article which I thought was worth mentioning and that's to select local charities who can use the stuff you don't want to keep. It allows you to feel good about items that will benefit worthy causes and make it that much easier to part with them. Although I don't call my system an Outbox -- I keep a box or large bag in the garage and eventually fill it with items I've decided for whatever reason to give away. Then I put the box in front of my home on the day when the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization are collecting in my neighborhood (they mail out a monthly flyer). The Big Brothers Big Sisters accepts books, clothing, linens and other small household items. If I have larger items that Big Brothers Big Sisters can't handle, I post descriptions of the items on my local Freecycle site and wait until someone emails me telling me they want it. I then give them my address so they can come and cart the whatever away from the side of the driveway or elsewhere outside that is accessible to them -- that way I don't have to have anyone I don't know enter my home. End of story. There are plenty of worthy causes that will benefit from your castoffs and it makes it much easier to part with things you don't use or need.

@Lisa Hunter -- I agree! I've seen what I call "clutter" in people's apartments -- multiple rolls of aluminum foil and other wraps, stuffed on top of a refrigerator -- so many clothes layered on the bed that the bed itself couldn't be slept in, etc.

I think a wall or two of books is lovely. And I agree with one of the other posters who said architects have a lot of empty space, but I tend to think those spaces look more like offices than like living spaces. Just my thoughts!

Sure it was much much easier to get rid of stuff in my 20's. Since I reached 50 it has become more of a problem... The young throw themselves easily into the future, the older looks back....

I struggle to de-clutter and my biggest enemy is magazines. I love the articles but cutting them up only creates another pile of clutter. Any tips?

About books, I knew an old single gentleman constantly living in a hotel. He was a compulsive reader but used to keep several interesting pages and toss the rest of the book into the dustbin.
The lady who made his room sometimes would question him why was it that the page number 83 or 109 was missing, however it was a good story !!

I love to get rid of things I don't use, but I can't get rid of old books. I love looking through the bookshelves at my Mom and Dad's house every time I visit as an adult and feeling like I learn a little about them that I never knew. Almost as good is going through their old record albums!

It feels good to get rid of a lot of stuff while keeping the concept "out w/the old, in w/the new" concept in mind.
I don't want to get rid of my books, tho I have started only buying ones that I've been really wanting.
I'm guilty of doing what one poster above said...regretting it, and then buying the same ones used in thrift shops or online!
I love books. I do NOT think books make a house look cluttered at all.

I have no problem with letting go of stuff, though I live with someone who does, so that is a struggle.

But most of all, I always seem to have an outbox, but nowhere to take it. I'm not really interested in leaving it as litter outside somewhere. Nor am I interested in packing it up, dragging it half an hour on a public bus with no available seats only to awkwardly pass it off to some poor thrift store worker.

So in the apartment it stays. sigh.

For some of us books are like vases full of flowers. You don't throw those out just to make room for...an as yet unformed idea.

I dunno....that bookcase with pics hung too close to it (from The Big Book) looks pretty darn cluttered to me. Why hang the art like that?

We all have a history. It may look like clutter but actually it defines us in all our subtleties. We should be careful not to throw our past when decluttering...

I love books. Love them. I donated many of mine to the library and, when I miss them, I visit them there.

I am a major hoarder. This is one of the best articles on de-cluttering I have ever read because it deals with how to separate from your attachment to clutter.

Other articles are pretty stupid- like "get rid of anything you haven't used in six months" or "create a filing system"- logic does not work with hoarders!

I really liked "It's not just about letting go, it's about realizing how much more life you can have."

and "You always want to leave at least 10% empty space. That's your space for newness to come into your life."

and the outbox concept.

As it happens, I have set time aside to work on my clutter for the next month so I will use these ideas!

Idea for magazines and many reference files is is scanning filing digital files and backing up with a dedicated hard drive. This will clear out a room full of heavy clutter that will not not require movers and a truck... In the future I will move all this by tossing the hard drive into my purse! Wish me luck!

This is in response to ... lsp. Through time I have been gifted by my Mom and Aunts that are now gone, many wonderful family pieces. I couldn't possibly get rid of them, but have found another solution...I pass the treasures onto their children or my cousins, nieces and nephews. I always try to find a home among the family, where these heirlooms will continue to be loved. Thank goodness, my extended family is large!

Forgive me, please, if I am echoing someone elses sentiment but...

That "amazing wall by Michelle McCormick" is, to me, the epitome of clutter. It is stuffed and over-crowded and far too much is on display.

Otherwise, this was a valuable post and I shall continue to be encouraged and inspired by it and those like it.

I agree with Lisa Hunter to some extent. If you give away a lot of good stuff in your 20's you may spend a lot of time in the future buying it back second-hand. But the truth is that, in your 20's and later in life, you accumulate a lot of worthless junk. Whether it's because you bought something cheap just to fit an immediate need, or to achieve a particular "look" you were going for at the time; or because you inherited a hand-me-down or were gifted with something that the giver thought befitted your impoverished, bohemian state.

Those are the sorts of things you should use the outbox for. When it comes to the good stuff I tend to cling to it, even if it doesn't go with my aesthetic du jour. I put the antique, boxy, tiger oak coffee table in the spare bedroom for now and bought the Hollywood Regency brass-and-glass number I wanted for $100 off craigslist. When I'm done with the Hollywood Regency look and ready to go back to more of an Arts & Crafts motif I'll bring it back out, put the brass-and-glass one in the closet (glass) and attic (brass) - or sell it altogether, since $100 isn't going to break the bank, and those kinds of tables seem to be a dime a dozen.

Great article! However,clutter is in the eye of the beholder and organized clutter is still clutter...
I love your multi-stepped process and outbox idea (out of sight-out of mind-or not out of mind), as I know how most people are so emotionally connected to their stuff. It really helps me to know my stuff is going to a good home when I'm clearing my space. Thanks for your insights.

I need some help! Can anyone recommend (firsthand) someone in NYC?

My "outbox" was the 2,500 square foot house I bought about two hours away from my 408 square foot New York City apartment several years ago.

I now have an entire room which is a library. However, I have about 4,000 books. They don't all FIT in the library, so I have shelves in the bedroom (cookbooks, mostly French or exotic locales, and series) and I have 7 short bookcases in the dining room (more cookbooks, mostly on tea, entertaining and baking) and I have a standing bookcase in the kitchen with just cookbooks by or about New York or written by African-American authors and I have 4 large bookcases in the living room and 1 small one with art books. My entire house is my art installation. Most people can't figure out what to look at first. No one can make sense of it all the first time they visit. However, it does make sense if you take time to explore!

So....this summer, I realized I had 4 boxes of first editions, some I'd purchased from dealers with prices still in them.....but I had not opened those boxes since I packed them when I moved back to NY from LA in 1996 and put them in storage. So, I took the boxes (I must admit, it was hard to give away my book-into-film collection) to friends who were having a yard sale. Even at $1 a piece, only 4 books sold. The rest went to Salvation Army in Dickson City.

Sigh!

I've been decluttering in my own way and time, believe it or not....books, clothing, bric-a-brac and the like go from New York to Pennsylvania and eventually they go out of my life. It takes time, but in the meanwhile, I do enjoy them wherever they are!

This year, I have learned something I have forgotten, which is to order books and DVDs from the library...so, rather than owning them, I rent them. I have never purchased a DVD! I rent from my local Pennsylvania library for weekend DVD viewing and from NYC for things I have time to read or watch during the week. Online ordering from the library is almost as good as shopping!

If given a book, I read it and immediately give it away. One of the things my building in NYC has, which many apartment building seem to have as well, is a laundry room library. It's been great! I pick up a book or two, then I read them, then return them without leaving the house! Sometimes, I just bring books down that I want to give away without bringing books back. No tax deduction, but it does move the "chi" around and make more room for other things from other sources!

It's a process. Just be kind to yourself as you declutter!

I have an upstairs in/out box (a stool in the hallway) and a downstairs in/out box (a corner table in the foyer). I have a serious aversion to clutter in my own home, so the in/out boxes are great places for me to set something for a few hours and then clear it out by the end of the day. I limit most clutter to these two areas and all of it gets stored properly because of that... both areas are TINY and only a couple objects can accumulate at a time. It makes an immense difference in helping to remind myself to put things away.

@Pemina101 - try Laura Cattano at the Order Obsessed. She's great. Here's her link:

http://theorderobsessed.blogspot.com/

@lsp - I totally understand. You have to remember your mom and aunts were trying to get rid of the stuff, so really it was your duty to help disseminate the stuff. Remember that the items are not your grandmother. And since they hardly evoke the happy feelings of your grandmother, but rather resentment, it is best to let them go. Give them to someone who will love them. And don't feel guilty about it. You still have the wonderful memories of your grandmother. Whenever I give away something that is a bit difficult, I say a little prayer. I say something like, thank you for serving me and I pray someone will love you again. Afterall, the pieces deserve to be loved. Do it in a loving way, and it will make you happy and help you be free. Good luck!

Didn't even realize, but I have an outbox (actually an Ikea blue bag) full with clothes. I am in my first week in the apartment cure book and I think I started all this because I need a change and this new apartment is completely full of stuff and it doesn't fit. I could try to make it fit, but we always want new things in our lives, right?

I completely agree with the ones that say that a house is the picture of its owner. Lots of books and things are the signs of a life that is being lived, but, at the same time, a life that has too much... Too much on the table, on the desk, on the sofa, in the closets, in the kitchen... No clean surfaces, no space for new things... The new things end up in the floor and that is just horrible!

I am trying to get rid of things. My husband loves his things. Has lots of difficulty in parting with objects. specially books... HAS SO SO MANY BOOKS! And we are in our twenties! (finishing, but still).

I have SO MANY QUESTIONS on organizing our things. On thinking the new space and thinking about how to arrange a tiny living room for us to relax, spend time together, get work done in a desk, and eat a meal together all in one space.

Does anyone has ideas on how to organize yourself not to repeat the cluttering all over again and arrange your new clean surfaces?

I'm confused: according to Karen Kingston, we're supposed to chuck out old books, to make room to go out and buy her book?

p.s. I whole heartedly agree that the last picture is very cluttered and makes me feel almost claustrophobic.

The problem isn't "getting rid" of stuff, the problem is "getting stuff". Stop bringing stuff into your home, and you'll stop needing to get rid of stuff. Don't buy cheap, trendy furniture, and clothes, buy quality, classic things that will appreciate rather than depreciate.

The focus should be on the "inbox"--what you bring into your home. You can take a 1-week waiting period here too: if you want to buy something, think about it for a week, and go back to get it if you really need it.

The author is right that many of our things will outlast us, unfortunately, not in any usable form. So the things you should bring into your home for newness should be organic things that won't stick around: flowers, food, houseplants. Or borrow things for newness: books, movies, clothing. Bring in people who will give you fresh ideas. We don't need more stuff from ikea to make us happy!

I have to chuckle and agree with others who have commented on that Michelle McCormick photo. I really like that wall, it suits me, but good gracious, if I were choosing photos about "decluttering" I sure wouldn't choose a wall piled with boxes, filled with things with other things on top and then things all over the wall behind it. That's a place where a whole lot of clutter has been arranged for display, which is very different from getting rid of clutter. Where's the 10% space there??

I don't understand all this hysteria about books ? I love books, they are not exactly clutter, but I can tell you that when you have too many of them and you must ship them from Paris to Los Angeles, it is the total craziness... So to get rid of the "has-been books" or the "less-loved" ones may be a good idea, just to feel lighter.
I just wanted to say that I started using the outbox before reading this article, and without knowing exactly what I was doing, but I am happy to be able to put a name on it now, and I confirm it is much easier with it.
Another thing : I read the Feng Shui book about the Sacred Spaces years ago, and it's true it is a wonderful book, it had a big impact on my life, though it is still a work in progress, but I am learning and improving every day.
And yes, it is important to declutter a space because it allows the energy to flow in, it's not just because we are weird and we have a problem in our head...
Just a thought...
Sorry for my bad English, I am French from Paris.

Great post with really interesting comments!

I'm a fan of Karen Kingston's book and definitely learned a lot about myself and the stuff I choose to keep.

(Books are high on my lists of stuff, I could stock a small library.)

I realize I'm continually evolving and am not necessarily the same person I was when I first got some of my stuff. I love being able to keep the memories and not always having to keep the stuff. And besides, I want room for new stuff.

But wait, a lot of my New stuff is really vintage stuff, other people's Old stuff!

All that being said, check out the book;

A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder.

An excellent read and an open doorway to just letting yourself relax into your own style.

Ah, BOOKS!I have sold, given away so many books, and have learned that two rules apply: 1) If you love/use a book often, keep it, especially if it might go out of print. (A great art/or yes, design, book will not transfer to your Kindle!) 2)If you don't use/love a book, consider its worth in $€, its family history and worthiness for posterity, and keep a small treasure bookcase to give out tomes to the right person down the road. Otherwise, all bets are off. But anti-intellectualism and cheap bookmaking are only going to get worse, so bookworms beware, because Fahrenheit 451 is here and now.

I found Peter Walsh's "It's All Too Much" to be a great help. It isn't just a how-to book; it deals with the underlying causes of clutter, how things got that way and how to prevent a relapse.

Walsh's straightforward approach and no-nonsense attitude were just what I needed. Our home was buried in clutter, partially as a result of my living with an undiagnosed autoimmune disorder for 20 years. As my health has slowly returned I've been able to implement the principles in Peter's book, and reclaim our living space.

Isn't about keeping books or getting rid of them, haunting thrift shops for lost treasures, or feeling resentful about being burdened with family belongings. It's about *seeing* everything I own and understanding why it's in my house, and what purpose it serves.

I had items that held deep sentimental value, but were contributing to the clutter, and I needed to learn how to either integrate them or let them go. (Eleven people in my family died in a five-year period, and I was the only surviving relative of 3 of them, so I had LOTS of stuff.) As I was making decisions about letting go, I kept reminding myself, "I want to live my life, not curate it," and that's the essence of what decluttering has been about for me.

More books, fewer shoes. We all choose our battles.

Books. My biggest can-never-let-go-of thing until I got acquainted with first AT then Unclutterer. I still love books, but only a few weeks ago I transported over one hundred novels to a second-hand bookshop. Not all of them came from my library, but it still felt like a huge burden suddenly lifted. I will never let go of all books, but novels will from now on be very closely scrutinized and reference books too, or they won't get real estate on the shelf.

I've also flicked through about a meter worth of magazines, a few of which contained one or two ideas that I still want to be reminded of - so I scanned those pages. The rest were given to family members, who will circulate them before giving them to a family friend.

What shifted in me was a level of mysticism; the contents are still valuable, but like a previous reader said, the books are only vessels. Once this hit home, I also came to value a lot more the vessels that are truly meaningful to me. Lastly, I've realized that it's okay for me to evolve; I don't need to hold on to ideas that don't resonate with me anymore.

I'm trying to declutter to make space for an important new addition due in November - a second baby! I've resorted to hiring a storage unit nearby. I found Marilyn Paul's book more helpful than Karen Kingstons, she tackles clutter as well as other inter-related subjects, procrastination, disorganisation, in a very sympathetic way. http://www.marilynpaul.com/book.html

I have recently had two realisations
1) Books are better passed on to others so they can be enjoyed more than once. I still keep many, many books but I don't automatically keep every one anymore.
2) Clutter is not just stuff which is rubbish (broken, worn out etc), it's also stuff we simply don't use, regardless of whether it's still 'fine'! That was eye-opening! And yes, I agree that it's obvious :-)

A home without books is not a home. I have reduced my home's load, by giving away most of those I will never open again. That means most of what's left are field guides, books on gardening and cooking, how-to books, childrens' books, and some of my dad's old books. I let a lot of it go, because it was just something to dust. Wasn't it Thoreau who wouldn't accept a rug as a gift, because he would have to shake it? He knew he wouldn't own the rug, he would be owned by the rug. He would be it's servant. I try to keep that in mind.

On January one, I started going through every drawer, box, closet, and shelf of my home. It took over a month. I took a carload of stuff to Goodwill and spent over $100 in postage mailing things away. I sent a waffle maker I never use to a god-daughter setting up her first place. I also sent her a beautiful Crate & Barrel condiment holder, which was a gift that I never used and was always in the way in my closet. And beautiful crocheted lace tablecloths that my grandmother passed on to me, which are totally not my style went to the daughters of a cousin. They now have heirlooms from their great-grandmother and I have more room in my linen closet and feel like a weight, although a lace one, has been lifted.

Once I read about a woman who inherited her grandmother's china. She gave it to her daughter. Her daughter had never seen it, because her mother had kept it in safe-keeping for her. The china held no memories of having eaten on it at holidays. She had never seen it before. I realized I had been doing the same thing - keeping things in boxes to give to my kids. My kids aren't going to want this stuff! That has helped me. If I don't want it, I don't stick it in a box fooling myself that someday my kids will. Out the door it goes. Thankfully a Goodwill just opened less than a mile from me. I keep a box in my closet and toss things in it that need to go. When it gets full I take it to drop off when I run my errands. Lightening up feels great and is worth the time and energy, because in the long run, it opens more time in your life and gives you more energy!

If you look at British decorating magazines, books are a frequent fixture in homes. They manage to have bookshelves with books in them. American magazines show bookshelves with "decorative objects". I agree that it is our anti-intellectual bias in the United States.

Oh, 'Hogwash!' to all of this "sacred book" nonsense. My husband and I read constantly, and pretty high-falutin' books, generally. We keep almost none of them. We've got one shelf of go-to-again books (Shakespeare, Thurber, Tintin...hm...it's a pretty eclectic batch, if small) and everything else is either borrowed from someone else/library or bought and then given away.

As for buying back stuff you give away, my experience is that if I give away 100 things, in about 10 years I want less than 5 of those things back. The other 95 I'm just housing, paying to heat, taking time to clean. And eBay makes it easy for me to find those 5 things, cheap. It's a good deal.

I love the suggestions! In my blog http://designsavvyofnj.blogspot.com I recommend options of where to put your outbox items to help someone else!

I don't agree with the assumption that keeping things = clutter, or that a full bookcase = clutter. As long as books are neat on shelves, they hardly cause clutter. And as others have pointed out, many creative people work in cluttered environments and have hundreds of books, and there are numerous benefits to books in the home. As for brain candy and books you don't love: our circle of friends holds a book swap every few months. Everyone brings a bottle of wine, a snack, and a stack of books s/he is finished with. We eat, drink, and choose a new round of books, and donate the leftovers to the library.

I don't have many sentimental attachments to things, in spite of my love of books. It's easy for me to get rid of stuff, especially when I move--often to my detriment. Can I just say if you're probably going to replace it--even if you only use it a few times a year--just go ahead and keep it when you move? Minimalism isn't a virtue in and of itself, and it isn't for everyone.

Oh, and I am not at all a fan of "clear your clutter with feng shui." Half of it is self-promotion by the author, and most of the assertions about energy and the magic of enemas are pseudoscientific nonsense. I'm glad some people were moved by it, but it is hardly a book that speaks to everyone.

I like the idea of the outbox to deal with the emotional attachment issue. Our things are concrete reminders of the events of our lives. Regarding books...why buy them in the first place when there are libraries? The ones I buy are references that I use frequently or visual resources and inspiration for my artwork. After a time I find new inspiration and resell the old.

I think the comment about the books really set people off. To me, the intent of the article was to clear your space of items, including books that you do not use or love.

I have little space, and therefore only a few books that I have space to keep. They are my treasure, my old friends, but I am always reading new books from the library and bringing new energy and ideas into my home and life. I don't have to own them to love them. I think clutter is defined by anything we do not love and use. If you re-read your favorite books over and over, sure keep them but I would not keep books just because I am suppose to look intellectual.

My problem is paper. I am over run with paper clutter. What to do, what to do?

I enjoy ladymantle's thoughts....!! ;)

@Jess L. - I feel the need to second your problem of paper clutter! It feels good to admit.
We have very recently updated our home office with more storage, and I'm excited to start a system. For me, clutter is anything that interrupts the flow of our home: when my eye travels around a room and stops too many times on odd interruptions, piles, or items out of place. Also, we're basically lazy (as humans, and me and my family!) I think to myself TOO OFTEN "I'll deal with it later," "I'll put it away later," etc. Then all of a sudden, later builds into an enormous crescendo of anxiety attack of clutter! :-) We definitely all have clutter, we just all define it differently!

thanks @robertspeg!

I'm a hoarder and here's my tuppence worth...

1) The 'out box' really helped me. As the post says, it begins the 'letting go'

2) Your clutter is worth money!! It may be someone elses treasure, they may need it!! In America the culture of yard sales are a great way of keeping your 'stuff' in check. Over here, carboot sales can be a bit of work and they're usually on a Sunday.

3) The money you get for your clutter is another great way of letting go... and you can get something you need now, or just tackle a bill!!

4) Regarding the stuff you can't sell, but know it's still usefull, freecycle!! Someone may really need what you have and be either broke at that time (student, lone parent) or just so 'environmental' they prefer second hand!!

Now if only I could get around to my paper clutter (blush)

I really love my books, but on a recent declutter day, I picked my favorite book from each author I love and gave the rest to the public library sale. Now I have one to remind me of each author, and if I bring home a book by an author I've read, I decide which one to keep and the other one goes. It's a way to have some books and some space, too. Well, at least it's a start . . .

RE: books - for those of us who require books professionally (I'm a college professor), the "clutter" problem is exacerbated by poorly designed shelving units. Almost everything available is too deep with the shelves spaced too far apart, encouraging stacking and piling rather than neatly shelved books. I'd love to see more suggestions about where to find modular shelving units of varying heights with interchangeable and adjustable shelves that are only 8" deep. Any apartment therapy suggestions for how to manage an irreducible wall of books?

I agree with everything except the books. I could never get rid of most of my books. And no matter how many you have, a stack of books never looks like clutter to me anyway.

that book shelf in the picture looks horrendous.

I have eight full-sized bookshelves filled to capacity in my apartment. I am also as OCD as they come about tidiness. Books don't equal clutter, as long as you are capable of neatly and aesthetically arranging them.

@Isp: if you can look around your kitchen at your grandmother's things and be warmly reminded of her love and presence, than they are the opposite of clutter.

Don't get rid of something that is meaningful to you just because it looks "cluttered." The point of a de-cluttered home is make you feel more sane and centered. I have plenty of sentimental objects which, if I got rid of them, I would feel less centered. Maybe that's not a good thing, but who cares. I love my home.

HMSII,

Look at the following site. The bookcases are not adjustable but come in various heights/depths that fit standard size books, art books etc. These people have been in business for years and, as their name suggests, they started out in business in Hyde Park in Chicago, the home of the University of Chicago. I believe the business was started by U of C students.

http://57thstreetbookcases.com/

I know exactly what you mean by bookshelves being the wrong size. If the shelves fit the height and width of the book almost exactly lots of problems disappear, including the dust issue because you loose the horizontal surface at the edge of most standard bookshelves. As you point out, you are also lose the temptation to stuff extraneous matter into gaps and spaces. You then get the effect of a wall of books which I don’t believe ever looks like clutter.

Please do a home tour of image number two with the cozy bed! I'm in LOVE.

To all of you lovers/haters of books:

Books are very personal. Everyone is going to have their own feelings about them and that's okay.

That said, I read a LOT. I thoroughly enjoy reading and having a ton of books around me is just part of the space I like to be in. This does not make me "intellectually insecure" (what nonsense!). And I do have to agree with the posters who alluded to America's literacy/educational problem. If we would tear ourselves away from TV, we could increase our attention spans and learn new things that are...wait for it....ACTUALLY USEFUL FOR SOMETHING.

We can increase our vocabularies.
We can learn to communicate better in writing because it will be modeled for us.
We can have more thoughtful and thought-provoking discussions with each other.
We can learn about history so we don't repeat past mistakes.
We learn how to do stuff. The ready-made world has taught us that we can't do stuff. But we can. We just have to learn how.

Anyway, it's for these reasons - and many more - that I believe books are invaluable and not prominent enough in American culture.

And if you hate books or don't care about them as much as I do, that's fine. Just don't tell me how to feel about them and absolutely don't tell me I'm "intellectually insecure" because I value them.

HMSII,

There is also a line of shelving that hangs from a track called Elfa. You can find it at http://www.containerstore.com/elfa/index.html

It's not solid wood but you're supposed to be able to set a large-screen TV on them. And the best part is that they are customizable in the ways that you will want them to be.

Best of luck!

I think a lot of people think of books as exempt from rules about clutter etc. But are they, really? You're still defining yourself by your possessions and acquisitions, and they're still (be honest!) piles of "stuff" that you don't often use. I used to have scads of books (and records), but I moved so often that they were becoming a problem. Now I keep reference stuff or things that I irrationally reread (cookbooks, Tintin) and get the rest from the library. As a previous poster said, it's presumably the ideas therein that matter, not the lumps of paper.
(And I agree with posters who say the last wall o' stuff looks cluttery.)

Thanks for mentioning Karen Kingston! Re: books, she just mentions them in particular because printed materials are an item people seem to have special trouble parting with. Got a collection of magazines, which you are holding onto so you can say you have the whole series? What are you going to do with them once you have the last two issues? The answer she has found in working with clutterbugs usually is, “Um, I don’t know.”
Not to say that I don’t have plenty of stuff I could still get rid of, but her book(s) are actually pretty good for gaining some perspective about one’s possessions and what motivates us all to keep what we do, and her books are definitely of the change-your-life kind.

Clutter -- such a vexed (and popular) issue. I read Karen Kingston's book, and I enjoyed it and learned from it, but it's not the last word for me.

I think there's a right amount of stuff, not too little, not too much, that makes our lives work better. It takes some fishing around to find it, and the perfect amount may change at different times in our lives. It's undoubtedly less than we think it is, because we've gotten used to having a lot of stuff in our rich society, and we might actually be happier with less, besides using fewer resources.

On the other hand, if decluttering becomes a ridiculous obsession, it's the mirror image of hoarding, and just as dysfunctional. The point should be living, not managing stuff.

A special note on books. My books make me happy when I look at them. Ergo, to me they are not clutter. I acquire many, I get rid of many, I keep many.

However, if books (or sweaters, or pots, or papers) feel like a millstone around your neck, then they are clutter to you. I think the key is how you feel about your stuff, not some rule someone else has decreed.

My husband and I live out of suitcases for months at a time while we travel for work. You realize after a while that you don't need all the "stuff" and without it you are free to have more experiences. I've found I don't have to own things to enjoy them - much like this blog it gives me pleasure to see the offerings but I don't have to have them to enjoy them.

I am pretty excited that I have now cleared enough space in my house to have space for an outbox to be truly out of the way. I successfully used the outbox system the other day- I didn't think about it like that, I just knew I had three hand knit jumpers with sentimental value that I wasn't using. A month in the outbox and I gave one to the op shop, one to a friend, and put one back in the cupboard. I won't wear it, but that's ok.

I have things like this to which I have an emotional attachment and I can't get rid of. I don't mind them, it's just a case of seperating out which things I am keeping because they have sentimental value and which are jsut sentimental. I recently got rid of a bunch of books that I have never read and don't want to. I still have ones that I have never read, won't have time for for years, but I still really want to read. That might change, but I don't feel like they are clutter (yet!).

I don't have room for an outbox, with all my stuff...

COMPLETELY agree with Jillebean. If we turn her idea to books, then the problem isn't holding onto them - it's the purchasing them in the first place.

I go to the library constantly. In the summer, I read dozens of books. Maybe 1 in 100 makes a place in my heart that I want to visit again. I go buy that book, and carry it with me for life. (And really, if I don't have $30, I know I can go take it out of the library again someday if I want to read it again.)

My not buying books isn't a sign of my American anti-intellectualism. It's actually a sign of a healthy rebellion against American hyper-consumerism and waste. Ideas don't cost money, and intellectualism can be free, because we have these wacky things called libraries.

Buy and hold and treasure books you absolutely love. But to hold and house a book just because you read it violates that primary law: "Keep only the things you know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."

Oh, and ironically, I've just put a library hold on AT's "The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces."

Does AT foster the green, waste-not movement when it means an AT book is bought singly by libraries and then used by dozens or hundreds of patrons? :)

@SugarHoneyLove , I sit in front of the TV and rip out the magazine pages I want to keep and put them in plastic sleeves in 3 ring binders. I have a separate binder for each subject (recipes, décor, crafts, gardening, travel, etc...) with dividers in each binder to further organize each subject. Once I’m done, I recycle what’s left of the magazines.
With the actual magazines, I could never find the articles I was looking for – now I can find things easily. I like the scanning idea too, but I haven’t converted over completely to the computer - I still like the tactile feel of a “book” in my hand. The most effective thing I’ve done is cut way down on the magazines I buy and subscribe to. Less stuff means less to deal with in the long run!

Re: the image from "The Big Book",

'There's a lot in this tiny bedroom by Jen Chu, but it feels light and airy because she's taken care to only keep what she loves and to leave breathing room'

Hmmm, but that bed appears to be a little short on leg room, doesn't it? ;)

I've been using the outbox method for a while without realizing it. After my divorce, I moved from a three-story house into a teeny (but happier!) place. With all the emotional upheaval at the time, I couldn't handle dumping everything at once, so I rented a storage unit and worked through the bags and boxes at a slow but steady pace. I came up with a system to help me decide what I really love and what I might be hanging on to for other reasons (guilt, the money I paid, memories, whatever).

My outbox is in the trunk of my car. I put in whatever I'm considering letting go of. It's usually a few days or maybe even a week before I get around to stopping at the charity dropoff. I know I can change my mind and "rescue" anything I want, but usually by the time I drop it off, I realized I haven't missed it since I took it out of the house. Only on rare occasionas do I rescue something and take it back home, and then I know it's something I appreciate enough to keep for a while longer. For me, getting it out of the house for a little while is the key.

That wall just looks like a pile of clutter to me. Clutter is a decorating style. Some like it sleek and spare, some don't. To me sleek and spare is cold and uninviting -- needing some Guatamalan shawls draped around. I happen to like my clutter and plan to keep it. BTW, I borrow books from the library so I have more room for trinkets.

Uh oh, it's me again. "If you look at British decorating magazines, books are a frequent fixture in homes. They manage to have bookshelves with books in them. American magazines show bookshelves with "decorative objects". I agree that it is our anti-intellectual bias in the United States."

You are talking about decorating books, not real homes.

If you have a lot of stuff but it's organized in a well-thought out space (does not have to be big) then it is not clutter. No one would say a private library in someone's home is clutter. No one would tell Martha Stewart that her crafts and projects are cluttering up her house. Certainly no one on this site would say that someone with every issue of Domino should throw it out because its clutter or not feng shui or whatever self-help book you are using.

And no matter what item of clothing I throw away, it always comes back in style the next season.

And if you moved as much as I do for school and work: 6 times in 8 years in two cities, you'll realize you can get really good at packing no matter how much you keep. moving only seems crazy because most normal people move so rarely.

Well, I have pack-rat tendencies that I am trying to overcome room by room. I have an unreasonable love for books, and could never imagine having a kindle. I have gotten my book collection down to about 200 books (which means I got rid of about 95% of my previous collection). I donated about half to our local library, sold some, and gave the rest away to friends and family. I now have a dedicated space for books that I cannot exceed. I go to the library for books more, and I make myself get rid of a book if I buy one. It really works!

I HATE owning books. I don't re-read them, plus you can find anything online now.

Books live in the city library, and go back home when they're done. Then other people get to enjoy them as well.

Thank you so much for this wonderful post. Remembering your article helped me let go, and donate of 6 TRASH BAGS worth of stuff to the charity. I just kept thinking, "Holding onto old...doesn't allow you to create space for new ideas and ways of thinking to come into your life." And with 2011 knocking at my door, I'm all about creating space for new things--be it social or material. THANK YOU!

Thank you so much for this wonderful post. Remembering your article helped me let go, and donate of 6 TRASH BAGS worth of stuff to the charity. I just kept thinking, "Holding onto old...doesn't allow you to create space for new ideas and ways of thinking to come into your life." And with 2011 knocking at my door, I'm all about creating space for new things--be it social or material. THANK YOU!

I know I'm coming into the scene late, but since taking on a 365 day organizing project to get my life in order (and blogging about it to hold myself accountable!) I've been eating up every tip I can find. The second generation sorting sounds like it *might* help me, but I've already pared down to (almost) the bare minimum, but it sounds useful for my biggest threat to my clutter-free attempt, and that is PAPER.

Fewer regrets:

Wait a month before departing with your out-box.

Replace paper, books, tv, stereo and alarm clock with a handheld computer.

Photograph heirlooms.
Use a computer folder of images as a screen saver.

Rather than a bedroom set, bureaus, tables, desks and closets:

Try a daybed or futon couch. Store blankets in pillowcases.
Try pull-out storage baskets under a bed or chair.
Store handy items in a tote bag on a hook.
Try a floor lamp and clipboard.

3 tops x 3 bottoms = 9 outfits
Iron clothes on a towel over a kitchen counter.
Try one pair of dress shoes, sneakers and boots – or go barefoot.
Rather than a hat or umbrella, try a hooded jacket.
Try coat hooks near the entry door.

Kitchen space:

Rather than a dining room set, eat/entertain with your plate in your lap.

Try a collection of one-pot recipes and a portable stovetop.
Try a large cutting board over a sink, stove or under-counter appliance.
Store weekly dry goods and a utensil basket under a kitchen sink.

To beautify, stand plates and glasses vertically on open narrow shelving.
Dry dishes on a towel.

To hide a kitchenette:
Suspend long curtains or louver doors from the ceiling.

Bathroom space:

Try a small, 12” - depth, corner sink without a vanity.
Store towels and cosmetic baskets on open narrow shelving over a toilet.
Try a clothing hook and full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door.
Try towel hooks near the bathroom sink and shower.

I happen to use all of my old decorating books for new blog post ideas. I do, however, purge my collection every so often when my personal taste changes. But books can become clutter if you aren't careful. I love the new book smell, but I also have a Kindle.

I am also a book lover. A blanket statement about "getting rid of old books" to make way for new ones is unfair. As long as your books are organized and still in use, I see no reason not to keep them in your home as a personal reference library.

Also - I have read that hanging a chandelier directly above one's bed was a major feng shui no-no. Especially in a bedroom as small as the one shown in this story.

And, I agree that the kitchen, though organized, doesn't look functional enough for day-to-day use.

I've been decluttering, and found that a 'one in ten things out' rule helps at first when you feel you have too much of anything, like drinking glasses, magazines, etc. Simpler decor is also much easier to clean. Saving cleaning time means more time to read, walk or be with friends and family. If you really love something keep it, but most things we really do not love.

I'm a big fan of de-cluttering and trying to not add a significant amount of things without also getting rid of an equal amount of things -- especially when it comes to clothes and shoes. Choices can be tough but having too much to organize is a luxury, people. But I refuse to give items in my home power over my thinking -- that say, hanging on to old books hold me back from new ideas. How about being thoughtful about what you buy in the first place? My grandparents never had to read articles like this, because they were conscious consumers. That's a blog post I want to read, not how to give items even more power by placing them in a temporary home while I deal with my emotions over them.

Hoo boy and I ever an expert in this area. I have mental scars from loss that I had to overcome. I was robbed while on vacation in Europe. They brought a moving van and cleaned me out...everything. Then I was divorced and left with nothing but a table and folding chairs. I clung onto everything people gave me. I never wanted to be so without again.
But now I am happy and healthy and only slightly obsessed with being tidy.
I stick to my one in two out rule. I bring in a great lamp and two things must leave.
As for all the hubaloo about books. Don't get your panties in a knot. Only expensive collectible books should stay. Really? You couldn't find another copy of a Tale of Two Cities if you needed it? Last time I perused the thrift store there were plenty of books. I keep a nice notebook with a list of my favorite books but I don't need to KEEP the books. I discovered a thing called the library. I won't throw out my gorgeous books about architecture or art or design. Are You There God It is Me Margaret can go! Honestly being tidy and having less is FREEING.

The stuff you throw away in your 20s is the same stuff you'll spend your 40s trying to buy back. I had all my parent's hand-me-down MCM and couldn't stand how "grandma" it felt at the time. Now I'd love to have the "tacky plastic" Panton chairs, parsons table, Vignelli dishes, and some of my disgarded books that now sell for $400 on eBay.

I agree with everyone, above, who said books are not clutter. However, I do have a LOT of old magazines, papers of various kinds (old bank statements, paycheck advice printouts, etc.) that I have trouble getting rid of. I also find I have more and more pieces of clothing, so that I no longer have enough hangers or closet space (in my 20's and 30's, I actually was able to fit everything into one small closet; now I have two standard-size closets but things are stuffed in there). So there's room to "edit" belongings, for sure!

I know I've won when I forget what's in my outbox. Only then do I revisit it to decide what goes to whom.

BrooklynKJ - I mostly agree, but not everyone starts out as conscious consumers. Re-Nest has a ton of posts about buying consciously+for the longer term. See: Slow Home series of posts.

For me, some stuff I have is superfluous. Some stuff was purchased cheap as a matter of necessity. A lot is in between. I'm at a place where I get that I DO have to take stock of what I've got in order to keep/get what I love+will have for the long term.

I've developed an OutPile. It will be demolished (donated/sold/trashed) soon. Yipee.

BrooklynKJ - I mostly agree, but not everyone starts out as conscious consumers. Re-Nest has a ton of posts about buying consciously+for the longer term. See: Slow Home series of posts.

For me, some stuff I have is superfluous. Some stuff was purchased cheap as a matter of necessity. A lot is in between. I'm at a place where I get that I DO have to take stock of what I've got in order to keep/get what I love+will have for the long term. I feel fortunate to be in this place (finally)...

I've developed an OutPile. It will be demolished (donated/sold/trashed) soon. Yipee.

I've been in the middle of a renovation for the last 18 months, requiring all of my stuff tio go into storage, minus a mattress, a bag of clothing and a lap top computer. I ahve never been more carefree! I am dreading the day when my stuff is to return. I don't even know what is in the storage unit!! I am almost prepared to liquidate before it makes it back to my apartment...

I'm an academic, so my books are part of my work, I would no sooner get rid of my reference texts as I would throw out my computer.

There is no hard and fast rule that applies to everyone - and so these "rules" are always a bit forced.

I feel many people have read into the suggestions here on book collections in particular literally. I agree with the poster but that doesn't mean I get rid of all my books. It means I make the effort to go thru my collection from time to time and purge books I'm not as crazy about or which I will never open again. So, I do keep books will still inspire or have some meaning for me. By tossing some, I make room in my life for new books and new ideas. Let's face it, not every book is a keeper, I don't think any of you would insist that every single book you've ever owned needs to be kept forever.

As for the outbox, mine would very quickly turn into a junk room. I'm better off getting rid of it at the point of decluttering.

Hi LSP - you sounded really upset! Can I make a suggestion? Why don't you take a photograph of your grandma's kitchen stuff on display. Frame it and put it up on your kitchen wall, and donate your grandma's stuff somewhere it will be appreciated. You could either have a small photo or a poster!

I started living on my own (as a grad student) just a couple years ago, so there was a rapid (largely craigslist-enabled) influx of stuff while I worked out my taste and needs. At one point my outbox was massive, but I am now down to just 2 extraneous chairs, as far as the furniture goes!

Just wondering, but will this post always get reposted around the Cure?

Books are only clutter if you don't read them. My partner and cull through our books every spring and if we dont want them we put them on the front walk.

It's truly liberating to let go of things. My main method is to clean up my stuff, neatly label it, and set it on the sidewalk. That ensure that whomever takes it actually wants it.

During one move I unloaded approx 40% of my belongings that way. The ONLY object left was a perfectly workable, if old, scanner. It was amazing to come home after work and see everything gone.

The ideal cited by Mary B C upstream, William Morris's "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful" allows for a ton of leeway. I am not talking about stacks of moldering newspapers, but one person's clutter is another's fastidiously arranged collection -- hence the wildly diverging views here on the third picture. Now that particular one is way closer to my own aesthetic (behold my handle), but I can understand that it would not be to everyone's taste. What matters only is that the inhabitant knows it to be beautiful. It's totally subjective. "Clutter" is such a loaded, judgmental term and its current ubiquity derives largely, I would bet, from the hoards of middle-brow TV audiences sucked into the Hoarders phenomenon. (Sorry; being judgmental here myself -- I would probably actually get hooked immediately it if I watched it once.)

When I moved last month I happily got rid of over half of my book collection. Some were textbooks I had no future use for, others I had read once and had no interest in reading again, others were severely damaged art books, etc., etc. The truth is that I felt just as oppressed by those books as I did by the piles of other clutter accumulating in my house. They were donated to The Book Thing (a fabulous place if you're ever in B'more) and I haven't looked back on that choice. I currently have one bookshelf, half-full, and am happy with that.

Now can we talk about how beautiful the kitchen storage is in the top picture? Because I'm drooling over it here.

I love books but in order to keep them from taking over my life, my sister and I co-founded a book swap (fashioned after one in Chicago). It's a totally free event held at our favorite local brewery three times a year. People bring books that they are ready to pass on and browse those that others have brought. (Books are collected at the door and organized into categorizes.) It's not a one - for - one; everyone simply takes what looks good to them. We donate the leftover books to local charities.

@Sugar Honey Love: I found the trick is to decide exactly why I'm keeping the magazines. If it's to work on specific home/garden projects I pull those articles (i.e., tear sheets), divide the tear sheets into the projects I want to work on, and get rid of the remainder of the bulky magazine. Then on a rainy day I sit down and really design that project, pulling my favorite ideas from the collected tear sheets, and toss the rest. It helps me get really clear about what I want to accomplish. I have a few other categories, like images that inspire writing or painting ideas, those tear sheets go into a file that sits near my computer or my paints. I was able to condense roughly 4 boxes of magazines into just 3 binders for everything. Unlike the magazines whole that just sat around, the binders are organized, and the ideas I'd collected are now in active use.

Good article though I agree about books and the space-for-new-ideas comment. I'd read Kingston's book, Walsh's, pretty much any of them I could get my hands on and the one thing that worked well for me is to setup the bookshelves I genuinely wanted in my home and then confine myself to those (so instead of blanketing my house with bookshelves everywhere I could fit them I designated a specific and finite library space). What that meant is that for any given category of reading I pulled my favorite 5 or 10 books (classics, history, psychology, etc), kept only those and they went on the bookshelves, which made packing up & donating the _remaining mess_ a no brainer.

Caveat:
Except for cookbooks - I still have a severe addiction I'm trying to declutter (existing) and curb (buying).

@xasp42, OK, I'm a librarian and we own that book you are waiting for reactions to. I'm with Better Bombshell -- pseudoscientific nonsense. If it changed YOUR life, that's lovely, I guess, but it won't be changing mine. A few worthwhile tips, but nothing that I haven't seen elsewhere.

Clutter is basically the indoor equivalent of weeds: the gardener's definition of weeds is "plants that are growing where you don't want them." Clutter is stuff that accumulates where you don't want it. (Like, in your way!)

I think the two main keys to clutter control are mindfulness and a little healthy narcissism.

If you are constantly paying attention to find what you have that you have stopped enjoying or using or noticing (kind of a conundrum, that last one) you know what to get rid of. I love books, but I long ago realized that I don't need to keep fiction, apart form special books that I want to re-read. The rest I buy used and give away or borrow from the library. I do buy non-fiction books that support my hobbies and other interests. Sometimes those pile up and I need to readdress them. When I was starting out landscaping my yard, I got a lot of books on gardening and seed starting etc. I find that only a few of those are still useful to me, so the others, kept because I USED to refer to them and hadn't realized I no longer do, could now go away. But books hold ideas and memories for people, so there's nothing wrong witih hoarding them, either. (Tidily, I hope!)

And as for healthy narcissism... my stuff is about ME, not about my family. I don't keep gifts that I don't like, I don't keep heirlooms that aren't reflective of my interests, I find alternative homes for anything somebody ELSE cherished that I do not. I don't feel guilty, I DO try to find somebody who will really want it, but I do not keep it. Preserving the magazine photos my grandfather decoupaged onto slabs of wood might mean something to Dad, but they are craptastic and will never be in my home. I loved Grandpa. I don't need to love everything he touched to prove it.

The books seem to be a real issue with me as well because many of them are art and design books that I will reference again. What I did do what donate every book that I can either get on Kindle for free (including my complete works of William Shakespeare that took up entirely too much space) or that I wouldn't mind going to the library to get if I should like to read it again. That helped clear out about two boxes of books and make room for an art/craft desk in my closet.

I thought the picture of the "amazing wall" by Michelle McCormick was going to be one of those before and after scenarios. I was couldn't wait to see how they cleaned up that cluttered mess - but eek, that was the after. The pictures crooked, way to many nick-nacky stuff just thrown on there. It's making me anxious just looking at it.

The photo displayed with this article makes me feel vaguely ill from that much junk.

JMD -agree
Virtuelsie -Totally agree

Been there done that! Im on my last purge and what remains are the gotta haves. It's a physical relief getting rid of stuff and the amount of time I have spent moving it around and around without really enjoying most of it was a waste..

I have come to realize my time is precious and how I spend it is too. I choose to spend time now with my pets and friends, and less time with my stuff. When the time comes for me to hybernate, my stuff will be there, and it'll be the best of the best!

Cavemen ancestors? Really?

Maybe this is an attempt to be cutesy, but I am really getting sick of pseudo-evo-psych just-so stories in the self-help world. Pro-tip: human evolution did not stop at some arbitrary point in time. It is ongoing. Google "adult lactose tolerance worldwide distribution" for some interesting charts.

Note: Our stuff has changed a great deal since those early days as well. Back then, everything was biodegradable and disappeared rather quickly so that clutter buildup was less of an issue. Much of our stuff now will outlive us.

This is blatantly untrue, as evidenced by all those cave-bone-heaps and fire pits paleoarcheologists keep finding all over the globe. Come on, now.

I've got a stack of magazines that had piled up by the door ready for donation to local senior center etc. For me, if I just get it into the trunk of the car, it may take me a couple of weeks to get it to the thrift store etc.. but at least when I'm out and about it's there when the planets align and I remember them!
I also do this with dry cleaning.. I NEVER remember to do this so I put them in the car and when I remember them..I drop them off. This will not work if you need them immediately obviously.. just helps me to get it in the car...

@pz

I've often noticed in pictures of the homes of really artistic and creative people--writers, painters, musicians, whatever, they generally have lots and lots of books.

Yes, because these books are working items in their homes. You'll find lawyers, too, tend to have a lot of that printed mess.

However, if you or I have gone a different path with our life, every book/textbook we spent too much of our fall semester budget on, every series we "collected" in high school, every popular science book we enjoyed because it made us feel smart (8 years ago) and every penny-dreadful fat summer trade paperback that we got because we liked the same author's one good book (little did we know it was the influence of an unnamed editor), every well-meaning Christmas gift that references our ethnic group, religion, or favorite passion (golf books, collections of Irish/Jewish humor, Harry Potter knitting/recipe books) does not, in fact, have a function in our homes. They take up space that could be better used for other things.

I have friends who buy and display DVDs of every movie they ever kind of enjoyed. Do they watch these acrylic trophies? Let the accumulated dust on the spines be the judge of that.

If you reread a book so often you end up having to replace it every 7 years (or less), then, yeah, that is definitely a functional part of your home and I would never challenge that. My wife has most of the Agatha Christie mysteries and rereads them frequently. We just replaced about 30% of the titles because these books had been loved to death. Last year, I got rid of most of my Star Trek paperbacks. Hadn't been cracked in YEARS.

Another example--I have kept some of my foreign language reference books. Many of them have info you would be hard-pressed to find online (while navigating special character sets). My beloved Collins PONS German-English dictionary from college? Sold. LeoDict does the job better and faster without taking up space in my house. I loved that dictionary, but it wasn't being used and was gathering sneeze-inducing dust. I also ditched my well-worn Japanese-English dictionary (which had been 'loved to death') because WWWJDict is actually superior. Although I had often pulled that tattered volume just for convenience, I had to admit that the online reference had many more and more accurate entries. The days of needing loads of printed-paper references are passing away.

I am an avid reader, and I love to re-read books that spoke to me on a first reading. I had a huge collection of paper books in my teens, which I am gradually sifting through. Art books, graphic novels, illustrated editions, and other physically beautiful books I keep, along with the best reference books. I've been re-buying the text-only novels (the ones that I love and want to re-read) in Kindle editions and getting rid of the paper books. Shakespeare, Dickens, Austen, and Robert Louis Stevenson are free in digital format, so I don't have to hold on to those. I'm still working on whittling that big, bulky collection down, since there's no room for an entire library of paper books in our itty-bitty studio.

The picture of Michelle McCormick wall looks very cluttered to me, like a before picture I was waiting to see the after one.

I did a serious de-clutter the last time I moved. I cherry picked and packed just the stuff I liked, took only the furniture that would fit neatly in my new space, and left everything else.

I couldn't bear to see anything leave, so after I moved out, I had Goodwill come and cart off everything that was left. It took a 25 foot truck. I kid you not. A 25 foot truck. I think I left more than I took. They told me there were 10 volunteers in my house for 8 hours just packing what was left, and hauling out all the remaining furniture. There are a couple of little things I have missed, but I can't recall them at the moment.

It's been two years since I moved, and just recently I emptied a walk in closet to reorganize. I removed very little, but it is half full now: amazing what reordering can do.

In that first picture of the kitchen shelving, is that an old-timey radio smack-dab in the center?

I have been purging everything in my apartment and storage room it seems forever! Every season brings new piles to give away or donate. Living in NYC in a small space makes me edit constantly. Books are not my problem - although I am sure a few could go. My problem is my hubby and child as some have already mentioned. I most own every computer cable since 1980 because "we may need it sometime". UGH! And my problem is I love to acquire. I just don't really need most of it, just like hanging on to a few things which remind me of the past. I agree with the buy better and less.

I bought the book last year after stumbling across the 20/20 Cure, and promptly started to de- clutter. Only problem is now the apartment is de-cluttered except now my Outbox takes up the whole of my spare room, to the piopint that I open the door and close it almost immediately soooo daunting

I do believe that books are clutter, albeit a socially-cherished type of clutter. After studying literature for a number of years, I realized I was never going to want to read eighteenth-century novels again. EVER. So I threw them out; better than spending hundreds of dollars and losing square footage for the sake of saving something you will probably never use again and can most likely get at the library.

I always suggest that people "monetize" their excess. You can donate things to charity and take a deduction that will not be audited of up to $4,999. You should check on-line to ensure that you value your donations properly. The money I get back on taxes is free money and the things I donated do good for the charity.

As for books, I recently got rid of a carefully cultivated and much beloved library orf 1,000 books when I realized that I would never re-read them again. I kept a few and all of my art/reference books, although I plan to sell the ones that no longer match my interests.

To deal with my paper proble, I have gone paperless where possible. I am even considering a digital subscription to the newspaper.

My home is far from barren - I have wonderful collections that I display - but it only has things that I vale and use. Anything else, no matter what the social biases, is clutter.

Love the shelves and the ceiling paint in the bedroom!

Thanks for the tips. I ve been wanting to do a deep declutter for months now. This will give me a jump start i need to get going on it.

The clearest memories I have of my paternal grandfather, who died when I was 3, involve his library: two rooms with walls just lined with books and records, floor to ceiling. It was a wonderous place to a little girl who was obsessed with reading. When my grandmother sold the house, the my father and his siblings divided up the books they wanted and the rest (including my great-grandparents' law library) got donated to various libraries. While I didn't ask for anything out of the library at the time (I was 10 or so), I regret that now. It feels like I missed an opportunity to keep that piece of my history. I know my father will one day pass the books he kept on to my sister and to me, but the loss of the opportunity to keep something personal (and the loss of the legal books, since I'm now a lawyer myself) saddens me a bit.

When one of my uncles died, my aunt passed his Nero Wolfe collection on to me. That collection is one of my most cherished possessions, not just because of my love for the books (which are fabulous, every time I read them), but for the connection to someone I loved who is now gone.

Which is all a round about way of saying that books can be very emotional things (as evidenced by the rather spirited discussion here). For those of us who have that very personal connection with our collection, it feels like a personal attack when someone derides books as clutter. And comments like "you know, they have these things called libraries," or "you really can't find another copy of A Tale of Two Cities" rankle not just because of the snide tone, but because the speaker/writer so clearly feels free to judge us even though they neither know nor understand us.

My books are a lot like Rob's records in High Fidelity. They're more than just the information they contain-as a collection, they tell the story of me.

I don't want to get into whether the books=clutter meme is some sign of anti-intellectualism, the evils of TV (which I also love, perhaps unhealthily), consumerism, the downfall of civilization as we know it, etc. We all have crap we could stand to be rid of (she said, staring at the ever growing collection of papers that need to be shredded and recycled). But a little less judgment about what strangers keep, toss, or give away would be a good thing.

That said, it does physically pain me to hear/ read about books being thrown out. Can't they be passed on to a new home instead of being sent to a landfill? That's not said to judge those who throw books out wholesale--just a gentle reminder that that there are Goodwills and libraries (local, school, prison, bookmobiles) that might be willing to take some of your unwanted books off your hands, especially in a time when limited budgets restrict what new materials can be purchased.

On a non-book note: am I the only one who loves the look of open shelving like the picture at the very top of the page, but can't look at pictures like that without thinking "those people must not have cats?"

Books are clutter. That's why there are libraries and i pads. I have a Ph.D. and I can testify that books are a sad status symbol. They represent intellectual currency, minus the actual value of retaining or applying knowledge.

Cats are also clutter:p

I like how the 2nd photo was done since that is so very practical but still was added with a comfy, stylish and very nice look.

Betty33, you crack me up.

I am soooo thinking about de-cluttering right now. I have started planning to sublet my apartment and take a year to go travelling. I'm not a person of means, so I really need to think about what is important enough that I'll be willing to store it for a year. That's going have to include sifting through my wall o' books. :( It feels like "tough love," but applied to myself. I liked the post's idea about making room for newness in your life. That's why I want to travel in the first place!

Much as I dislike clutter in my own space (it feels like a constant battle - the outbox is a great idea), I prefer visiting homes that are full of books, memorabilia, and a bit of mess. Homes that are extremely tidy and obviously curated/decluttered make me feel uneasy. I don't know why.

My fiance and I love in a tiny one bedroom. our outbox os a hidden corner of the living room tjat is then transferred to the trunk of his car. I agree to a point aboit the books.i keep art books and favorite novels, but i would rather borrow from the library.

Excellent post. I wholeheartedly believe people could get rid of a lot of stuff and still be happy. Doesn't mean letting go of certain things is any easier, though!

A little late to the party but much as I love my books, I have to say this post did inspire me to undertake a big purging last night of my bookshelves. Out went the college textbooks I'm never going to read again, along with those wangsty Anne Rice vampire books I loved in high school but haven't touched since.

The thought of a home without books and only an e-reader, however - I will never get on board with that.

I've finally come to the realization that many of the things I've kept are just reminding me of things I never did or a person I am not anymore. The heels that are too high for me to walk in (I never did strengthen my ankles to wear them), the stencils and paints (that was going to be a rockin' apron), the boxes and boxes of "office supplies" (I barely even use my desk now that I've graduated). I've learned that I'm not the kind of person who can let projects pile up. One at a time, girl. That's all you can handle. And you know what? That's okay. Get the other crap out of the way and pick a project!

Yes, thousands of Marie Claires can become clutter, and some of those "people" magazines I can see being a problem. But I would hate to put books as the first thing to be seen as clutter.
Sometimes, when I walk in a reader's room, it reverberates with stories, history, and yes, new ideas.
It is the other kitschy item, that we bought on our many trips way before we learned better that I would like to see gone.

@esotericara - I really like your comment. I *WISH* I could do multiple projects, but I can't. Gonna/gotta start paring down...

We shall overcome (the clutter) someday! from a grandiose point of view, or as they say, let's look at the bigger picture, we are fighting a consumer driven economy and should all be awarded badges of honour for our continued effort to overcome the system.This is not an individual problem, and decluttering has become a bona fide social movement. Let's celebrate our adventurous spirit and proudly reclaim our space !

I'm a rabid conservationist and anti-clutter fan. But books? They're the cornerstone of human culture and communication. Book only hold back new ideas if they're in the way. A good bookshelf should give you enough room for new and old books. Done reading? Sell them used. It will save the forests (along with recycled paper. Boogles my mind this has not caught on yet).

There are some good ideas in this article, but my books aren't going anywhere...

I've been putting things in the Outbox only to find my boyfriend putting them back somewhere else. How do I break his hoarding habit?

I have to smile to myself after reading all the pro book, anti book posts. I am definitely a border/hoarder with OCD, so even though there are many different collections in my space, I still notice if something is out of place. :) But the reason I'm smiling to myself right now is the fact that I was doing pretty well clearing out the summer shoes to put away to make room for the winter boots and sorting out the excess until I decided to take a break to read this blog. LOL! It's been almost an hour & now I have jotted down about 3 new de-cluttering books to look into. LOL!

I say keep the things that bring you joy and comfort when you see, use, read, display them or that bring back a wonderful memory, and pass the rest on to someone or someplace where they will still have a purpose. Collecting things that meet that need within us is fine within space and reason. And that will be different for everyone...books, shoes, tools, hats, whatever. I'm not judging. However...

Holding onto empty, broken, dirty items that cannot be fixed or re-purposed or that have no useful purpose indicates that perhaps some outside help may be needed to avoid unsafe or unsanitary conditions.

I am a collector. I know why I collect the things that I do. I like to change things around and I do pass things on or sell things that no longer do it for me. Not as much as I would like, I'll admit.

I watch the hoarding shows to get an occasional reality check and to stay mindful that keeping a balance is a very important goal to have, in every area of our lives. And that's what I strive for.

I am always looking for new ways to accomplish that, so thank you all for your input!

I really enjoyed this article. Not only was it very intersting, but it also gave me some solid tips to try out. I am moving into a new place this weekend and cannot wait to apply the % and the Outbox concepy.

I think this might just be the sollution. :)

I love decorating magazines. Since we are building a house, I have been clipping pages of rooms I like - I keep them in a notebook separated by tabs for each room in the house. I then give the magazines to my nephew and his new wife so they can get ideas for their new home together - magazines are expensive on a newlywed budget. The other great option for giving away magazines is doctor's offices - they usually have a terrible selection!

This has been a good thread, especially the offshoot discussions about books and their importance in people's lives.

My books are the least of my clutter problems but I do have difficulty letting them go.

I have several Karen Kingston books and whereas they have helped me deal with my clutter I disagree completely with her thoughts about books.

The most creative people I know have books piled everywhere - some neatly, some piled helter skelter. I had wall to wall shelves in the home I lived in several years ago and they wasn't enough to contain my collection. Due to a Series of Unfortunate Events I've had to move quite a few times since then, and during one of my moves I was pressured into giving up most of my books. 12 of the small uhaul boxes - that's the size of the boxes that letter size paper comes in. It was the WORST thing I have EVER done and not a day goes by that I don't regret my actions. I've spent the last 6 years trying to replace them and will NEVER give them up again.

I advise people to give up the car, give up the clothes, give up the furniture but NEVER EVER EVER give up your books(or your music). They may be part of your past but they are a GOOD PART, filed with ideas and thoughts most of us go back to time and time again.

There was major conflict in the family when my aunt moved and my sister tried to talk her out of her books and I told her to take them all. She has since gotten rid of many things she brought with her - furniture, clothing, nick nacks - things that really don't have a place in her new life. But she hasn't gotten rid of one book and she says she never will.

Maybe books are like pets - you either have them or you don't. The people that DO have them "get it" the people that don't never will. That's sad, they're missing out on so much.

My biggest obstacle to decluttering is the actual getting rid of the stuff. What I mean is, taking it to the appropriate place like a charity, a recycling place, bagging it as trash, etc. Even putting things on craigslist is time consuming. I'd probably be more likely to get rid of stuff if it was easier!

If you don't read your books, it's not betraying them to get rid of them. I donate books regularly to our local friends of the library. Someone will find that book for a reasonable price and will be happy and will hopefully read it! That's a much better use than having it sit around at my place getting dusty.

Also wanted to say it's not all or nothing people (you know who you are). If someone recommends purging books, you don't need to take that as "no books at all". Keep some, get rid of some. If you're that avid a reader, I'd be surprised if every single book purchase was so soul touching that you can't ever give it up. Also, the whole ereader versus books. Why not both?

Create a list of necessities:

Replace all media with a handheld computer.

Living room: Couch, chair, 2 floor lamps
Kitchen: One set of pots / dishes / utensils, table, 4 chairs
Bedroom: bed, pillow, 2 sets of sheets, blanket, quilt, floor lamp
Wardrobe: 2 weeks of outfits stored in a closet, hamper, iron and ironing board
Bathroom: 3 sets of towels, one set of cosmetics

Extra tables and bureaus are not really needed.

This post has been a revelation for me. I have been thinking about the value of keeping a lot of my books for a while... all my dictionaries and maps are defunct (replaced by Wikipedia and Google), my reference books on hobbies... unused for years (replaced by the internet), cookbooks, almost completely ignored... yep, replaced by the internet.
So I cleaned out a bunch of really useless books the other day (do we really need those 3 Jeremy Clarkson books honey?) and made some instant cash at the used bookstore down the road. I regard a lot of remaining books as 'on trial' and the really precious, loved books will of course remain to pass on to my kids when they are ready. Result? I already have 10% more space on my shelves. I understand why some people want to hang on to their books and even slightly agree with Bellarochella about the need to for de-cluttering reaching a manic stage. But we don't need to get rid of EVERYTHING, just adopt a slightly less clingy attitude about our things. Anyway, enough pontificating people - I'm off to sell more books!