“CLUTTER IS NOISE THAT DISTRACTS FROM CLARITY OF THOUGHT” “You have to throw that out,” I said to a colleague cleaning out his cabinet at work. The item in mention was a plastic case that could, in theory, hold change, medicine or tissue, but in practice simply acquired dust and despair in its uselessness. ‘No, I can re-use it!’” he said, a note of panic in his voice. An admitted hoarder, he had several piles around him during this supposed purge, one for disposal, another for keeping and three more that he didn’t—couldn’t—explain to us.
Many of us struggle with clutter. I know I do, which is why I have a quarterly clean up of shelves and cabinets, a relentless and ruthless activity where I throw or give away items…