Decluttering Inspired By The Internet
Posted on February 11, 2011 by LJ Earnest
Categories: Clutter
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Since mid-January I have been participating in an online group whose focus is to get rid of the clutter in certain areas in our homes.
While I do not consider myself a clutterbug, reading 100 Things really had me looking at all the stuff I have that weighs me down by the “you should use this” message. That type of message is always in the back of my mind, waiting to pop up. It doesn’t matter if I’ve got it on a list somewhere. Every time I see it, I am reminded of an unfulfilled commitment to myself to do something.
My goal for this decluttering course was to let go of stuff that I really had no intention of using.
The Cleaned Up Reading Area
The first week I tackled my reading area. Many books came off my shelves. I wish I could tell you they had all been read and I was keeping them from a re-read; but the truth is most of them were ones I finally admitted I would never read.
I decluttered so much I freed up an entire bookcase. And now I can see the books I have committed to read, without having to move stacks of other books. It made my whole reading area seem much more inviting, since the specter of “read me, Seymour, read me” (sorry for the pun) was no longer threatening me every time I passed by.
The Importance of Accountability
I found that having the online group kept me going on this. Without them I probably would have done a surface swipe and gone on. But seeing how others had really put forth effort made me work hard. To me, being accountable to others is a big motivation, and I learned to uses it to my advantage.
Places To Get Motivation on the Web
If you are motivated by accountability, consider looking at some of the following and setting up socially-accessible goals.
- Zen Habits forum (http://zenhabits.net/forums/index.php)
- Joe’s Goals (http://www.joesgoals.com/)
- MyGoals (http://mygoals.com/)
What motivates you to achieve your goals? Do you have an external motivation/accountability site you’d like to add?
Photo by ginnerobot
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Comments (2)
You’ve inspired me to look at those book shelves & not feel guilty about those books I haven’t read! Thanks LJ!
Interestingly enough: after purging the bookshelves, I’ve started reading again. Cause and effect or coincidence? I don’t know. But I do know I’ve gotten through three fiction books and mostly through one non-fiction since the purge.