Community Magazine June 2012

The Shaatra Files (shõ•trä) n . An outstanding homemaker [Arabic] File #649: Curbing Clutter RACHEL DAYAN Some people maintain that it is simply the lack of space that leads to clutter, and so reject any initiative to get the house neater as doomed to ultimately fail. But the painful truth is that most clutter is caused by habits, not by a lack of space. We all know people living in large homes with nearly all their kids married but every nook and cranny in their house is packed full. That is sometimes the nature of people – to accumulate, collect, buy and then rarely part with anything (unless it is ruined – and sometimes, not even then!). Spending lots of money on organizing supplies, or the occasional closet purge, won’t cure your clutter problem. Instead, you need to go to the source. Start by examining the kinds of habits that lead to clutter, and see if they sound familiar. Just for a While: One clutter expert claims that the root of all clutter is procrastination. Thinking, “I’ll just put this here for now, until I figure out what to do with it,” is the grease on the slippery slope to Cluttersville. That’s how your mail takes up residence on the counter behind the sedaka boxes, and how your vitamins end up on the windowsill permanently. It’s how the bookshelves abound with objects of every variety. It is the reason behind the eternal “junk drawer.” Once you’ve digested this, you will appreciate the truth of this revelation. And the next time you put more things where they don’t belong, you’ll say, “Hey, I am thinking that I’ll just put this here for now,” and then, don’t it. Being afraid to let go: You tell yourself, “What if we’ll need it later?” No matter that it hasn’t seen daylight in years. The likelihood is, if you haven’t used an item in several years, chances are you never will. Besides, most of the time we forget the things we own, or can’t find them when we want them. So instead of imagining your items coming back to life someday, instead try to imagine the worst-case scenario where you don’t have the item in question… probably not so life-shattering. If over the years you have to buy or borrow a couple of the thousand items you gave away, you’ll still be way ahead of the game. The More the Merrier: Sometimes we think, “If one is good, more is better.” That’s why I’ve got a drawer full of cooking spoons even though I always use the same three. Maybe you have three people in the house and sixteen hairbrushes. Most of us have backup for our backups of every conceivable item, and it’s just not necessary. If you didn’t have so much junk, you wouldn’t need so many duplicates because you would be able to find what you were looking for. Most of this stuff is inexpensive anyway, so move it out to make way for the new you! Seeing Green: As you consider removing the gaudy, neon-pink suit you wore to your son’s berit 17 years ago, it’s the money you spent on the suit you wore only once that makes you put it back in the closet (just in case quarterback shoulders ever comes back into style). We often hesitate to part with items that have a perceived monetary value, even if we don’t like them. Surely you can think of a few things you keep only because you believe they have value, even though you never plan on using them. But remember that space costs money, too. Hanging onto the past: Often we create sentimental attachments to all kinds of stuff. But how much enjoyment do these items really provide? Fondly reminiscing over your kids’ old projects every few years, or keeping a monstrous vase because dear departed Aunt Sophie gave it to you, is nice in theory. But if these mementos detract from your quality of living, adding to the clutter that makes your life feel dysfunctional on a good day, maybe it’s time to say goodbye. Having a clutter-free home is a liberating experience, making you more organized and less frustrated, and giving you space to make life more enjoyable for you and your family. For example, if your basement is a dumping ground for relics and antiques, cleaning it up and creating a lovely play space for your children or grandchildren will probably change your entire life. So say goodbye to the past and hello to a bright future! Buy, Buy, Buy: Have you ever walked in after a huge shopping trip, and wondered, “Where am I going to put all this stuff?” Most of us spend a lot of time shopping for stuff – food, housewares, clothing, beauty products and more. That’s normal, but to maintain a balance in the house, when you buy new things, you have to review the old items that they are replacing, and be honest about whether you will A s city-dwellers know very well, space costs money. A little bit of room to move, play, store belongings, even to park a car, has a premium price in the average urban Jewish neighborhood. It’s not easy living in close quarters, and most of us resign ourselves to the overstuffed closets and crowded clutter that inevitably seems to grow on us. 64 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE