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	<title>Unclutterer</title>
	
	<link>http://unclutterer.com</link>
	<description>Daily tips on how to organize your home and office.</description>
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		<title>Unitasker Wednesday: Glitter Cleanup Cloth</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/zMdJdbeG0ik/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/19/unitasker-wednesday-glitter-cleanup-cloth/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:30:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Erin Doland</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Unitasker Wednesday]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=24954</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A special cloth to push glitter around! Gee wiz! Thanks, Martha!<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>All Unitasker Wednesday posts are jokes — we don’t want you to buy these items, we want you to laugh at their ridiculousness. Enjoy!</em></p>
<p>Glitter is one of the most evil craft products in existence. Most often, its users are children under the age of 10 who have no business decorating with the vile stuff. Once a glitter container is opened, glitter infects every possible thing it comes near. Does anyone ever garner enough joy from these sparkly bits to warrant the clean up afterward because those sparkly bits get everywhere? My guess is: no.</p>
<p>In an attempt to make glitter less awful, Martha Stewart has created a tacky (in the adhesive sense) cheesecloth and named it the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004A909J4/unclutterer-20/">Glitter Cleanup Cloth</a>:</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004A909J4/unclutterer-20/"><img src="http://assets.unclutterer.com/wp-content/uploads/130619-unitasker.jpg"></a></p>
<p>The thing is, though, it doesn&#8217;t work. Some glitter gets stuck to the tacky part and then you just use the now-sparkly cloth to push the rest of the glitter around. You end up spreading the glitter, like a bacteria or virus. And, since you can&#8217;t wash the cloth, after you&#8217;re done &#8220;cleaning,&#8221; you then become the proud owner of a cloth covered in glitter. Fun! (Actually: not fun. Some of that glitter will eventually fall off and mess up even more of your home.)</p>
<p>Want to know what cleans up glitter well? Vacuum and tape. You vacuum up as much as possible and then you use a strip of tape to pick up the rest. For those rare moments you choose to use glitter (obviously when you have amnesia and have forgotten how messy the stuff is), you don&#8217;t have need for a specialized cloth. You probably already own a vacuum and roll of tape, so now is the time to put them to their best use possible and get rid of the glitter.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think the best advice I can give you is to not use glitter. Whomever invented it was clearly a mad scientist insisting on overtaking the world with sparkle. Thanks to the person who tipped me off to this unitasker &#8212; sadly, I cannot find our original communication, but I am still very appreciative!</p>
<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
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		<item>
		<title>A year ago on Unclutterer</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/PjGWUFx4UbQ/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/19/a-year-ago-on-unclutterer-381/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>PJ Doland</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[A Year Ago]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=21742</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[2012 Getting a handle on your craft suppliesGuest post author and professional organizer Janine Adams gives seasoned, practical advice for keeping your craft and/or hobby supplies from taking over your home. 2010 Musings on children&#8217;s birthday partiesAs a parent, you want the world for your kid. You want your child to be liked by his [...]<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>2012</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2012/06/18/getting-a-handle-on-your-craft-supplies/">Getting a handle on your craft supplies</a><br />Guest post author and professional organizer Janine Adams gives seasoned, practical advice for keeping your craft and/or hobby supplies from taking over your home.</li>
</ul>
<h2>2010</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2010/06/17/musings-on-childrens-birthday-parties/">Musings on children&#8217;s birthday parties</a><br />As a parent, you want the world for your kid. You want your child to be liked by his classmates, you want your child to be happy, and you want to celebrate his life. A basic swimming party with hamburgers can easily cost a hundred dollars &#8212; spending 10 times more once a year on a birthday party wouldn&#8217;t seem like such a big deal, especially if you&#8217;ve got the disposable income to do it. Research even shows that <a href="http://unclutterer.com/2010/04/05/stuff-wont-make-you-happy-experiences-will/">experiences make you happier than physical possessions</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2010/06/18/ask-unclutterer-processing-car-clutter/">Ask Unclutterer: Processing car clutter</a><br />&#8220;As a mini-van driving mom (and unabashed unclutterer), I am stymied by trash that seems to accumulate in the car on a daily basis.&#8221;</li>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2010/06/19/programs-for-reading-online-content-off-line/">Programs for reading online content off-line</a><br />ToRead is one more program, in addition to Evernote and Instapaper, that enables off-line reading of online content.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
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		<title>Ten awesome Dropbox tricks</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/oKKUibP5iaQ/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/18/ten-awesome-dropbox-tricks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:30:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David Caolo</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Computer Data]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Office Organization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[digital clutter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dropbox]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=24834</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Dave is a huge fan of the Dropbox service and he explains 10 tricks for how to use the service to stay more organized and free of digital clutter.<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/">Dropbox</a> is a service that offers online storage of your stuff. It’s tremendously convenient and used by lots of people world wide. Dropbox is a quick-and-dirty sharing and backup tool that many workers (including yours truly) couldn’t work without.</p>
<p>What many people don’t realize is that Dropbox is capable of a lot more than drag-and-drop storage of your files. There are numerous cool things you can do with it, but the following are 10 useful tricks I&#8217;ve discovered to help keep me organized and reduce my digital clutter. </p>
<h3>Save space with selective sync</h3>
<p>My personal computer is a MacBook Air with just 128 GB of storage. I know that sounds like a lot, but with a bulging music collection and photo collection, it gets full pretty quickly. Fortunately, my work computer can hold much more. I can hand pick which files get synchronized to Dropbox and then to my MacBook Air, and which get ignored.</p>
<p>To do this, open the Dropbox preferences on your computer. Select the advanced tab and then click Selective Sync. From there, tell Dropbox which folders to sync to that computer. Those you choose to ignore are still available at dropbox.com, they&#8217;re just not automatically synched. You still have access to them.</p>
<h3>Access previous versions of files</h3>
<p>Dropbox offers one huge benefit that many people overlook. It saves versions of your files for up to 30 days. That means, for example, if you make changes to a Word document you’ve got in Dropbox and then decided you wish you hadn&#8217;t, you can restore a version that existed before you made all of those regrettable edits.</p>
<p>Go to dropbox.com and find the file. Right-click on it and select Previous Versions from the resulting menu. A list appears; select the one you want. Easy.</p>
<h3>Backup your smartphone photos automatically</h3>
<p>This is a very nice feature that was introduced within the last year or so. Dropbox for iPhone and Android can automatically move a copy of every photo you shoot to a folder on the service. Check your mobile app’s preferences for the setting to enable this. It offers real peace of mind.</p>
<h3>Mark files as favorites for offline access</h3>
<p>I do this one quite a bit, especially when traveling. As you know, Dropbox stores your stuff on its servers. However, if you mark a file as a favorite, a copy will be downloaded to your mobile device, allowing you to view it even when you don’t have Internet access.</p>
<p>To mark an item as a favorite, simply navigate to it on your tablet or smartphone and tap the star icon.</p>
<h3>Recover deleted files</h3>
<p>&#8220;Ack! I didn’t mean to delete that!&#8221; No worries. If you delete a file, versions from the last 30 days remain. To get something back, go to dropbox.com and navigate to the folder where it used to be. Find the Show Deleted Files icon and click it. Then select it from the list.</p>
<h3>Back up your blog, two ways</h3>
<p>I use Dropbox to back up every post I publish to my blog. There are at least two ways to do this. I use a service called <a href="https://ifttt.com/">IFTTT</a>, or If This Then That. You can use IFTTT to build actions or recipes to accomplish tasks for you. I have one that watches for any new post I publish to my blog. When it finds one, it copies the text to a file in my Dropbox account. If worse came to worst, I’d still have all of my posts.</p>
<p>If you don’t want to fiddle around with IFTTT (and you own a WordPress blog), check out <a href="http://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-backup-to-dropbox/">this great plugin</a> for one-click backups.</p>
<h3>Print a PDF right to Dropbox</h3>
<p>Here’s a great tip that’s reserved for you Mac users. You probably know that you can turn nearly any file into a PDF by choosing Save to PDF when printing something. What you may not know is that you can direct that PDF to save right to Dropbox.</p>
<p>When you click Save to PDF, you’ll see Edit Menu as the very last option. Click it, and then click the “+” in the resulting window. A new list appears. Navigate to your Dropbox (or any folder therein) and then click OK. Now, that folder will appear in the Save to PDF menu every time. Simply click it, and a PDF will be automatically shuffled off to Dropbox.</p>
<h3>Back up your Instagram photos</h3>
<p>Here’s another IFTTT trick. I’ve created a recipe to monitor my Instagram account for new photos. Whenever it finds one, it moves a copy to a folder on my Dropbox account. The photograph is backed up and I didn&#8217;t even have to lift a finger.</p>
<h3>Publish a website (pancake)</h3>
<p><a href="http://pancake.io/">Pancake.io</a> is a free service that lets you publish a blog or website right from your Dropbox account. It’s quite simple to set up and you can find all the details on how to do it on the <a href="http://pancake.io/">Pancake</a> site.</p>
<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
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		<title>Procrastinating can give you time to think</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/G0P5b_E3z1U/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/17/procrastinating-can-give-you-time-to-think/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:30:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deb Lee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[procrastination]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Time Management]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=20711</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Though procrastination is generally frowned upon, it can be beneficial if you use that time as an opportunity to think through a plan to get your things done<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If all decisions were easy to make, we&#8217;d probably save time (for the things we love) and we&#8217;d likely have less clutter, too. In that ideal world of easy decision making, we&#8217;d know what to do with everything we own and we wouldn&#8217;t scratch our heads trying to figure out where to store our things. Gone would be the days of delaying decisions because of uncertainty. And, we&#8217;d probably have fewer opportunities to procrastinate.</p>
<p>This sounds like a good thing, doesn&#8217;t it? Frank Partnoy, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1610390040/unclutterer-20/"><em>Wait: The Art and Science of Delay</em></a>, begs to differ. Partnoy, in an interview with <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Why-Procrastination-is-Good-for-You-162358476.html?c=y&amp;story=fullstory">Smithsonian.com</a>, said:</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8230;when faced with a decision, we should assess how long we have to make it, and then wait until the last possible moment to do so.</p></blockquote>
<p>He goes on to say that if/when we do this, we&#8217;ll ultimately be happier. I&#8217;m not inclined to agree with those sentiments, but he makes an interesting distinction between active procrastination (doing important things you also need to get done) and passive procrastination (like watching TV, playing video games). Basically, he says that it&#8217;s not really procrastination if you choose to do something of higher value (like spending time with family, restocking the first aid kits, organizing/clearing pathways) than the project or task you should be currently addressing. While there may be some merit to that, if you&#8217;re on a tight deadline because you&#8217;ve significantly delayed getting started, you really <em>do</em> have to focus on the tasks at hand.</p>
<p>Though practicing the &#8220;art of delay&#8221; can help your productivity (like waiting to respond to emails at specific times during the day), when an important and urgent project comes calling, even active procrastination needs to be put on the back burner. But, if you find that you&#8217;re cringing at the thought of getting your important tasks done, why not use that delayed time to your benefit? Instead of choosing to focus on trivial things, use that time to think through how you&#8217;re feeling, to figure out why you may be <a href="http://unclutterer.com/2012/05/15/unstuck-an-app-that-helps-you-achieve-your-goals/">feeling stuck</a>. Perhaps you don&#8217;t have enough information to get started or are not sure how to begin? Is it possible that you&#8217;re putting on your perfectionist hat and waiting for the theoretical right moment? Maybe you really do want to focus on something else that&#8217;s of more interest to you.</p>
<p>No matter what the reasons are, if you can figure them out, you&#8217;ll be in a better position to start looking for ways to turn things around. You can use that time to come up with a plan.</p>
<h3>Work for a short block of time</h3>
<p>By simply working for a few minutes at a time, you can chip away at those important, deadline-driven tasks until they&#8217;re completed. You might also find that you&#8217;re likely to keep working once you get started. But, if your motivation to get things done seems to be underfoot for an extended period of time &#8230;</p>
<h3>Get help</h3>
<p>If you tend to put off working on a specific task, it could be because you don&#8217;t value it very much or you just don&#8217;t like doing it. This can be an opportunity to call in reinforcements and help can come in a variety of forms. Perhaps you just need to call a friend who can give you a much needed nudge. Or, maybe there&#8217;s a colleague who can handle a portion of the project (the part that has you stuck) so you can focus on the rest of it.</p>
<p>Using a <a href="http://unclutterer.com/tag/procon-list/">pro vs con list</a> can probably help, too. Thinking about all the aspects of waiting until the last minute can give you a different perspective. What are the super cool things about delaying the project? What are the evil consequences? Seeing the good vs evil reasons in black and white just might be the motivation you need to get going (and so can a change of environment).</p>
<h3>Rethink your priorities</h3>
<p>If you notice that you&#8217;re continually putting off things that you need to do on a recurring basis, you may want think about whether or not the projects you accept (or are assigned) are the right fit for your skills and interests. It&#8217;s not realistic to think that you can only work on things that you like or are passionate about, but if you find that you&#8217;re consistently having negative feelings about particular activities and, as a result, delay working on them, it&#8217;s time to identify tasks that interest you even nominally. Where possible, make some adjustments. This may require additional planning and involve others depending on the nature of the tasks (personal vs work).</p>
<p>Though procrastination is generally frowned upon, it can be beneficial if you use that time as an opportunity to think through a plan to get things done. While you may not be able to make changes straight away, you can brainstorm ways to curb the tendency to put things off until the last minute.</p>
<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
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		<item>
		<title>A year ago on Unclutterer</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/Fr8GeIS_V3c/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/16/a-year-ago-on-unclutterer-380/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>PJ Doland</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[A Year Ago]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=21741</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[2012 Unitasker Wednesday: Corn DesilkerIn all of my years of shucking, cooking, and eating a ridiculous amount of corn, I have never once thought I needed a device to remove the silk from an ear. However, someone out there apparently thinks I am wrong and believes a special tool is necessary for doing a very [...]<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>2012</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2012/06/13/unitasker-wednesday-corn-desilker/">Unitasker Wednesday: Corn Desilker</a><br />In all of my years of shucking, cooking, and eating a ridiculous amount of corn, I have never once thought I needed a device to remove the silk from an ear. However, someone out there apparently thinks I am wrong and believes a special tool is necessary for doing a very simple task that your hands can do. Exhibit A: The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004YJNMAI/unclutterer-20/">Corn Desilker</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2012/06/14/breaking-projects-down-into-simple-achievable-steps/">Breaking projects down into simple, achievable steps</a><br />When you break projects down into simple, achievable steps, you set yourself up for success. You are more likely to complete a project when the steps to &#8220;done&#8221; are clear.</li>
</ul>
<h2>2011</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2011/06/13/organizing-advice-from-the-classica-greeks/">Organizing advice from classical Greeks</a><br />More than 2,000 years ago, famous Greek philosopher Socrates and a man named Isomachus were having a discussion about how Isomachus wished his wife would run their home (the conversation is recorded by Xenophon in chapter eight of his writing <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1853993948/unclutterer-20/">Oeconomicus</a></em>). Isomachus told Socrates he had asked his wife to keep house by finding a place for everything and having everything in its place.</li>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2011/06/15/unitasker-wednesday-coffee-grinder-brush/">Unitasker Wednesday: Coffee Grinder Brush</a><br />Sadly, this specialized brush can&#8217;t do the job of getting particulates out of your grinder any better than a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000HD7FJ4/unclutterer-20/">pastry brush</a> (which you probably already own if you&#8217;re grinding your own coffee and spices).</li>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2011/06/16/searching-for-inspiration-for-a-multipurpose-guest-room/">Searching for inspiration for a multipurpose guest room</a><br />I&#8217;m looking for ways to make our guest room into a fabulous guest room and a practical hobby room in one. The solution will have to include storage for the hobby supplies that can be completely closed up when guests are present and using it for their retreat. And, I want it to be extremely practical as a hobby room when guests aren&#8217;t visiting.</li>
</ul>
<h2>2010</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2010/06/14/organizing-your-home-and-family-with-notebooks/">Organizing your home and family with notebooks</a><br />Notebooks are great because they keep all of your important papers in one place and they are easily portable. In our home, we have a <a href="http://unclutterer.com/2007/05/21/recipe-roundup/">recipe notebook</a>, appliance notebook (instruction manuals, purchase receipts, maintenance and repair receipts, and warranty information), and important information notebooks for all four of us (our cat even has one).</li>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2010/06/16/unitasker-wednesday-the-krustbuster/">Unitasker Wednesday: The Krustbuster</a><br />When did knives become too difficult to use? When did crust become something you don&#8217;t eat? When did we become a people demanding the production of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001W6Q53W/unclutterer-20/">Krustbuster</a>?</li>
</ul>
<h2>2009</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2009/06/13/the-uniform-project/">The Uniform Project</a><br />We&#8217;ve recently stumbled upon The Uniform Project and are amazed at the variety Sheena Matheiken is getting from a single dress and a lot of accessories.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
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		<item>
		<title>Trello is a free, effective, family organizer</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/X6969W8G3Z0/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/13/trello-is-a-free-effective-family-organizer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:30:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David Caolo</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Children]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home Organization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trello]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=24920</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Dave explains that Trello is a calendar and data capture service meant to be used by business teams, but that has become vital to helping his busy family stay organized.<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p align="center"><a href="https://trello.com/"><img src="http://assets.unclutterer.com/wp-content/uploads/20130611_trello.jpg" class="thumb"></a></p>
<p>A couple years ago, my wife and I succumbed to the fact that individual paper planners weren’t doing it for us. As much as I love jotting things down on paper and carrying a notebook of lists in my back pocket, it’s no good when two people are trying to coordinate Cub Scouts and ballet and play practice and Girl Scouts and chorus and homework, etc.</p>
<p>In other words, our Family, Inc., needed an appropriate tool. For us, it’s <a href="https://trello.com/">Trello</a>.</p>
<p>Trello is a web-based collaboration tool that’s meant for teams, but it’s perfect for families. It runs in a browser so it doesn’t matter if you’re using a Mac or a PC, and it allows you to create “boards” that hold the tasks, assignments, reference materials, and so forth for a given project.</p>
<p>We have a board for each of the kids, as well as for ourselves. In addition to who needs to be where, we add things like what needs to go where (pack the script and change of ballet clothes for Tuesday drop-off) as well as who’s going to do each.</p>
<p>Trello’s emphasis is on speed and no-fuss teamwork. Essentially, a board holds several cards. Each card contains one item in the list of information that becomes the support material for a project. Each board (“William”) holds several boards (“Cub Scouts”). Here’s how we use Trello at Chez Caolo.</p>
<h3>The need for quick capture of ideas and news</h3>
<p>Items added to Trello from one device show up on another. For example, my wife can update a card on her iPhone and that edit shows up on mine. Likewise, I can make a note from my computer and it shows up on both phones. As we go about our days, it’s comforting and useful to know that we’re in touch and up to date, even on those days when we barley see each other between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Perhaps you know how that goes?)</p>
<p>As I said, Trello works great in a modern web browser. There are apps for the iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, too. But, honestly, the website is smart enough to work and look great on a mobile device, so check it out before you install an app.</p>
<p><a href="https://trello.com/">Trello</a> is really meant to be used by business teams, but we’re getting a lot out of it as busy parents. In the end, we’re pretty happy with it. Trello is a near ubiquitous capture tool that is always in sync. Shortcuts make it fast and cloud sync lets me stay on top of things.</p>
<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
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		<item>
		<title>Unitasker Wednesday: Unplastic Tray</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/-x66RxNYqzs/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/12/unitasker-wednesday-unplastic-tray/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:30:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Erin Doland</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Unitasker Wednesday]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=24911</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Unplastic Tray, especially for people who want to look like they're serving store-bought cookies in a plastic tray but who are really duping their guests by serving store-bought cookies in a glass tray.<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>All Unitasker Wednesday posts are jokes — we don’t want you to buy these items, we want you to laugh at their ridiculousness. Enjoy!</em></p>
<p>You are not going to believe this. So, get this. <em>Get this!</em> It&#8217;s a tray. For cookies. And it looks like it&#8217;s plastic. But, seriously, it&#8217;s NOT! <em>Right?</em> It looks like it&#8217;s cheap, but it&#8217;s expensive! Hahahaha! The joke is on whoever is eating the cookies out of what they think is a plastic tray. It&#8217;s an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000UQ5J0A/unclutterer-20/">Unplastic Tray</a>!</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000UQ5J0A/unclutterer-20/"><img src="http://assets.unclutterer.com/wp-content/uploads/130612-unitasker.jpg" class="thumb"></a></p>
<p>&#8220;Features&#8221; of the Unplastic Tray:</p>
<ol>
<li>It&#8217;s made of hand-blown glass and is super delicate because it&#8217;s thin, like plastic</li>
<li>It has to be hand washed</li>
<li>You have to remove store-bought cookies from a plastic container and then put them in the glass container</li>
<li>No one looking at your table assumes you did anything other than set the plastic tray the store-bought cookies came in onto the table because it looks just like a plastic tray</li>
<li>If you make homemade cookies to put into it, people then think you didn&#8217;t make them and instead bought cookies or they wonder why you put homemade cookies into a recycled store-bought cookie tray</li>
<li>Rarely do people touch the tray when grabbing cookies, so hardly anyone will even realize you have a fancy Unplastic Tray</li>
</ol>
<p>Oh, and if you want to be confused even more, read the comments on the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000UQ5J0A/unclutterer-20/">product&#8217;s Amazon page</a>. Half of them have nothing to do with the tray at all. Even the reviews are clutter!</p>
<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
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		<item>
		<title>A year ago on Unclutterer</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/rPg_opj7aEg/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/12/a-year-ago-on-unclutterer-379/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>PJ Doland</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[A Year Ago]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=21740</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[2012 Uncluttered gifts for Father&#8217;s DayUncluttered Father&#8217;s Day gift ideas that your dad will fondly remember for years to come. Six simple ways to gain more time in your daySix simple steps you can do every day to save a little time in your schedule. 2011 Ask Unclutterer: Gift bag storageReader J is having difficulty [...]<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>2012</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2012/06/11/uncluttered-gifts-for-fathers-day/">Uncluttered gifts for Father&#8217;s Day</a><br />Uncluttered Father&#8217;s Day gift ideas that your dad will fondly remember for years to come.</li>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2012/06/12/six-simple-ways-to-gain-more-time-in-your-day/">Six simple ways to gain more time in your day</a><br />Six simple steps you can do every day to save a little time in your schedule.</li>
</ul>
<h2>2011</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2011/06/10/ask-unclutterer-gift-bag-storage/">Ask Unclutterer: Gift bag storage</a><br />Reader J is having difficulty storing gift wrap and is looking for a way to deal with unruly gift bags and boxes.</li>
</ul>
<h2>2010</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2010/06/10/once-again-write-in-books-that-arent-yours/">Once again, write in books that aren&#8217;t yours</a><br />Avery now makes clear sticky notes. Let there be dancing in the streets!</li>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2010/06/12/you-are-not-your-stuff/">You are not your stuff</a><br />I was recently captivated by the article &#8220;<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/07/AR2010060703807.html">The mess he made: A life-long slob decides it&#8217;s time to get organized</a>&#8221; by Michael Rosenwald in the June 7 issue of <em>The Washington Post</em>. As the title of the article references, the piece is a first-person narrative of a diagnosed hoarder who went to see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/015101423X/unclutterer-20/">Randy Frost</a> for help to change his ways.</li>
</ul>
<h2>2009</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2009/06/10/unitasker-wednesday-rochambeau/">Unitasker Wednesday: Rochambeau</a><br />This week&#8217;s Unitasker Wednesday is a plastic version of the Rock, Paper, Scissors game.</li>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2009/06/11/outfitting-a-minimalist-kitchen/">Outfitting a minimalist kitchen</a><br />A list of the 10 things I can&#8217;t live without in my kitchen.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
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		<title>Stop should-ing yourself</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/8mQMMb59K40/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/11/stop-should-ing-yourself/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:30:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeri Dansky</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Decluttering]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home Organization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=24880</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When we go to make organizing decisions, we often know, deep down, what’s right for us. But then sometimes we listen to the “shoulds” -- from other people or from ourselves -- and veer away from those right-for-us decisions.<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><p>You see, I believe that <em>should</em> is one of the most damaging words in our language. Every time we use <em>should,</em> we are, in effect, saying “wrong.” Either we <em>are</em> wrong or we <em>were</em> wrong or we are <em>going</em> to be wrong. I don’t think we need more wrong in our life. — <a href="http://www.louisehay.com">Louise Hay</a>, <a href="http://difficultseasons.com/2008/11/13/please-dont-say-you-should/">quoted by Jim Hughes</a></p></blockquote>
<p>When we go to make organizing decisions, we often know, deep down, what’s right for us. But then sometimes we listen to the “shoulds” &#8212; from other people or from ourselves &#8212; and veer away from those right-for-us decisions.</p>
<h3>I need to keep these books because I <em>should</em> read them</h3>
<p>Unless you’re in school, you can probably let go of this “should.” If you have absolutely no interest in reading some of the classics, you can give the books away; you really don’t have to read them. You only have so much reading time available in your life, so why not use that time to read the things you truly <em>want</em> to read? </p>
<h3>I <em>should</em> convert from my paper planner, address book, or to-do list to a digital system</h3>
<p>Digital tools certainly have their advantages &#8212; but if paper works for you, there’s really no need to change. You may want to look at how <a href="http://homemakersdaily.com/how-to-back-up-your-paper-planner/">you could back up these physical copies</a> just in case they get lost or damaged, but there’s no reason you need to switch from what’s working well.</p>
<h3>I <em>should</em> keep this sentimental thing</h3>
<p>Well, perhaps you should keep it. Is it actually sentimental to <em>you</em> or is it the kind of thing most people find sentimental? I got rid of all but a few pages of my high school yearbook because I just didn&#8217;t care about it, even thought this act would horrify other people.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/7448442/list/4-Obstacles-to-Decluttering-----and-How-to-Beat-Them">Alison Hodgson wrote</a> about the collection of love letters from her husband that she held onto because, when she asked her siblings for their advice, two of the three said she should. Here’s what came next:</p>
<blockquote><p>I tucked the letters back into their box, and there they remained, untouched, until the day they burned in a house fire. And I have never given them a second thought.</p>
<p>Looking back I can see I really wanted to get rid of them but didn’t think I ought to &#8212; that was the tension. It wasn’t that I didn’t know what I wanted to do, it was that what I wished to do conflicted with what I thought I should.</p></blockquote>
<h3>I <em>should</em> never check email in the morning; that&#8217;s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743250885/unclutterer-20/">what Julie Morgenstern says</a></h3>
<p>That&#8217;s advice that works for many people, but not for everyone. If you give it a try and it&#8217;s interfering with your workflow or just doesn&#8217;t suit your personality, it&#8217;s fine to ignore this suggestion. The same goes for the advice from <em>any</em> organizing expert. What is most important is finding the productivity system that works best for you. </p>
<p>So take a minute to ponder: Are you holding onto something or making any other organizing decision just because it&#8217;s what you think you <em>should</em> do? If so, maybe it&#8217;s time to reconsider.</p>
<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
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		<item>
		<title>Four simple steps for coping with significant life changes</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/dfzeOKZissE/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/10/four-simple-steps-for-coping-with-significant-life-changes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:30:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deb Lee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Time Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[routine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=24656</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Experiencing a significant life change? Consider using these for simple steps to help you transition to your new routine.<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Recently, I found out that someone I know lost his job. He <a href="http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2013/05/22/more-time-is-less-time/">described</a> being shocked when he learned he was being let go, and that he had to accept that he needed to shift gears and move into job-search mode. He also said something else I found very interesting:</p>
<blockquote><p>I found that I have so much that I should and want to do, that it has proved to be almost more difficult to accomplish things than when I was spending eight-plus hours in the office every day. Each day so far, without a schedule as tight as I had been maintaining while employed, seems to be flying by! More time is actually less time.</p></blockquote>
<p>It&#8217;s the paradox of that last statement that gave me pause. Theoretically, it would seem that not having to commute and spend several hours at an office would equate to having more time to work on anything you want &#8212; in his case, job search activities. I think a couple of things are happening here. First, he&#8217;s dealing with a change &#8212; and not just any change, a major one that came as somewhat of a surprise. Second, his routine is not his routine anymore. Even though he has systems that work for him, they may not necessarily fit his current situation. And, now that he has less structure built in to his day, it can be easy for time to just slip away and for him to become frustrated.</p>
<p>Change, unwelcome or unexpected, doesn&#8217;t have to have a negative spin. <a href="http://www.familycircle.com/health/emotional/self-improvement/cope-with-major-life-changes/?page=1">Auriela McCarthy</a>, author of <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0825305764/unclutterer-20/">The Power of the Possible</a></em> said:</p>
<blockquote><p>People think of change as something dangerous. But it helps to remember all the ways your life has been altered in the past and realize that not only did you not keel over and die, things often turned out for the better.</p></blockquote>
<p>When a significant change occurs in your life, you might find yourself consumed by stress or even fear, but there are several things you can to do to stay positive and keep moving forward:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Take a look at what has worked in the past.</strong> If you find that you&#8217;re feeling frustrated about your new circumstances, you can take hold of your emotions by thinking about the strategies that have previously been successful. Can those techniques be incorporated in your new routine? What adjustments would you have to make?</li>
<li><strong>Consider new strategies.</strong> While you can rely on tried and true action steps, this might be a good time to explore other options that might help you more easily manage your current circumstances. You can talk with friends and family members to find out what strategies worked for them to help you decide the ones you&#8217;ll try. Be sure not to get <a href="http://unclutterer.com/2012/05/15/unstuck-an-app-that-helps-you-achieve-your-goals/">stuck</a> at this stage as it can delay how quickly you can focus on your next steps.</li>
<li><strong>Create a new plan.</strong> Once you&#8217;ve reviewed all your options, you&#8217;ll need to craft a plan. Select specific tactics you&#8217;ll employ consistently so you can successfully transition to your new routine.</li>
<li><strong>Put your new plan to the test.</strong> Of course, there&#8217;s no point in having a plan if you don&#8217;t implement it. Keep in mind not every day will go as you intend and you may need to make some adjustments. If you encounter hiccups along the way, you can again talk with someone you trust (perhaps a long-time advisor or mentor) to give you objective opinions or make necessary changes.</li>
</ol>
<p>Whether it&#8217;s changing jobs or doing a whole house uncluttering project, being organized with your process is a great way to stay on track and move forward when undergoing a significant life change.</p>
<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
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		<item>
		<title>A year ago on Unclutterer</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/HuMnR3ryyig/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/09/a-year-ago-on-unclutterer-378/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Jun 2013 14:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>PJ Doland</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[A Year Ago]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=21739</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[2011 Finding solutions to disorder by identifying the causes of disorderSometimes the solution for solving a clutter problem is simply identifying the cause of the problem. It sounds obvious, but you may be surprised by how often the cause of the problem isn&#8217;t considered when looking for a solution. Unitasker Wednesday: Square Pie IronEveryone makes [...]<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>2011</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2011/06/07/finding-solutions-to-disorder-by-identifying-the-causes-of-disorder/">Finding solutions to disorder by identifying the causes of disorder</a><br />Sometimes the solution for solving a clutter problem is simply identifying the cause of the problem. It sounds obvious, but you may be surprised by how often the cause of the problem isn&#8217;t considered when looking for a solution.</li>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2011/06/08/unitasker-wednesday-square-pie-iron/">Unitasker Wednesday: Square Pie Iron</a><br />Everyone makes pies while camping. Pies and camping are a perfect pair, and the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000FNLXWG/unclutterer-20/">Square Pie Iron</a> makes it possible.</li>
</ul>
<h2>2010</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2010/06/07/self-control-is-an-exhaustible-resource/">&#8216;Self-control is an exhaustible resource&#8217;</a><br />&#8220;Psychologists have discovered that self-control is an exhaustible resource. And I don’t mean self-control only in the sense of turning down cookies or alcohol, I mean a broader sense of self-supervision—any time you’re paying close attention to your actions, like when you’re having a tough conversation or trying to stay focused on a paper you’re writing. This helps to explain why, after a long hard day at the office, we’re more likely to snap at our spouses or have one drink too many—we’ve depleted our self-control.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
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		<item>
		<title>Workspace of the Week: Basic and beautiful office</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/bbwDT_Jvbj0/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/07/workspace-of-the-week-basic-and-beautiful-office/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:57:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Erin Doland</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Workspace of the Week]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=24842</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This week’s Workspace of the Week is <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/diotav/8608909831/in/pool-unclutterer">Dion's work table</a>.<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This week’s Workspace of the Week is <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/diotav/8608909831/in/pool-unclutterer">Dion&#8217;s work table</a>:</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/diotav/8608909831/in/pool-unclutterer"><img src="http://assets.unclutterer.com/wp-content/uploads/130607-wow.jpg" class="thumb"></a></p>
<p>Dion&#8217;s new office setup is relaxing, expansive, and perfectly suited for his needs. The light colored wood against the dark wall gives the office a sleek, modern feel. The dark wall also makes it easier to focus on the monitor by offering no distractions and a clear view of the content on the screen. The side-by-side chairs allow for two workers to collaborate or one user to have a nice area to spread out during the midst of a work day. I also like the wireless keyboard and wireless trackpad, which reduce the number of cables on the desk and allow for greater flexibility in placement. Thank you, Dion, for sharing your <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/diotav/8608909831/in/pool-unclutterer">office space</a> with us.</p>
<p>Want to have your own workspace featured in Workspace of the Week? Submit a picture to the <a href="http://flickr.com/groups/unclutterer/pool/">Unclutterer flickr pool</a>. Check it out because we have a nice little community brewing there. Also, don’t forget that workspaces aren’t just desks. If you’re a cook, it’s a kitchen; if you’re a carpenter, it’s your workbench.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>4 questions for preventing information overload</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/k6zyBq6Cl2g/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/06/4-questions-for-preventing-information-overload/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:45:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeri Dansky</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Time Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=24818</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Jeri provides four steps for putting you on a path away from information overload.<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><p>I’m more selective about the information I put in my body than what food I consume. &#8212; <a href="http://www.missadventures.com/2013/05/14/what-i-read-robert-reid/">Robert Reid</a></p></blockquote>
<p>If you have wide-ranging interests or just a huge sense of curiosity, you may be like me &#8212; someone who could happily spend days just reading things online or in newspapers or magazines.</p>
<p>But, of course, we also want to do other things with our lives: earn a living, get exercise, see friends, pursue our hobbies, etc. So how do we cope with the never-ending flow of interesting information?</p>
<p>When I’m making my decisions about what to read, I focus on four questions.</p>
<h3>Why do I want to know about this subject or read this article?</h3>
<p>If it’s information related to my profession, it might change how I do my work. Since I do editing work, updates from Associated Press about changes to the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0465082998/unclutterer-20/"><em>AP Stylebook</em></a> matter to me. As an organizer, sometimes there is a new product or an explanation of a specific technique or even just a cool way of wording a familiar concept that might really help a client.</p>
<p>News about what’s going on in the lives of family members and close friends matters to me, because I care about these people. So yes &#8212; I do use Facebook to follow the lives of the relatives and close friends who use Facebook for that kind of sharing.</p>
<p>Sometimes there’s information I need in order to take action. For example, if there’s an election coming up, I need to get informed about the candidates and the ballot issues. And I may want to learn more about a specific cause to decide if I want to get involved.</p>
<p>Irrespective of the reason, it is a good idea to be aware of why you want to know about a topic before you take to reading about it (even if it&#8217;s a simple reason like I want to smile at cute kitten photographs to lighten my mood).</p>
<h3>How much do I need to know?</h3>
<p>Do I need an in-depth knowledge of a topic? Often, I don’t. Sometimes just a headline is enough. Sometimes one thoughtful article by a trusted source is enough; I can read one article instead of 20.</p>
<h3>Is this a source of information I want to pursue?</h3>
<p>Many people write about the topics I care about. Over time, I’ve found which ones tend to provide the most useful information, so I can ignore the rest. I&#8217;ve also found which people tend to <em>refer</em> me to articles I want to read; if they share something, I know it&#8217;s likely to be worth my time.</p>
<h3>Do I need to know <em>now?</em></h3>
<p>If the article relates to something I may do in the future &#8212; travel to a place, buying a product &#8212; I can just file the information away, often in the form of a bookmark to the article or others might save the link to Evernote. All I need is a very quick skim to determine if it’s likely to be useful; I’ll read it more carefully when the time comes (such as when I&#8217;m waiting for an appointment or relaxing on a Saturday afternoon).</p>
<p>Asking myself these questions allows me to skim through a huge amount of possible information and pick the few things I really want to read. It’s still a challenge &#8212; I’m an information junkie at heart &#8212; but these questions at least set me going along a path away from information overload.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Unitasker Wednesday: Egg and Spoon Race</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/va4AX9jT9-A/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/05/unitasker-wednesday-egg-and-spoon-race/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jun 2013 15:15:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Erin Doland</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Unitasker Wednesday]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=24829</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Gone are the days of using actual spoons from your kitchen drawer and hard boiled eggs from real chickens for the egg on a spoon race.<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>All Unitasker Wednesday posts are jokes — we don’t want you to buy these items, we want you to laugh at their ridiculousness. Enjoy!</em></p>
<p>Once upon a time, I was a child who had backyard birthday parties. At these birthday parties, we would play games many kids love to play. There was always the water balloon toss, the three-legged race, and the egg on a spoon race. My parents would decorate the backyard with streamers and balloons and everyone would have simple fun.</p>
<p>With my son&#8217;s birthday on the horizon, I thought about throwing a similar party for him and went online to look for streamers and balloons. I then made the mistake of scrolling through the &#8220;Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought&#8221; section on one of the Amazon pages to see if I was inadvertently leaving anything out of my order. It was then I realized one of my favorite childhood birthday games had been ruined (RUINED I SAY) &#8212; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000GI0VLE/unclutterer-20/">Egg and Spoon Race</a>:</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000GI0VLE/unclutterer-20/"><img src="http://assets.unclutterer.com/wp-content/uploads/130605-unitasker.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Gone are the days of using actual spoons from your kitchen drawer and hard boiled eggs from real chickens for the egg on a spoon race. Now, there are plastic spoons, plastic eggs, and bean bag &#8220;yolks.&#8221; You can&#8217;t even eat the plastic egg after you drop it like you can the hard boiled egg!</p>
<p>Farewell, fun and easy childhood birthday parties. <em>Sigh</em>.</p>
<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
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		<item>
		<title>A year ago on Unclutterer</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/unclutterer/~3/X6s8mzSk0xQ/</link>
		<comments>http://unclutterer.com/2013/06/05/a-year-ago-on-unclutterer-369/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>PJ Doland</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[A Year Ago]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://unclutterer.com/?p=21738</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[2012 Are you ready for an uncluttered career?Cluttered jobs lend themselves to creating frustration, unproductive stress, and disappointment. Like all other forms of clutter, is now the right time for you to clear the clutter and get on the path to a happier work life? Chris Guillebeau&#8217;s new book The $100 Startup might be the [...]<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>2012</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2012/06/05/are-you-ready-for-an-uncluttered-career/">Are you ready for an uncluttered career?</a><br />Cluttered jobs lend themselves to creating frustration, unproductive stress, and disappointment. Like all other forms of clutter, is now the right time for you to clear the clutter and get on the path to a happier work life? Chris Guillebeau&#8217;s new book The $100 Startup might be the book to help you get started on your new uncluttered career.</li>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2012/05/30/unitasker-wednesday-salt-and-pepper-shaker-holder/">Unitasker Wednesday: Salt and pepper shaker holder</a><br />This week&#8217;s unitasker selection is a device that holds your salt and pepper shakers, but doesn&#8217;t hold salt or pepper or dispense salt or pepper &#8212; it&#8217;s for the shakers only.</li>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2012/05/31/your-email-inbox-is-not-a-filing-cabinet/">Your email inbox is not a filing cabinet</a><br />Consider the paper mail that reaches your mailbox: you don&#8217;t leave it in there. You bring it indoors, you sort it, and you process it. The same rules should apply to your email inbox, too.</li>
</ul>
<h2>2011</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2011/06/03/ask-unclutterer-organizing-and-operating-a-central-supply-room/">Ask Unclutterer: Organizing and operating a central supply room</a><br />Reader Brenda is looking for guidelines on how to organize and operate a central supply room.</li>
</ul>
<h2>2010</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2010/06/03/hoarding-why-forced-cleanouts-are-unsuccessful/">Hoarding: Why forced cleanouts are unsuccessful</a><br />On Memorial Day, A&#038;E aired a new episode of Hoarders that showed the progress &#8212; or, rather lack of progress &#8212; of a handful of the first season of the show&#8217;s participants. Four of the five of the people featured in the new &#8220;Where are they one year later?&#8221; episode had fully returned to their hoarding ways.</li>
</ul>
<h2>2009</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2009/06/03/unitasker-wednesday-rotato-potato-peeler/">Unitasker Wednesday: Rotato Potato Peeler</a><br />It doesn&#8217;t slice, it doesn&#8217;t dice, it doesn&#8217;t even julienne! All it does is peel, peel, peel.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Let Unclutterer help you get your home or office organized. <a href="http://on.qrtr.ly/1beFqPe">Subscribe to our helpful product shipments</a> from Quarterly today.</strong></p>
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