How to reduce clutter?
I am sure all of us want to reduce the clutter in our lives, but do not have the heart to do it, right? So let us start….at the very beginning.
1. Your possessions: Start with your clothes – count – you need 5 or 7 pants, throw out the balance. You need 12-15 shirts, maybe 10 tee shirts. Anything else is excess. So the 3 wind cheaters, 3 Goggles, 12 pairs of shoes,…go on throw away the excesses. Then turn to the calculators, watches, cellphones, cameras, lenses (oops you have SLR lenses – sorry sir DSLR is in). Then turn to those magazines which you promised you will read in the weekend. Stop fooling yourself. Just get rid. It is empowering. What ever you want to read is there on Google, and it is free.
2. Your time: When people who do not matter take up the time that rightly belongs to your family, think hard. Just because he is on the phone it does not mean your time is LESS VALUABLE. So just hang up. Your time belongs to people you love, not aam junta.
3. Books that you cannot / will not read. Guilty. I still have lots of books…some still unread. I should be sitting on at least 10 unread books. Make a plan to read the books, if you still have not touched them, give it away after 3 months.
4. Papers – white paper, some print outs, some other reading material…if you have not read them in the past 4 years, you will not read it. Just let go.
5. Your Goals: Reduce the Goals and increase the concentration on the goals that remain to be done.
6. Your Debt: and for doing this if you have to reduce your assets, use OLX. Just get aggressive – get rid of things you do not need. Just olx it. With the new found money make sure that you eat healthy and wholesome food.
7. Talk less. Listen More.
8. Reduce screen time – television, phone, Ipad, laptop, …..dramatically reduce screen time. Screen adds to stress.
9. Give up multi-tasking and learn to concentrate. Give up multi tasking…repeat Give up….
10. De clutter your food: dramatically reduced cooked food and eat tons of fresh salads etc.
..,many more…but 10 is not a bad start…
subramanian
wow subra,
series of posts on sensible living. just enjoying it. good to have a printout of these and keep reminding every month or atleast every year to mindfully declutter. the base mantra” keep it simple” in your financial planning seem to have stemmed out of simple mindful living.would love to hear more from you on such topics other than personal finance.
subramanian
Akshay
Wow, this post is absolutely bang on for me!!
I really really needed this.. Have already taken a print of all points[except number 4 as I like to maintain a library ;-)] and gonna be keeping it in on my desk..
Thank you Subra Sir 🙂
VK
Looks like I have most of it already functional in my life – except 8 and 10!
One thing I found we need excess in India is Socks – for some reason they just don’t last here and keep developing holes! Outside the country, I never had this issue, but in India I have to either keep darning the socks or discard them to buy new ones every 2-3 months!
Karthikraja K
most of them like new year resolutions…..These lifestyle changes needed form birth. overnight coming means we are in big fin trouble.
Good one sir…
Dev
Very nice Sir.
Couple of more..
Have one email account, one place to store docs on laptop, one social media account is not bad.
Unsubscribe to mailing lists you dont need… Regsiter for Do Not disturb service in cell phones.
nitin arora
Again..great post sir
its a pleasure to read your blog..thank you and keep posting