In Bits & Pieces, I share some brief insights, sparks of creativity and interesting lessons that may or may not constitute further, more elaborate work. Below you can read the most recent ones!
Sorting out miscellaneous items (Komono) (Marie Kondo)
How can I effectively sort and declutter miscellaneous items? This page provides a step-by-step guide to organising and discarding various small household items.
Komono entail small articles, miscellaneous items, accessories, gadgets, small tools, parts, etc. They are the things which are placed, stored, and accumulate “just because.”
The basic order for sorting komono is as follows:
- CDs and DVDs
- Skincare products: Moisturizers, cleansers, toners, etc.
- Makeup: foundations, lipsticks, eyeshadows, etc.
- Accessories: jewellery, belts, hats, scarves, etc.
- Valuables: passports, credit cards, cash, important documents, etc.
- Electrical equipment and appliances: digital cameras, chargers, cords, etc.
- Household equipment: stationery, writing materials, sewing kits, etc.
- Household supplies: medications, cleaning products, tissues, etc.
- Kitchen goods and food supplies: utensils, cookware, appliances, etc.
- Other items: spare change, figurines, souvenirs, etc.
If you have many items related to a particular interest or hobby, treat these as a single subcategory.
Amongst these categories, you may be confronted with items of the following types:
Gifts
Gifts are the embodiment of someone’s expression of love and consideration. This can make it difficult to do them away.
It is good to recognise that the true purpose of a present is to be received. Presents are a means for conveying someone’s feelings, not ‘things’ per se.
When viewed from this perspective, you don’t need to feel guilty for parting with gifts. It would have been nice if you could use it with joy. But surely the person who gave it to you doesn’t want you to use it out of a sense of obligation. Neither does he or she want you to put it away without using it, only to feel guilty every time you see it.
Thank the gift for the joy it gave you when you first received it, then allow yourself to let it go.
Cosmetic samples
Saved by some people for future trips, cosmetic samples have a very short shelf life. If you didn’t use a sample a month after receiving it, you are better off discarding it in any case. Either you will not use it for many more months, or when you do, they will not give you the effect you expected them to.
Unidentified cords or plugs
If you see a cord and wonder what on earth it is for, you will probably never use it again. Mysterious cords will always remain just that—a mystery. Keep only those cords that you can clearly identify and get rid of the rest.
Broken appliances
If they do not work now, they will not work in the future. Figure out how you should dispose of them and resolve to take them all out.
Spare buttons
Buttons rarely fall off our clothing, and when they do it is usually a sign the piece of clothing has exceeded its use. For coats and jackets, you can sew the spares to the lining when you buy them. When you are not doing that, get rid of them right away.
Things you bought in a craze
Most of us are guilty of buying something (expensive) that was hyped up either by ourselves or our environment. Something we soon realised we did not really need or use all that much. Thank the item for the boost it gave you when you bought it and then just let it go.
Free novelty goods
An assortment of promotional knick-knacks you never asked for but somehow accumulated: branded trinkets, barely functional freebies… None of these are going to bring you any pleasure. Discard or recycle them without any qualms.
The five exchange relationships—acts of transfer
How can I understand the five exchange relationships in finance? This page explains the five types of exchange relationships, including gift, reciprocity, non-market, non-capitalistic market, and capitalistic market exchanges.
There are five relationships characterising circulation within or between agents, i.e., five forms of circulation1 :
- Gift: A gift exchange aims to be selfless and lasting. There’s no built-in obligation for the giver or the receiver, and it’s a one-sided act.
- Reciprocity: giving and receiving do not have to happen at the same time or come with any obligation. It’s simply a two-way exchange.
- Non-market exchange: not driven by price or value; other factors motivate the exchange.
- Non-capitalistic market exchange, the exchanger seeks use value from the good provided in return.
- Capitalistic market exchange: the exchanger seeks exchange value from the good provided in return.
In the case of use value, the price is determined by the ‘usefulness of the good.’ Contrastingly, in the case of exchange value, the price is set based on supply and demand.
Modern financial rationality (i.e. theory) presumes the fifth mode of exchange as the sole possibility. This limits our conception of a future, value-creating (rather than -extracting) financial system.
Footnotes
- Lagoarde-Segot, T., & Paranque, B. (2018). Finance and sustainability: From ideology to utopia. International Review of Financial Analysis, 55, 80–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irfa.2017.10.006
Sorting out papers (Marie Kondo)
How can I sort out my papers efficiently? Learn to declutter and organise your papers using the Marie Kondo method for a tidy home.
This category does not include paper with sentimental values (diaries, love letters, etc.). For the papers the remain, start from the intention to throw away everything. The only possible exceptions are papers that
- are currently in use,
- are needed for a limited time, or
- must be kept indefinitely.
When you have discarded unnecessary papers, sort the remaining papers in two files:
- papers to be saved, and
- papers that need to be dealt with.
You should reserve one place (and one place only) to keep the papers that need attention. Never let them spread around the house. The then-remaining papers can, again, be sorted in two categories:
- Infrequently used papers: insurance policies, guarantees leases, etc. Papers you might need at some point. These papers do not need sophisticated sorting.
- Frequently used papers: outlines of seminars, newspaper clippings, etc. It is useless to keep these papers unless you organise them properly.
So, you need only three files for papers: needs attention, should be saved (contractual documents), and should be saved (others). Refrain from subdividing them any further.
You may still find it difficult to part with papers of particular sorts. Contemplations for each are shared below.
Lecture materials
It is common to have lecture handouts lying around for ‘future study.’ However, it is good to realise that when you have not put the material to practice thus far, it is unlikely that you will do so in the future.
Keeping handouts is giving yourself an excuse not to master the material and put it into practice while taking the course. To keep your home free of clutter and learn more from your seminars by resolving to part with every handout distributed.
Bank and credit card statements
Once you have checked these statements, you will never need them again. Discard all of them.
Warranties and manuals
You will never read your manuals after taking something into use. If you run into issues later, you can always find help (and often also the manual) online. Hence, you should discard of these (often thick) paper manuals.
Warranties do not need to be organised. Keeping all of them in the same file is fine, given how low chances are that you will ever use them. When you do, this is also a perfect time to go through all the warranties in the file to discard those that are outdated.
Greeting cards
Greeting cards, like those sent for Christmas or new year’s, have fulfilled their purpose as soon as you have read them. Unless they spark joy, you can part with the cards with gratitude for conveying to you the consideration of the sender.
Sorting out books (Marie Kondo)
How can I sort out my books effectively? This page provides a step-by-step guide to decluttering your book collection using Marie Kondo’s method.
For books, too, you start by collecting them all and spreading them over the floor. When there are too many, you may go through them, one category at a time:
- fiction books,
- non-fiction books,
- practical books (e.g. cooking),
- visual books (photograph collections, etc.), and
- magazines.
Take each item in your hand, one by one. Keep it if it sparks joy, discard it when it does not. Only touch them, though. Do not start reading them.
The same way as with clothing, ask yourself whether you need to keep the books you have already read. Has it not already fulfilled its function? Furthermore, if there is a book you may ‘read sometime,’ you can safely discard them without second thought.
Like clothes that did not quite suit you, books you have read only halfway through have served their purpose. You have read enough of them to realise that it was not for you after all.
For books, timing is everything. The moment you first encounter a particular book is the best time to read it. Do not miss that moment and keep your collection small.
Sorting out clothes (Marie Kondo)
How can I organise my clothes using the Marie Kondo method? This page explains sorting, folding, and storing clothes to maximise space and joy.
The first category to sort in the Marie Kondo method is clothes, since they are the easiest to go through. Within the clothing category, it can help to go through the different types of clothes you have, one by one. The order recommended in the book:
- tops (shirts, sweaters, etc.),
- bottoms (pants, skirts, etc.),
- hanging clothes (jackets, coats, suits, etc.),
- socks,
- underwear,
- bags,
- accessories,
- specific-event shoes (swimsuits, uniforms, etc.), and
- shoes.
Per category, collect all items in one heap, take them in your hand one by one, and ask yourself whether the item sparks joy. When you are struggling, you can start with the off-season clothes first.
Organising and folding clothes
Hanging clothes takes up much more space than folding. Besides the space benefit, handling each piece of clothing gives us a moment to care for, and appreciate them. Being grateful for them is better for the clothes and our own state of mind.
The best way to story clothes in in drawers. In drawers, things can be stored standing up, rather than laying flat. To do so, you start folding the piece of clothing in a rectangular shape, with the short edge just below the height of your drawer. Then, you fold it over, again and again, until the clothing’s height is about the same as its width.
Folding all your clothes this way allows you to see and grab the piece of clothing you are looking for, without having to lift or move around others. An added benefit is that since there are no clothes pressuring on what is below it, folds in your clothes will be a thing of the past.
Only hang the clothes that look like they would be happier hung up. For example, clothes made with soft materials that flutter in the breeze or highly tailored cuts.
When it comes to closet structure, organise your clothes or a per-category basis. Furthermore, organise from left to right—heavy to light. So, when hanging clothes, put your long and heavy clothes on the left, and shorter, lighter clothes to the right. You can do something similar in each category, e.g. by ascending brightness.
Do not categorise clothes by season or by activity (work or leisure). Only when you lack closet space (after discarding first) should you put away off-season clothes in storage.
Storing socks
When storing your socks or stockings, do not ‘ball them up.’ If you do, they are always under some kind of tension, either in storage, or when worn. Instead, lay both socks on top of each other, and fold and sort them just as you did your clothes.
Marie Kondo’s discarding basics
How can I declutter my home effectively? Discover the basics of Marie Kondo’s method for discarding.
Tidying completely deeply affects your mind. It inspires a strong aversion towards your previously cluttered state. The change needs to be so sudden that you experience a complete change of heart. This can never be achieved when you do it gradually.
Such a radical cleansing requires an efficient approach. The more time it takes, the more tired you feel, and the more likely you are to give up halfway through.
Know your purpose
In the words of Stephen R. Covey, you should always begin with the end in mind. The same is true for your decluttering marathon; what do you hope to gain through tidying? What would it be like to live in a clutter-free space?
Then, further explore your why‘s. If you want to declutter your environment to be less distracted, ask yourself why you want to be less distracted? If it is to work more efficiently, ask why you want to work more efficiently? Keep going until you feel like you have reached your core motive(s). This will help your keep at it when tidying gets though and tiring.
When you have assessed your underlying motivation(s) and visualised the result, you are ready to start discarding.
How to decide what to keep?
There are many ‘rules’ for deciding what to throw away, such as things you had not used in a year. These rules have in common that they focus on what we should throw away, rather than what we should keep.
This focus on what we will lose is a negative one and will make our decluttering journey a miserable one. Therefore, the best way to choose between keeping and throwing away is to take each item in your hand and see if it sparks joy. If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. Provided that you embarked on this journey to achieve happiness, this is the best yardstick to measure by.
Do not glance over items in a drawer. Take each of them in your hand—one by one—and see how they make you feel. Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest.
One category at a time
As mentioned before, you should approach the discarding step one category at a time. Taking clothes as an example, go through the whole house, collect every bit of clothing, and spread it all out in one place on the floor. Then pick up each outfit and see if it sparks joy.
Gathering every item in one place lets you grasp of just how much you have. When this would be too much to oversee, you can sort in subcategories as well—socks, trousers, shirts… etc.
Dealing with one category within a single period speeds up the tidying process. Be sure to gather every item in the category you are working on. Do not let any slip by unnoticed!
The right order
Discarding items in one category is harder than in others. The more difficult categories often contain items with multiple types of value. Namely, these are things that
- you can still use (functional value),
- contain helpful information (informational value), and
- have sentimental ties (emotional value), and/or
- have a rarely aspect (e.g. the item is unique).
It is best to start easy and go increasingly difficult.
Keep it a secret
When you tidied up your place, make sure no one else sees what you are planning to throw away. Especially parents can find it stressful to see what their children discard. In the end, letting others in on your efforts can only make them, and so possibly you, feel bad.
In a similar light, do not make your close relatives the recipient of your discard pile. Do not transfer your problem to them. Find out what they like, and if you find something that fits those criteria, only then should you offer it.
Make tidying a meditative experience
Carefully considering which of your belongings sparks joy is an intense meditative experience. Make sure you are in a quiet and serene space. Noise will make it harder for you to access your introspective state, which will make it harder to feel the joy sparked by your belongings.
The best time to start is in the early morning, after flooding your ‘sorting space’ with fresh outside air.
What to do when you cannot throw something away
When discarding the things that we do not need, it is often our rational mind that causes trouble. When you come across something that is hard to discard, ask yourself why you have that item in the first place.
Posing this question carefully often leads us to realise that the item has already fulfilled its function. However, this function does not have to be its intended use. For example, a shirt of a particular kind of colour might have taught us that we do not feel this colour suits us well. The function, in this example, was teaching us something about the preference of the colour of our clothes.
This is similar for the people we meet in our lives, only a few can become a close friend or lover, but we might learn something from all of them.
When you come across something that you cannot part with, think carefully about its true purpose in your life. You will be surprised at how many of the things you possess have already fulfilled their role. By acknowledging their contribution and letting them go with gratitude, you can put the things you own, and your life, in order.
Discarding the things that have outlived their purpose allows you to cherish the things that you decide to keep.
Why you can’t keep your environment in order
How can I keep my environment in order? Discover the mindset and habits needed to maintain a tidy space by decluttering in one go.
Despite its importance, no one teaches us how (rather than to) keep our living space in order. Furthermore, most of us believe that it is better to ‘tidy a little every day’ rather than organising everything in one fell swoop.
The truth is that keeping a clear environment requires habits that emerge from a different mindset. Such a mindset you can only get when you tidy in one shot. The radical result will change your perspective, which will empower you to keep your space in order ever after.
We make a mess of our environment because it gives our mind something to pay attention to. When our mind is in a state of distress, for example, studying for a test, it is all to happy jumping from one distraction to the next. When your environment is clean and uncluttered, you must examine your inner state.
In this situation, the only possible course of action is dealing with it. From the moment you start tidying, you will improve your life. As such, it helps to see tidying as a means, rather than an end in itself.
The storage myth
It is in our nature to take the easy route and resort to storage solutions when our place is a mess. However, putting things away only puts the mess out of sight. Sooner or later, the storage units are filled, and we are left back where we started. Real decluttering starts by discarding.
Organise by location
The first core lesson of keeping an organised space is to tidy by category, and not by location. We can have the same items in multiple places, and when we organise each of them separately, we will not do any of them away.
When you start your declutter marathon, go from books to clothes, not from cabinet to cabinet or room to room. Per category, there are only two essential steps: discarding things, and deciding where to store the rest. Of the two, discarding must come first.
Once you have put your house in order, tidying becomes a simple task of putting things back where they belong. In fact, this becomes an unconscious habit.
Why willpower doesn’t work: book reflection and key takeaways
Yesterday, I shared my summary of the book “why willpower doesn’t work” by Benjamin Hardy. In this post, I’ll reflect a bit on the book as a whole and share my main takeaways.
As the title implies, the book argues that relying on willpower for personal growth is a waste of resources. (Interestingly, I argued for something similar in the context of free will in a previous post!) Unfortunately for us, most of the personal development books are founded on this very idea.
Hardy convincingly argues that you do not change your thoughts and behaviours, but your environment does. You will adapt—read: change into—a person only when this is what your environment demands.
Hence, to change your thoughts and behaviours, you need to change your environment. Place yourself in, or create an environment that demands you to be the person you want to become.
You do not first become this person, and then act as it, rather, by acting as that person, you become it. We need environments that require us to act this way.
However, we also need environments of complete rest and recovery where our body and mind are in a state of calm. It is in these environments that we internalise our adapted behaviour. It is in these environments that we learn.
To ease this process, we should spend time reflecting on our life and the progress on our aspirations. Particularly, I learned that we should ponder two questions concerning the aspirations we are working on most:
- When did you act in line with your aspirations—why?
- When did you not act in line with your aspirations—why?
We can use both why‘s to then re-adapt our environment. Further exploiting or removing things that help or prevent us from acting in line with our aspirations, respectively.
The environment in which you decided you needed to change is the environment you need to recreate to make change happen. Embed that environment in your morning routine. Journal about your goals, and how you will act on them during the day.
Before doing anything to our environment specifically for our aspirations, we should eliminate…
- excess ‘stuff’ from our direct environment,
- distractions,
- options/choices,
- people (from your life), and
- working memory; take notes!
We also need Implementation intentions: “if-then”-responses when you encounter tough conditions. An example: “If I open the fridge to get a beer, I will drink a big glass of water instead.”
These automated responses work because they divert your attention from your triggered temptation. Furthermore, by living in alignment with your goals, you will get a boost of confidence that is far more long-lasting than a shot of dopamine.
I have previously referred to these “if-then”-responses as principles. I also authored an article about how you can define them in a more effective way, which you can find via this box's icon. After reading the book, I find 'choice cues' a more appropriate name and agree that they are different from principles.
Overall, I found the book a remarkably interesting read, with a very convincing case against willpower. However, the structure of the book feels a bit off. It is almost as if the author finished the book, and later added a few extra bits to the end rather than to the appropriate chapters.
So, the content is great, but the structure not so much. Nevertheless, of all the personal development books I have read, this is definitely one of the better ones!
Be grateful to what and who surrounds you
How can I appreciate my roots and surroundings? Learn the importance of gratitude and understanding your history to foster personal growth and resilience.
Those who know where they came from have greater resilience, and control over their lives. When you learn about your history and roots, you appreciate more the life you have now.
It is essential that your growth does not lead to egoism. After all, you are not the cause of your success, rather, it is the changing environment that made it so. You should be in a continual state of so they, too, can advance and elevate as you have done.
There are many people who played important roles in you having the life that you have today. Be sure to let them know how grateful you are.
No one has an absolute value. We all have a relative value based on what surrounds us. Anyone could be who you are if they had the surroundings that shaped you. Reshape your environment so they, too, can advance and elevate as you have done.
Collaboration is a prerequisite to great ideas
How can I enhance collaboration for innovative ideas? Discover how collaboration fosters creativity and transforms environments for exceptional results.
Collaboration is the physical act of making new and novel connections. When people work together toward a shared goal, the output of their work is more than the sum of their inputs: new ideas are conceived.
Once new ideas become pervasive throughout an environment, that environment changes. The environment than shapes the people and the cycle is complete.
Without unique collaborations, your environment and results can only be average. Most people compete with others at a similar skill level, in the same niche and with a similar background. Worldviews are too similar to transcend the rules of existing norms.
This limit is imposed by the ‘self-authoring’ narrative of most personal development literature. Independent thinking goes beyond dependent thought. However, it is interdependent thinking that allows us to see beyond our mental filter. It is interdependent thinking from which greatness is born.
A single filter, no matter how refined, has its downsides. Especially in a fast-changing world.
