Cleaning and The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Discussion in 'Investor Psychology & Mindset' started by Jennifer Duke, 2nd Feb, 2016.

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  1. Jennifer Duke

    Jennifer Duke Well-Known Member

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    Has anyone else read this book?

    I'm a clutter bug but feel (excuse the hyperbole) that this will permanently change how I treat my "stuff".
     
  2. pinewood

    pinewood Well-Known Member

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    Yes, I have. It's good. It's really hard to do in practise but it's definitely a good read....:)
     
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  3. Jacque

    Jacque Jacque Parker Premium Member

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    How funny @Jennifer Duke I gave this to my daughter recently- my mum swore by it, though I do believe it's not for the faint-hearted or hoarder-types LOL :D
     
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  4. Xenia

    Xenia Well-Known Member

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    I haven't read it but I do have a non attachment to anything material.
    It's difficult with 3 kids to keep a clutter free environment as they constantly accumulate stuff, but I do manage to donate a couple of bags of items to charity every month.

    They don't even know what I have thrown out - no idea what they have, they don't even miss it lol
     
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  5. Jacque

    Jacque Jacque Parker Premium Member

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    Haha @Xenia I can relate :)
    My 3 (2 x adult and one almost-there) offspring drain our resources in a huge way and it ultimately is the most expensive time of our lives. Of this I have no doubt :D
    My eldest recently moved rooms in our house and she donated a whopping 11 bags of "stuff" to Vinnies- some clothes still had tags on them.... she seriously has clutter issues!
     
  6. Jennifer Duke

    Jennifer Duke Well-Known Member

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    I am a clutter bug (mainly for books, magazines, old newspapers and "sentimental" items) but I have cleared out an ENTIRE ROOM after reading this. And managed to chuck away a cupboard full of empty glass jars "for future use". Feeling proud!
     
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  7. Azazel

    Azazel Well-Known Member

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    Hmm, thread on cleaning, mostly ladies posting... ;)
    I haven't read the book, but I agree with the concept. My (male) friend used to say doing the dishes was cathartic.
     
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  8. pinewood

    pinewood Well-Known Member

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    I think only clutter bugs read books like that otherwise it wouldn't be relevant! I too have cleared tons but still looks cluttered! and I love books but I'm borrowing a lot more now.... I know what I want the place to look like but it's near impossible to achieve. Also a good tip when you think you need more storage space you actually need to clear more. I was about to embark on building more cupboards but I heard someone say this and I feel it's true the more space you create the more you will store and hoard.
     
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  9. Xenia

    Xenia Well-Known Member

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    My husband does not see the clutter, I love him to bits but he is pathetic lol.
    The kids made a huge mess in the lounge once, there were sultanas and Easter egg wrappers and chocolate all over the lounge suite and floor (just after an Easter egg hunt). I walked in, took one look and walked out again to somewhere where I can't see the mess - could not stand it.

    My husband walked in, sat down on the mess like it wasn't there then got up and started walking around with a full easter bunny stuck to his bum. :confused::eek:

    Men are a different species lol
     
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  10. quop

    quop Well-Known Member

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    Male here. Came across the book recently, have only read about half of the first chapter (free sample ebook), but was quite keen to learn more/apply some of the principles. Have just spent the past few weeks moving house and was confronted with just how much stuff we have... much of it things I've kept/never thrown out.
     
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  11. pinewood

    pinewood Well-Known Member

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    Ha ha! @Xenia, that's precisely why I made my husband read the book too! :rolleyes: It's an entertaining book and very easy read. Basically a Japanese lady who is now able to make a success of a business teaching people to declutter. She tells of her childhood obsession of tidying and how after years of practice has led her to a career in tidying.
     
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  12. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    We are a strange mixture. We've turned our dining/living room into a bit of a museum. We LOVE it and being night rooms mostly, the deep colours on the wall makes for a moody atmosphere. Our oldest son asks regularly "when are you going paint these rooms white?". If we ever sell, we likely will do that, but for us we have two walls full of old paintings in lovely frames, with little space between. It is done on purpose. Some will love it, others will hate it. So the room looks cluttered with things we love.

    The rest of the house is not cluttered. Can I be half hoarder, half anti-clutter?
     
  13. Jennifer Duke

    Jennifer Duke Well-Known Member

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    I think we need to coin the term "conscious clutter" - when it's not just accumulated junk but you know exactly what you have and why you have it. I don't see anything wrong with that!
     
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  14. Azazel

    Azazel Well-Known Member

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    Haha, what a sight.
    Probably still ate it too.
     
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  15. Jennifer Duke

    Jennifer Duke Well-Known Member

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  16. Jacque

    Jacque Jacque Parker Premium Member

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  17. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

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    I liked this article.

    http://www.domain.com.au/advice/ten-habits-of-people-who-always-have-a-clean-home-20160526-gp2656/

    Particularly the idea of running the dishwasher every night, cleaning up stuff while you are cooking and cleaning surfaces (the kitchen and bathroom both particularly comes to mind) as you go. Simple but very powerful advice. If you had no system in the past, this is so easy to implement.

    Also I've started a system of leaving a Blue Ikea bag in the bedroom ready for my clean washing for me to pack away. These bags are huge and user friendly (you can see everything in it) so there's no excuse to let it get too full. It also means clothes i've already worn gets managed immediately too, and not just left on the floor. Nice and organised system. :)
     
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  18. Azazel

    Azazel Well-Known Member

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    I like it, words to live by.
    Now to adopt it at work...
     
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  19. Perthguy

    Perthguy Well-Known Member

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    When you throw out a skip worth of junk and your house doesn't look any different, you know you have a hoarding problem :(
     
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  20. Jennifer Duke

    Jennifer Duke Well-Known Member

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    Our place is so junk-free now! But I live with a bit of a clutterbug, so balancing each other's different approaches to 'stuff' is hard work!
     
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