February 28, 2023

March of Trash 2023

March of Trash 2023 is about to start. This is the month-long online clutter clearing challenge. Again this year, the challenge page is at http://www.clutter.guru/marchoftrash/.

This year, there will be more content on the Take Chances Pay Attention channel on YouTube, which has a new address this year: https://www.youtube.com/@takechancespayattention.

April 14, 2022

The Knee-Sprain Test

Part of our cultural indoctrination, one message among countless others, is the idea that there will be a period of time when conditions are not so favorable. When that happens, we are told, there will be a chance to do a few things that on a normal day you would not have time to do. This is the “rainy day” of English-language lore. And while there is a grain of truth in this idea, the opening is much smaller than we have been led to believe.

My favorite example for this is the extended power failure. The last time the lights went out, did you take the opportunity to wash all the windows in your home? Or did you do whatever important chore it is that does not require power?

March 23, 2022

Excess Supplies: Clutter in Plain Sight

March of Trash asks you to take action on clutter every day for a month.

The mere fact that the plastic groccery bag dispenser is filled to overflowing is a sign that something is out of balance.

March 01, 2022

March of Trash 2022

It’s time for March of Trash — the annual challenge to create a clutter clearing habit during the month of March. To simplify the challenge, it has been all put together on one page this year. Read the details, download the daily clutter clearing prompts, and follow the action at http://www.clutter.guru/marchoftrash/.

May 24, 2021

Throwing Away the Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Today would be a good day to throw away those old compact fluorescent light bulbs — even if you are still using them.

April 01, 2021

Marching Shoes of Trash

March of Trash asks you to take action on clutter every day for a month.

What if clutter could put on marching shoes and march out of the house on its own?

That’s almost what it’s like when you reach the point of perfect clarity about what things you want to keep and where your life is going.

If you knew exactly what stays and what goes, it would still be a chore to carry out the things that don’t stay — but this work is just a matter of some hours, bags, gloves, and sweat. It is not so hard compared to the decisions you have to make.

March 29, 2021

Bulk Item Day

March of Trash asks you to take action on clutter every day for a month.

For many of us, bulk item day is near the end of the month. Props to anyone who took the opportunity to rid their house of something large and unneeded.

March 20, 2021

4 Stuck-at-Home Emotions as Prompts for Clutter Clearing

March of Trash asks you to take action on clutter every day for a month.

Many of us are stuck at home more than usual this season, and this can be an opportune time to clear clutter from the home. Some of the unpleasant emotions of being stuck in a place involuntarily can help you focus on different parts of your clutter. I explore four of these emotions below. When you recognize these emotional reactions in yourself, you can think of them as prompts to clear clutter of specific kinds or in specific places.