STUFFology 101 book | STUFFology 101

Just Say NO!

March 4, 2015/1 Comment/in De-Clutter/by Eric Riddle STUFFologist

Do you feel overwhelmed? Are you experiencing that feeling of too much to do and not enough time to do it in? If you are just too busy, consider a catchphrase from the 1980’s, just say NO!

Say no to things and people that are keeping you from fulfilling your goals. Decide what is important to you each day, and act accordingly inasmuch as you are able to do so. That is, declutter the time wasters from your day.

Granted, we all have family, work, and other obligations that we must attend to each day. But think about items in your day that you might be able to delegate, or not do at all. Often we get so caught up in our daily activities that we are living on autopilot, and not really questioning the need for doing a given task.

Consider the various euphemisms for how we use time:

Work expands to fill the time allowed.
Time flies when you are having fun.
There are only 24 hours in a day.
Time marches on.

These imply that we cannot control our time. While it is true that all of us have the same 168 hours each week, we can control how at least some of that time is utilized.

How can you avoid temporal clutter?

In STUFFology 101: Get Your Mind Out of the Clutter we talk about temporal clutter this way, “When you feel your time is limited, look at your daily activities. Sometimes we fill our lives with activities and feel overwhelmed by how busy we are.”

Just say NO to some of those activities.

The key is to work on those things that are the most important to you, while eliminating those that are not. This may sound simplistic. But it is the simple and obvious that often must be re-learned when we are in the autopilot mode of daily living. Stop and ask yourself, “Do I really need to do this?” The answer may surprise you.

Time is a precious resource. Think hard about how you can declutter time wasters from your day. Make it a daily practice to just say NO to things and people that are keeping you from fulfilling your goals.

Stuff Happens!

February 24, 2015/1 Comment/in Digital Stuff/by Eric Riddle STUFFologist

A man’s home is his castle, unless his wife says otherwise.

Does stuff matter? Consider the question in the context of relationships like marriage. What is important to you may not be important to your spouse, and vice versa. Rather than argue, it is sometimes easier to let clutter encroach on a space you consider your own. My garage is such a space.

If a man’s home isn’t his castle, at least his garage is.

My Castle

Is that true? You decide after viewing my garage story (apologies for the video quality).

We share more stories of how stuff matters in Part II of STUFFology 101: Get Your Mind Out of the Clutter. Does stuff matter to you? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

WOWEEEE a REVIEW by Publishers Weekly!

February 18, 2015/1 Comment/in News 'n Views/by Brenda Avadian STUFFologist

For all in the book biz, Publisher’s Weekly (PW) is a BIG DEAL!

Getting a REVIEW by PW is an even BIGGER DEAL.

So, even though we’ve shared our excitement about this via social media, we just had to go on record with this.

… ‘stuffologists’ Avadian and Riddle have spent a lifetime dealing with hoarding’s little sister, ‘STUFFitis,’ the plague of accumulated clutter ‘diverting us from our life’s purpose and what we deserve.’ Using their combined knowledge, they provide tips on de-cluttering your physical space, hard drive, and even your frenzied mind… Avadian and Riddle prove sympathetic guides, revealing personal stories…
Publishers Weekly Review

Thanks to Eric’s initiative in sending review copies and persistence in following up, STUFFology 101 was reviewed by Publishers Weekly.

YAAAAY! Please help us celebrate this achievement by sharing this post via your social media channels… again.

http://publishersweekly.com/978-0-9632752-5-7

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Photos, PHOTOS Everywhere!

January 8, 2015/2 Comments/in De-Clutter/by Brenda Avadian STUFFologist

Photos, PHOTOS, when do they become Digital Clutter?

Brenda Avadian standing in front of the first-ever Armenian float in the 126th Rose Parade

In STUFFology 101, we write about digital clutter the kind that harmlessly takes up residence on your smartphone, tablet, or hard or external drive. On the cluttergories page, we define digital clutter as anything in virtual form—such as photos stored in our computers, a backlog of emails, or too many social media accounts.

When do digital files turn into clutter?

When they’re on your mind in the wee hours of the morning and late at night.
When you realize after saving all this STUFF you can’t find what you need when you need it.
When you don’t even remember having some of this stuff!
When you decide you need to do something about them.
When you keep saying, I’ll download this stuff off my smartphone onto my computer so I can finally write about it.

WOW, sounds a lot like mental clutter!

AHA! There’s no better reason right now, to download these digital photos off my smartphone. This article is scheduled to be published the following day and I want to add some of my post-parade float photos. Also, I like to organize my smartphone photos in labeled folders on my computer.

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Happy Hippo Rose Parade Float
Isn’t he cuuute?

Lucky you! You’re in for a treat.

Remember when I wrote the article about the (click on) Rose Parade Float Decorating – No Clutter? Well, the reality is you won’t care about the Rose Parade Floats in July. But you may still want to read about digital clutter and enjoy a few of the post-parade float photos I took. Right? Please say, YES.

I came upon the following. Although, my initial source at The CHIVE didn’t cite its source of information, this is entirely plausible.

Every two minutes, we take as many photos
as all of humanity took during the 1800s.
In 2014 alone, humanity will take 880 billion photos.
That’s 123 photos for every single human on earth.

As with any kind of procrastinating, which also leads to clutter, the actual deed took less time than I thought the task would require. Five minutes was all the time needed to download 38 photos and 3 videos; plus, another five minutes to download a few other photos and file them. I was on a roll.

The next morning, I opened my Rose Parade Floats file and began choosing which ones I wanted to share with you. While working on this, I also labeled the photos while choosing my top picks. There are too many to share; so, I further limited my initial selection to four, which include the completely decorated flower the float decorators were working on in my earlier post.

The deed is done.

No longer do I concern myself with downloading my float photos. I’ve labeled them so I may use them later as appropriate. And I feel better about eliminating this one cause of mental clutter.

Before I close, I want you to know that next week, the second Monday of the year, is National Clean off your Desk Day. Getting rid of the potential for digital clutter, gives me a head start on my virtual mobile desk. I’ve cleared part of the gallery of photos on my smartphone, filed them in appropriate folders on my computer, and now feel the momentum to keep going… while the clutter waits and WAITS.

How about you? What kinds of clutter are you dealing with?

STUFFology 101 Get Your Mind Out of the Clutter book by Brenda Avadian MA Eric Riddle

Amazon eBook Special!

November 25, 2014/1 Comment/in News 'n Views/by Eric Riddle STUFFologist

Get your digital copy of STUFFology 101: Get Your Mind Out of the Clutter NOW!

We are offering the eBook exclusively on Amazon.com during this limited time Thanksgiving week special promotion.

Get your copy here:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NCHH6AU

Thank you!

Now this is a STUFFology 101 REVIEW!

August 19, 2014/in Reviews/by Brenda Avadian STUFFologist

I have to admit, of the hundreds of reviews my nine books have received, none compares to THIS ONE.

Dr. Nancy B. Irwin, PsyD, C.Ht., Therapist/Hypnotherapist/Speaker/Author recently married. After her honeymoon, she sent me this email:

From: Nancy Irwin
Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2014 3:41 PM
To: Brenda Avadian
Subject: Loved it!

Hey Brenda:

I want you to know that I read your book on my honeymoon, for heaven’s sake! My husband did too. We really enjoyed it. Wanted something light, yet educational and inspirational, and your book was it!

Really well written, and we both learned a great deal. Esp helpful re: technology clutter. Boy, you hit it there!

Best,
Nancy B. Irwin, PsyD, C.Ht.
Therapist/Clinical Hypnotist/Speaker/Author
DrNancyIrwin.com

See her review, now featured on our STUFFology 101 book page.

STUFFologist Reviews – Clutter Busting

June 25, 2014/in Reviews/by Brenda Avadian STUFFologist

Clutter Busting: Letting Go of What’s Holding You Back by Brooks Palmer (2009) remains one of those down-to-earth titles written by one who’s served in the trenches of physical and emotional clutter. In fact, it remains one of the more psychologically insightful works on clutter.

Palmer writes (paraphrased):

75% of what’s in our homes is clutter.
we should keep only those items, which make us happy and comfortable.
to de-clutter we need to remove clutter from where we currently stored it to the middle of the room where we can look at it with a fresh perspective.

A person with an impressive library of books may appear to have a problem with clutter. Yet, I believe that each person decides what is clutter. Although, I prefer less, I disagree with the “75% is clutter” figure that’s been repeated in the media over the years. Unlike hoarders – the result of a disorder causing significant discomfort when attempting to let go of items including trash – clutter is more personal.

As for getting rid of items that drag us down or make us feel uncomfortable; what lessons will we miss by discarding these items based on an emotion we feel during one fleeting moment in time? If, on the other hand, we take time to reflect, we will learn to avoid getting into similar situations in the future.

Palmer has a gift for getting at clients’ psychological struggles with clutter. He hones right in and helps his clients (mostly women) decide to take a new road without all those extra clothes that don’t fit, collections of books, self-development tapes, pictures, and more.

In fact, the way he writes about his successes with clients is both hopeful and unnerving. As my co-author, Eric Riddle and I wrote in STUFFology 101: Get Your Mind Out of the Clutter, we hold onto some things without knowing why. What if Palmer persuaded us in that moment to let go and it turns out to be a mistake? As I read examples of Palmer’s interventions, I kept wondering: What are his credentials? Does he have a degree in clinical psychology?

People can be successful without a degree; we’ve seen countless examples in business. Yet, it is my belief that higher learning enables people to better see the gray areas within bi-polar decision-making, often the standard in our industry. I’m tired of being forced to “use it or get rid of it.” In fact, Palmer writes of something similar when he admits that he stopped taking photos after realizing that doing so removed him from experiencing the moment. While I agree, we need to balance preservation of a special moment with experience. After all, I’ve spent years working with families who live with dementia and Alzheimer’s. That photo or unused object we should have tossed helps loved ones recall a precious life moment their brains can no longer conceptualize.

I prefer a more custom approach in dealing with clients. We hold on for our own reasons and one person’s clutter is another’s sanctuary. This is why I help clients define their own areas of clutter then work with them for long-term results.

Yet, among the books I’ve read in the de-clutter / organizing space, I feel drawn to Palmer’s message. He offers plenty of nuggets to digest, especially when I recall needing to evacuate because a massive fire threatened our home. I stood in a room frozen with indecision.

Some of Palmer’s exercises throughout Clutter Busting and the questions he suggests we ask ourselves will better help us to understand our relationship with clutter.

If I had to choose a book (besides STUFFology 101: Get Your Mind Out of the Clutter), I’d choose Brooks Palmer’s Clutter Busting: Letting Go of What’s Holding You Back.

It’s a Girl!

April 21, 2014/in Unexpected Gifts/by Eric Riddle STUFFologist

Our baby is born! The official launch of STUFFology 101: Get Your Mind Out of the Clutter book took place on Saturday, April 12th in Palmdale, CA. Family and friends were there to support my book spouse and co-author, Brenda Avadian and me. It resulted in a wonderful day for me especially, a first time author.

To be honest, it all felt like a dream. The process of writing the book and getting it published was a long one, and of course there were bumps along the way. So when the day finally arrived and I held the little book baby for the first time, I still was not completely convinced that it was for real.

Many of us have a dream of writing a book, but are not necessarily prepared for what it takes to get there.

Life goes on while you write. You work at a regular job to pay the mortgage and keep the car running. You have to cook dinner, cut the grass, and do other household chores. You have to take the kids to school and soccer practice. You have to visit your parents out of town on the weekend and go to the weddings of family and friends. All these things take time. You don’t magically get more time just because you decided to write a book.

In reality, these were my experiences. I thought I understood how time works, but I really didn’t. And that’s okay. We often don’t truly understand something until going through it ourselves. Keep at it and persist until you are done. Do not quit.

Your best laid plans for completing the book will be interrupted. You might have a family emergency or a hose will burst and your laundry room will flood. Something will happen that will take you away from the book. React, adjust, and continue writing IF you want your book to see the light of day.

You will need to work with other people as you write. Depending on the publishing path you choose—you will work directly or indirectly with a cover designer, editor, interior designer, printer, and more. Be courteous and professional with each of them. Here too, something will happen to slow you down. Be patient. Persist. Finish.

I am lucky; I have a co-author to push me along when needed. I have a supportive wife who understood that I needed time to write, which would limit my time with her and our daughters. Make sure you have a support network in place when you embark on your book project.

I learned many things through this writing project and am grateful for the experience. I am the proud dad of STUFFology 101: Get Your Mind Out of the Clutter. Our book baby is ready to be held in your arms.

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