Also, I've learned that since none of us has a guarantee about tomorrow or next year, all we can do is make the most of each day.

I am also a list person, and it's what helps me get through my day.

I think my solution is less computer time.

I actually started getting rid of a bunch of books that were just taking up space earlier this week. I figured I really wasn't going to need that copy of Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Windows 95 anymore…

I can relate to that. Check out my own history of selling books on Amazon.

Every year for the past 7 years or so we've been having a garage sale where I unload a bin or two of books. I think I'm down to less than 10 now. Slowly and steadily, I've been reducing that clutter too.

Fortunately from a physical clutter standpoint I've got things pretty much under control – we have a garage sale every year and tons of storage bins that I am constantly filling up with stuff that we then sell. Plus I'm damn good at throwing things away. It's the mental clutter I struggle with.

I've also reduced my RSS feed a tad in a the last couple of weeks, but I've also subscribed to other blogs since then, so I don't think I've accomplished very much in the clutter reduction department. At least it's more manageable now.

I think it's a cycle like any other – you gather up clutter until you feel overwhelmed, then you prune. Lather, rinse, repeat.

"Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people can't buy more hours. Scientists can't invent new minutes. And you can't save time to spend it another day".

Getting rid of the clutter is a great step towards making the most of your time. Good post John, thanks.

What a great quote!

The hardest clutter is always the last to go!

Two boys under 3 will keep you busy, that's for sure. You mention Twitter – clutter is one reason I haven't jumped on board that train.

Some would argue that isn't much better but then you are also getting out and doing some amazing runs, so eff em.

What has really helped me in my non-weight loss efforts is building a dashboard of weekly goals along with trends both of action and results. Now if I can only apply that here (better than I have been).

Personally, I'm a stacker and a collector. If things are cluttered (which they tend to be, because I keep everything, under the guise that, if I should some day need that and NOT have it, I'll be really unhappy with myself), I will either put them in their place or stack them. Usually, they don't have a place, so they get stacked. And this works for a while… until the stack grows so high it falls over.

The thing is, there is some urgency here… my wife is pregnant with twins and technically due in November, but twins are notorious for coming early. I also am starting grad school in a week and a half. These things need to be addressed and addressed now!

This is a great post… really puts things in a better perspective for me!

I have my cluttered moments but for the most part I am known in my family as the guy who throws things away. I am always de-cluttering when it comes to picking up the house. Part of this is training from long-ago restaurant work "clean as you go."

it is so 'relieving' and yet simultaneously scary as, at times, what we need to prune are TOXIC PEOPLE, huh?

Luckily I don't have that problem. That I know of.