This is another theme of this decluttering year, friction.
The importance of friction has been popping up in a number of different circumstances.
Adding friction - For example, when my dad’s garage was broken into, we started looking into more ways to keep things secure. Friction was one of the concepts. The more friction there was for stealing the less likely things were to be stolen. Friction can be added by putting a new and better lock on the garage door, by having locking cabinets inside the garage, by putting up cameras, by planting thorny bushes around windows, by adding a front gate to the property, etc. The more things (friction) that a would-be-thief has to deal with to be able to steal the less likely they are to bother.
Removing friction – this can be used to make things easier. When organizing (after decluttering) we can make it easier for things to stay organized. For example, people often have trouble with paper clutter. Mail and other paper (school notices, receipts, etc.) come in and usually get dumped somewhere, often a flat surface such as a dining table. Before you know it, the surface is covered in clutter (like a magnate). If there is a system in place to collect that paper as it comes in the house that is on the way to that surface or beside the surface, then there is a lot less friction to put it in that place instead of on that surface. If it’s just as easy to put something away as it is to put it down, then it’s more likely to get put away. In other words the friction has been reduced.
I’ve tried organizing ideas in the past that were total failures. It wasn’t until I found Cass, from Clutterbug, that I learned that there are different organizing styles. I learned that I live in what Cass would call a house full of butterflies, which is an organizing style that likes to see everything. If it’s out of sight it’s out of mind. They also tend to leave things where they used them because they have already moved on (mentally) from what they were doing. They also prefer larger categories. Children are usually like this. I have a lot of that tendency too, but I also have a bit of what she would call a ladybug to me, because I’ve discovered that I like things behind closed doors. If there is too much visible, I find it draining and stressful.
Two things I changed based on this organization style are:
One - the storage under the kitchen sink, which now has four stackable clear plastic shoe boxes with doors on them. Open the cupboard door and everything is visible. Each bin/box holds a category, such as dishwashing supplies. I thought I might have to remove the clear plastic doors on the boxes, to remove friction, but it turns out that the family uses them and puts things away even though the doors are still there. Before using the containers, things were usually left out on the counter.
Two – wire magazine racks now hang on the wall in the command centre (another new concept for me). There is one for each family member, and one is labelled “time will tell”. I used to have a different rack on the wall for this but it held things more like a stack of files, which no one used. Now, at a glance, people can look at their rack/bin and see if there is anything for them there. Just that visual change has made it so that people bring the paper in the house and put it in the appropriate container without being asked. So, there’s less paper on the counters and tables, and important papers aren’t getting lost. Again, less friction.
This brings me to another interesting part about my decluttering, its effect on other people. When the counters are clear I’m noticing that people are more likely to do the dishes, or wipe down counters, without being asked. This morning, I went to the kitchen to find the pots and pans, from dinner the previous night, all washed and drying in the drain board. Normally those would have been left on the stove for someone else to take care of. I’m noticing that help is being volunteered more often when I’m cleaning.
Decluttering has not been easy. It’s hard for me to let go of many things because it might be useful in the future, or it feels like we’re wasting money (the money spent buying it in the first place), I don’t like contributing to landfills, and I don’t like wasting perfectly useful stuff. Also, several things that I’ve tried to declutter get grabbed up by another family member because they think they might have a use for it; an item got taken right out of the garbage can today because of that, which is another kind of friction. I’ve been getting better at letting go, and it’s paying off because the more I let go the more peaceful my house is getting. Again, less friction of various kinds.
I’m looking forward to getting the first pass done on the basement because that’s where the training room is going to be. Hopefully, this will also create less friction in regard to getting my martial arts, and even dog, training done. Right now, there still isn’t much room to practice my forms or even lie on the floor to do sit-ups without furniture or a dog “helping” me. One of my poor dogs accidentally got punched in the face while I was trying to practice one of my hand forms, and that was despite the fact that he was staying on his bed (as commanded). Thankfully, it wasn’t too hard and he barely noticed. My hope is that having this larger, ready to use, space will reduce the friction of me getting my training done. It will be very conveniently right beside my office so that I don’t have to go far to train and it will always be in sight to remind me to do it, rather than being out of sight out of mind behind closed doors.
Numbers
Still not getting things written down. It’s getting frustrating because it wasn’t such an issue in past years. Not that the pushups and sit-ups would be great, but they’d be better than what’s written here, if I just remembered to record them.
Pushups/equivalent: 2287
Sit-ups/equivalent: 1625
Weapon Form: 268
Hand Form: 287
RAoK: 82
Sparring: 145
Kilometres: 1147
Memorize Mastery: Still not good.
Nurture Relationships: Haven’t recorded anything lately
Blogging: 27
Declutter: This I’m pleased with and yet wish it would go faster. Another utility trailer load has left the house. Have started on the basement – so many boxes! Maintenance of everything that has had a first pass seems to be staying on track… so far.
Great Coat Project: Haven’t started yet but with the cold weather setting in we must be getting close to sewing season again.
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