Hasta La Ideas

I had a great deal of fun going through all of the 2009 unitaskers for yesterday’s best unitaskers post, so I spent a few hours and did the same with all of the Unclutterer posts. The following are the posts that I loved writing this year. They’re not necessarily the most read or commented on or likely to be your favorites — they’re simply the ones that rang “favorite” with me. Enjoy!

Outfitting a minimalist kitchen:

Making “essentials” lists is a risky endeavor. Obviously, the items I turn to every day aren’t going to be what other people use. It was still a fun experiment and I created my list by answering the question: “If my home were destroyed in a disaster, what 10 items would I replace first?”

Ask Unclutterer: Having it all:

Reader April asked the following question in the comments section of a recent post: “How do you have time for all of this – running a blog, writing a book, all of these musical activities & all the other stuff you seem to do?”

10 uncluttering things to do every day:

8. Get ready for bed an hour before you plan to go to sleep. Doing this means that your dirty clothes are more likely to be returned to a hanger, dropped in the hamper, or put in a mesh bag for dry cleaning, hand washing, or repairing. Also, a set bedtime routine signals your brain that it’s time to relax and prepare for sleep.

Official release: Unclutter Your Life in One Week:

Today is the day Unclutter Your Life in One Week officially goes on sale. It has been a roller-coaster ride, and I am so glad to finally be at this stage in the process. Expanding the Unclutterer message to a new medium is honestly a dream come true. My sincerest desire is that this book will help people discover the benefits of an uncluttered life and inspire them to clear the clutter to pursue what they value most.

Ask Unclutterer: How many hours will a family of four spend on laundry each week?:

Kids seem to generate a lot of clothing — spills, sports practices, uniforms for after-school jobs, indecision about what to wear, etc. If I generate 16 pounds of clothing in a week, I imagine that a middle schooler or high schooler could easily create 14 to 15 pounds of clothing in a week. Multiply that by two and add in two adults, and a family of four probably generates between 60 and 65 pounds of clothing per week. In our washing machine, that would be five to six loads of clothing.

Productivity and organizing insights found in Lean systems:

Even if you don’t implement the full systems, simply knowing about their methods can help to improve the way you do your work. I have definitely gained many helpful tips and tricks studying their processes.

What Unclutterer posts did you count among your favorites this year? Share your list in the comments.