Ask Unclutterer: Handling other people’s clutter in your space

Reader Deborah e-mailed the following to Ask Unclutterer:

Deborah: My sister moved across the country eight years ago and left boxes of things at my house because she wasn’t sure if she’d stay out west. They had been stored in an extra bedroom that we weren’t using at the time. Since then, we’ve had two kids and really could use the space. I’ve asked my sister to clean out the room, and she does go through a few boxes when she visits, but basically there are boxes stacked to the ceiling. How do I get this space back in my home without causing a problem between the two of us? If I had the extra money I would just ship the boxes. I’m not working so the cost is prohibitive to me.

Every now and then, I’ll have time in my schedule to respond to readers as e-mals arrive in my inbox. A couple weeks ago, one of those days popped up on the schedule, so I sent Deborah back the following response:

Unclutterer: Explain to her exactly what you just explained to me. Then, tell her that by X date if the boxes aren’t gone, you’ll start going through them for her. You’ll sell the more expensive and not-very-sentimental items on Craigslist, and use that money to ship to her the few boxes of what you believe to be very sentimental stuff (photographs, favorite childhood stuffed animal).

Hopefully, she’ll come and go through the stuff. If she doesn’t, though, you’ll have a way out from under her stuff. I’m sure going through her stuff won’t be fun, but at least you’ll be able to reclaim your space.

Then, to my wonderful surprise, a week later Deborah e-mailed me again:

Deborah: Thank you so much! I have a pile of boxes to ship in my car, and three bags of shredded documents to drop at recycling. I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders!

Clutter can put a lot of strain on relationships, so I am so glad to know that these two women worked things out after eight years. I hope other readers in similar situations can find a way to have comparable conversations to reduce stress and clutter in their homes.

Thank you, Deborah, for e-mailing your question and for letting me know how things turned out in the end.

Do you have a question relating to organizing, cleaning, home and office projects, productivity, or any problems you think the Unclutterer team could help you solve? To submit your questions to Ask Unclutterer, go to our contact page and type your question in the content field. Please list the subject of your e-mail as “Ask Unclutterer.” If you feel comfortable sharing images of the spaces that trouble you, let us know about them. The more information we have about your specific issue, the better.

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Friday Photo: Marina Abramovic Is on Fire


(Photos: Diane Bondareff)

Don’t you dare call it a dessert. Artist Marina Abramovic has transformed the good ‘ol Baked Alaska into “a multisensory culinary intervention” now thrilling more adventurous diners at New York’s Park Avenue, the AvroKO-designed restaurant that overhauls everything from its menu and wine list to its interiors and name with the seasons. Executive chef Kevin Lasko (at far left) collaborated on the food experience, “Volcano Flambé,” which includes an exclusive take-away collection of Abramovic’s Spirit Cooking Menus, a recorded reading by the artist guiding diners (who use the headphones and digital audio device placed at their seats in wintry bleached-wood boxes) through the experience of the dish through sound, and the decadent dessert itself, set ablaze as it is served. We hear that the fiery treat is a journey through sensory contrasts: hot and cold, soft and hard, dark and light, sweet and savory. The project came about thanks to Creative Time, and the organization hopes that restaurant patrons have an appetite for more artist-chef collaborations. Janine Antoni, Paul Ramirez Jonas, and Michael Rakowitz will debut their delicious works, also whipped up with Lasko, later this year. Meanwhile, Abramovic’s Volcano Flambé will be available at Park Avenue Winter through March 20. And the best part? You don’t even have to stare her down for the last bite.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Cap (illuminated)

Cap (illuminated) is a stool and a floor lamp!

Workspace of the Week: Out-of-sight, out-of-mind

This week’s Workspace of the Week is TinaFB’s bedroom office:

For the second week in a row, I wanted to highlight how someone has solved the space constraint of needing to put a desk in their bedroom/office/living space. The reason I like this desk so much is because it closes up and goes away when TinaFB wishes to relax. She doesn’t have to stare at responsibilities and bills, she can simply make them disappear. I also like that she took the time to personalize the furniture (it’s a piece from Ikea) with red paint on the back panel and chalkboard paint on the inside of the doors. The chalkboard paint can be very useful for posting important reminders, without having to have an actual chalkboard hanging in the room. Thank you, TinaFB, for submitting your office to our workspace Flickr pool.

Want to have your own workspace featured in Workspace of the Week? Submit a picture to the Unclutterer flickr pool. Check it out because we have a nice little community brewing there. Also, don’t forget that workspaces aren’t just desks. If you’re a cook, it’s a kitchen; if you’re a carpenter, it’s your workbench.

Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland’s Unclutter Your Life in One Week from Amazon.com today.

Payday Splurge (Keep It Classic)!

imageIt’s always fun to get items we want, although, admittedly, we may not need or will not get the greatest use out of. While there’s nothing wrong with getting things you want, it’s good to be a practical shopper every now and then.


We’ve found five different pieces that are classics and will never go out of style! So whether your splurge is $40 or $400, these items can be worn year after year while keeping you stylish and sophisticated no matter what trends are going on!



River Island – Deck Fringe Trim Loafer, $68.94



Rebecca Taylor – Stretch-wool Double-Breasted Blazer, $395.00



Kenneth Cole – New York Slim-Leg Pants, $47.40



Marc by Marc Jacobs – Stainless Blade Watch, $200.00



Deux Lux – Black Mercer Messenger Bag, $95.00

Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo to lead World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 committee


Dezeenwire:
former Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo has been appointed as chairman of the committee for World Design Capital Helsinki 2012. See press release below.

Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo to lead World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 Committee

Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo has been appointed chairman of the committee tasked to support the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 project. The appointment is the first accepted in Finland by the former president and CEO of Nokia Corporation after his term ended at Nokia.

The committee, consisting of 45 opinion leaders and specialists from various sectors of society, supports the management and board of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 project, offering them broad-based social perspective.

“World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 is a unique opportunity with a broad social interface that already stems from the project’s foundations,” says Committee Chairman Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo. “We are all committed to offering our expertise to support the project’s decision making.”

The committee was appointed by International Design Foundation, which is the management organization of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 project, the project’s owners, that is, the cities of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti, and the participating universities. The committee, which will convene three times a year, was established in December 2010. The committee’s term will extend to spring 2013.

“The committee’s first meeting in December was promising,” says Tero Vähäkylä, Chairman of the Board of International Design Foundation. “The meeting was marked by active participation, lively discussion and inspired commitment. The discussions especially focused on the cities’ role in the project and the long-term effects of the World Design Capital year.”

More:

Watson’s practice match for Jeopardy

IE-tag by Naruse Inokuma Architects

IE-tag by Naruse Inokuma Architects

Tokyo firm Naruse Inokuma Architects created these pads of page markers from demolished wooden houses.

Called IE-tag, the notes come in blocks shaped like gabled houses and can be arranged to represent a little village on a desk or along a book’s edge.

IE-tag by Naruse Inokuma Architects

See Dezeen’t top ten: paper products »

IE-tag by Naruse Inokuma Architects

The information below is from Naruse Inokuma Architects:


IE-tag

Yuri Naruse + Jun Inokuma
Naruse Inokuma Architects

This is a tag made of paper from wooden building waste.

IE-tag by Naruse Inokuma Architects

In regenerating wooden building waste into paper, rather than discarding or burning it for energy, we propose the entire process flow up to the final product.

This tag is shaped as a house, retaining the memory of the material when it was part of a house.

IE-tag by Naruse Inokuma Architects

When several are arranged together, they form a town. What had originally been part of townscape now creates a small version of townscape on your desk.


See also:

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Monster by Tomáš Král and Camille Blin for OKOLOBookmark lamp
by Léonard Kadid
More paper
things

Recession Chic – Denim Jackets For $75 Or Less

imageLet’s bring it back to the classics with a versatile denim jacket! The thicker material, fitted cut and collar of a denim jacket makes it easy to throw on and add a little structure to any ensemble, while the jean fabric gives it a casual vibe.


It’s an All-American look that transcends generations and trends and every girl needs a comfy style in her closet! You can get as crazy as you please with color and style details, but there’s nothing better than the classic blue denim, cropped and buttoned jean jacket. Plus, the longer you own one, the more worn they get, adding a great vintage vibe and making them more and more comfortable and you don’t have to spend a fortune!


Click the slideshow to see some of our favorite denim jackets, some classic some unique, but all for $75 or less!

view slideshow

Columbia Business School Announces Plans for Diller Scofido + Renfro-Designed New Home

A big start to 2011 for the architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Late last week they unveiled, to much fanfare, the long-awaited plans for Eli Broad‘s new museum in Los Angeles, adjacent to Frank Gehry‘s Walt Disney Concert Hall. Now they’ve made another big splash closer to home, in their native New York, with the announcement by Columbia University that the institution has selected the firm to build two buildings to serve as the new home for their business school. The structures will go up in West Harlem in an area called Manhattanville, in which Columbia has been cultivating the 17 acres they have there. It’s still early days, given that the commission is just being announced now, so no word yet on what the buildings will look like or when construction will start or (plan to) end, but word will undoubtably come soon enough. Where the money for the project is coming from, however, is known. University board member, alumnus, private equity firm founder, and War on Greed documentary fodder, Henry Kravis, has pledged $100 million for the project, which surely has to be a nice way to start. Here’s from Columbia’s president, Lee Bollinger, about the commission:

“Diller Scofidio + Renfro have repeatedly demonstrated a deep understanding of how people live and work in a dynamic urban environment,” said President Bollinger. “They have achieved beautiful, important architectural successes that have been thoughtfully integrated into the surrounding urban fabric. This is the essence of what we are trying to create on Columbia’s new, open campus — bringing together different areas of teaching and research, and enhancing the connections between the University and surrounding community.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.