 A periodic reminder that Scrooge McDuck does not actually hoard his wealth in a vault. He's too greedy to do that, because he wants his money to make more money. So he loans it out to other people for a fee so they can use it for various purposes of their own. His greed drives him to be financially helpful to others. It's Smithian. He's doing it out of self-interest, not benevolence or generosity, but it works to everyone's benefit.
 # 法币与消费导向的经济体制 法币，作为由政府支持和控制的货币，其本质上是一种信用工具。在此种货币制度下，通常存在一种向消费者提供激励的机制，因为消费被视为刺激经济增长的关键。 *通货膨胀与消费的关系* 通货膨胀意味着货币的购买力随时间而降低。这鼓励个体及时消费而不是储蓄，因为现在购买的物品明天可能会更贵。 # 房地产：消费还是投资？ 虽然许多人认为购买和持有房地产是一种投资方式，但在某些情况下，它实际上更像是消费。大量购买和囤积房产，不仅可能对房地产市场造成压力，还可能导致资源的不合理分配。 *房地产的困境* 在许多城市，投资者购买房地产后选择不出租，导致了大量的空置房产。这种行为可能会引发房价上涨，从而使普通家庭难以负担。 # 比特币：新的资产类别 与房地产和其他传统投资方式不同，比特币提供了一种全新的、去中心化的资产类别。 *投资的变革* 对于许多人来说，购买和持有比特币变得越来越吸引人，因为它提供了一种相对简单且可能带来高回报的投资方式。 *相对于法币的优势* 比特币的固定供应和去中心化特性使其不易受到通货膨胀的影响，这意味着其购买力有可能随时间增加，与法币形成对比。 法币制度下的经济激励确实倾向于促进消费，而不是长期的、稳健的投资。随着数字货币，尤其是比特币的崛起，个体现在有了更多选择权，可以更灵活地确定其财务策略，而不仅仅是受到传统货币制度的限制。
About 6 years ago I offloaded almost all of my belongings. At that point in my life I had been living in the same city for the longest stretch of time that I have ever lived anywhere, including when I was a child. It is very easy over this time to end up accumulating a bunch of stuff and of course, most of it ends up being useless shite that isn't really worth transporting. Since that day, and the subsequent giving away and throwing out of more than 50% of my possessions, I made an effort to hopefully never accumulate things that I cannot transport in a couple of suitcases at any point in time. The other day I was hanging around my apartment having consumed an edible and one of the brilliant side effects of this drug that I rarely use is that it makes me take better notice of clutter... and my kitchen had plenty of it. <center>  </center> One of the first things I noticed was this jar I keep next to my sink that holds bits and bobs of things that I think one day I might have a purpose for. Old toothbrushes are excellent for cleaning stuff other than teeth so at some point in the past I decided to hang onto my old ones for a future purpose of unknown origin. Why it is that over the years I felt as though I was ever going to need SEVEN of them defies even my limited intellectual logic. When in the hell would I ever need this many of them? Those got thrown out. I also started taking stock of the things in my cabinets. Under my kitchen sink there was a collection of jars from pickles, mayonnaise, coffee, whatever you can imagine that comes in a jar. I had meticulously cleaned them, presumably at one point or another using one of the many toothbrushes in order to get the spotless and there they remained, for more than a year. I knew at that point that I had accidentally returned to my old ways of hording because not only was I never going to use 27 empty Nescafe jars, but I probably wasn't ever going to use any of them. Those were thrown out as well during the great sweep of the kitchen. I think the biggest offense, which I still find a bit amusing, was my collection of empty snus containers. If you don't know what snus is just imagine "dip" (for the North Americans) but basically it is tobacco that for me at least, was a cigarette smoking cessation method. I've been using this gear for years and somewhere along the lines I decided that I was going to hang on to all of the empties. <center>  </center> This kind of falls into the same category as the Nescafe jars that I had under the sink but they stand even less of a chance of ever being used for anything since the largest amount of stuff you could possibly fit into them would be a half a handful of screws. Of course none of mine contained anything at all. I suppose if anything can come out of this particular part of the experience would be the fact that I can look at how much money I have spent on a nicotine habit because each one of those containers cost me around $15. They are all now in the garbage somewhere, although I did separate them in the hopes that they would be recycled if that is possible here. Other items that I ended up tossing out are * socks where the elastic wore out a long time ago * underpants with holes in them that I kept as "backup" and I am sure that basically all men do this * impossibly stained t-shirts that I was convinced I would use to clean up things with despite the fact that my condo comes with twice-weekly maid service * dozens of take away containers that I swore I would bring back to the same establishment in order to cut down on plastic waste and of course because I live in Vietnam where getting a plastic bag is basically unavoidable - I had a hundred plastic bags, all stored inside of a much larger plastic bag. It was nice getting rid of all this stuff and I did do my best to make certain that they will be recycled if possible for all of the things other than the underpants of course. I promised myself that I would not end up like this again but I suppose for all of us some collection of what is essentially garbage is kind of something that just happens. Are you an accidental hoarder like me? Let's hear about it!
The winter housecleaning and tidying up process continues! Today, we completely tore apart what we call *"The Harry Potter Closet,"* which is basically a large storage space under our stairwell... where a cornucopia of *"stuff"* had accumulated in the decade+ since we moved into this house.  At times I do find myself wondering *how* we end up with so much stuff in our lives. Of course, I am well aware that much of it is the result of inheriting a number of boxes of *"random stuff"* from both sets of parents, some of it *before* they passed away, and then another set *after* they passed away. *"People who know about such things"* say that we accumulate stuff in our youth, peak in middle age, and then start getting *rid* of all the stuff we so diligently accumulated. Sounds about right...!  ## *Just How MANY Suitcases do Two People Need?* Why is it that people never seem to get rid of *luggage?* Seems like we have gotten a really good deal on *"better"* luggage on a number of occasions, but we have never thrown away — or taken to the 2nd hand store — the *previous* luggage. As we emptied the closet under the stairs, we eventually had *nine* suitcases sitting in the middle of our family room. We really only need *two* and we picked the best two for international travel... large enough that we can *share* one if we're just taking a shorter in-country trip. One will go to our daughter — who doesn't actually own a decent suitcase — and the remaining *six* get dropped at the second hand store tomorrow!  We actually found a couple of antique rugs in there, all rolled up properly in newspaper. We thought we might *use* them someday, but we haven't missed them in 10 years... so they are going to be sold on eBay, in the not too distant future. Yes, they actually have some value... Then there were the boxes of old game cartridges... which — by some stroke of luck — actually have some value as *"vintage."* Funny how that works out! Also found three book boxes filled with 12" vinyl music albums from the 70's and 80's. Again, some of that stuff has become really *"retro"* and now it's just a matter of going through everything and picking out the actually *valuable* albums from the worthless ones.  This is all going to be a very long and slow process, but it feels good to have gotten started on one of the house's major *"black holes,"* which will now become where we store the Christmas decorations boxes... *and nothing else!* We'll see how long *that* lasts... Thanks for reading, and have a great Friday! ***How about YOU? Do you have pockets of "unsorted stuff" in places where you live? Are you aware of everything you are saving? Do leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!*** ***(All text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is ORIGINAL CONTENT, created expressly for this platform — NOT A CROSSPOST!!!) Created at 2023.01.27 00:57 PST x514***
Lately, I have been working quite a lot on cleaning up my work space and throwing things away. Every now and then I just reach a point where the growing clutter in my surroundings starts to make me angry... so I have to *do* something!  Most of the time, I just *"scrape off the top"* and tidy up and process the most recently piled up stuff... but today I went a little more *in depth,* getting to some old bags and boxes. I'd like to think that each time I do so, I am *"gaining on it,"* in some greater sense of the word. Maybe I *am,* maybe I'm not... Regardless, it never ceases to amaze me how much stuff we *(meaning "me")* end up accumulating, typically in the name of keeping it *"just in case we need it later."*  One of my bad habits — when I am sorting stuff — is ending up with a rather large pile of *"miscellaneous"* papers that I intend to *"put away later,"* so they get set aside. And set aside *again,* over and over and *over.* To wit, some of the old file folders I got into today had bank statements and supporting tax receipts dating back all the way to *2001!* That's *twenty one years,* for those who are counting. The ridiculousness of it is that the limitation for most tax related record keeping is typically no more than *six* years. But I suppose many people let that sort of thing slide by.  I suppose it's tempting to keep things related to *"legal matters,"* even if you're not a so-called hoarder. One of the things I increasingly realize, however, is that we are not getting any younger, and there's going to come a time in the not too distant future when we'll be doing what many people do, as they age: We will be moving to a smaller place. And it definitely *is* easier to get of excess things you've been saving *before* you move, rather than *"during,"* while you are trying to pack up. And we have rather too much stuff...  As part of today's process, I also started to pick a new round of *"things"* that need tp be put on eBay and *sold.* We have a fair amount of stuff that ended up with us after our respective parents passed away... and somehow got *"integrated"* into our household, even though we don't really *need* them, or *use* them. But they have *some* value, so trying to sell them seems like a good idea... especially since we have been somewhat on financial rocky ground, for a while. A few extra dollars here and there are always welcome! Thanks for reading, and have a great remainder of your week! ***How about YOU? Do you tend to save paperwork, "just in case" you need it? How often do you go through your things and perform a major house cleaning? Do leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!*** ***(All text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is ORIGINAL CONTENT, created expressly for this platform — NOT A CROSSPOST!!!) Created at 20220922 23:59 PDT x465***
 No, if rich people want to even stay at their same level of wealth, they have to move money around, spend it, invest it, etc. I think everybody that makes the claim that the wealthy horde wealth (and I’m *not* one of them) don’t think that the rich keep stacks of cash under a mattress. The assumption is that the wealth is “kept” in investments that return more than the rate of inflation. (It’s not a high bar, any mildly diversified portfolio does that easily. Even just putting things 100% into an index fund probably accomplishes it.) If you inherited a million dollars in 2000, you would need an extra $721,000 to make the same purchases now. Government punishes saving. However, a million dollars invested in 2000 would be worth over $4M today if simply invested in a Dow-tracking index fund. That’s far ahead of inflation, that’s more than doubling your real wealth.
Help Melt Body Fat Away With This Special Keto Powder! Click Here--> http://ketowithx22.com Try it today for 51% OFF ^^^ 😄 Everything the [DS]/[CB] put in motion can now bee seen by the people, it's not hidden by a cover story, it's out in the open and it's about to get worse.Countries are now working with each other bypassing the globalist system. The world bank is panicking. https://rumble.com/vxm0jr-ep.-2727a-countries-are-now-pursuing-independence-world-bank-says-dont-hoar.html?mref=2hzb1&mc=fcbfy
 I think we can all agree that saving for the future is a moral good. That preparing for emergencies, growing wealth, leaving things for your children's future... It's all positive, right? The responsible, admirable, self sufficient thing to do? At least in the abstract, especially in contrast with excessive consumption... or worse... debt? So what's the difference between saving and "hoarding"? Is it just the quantity... The value amassed? If so, what's the cutoff point between the two? Reasons this was my random thought today: 1. The "rent is theft", "eat the rich" crowd being annoying 2. I'm currently figuring out how to clean out my garage to make room for lizards and realizing how much shit I should just put out by my curb next trash day Worth noting that people who wrongly accuse people of hoarding (wealth) are actually probably opposed to gluttony, and are really meaning to accuse the wealthy of gluttony. I have yet to see someone REEEE! at Elon Musk for building battery and EV factories. Most people on the left don't seem to be opposed to battery and EV factories as long as they are run responsibly. But they accuse him of hoarding, because his company which builds these factories is worth a lot. Contrast to someone like the Walton heirs that don't appear to offer any real utility. They consume a lot. Among that segment of rich people, there is a lot of gluttony. I think that is what people really take issue with. Someone buying their third private jet or yacht because they are bored while others are going into medical debt for insulin. Long story long, I think the left needs to reflect on distinguishing between gluttony, hoarding, and capital allocation. Any given person can have a mix of the three on a spectrum.
The goal of the wisdom from above, the word of God, is to lead us on the path of righteousness. Righteousness is doing the correct action, with the correct means, to obtain a correct end. Righteousness is important because its objective is not happiness, which is the objective of prudence, but to avoid error and its consequences (the error has progressive effects): "They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind", Hosea 8:7. Jesus constantly warns us of the leaven of the Pharisees, the leaven of the error: "´Be careful´, Jesus said to them. ´Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees´", Matthew 16:6. There are situations where righteousness overcomes prudence, what to do when one virtue is opposed to another?, How to act when to save a life you have to lie?. God gives us his word and his counsel so that we may be blessed in every way, explains the apostle James: "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.", James 1:19-21.  The righteous man is the man who listens to the word with the intention of practicing it, retains it in memory, and lives it with constancy: "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it", Luke 11:28. This is the true spiritual hoarding of man. Always keep meekness in mind, always cultivate it in our hearts, the apostle James tells to us, because this spiritual gift is what helps us from acting out of passion and thus losing grace. People prone to anger will always try to take us to their side, so it is essential to avoid provocations. The Kingdom of God always belongs to the meek and humble of heart. For more information visit my profile follow the link and download for free my ebook.
My daughter is making me an elaborate birthday dinner! Here is the show from yesterday though... https://fdrpodcasts.com/4910/stop-bullying-yourself-locals-livestream-23-sep-2021
Philosophy Stefan Molyneux discusses how to take control of your life, stop bullying yourself, and learn to live in the moment! https://www.bitchute.com/video/ReTh7xgA4H5D/ 
On my journey through life, I have generally tried to not save too many useless things. Maybe that makes perfect sense to most rational human beings, but for a *lot* of folks throwing away things can be difficult. You look at something and you think to yourself *”that might come in useful someday,”* and then you find a place to save it just in case that *”some day”* eventually comes along.  *Baby bunny in our garden* In isolation, that probably isn't a big deal. *Lots* of things in life are useful; I think people generally just avoid getting rid of things they believe *are.* The question is whether we *really* need to save all of them. The reason I'm bringing this up, is the ongoing *tidying up project* we're in the middle of, which I've mentioned on a number of occasions here. I was unpacking a box from my closet today, and it contained quite a few things I just had to wonder about *why* I had chosen to save. Now I'm definitely not what you would call a *"hoarder"* in the clinical sense of the word, and even though some of the elderly people in my family definitely had *too much stuff* they were hardly what you would call hoarders. That said, I am definitely coming to the realization that we have too much stuff on our hands!  I suppose the entire notion of *”too much stuff”* is pretty much in the eye of the beholder. I've been to some people's houses that were *so* minimalistic that I found myself wondering how they were going to be able to — for example —find a pair of scissors to cut a piece of paper with, if needed. We're by no means aspiring to that level of austerity! But getting back to the question of things being useful, just because something is *useful* doesn't necessarily mean that you could reasonably expect to *actually use it* in the foreseeable future. So is there really a good reason to *save* it at that point? As I unpacked my boxes, my response to that is increasingly growing into a firm *”no.”* I remember my auntie in Denmark — the one who helped raise me — having an entire tool shed filled with all kinds of gadgets and bits of wire and hinges and fittings and nails and screws of every conceivable size and shape. If you needed an original plug for a 1949 toaster, chances are she had one!  Granted, she was a child during the Great Depression, so throwing anything away for her was considered wasteful. However, 95% of the things in that tool shed were never *used.* And when she passed away, they went to the junk yard. Wouldn't it have been better to have had a less cluttered tool shed, and then when you *do* need a special part just go to the hardware store and get one? Again, there's not a real clear answer there. A lot of the bits and pieces my auntie saved, for example, were vintage and antiques… in other words, things you simply *couldn't* just run down to the hardware store and buy. Getting back to my closet, however, one of the main things I notice myself having *hoarded,* seems to be documentation. If the IRS says you need to save something for seven years to support your tax return claims, I seem to have saved it for 15. I even found bankruptcy documents related to a bankruptcy that was discharged in 1997! No reason to keep those. However, *in my mind,* I can remember thinking *”what if somebody comes back after the fact and demands to have the information about this?”*  And so, it was saved away in a box, along with many other mostly useless things. A box I am here unpacking more than a decade later. In my own particular case, I think a perpetual lack of money has also been related to my saving so many things. If I see something usable, I would save it out of a simple concern that I wouldn't be able to *afford* to replace it, if it were ever needed. Regardless of whether it's useful or not, I am definitely feeling *”lighter”* as a result of getting rid of many many things! Thanks for reading and have a great remainder of your week! ***How about YOU? Do you tend to save things thinking they might be useful? Do you have a tendency to save more than you need? Or do you try to keep your surroundings very uncluttered? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!*** ***(All text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is ORIGINAL CONTENT, created expressly for this platform — NOT A CROSSPOST!!!) Created at 20210416 00:25 PDT x155***
 <sub> || Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/deedee86-4642964/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3190116" class="keychainify-checked steem-keychain-checked">Deedee86</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3190116" class="keychainify-checked steem-keychain-checked">Pixabay</a> || </sub> *** In this series of open-ended questions that begins with the phrase, "Why do people…..?", we explore the reasons why people behave in a certain way. It is an analysis of human psychology and if you are interested in psychology you would certainly love these questions more than the others. Human mind is a complex phenomenon. Scientist have not fully understood it yet. It is an ongoing field of study and research. Explanations exist for certain human behavioral characteristics and attempts have been made for others. Why people behave in a certain way will remain a subject of study and research for a long time to come, as long as the workings of the mind remain a mystery. That gives us ample room to ruminate, imagine and explore why people behave the way they do. *** <sub>Previous Ten Questions:</sub> <sub>[Why do people believe in conspiracy theories?](https://steempeak.com/hive-153264/@ask.steem/why-do-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories)</sub> <sub>[Why Do People Abuse Animals?](https://steempeak.com/hive-153264/@ask.steem/why-do-people-abuse-animals)</sub> <sub>[Why Do People Believe In Astrology?](https://steempeak.com/hive-153264/@ask.steem/why-do-people-believe-in-astrology)</sub> <sub>[Why Do People Become Violent Extremists?](https://steempeak.com/hive-153264/@ask.steem/why-do-people-become-violent-extremists)</sub> <sub>[Why Do People Love To Travel?](https://steempeak.com/hive-153264/@ask.steem/why-do-people-love-to-travel)</sub> <sub>[Why do people believe in things without evidence?](https://steempeak.com/hive-153264/@ask.steem/why-do-people-believe-in-things-without-evidence)</sub> <sub>[Why Do People Join Cults?](https://steempeak.com/hive-153264/@ask.steem/why-do-people-join-cults)</sub> <sub>[Why Do People Feel Nostalgic?](https://steempeak.com/hive-153264/@ask.steem/why-do-people-feel-nostalgic)</sub> <sub>[Why Do People Gamble?](https://steempeak.com/hive-153264/@ask.steem/why-do-people-gamble)</sub> <sub>[Why Do People Believe Strange Things?](https://steempeak.com/hive-153264/@ask.steem/why-do-people-believe-strange-things)</sub>
We don't hoard toilet paper, but we do normally stock up . On this particular occasion We set the pack on the bedroom floor until we could put it away. .jpg) Well our matriarch "Callie" decided it is her's.
Let's get to what seems to be the important question, first: No, I don't know why people are hoarding toilet paper. It's not that kind of virus. There's so much misinformation about the coronavirus, and it's such an actual threat, that's it's hard to write humor about it. The good news is that a large number of people think it's not as much of a danger as it is, so it's not hard for them at all. There certainly are surreal details surrounding the pandemic. For instance, the number of people who think that, because fewer people have been tested for the virus in America, it must not be as widespread here. Connected: the number of people who think the reported number of cases is the total number of people actually exposed. Also, the number of people who think the medical system can handle anything that gets thrown at it. And the toilet paper thing.  We got lucky, making our routine shopping trip just as the usual suspects started to panic. We actually picked up TP, along with important stuff like books, dog food, the stuff Emily makes me eat because of my cholesterol (which took up most of the cart, darn it), and chocolate. It was only a few days later when I stopped at the store for some perishable stuff, and saw the empty TP aisle. Why? Enough for a couple of weeks, that I get, but enough to line every room in the house seems a bit much ... although granted, it also works as insulation. It appears people have been hording stuff like hand sanitizer, soap, and TP not to have enough for themselves, but to resell it and gouge everyone. That's a tar and feather offense, assuming any tar and feathers are available.. I hope there's been a run on condoms, though. Many people who don't have much imagination are going to be looking for things, or people, to do in the immediate future. Ironically, I didn't have much trouble finding my usual staples at the local store: eggs, milk, bread, all plentiful. What was short? Chicken. No, I don't get it. We eat a lot of chicken, mostly because it's better for you than donuts, not to mention donuts don't work well in a stew. In addition, baked chocolate doesn't work nearly as well as you'd think, except in Alaska. So, oddly, the first coronavirus problem to hit my home was a chicken shortage. As for TP, we have it locked up and guarded by the dog. We trust him not to steal it. .png) "Anyone who doesn't know I'm behind this door is going to NEED toilet paper." Look, it's really not difficult to, um, stretch your TP. Don't replace it with Kleenex--you might need that--but there are always paper towels and napkins. But, as a friend pointed out to me, you shouldn't flush material that thick, so you'll have to bag it up like the astronauts did. Barring that, if you're anything like me you have a whole basket full of mismatched socks. Why did you keep them? Well, now you know. The only other choice is to have the National Guard break into homes and arrest hoarders. Do we have enough National Guard troops for that? I don't think so. But I've given you some options, and it's almost spring, which means there'll be plenty of leaves and plants to go around. Stay away from anything that has the word "Poison" in its name. The hospital might not have time to deal with you. And, of course, wash your hands, early and often, whether they need it or not. They say you should wash for the length of time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice. The other day I got that song mixed up with "Staying Alive", which is used to time CPR, and accidentally brought a sink to life. The heart attack victim was still dead, but at least he was clean.
<html> <p><img src="https://i.ibb.co/KDL6bfy/chaos-227972-640.jpg"/></p> <p>Clutter is energy draining. Simplicity is what we should aim for. Look around you. If you cannot see at least 50% of the surfaces in your dwelling that means you have too many unnecessary items on your shelves, furniture and on the floor. Here are a few tips on decluttering which will help you stay on top of the mess:</p> <h2>The 3-basket rule</h2> <p>One of the most efficient decluttering tactics you can try is the 3-basket rule. It’s simple – you just need to get three baskets or boxes, label them “Keep”, “<a href="https://www.redcross.org.au/support-us/red-cross-shops/donate-clothing-and-goods">Donate</a>” and “Throw away”, and place them in the room you want to declutter. Then go through all the items and separate them into these three categories. Just ask yourself the simple question “Do I use and need this?”. Try to avoid any sentimental feelings; we often live in clutter because we refuse to get rid of useless items, just because they carry memories with them. However, keeping these items is not healthy or practical in the long run, because they gather a lot of dust make cleaning harder and can cause allergies and asthma. </p> <p><img src="https://i.ibb.co/jMpw3GQ/arm-1284248-640.jpg"/></p> <h2>Things we should throw away</h2> <p>Here’s a list of things we generally keep in our houses, but should throw away, because<br/>they just keep space and are basically litter:</p> <p>· Empty boxes, shoeboxes, appliances and mobile phone boxes. You get the idea.</p> <p>· Old user manuals. You have the whole internet, hundreds of forums with people ready to help<br/>you if any problem occurs.</p> <p>· Expired make up. You know why. </p> <p>· Old magazines, newspapers, promotional flyers, brochures, event invitations, sticky<br/>notes and tags.</p> <p>· Ugly underwear, socks with holes, clothes that are too big or too small.</p> <p>· Old shoes, flip-flops and sneakers.</p> <p>· Old technology - floppy disks, VHS tapes, players, etc.</p> <p>· Expired drugs.</p> <p>· Bills and paychecks older than 2 years.</p> <p>· Trinkets that collect nothing but dust.</p> <p>· Old jewellery.</p> <p>· Games and puzzles with many missing pieces.</p> <h2>Bathroom clutter</h2> <p>When youdeclutter your bathroom, <a href="https://www.paulscleaningsydney.com.au/">cleaning professionals advise</a> to start with the medicine cabinet. Take everything out, get rid of the outdated makeup, skincare products and medications. Wipe the dust inside the cabinets and place everything back, by keeping the things you use most at eye level.</p> <p>Next, organise any storage cabinets and drawers – remove everything, evaluate what you’ll use, throw everything else away. Use the same routine for the items under your shower and any other hidden storage area you may have behind the toilet or below the sink.</p> <p>Finally, if you need any extra storage in your bathroom, you can always use baskets and small boxes, as long as they’re moisture proof. Also, remember to ventilate your bathroom regularly, to avoid mould and mildew. </p> <p><img src="https://i.ibb.co/qYc4fb0/shelf-1285186-640.jpg"/></p> <h2>Kitchen clutter</h2> <p>Keeping the kitchen clutter free is a tricky task, because many processes happen here – cooking, washing, eating, etc. You can choose to declutter your kitchen by focusing on <a href="https://www.mealime.com/kitchen-essentials-list">item categories</a> (glassware, bakeware, utensils), or you can go through the kitchen zone by zone. First, empty each space, assess each item and place it into one of the three boxes. Start with the big storage spaces first, like the upper cabinets and the pantry. Then move to the drawers, lower cabinets and the space under the sink. Finally, concentrate on the countertops, try to move some of the items into the storage spaces, keep only the things you use all the time<br/>on the countertops.</p> <h2>Clear your closet</h2> <p>The easiest way to declutter a closet is by clothing type – start with the shoes, then go to pants, blouses, sweaters, jackets, and so on. It’s easier to decide which pants to throw away when you look at all your pants at once. So, go through all your clothes by type, and decide what you want to keep, throw away or donate. Once you’re done with that, you should fold or hang all the things you want to keep and store them by category. Put any dirty laundry you have into a specially designated basket or bring it to the laundry room. If any piece of clothing needs repairs, you should take care of them timely. </p> <p><img src="https://i.ibb.co/vwSd3NC/interview-2211354-640.jpg"/></p> <h2>Bedroom organising</h2> <p>First, make your bed. It’s hard to feel the decluttering efforts when the biggest piece of furniture is messy. Then go to the nightstands, remove anything that doesn’t belong on them, like finished books, pens and paper, mail, wraps and boxes, and other. Then do the same with the tops of your dressers, bureaus and chests. Once you’re done with all the obvious spaces, you should move to the drawers and shelves. Toss or recycle everything you haven’t used for the last 6 months. And remember, decluttering and organizing shouldn’t be a one-time event; it should be a habit we develop every day. </p> </html>
 <center><sup>Image by [Onur Bahcivancilar](https://unsplash.com/photos/wh9I0jokix8) from [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com)</sup></center> @tristancarax [The 31 Sentence Contest: Round 11](https://steempeak.com/31sentencecontest/@tristancarax/the-31-sentence-contest-round-11) Random number sentence sequence: 4, 20, 10, 2, 12, 25, 18, 16, 6, 8, 31, 3, 22, 27, 17, 23, 29, 5, 26, 30, 13, 11, 21, 1, 14, 19, 15, 24, 7, 9, 28 <center></center> Vernon closed the blinds. As the neighbors’ voices grew louder outside his window, Vernon pushed some of the papers from the chair and slumped down slowly onto the soiled fabric. He removed his glasses as he fumbled for its case. Nosey neighbors. How he wished he’d constructed a fence blocking their view years ago. How he wished his Wilma was still alive to help him handle the situation he was now facing with the neighbors and the County Inspector. She was masterful in her handling of people whereby they would forget the reasons for the uncomfortable situation. He couldn't seem to make others understand his difficulty in complying with the Ordinance violation issued. If they would just be patient. He needed more time than the deadline demanded. According to the City Health Inspector, the two special extensions of time given to him for extenuating circumstances to bring the house and surrounding property up to code had run out. Vernon needed help. But he’d already shunned any offer of assistance from family, neighbors, social services, and strangers who were worried something tragic would happen. Ripping precious memories of my beloved Wilma from me and removing her antique treasures she'd spent the past 50 years accumulating was the real tragedy, he thought. Vernon made his way slowly to the only room in the house that offered any available space. Reaching for a change of clothing to ready himself for bed, he tried to locate anything that was free of odor and stains. He gave up and fell back into the crevices of the mattress whose innards had long ago gave way to rot and desperately wished to part ways with him. What lay beneath was sickening. Morning rushed in new trouble as Vernon woke realizing he had a fever, sore throat, and chest pain when he heard a knock at the door. The knock persisted for several more minutes until a voice calling his name spoke loudly through a bullhorn whose sound reminded him of a siren responding to an emergency call. “What the heck is all the commotion out there about?” Vernon uttered. Valerie stood behind the officer waiting for her dad to respond. The Wellness Check she initiated with Social Services was the best way to gain entry to document what she heartbreakingly suspected. Hoarding. Valerie could only imagine how worse it had become since being forbidden to visit. The door opened slightly allowing entrance, but didn't prevent the smell from rushing past Vernon to escape its captivity. Repulsive was the only description for the nauseating odor that emanated from behind the door. Once inside, Valerie unleashed her disappointment as she lay fault with not only her dad, who couldn’t deny the deplorable conditions, but also herself. Vernon stood with outstretched arms towards Valerie. Thanks to Vernon’s concerned neighbors, Valerie received community assistance. Valeria consulted with a psychologist to help her father deal with his hoarding issues while she dealt with the authorities and the arduous task of cleaning the home. <center>https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/06/01/22/26/clutter-360058_960_720.jpg <sup>Image by [Kasman](https://pixabay.com/photos/clutter-mess-untidy-garden-shed-360058/) from [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com)</sup></center> <center></center> Thanks, @justclickindiva [//]:#sbi-skip Happy rest of the week everyone with whatever your endeavors. *** SOURCES: a) JustClickin PHC logo created by and purchased from @zord189. b) Unless otherwise noted, all photos taken by me with my (i) Samsung Galaxy 10" Tablet, (ii) Samsung Phone, & (iii) FUJI FinePix S3380 - 14 Mega Pixels Digital Camera c) Purple Butterfly part of purchased set of Spiritual Clip Art for my Personal Use d) Separator Lines Free ClipArt [Belt](https://publicdomainvectors.org/photos/johnny-automatic-border-1.png) from [Public Domain Vectors](publicdomainvectors.org/photos/) & [ShadedLine](http:clipart-library.com/img/1850927.png) from [ClipArt-Library](http://clipart-library.com) e) All Tribe logos used with permission of Tribe Discord Channel admins.  <p><center><p>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWdQEgPTsEGpkEJKyAkZwFhLiTXsZQs8muBymkq2j6nuR/justclickindiva.gif</center> </p><center><p>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcFy16uxQsgg86KPBXZi7bRfihkkSy5jBMVtNTWuvuwvj/butterfly_flourish_purple.png </center>   ## I SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING GROUPS: <center>https://clicktrackprofit.com/v2/uploads/b_468since.png</center> <center>https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/561352421482430475/610831643795521557/Logo2_1000.png?width=400&height=72</center> <center>[](https://steemit.com/@freewritehouse)</center> <center>https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/justclickindiva/uS0UEFoi-Steempeaklogo.jpg</center> <center>[](https://discord.gg/XZGPGpz)</center> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/445610299350056960/641407530584637461/20180516_002249_0001.png <center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZMTckzqpfBShZSELLFNotjm43vJfjg79Ynz4ndB3i86a/PHC-Footer-05.gif</center> <center>https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/617770597669142534/617952557066616832/RRintro3.gif</center>
 _Early morning on Clearwater beach,January 2017..._ In preparation for a move we had planned I had started to go through all of my stuff, and my wife did the same, a few months ago. I did this somewhat halfheartedly mostly because I probably fetched too much of my Father's hoarder gene's, for sure! Hahaha! Me trying to do what I repeatedly had done for my Father seems almost as hard as it must have been hard for my Father back then.  _Dad's "Villa" in Mew Port Richey..._ Thankfully, I'm an amateur in that regard because my Father really was collecting everything and he hardly ever threw anything away or out. Back when I was a kid Dad’s stuff had some order and structure to it though.  _Dinner after first few hours decluttering Dad's house in Florida, Jsnuary 2017... Papa John Italian Sausage pizza..._ If you needed anything tools or/and material for instance in his little cellar hobby shop you could find it in no time. There was some order to the stuff still. That changed when I was in my teens because he had collected/kept so much stuff that you simply couldn’t see or find whatever you were looking for and this was even a little suppressed, due to some influence my Mom had on Dad’s stuff hoarding. Up until 22 years ago, before my Mother passed, she kept things with Dad’s hoarding at bay as good as she could. Without my Mom being with us Dad had completely gone overboard in regards to growing the mountains of stuff he hoarded.  _Dad's living room in his Floridian home, 01.2017..._ For me this led to some epic decluttering missions because Dad had two households, one house in Germany and his house in Florida. He had begun to get a lot of his stuff over to Florida from his place in Germany, a few years before he stopped spending the summers in Germany. But still the house in Germany was packed with stuff when I took care of it. Things in Florida really had especially become even more unwieldy in the past 10 years. Dad had not only continued to directly gobble up stuff by buying things one after the other, but for instance also due to a household clearance he had taken care of for a befriended couple that moved into an assisted living place. _Kitchen, Dad's home in Florida..._ Lastly, he literally added stuff in truck load dimensions coming from some real estate deals he had done were he bought houses from elderly people that sold the places to him including everything in them. Again here too the salvation army and some veteran’s organization had gotten the most of this stuff but there were boxes full of stuff from this Dad couldn’t find the heart to give it away. Mostly things he knew the people who sold the places to him cherished the most and that weren’t of any than some sentimental value to the owners. Even after he had given much of the stuff to the salvation army and to some army veteran organizations, his house was filled with stuff up to the ceiling!  _Back porch, screen room filled with trash..._  _Back porch..._ Besides the decluttering work itself, and it was a 24/7 job for almost two weeks, were I even had additional 3-5 helpers, friends and neighbors of Dad, what was very much exhausting was the discussions with Dad what can/must go and what “we'll” keep. __An example Power tools...__ Just when I thought "I've got this"... I mean the fact that he had everything at least in doubles, triplets, quadruples I started to look through his garages and the power tools he had stowed away there for example. I hadn’t seen more than the tip of an iceberg at this moment - 7 power drills - 6 jigsaws - 6 hand-held circular saw - 7 grinding machines - .. - . _Ok, I guess you get the picture..._ There were no big differences in quality of these tools either. They all were, varying and depending on the decade they were bought in hardware store chain or the occasional "Aldi" (for those of you who don't know Aldi... it's a grocery store chain that was founded in Germany with stores all over the world for a few decades that occasionally offer some cheap hardware, electronics, clothes and so on too) shopping that also added to the stack of stuff. Most of these tools weren't even used once but mostly stowed away in their original packaging. I remember that it seemed like it gave Dad physical pain to let go of this stuff although he understood perfectly well that this was absolutely ridiculous to have 7 power drills and to know for sure he wouldn't us3e one of these ever.  Once Dad was older than 70 he even ramped up with his shopping and hoarding to completely absurdly unusable things like a pair of canoes, of course with all the additional gear (car roof rack, life vests (4 because the shop where he bought them had a bargain on a set of 4, paddles, backup paddles and so on…) for example that he thought he'll use together with his lady friend to make a canoe tour somewhere in Florida. At the time he bought this he had a hard time slipping into his socks and getting dressed in general because of bad hips and a bunch of other health issues. It seemed that he tried to make up for things that he felt he had missed out on at that time. I understood It didn’t matter much that he only had a small part of the whole thing, the shopping without doing the thing he thought he desired, what counted to him was that he put some effort into it even if he knew it wouldn’t come to much more. For him it was a little like it’s still going to happen. I could go on for hours about all the stuff that he collected on top of these redundant and for him actually unusable things. Of course there were the inevitable post stamps, coins and fine china collections.   The little nifty stuff like collectors China Christmas bells or other china stuff that was on the market on a yearly basis so these stacks of nicnac stuff grew systematically also, besides the uncontrollable urge to take with home the 13th ratchet set or 22nd screw driver set from Aldi or Home Depot. In the year after I had finished decluttering his home in Florida, he himself also started to go through his remaining stuff, that I didn’t touch because I knew this would be the hardest for him because of the sentimental value. Pictures, Christmas cards, slides and so on. When I came over again to visit him for his 80th Birthday in Florida, with the help of a friend, that also was his caretaker on a 40 hour per week basis while I was in Germany he had thrown away a ton of photo albums, slides, post cards and so on that he kept dear for almost all of his life. When I saw this, I felt that he was preparing to leave it all behind for his final journey. I didn’t suspect that he would pass so soon after his 80th Birthday but it surely felt like he hadn’t had much time left. The evening before I hopped on the plane back home to Germany I talked to him about all this. To cut a very long conversation short, Dad confirmed what I had assumed. Holding on to all the stuff was a little like holding on to his memories. I remember thinking that him giving up on all this was his very own interpretation of an chod ritual. A Tibetian ritual to “cut through the ego” for spiritual cleansing. _Cheers_ _Lucky_
 Alright, I admit it, I may have a problem. What does your desk look like? Posted using [Partiko iOS](https://partiko.app/referral/antic)
*We all have some ticks and urges that chip away at us until we give in. We would most definitely be better off not paying them any mind, but they seem relentless in their compulsion for our attention. Check out one of my embarrassing vices in the latest installment of my series..* <center><h1>*Why Can't I Quit You..?!*</h1></center>  [src](http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/35lwon) I collect things.. not.. like.. collectables. More like ticket stubs and video game boxes, etc. I don't know when or how it started, but it's just been something that I've always done. I think it's genetic. My father's work truck was a land of lost files, pencils, coffee cups.. but if you asked him for anything specific, he'd dive right in and come up with it moments later without even having to come up for air. Our attic and shed were of similar disarray. For me, it was little momentos.. personal token, scraps of paper, love letters, etc. It was ideal in youth when these little memory capsules could be fostered together and put on display in a scrap book.. Unfortunately, I never got into the hobby. https://www.goodcommons.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/scrapbooking-mm-petit-soupirs_5-e1548766400957.jpg [src](https://www.goodcommons.com/upcoming-events/scrapbooking-retreat-with-mary-pritchard/scrapbooking-mm-petit-soupirs_5/) No, I just tend to hold on to *things* for god knows what.. a rainy day.. a blue moon.. in case one day I dig them up and remember them fondly.. or perhaps that baseball card collection might be worth something?? Nah, my treasure trove of knick knacks and paddywhacks serve no purpose but to take up space.. In my prime, I was graced with my father's innate ability to immediately recall and locate any long lost trinket or paperwork upon command, but not anymore.. the clutter has taken over, and what a simple filing job might have solved in a matter of minutes, ends up in an hour long frustrated scavenger hunt through bottoms of drawers and stacks of scraps.  [src](https://www.verywellhealth.com/hoarding-and-dementia-97611) The plight doesn't end there.. when things do finally reach a tipping point, any attempt at *'Spring Cleaning'* are laughable. A discard and keep pile are set up, and things eventually (*miraculously*) creep from the "toss out" area to find their way back to the "hold onto" area.. and all was for nothing as things go back to the status quo. Boxes, warranties, and manuals for long broken devices and or disregarded household appliances occupy a plethora of drawers that are never opened.. Things are hastily collected in a mishmash of vital documents and trifling ephemera to be sorted at permanently postponed later date.. it's not healthy.. https://images.agoramedia.com/everydayhealth/gcms/Is-Hoarding-Different-From-Other-Kinds-of-OCD-722x406.jpg?width=722 [src](https://www.everydayhealth.com/anxiety-disorders/experts-hoarding-differences-from-other-ocd.aspx) We must see the world through rose colored glasses indeed, because *in my mind*, I can't believe how some people seemingly thrive in a pig-sty when I visit other people's homes. But I can only imagine what visitors must think of my cluttered study.. Yes, life would be so much easier if I could just cut the crap, stop hoarding useless items, and get organized.. I think I'll make an extensive list of things that need to go.. if I could only find my pen... I'm sure I left it around here somewhere.. crap, *where's my notebook!* ..ah, forget it..