Comments on: Murder your darlings http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/ Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:43:53 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Kelli Garner http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-5042 Kelli Garner Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:45:04 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-5042 Really nice posts. I will be checking back here regularly. Really nice posts. I will be checking back here regularly.

]]> By: Joel Bryan Juliano http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-5040 Joel Bryan Juliano Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:43:36 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-5040 I love this article! if only we can tag all those things with RFID and make it visually searchable althroughout the house, you can just hide it, so if you need it just search it, that would be really cool! I love this article! if only we can tag all those things with RFID and make it visually searchable althroughout the house, you can just hide it, so if you need it just search it, that would be really cool!

]]> By: Murder your darlings « Saqib Awan http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4611 Murder your darlings « Saqib Awan Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:49:21 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4611 [...] This blog post discusses this in a nice way: My theory is that the things that you own that you’re not using or don’t need aren’t just a waste of money and space: they’re draining you of your energy. Every time you walk past that cookbook that you never opened, or that model airplane kit that you meant to assemble, or the oscilloscope that you haven’t turned on in a year, a little neural pattern fires that says “Someday I should..” or “I always meant to…” or “God, I really ought to take care of that.” … There’s a saying among writers about the process of copy-editing: murder your darlings. You may have crafted a beautiful phrase or metaphor in this paragraph, but if it’s not serving the whole piece, it’s got to come out. You have to murder your darlings. [...] [...] This blog post discusses this in a nice way: My theory is that the things that you own that you’re not using or don’t need aren’t just a waste of money and space: they’re draining you of your energy. Every time you walk past that cookbook that you never opened, or that model airplane kit that you meant to assemble, or the oscilloscope that you haven’t turned on in a year, a little neural pattern fires that says “Someday I should..” or “I always meant to…” or “God, I really ought to take care of that.” … There’s a saying among writers about the process of copy-editing: murder your darlings. You may have crafted a beautiful phrase or metaphor in this paragraph, but if it’s not serving the whole piece, it’s got to come out. You have to murder your darlings. [...]

]]> By: nat http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4608 nat Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:13:49 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4608 That Paul Graham article is fabulous. I love the comparison to food. That Paul Graham article is fabulous. I love the comparison to food.

]]> By: Parnell Springmeyer http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4605 Parnell Springmeyer Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:24:48 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4605 It boils down to one simple concept: living within your means. If you are a billionaire, have four fully furnished homes, a couple of yachts and your own Jet is acceptable - your stuff isn't bolting you down (although there are plenty of arguments against my example, I hope you can see my point in giving it). At the moment, my means are few and my needs are few - I have a large book collection, some sentimental rock/mineral collections, and my DIY stuff - all of it can fit within my car. Nomadic living is a great rule of thumb: which of these items would I end up taking with me if I had leave in five hours for good for another country? It boils down to one simple concept: living within your means. If you are a billionaire, have four fully furnished homes, a couple of yachts and your own Jet is acceptable – your stuff isn’t bolting you down (although there are plenty of arguments against my example, I hope you can see my point in giving it).

At the moment, my means are few and my needs are few – I have a large book collection, some sentimental rock/mineral collections, and my DIY stuff – all of it can fit within my car.

Nomadic living is a great rule of thumb: which of these items would I end up taking with me if I had leave in five hours for good for another country?

]]> By: Ralph Corderoy http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4602 Ralph Corderoy Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:30:40 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4602 http://www.paulgraham.com/stuff.html may also be of interest. Delves a little more into what and why. http://www.paulgraham.com/stuff.html may also be of interest. Delves a little more into what and why.

]]> By: John http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4596 John Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:29:06 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4596 How are you getting rid of your stuff? Ebay, craigslist, garbage can? I'm de-cluttering too, and started squaresandwich.com to make selling on craigslist less of a hassle. On squaresandwich.com you can post your item as an auction (no fees), then just link to it on craigslist and direct people to bid if interested. This way, you don't have to juggle emails and haggle over prices. You also don't have to guess which craigslist replies are spam phising for your email address, just delete any emails without specific questions about your item. If you have lots of items to sell, you can list them all on squaresandwich.com and link to your auctions page or your profile in the garage/yard sale section of craigslist. Hope you find it useful! How are you getting rid of your stuff? Ebay, craigslist, garbage can? I’m de-cluttering too, and started squaresandwich.com to make selling on craigslist less of a hassle. On squaresandwich.com you can post your item as an auction (no fees), then just link to it on craigslist and direct people to bid if interested. This way, you don’t have to juggle emails and haggle over prices. You also don’t have to guess which craigslist replies are spam phising for your email address, just delete any emails without specific questions about your item.

If you have lots of items to sell, you can list them all on squaresandwich.com and link to your auctions page or your profile in the garage/yard sale section of craigslist.

Hope you find it useful!

]]> By: Simon Hawkin http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4594 Simon Hawkin Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:36:57 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4594 Or maybe they enrich you. How do you know without rigorous scientific experimenting? Or maybe they enrich you. How do you know without rigorous scientific experimenting?

]]> By: Markus http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4592 Markus Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:16:42 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4592 As I always say: Everything that you didn’t use for one year is not worth keeping any longer. As I always say: Everything that you didn’t use for one year is not worth keeping any longer.

]]> By: Ky Lam Ngo http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4591 Ky Lam Ngo Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:14:27 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4591 My rule is: if you look at something and question yourself "should i keep or throw it?" then there is a great chance that you don't need it. Just throw it away. My rule is: if you look at something and question yourself “should i keep or throw it?” then there is a great chance that you don’t need it. Just throw it away.

]]> By: Kyle Cordes http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4588 Kyle Cordes Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:25:46 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4588 I attacked this problem of excess "stuff" a couple of years ago, with great success. I wrote about it at the time: http://kylecordes.com/2006/11/18/world-is-my-warehouse/ More recently, I purchased a document-feed scanner, and am rapidly dispensing with multiple filing cabinets worth of paper "stuff". Looking back, getting rid of excess unused stuff has been a great success, I've never missed any of it. I attacked this problem of excess “stuff” a couple of years ago, with great success. I wrote about it at the time:

http://kylecordes.com/2006/11/18/world-is-my-warehouse/

More recently, I purchased a document-feed scanner, and am rapidly dispensing with multiple filing cabinets worth of paper “stuff”.

Looking back, getting rid of excess unused stuff has been a great success, I’ve never missed any of it.

]]> By: Swaroop http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4587 Swaroop Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:59:50 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4587 Btw, GTDers call this as getting rid of "stuff" and clarifying what each thing means to you. Check out a sample trigger list at http://www.bnet.com/2403-13074_23-52958.html to understand what I'm talking about :) Btw, GTDers call this as getting rid of “stuff” and clarifying what each thing means to you.

Check out a sample trigger list at http://www.bnet.com/2403-13074_23-52958.html to understand what I’m talking about :)

]]> By: Chris http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4586 Chris Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:08:55 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4586 Agree a lot ! But instead of throwing things away you can give them ! Does not apply to useless electronic gadgets that would just tak dust on someone else's shelf but a nice idea for books : http://www.bookcrossing.com/ http://www.freecycle.org/ Agree a lot !

But instead of throwing things away you can give them !
Does not apply to useless electronic gadgets that would just tak dust on someone else’s shelf but a nice idea for books :

http://www.bookcrossing.com/
http://www.freecycle.org/

]]> By: Patrick http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4584 Patrick Sun, 05 Jul 2009 06:44:12 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4584 Very eloquently put, and you raise a good point about the subconscious taking stock in the feeling-guilty aspect with regard to never getting to the stuff that was once meant to be a project. We just recently moved and all the books that sat on my shelves that I always "meant to read", or that I can acquire in digital format are what I'm now selling. Clothing that doesn't fit us or items that no longer serve a useful purpose are what we're now giving away to local charitable organizations. It goes without saying that this last part is a feel-good way of getting rid of your unused stuff. I know that people whom are less fortunate can make use of it, and while minor - it serves as a tax deduction, so it's a win-win (I just found out about the deduction recently, but we've been giving stuff away for years). Nice post, thanks! Very eloquently put, and you raise a good point about the subconscious taking stock in the feeling-guilty aspect with regard to never getting to the stuff that was once meant to be a project.

We just recently moved and all the books that sat on my shelves that I always “meant to read”, or that I can acquire in digital format are what I’m now selling. Clothing that doesn’t fit us or items that no longer serve a useful purpose are what we’re now giving away to local charitable organizations. It goes without saying that this last part is a feel-good way of getting rid of your unused stuff. I know that people whom are less fortunate can make use of it, and while minor – it serves as a tax deduction, so it’s a win-win (I just found out about the deduction recently, but we’ve been giving stuff away for years).

Nice post, thanks!

]]> By: Todd Troxell http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4479 Todd Troxell Thu, 21 May 2009 19:56:46 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4479 This is a great tip-- really reasonates. Thanks. This is a great tip– really reasonates. Thanks.

]]> By: Thomas Vander Stichele http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4473 Thomas Vander Stichele Wed, 20 May 2009 07:50:17 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4473 'The things I do possess sometimes they own me to' (Phoenix) Packrat as well, but I'm not convinced I should be throwing away stuff I haven't touched for a year. My way of being forced to deal with it is painful - 1/3rd of my life is in boxes at my grandma's place from when I moved to bcn and I can't get to it since the house is sealed because of a family legal fallout. When I think of the old photos and love letters locked up in that house to be released at some point, at which time I will have about two days to get back there and salvage what's rightfully mine... Point being, I would never throw out old photos and love letters just because I didn't look at them for a year... 'Ah, love letter boxes. All in favor say I will blindly' ‘The things I do possess sometimes they own me to’ (Phoenix)

Packrat as well, but I’m not convinced I should be throwing away stuff I haven’t touched for a year. My way of being forced to deal with it is painful – 1/3rd of my life is in boxes at my grandma’s place from when I moved to bcn and I can’t get to it since the house is sealed because of a family legal fallout. When I think of the old photos and love letters locked up in that house to be released at some point, at which time I will have about two days to get back there and salvage what’s rightfully mine…

Point being, I would never throw out old photos and love letters just because I didn’t look at them for a year…

‘Ah, love letter boxes. All in favor say I will blindly’

]]> By: Gabriel http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4470 Gabriel Tue, 19 May 2009 18:36:41 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4470 Nice post... sometimes I think about that. Maybe its just our attachment do useless stuff which can help others. Reminds me to do the same task in that week. Clean and save space with just useful stuff. Nice post… sometimes I think about that. Maybe its just our attachment do useless stuff which can help others.
Reminds me to do the same task in that week. Clean and save space with just useful stuff.

]]> By: Jon http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4463 Jon Mon, 18 May 2009 10:50:09 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4463 I read a nice tip somewhere for things that you would like to keep for sentimental reasons but aren't *that* bothered about: take a digi photo of the item and keep that instead. I read a nice tip somewhere for things that you would like to keep for sentimental reasons but aren’t *that* bothered about: take a digi photo of the item and keep that instead.

]]> By: nona http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4461 nona Mon, 18 May 2009 03:05:35 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4461 to use an over-used fight club quote: "The things you own end up owning you". I've been trying to do what you suggest for a while now. I'm finding it hard, but what I'm finding even harder is to convince the people around me to agree to it. And then there's the family members that think you need "help" and get you more junk... ;-) to use an over-used fight club quote: “The things you own end up owning you”.

I’ve been trying to do what you suggest for a while now. I’m finding it hard, but what I’m finding even harder is to convince the people around me to agree to it. And then there’s the family members that think you need “help” and get you more junk… ;-)

]]> By: Waldo Jaquith http://nat.org/blog/2009/05/murder-your-darlings/comment-page-1/#comment-4460 Waldo Jaquith Mon, 18 May 2009 01:05:32 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=887#comment-4460 I love getting rid of my stuff. On the whole, the less stuff that I have the happier that I am. (Looking at our spare bedroom this afternoon, I can see I have a good weekend of getting rid of stuff ahead of me.) I think it's because I moved out of my parents' house onto the Appalachian Trail, where I couldn't own anything that I wasn't willing to carry twenty miles each day. to this day I have to remind myself, when acquiring something new, that it's not necessarily for me to be able to haul it on my back. :) There's a point where your stuff owns you. For me that point comes a lot earlier than for most people, I suspect. But everybody should be cognizant of what that point is for them. I love getting rid of my stuff. On the whole, the less stuff that I have the happier that I am. (Looking at our spare bedroom this afternoon, I can see I have a good weekend of getting rid of stuff ahead of me.) I think it’s because I moved out of my parents’ house onto the Appalachian Trail, where I couldn’t own anything that I wasn’t willing to carry twenty miles each day. to this day I have to remind myself, when acquiring something new, that it’s not necessarily for me to be able to haul it on my back. :)

There’s a point where your stuff owns you. For me that point comes a lot earlier than for most people, I suspect. But everybody should be cognizant of what that point is for them.

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