By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
Tweet this: Usable or Useless
The first of every year finds me cleaning, tossing, and organizing that which is no longer usable in my life. In short, I get rid of the junk.
Sometimes it’s easy to choose what isn’t worth keeping, especially when I evaluate physical items cluttering my space.
1. Why did I keep this hat?
2. I need to donate this blouse. My personal guideline is if I haven’t worn it for a year, someone else needs it.
3. No point in keeping this stack of papers when I have the information in a file online.
4. Can’t find what I need in my pantry. Time to reorganize.
5. My desk is covered with to-do notes that need to be completed and eliminated.
Other times, the process is difficult when a bad decision has the potential to create havoc.
1. Is my reader’s blog unique, interesting, or do I need more _______ ? (fill in the blank).
2. How many writer conferences should I attend in 2016?
3. How many writer conferences to teach or speaker invitations should I accept in 2016?
4. Am I spending enough quality time with my husband and family?
5. Am I spending enough quality time with my friends?
6. Am I keeping God first place in my life? 
7. Is my quiet time spiritually deep enough?
8. When my latest book is completed. Do I send it to my editor or read it through one more time?
9. How many fiction and nonfiction books should I be reading per month?
10. Am I spending too much time being unproductive?
Readers, I’d love to hear your process of deciding if something is usable or useless. And you can help me with one of my dilemmas: what would you like to see in my weekly blog?
Tweet this: Usable or Useless
Comments 30
I used to have my paper collection organized in years past but not now. In recent years I start to organize them but can’t seem to complete it. I have always liked paper products that I even wrote a poem about paper years ago. Now I try a little at a time to toss and save.
On the blog, I would like to see nuggets of teaching on where to find magazine publishers for articles.
Thanks Marriana!
That’s cute, DiAnn.
I don’t keep things. My hubby says if it isn’t nailed down, it’s out the door. Now that we’re living in smaller places (park model & RV), I don’t have room for ‘stuff’ of any kind. About your newsletter – perfect the way it is!!!
I love to throw away~~~
If in doubt, throw it out. Or maybe give it away. 😉
xoxoxoxo
Hi Julie, Oh, I throw away too! Once I threw away a check, but I try to be more careful now.
Well, I don’t like clutter, but being handicapped, I basically need everything “around” me so I don’t have to go get things all the time. Being into crafts of all kinds doesn’t help. I have stacks of bins with crochet yarn, baskets of material for quilting with smaller baskets for the threads, needles, scissors and all the rest of the accessories that go with each craft. LOL Need I go on? I also have a bookcase about one step away with DiAnn Mills books and movies as well (did I mention I’m a multi-tasker???). LOL LOL I love it, though and try very hard to keep it down to a minimum. My desk is also surrounded with bookcases filled with my Bible study books and reference books and note pads that just seem to stack up. I do a lot of combining when I finally say “enough is enough. LOL I think we all go through these stages, though. God bless you all!!
Hi Pat, I usually say “enough” in January, and what doesn’t find a home then – doesn’t until the next January.
Like you if haven’t been worn or used for over a year ,toss or giveaway to worthy cause
If I don’t wear clothes for a season I get rid of them. Now puzzles is what I have trouble with, I can’t find anyone who wants them and they have only been worked once, so I have a clutter.
I love your Houston series and would like to read more like them. Being from Houston I can relate to the areas you write about.
Happy New Year.
Jackie
Thanks Jackie, I give my pre-used clothes to Goodwill. But sometimes it can be hard!
It’s very hard to donate books I’ve loved–I always think I’ll read them again, and since I often do, I’m caught. It’s also hard to get rid of notes I’ve taken at writing workshops. When I read them again, I see the information is valuable, so I often end up trying to keep and organize them. But once I file notes I rarely look them up again. 🙁
In your blog, I’d love to hear new things you learn along the way–whether writing related or not. I’ve enjoyed your FBI notes, for example.
Thanks Dana, Your blog input really helps.
I take my writing conference notes and put them in a computer file 🙂
Good idea. Typing them one more time would also help cement them in my mind.
I am the opposite. I’m a minimalist and probably throw out too much. What I tend to hold on to are photos(not of me)and business papers just in case I get audited for example.
Hi Frances, Smart woman! I’m not much of a keeper either.
Ok. I’m going to de-clutter my desk!!
Send a pic when you’re done!
Good suggestions. If you look at my office and basement, it is painfully obvious that I haven’t been using any method for decluttering. Right now, I have a stack of books to read and review, but I hope to start on the other task before I start a new stack.
My to-be-read stack always seems to stay the same – delete and add!
Very usable…thank you!
Kathleen, you are so welcome!
I certainly need to clean out my stack of paid bills and such like just as you mentioned as all are saved on my computer. Thanks perhaps your thoughts will motivate me this year, hopefully in January! 🙂
Faith, the task really seems insurmountable until you get started. In a weird way, it’s fun.
WOW wish I could throw stuff away but I am the “Pack Rat” in our family. My Dad always said “If I throw that away today I will need it tomorrow”. Guess I lived too many years hearing that so throw away it not in my vocabulary but I do give away stuff to my daughter when it is time to let go.
Tisha, my husband is like your dad. I keep hoping he’ll be inspired!
I just read a blog that began, “set your heart”. I always struggle with setting goals. Either I can’t think of any (I know, that’s pretty lame), or the ones I think of seem to blow away like chaff in the wind a few weeks after I make them. The bloggers words, “set you heart” reverberated in me and I began to look at ‘my goals’ a little differently. What if we set our hearts on Him, and let Him give us our goals? That took a lot of pressure off of my ability to for-see the future. He knows my future. He knows what I’m going to need 6 months from now. So now I’m going to seek Him and let Him prepare me for what’s ahead. He knows the desires of my heart. I just need to wait on Him to show me His.
(I just re-read Double Cross. Keep ’em coming, ma’am!)
Robin, thanks so much! Focusing on God is what we were created for. I appreciate the reminder. Thanks for reading Double Cross.
I was riding my stationary bike this morning, staring at my cluttered desk. Note: My bike faces my desk!! Instantly, I wanted to stop exercising to organize and discard unnecessary papers. But I persevered. I continued to excerise. Cleaning up the clutter is top priority today. But first…coffee! I can totally relate to your blog today!?
Hi Loretta, I’m laughing! I want a pic of your desk when you’re done!