There’s something painfully annoying about being unable to manage an inventory of largely unused personal items. Living in a very “consumerist” generation, we’re all tempted to buy what we don’t need and keep what we have no intentions of using. Personally, I feel that “stuff” can get in the way of enjoying life sometimes and I’ve dealt it severe blows in efforts to keep it suppressed. Keep in mind, the way to get rid of clutter is not always necessarily to “get rid” of things but organization may be your key. However, one of the laws of thermodynamics states that entropy (disorder) is always increasing. Hence, your room will get messier as the week goes by and so will you car and so forth. The less stuff you have, the longer or harder it is to get to that point.

Here’s a case analysis of some possible scenarious you or a friend might be going through!

Apparent Problem: I don’t have the time
Suggested Solution: It shouldn’t take more than a weekend to clean out your garage, closet or other clutter-prone regions. If it really seems like a formidabble task, ask friends, family or neigbors to assit you with the project. To entice them, tell ‘em they can have a couple of things that you were going to sell anyway.

Apparent Problem: I don’t feel right about getting rid of gift items
Suggestion Solution: If you’re keeping something just because it was a gift and not for the sake of purposeful use (now or future), then someone else could probably derive more utility from it. I’m not saying you should give away that guitar in the corner that was the only thing your great-grandfather left behind because such things are understandable.

Apparent Problem: I really need all of this stuff!
Suggestion Solution: It’s quite possible that you do but more often than not, you could do without a lot of it. Most people just need to be a little more resourceful. It takes a little thinking (gasp!), but is quite rewarding and saves you tree branches of money.

Apparent Problem: My stuff is worth something but garage sales aren’t my cup of tea
Suggested Solutoin: There are couple of ways to monetize items that you no longer need without even looking at your garage. Here’s the list.

1. Craigslist
   (Craigslist.org) - Deal locally using a virtual garage sale
2. eBay
   (eBay.com) - For those hard-to-sell-on-the-street items, eBay will reach an insurmountable audience
3. Plato’s Closet/Rag-O-Rama
   - They’ll buy lightly used clothing, accessories, books, music and the like
4. Facebook Marketplace
   - Similar to eBay/Amazon but your marketing efforts can now be targeted.

5. Friends & Neigbors
   - One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

A lot more places exist but if you can’t sell ‘em in the aforementioned places, then you may just want to consider giving them away:

Apparent Problem: I’m good with keeping clutter away, it’s just my clothes!
Suggested Solutoin: Burn them!—-just kidding. Learn how to fold your clothes or (if you’re somewhat lazy like me), then just hang ‘em up. Yes, all of them. If not, there a couple of places where you can donate clothes to a good cause:

1. Salvation Army/Goodwill
   - They’ll take pretty much anything
2. Recycling agencies
   - They’ll reuse your stuff for noble causes
3. Homeless Shelters
   - They’ll help clothe the sick and homeless

A few last words

1. Try digitizing information to save paper clutter
2. Avoid filling up closet space. Look at the item you’re about store away and ask “Is this ever going to be put to use anytime soon?:
3. If you’re much of a shop-a-holic, treat yourself to relatively more expensive (not extravagant) goods. This way, the considerable price tag of every item will require much consideration for qualities such as utility and necessity that you’ll end up buying less of what you don’t need. When the price is steep enough, you’ll talk yourself out of the decision to make the purchase. Also, the price paid will ensure that the item is not tossed in the closet for “space consumption” any time soon.

Are there any I’ve missed? What’s your excuse?

Popularity: 10%

All women have the ability to put on that face, you know, that irresistible, adorable, puppy-like one? And when they do it, it gets the guy every time (well, almost every time). I know it’s happened to me.

It usually starts when they’d like to do, get, or know something that you’d rather them not. Let’s say she actually found a puppy on the side of the road that she thought was the best looking thing since Smokey Robinson and wanted to keep it. However, you’re not exactly jumping with excitement but after she holds the puppy up to her face and gives you that pouty face, you know it’s all over. My personal favorite is when I find myself in a situation where I know something that she doesn’t and she asks questions with growing curiosity. I’ll tell her very interesting but vague snippets, poke at the real truth here and there, while keeping a relaxed and casual tone. Her solution? Put on the most effective pouty face she can muster and watch me melt, divulging absolutely everything.

So ladies, if you ever burn dinner or need to watch a soap opera in place of his ball game, you know exactly what to do.

Popularity: 8%

I once heard a stand-up comedian give some insight on defending women in public and this is what he said:

“If you’re out with me and a guy smacks you, then you just got smacked. Now, we can talk about it in the car, try to figure out why it happened and see what we can do to prevent it from happening again, but as far as me doing something about it right there and then, I don’t really see that happening.”

And his logic for this was, “If a brother didn’t see anything wrong with punching you in the eye, what makes you think he gives a crap about my eye? Two black eyes don’t equal 20-20 vision, I don’t care what you say.”

As funny and incredulous as that is, it brings up a good point. Even though everyone can fight, some people just aren’t fighters. And even if they were, 90% of the time, it’s not “fair” and will most likely fail to solve the initial problem. Someone will get hurt or maybe even killed.
Personally, I’m getting too old for all those motions, so fighting is not my thing. I don’t know about you, but I smile a lot so maybe that’s why I don’t seem to get into disputes. However, keep in mind that I’m a 6-5 African with implications that I’ve killed lions and tigers! But honestly, I like to stick to words because they take up much less energy and typically do a better job of resolving an issue.

And now, some tips to keeping the peace

1. Ladies: Please wear clothes
   There are grown men out there who, sadly, still don’t have any self control. If you want all hands off, you must first keep all eyes off and the way to do that is to cover up. Depending on where you go, you may have to be extra careful. Don’t put a guy in a situation where he has to fend for you because some guy touched you in an inappropriate manner because you were scantily dressed.
2. Ladies: You’re not untouchable
   Yes, a man shouldn’t hit a woman—but it happens, at home and on the streets. So maybe slapping that dude that made a rude comment is not the smartest thing to do. He could have a big temper and a bigger gun. If he shoots you, then you really just got shot and that will be the end of that. Yes, it’s an extreme example but it illustrates a point. If something is up, let the guy know and he’ll figure out what to do. But take things into your own hands and you will be stuck with just a talk in the car.

3. Gentlemen: Don’t worry, be happy
   There’s no reason to have a mean look of death and destruction on your face anytime you’re out in public surrounded by people who could “pose a threat.” Like Bob Marley said, “Don’t worry, be happy.” You don’t need to put up a front, act tough or worry about what others think of you or the woman that’s with you. Feel comfortable with who you are and chances are, people won’t have anything to settle with you and you won’t rub anyone the wrong way. The world doesn’t need more stone-faced wanna-be gangsters.
4. Gentlemen: Be Smart
   This is to avoid the mistake of getting into fights that can be avoided with a civilized conversation. Not every comment, joke, insult, look or action must be complimented with an equal reaction. Being smart means having self control: the ability to stop, think and ask yourself what the best course of action would be for you, your woman and the other person. Don’t jump into a fight because it “seems” like a fight situation but rather, consider alternatives that will do a better job at resolving the issue.

Popularity: 7%