If one window is broken and left unrepaired, it encourages vandals to break more windows. If more windows are broken, the building appears neglected. It's perceived as available for other criminal activity like drug dealing and squatting, and things quickly go downhill. If you fix the first broken window as soon as it appears, the building stays maintained and seems to be cared for and noticed. It discourages crime because there is the appearance of vigilance.
If there is litter on a sidewalk, the next person to come by thinks less of throwing his/her own litter down next to it. Do you see where I am going with this?
The idea of "zero tolerance" for clutter is probably not realistic in one's own home– in fact, I talk to people all the time who are paralyzed by perfectionism and all-or-nothing thinking. But let's approach this idea of preventing clutter by maintaining something that is already really good. Don't let the first pile start, because it will soon beget another pile.
Something to think about this weekend. Is there "broken window" clutter in your house that needs to get addressed before other clutter starts to be tolerated around it? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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Lorie, I confess that the office is “my challenge area.” I have all kinds of boxes full of various computer cords and accessories — many, many boxes. I’ve lost track of which accessories are usable and which are old. I wish that I had used the labelmaker on each accessory when I first purchased it. I will from now on! Thank you for inspiring me to take a fresh look at my office supply closet. Time for a spring cleaning!
~Dane
http://www.bionicbutler.com
Great food for thought. I think we all have a broken window somewhere. Tolerance levels among family members makes this challenging at times.
Genny Esterline
http://www.connectionsforwomen.com
for folks not as savvy as some others, take your old floppies and cd’s to someone that knows whether they’re out of date or of no use anymore. I just did that and dumped over 40 cd’s just taking up valuable space.
My zero tolerance area is the 4×8 kitchen island that is ‘oh, so tempting’ to drop the mail, schoolbooks, etc..’just for now’. I made it the Holy Grail of clear spaces and interestingly, it seems to radiate to the whole house. If the kitchen looks uncluttered and clean, the rest of the house seems to fare better too.