Clutter, rubbish, stuff Make a list of things you don’t really need. Talk in pairs and discuss how you could get rid of them. Read the introduction to an article on a lifestyle website. Which word in line 1 means: ■■ things you throw away? ■■ lots of things in a small space? ■■ things in general? Is clutter a problem in your home? Read the rest of the article and the comments. What could be the benefits of decluttering? a Reading 8 b c http://www.declutteryourlife.com Clutter. Rubbish. Stuff. Call it what you like, we’ve all got so much of it we’re drowning in it. It gradually takes over our houses and our lives. All this stuff has become a huge source of stress today, affecting everything from our lifestyle choices to our personal development. Decluttering – clearing out all that clutter and living a cleaner, simpler life – is becoming increasingly popular. Don Aslett is a cleaning specialist. He believes that we’re addicted to stuff. “By the time we become adults, we believe that things make us happy,” he says. “If one little thing gives us pleasure, then surely more things will increase our pleasure. And we think things can change us, make us better. For instance, ‘the kids won’t do their homework – I’m sure it’ll help if we buy a computer’ or ‘I’m unpopular – a new shampoo should help.’ ” He believes that we buy things to solve all the problems in our lives, and so we keep getting more stuff. And of course, we’re wrong. Michelle Passoff makes her living from other people’s clutter – she’s a ‘clutter consultant’ and author of Lighten Up! Free Yourself From Clutter. “A long time ago, I noticed that when something big happened in my life, I would go on a cleaning binge: I’d tidy up the front room; I’d put the kids’ toys away in their cupboards; I’d clean up the kitchen.” She found that cleaning helped her feel less stressed about the big problems in her life. “But then one day I had a thought: suppose I did it the other way around. If I had a big clear-out, would big things happen in my life?” She found that they did. She found that, without so many possessions, she could concentrate on the important things in her life, like relationships with friends and colleagues. Do you hoard things and never throw them away? Go on, declutter your life. Click HERE to find out more. How do you feel about clutter? Comments In my neighbourhood, there’s one day a month when you can put old furniture and stuff you don’t want out on the street. I think it’s good to give away stuff you don’t need any more. Anna, USA I don’t agree with these people. My wife and I enjoy buying new things, and we’re perfectly normal. We have two happy and healthy kids. When you’re happy, the things around you have happy memories, so you want to keep them. Manuel, Australia Every year, when the weather starts to improve, we give the house a good clean and get rid of a lot of our old stuff. It’s not much fun, but it does feel good when you’ve done it. So maybe they have a point, but the idea of a ‘clutter consultant’ is ridiculous. Roger, UK Read the article and comments in 8c again. Who believes these things? 1 It’s nice to have possessions that remind you of good times. 2 Cleaning can reduce stress. 3 No one needs a clutter consultant. 4 People are wrong to think buying new things will make their lives better. 5 It’s a good idea to let other people have the things you don’t need. What do you think about each of the opinions in 1–5? Talk in groups. 9 a b 42 Language skills Extras Explore 4 Lost and found Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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