Links Roundup: My desk edition

Although my home office desk is pictured here, this is really a post about my desk at work.  Tired of the clutter, crumpled Post-It notes and pile of pens & markers near my phone, a vertical file full of folders I never looked at, three 5″ high piles of file folders relating to “current” projects, two bobbleheads (yes, two), miscellaneous notes scribbled on scraps of paper, a Visine bottle, a gum container, and so forth — on Friday afternoon I spent about 2 hours clearing my desk at work.  I wish I’d taken a “Before” photo; at present there’s a phone, speakers, flat panel display, keyboard, mouse, one pen, and nothing else…  sort of like the image above, but with fewer things on the desk.

Behind the scenes, I need to reorganize my files and either a) scan, electronically file, and toss or b)  simply toss – a bunch of files.  I’ll do that this week when I’m not fielding comments about how I obviously have nothing to do since my desk is empty.  The simple truth:  although I’m organized by nature, I’ve fallen into the trap of tolerating clutter in a couple of places:  my workbench in our garage and my desk at work are the best examples.  It may be a combination of too much stuff going on and not enough storage space, but no matter what the case, it’s sloppy and undisciplined, and I don’t want to tolerate it any longer.  (Another, related truth – I own too much crap.  One of the things I need to do this fall and winter is go through each room, earmark stuff to get rid of, and either sell it, trade it, donate it, or throw it out. )

So I’m going to spend some time over at unclutterer.com for some tips, reorganize my files, and strive to leave the building each evening with a desk that looks like an experiment in sensory deprivation.  I’ll let you know how I make out via a post or two.

Oh… in case you think I’m exaggerating, here’s a quick shot of my workbench (it’s under there somewhere)…

Dirty laundry aired, on to some interesting links I’ve come across lately…

Here’s something, given what I’ve written above, that will help; perhaps you have some gadgets that you no longer need as well:  How to Recycle Your Gadgets from the Matador Network.

OK, if nothing else, this post from Zen Habits ^{(sorry, MW)} has made me really curious about Dr. Bronner’s soap:  The Beginner’s Guide To Minimalist Travel.  Have any of you used this stuff???

I’m a bit prejudiced in favor of the packing lists I’ve been using – and offering via our FREE Downloads page – but if you want to try another approach, check out PACKWHIZ.  There are several templates to get you started, or you can create your own.  Note:  you need a Google/Gmail account to sign in, and to enable you to save your lists.

For those of you who like to cook, a great little post from Gizmodo about kitchen knives (and knives in general):  You’re Doing It Wrong:  How to Properly Buy, Maintain, and Use a Knife

(NOTE:  links are to the iTunes Store) — Another couple of neat apps for your iPod Touch or iPhone:  Nikon’s Learn & Explore.  There’s little chance you’ll miss the fact that this app is from Nikon, but it’s chock full of wonderful images and helpful hints.   NASA hasn’t always done such a marvelous job from a PR standpoint, but their web initiatives have been solid;  another illustration of how they’ve smartened up is their iPhone/iPod Touch app:  NASA – it offers mission updates, high quality videos, and extraordinary photographs.

Looking for exotic places for your next travel destination? If yes, definitely check out Atlas Obscura – a “collaborative project with the goal of cataloging all of the singular, eccentric, bizarre, fantastical, and strange out-of-the-way places that get left out of traditional travel guidebooks and are ignored by the average tourist.”  The site is easy to navigate – you can search by continent and country – and endlessly fascinating.  You adventure travelers out there should love it!

That’s all for now.  Look to site for a few new reviews this week…   have a great one!