I recently re-read a great essay on having too much stuff from Paul Graham. If you are a pack rat, or know a pack rat (I know several) I highly recommend it not only for information but perhaps to fight the hoarding of stuff. (Hint: it may be generational)
I read the article and smugly vowed to reduce my clutter. But when I closed my browser window I noticed how much crap is on my computer’s desktop and a wave of nausea passed over me.
I am a virtual pack rat!
One of the dangers of so much information passing through my browser with so little time to read it all is that it’s way too easy, thanks to Del.icio.us and InstaPaper, to save every little scrap of information.
150 ways to speed up your WordPress blog? Sure, post to de.licio.us. (Don’t forget to add all the right tags.)
A zip file of cool icons? Click. Zoom. Downloaded to desktop.
Another important blog post? Add it to the ever growing list of documents I intend to read One Day.
As Paul’s essay indicates, it may now be the case that these documents own me. It takes me (n * # of desktop shortcuts) microseconds to locate stuff on my desktop when I need it.
Each file I horde just adds to the amount of time it takes for websites to load my bookmarks. It increases the time it takes just to scroll through a menu of a million saved websites.
The sheer number of things I have to wade through in every menu starts to reach a critical mass which causes me to feel tired just looking at my desktop.
Are you a virtual information packrat? If so, let’s implement some easy steps to cure the sickness forever.
First, admit to yourself you have the problem. (They always tell you this.)
Second, the next time you see an article that you think is interesting, but can’t spare the time to read it immediately, ask yourself: “Will I ever actually find time to read this article and use the contents?”, or “Will it improve upon the knowledge I already have?”, or really challenge yourself with the difficult question of “Do I even need to pack my brain with another “Top 17 things” list?
If the answer is anything but a definite yes, hit Delete and breath easier knowing you’ve just liberated yourself from the guilty feeling of having not read another article you intended to read One Day.
I’ve tried several times just today and I feel better already.
P.S. If you like this article, be sure to add it to your bookmarks! 
