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Food and Home

Clutter Assessment

From the show This Is the Year to Declutter Your Life

Peter Walsh Do you have a clutter problem? How bad is it? Take Peter Walsh's quiz and find out!

1. Could you have a party without cleaning up first?
Guests could eat off the floor. Bring 'em in!
Maybe tomorrow. The living room's a mess, but I can hide it away in a few hours.
Um, I don't have parties here. Can we go bowling instead?
2. Do your clothes fit in your closet?
Of course. They're hung in order by color and season.
They fit, I guess, but I have no idea what's on the top shelf.
They fall on my head when I open the door. Is that so wrong?
3. Without looking, do you know where to find your car keys, your unpaid bills, and your home or renter's insurance policy?
Absolutely—want me to get them right now?
All except the insurance—it must be somewhere in my husband's/wife's/partner's office.
Sure—just give me 10 minutes to find them. Or an hour.
4. What is on your dining room table right now?
Wood polish and a rag—I was just wiping it.
A few piles of bills—and my child's art collection.
So much stuff that I can't see the table.
5. How many magazines are in your house right now?
Three—the current issue of each magazine I get.
Oh, a lot. But I need them for my job.
I have every issue of National Geographic ever published. It's an outstanding collection.
6. How many paper and shopping bags are you saving?
A handful—we use them to recycle newspapers.
An overstuffed milk crate, plus a few extra. You never know what size bag you'll need.
Every single bag that enters the house.
7. If you had to change a lightbulb, could you find one?
Yes
No
8. Are all your DVDs and CDs in their sleeves?
Yes
No
9. Are your kids' toys anywhere but in their rooms or designated play areas?
Yes
No
10. Are there dirty dishes in the sink?
Yes
No
11. Are dirty clothes anywhere but in the hamper?
Yes
No
12. Are there out-of-date medications in your medicine chest?
Yes
No
13. Are all bills paid and papers filed?
Yes
No
14. Does every item of clothing in your closet fit you now?
Yes
No
Excerpted from It's All Too Much by Peter Walsh. Copyright © 2007 by Peter Walsh. Reprinted by permission from Free Press, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.