--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Windowsill Over the Sink [...] begins…" description: "\"“The Windowsill Over the Sink [...] begins to crowd around you with its clutter showing you that you can keep everything but promises.”\" — Vern Rutsala" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/vern-rutsala-59309_clutter_the-windowsill-over-the-sink-begins-to-c_1337578.png" --- # The Windowsill Over the Sink \[...\] begins to crowd around… ![“The Windowsill Over the Sink [...] begins to crowd around you with its clutter showing you that you can keep everything but promises.” quote by Vern Rutsala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/vern-rutsala-59309_clutter_the-windowsill-over-the-sink-begins-to-c_1337578.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/vern-rutsala-59309_clutter_the-windowsill-over-the-sink-begins-to-c_1337578.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/vern-rutsala-59309_clutter_the-windowsill-over-the-sink-begins-to-c_1337578.png) > ““The Windowsill Over the Sink \[...\] begins to crowd around you with its clutter showing you that you can keep everything but promises.”” [Vern Rutsala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-rutsala/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clutter on a windowsill reminds you that you can hold many things but not all promises. **In simple terms:** Clutter shows limits of keeping promises. Key Takeaway Prioritize commitments, reduce excess. Themes organization commitment life balance Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - home organization - project planning - time management - goal tracking Key Concepts psychology of clutter promise management Questions to Reflect On - Which promises are truly essential? - How does physical space reflect mental commitments? A Different Perspective Too much focus on physical clutter may distract from deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clutter/) [Clutter Showing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clutter-showing-4507931/) [Crowd Clutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crowd-clutter-4507932/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Windowsill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/windowsill-4507933/) [Windowsill Sink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/windowsill-sink-4507930/) ## Related quotes > [A very important part of my workday are the two Nunzillas on my windowsill. They keep me constant company. They're little windup toys, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/a-very-important-part-of-my-workday-are-the-two-nunzillas-on-my/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“She was perched on the windowsill. The brilliant light didn’t seem to bother her. I could just see her thinking to herself that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calia-read/she-was-perched-on-the-windowsill-the-brilliant-light-didn-t-seem-to/) [Calia Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calia-read/) > [Never underestimate the effect of clutter on your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kingston/never-underestimate-the-effect-of-clutter-on-your-life/) [Karen Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kingston/) > [Out of clutter, find simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/out-of-clutter-find-simplicity/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The absence of clutter is just a clutter-free product. That's not simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/the-absence-of-clutter-is-just-a-clutter-free-product-that-s-not/) [Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/) > [Here's the general theory: To clarify, add detail. Imagine that. To clarify, add detail. And clutter and overload are not an attribute of information,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-tufte/here-s-the-general-theory-to-clarify-add-detail-imagine-that-to/) [Edward Tufte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-tufte/) > [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Clutter is the official language used by corporations to hide their mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/clutter-is-the-official-language-used-by-corporations-to-hide-their/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [Simple messages travel faster, simpler designs reach the market faster and the elimination of clutter allows faster decision making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/simple-messages-travel-faster-simpler-designs-reach-the-market-faster/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [The leader is one who, out of the clutter, brings simplicity... out of discord, harmony... and out of difficulty, opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-leader-is-one-who-out-of-the-clutter-brings-simplicity-out-of/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I think we all have a little voice inside us that will guide us. It may be God, I don't know. But I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/i-think-we-all-have-a-little-voice-inside-us-that-will-guide-us-it/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [“Only when we acknowledge ourselves as we really are can we begin to take inventory of the physical, mental, and emotional clutter that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiqua-hamdan/only-when-we-acknowledge-ourselves-as-we-really-are-can-we-begin-to/) [Sadiqua Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiqua-hamdan/) > [If one's mind is so full of clutter, so is one's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnreyes/if-one-s-mind-is-so-full-of-clutter-so-is-one-s-life/) [JOHNREYES](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnreyes/) > [I hate clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-barrie/i-hate-clutter/) [Barbara Barrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-barrie/) > [It's always something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/it-s-always-something/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) ## More by Vern Rutsala > [“I think there is a naturally subversive role that writers play in any society, simply because they are trying to use language precisely, whereas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-rutsala/i-think-there-is-a-naturally-subversive-role-that-writers-play-in-any/) [Vern Rutsala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-rutsala/) > [They said daydreaming was against the law, but some of us escaped, slipping out windows and over cyclone fences, some of us flying away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-rutsala/they-said-daydreaming-was-against-the-law-but-some-of-us-escaped/) [Vern Rutsala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-rutsala/) > [The language is spare and under control and has a genuine immediacy...The poems never preach but are lined out with a cool and therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-rutsala/the-language-is-spare-and-under-control-and-has-a-genuine-immediacy/) [Vern Rutsala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-rutsala/) > [“Logs drowse in the pond Dreaming of their heroes Alligator and crocodile”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-rutsala/logs-drowse-in-the-pond-dreaming-of-their-heroes-alligator-and/) [Vern Rutsala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-rutsala/) [Explore all 5 Vern Rutsala quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-rutsala/) ## More Clutter quotes > [It's always something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/it-s-always-something/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [I hate clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-barrie/i-hate-clutter/) [Barbara Barrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-barrie/) > [If one's mind is so full of clutter, so is one's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnreyes/if-one-s-mind-is-so-full-of-clutter-so-is-one-s-life/) [JOHNREYES](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnreyes/) > [“Only when we acknowledge ourselves as we really are can we begin to take inventory of the physical, mental, and emotional clutter that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiqua-hamdan/only-when-we-acknowledge-ourselves-as-we-really-are-can-we-begin-to/) [Sadiqua Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiqua-hamdan/) > [I think we all have a little voice inside us that will guide us. It may be God, I don't know. But I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/i-think-we-all-have-a-little-voice-inside-us-that-will-guide-us-it/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The leader is one who, out of the clutter, brings simplicity... out of discord, harmony... and out of difficulty, opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-leader-is-one-who-out-of-the-clutter-brings-simplicity-out-of/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Simple messages travel faster, simpler designs reach the market faster and the elimination of clutter allows faster decision making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/simple-messages-travel-faster-simpler-designs-reach-the-market-faster/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [Clutter is the official language used by corporations to hide their mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/clutter-is-the-official-language-used-by-corporations-to-hide-their/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Here's the general theory: To clarify, add detail. Imagine that. To clarify, add detail. And clutter and overload are not an attribute of information,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-tufte/here-s-the-general-theory-to-clarify-add-detail-imagine-that-to/) [Edward Tufte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-tufte/) > [The absence of clutter is just a clutter-free product. That's not simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/the-absence-of-clutter-is-just-a-clutter-free-product-that-s-not/) [Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/) > [Out of clutter, find simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/out-of-clutter-find-simplicity/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Never underestimate the effect of clutter on your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kingston/never-underestimate-the-effect-of-clutter-on-your-life/) [Karen Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kingston/) > [Clutter is the disease of American writing,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/clutter-is-the-disease-of-american-writing/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [On the whole, I think women wear too much and are to fussy. You can't see the person for all the clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/on-the-whole-i-think-women-wear-too-much-and-are-to-fussy-you-can-t/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) [Browse all 347 Clutter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clutter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Windowsill Over the Sink [...] begins to crowd around you with its clutter showing you that you can keep everything but promises.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vern Rutsala" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-rutsala/the-windowsill-over-the-sink-begins-to-crowd-around-you-with-its/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clutter" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-rutsala/the-windowsill-over-the-sink-begins-to-crowd-around-you-with-its/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/vern-rutsala-59309_clutter_the-windowsill-over-the-sink-begins-to-c_1337578.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/vern-rutsala-59309_clutter_the-windowsill-over-the-sink-begins-to-c_1337578.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/vern-rutsala-59309_clutter_the-windowsill-over-the-sink-begins-to-c_1337578.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Windowsill Over the Sink [...] begins to crowd around you with its clutter showing you that you can keep…” — Vern Rutsala", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Vern Rutsala", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-rutsala/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The Windowsill Over the Sink [...]...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-rutsala/the-windowsill-over-the-sink-begins-to-crowd-around-you-with-its/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-rutsala/the-windowsill-over-the-sink-begins-to-crowd-around-you-with-its/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```