The Vortex: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 23:03, 8 December 2025

Located in the Intermediate Storage Room in K20-1-5, the Vortex is a physical space to dump and look through various items. It physically consists of two tables, the space under those tables and a cardboard box next to the window.

Alternative Names: The Vortex of Doom

What is it for?

There are three major use cases for the vortex:

Removing stuff from communal or your private inventory.
Clearing a corner of the household.
Adding stuff to the household.

The 1. Is probably the most relevant case: Someone thinks a certain item should not be part of the Kanthaus household anymore and wants to start the process of getting rid of it. The vortex gives others time to take it back and/or privatize it.

2: When someone tidies up a cluttered space they usually find stuff that is clearly (or maybe) not trash but still does not belong there. Needing to find a good new or the proper previous location is hard and blocks tidying up efforts, so putting these things in the vortex is an appropriate way to go. It should be considered to

3: Sometimes people find stuff that might be useful to the house or individuals, but they’re not really sure. Putting it in the vortex means leaving the decision to communalize or privatize the items to others and just giving them prioritized access before it ends up in the Free Shop or the trash.

Vortex categories

Communal sorted out

Please attach a sign to the item saying why you want it to leave Kanthaus.

If you sort a labelled item back in, please inform the person who wanted to get rid off it.
Full duration: items go through all phases

Found randomly

For all items (communal, unknown, private) that have been in odd places.
Items in communal spaces that are not labelled otherwise can be assumed to be communal. Consider using the "communal sorted out" if you want to get rid off it.
Full duration: items go through all phases

Private sorted out

For your personal items that you don't want to posess anymore
Short duration: items get doomed after phase 1 or moved to phase 2 category of "communal sorted out"

Broken

Put any broken items in here.
Short duration: items get doomed after phase 1 or moved to phase 2 category of "communal sorted out"

Taking things out of the Vortex

Phase 1

personal items to keep them private
known or assumed communal things to return them to a fitting communal space
anything from "short duration" categories to privatize or communalize

Phase 2

personal items to keep them private
anything to communalize it

Phase 3

anything to privatize or communalize it

Doom

As well as death, doom is part of life and should not be seen (too) negatively.

Dooming in Kanthaus terms means:

removing an item from the Kanthaus resources by putting it to the freeshop or the trash
repurposing an item as building, crafting or towelette material

Dooming happens after phase 3 (after phase 1 for short duration categories)

Dooming instructions

Good but unneeded items go in the Free Shop Storage
Trash is put away according to Waste management. You might use the box of doom next to the window.

Shifting

‘Vortex shifting’ is a Power Hour task, which means that it ideally happens every week, sometimes more seldom, never more often.

To make it possible for Kanthausians who are not currently in the space to also voice an opinion on the stuff in the vortex, it’s required to document vortex shifts on Mattermost. Feel free to use the communal phone which should be at the charging dock.

Experience leads to the following best-practice of vortex shifting:

Start on the back and doom phase 3.
- Make (a) box(es) with things for the Free Shop and bring it there
- Check things you believe might be there in error with people who might know.
- You can communalize things, but consider that they have been in Vortex for quite some time already
- Don’t be shy to use the trash bins!
Move phase 2 into phase 3.
- Take pictures and make sure that the things are identifiable. You might add that things are free for everyone in phase 3.
Check phase 1. Spend some energy to move items to their places in the house.
Move phase 1
- Doom the "short duration" categories or communalize them to "communal sorted out"
- Move "full duration" categories to phase 2
- Take pictures and make sure the things are identifiable. You might add that things are free to communalize in phase 2 and people should be quick on getting back their personal stuff.
Upload the pictures to ~stuff on Mattermost and add some descriptive words.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Located in the [[Intermediate|Intermediate Storage Room]] in K20-1-5, the vortex is a physical space to regularly look through potentially unwanted communal items.
+Located in the [[Intermediate|Intermediate Storage Room]] in K20-1-5, the Vortex is a physical space to dump and look through various items. It physically consists of two tables, the space under those tables and a cardboard box next to the window.
-=== What is it for? ===
+Alternative Names: The Vortex of Doom
+== What is it for? ==
 There are three major use cases for the vortex:
-# '''Removing''' stuff from the household.
+# '''Removing''' stuff from communal or your private inventory.
 # '''Clearing''' a corner of the household.
 # '''Adding''' stuff to the household.
 The 1. Is probably the most relevant case: Someone thinks a certain item should not be part of the Kanthaus household anymore and wants to start the process of getting rid of it. The vortex gives others time to take it back and/or privatize it.
-When someone tidies up a cluttered space they usually find stuff that is clearly (or maybe) not trash but still does not belong there. Needing to find a good new or the proper previous location os hard and blocks tidying up efforts, so putting these things in the vortex is an appropriate way to go.
+: When someone tidies up a cluttered space they usually find stuff that is clearly (or maybe) not trash but still does not belong there. Needing to find a good new or the proper previous location is hard and blocks tidying up efforts, so putting these things in the vortex is an appropriate way to go. It should be considered to
-Sometimes people find stuff that might be useful to the house or individuals, but they’re not really sure. Putting it in the vortex means leaving the decision to communalize or privatize the items to others and just giving them prioritized access before it ends up in the [[Freeshop|Free Shop]] or the trash.
+: Sometimes people find stuff that might be useful to the house or individuals, but they’re not really sure. Putting it in the vortex means leaving the decision to communalize or privatize the items to others and just giving them prioritized access before it ends up in the [[Freeshop|Free Shop]] or the trash.
-=== How does it work? ===
+== Vortex categories ==
-There are three phases which the stuff - if not taken out - travels through. ‘Vortex shifting’ is a [[Power hour|Power Hour]] task, which means that it ideally happens every week, sometimes more seldom, never more often.
+=== Communal sorted out ===
-==== Phase 1 (0+ days) - New things ====
+* Please attach a sign to the item saying why you want it to leave Kanthaus.
-===== Put into this phase =====
+* If you sort a labelled item back in, please inform the person who wanted to get rid off it.
+* '''Full duration:''' items go through all phases
-* broken things which you don’t want to fix
+=== Found randomly ===
-* things you think we have too much of
-* ‘lost’ personal property
-* anything else you think should move (out) of the communal space in the house
-Label things with the reason why you put them in. If you’d like people to talk to you about them, also write down your name. Pens and paper are on the shelf opposite the vortex, near the door.
+* For all items (communal, unknown, private) that have been in odd places.
+* Items in communal spaces that are not labelled otherwise can be assumed to be communal. Consider using the "communal sorted out" if you want to get rid off it.
+* '''Full duration:''' items go through all phases
-===== Take out of this phase =====
+=== Private sorted out ===
-* your personal things
+* For your personal items that you don't want to posess anymore
-* known communal things, to return them to communal space
+* '''Short duration:''' items get doomed after phase 1 or moved to phase 2 category of "communal sorted out"
-==== Phase 2 (7+ days) ====
+=== Broken ===
-===== Put in =====
+* Put any broken items in here.
-* Items from phase 1
+* '''Short duration:''' items get doomed after phase 1 or moved to phase 2 category of "communal sorted out"
-===== Take out =====
+== Taking things out of the Vortex ==
-* Your own personal items.
+=== Phase 1 ===
-* Items you know to be communal.
-==== Phase 3 (7+ days) - Last Chance ====
+* personal items to keep them private
+* known or assumed communal things to return them to a fitting communal space
+* anything from "short duration" categories to privatize or communalize
-===== Put in =====
+=== Phase 2 ===
-* Items from phase 2
-===== Take out =====
+* personal items to keep them private
+* anything to communalize it
-* Anything you want to privatize
+=== Phase 3 ===
-* Known communal things, to return them to their storage
-==== Doom ====
+* anything to privatize or communalize it
-Items from phase 3 are doomed at the next shift.
-* Items that make sense to communalize are sorted into fitting communal locations. Remember that those items had 2 weeks to be sorted in already. Only return them if you're sure.
+== Doom ==
-* good but unneeded items go in the [[Freeshop storage|Free Shop Storage]]
+As well as death, doom is part of life and should not be seen (too) negatively.
-* trash is put into bins accordingly.
-==== Details of the shifting ====
+Dooming in Kanthaus terms means:
-Shifting is one of the [[Power hour|Power Hour]] tasks.
-To make it possible for Kanthausians who are not currently in the space to also voice an opinion on the stuff in the vortex, it’s required to document vortex shifts on [[Mattermost]].
+* removing an item from the Kanthaus resources by putting it to the freeshop or the trash
+* repurposing an item as building, crafting or towelette material
+Dooming happens after phase 3 (after phase 1 for short duration categories)
+=== Dooming instructions ===
+* Good but unneeded items go in the [[Freeshop storage|Free Shop Storage]]
+* Trash is put away according to [[Waste management]]. You might use the box of doom next to the window.
+== Shifting ==
+‘Vortex shifting’ is a [[Power hour|Power Hour]] task, which means that it ideally happens every week, sometimes more seldom, never more often.
+To make it possible for Kanthausians who are not currently in the space to also voice an opinion on the stuff in the vortex, it’s required to document vortex shifts on [[Mattermost]]. Feel free to use the communal phone which should be at the charging dock.
 Experience leads to the following best-practice of vortex shifting:
-* Start on the back and empty phase 3.
+* Start on the back and doom phase 3.
-* Make (a) box(es) with things for the Free Shop
+** Make (a) box(es) with things for the Free Shop and bring it there
-* Check things you believe might be there in error with people who might know.
+** Check things you believe might be there in error with people who might know.
-* If you feel like it, offer items to people outside Kanthaus - on Kleinanzeigen or to your friends.
+** You can communalize things, but consider that they have been in Vortex for quite some time already
-* Don’t be shy to use the trash bins!
+** Don’t be shy to use the trash bins!
 * Move phase 2 into phase 3.
-* Take pictures and make sure that the things are identifiable.
+** Take pictures and make sure that the things are identifiable. You might add that things are free for everyone in phase 3.
-* Feel free to also use the space below the table.
+* Check phase 1. Spend some energy to move items to their places in the house.
-* If more space is needed than before, you can move the tape that marks the border between phase 2 and phase 3.
+* Move phase 1
-* Check phase 1. If there are items without a label explaining why they were vortexed, move them into their normal storage places. They are probably just lost.
+** Doom the "short duration" categories or communalize them to "communal sorted out"
-* Move phase 1 into phase 2.
+** Move "full duration" categories to phase 2
-* Take pictures if you’re motivated, but the ‘phase 2 to phase 3’ pics are more important.
+** Take pictures and make sure the things are identifiable. You might add that things are free to communalize in phase 2 and people should be quick on getting back their personal stuff.
-* Add stuff that came in during Power Hour to phase 1.
+* Upload the pictures to ~stuff on Mattermost and add some descriptive words.
-* Upload the pictures to #kanthaus-stuff on Mattermost and add some descriptive words.
 [[Category:Power hour]]
 [[Category:Maintenance]]