Preliminary Ruling on Table Surface Migration
The dining table has been cleared by relocating its contents to the coffee table, which will be cleared next week.
What is Being Classified: A horizontal surface intervention method that produces the appearance of order without the operational effect of order.
How Table Surface Migration Works:
The dining table has accumulated a collection of objects. The objects do not belong on the dining table. They also do not have a specific other location. They exist in the category of things that are waiting to be decided about.
The decision cannot be made today because there are guests coming. The table must be cleared. The objects are transferred to the coffee table, which has no guests coming.
The dining table is clear. The coffee table is now occupied. The objects remain in the same category: waiting to be decided about.
Precedent:
Three months ago, the coffee table was cleared by transferring its objects to the windowsill. The windowsill objects were later transferred to a shelf. The shelf is now the subject of a separate proceedings.
Why the Formal Destination Remains Unspecified:
Assigning an object a permanent location requires making a decision about whether the object should continue to exist in the household. This decision is more expensive than a transfer. Transfers are therefore preferred.
Governing Rule: Under the applicable standard, a table surface migration may not be removed until every resident agrees it has no hypothetical future use. Every object on every table has a hypothetical future use. This standard is therefore never met.
Current Status: Dining table clear. Coffee table occupied. Windowsill available.