Making do with less

paige-allyson

Yes! I AM sick of stuff- my stuff, other peoples' stuff, seeing too much stuff when I go into a store. Besides being sick of the whole consumerism/ compulsive hoarding that our society seems to have fallen into, I began to think shortly after my diagnosis about how, in the event that something should "happen" to me, I don't want anyone to have sort through all kinds of junk. I am doing all I can to boost the likelihood of sticking around for as long as possible and see it as a win-win situation- if I succeed in living a long time I get to do it in a house with good Feng Shui. Thank you for this great topic. You've saved me from sitting at the laptop all afternoon. I'm going to go get rid of some stuff. Hmm...where to start?

juanita63

I did get one of the past due scrapbooks done.  Now I have 2 more late ones to do, as well as 2 for this year and then the next one doesn't graduate till 2010.  If I'm lucky I'll be done by then.  The one I got done was with my 1 yr old granddaughter "helping" me.  I'm also going thru my house one more time, this is like the 3rd time, cuz my kids asked for some stuff while they were here.  They can have it.

livesstrong

Haven't been around in awhile, I can see that we have more clutterholics joining us.  WELCOME!!!

I'm, chomping at he bit to take my decorations down so I can go thru them and get rid some.  But I guess I can wait till after the new year.

I did register on freestyle.  What a great idea that is.  Have been racking my brain thinking of things to leave on the steps that someone else would actually want!!!  LOL.  Tina, your story was hysterical.

Happy De-cluttering everyone!! 

Valerie 

abbadoodles

Just read of a book that sounds very interesting and germaine to this conversation along with all that has been going on in our lives.  It's "The Way of the Small: Why Less is More" by Michael Gellert, who is a Jungian analyst.  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0892541296/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance  It's just a coincidence that the title is the same as this thread, but, then again, maybe it isn't.

None of the libraries in my area have it (just published) so I may break down and order it. 

Tina

shokk

Good morning decluttering chicas................today I am feeling proud of myself for the first time in months..................I have actually cleaned the kitchen and living area............the trash has almost 60 lbs of clutter in it......7 33lb bags..................one for each day of the week.............I have two bags of clothes to be taken to Goodwill but I will not go to sleep tonight until I also have seven.................I am a little suprised about how motivated I feel now.............I will not stop until this house is decluttered.........Tina the book sounds good............I will have to check it out of the library.....one issue I had was cook books and diet books............not until my daughters put all my books in a huge box did I realize the problem I had..........they allowed me to keep 7 of my favorite books and the rest are being taken to half price books..............I promised them no more books..................................if I read the book and decide I need a copy then I will ask for it for my birthday...........ok girls the coffee is ready and I have some clean dishes to put away.........everyone have a great day and if I dont get back have a safe and healthy New Year........love this thread........................Shokk

Anonymous

Shokk...on the books...you might start seeing if some of these cookbooks come on cdrom.  You can still enjoy the cookbooks you like but they won't take up alot of space.

shokk

Jas that is exactly what my oldest told me....................I am not much of a shopper so don't have that issue but for some reason I love book stores........I love looking through Half Price Books............it's like a treasure hunt especially for out of print cookbooks and stuff like that..........so I am going to either decide to stay out or if I do go in not buy...............new motto..........Shokk

shokk

Ok here is the deal (have my coffee and the dishes are still waiting)....I have made a deal with myself that my children helped my designed......I love working in the yard.............my daughter made me sign a contract that I will not be able to start my spring yard work until the house is uncluttered and organized....this includes drawers and all that stuff.................I figure I have about 2 months..............it will be so good to do yard work and not feel guilty that I should be putting that energy into a livable and clean home on the inside and not just on the outside.............make a nice home for the squirrels and birds but not for my children and myself????????  I am ashamed of myself.......this is not going to continue..........ok girls going to put those dishes away............Shokk

iodine

I have a garden contract with myself: I cannot plant any new plant until I finish all the "chores".  That's all the crap that's no fun, cleaning out beds, pruning, etc, etc.

livesstrong

Shokk  & Iodine - you go girls, thats the spirit!!!

I have been working on the Christmas decorations, hasn't been going to well today so I thought I'd stop till maybe New Years Day - that should give me some incentive to throw out some. 

After that its back to the kitchen cabinets. They all need a good cleaning inside & out.  Can you believe I have 3 "junk" drawers ???

Its out of control..........

Valerie 

abbadoodles

Just read a hint online that you can make serious progress with de-cluttering if you just concentrate on the first two feet around you.  http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/12/31/hm.get.organized/index.html

You girls are doing so great!  Isn't is amazing how you can keep on finding stuff to purge even after you think you're finished?  I think our tolerance for clutter gets lower and lower as you get used to the new normal. 

Tina

shokk

Happy New Year Eve's de-cluttering chicas.........well I got four bags of clothes in the back of my car............I just simply ran out of steam last night...........took my youngest daughter to the mall yesterday to buy her some new jeans and a couple of tops and some underwear and by the time we got home just didn't have the strength to do anymore uncluttering......tonight both children are going out so will be welcoming in the New Year by myself but that is ok.........going to fix myself a drink and get the rest of those clothes bagged up.........won't have any interruptions ...............Tina thanks for all the info..........ok clean chicas hope everyone has a good night and please if ya'll are going out to celebrate the New Year be very careful..........Shokk

livesstrong

Just stopping in to wish all my fellow clutterholics  a HAPPY, HEALTHY & CLUTTER-FREE NEW YEAR!!!! 

Valerie 

juanita63

I agree, Happy clutter-free New Year!  Indy is expecting snow so be careful if you're out!  Don't forget a designated driver!  I was busy the past couple days.  Made my dh, ds, ddil, help me clean and rearrange my kitchen and living room  And I even found more to get rid of!  There won't be anything left in the house but dh's dvd collection by the time I'm done.  My older 3 kids who live on their own have wanted copies of my recipes.  I've had that stacked in my room forever thinking I'd write them all out.  Decided the original was written, so they are in a sense getting a hand written copy, but I'm scanning and printing them off.  Much, much faster. 

livesstrong

Well ladies I did it.  I managed to get all the Christmas decorations down and cleaned out enough to eliminate a whole box and several bags!!!  YIPPEE!!!

I actully laid in bed last night thinking about how much more stuff I can get rid off. lol.

Just wish DH was on board, sure would make it easier. 

Valerie 

juanita63

DH is my problem too!  Anybody got ideas on how to get him involved with this?

iodine

There is something wonderful about knowing a set or even one drawer is cleaned out.

I joined a makeup swap internet site and cleaned out all my cosmetics, fragrancers, samples, etc to see what I had to swap.  The drawers look so great and I can actually FIND things.

abbadoodles

Dotti, you jogged my memory about cosmetics.  I have taken them by the armful to my book group ladies and let them have at them to pick anything they liked.  It's especially good for those freebies you get from the major brands like Clinique, etc. when you buy something.  Most times I cannot use the colors that come with the free stuff.

Am getting rid of some good but unused bed sheets, comforter covers today.  Less is more, less is more........

And, yes, it is wonderful the feeling of peace that comes over you when you have accomplished even one, small thing like a single drawer.  You feel that you can actually DO THIS.

Tina

paige-allyson

Juanita, My husband is part of the problem too. One of my New Year's resolutions is to try to focus on my contribution of the problem and (hopefully) lead by example. This is easier said than done since I find his piles of (whatever) ever more irritating than my own junk. This said, we did have some fun over the weekend when I confronted him about his closet. The guy hoards clothes like you would not believe. I pressed him to just get rid of three items, "Just three, come on Jim." He pulled out three shirts that ought to be in some kind of museum of hideousness- a shiny freaky reptilian green one, a scary, short-sleeved, faded, no collar, buttondown number, and a pink dress shirt so old it might fall apart if you tried to use it for a rag. He tried to keep a straight face and act like this was normal but he couldn't. We had a major laugh over this. So, depending on the personality of your husband or others in your life pushing for a small goal and humor can go a long way. Allyson

livesstrong

Allyson,  OMG, I'm laughing out loud reading about your DH & his shirts.  Way too funny.  My DH has the exact same problem.  He loves clothes - I swear he must have 10 black tshirts. WTH??  This fall I got him to get rid of quite a bit of stuff  but he still has more.  We have been thinking about moving out of the state so my new new strategy is  "Do you really want to have to pack & move this stuff?"   I'm hoping it works.

Thanks for the laugh,

Valerie 

abbadoodles

bump

abbadoodles

Here's a good reason to use freecycle:  I have met a really nice woman and some of her family and I get to see that they can really use and really appreciate all the stuff I've passed on to them.  It's a huge bonus for me.  I admit I like knowing I have helped someone.

Tina

shokk

Well good morning ladies.......I am going to assume that everyone is busy de-cluttering and has not had a chance to stop by this great thread........I know I have been and also going through this little "I hate cancer" thing and feeling sorry for myself ..........I think that because so much of the stuff, boxes, drawers, clothes, ex's clothes, papers were before I knew I had breast cancer.......I'm going down memory lane when life was so different.....of course it was not prefect by any means but I didn't have this constant dark cloud following me around, constant doctors appointments and constant worry...............but the really good news is I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel (no not that light) at least I hope not.........I have really been trying to live by the rule 1 trash bag of trash a day and one trash bag of clothes and other things to donate........after about three weeks of this......the trash situation is pretty much gone except for daily trash.........I am still pretty much filling a bag of day for donations but am running out of closets, drawers and rooms to clean..............my next project once this purging is done of clutter I am researching about starting a detox of what I am eating and getting my body decluttered...........think maybe I will start a new thread about what I am going to do about diet..........ok sweet chicas hope to hear how everyone is doing.......shokk

bluewillow

Hi Shokk,

Sounds like you've been a real busy bee- good for you!  Being the big procrastinator that I am, I haven't made a lot of progress, but have accomplished some things.  One of my obstacles is the very thing you spoke of-- the "stuff", lurking in my deep, dark closets, out of sight and out of mind, that brings on the emotional melt-downs, including some residual items from my first marriage.  But I've always been very sentimental and one to sit and cry even while looking at my kids' photos through the years-- a few tears of pain but mostly tears of joy!  I just don't want to get emotional any more since I've pretty much pulled myself together right now (gee, I sound like Hilary Clinton!)  I must trudge on, though!  I have a big cleaning weekend planned, so look out, Goodwill!

And I would love to see you start a new thread about body detoxing and eating a better diet-- that would be great!

Take care everyone and happy de-cluttering!

Mary Jo 

shokk

Mary Jo.................glad I'm not the only one........one thing for sure I have found stuff that really I have no idea where it came from or for that matter what in the holy heck it is........getting rid of "wiring" is the hardest because I'm sure it is to make something work.....but more than likely whatever it belongs to is gone anyway........ok girls see ya'll later gators.......shokk

abbadoodles

shokk, I think you have the right idea about doing a little at a time so that the task is not overwhelming; it's amazing how it all adds up (and out).

Tina

paige-allyson

Shokk and Tina-

I totally agree with the little at a time approach. Someone on this thread had mentioned the flylady website which advocates a little at a time, babysteps approach. I checked it out and having been following her lead- signed up for the free e-mails etc. for 5 days. So far I am really impressed with how much this has helped me and given me direction while keeping things down to managable "bites." Even with being tired from radiation (finished 12/18) and maybe still a bit foggy from chemo I am making visible progress on the house without pain. We're having company this evening and I'm actually not panicking or rushing around wearing myself out in an 11th hour effort to make the house presentable. It's not perfect but it's okay. Anyone else using this method? Allyson

shokk

Allyson I love the Fly Lady.........one of my daughters friends mom turned me onto her about  4 yrs ago........maybe I wasn't in the right place at the time emotionally still married and my ex is a compulsive shopper and no matter how hard I tired could not keep up with the clutter coming in..........one thing for sure I do not bring anything into the house now........I want some new lamps for my living room but will not purchase those until my oldest daughter comes home for the summer from college and we have a garage sell and sell the old ones........oh and by the way my oldest daughter's name is Alyson (one l)...................Shokk

bluewillow

I have to confess-- I have never been the greatest housekeeper in the world (but not the worst).  My home has always been less than perfect, but I think now it is in it's worst state (even though it's just my hubby and me) and my goal right now is to change it for good and totally declutter.  I think about the times when my kids were still at home and if the doorbell would ring, we'd look around to see if we should let someone in or not.  Of course we always did, but about half the time, there was at least some embarrassing clutter for our guests to see... So, how do I deal with the guilt of not keeping my home as neat and tidy as I should?  How do I keep from looking back over the years and feeling remorse for not keeping things neater?  This has bothered me a lot lately, esp. since my BC diagnosis, while looking back over my life and how I have lived it.  I don't want my kids (who are adults now) to remember me as their slobby mom-- does that make sense?  I almost want to write them letters apologizing for not doing better.  Anyone else carrying around this sort of baggage?

Thanks for letting me vent...

Mary Jo

ps-yes, the FlyLady is wonderful and has some very helpful information!

shokk

Mary Jo I could not have said it better myself........you just described me to a tee...................When my youngest was in third grade they wrote a top ten list for a mother's day present and I think her number 7 was my mom doesn't keep our house too neat so my friends and I can be as messy as we want.....................her teacher made a copy of it and kept it up on her bulletin board because she thought it was so cute........when I was growing up one of my best friends always complained that he lived in a museum because his mom was so neat........no friends were every aloud into his house etc..........I always thought it was so sad......so I decided well I'm not going to go around and constantly yell at my kids about picking up etc........well I just went to far the other way...........I don't think its ever to late to start but one thing I do know is when my youngest moves out and I am on my own I don't want  people to find me dead in my house with the way it has looked for the last 10 years ...........Shokk