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badkitti on "Moving house - the perfect excuse to declutter/tidy"

badkitti — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:01:19 +0000

I'm moving from one rental property to another smaller one. Not only does this mean I've been going through stuff to recycle/chuck/donate, but I've an excuse to ask the husband to consider all his stuff too. Hurrah!

The Husband will get a garage at last so nothing of that ilk will darken my door again. Another hurrah!

I'm moving to a bungalow - no more stairs to hoover and store stuff on 'to be sorted later'. Triple Hurrah!

Today and tomorrow morning has been/will be spent getting the place tidy enough as we have viewings on tuesday/wednesday/thursday.

I'll add photos as I load up the new place - see how it comes together.

Zora on "My cloth hoarding is rewarded -- dangnabit"

Zora — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:10:17 +0000

I have been able to resist buying any more cloth for a long time ... I have so much stashed. Today I bought a couple of yards that I needed to finish up an old project; I didn't have anything that would do. I was boggled to find that this simple cotton cloth cost $12 a yard. The lady in the shop said that even plain quilter's cottons now started at $9 a yard. (I checked online and that seems to be the bottom price there too, unless you find a sale.)

I bought a lot of my cloth when it was half that price or less. Now it has doubled in value! My hoarding has been rewarded. This is wonderful and terrible.
I don't need to have my bad habits reinforced :)

Zora on "Are you a hoarder?"

Zora — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:25:07 +0000

I sorted through all my stored chachkes and kept only a couple. Some I threw away; the rest I put in a bag to offer to friends before I took them to Goodwill.

So, here I am displaying the contents of the bag to an acquaintance. Two small ceramic cats, a clear glass paperweight, a small porcelain jar with lid, etcetera. He looks at them quizzically and then asks me, "Are you a hoarder?"

Me: "I'm trying not to be."

Sky on "w/c 18th Jan 2010 : What items left your house for good this week"

Sky — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:20:52 +0000

So far this year I have removed 204 items from my home!! Papers, cards, furniture, knick-knacks, jewelry, paintings, childhood stuff, cookbooks, clothes, shoes, kitchen utensils, china, books and so much more. It is SO freeing!

The only thing brought in has been food.

citygirl on "clutter thought process"

citygirl — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:18:15 +0000

This is the kind of thinking a non-clutter person would never understand:

Last night I was wearing some old sweats that I've had for ages. They are:

1. Ugly (not only on their own, but on me! Think Michelin Man pants)
2. Too short
3. Uncomfortable (weird ankle elastic thing going on)

In spite of all of this I find myself wanting to keep them. Why? Not just because they are still usable (even though I have half a dozen pairs of similar comfy pants) but because I BOUGHT THEM IN GRAD SCHOOL AND THEY HAVE THE SCHOOL LOGO ON THEM. That's it. It's all about sentiment.

Ridiculous! But, as a true clutterhead, I have yet to win the battle against the pants (I think their end is near, though).

Can anyone relate?

AJ on "Through decluttering, what have you found out about yourself?"

AJ — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:52:24 +0000

I always thought I wasn't very sentimental about things, but after decluttering I realise I have zero sentimentality about things. It rather shocks me how little stuff means to me.

My OH claimed to not be sentimental about things, but in the process of decluttering he's found himself to be more sentimental than he would like to be.

I've also been a "straightener" but it used to be straightening piles of stuff so they "looked" a bit tidier! But now the place is decluttered, everything has to be straightening. Books, furniture, etc. My OH said "Enough" when I got out the spirit level to check whether the tv was straight. The perfectionist in me that originally stopped me from decluttering (everything had to be decluttered perfectly and precisely) has come to the fore. And that I do find disconcerting.

So what have you found out about yourself, good or bad, during decluttering?

akcorcoran on "To eBay or not to eBay - what do I do with the stuff meanwhile is the question?"

akcorcoran — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:52:01 +0000

OK, so I've got this raging internal debate about whether I should eBay some stuff that is clearly worth something - something more than I'd get at local consignment. I have designer things with a tag on them or children's electronics (always worth something!) and so on. Plus books that I could put on half.com, especially books that I used in graduate school. Perfect example, right now I have a brand new pair of riding boots that are new in the box and retail for about $100 - comparable listings I could get $60 to $80. That's real money!

BUT, what do I do with them as I: a) get organized around listing them and b) haven't yet sold them. It's sort of driving me crazy! But, if I take to consignment or the like here, I won't get nearly the same value. The nearest eBay "store" where they do it for you is about 50 miles away - ugh - and I'm sure they take a hefty cut too. What to do?

Do any of you eBay? If so, do you have a system for pre-listing storage, during listing storage, packing supply maintenance, etc. I hate going to ship things so that's another thing that is de-motivating for me.

But, if I can get $80 for something I'd get $10 here at local consignment, it could be worth my time...

Any eBayers out there? Or those who are fundamentally opposed as it is the opposite of Unclutterering?

akcorcoran on "Kitchen Canister Quandary?"

akcorcoran — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:20:57 +0000

Hi all -

I know we all try to remove items from our countertops but I have a worse situation in my mind - bottles of stuff that are unsightly and don't fit in a cabinet. Example: my husband makes a protein / breakfast fruit smoothie every morning - so there is a big protein powder and oats container on my counter top! Unacceptable - especially the horrendous blue of the powder - and we have TWO under the counter cabinets in our entire kitchen and ONE for food - so it can't go there, especially since it's used everyday.

So, I want to get a canister set and put it in there - one for the powder (it's huge), one for the oats, one for tea mixes (we drink a lot of tea), and maybe one for sugar / sweetener packets. This stuff is all floating around our countertop now - the tea mixes in in a box on our windowsill actually!

Is that an OK idea? My thought is that it's organized and "has a place" then - and still useable given how much we use them.

And, to minimize clutter, I was thinking I would get them to opaque (ceramic painted) and the SAME color or pattern. Despite my love of mix and match, that will draw more attention to them, I think, and create the idea of clutter.

Also, I was thinking square shaped of varying or same heights so they lined up next to each other tightly. That's not as easy as it seems - my mother has some ceramic ones we've had our whole life that say Coffee, Tea, Sugar, Flour in French on them - they're white, square shaped and simple. That's sort of what I'm shooting for though I'm having a harder time finding it than I thought I would!

Thoughts?
Alexa

akcorcoran on "Giving up on the china and crystal?"

akcorcoran — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 13:04:02 +0000

OK, so I'm haunted by this Unclutter decision.

I have a kitchen that has only three cabinets (three shelves each) with glass fronts for any tableware - everyday cups, mugs, wine glasses, bowls, serving pieces, dishes, anything. Not much storage. (Don't get me started on food storage - I have ONE cabinet for that!)

In one entire cabinet right now, I have two shelves of crystal - wedding crystal. (shelf below is our regular everyday wine glasses which we use regularly.) We use the gold-rimmed crystal approximately once a year. But, I keep them there because beyond looking pretty, I think that I might use them if I can see them. But, if they go in the basement in storage containers for crystal, I will simply *never* use them.

What to do?

The same applies to our china but I have those in a buffet in the dining room in those little storage cloth things, stacked so there's one for dinner plates, one for salad plates, etc. Takes up considerably less space but is still storage in my dining room if I wanted it. Again, if it goes in the basement, will I ever use it?

What do you think, oh Unclutterer experts?

Thanks!
Alexa

HappyDogs on "My "Monk" moment"

HappyDogs — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:06:41 +0000

Okay, I will admit that every time I watch "Hoarders" I get a bit OCD about cleaning and organizing. I've thought of this as a good thing.

But, today, at the doctor's office, I had a spare moment up at the counter, and their rack of brochures was a mess, so guess what I did. And I couldn't stop. Embarrassing.

devilot on "Overwhelmed Newbie"

devilot — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:44:17 +0000

Heya, I stumbled upon this forum, funnily enough, while attempting to clean/ declutter. I found a page out of Real Simple magazine that I'd torn out with an article by Erin R Doland and it mentioned this site. Since the article was compelling, I figured a poke around the site (and subsequently the forum) would behoove me.

The Dirt: Me-- chronic hoarder, collector, and slob. We're talking-- can't see the top of my desk or most of the cat-mess-stained-carpet, cluttered.
The Uh oh: my long distance boyfriend is coming next week and will see my room for the very first time. He is The Supreme Minimalist (2 pens on his desk, not even a trash can in his room, etc.). He is an EXTREME minimalist.
The Goal: Realistically, I know I can't have (and wouldn't want) to be as minimal as he is, but I don't want to cringe when I walk into my room.

Some main obstacles:
1) random clutter -- I don't know what to do with it! First, brought up by conservative Asian parents who never let anything go or go to waste. Must. Hoard. Just in case. But let's say I miraculously cull and toss some clutter out, the problem is that I don't know how to put away the rest of the randomness! Don't I need a space to put it first?! I'm all outta space! :P

2) Clothes. A lot of people have a similar issue-- they gain weight, they keep some of their old wardrobe but learn to lose most of it. For me? I can wear, and still wear, some of my clothes from freshman year of high school. I've been approximately the same size for 11ish years or so. How do I really let go of my clothes? And I had a period when I gained a bit of weight and went up a size or two, I'm also tempted to keep some of my "fat clothes" just in case I get a little tubby again. Halp?

If you've read through this epic post, I'm both amazed and grateful for any help and pointers. I've already read quite a few of the topics on this forum and saw fly lady mentioned and googled that. Unfortunately, I found Fly Lady to be incredibly overwhelming. I am a super newbie and insanely cluttered. Please take it easy on me! :D :o

*Edit*

And another note, while I'd love fancy shelving or organizing tools, or hell, a professional to come in and help, I'm unemployed (and have been for a year now). So yes, money is v tight. Which also makes me less willing to purge.

PKitty on "Fridge Clutter"

PKitty — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:57:39 +0000

I just looked at a nice before and after at Real Simple for a fridge makeover. My problem is my fridge is just PACKED with condiments! It is ridiculous! Jams, sauces, chilis, pickles, olives.

How do you guys organize your fridge? I am tempted to chuck it all out but I just know it will immediately start accumulating again.

Tiggy on "Clutter is a Dream Killer"

Tiggy — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:24:11 +0000

Hi To All!

I stumbled across this site by accident and liked it. I really want to organize by house so as to free up more time to do the things that are most important to me. I am a newbie to this site and would like to know best how to navigate around so as to get the most out of it. So far I have read some super post. My plan is to start with one room at a time. Ground zero in my house happens to be the kitchen.

Thank you for any help offered.

Tiggy

kannie on "partnership"

kannie — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:58:48 +0000

what do you do when your partner is not all that interested in changing their mindset or their habbits? He doesn't think -like i do -that there is a problem with my thinking- he just thinks that we're lazy, and we'll clean it up later. he's not - not helpful -when i ask- but in general he thinks that my cleaning outburts are commical. i want my life to change- i want my house to be neat and life to be well kept also. How do i concentrate on making myself what i want to be without being derailed by him? help.

PKitty on "How do you organize your jewelry?"

PKitty — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:52:36 +0000

I really prefer to re-use things i.e. vintage bowls, etc. but my jewelry collection is a bit of a mess. I have a cut glass ashtray (very small) in the bathroom with my most often worn earrings and necklaces in it, a larger cut glass bowl in my little dressing room with more necklaces, and then a small (like six by six by six) cube of drawers with pins, other earrings, necklaces and bracelets. It's not horrible, but it is not great either.

What do you do??

sherrybanarsi on "What uncluttering/organization habits are you most proud of?"

sherrybanarsi — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:41:06 +0000

I find that I have to keep data on my computer organized or I don't feel like working on it at all. Anything on the desktop gets immediately processed -- either moved to a folder for permanent storage or the recycle bin. I only wish I could unclutter my life with the same vigilance! I'd love to get an idea of any decluttering or organization activities that others perform on a daily basis which make life simpler or more efficient.

carmel on "Negative responses to my declutter talk"

carmel — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:09:28 +0000

I feel like I’ve been decluttering all my life and am not done yet. I’ve come a long way. My parents died when I was a teenager. My father’s mother died three days before he did. Consequently, I was left with two three-bedroom homes to clear out at the age of 18. I have very little family. Some family did show up at that time and took what they wanted – an entire tractor trailer in fact. It was a blessing. We also donated a lot.

However, I’m still coming across things that I haven’t used in over 20 years. These are items someone else owned, that mean nothing to me. These items may or may not be worth something.

My problem is this. Whenever I start talking to someone about decluttering - a friend, a relative, a coworker – they tell me I can’t get rid of item X because of Y. This happens a lot! I’m ready to toss these magazines. Friends response “Oh, you can’t get rid of those. They’re history!”. I’m having these 35mm slides scanned then I’m tossing them. Their response “Oh, I’d never throw those out!”. I’m thinking of getting rid of grandmother’s china and keeping just 6 dessert plates. Their response, “No one ever gave me china! How could you get rid of that? Besides, it’s worth a lot of money”.

When I offer these items to family or friends they refuse, of course. I tend to like to trash or donate. I don’t want to sell stuff. This just adds to the procrastination.

Given that often a reason for our clutter is the inability to make decisions regarding what to do with stuff, I find this negative talk extremely unhelpful. Obviously, the answer is to declutter privately. But, I would actually like some support around my decisions. Does anyone have any suggestions for building up the courage to go it alone and to trust in your decisions? How do I brace myself for the inevitable condemnation when someone, probably years from now, asks me what I did with item X and I tell them I donated it?

zchristy on "Season 2: Episode 8 -"Gail & Warren""

zchristy — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:43:07 +0000

Every week I think this show will get old, but it seems to keep drawing me in.

Interesting twists in these stories this week: Warren's wife blaming him but being a real hoarder herself. The van parked in the driveway just seemed so sad and I wished he would just tow it just so he wouldn't have to look at the place where his Dad died.

And Gail was once so vibrant. She seemed so frail mentally and I'm glad she has a family that loves her.

Loren on "Can a pet be 'clutter' in your life?"

Loren — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:03:45 +0000

We took in a dog as a favor because my friend couldn't take care of him anymore. He is a sweet mostly well behaved dog. And I have enough time, money and space to take care of him, I'm glad we could be of help out a friend. But it looks like it going to be a permanent situation.
He had some separation anxiety issues at first. So every time I left the house I was worried about what he is going to manage to destroy THIS time. But even as he's gotten better about not eating my shoes when I'm away, I still find myself resenting my dog. Which makes me think he can't have the best quality of life if I don't 'love' him. My canine owning friends say that 'picking up after my dog never feels like a chore'. But picking up after MY dog ALWAYS feels like a chore. He doesn't seem to be bringing as much joy to my life as just irritation.
It's been almost four months and I feel the same. Is it time to consider 'uncluttering' him to a new home or is there something else I can do to learn to live with my dog.

Mid America Mom on "Organizational Item you LOVE"

Mid America Mom — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:42:54 +0000

Today someone complimented us on an organizational item in our home. I realized that I just love some items that help me with controlling clutter. So much so I feel this pride and known to show guests these prized items!

What Item do you love?

For now I have a few. Three homes ago I purchased a revolving vertical shoe rack with three tiers. It does have its drawbacks (husband has very large feet so we cannot load up on his shoes, only 3 tiers though we are a family of 4 ...I wish each member had their own) but I like that it does not take up much floor space. My favorite item in the kitchen is the upright paper towel holder. It is the kind that stops the papertowel from unrolling with use of a lip on the base. What about you?