Not quite a horder - decluttering
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I like being able to check off things off my lists, and when I break down the tasks it makes me feel more productive.
Rather than my list saying:
Clean spare room
I make a list that might look something like this:
- Clean and organize drawers of dresser
- Clean and organinze drawers in wardrobe
- Dust furniture
- Change sheets on bed
- Orgainize lower closet
- Orgainize upper closet
- clean windows
- vacuum carpet
This way if I do get distracted, I can still check things off my list.
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Great idea Meece - thanks, I'm going to go through the house Friday night and make a list, room-by-room, of what needs to be done and then post it somewhere that I can't ignore it.
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Onmyown, I hear you! That show works both ways with me---scares me and consoles me into thinking well I'm not that bad. . . .
My mother could be on the show. A month before my diagnois I visited her in her home. She lives by herself in a 3 stroy, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, full dining room, den, living room, finished basement home. there was no place for me to stay---I stayed at her friends house. The whole expreience made me sooo sad---I took pictures [because I was pretty sure no one really believed me when I said she was a hoarder] and had great plans to redo my own house and my own life. And then I got whacked with the stupidbreastcancer stick.
Now I am determined to move forward. I am not going to kid myself--it won't be easy. I have 3 monsters and work full time so when I get home they need me. I am going to tell myself that this is something I am doing for ME, just like knitting and cooking and reading--and its just as important. I don't want my kids to grow up like I did ---no idea of how a house should look, attaching too much importance to stuff.
I am lucky in that my MIL moved out to live by us last summer. She is an organizing maniac and I know she can help me with getting things together. I've already hired her to help with the common areas of the house [she has no retirement so rather than hire a stranger to clean the house, I hired her. It works well for both of us]. Now I need to make 30 minutesa day for me to deal with the upstairs. . . . ..
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I only got one grabage can filled yesterday, but I did get the bed cleared off. Now I have the office, sewing room and .....garage left to tackle.
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I accidentaly spotted a hoarder show last night on TLC while chanel surfing. Hard to watch.
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I finished my bedroom yesterday, except for the closets. I took some pics before and after but still have to get photobucket. I threw away a giant but dead plant and replaced it with a new live one. I'll get to work on my daughter's room and our closets before the weekend.
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I still have the spare room closet to thin out, but it isn't real bad.
Today I will work in the sewing room becaue FDIL is coming over for some alteration work.
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Heidihill, isn't it funny how we keep "giant but dead" stuff"? I don't have any dead plants (they're only half-dead) but so many things that are just sitting around collecting dust. And I wonder why I sneeze when I walk into the house!!!!
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You ladies have really motivated me to start my spring cleaning this weekend. DH and I cleared out part of the garage last weekend - it's not finished but looks much better. We took an old torn love seat out to the curb for the city sanitation department to dispose of. I have no idea why we were "storing" the nasty thing in the garage!
Don't forget this other area to declutter: your purse. I just cleaned mine out. No need to carry excess around and create shoulder, neck, and back pain. Again, I have no idea why I've been "storing" a keychain in my purse without any keys on it!
Thanks for the motivation and keep up the good work.
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Great list for de-cluttering! I am currently undergoing chemo and have one left (next week) yeah! I have so much organizing to do but have felt so tired and de-motivated.....I feel guilty. Is it okay to feel like this?
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Cat123: Congratulations on almost completing chemo! Hang in there. I did some of my best decluttering during chemo. Sitting around home and looking around really motivated me - just the opposite of you. Give yourself time to regain your energy. Don't feel guilty! Just think, everything will still be there for you to declutter when you get your energy and motivation back.
Seriously, I'm glad you will be a "graduate" soon.
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Cat, I'm a year and a half out of chemo and still feel that way sometimes. Please don't feel guilty. And I agree with Wonderland - congrats on almost completing chemo!
You ladies are all such wonderful inspiration. After my busiest week at work since diagnosis (two years ago) I am happily exhausted and going to bed but I have a three day weekend and I'm taking tips from all of you and working on decluttering this weekend.
Thank you lovely ladies!
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I really got busy today. DH and I had discussed moving our desk and return to a different wall(s) in the office several weeks ago. This morning I set out to do it. I had the unbolt the two desk parts, and undo all of the computer stuff: CPU, Printer, Scanner, Speakers (3) camera, security camera wires (8), router, modem, mouse, keyboard..... I labeled everything, removed all wires not connected to anything, took it apart, moved the desks, then put everything back together again, and it all works.
The desk top is cleaned, and everything is put away. Now for my sewing room.
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Can I join too? You ladies have some great ideas! My biggest problem is time!! I tend to deal with priorities and sometimes the deep cleaning is just NOT a priority! I love the list idea Meece! I LOVE to scratch things off the list, too! Maybe you could post your room lists patoo? I really don't like to re-invent the wheel and would love to start with someone else's ideas! Maybe I can re-arrange my priorities, or make some more hours in a day(!!!!), and deep clean a room or two, or three!
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I really need to finish the baby quilt for little Baby-Boo, who will be here in about 12 weeks. My sewing room is a disaster. I wll try to work on that room today.
Each day I try to get the rest of the house straightened before I take on a task. That way if company drops by, I am ready. It also makes me feel good to walk through a place of order when working in one of my disorderly areas.
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I really am looking forward to the not to distant wireless, paperless future.
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I try to get everything I can wireless and paperless. Most of my mail is junk and needs to be shredded. My new shredder should arrive today and my plan is to shred immediately, take the mail in the house and immediately shred. My current shredder is so bad I can only do one sheet at a time so it's getting thrown out today or tomorrow!
Ok, I work 4 10 hour days so today is my day at home. I'm going to make a list and work, work, work. I'm going to do 15 minutes of work and then some computer time and see what I can get done. So, this is my last post for a while. I'll see you ladies in an hour or two!
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3mostmama - We have had 3 incidences (not a big city) in the past year where firemen have been put at considerable risk due to fighting fires at hoarder's homes. In one house there were only paths through the rooms piled high with newspapers. Too sad.
Note: change in login onmyown was too impersonal.
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I've been reading the posts with great interest because hubby and I are in the process of decluttering. First tackle was the drawers in the kitchen. We bought silverware organizers for three of the drawers and cleaned out anything we didn't use or had no idea what it was for. (15 years holding on to applicance cord and never finding out what it was for!) The biggest tackle was the tupperware cupboards. Finally got two good size baskets and organized everything in those. Baskets must come out and placed on counter top to put stuff away. First time I saw hubby open up cupboard door and was winding up to toss in the cupboard I started yelling! Scared the cr*p out of him. We have kept drawers and cupboards neat for about two months, which is excellent for us.
Another thing I did was in the basement. I'm always doing crafts and switching it up, so I took either copy paper boxes or bought banker boxes at office store. Then I bought wallpaper for $2.00 a roll and wrapped each box and lid with the wallpaper (hot glued it on) I store boxes on top of the cabinets in the basement. They are out in plain sight but all match to it looks fine.
Still have a way to go to do the whole house but now I'm motivated to start another room.
Thanks, Ladies
Shelly
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Terrific ideas Shelly!
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I gave away some no longer used electronic items and stored the humidifiers. My mantra is number 8: do something, do something. Tomorrow I'll buy one of those labeling gadgets.
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Well we have really been working on the clutter. I've put some junk up on the interent to sell. I'm having a lady come next week to give us advice on the things of value and how to sell them. I've decided to try reduing the dry sink myself and if it looks really nice might decide to keep it. I know it's at least 200 years old.
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Two years ago, I swept my attic. I found all the treasures I was saving of each of my children. I went to Walmart and bought three extra large plastic containers on wheels. I placed mementos of each child into the containers. If and when they ask for something... Or want to recall something... The container is there for the offering. I cleaned my attic so well and have kept it that way since. I feel especially good when I wander up there to find something and I see the three containers. It is a gift to each of them.... waiting to be unwrapped. My little one is graduating college in a few weeks and I think I'd cry now if I opened his container. His first shoes are in there! He now wears a size 14 shoe and will be an aerospace and nuclear engineer. Where did the time fly to accumulate so much??
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We are kicking butt ladies! I'm so proud of us. I love the ideas, please keep them coming. Back to decluttering now!
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Thanks for all the motivation! I have been busy clearing out all day long. Along with my common areas that have accumulations, I finally tackled an area I usually leave alone: The Desk. Those deep drawers and little cubby holes get stuffed with, well, stuff! In the past I only attack the top surfaces. Today I emptied all the drawers, pulled out everything in the cubby holes, and cleared all surfaces. Thank-you ladies for giving me the inspiration I needed to REALLY get to the heart of it.
Now to my next area!
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My best declutter:
3 boxes: 1) keep 2) maybe 3) discard
Clothes i've not worn for 2 years, OUT. Item not used for a year-OUT
If it can be used for more than one thing: keep.
I find that if I completely dump a drawer or closet, I can only return an item that I Know I'll use or love. the rest goes.
It helps to have a place to send it: Salvation Army, resale. And when it's decided, it goes directly to the car to be dropped off when I go by there. No temporary "home" in the garage or another room.
I empty out rooms, too. Just move Everything to another room and gradually refurnish and redecorate the room with it's original stuff (or relocated stuff from other parts of the house) with what I Know I'll need or use.
Since I worked out of my home, I had to use the one touch paper thing. I filed everything. More files but it worked. then I removed all files after 6 mos.
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Well I am really taking this to heart. We are working on the lani now. I'm replanting plants that have out grown their pots. Tossing the topsy turvy away. Keep looking at it and thinking where can I hang it, and how can I water it when it's to heavy to move. We will se where poor hubby and I go from here.
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I just came across this thread as it appeared under active topics, which is a testament to the fact that you are getting organized and coming back to report on progress. I think decluttering can be sign that you are moving on, transitioning to your post-cancer stage.
But I keep thinking of my cousin's mantra "one man's shit is another man's stuff." I always think it would be easier to declutter someone else's house than my own. I have the closets full of clothes that no longer fit, but I'm also jobless which gives me the time to declutter, but also anxious about throwing out clothes just in case I do lose weight and can fit into the clothes again and can't afford to buy new clothes. Also, I rent and the house I'm living in will be put on the market later in the year, so I'm going to have to move and will be forced to pare down my belongings as I'm unlikely to be able to find another apartment with so much closet space.
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My dd had an awful year in 2010, major illness, loss of her beloved pets, within a month of each other, major vet expenses, boyfriend break up, and to top it off, is self employed.
A few weeks ago she began a Major declutter of her home, a lovely 60 year old cottage. LOL, rather than donate, she put the items on the front yard, by the street----within hours, it has all been claimed and removed! I was amazed. Apparently, folks drive around looking for discarded items and claim them. I've heard of dumpster diving, and a TV show about driving around and picking up discarded items in alleys, but not off the front lawn.
The year after I finished treatment/surgeries, I totally decluttered my home and painted the rooms. I redecorated, using the stuff inherited from the in laws and got rid of all the "collections" we had begun as young marrieds, but never used.
I understand the need to "retake" possession of our space and make it our own again, especially with the "new normal".
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iodine, I lvoe your idea. I will be adding items to my front yard with please take signs. I know dad had many things others need and want, just never thought of that.
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