Not quite a horder - decluttering
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My DH and I are in our late 50's. I also have a very odd sense of humor. I've thought of putting some real stupid stuff--like butter tub tops in a box, tape it up, write something like "fragile" and leave it in the attic and let my adult children find it after we die. At the bottom of the box, I'd have a note--"gottcha." They would get my crazy sense of humor.
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DH drove a carload of junk from the cellar to the city drop off site today. Made a big dent in the clutter level but there's still a lot of work to do...
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Fair warning: If you're going to spend half a day cleaning out drawers and boxes filled with old stuff, don't play anything by "Secret Garden" as background music.
otter
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Any suggestions for decluttering bedside table drawers? This subject isn't covered in the decluttering book I bought.
I'm having a hard time with these drawers. The bedside table contains two DEEP drawers containing bottles of aspirin, tylenol, tums, magnesium, etc., sleep masks, chapsticks, hand lotion, remote control batteries, the four remote controls, a hypnosis sleep tape and taperecorder. Then of course the paper and pen to make lists...
In magazines I see people with really spare bedside tables. Where do they keep their bedside "essentials"?
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Hi Luci,
It's always easier to help with someone else's clutter, so this is no indication that I don't have my own to deal with, but I try to keep my bedside organized so that my sleep can be restful. Here's a few thoughts for you:
1. Do you actually take these meds at night? Do you have water on your bedside table? If not, move them to a more appropriate place.
2. How many of each of these items do you need? For instance, you can't wear more than one sleepmask at a time...at most keep two (although one of those would usually be in the wash). If you have more than one bottle of any one thing, combine them, or move the extra to another place. Only one chapstick at a time (unless you've about finished one, then two, but finish the first before you open the second). For any one battery type, only keep enough batteries to make a single replacement in one of your four remotes. Then replace the extras the next day.
3. Consider adding organizer pieces to the drawers. Small baskets, dividers so that those deep drawers are organized for the things you want in there (instead of being "enclosed piles--ask me how I know!): flashlight, remotes, reading material, tissues, meds/supplements (if you decide to keep them there), paper/pencil, lotion, chapstick (not more than two at a time--and only when you've about used one up--otherwise just one).
I have a skirted table for my bedside, but I have a basket under the tablecloth for things I don't want to have visible there.
HTH,
LisaAlissa
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Patty, my own brother had to point out the obvious to me-get shelving-so sometimes that's what it takes, another's observant eye to find a solution. Years ago I took secretarial classes and picked up a few tips...the secretary at our elementary school color coordinates to keep first-grade teachers stuff separate from second, and kindergarten, ect.
Lisa, you offer great tips to declutter drawers.
I also make use of zip lock bags. All my receipts for 2011 go in a zip lock bag and I used a big sharpie to mark "receipts 2011". I keep coupons in a ziploc bag. The bags come in all sizes, so sometimes I use a tiny one for some miscellaneous stuff like paper clips, twist ties, thumb tacks, small nails and screws. They're clear so you can see the contents at a glance.
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I am probably older than most of you, but does anyone remember Dad's workshop or basement? Baby food jars with a various screws, nails, etc very neatly lined up on the work bench or shelf. The plastic bag sorting reminds me of it. Clear, so you can see what is inside.
For small items you can ask your pharmacist for Rx pill bottles - but don't ask for a dozen at a time... Mine will give me 3-4 at a time. They are not clear, but you can pop the top to see what is inside and they will not tear like plastic baggies can with things like screws in them.
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True confession: sometimes it takes time:
Last April (2010), I finally tackled three rooms and a hallway that were FILLED with outdated stuff that me, my DH and DS had outgrown.Our house was big enough to hold this junk (at one time it was a duplex) without being in the way, we had plenty of other rooms. But it just wasn't right. I had to face my old memories, clear the clutter, decide what to keep and what was junk. I began to go thru a box or section at a time, little by little. It took me 6 long weeks of spare time, 6 trips to Goodwill plus 6 weeks of very large trash piles left for the garbage man to get these rooms under control.
I managed to condense our memories to one room, using old shelving, an old desk and table, some pretty cardboard boxes. I kept the stuff that I felt was really important- childhood toys of my son, books, ect. I got rid of actual junk that meant nothing but I was trying to hold on to the past. It was emotional but cleansing. And I kept the right memories.
With that done, we were able to knock a wall down between the two other rooms to create a large room. In his spare time,it took the next year for DH to strip wall paper, repair plaster, add electric, paint. Now we have a large, lovely carpeted room with some exercise equipment in it. Okay, I haven't exercised in it yet. But DH and DS have.
My moral of the story is that sometimes, even if you need an overhaul, just do it one drawer, one boxful at a time. Even if you can only do something in your spare time, it can get accomplished a little at a time.
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Thanks for all the tips. I'm going through a suitcase full of papers and odds and ends that I found in the cellar. I'm halfway through disposing stuff. Took a break and cleaned my windows. Hopefully I'll be done with the suitcase and the windows by tomorrow.
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Lisa, Teka and Divine and all,
Boy, are you right that it takes somebody else to look at our messes to figure them out. Thank you for the objective appraisal. I can't believe I thought it was "essential" to have all that stuff cluttering up my bedside table drawers. After hearing your questions and suggestions I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't ask myself those questions.
After having joint pain and stomach distress for years, I got in the habit of keeping my remedies next to the bed. Even tho I no longer have those complaints, I still hoarded them in case of an unforeseen night time emergency. I wonder how many horders start like that??
Thanks to you guys, I emptied the drawers onto the bed, put 75% of the stuff in other rooms in appropriate cabinets and now I can actually see the TV remotes.
Geez, it's amazing how de-cluttering something you look at every day can cheer you up!
Thanks again,
Lucy
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I just stumbled on this thread today. I live in a small appartment, it fills up so quickly. I've had three surgeries since Oct. 2011 and I can't seem to get my little corner of the world presentable again. I need a file cabinate and just don't buy one cuz I don't know where to put it or what size to get. (I hate buying things I can't lift or move around.) It's going to look big and out of place no matter where it goes. But I have paper up the whazoo! I have a box I've started putting all my medical stuff into. It could fill a file cabinate drawer. I have magazines I want to read but haven't. I hate to throw them. They are trade magazines for Photoshop and graphic design. Stuff I need to keep up on for work, but they are piling up. Even my bookshelf is running out of room. I hate to take them to Good Will, but maybe I'll have to. Sad to get rid of some of those. I think I need to have a big huge throw-fest and just start thowing stuff away. Find the floor again, find the table top. And my closets....oh dear!!! What has happened to me?
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Hi Faith,
Living overseas in a tiny apartment (1000 sq ft at most) forces one to be creative with space. I scan all my medical records and put all films on DVD. I have not bought a book for 18 months now, only electronic ones for my Sony Reader. I am a professional musician and I also try to buy music scores online, if I can. That way, I only print out what I need and store the rest on my hard disk.
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TokyoSing, that's so wonderfully streamlined to use your scanner!
faithroad, you can purchase "bankers boxes" (cardboard) that are the size if a file cabinet drawer to store your stuff. You can stack them, move them around and they hold lots of stuff. They are not expensive. They have pretty ones at IKEA and Office Max or you can just buy the white ones. They also sell magazine holders that will fit about 12 magazines upright. I used those for my son's Nintendo mags he didn't want to part with. Or just store the mags in a bankers box. Sometimes a trip to a place like Office Max or Staples to see what they offer storage-wise can give you ideas.
Another trick I learned: if you aren't sure you can part with somethings, put them in a box. Write the date on the outside. If, in a year, you haven't used the stuff, get rid of it. Sometimes if you just box stuff up and let it sit for awhile, next time you open the box and look at it, you may be more willing to part with it. I know this happens with me, DH and DS.
It may sound goofy, but I like to store stuff in cardboard boxes that are pretty. I try to stay away from the brown cardboard grocery store boxes. I found red cardboard boxes at IKEA a couple years ago that I stored Christmas decorations in. They weren't heavy like plastic containers and that made it easier to carry up and down stairs. It helped that they were the same color because I could see at a glance which boxes held the Christmas stuff. I got pretty blue flowered boxes to organize other stuff. Even tho at first I felt silly spending money on cardboard boxes, it helped sort out my stuff.
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I just caught up with this thread. What terrific ideas everyone is sharing. I can't wait til this weekend when I'll finally have some free time to do some of these suggestions.
I have hired my DIL as my professional organizer. I pay her $10 an hour, she's a stay at home mom and loves the extra cash and she LOVES doing this kind of work. I can't imagine liking it - she says it relaxes her. Anyway, she and I have gone through so much junk - we had two huge boxes of stuff to shred this weekend and my DH and DS had a huge bonfire so we took the opportunity to add to the bonfire and forego many hours of shredding.
Keep up the good work everyone.
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suwes,
I'm so envious. I would hire your DIL in a minute!
Too bad we're in different states. A second pair of eyes looking at your stuff saves a lot of time.
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She's terrific and when my granddaughter starts school in a couple of years, I'm going to encourage her to open an organizing business!
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TokyoSing - Thank you for your ideas. My appartment is aprox 750 sq. ft. I've often thought about going electronic though I have never thought of scanning all my medical records. genius idea! This may sound like a dumb question....but when you buy Sony Reader or Kindle...are books any more expensive? And do you download them to your computer and have to back them up? Just curious how it all works. Maybe I should google it.
TheDivineMrsM - Thanks for your ideas too! I also like the idea of color coding boxes in my storage cage in our 4-plex basement. and maybe for now just using boxes as file cabinate until I decide what to do for the long-run. There is an IKEA 2 hours from me. But there is an Office Max in my town.
Hmm....now you have me thinking.
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Faithroad and others, make sure where you store the cardboard boxes will never be susceptible to water, like a pipe busting or flooding. Friend of mine had tons of "stuff" stored in cardboard boxes in her basement and, yep, lost most of it because of a flood.
I also love my Kindle. You buy on Amazon and it downloads directly to the Kindle. I believe everything purchased is stored on their servers - I should check that but I'm certain that if you have a problem and have to reset your Kindle that you can then just go to 'manage your kindle' on your account and download them all again. The prices for most books are usually several dollars less than paperback and they also have thousands of books you can download for free.
I'm really happy with electronic books because I don't like keeping a book once I've read it. I do worry about the demise of libraries though - might that be a casualty down the road?
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Patoo and Teka- Thank you for your the info on Kindles. They sound fun. I don't think I can get rid of all my paper books but maybe cut down on the quanity with a Kindle. Also, that's a good idea to think about water damage. I'll probably just use the paper boxes up stairs. I think I can get motivated to this. I'm getting there.
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Great - when you get there, please reach back and pull me along!
Night.
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Teka, I think the real book will become an antique in a few years with everything available on the ipad, i phone, blackberry, computer, kindle, etc. My job when i got married was at Carnegie Library in the periodical room - real newspapers, magazines and journals of all types. Anyone else old enough to remember going to the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature and "researching" info for those term papers? I was the person who helped you.... Some of the info was on microfilm and microfische back in those days, which I thought was very high tech.
Everyone in the US keep cool, Aussies keep warm, as I think you heading into your winter. season.
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Okay,
Are there any rules for throwing out/recycling all that stuff that accumulates under the bathroom sink cabinet? I hate to throw out rubbing alcohol and peroxide just because I haven't used it in three years. I think Oprah actually did a show on this once called, "What's under your bathroom sink?"
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Hydrogen peroxide is in a brown bottle on purpose - light tends to make it useless over time. If it no longer "foams", then it is useless. I do not think rubbing alcohol goes bad unless it has been contaminated - use a new, clean q tip or cotton ball each time you apply it to avoid contamination.
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Great discussion - I just found this website that lists items and their approximate shelf life. As for Hydrogen Peroxide and Rubbing Alcohol, there should be expiration dates on them and you shouldn't use them after the date.
My theory is that if I can't remember how long something has been on the shelf, then toss it. That's my THEORY, in practice, it doesn't always work that way. This is a good project for me this weekend, I'm going to go through the house and throw away all that stuff under the sinks and in my medicine cabinet that hasn't been used in a while.
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I went to Office Max tonight and bought three watertight file boxes!!! And hanging files!!!!
Wheh! One small step!!
GramE, I remember microfilm and microfische!!!
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I'm back to working in the garage this weekend. I have to rearrange and resort some of the stuff that keeps accumulating! My washer/dryer are in the garage so it has to stay as clean as I can keep it. So, guess I'll have to park the car outside and really give it a sweep down.
What does everyone do about the stuff that keeps accumulating on the counter tops, table tops, dresser tops, coffee table mess....? I feel like I need to take a basket and put everything in it and see if it's really valuable to keep. I come in the house and where do I put my mail... yep, on the kitchen counter.
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Samsue - my kitchen table is a "catch-all". Maybe when I get my files set up I can just put things away right away or shortly thereafter. One can dream!
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OK, this has been an exceptionally GREAT week for organizing for me!
First, my mother came to spend the week to help organize papers. She has a great filing system, took my year's accumulated papers and put them into files, labeled them, and now (theroretically) I should be able to find them. It took her a week, working 6-7 hours a day, but I have been able to toss 4 garbage bags of paper or shredded paper!
My mom is the best, and I can trust her with my personal sensitive information. And she is cheap - works for food and entertainment!Secondly, I hired a woman to help organize and deep clean. She is a little expensive, but helped me toss another 3 garbage bags of trash, give away 3 latch-hook rug projects, 2 bags of knitting yarn (I had great ideas of crochetting each of my nieces and nephews a baby afghan, got 3 done, the last of 8 is now in high school - highly doubt I will get his done!), 6 bags of gently used clothing I no longer fit into, and 2 boxes of greeting cards and craft materials; she will deliver these to a preschool, two nursing homes, a senior center, and our local charity. She is coming back in a couple of weeks to do another 2 days of sessions. I can see my desk top and the floors!!!!!
(just can't quit smiling!)In both cases, I am using clear storage boxes, grouping things together. I can now see that one box contains photos, one contains old 35 mm slides, one contains quilting supplies, one contains craft supplies, one contains greeting cards from friends that I will read and respond to, etc. Old files from banks, retirement accounts, and health-related go into a file cabinet if they are within the last year or so, otherwise go into clear filing boxes to be stored in the atic or basement (pastic boxes will protect papers in floods!).
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Samsue and others, yes, my kitchen table is a problem. What I have found is that this is where I work, so things gravitate to it, and never leave. I THINK this will be better now that my REAL desk has been found and my files are set up to easily file papers into when I am done. Everything has a real home now. Let's see if this is true in a few weeks - test the system, so to speak. I will let you know how it is working.
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n3ypb, I think it was an excellent idea to hire someone to organize and deep clean. It sounds like this person really helped you purge what you didn't need plus how wonderful that so much stuff can be recycled for someone else's use.
I'm a believer in furniture with drawers or doors. In my living room, I have a waist-high dresser that blends in nicely with the decor. The phone sits on top and a tiffany lamp. It has three long and three short drawers. One drawer holds paper, pencils and phone book. One drawer holds all school work from DS that I want to save. When the school year's up, I put the stuff in a box and start anew. One drawer holds extension cords.ect. And of course a miscellaneous drawer to sweep in any clutter that gets collected that I'm not sure what to do with. I have another small dresser at the entrance of my front door with two large drawers. DS uses it that to hold his miscellaneous stuff, car keys, wallet, school papers, ect.
I once had a beautiful hutch in my kitchen (have since remodelled). I never used it to display beautiful china--wasn't my style. I covered the glass doors with beautiful fabric on the inside, and used the hutch to store paperwork, envelopes, school supplies, ect. No one ever really knew, it just sat in the corner looking pretty, but it was so functional.
So think "outside the box" when looking for ways to store things.
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