I have had some special requests for this site.
So I have posted a picture of the desk area. Note that the papers that were piled on the printer are gone and the pile of papers in the stacker has decreased.
To some this may not look neat but this is as good as it gets in my place. What you can't see is almost a whole file drawer thinned out and shredded. I find having the shredder right next the desk makes it easier to keep the paper down to a minimum.
Another request made by a follower, is can he post a before and after picture. By all means, we need successes here to show others that there is hope and the clutter can be manageable.
Lastly, someone posted that he needed tips on getting rid of the clutter in his mind. I can definitely relate to this issue. Any tips that my followers can suggest that worked for you, please let us all know. I find that if I can get the outside uncluttered and organized, my thoughts get more organized and and some thoughts actually disappear altogether. I do find list writing very helpful in getting some of the things out of my mind at least ,if not accomplished altogether.
Today, I have something exciting to report. They say a picture is 1000 words so here you go.....
At times I wondered whether I would ever get out of this mountain of paper mostly, and various and sundry items scattered all over.
Shortly after my last post, I took off on a fabulous cruise to the Caribbean.
When I returned, there was a pile of mail, mostly more junk mail. I also had some business to take care of before I could embark on operation clean up. I know, you are saying, excuses, excuses, just another stall, putting off the inevitable clean up.
Gee, I could only trip over that suitcase so long before I moved it out of the way, still packed. After recuperating from the trip for a few days, eventually the clothes were laundered and put away.
Now for the biggie....the papers by my desk, in the living room, kitchen and the bedroom had to be dealt with.
I'm proud to say, I've finally accomplished what I thought was nearly, impossible...My place is finally neat.
The question is, will I be able to maintain, this clutter free living...at least what can be seen. I can't throw everything out! I still have some treasures in the closet and some of the drawers. Well, I never said I was perfect, did I?
I put out a challenge to you readers since it is the first day of spring, so I was taught. For some reason that date was changed to a day earlier by some scientists. I still maintain the 21st of March as being the spring equinox, as I was taught by my teachers many years ago. Scientists are never wrong or are they? I mean it is all theory isn't it??
You are free to post a picture on this site. Keep it clean!
How are my fellow clutterholics doing today? Do you have any victories to share, confessions, including pics or tips to post? Whatever is shared in this blog, stays in this blog, this is a safe place until it is posted.
I have not got to all, ok most of my clutter. in fact, I've contributed more paper, more dropped clothing on the bed and the table. I did get to some of the papers and even shredded some papers. Now I have even MORE PAPERS laying everywhere.
I need to sort through then asap because there are duplicates of my travel documents.
Years ago, I read a book that I could identify with. The book was "I hate to House Keep Book" by Peg Bracken. In the book,Peg categorized house keeping types. Although I do not recall the other names, I was called "Sarah Sporadic".
Sarah, flits from room to room and never gets anything completed. Like me she thinks of something to do in another room, or begins another area of the room.
I have yet another problem, the nice thing to say is getting sidetracked. "Sidetracked Susie" There are many things I can to do other than deal with the clutter. I call this being sidetracked by strolling down memory lane, when I find some notes or writing that I decide to read. Also I will make a phone call, or in this instance I am posting on my blog. Could this be avoidance? I think so
How about you reader? Do you avoid doing anything at all because it is just plain overwhelming and you don't know where to start? Do you get sidetracked as well?
I am attempting to recover from a life long habit of cluttering/hoarding. In this blog I will share my known pitfalls and some lessons I have learned. Basically what has worked and what didn't work.
How will this blog stand apart from the many books, articles,organizational programs about cluttermania? I will be taking you, as it were into the very depths of my experience. I am, just like some of you, stuck in the mire, quicksand of clutter taking over my life. Just as this blog is a work in progress, so is my recovery from this illness/personalty quirk.
Since I have not chosen to go the "personal organizer route", as is the popular trend at present, I'm winging it alone and with some of my readers' assistance. I want this to be an interactive blog. Your comments and tips will be most welcome and eagerly accepted by this writer and possibly other readers.
Since this is a program of honesty and bearing all as it were; there will be photos of some of the chaos and clutter in my home. I will also share my victories and successes and also my failures/relapses.
My objective is to not only have a clutter free and organized place but also to have a clutter free and restful mind.
Now I realize that this may seem like a tall order; but if you don't dream big you will never reach big goals.
How many you have said in the past, after a major clean up, "it will never happen again." "From now on I will put things away where they belong" If I could just start all over again, have a fresh start, I would keep my place neat and clutter free". "When I have my own place, with more space, I will keep my new place clutter free and organized."
I did start off in my new place with the finest of intentions. The first week, I contacted California Closets and had a custom built closet organizer installed. There is a place for sweaters, shoes, purses. skirts and tops and even a partitioned sock drawer. This should have and would have worked but I had/still have too much of everything. The purse shelves filled up and had to spill over to the shelves meant for store shoes. The truth of the matter is I have too many of everything! ....I haven't even touched on my crammed bookshelves!
You the readers and fellow/lady (gotta be politically correct here) sufferers will take this journey with me, sharing our sorrows and our joys together.
Together we will conquer this malady!
