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#148934 - 05/19/08 11:17 AM
Support for the Organizationally-Challenged
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Registered: 08/22/07
Posts: 1761
Loc: Southern Maine, USA
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This is THE year. One of our New Year's goals is to get organized at home and do some very serious de-cluttering. For an organized person as I tend to be, combining two lives at mid-life in a less than large place, has been a huge challenge. I've never lived this way...and neither has he. It took a huge truck to move me here. We had a vinyl shed out back that a storm took down and there's still left overs out there. Inside, we're living in half the space that we could be due to plastic bins, etc. To look at it you'd think I just moved in. I'm so ashamed....and disgusted. We both know there's a psychological effect in coming home to this. We put in a new pellet stove in the living room right after Thanksgiving last year. So everything that could....came out....into the dining room!!! This year we hope to add on a room through the living room. We know this will help somewhat. Anyway, all that just to say....I'm overwhelmed. Part of it is simply having time to do anything at all these days. I'd love to have us share some tips on Spring cleaning, decluttering and the like. HELP!!!!!
_________________________
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane ~ Jimmy Buffett
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#148935 - 05/19/08 04:29 PM
Re: Support for the Organizationally-Challenged
[Re: ladyjane]
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Registered: 04/15/07
Posts: 1341
Loc: Sweden
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If you can´t use it..loose it. A friend told me this once and I use the thought when I can get down to cleaning out clutter..it´s toughest with my beloved books..but I do try. Someone else once told me..if you haven´t used it within the year..then you don´t need it..or was it within it 5yrs..I don´t remember. Perhaps you can set your own limit. It really does help! GOOOOOD Luck!!!!
_________________________
"some sacred place.."
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#148936 - 05/19/08 05:10 PM
Re: Support for the Organizationally-Challenged
[Re: humlan]
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Da Queen
Registered: 07/02/03
Posts: 12025
Loc: Alabama
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This is one of my favorite subjects, next to finance, so I'll try and find some good resources for you, or just give my two cents worth. In the meantime, if you have a lot of books and you don't want to go to the trouble of selling them on "half-off.com" (is that right Princess?) or Ebay, or anywhere else (I sold a lot of books on Amazon)...then you could try this site: http://www.paperbackswap.com/It's free to join (for now) and all you do is assume the cost of shipping the books someone might want (usually around 2.16). It's a great way to get rid of books and GET books if you want them. I'll see what else I can find. I applaud you for taking action!
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#148939 - 05/19/08 05:52 PM
Re: Support for the Organizationally-Challenged
[Re: jawjaw]
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Member
Registered: 01/16/07
Posts: 3404
Loc: USA
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Quote:
http://www.paperbackswap.com/
This is a swapping site, so you would accumulate credits if you didn't request books. Send the books to me, instead - (gims says with twinkles in her eyes while she rubs her hands in anticipation).
You can donate books to your local library, then they can sell them to raise money for their system.
You can take them to a charity thrift store, but don't look at their things (which are at mere pennies on the dollar), or you might be taking more stuff home with you.
You can give them to a children's group (i.e. girlscouts) or a church for a fund raiser (i.e. yard sale) they might be having.
You can www.freecycle.com them, or www.craigslist.com them.
But, never throw them away.
As for the tubs... unload one a day, after creating boxes for: 'keep and store' 'give away' 'throw away' 'do not know what to do with just yet' and of course, 'to be put up'...
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#148940 - 05/19/08 06:02 PM
Re: Support for the Organizationally-Challenged
[Re: gims]
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Member
Registered: 12/30/05
Posts: 3027
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Jane could you have a yard sale...we call them garage sales here. think how grand it is to have your stuff together call it LOVING CLUTTER .better than being lonely.. On a serious note .."a place for everything and everything in its place." I was reared like this..lived like this and hit a clutter phase a while back.Craft projects teaching materials home..I used my sons room whilst he travelled..then it like Topsy grew..into too much.So day by day I spent the odd half hour...took stuff to the charity shops..gave teaching stuff to a newbie..and like Edelweiss says have some thing in your hand only once. Good luck. Mountain ash
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#148941 - 05/19/08 06:16 PM
Re: Support for the Organizationally-Challenged
[Re: Mountain Ash]
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Registered: 04/15/07
Posts: 1341
Loc: Sweden
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I don´t get it..have something in your hand only once...??? . I am serious here..what do you gals mean??? MountainAsh and EW.. I am probably exposing myself here..so if you are imagining stacks of books in the bedroom..and bookshelves in the livingroom..you are looking at the reality. So that´s why I probably don´t understand this..only in the hand once thing..but please explain!!!!
_________________________
"some sacred place.."
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#148943 - 05/20/08 12:06 AM
Re: Support for the Organizationally-Challenged
[Re: Edelweiss]
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Da Queen
Registered: 07/02/03
Posts: 12025
Loc: Alabama
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Here is a woman that sends out a newsletter I enjoy. http://zines.webvalence.com/sites/Clutter_Challenge/current.htmlI think you might glean some things from her newsletter and don't forget to read the archived ones. Here's the thing. Can you let go? If so, then do what someone else suggest. Put three baskets down (use clothes baskets or any kind of box) and label them STORE, DONATE, TOSS. As Di says he hubby tells her, use it up, wear it out, throw it out. HAHAHAHAH.... I used this same method on my work desk. EVERYTHING has somewhere to go...a distribution, of sorts. Where does item X go? What good is it? Is it serving a worthwhile (to you) purpose? If not, do you know of someone who could benefit from it? And if the answer is no, toss it. Don't forget to be eco-friendly if you toss! Go to http://earth911.org/ and put in your zip code. Then you can find a Recycling or Re-Use Location.
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#148944 - 05/20/08 08:10 AM
Re: Support for the Organizationally-Challenged
[Re: jawjaw]
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Member
Registered: 12/30/05
Posts: 3027
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"In your hand once"...the dry stone wall (dykes in Scotland) builders have a saying..."Never pick up a stone twice" meaning plan and plan again. Suppose they lay the stones out and know from experience what goes where. After I read this for the first time I though how it applied to mistakes,,that we should learn and not pick up the same mistake. I like old sayings and disect them in my mind until they explain themselves. Mountain ash
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#148948 - 05/21/08 07:28 PM
Re: Support for the Organizationally-Challenged
[Re: jawjaw]
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Registered: 08/22/07
Posts: 1761
Loc: Southern Maine, USA
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Really there isn't a problem because he wants to as badly as I do but it's getting him into that mode to really start something. Right now the poor guy is so busy detailing all his bosses cars and doing some landscaping, plus working a day job. Half the problem for me is so little time to really accomplish. I've used the link you gave me, JJ (thank you!). One suggestion is just a few minutes at a time, i.e. 20 minutes....do something, accomplish something, anything that clears a corner or space and divide into boxes.
_________________________
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane ~ Jimmy Buffett
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#148949 - 05/21/08 08:04 PM
Re: Support for the Organizationally-Challenged
[Re: ladyjane]
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Founder
Registered: 07/09/08
Posts: 23647
Loc: Maryland
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LJ, we've taled about this here before. I took the idea nf one drawer, or one closet, or bin at a time. I got my kitchen done that way in a snap. I could so some drawers or cabinets in 10 minutes and others it took about an hour to go through and sort.
The other suggestion about making piles also works. That's how we did Mom and Dad's house before they sold it. We had a pile for trash, Goodwill, and then each child had a pile, and the rest Mom and Dad kept. It worked beautifully. Whenever we went to help Mom and Dad, we'e take out the trash, take a bag to Goodwill, and end up bringing some of our very old stuff home with us. But it sure cleaned out their house and made me get my act together at my home so I wuoldn't accumulate things either.
What is bothering you the most? Is it the kitchen, a closet, certain drawers? Start with one little project and attack it. You might be surprised how little time it actually takes.
Now get started. You didn't know you just hired a bunch or get organized coaches, did you?
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