I never thought of "clearing clutter" as a hobby, but I think it should be.

Since cleaning out my parent's home (where they raised five children) to move them to an apartment, I decided ENOUGH of this saving stuff.

That summer I started purging drawers, closets, cabinets, dressers, etc. at my home. It felt so good.

I've learned the trick is not to replace it with new "stuff".

What are yo doing about clutter?

I divorced him....what?

JJ

Funny JJ and so did I but its taken till now to get him and all his darn clutter, junk out of here. Free, free at last. Didn't someone famous say that? Just kidding....

I just recently discovered www.flylady.com. I've had to modify her suggestions to work with my horseback riding and online classes, which prevent me from doing as much housework as she suggests. But her suggestion to spend 15 minutes or so running around with a "To toss" box and "To give away" box each day is a good one.

I am so not looking forward to clearing out my mom's house to sell, which is why it is still not on the market.

I'm usually lost in clutter. Excuse: I'm right brained and file by pile. It's true though.

But other than fighting my way to the surface for air every once in awhile; I pick a drawer/closet/desk top/whatever and:
Pile like items together by whatever criteria works and include a pile of "not now", "too expensive", "yuck", and "?" That pile goes in recycle (in case I really can order that dress from that once in a lifetime catalog.)

The other piles get put with like piles elsewhere.

Sometimes, I sort by what I'm using. Like my knife drawer, yep drawer. I've taken all the knives I've not used this past week and moved them to the deep back. They'll stay there awhile and eventually I'll get rid of them--or buy a small set that will replace them all but my one favorite paring knife, of course.

Hope this helps. It's the only way I get to see any flat surface.

Agate,
I checked out flylady.com and I signed up. I'm definitely suffering from Chaos! Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

With my relatives dropping like crazy, it got me to thinking about the clutter left behind for your family. My poor children! My husband would probably just take boxes to the city dump like he does with his unwanted things. Of course, I'm thinking about clearing the clutter but here I sit at my computer instead. Hmmm

Here's a new career for somebody...

THE CLUTTER MUTHER....(MOTHER, get it?)

Go around and clean out people's clutter. Or you could at least have a presence on the web like the flylady except you wouldn't have to send a bazillion emails like she does...that was my only complaint with her. She is terrific and has tons of good ideas, but my inbox was saturated with her emails...I tired of that very quickly. JJ

JJ,
I didn't realize she did that. I'll give it a try anyway. Maybe she'll "guilt" me into cleaning more! It might work better if she sent the emails to my kids! On second thought, maybe I'll just pass them along to my kids...LOL

Oh I think it will be worth you stay with her if you don't mind the emails....no joke. She is very helpful and has tons of good tips. Tons!

So, don't leave her based on my whining. There is another thing you might want to try in addition to her and that is a book called "Sidetracked Home Executives" or S.H.E. It was written by a couple of women (sisters I think?) a kazillion years ago and they offer a routine for getting organized and cleaning up your home. Pretty smart women. Course it's all common sense when it comes down to it. Which is something I obviously lack! ha!

JJ