RE: Removing Clutter (Full Version)

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shivvy -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/11/2008 11:10:11 PM)

clutter is just something else to dust... the less the betta[:)]



ownedgirlie -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 1:55:28 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Aileen1968

I read somewhere that everyone should remove 1/3 of their belongings from their lives and their stress levels would drop dramatically.  Are you a saver or a thrower and how would you describe your personality?



I'm a thrower.

My ex husband used to pack rat everything, and the clutter drove me nuts.  However, after I filed for divorce, the ex cleaned my house out of everything I've ever owned, all the way down to baby pictures.   I've never gotten it back.  Included in that stuff was my Dad's entire music collection.  He had just died a few months earlier.  The event was devastating. 

But what I learned from it is that they are just "things."  Things do not matter.  As my Master said, "For all those years, he (my ex) was taking your life.  Now you have your life, and he just has things.  He can never take the love and memories you have with others; he can only take things."

I live rather simply now.  It keeps things easier.  I give a lot of things away now - I find I really don't need them.  It's funny - my ex thought he was hurting me, but he did me a great favor!  Simplicity is a wonderful thing.




CuriousLord -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 2:27:00 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Aileen1968

Are you a saver or a thrower and how would you describe your personality?


Saver.  My poor slave had to help me catigorize hundreds of things before the semester started back up.

And we're both pretty OCD.  Me?  Things have to be perfect.  Her?  Things have to be organized.

I'm three days late leaving for the dorms.



PrizedPosession -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 2:42:19 AM)

i'm a saver. That scene in the breakfast club where Allison dumps all of her stuff out of that bag that's me! i have found socks, belts, dice, lil rubber ducks, everything concievable in my bag. But i don't mind in fact i have a big clean out every few years where i look at everything i saved and try to figure out why i wanted to save it. It's a fun game for me at least.
-bobcat



Maya2001 -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 4:11:04 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: dcnovice


quote:

ORIGINAL: Bound2One

quote:

Packing box 23 (of 34) for a recent office move, I came across a book on decluttering. Couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry.



lol. You gotta laugh. Then toss the book - you obviously never needed it. [;)]



Of course, I packed it. [:)]



I laughed but I am probably one that would have to do the same, and 34 boxes would not even be a 1/4 if  I had to move, I run a business out of my house plus have several hobbies, keep telling myself I need a bigger house  but  would not dare go looking because I know I would have nightmares  packing everything, but if it ever comes down to having to move I think the number of ebay auctions will be skyrocketing



NorthernGent -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 4:38:04 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Aileen1968

I read somewhere that everyone should remove 1/3 of their belongings from their lives and their stress levels would drop dramatically.  Are you a saver or a thrower and how would you describe your personality?



Definitely a thrower in that I only keep what I really need, but then I don't really buy much that I don't really need. I've never been one for pandering to advertising, so I don't collect items/possessions etc.

Clothes is the best example for me - if I haven't worn something for a month, then it means I'm not going to wear it again, so I take them straight down to the charity shop.

Personality? I'm pretty much always on a level - never down, and rarely up - but I find it very useful to keep life manageable.



girlivy -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 5:22:51 AM)

A thrower now!...  After discarding 2 stroage units and a number of closet stuff that hasn't been used OR seen in years!  I once saw a program about the "packrat", after grabing some cheese and crackers, I learned that by holdiing onto items has you either living in the past, OR living in the future, NOT in the here and now.  People hold onto things because they will 1. use them one day or 2. Can Never part with them because of the memory attached.  What a difference I can clearly see now (after the boxes have been lifted) that less "stuff"makes a huge difference. 



caitlyn -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 6:05:23 AM)

Books, music (and things to play music on), fashion related items - prone to excess. Everything else - minimalist. My guess is that artwork is on the minimalist side, because I can't afford artwork.



KinkySoulSearch -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 7:29:03 AM)

A great resource for those who are drowning in clutter is www.flylady.net. The principle of FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) really changed both my inner and outer worlds.

FLYLady has a system for helping people declutter, and then she helps creative, non-linear, easily sidetracked people like me set up easy to follow housekeeping routines. So once you've decluttered, you house stays pretty much under control.

FLYlady's site has about half a million members all over the world...it can be very cornball at times, but FLYLady (a county commissioner in the Carolinas named Marla Cilley) is a lovely woman with a heart of gold.

One of FLYlady's mottoes is "you can do anything for 15 minutes," so she advocates using a kitchen timer when you clean house. It is truly amazing how much you can get done when you're trying to "beat the clock."

Oh, and although FLYlady has a "FLYshop" where she sells housecleaning tools, etc., the site itself is 100% free. You can get her system in book form ("Sink Reflections") on Amazon.com, but again, it's all available free on her website, www.flylady.net.



FullCircle -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 8:19:03 AM)

There is a saying: "Your possessions own you."

Having said that I'm still collecting light bulbs for when the energy Nazis insist we all have to use energy saving ones.

There is this offer at the moment in London called a light bulb amnesty where you can hand in an old light bulb and make a straight swap for an energy saving one. Now considering energy saving ones last longer and are generally more expensive than traditional ones I expect to make a tidy profit from buying old light bulbs in one store and swapping them for energy saving ones in another. Considering there are 28 stores offering this swap I can probably get away with swapping ten light bulbs in each one and then selling them on eBay.

You've always got to be looking for the next business opportunity folks.[8|]



sambamanslilgirl -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 8:29:04 AM)

i'm a little of both however sometimes if i cling to the junk for so long, i forget why i kept it. 

right now i'm a saver with the free stuff i receive from bands (from guitar picks to drumsticks, set lists, cases of free CDs, etc) while sorting out the junk i won't need when i move to Oregon later this year. a lot of this stuff belongs to the ex who doesn't want it back.



DomMeinCT -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 8:34:22 AM)

I always heard that we're separated into "heavers" vs. "hoarders".

At the end of every year, I turn into a "heaver", emptying cabinets/closets/the attic and donating stuff or giving it away through freecycle.org.

I'm a hoarder when it comes to books, mementos, and cards/letters from friends.



Level -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 9:43:50 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: winterlight

i like the japanese way of doing things. there is such simplicity in decorating, gardens...It looks so lovely and simple..


Agreed.....

Sadly, not being Japanese, I can be an accumalater (sp??), but since room is at a premium here, I try to toss shit I don't really need.

Except books.



Level -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/12/2008 9:45:10 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: caitlyn

Books, music (and things to play music on), fashion related items - prone to excess. Everything else - minimalist. My guess is that artwork is on the minimalist side, because I can't afford artwork.


What about buying prints?



batshalom -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/13/2008 3:05:33 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: dcnovice


quote:

ORIGINAL: Bound2One

quote:

Packing box 23 (of 34) for a recent office move, I came across a book on decluttering. Couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry.



lol. You gotta laugh. Then toss the book - you obviously never needed it. [;)]



Of course, I packed it. [:)]




~chuckle~ You may very well be the cutest thing ever.

I am a thrower in most cases. I hate superfluous junk cluttering up my spaces. I am, however, horribly sentimental and keep items that may seem ridiculous like receipts from the coffee shop on a particularly sweet outing.



christine1 -> RE: Removing Clutter (1/13/2008 3:20:58 AM)

i'm a hoarder when it comes to food and water, i have supplies of both just in case something happens, (yes, call me paranoid or prepared, it's a fine line lol).   and i have a million books, i'll never throw a book out....other than that, i toss whatever i can...i can't stand excess junk and papers, etc all over, it stresses me out so i get rid of it.



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