RE: Clutter before and after photos?

[Guest guest]

Yep, I'm serious -- *this time*. Like weight loss and fitness goals,

clutter control seems to float to the top of my new years'

resolutions list every year, then sink to the bottom shortly after.

But those weight loss and fitness concerns are now under control, so

it's time to tackle the clutter in earnest!

I, too, grew up dreadfully poor. My body, for quite a bit of my life,

reflected the hoarding I did, against the days, weeks, and months

during which food was in short supply. Clearly, I did an excellent

job of storehousing that scarce commodity. LOL -- except it really

wasn't all that funny. And the clutter is another form of hoarding

against the day I felt might come, when (to use your examples) paper,

paper clips, gardening equipment, and sometimes even ideas might not

be available. It all seems silly now: there's no way, really, to

predict shortfalls, and it often seems that the very items we choose

to hoard are those we find in overabundance. Hence, the fat. Hence,

the piles of papers....

It seems a big part of clutter reduction has to do with readjusting

our views of the world and our place in it. Refining our perspectives

on what constitutes " abundance " is key, I'm thinking. And that's no

small feat. More head work, to complement the body work we've been

doing of late. No wonder we want to avoid the task!

Melody

> Boy Melody - you're really serious about this. I don't know if I

can do

> it! Honestly this clutter thing is replacing weight as my number one

> issue! My problem is that I agree with you about the peace and

harmony

> of simplicity and tidiness, but I just HATE dealing with it.

>

[Guest guest]

LOL, I am anal retentive. I keep all my dry foods organized in Tupperware

containers just like they show in the Tupperware catalogs, my Tupperware woman

even took a picture of my cabinets to show other dealers! Rubbermaid is my

demi god in the basement where I have minimal shelving holding up bin after bin

of my art kits I use at school- clearly marked. I am afraid if I took pictures

it might freak you all out! lol the teachers at school call me the Cardboard

Queen because I cut up boxes and make them just the right size for what I want

to carry inside them and make a place for it on my supply shelves. Clearly

marked with colored sticker tape. I am my mother's child. My father is the

polar opposite in clutter. People tell me I should hire out my skills.

Clutter before and after photos?

Hey, maybe we should hatch a plan... What if we all took photos of

our most cluttered area in the house, uploaded them for public

display, and worked toward being able to present a more

orderly " after " photo by a certain date?

Anyone in on this? I will if you will....

Melodye

>

[Guest guest]

*on her knees, bowing and scraping*

I'm not worthy! LOL

Melody

PS Come throw me a lifeline, Cardboard Queen!

> LOL, I am anal retentive. I keep all my dry foods organized in

Tupperware containers just like they show in the Tupperware catalogs,

my Tupperware woman even took a picture of my cabinets to show other

dealers! Rubbermaid is my demi god in the basement where I have

minimal shelving holding up bin after bin of my art kits I use at

school- clearly marked. I am afraid if I took pictures it might

freak you all out! lol the teachers at school call me the Cardboard

Queen because I cut up boxes and make them just the right size for

what I want to carry inside them and make a place for it on my supply

shelves. Clearly marked with colored sticker tape. I am my mother's

child. My father is the polar opposite in clutter. People tell me I

should hire out my skills.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Yowser!

Did anyone *read* all those books?!?

Congratulations on losing the clutter -- all of it. LOL.

Melody

> >

> > Hey, maybe we should hatch a plan... What if we all took photos

of

> > our most cluttered area in the house, uploaded them for public

> > display, and worked toward being able to present a more

> > orderly " after " photo by a certain date?

> >

>

> OMG, ROFLMAO. I could repost pictures of my " home " with my ex-

> husband. I'd WIN any clutter contest. Geez. LOL. The way I

lived

> the last year or so. I have no idea how I did it. I guess I did

> because I had to.

>

> Here...for those that haven't seen it...

>

> http://www.geocities.com/dbookmaam/homesweethome.htm

>

> It may need at " l " at the end. Not sure. But if you think your

> house is cluttered. Take a look-see.

>

> The best thing? I'm OUTTA there and the ex (Colonel Combover as

> Rich and I call him) still lives there.

>

> K

[Guest guest]

Melody

EXACTLY! That alone is enough!!!!!

>

> Maybe just the fear of being exposed is enough...LOL.

>

> Melody

>

> > > > >

[Guest guest]

> Did anyone *read* all those books?!?

Nope. Just a compulsive obsessive collector.

> Congratulations on losing the clutter -- all of it. LOL.

The biggest " piece " of clutter was about 230 lbs. LOL.

[Guest guest]

My problem with Rubbermaid is that it just becomes a bigger version

of my junk drawer...and an extension of my messy closets. Sigh. I'm

working on that this year, I swear!

Melody

> Rubbermaid is the way to go. My mother owns stock in the

company... she

> says it is doing quite well..... I say it SHOULD, I think I buy

more

> than any other single costumer!

>

>