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I have had this one room in my house that is used for stuff that has no other place and has been an eyesore for many years. It was so messy I hated to even think about cleaning it. So what I did is get a timer and told myself I would only clean up in there for 10 minutes a day. I could handle being in there for 10 minutes. Although it has taken me a couple of weeks, it is really looking good.
You would be amazed what you can get done in just 10 minutes! It works! And it wasn't painful at all!
I have a room like that. Although there isn't a HUGE mess, every horizontal space (and a tote in the closet) is dedicated to this 'stuff-you-can't-throw-out' materials.
Other than just tossing it into ANOTHER tote, my problem has always been "where to START?!"
That's exactly it! When you just spend 10 minutes you do anything! Pick up a few pieces of paper and throw it away. Put one thing away. It's easier when you know that you aren't doing the entire room, you are doing one or two things. But that's where everything starts. It's one more thing that wasn't done before.
The first day I just picked up a 4 x 4 area. Just scan your room. Zoom on one thing that you know has a place to be put, or goes in the trash and do that. If you do this everyday, it gets better and better and easier. I didn't get to actual dusting, vacuuming and cleaning for 2 weeks, just finding a place for everything at first. Then I had a pile of give away stuff and one day I just put that in the garage- that was my job for that day. Just make it into small manageable jobs. DON'T think of the whole room. Just think of one job at a time. Sometimes it takes 2 or more days just to do that one job, especially since you are only doing 10 minutes a day. But even that one thing needs to be done eventually.
I am now in a place where I am hanging pictures that should have been hung years ago!
LOL. I've been doing this for years. I set the timer and pretend someone
is coming, depending on who it is. Different people coming equals different
methods of cleaning and some get extra cleaning timer time. I'm not one to hide
things under the rug or shove them in a closet. If I have a mess, you're going
to see it unless I have time to tend to it correctly.
"someone is coming" My "pretense" is: the queen is coming and she may want to use your bathroom! Of course she will look in the spare room while she is in there.
That doesn't work. I can try to convince myself of any number of things, but I always fall back on "You KNOW that's not true!" It's tough being a cynic...especially when the one you're trying to 'see through' is yourself!
Okay, how about this method, birds? :-)
A piece of cheesecake is on a pretty little platter waiting just
for you. But you can't have it until you clean the room for fifteen minutes.
Oh my goodness! I 'reward' myself in those little ways, too! For example, I don't turn on the computer until after my Morning Routine has been completed. And, believe me, in a 17 room house, I have a LONG Morning Routine!!
I know what you mean. I do the same all the time! It's very difficult not to do so, isn't it? I always think ... 'ohmigosh! What if somebody NEEDS me?' Then I try to disconnect right after I do a send / receive so that I'm not tempted any further.
Mobi: I especially like your idea of 10 minutes and beyond that a 4 x 4 ft space as goals for clearing & decluttering & reclaiming. Then, desert!
I think you have to prioritize your time. I was a great organizer and accomplisher at work. Now that Im home, I get nothing done and Im overwhelmed at all I have to do. Just to come out even!
This is my strategy, thanks to Mobi: Decluttering impossible spaces - 10 minutes a day. Work on a goal of a 4 x 4 ft. area. Write it in my GOALS. journal. Checklist for doing it.
Priorities: Make a survey. What is eating my time. E-mail? Dave's?
Internet Shopping? What is cluttering up my space? Paper. Books. projects, undone. (Like assembling furniture pieces I saved so much money on - still in the box!). All of this goes in my To Do journal along with my Lists. Grocery Lists. Pay the Bills list. What to get to organize my stuff list.
Rewards: Getting more of what makes me happy. Make a list. Something without calories, something that does not clutter up my space and closets. No more cashmere sweaters. For every item I buy on my rewards list, 10 go out the door. This month Im looking at a paper shredder for my "Reward". Shred the paper. Put it in the compost!
Ok, so birds can't "make believe" the queen is coming. No problem,... the queen dosen't have to . I'm going to be in your area day after tomorrow, and I want to drop by for a visit. No excuses now, ...I'll see ya then. Looking forward to meeting you, and a piece of that cheescake. Yum.
Yeeeeeeoooowwwwwwww!!!!!!! Did ya feel motivation in the pit of your stomach ? Hehe, that always does it for me. Nothing gets me going better than a phone call from someone who wants to just "drop in" for an unexpected visit. Drives me crazy. I can whiz thru things that looked insurmountable for months ,... in minutes. Aren't we funny about that kind of stuff ? You should see me fly, looks like a blurrrr.
Ha ha. I'm not really coming...JUST KIDDING YA. Got too much to do around here, to come see yours.
I'm thinking I have the A.A.A.DD that is mentioned on the Joke and Humor Forum (I'd link it if I knew how) Except when company is coming. Then I seem to get it together pretty quick.
ok, i did several times before this but didn't want to seem needy :-)
i ready that if you invite catherine zeta-jones over to your house she says she'll be there with everyone in tow...that sure would increase the "oh, my god what if someone comes over" thing big time...actually, i feel that way with anyone so while it would make for a good story the anxiety level would still be very high on the chocolate scale!
And on the mention of everyone coming, why is it
your home is spotless for days and days yet not one
person calls or comes by.
The moment I'm rearranging a room while hanging wall
paper while washing bedclothes while sorting laundry
while cleaning out the fridge, here they come.
Nope, still not working. I already know you aren't coming...and when I get those kinds of phone calls...I am a true MASTER...MASTER I tell you...at the stash & dash.
So while I sit here and wait for the motivation to hit me through osmosis, I'll just watch the rest of you work, and see if I can pick up some tips.
Thing is, my house isn't filthy. It's cluttered with the usual (mail, magazines, papers, lists, homework, insurance papers, seeds), but not so you have to step over things. Cluttered as in a petty-annoyance kind of cluttered. I wasn't like this as a kid. I finished with a dish, and it went in the sink...we did dishes...we had routines...it was just "the way it is." You didn't think about there being options like: "I don't really HAVE to do the dishes," because it never crossed your mind that there WERE options.
My problem is that I've thought this whole thing through to the point that "this is not a big deal. There are bigger things in life to worry about than this pile of stuff here." My house does not look like X's home, nor does it look like anything from an episode of "Cops."
Clutter becomes an issue when it's in my way (need to use the coffee table, counter, etc), otherwise, yeah, it bugs me, but not to the point where I feel compelled to DO anything about it most of the time other than just move it to a pile of stuff that I ALSO really just don't know what to do with.
I don't see minor clutter as a life hazard.
I don't see life ending because the (clean) laundry isn't folded.
I don't see life ending if my bed isn't made.
I don't see the 'crisis' in there being a wheelbarrow of weeds in the driveway that hasn't made it's way to the compost pile.
I see life ending if my mortgage isn't paid. Must work.
I see life ending if my winter-sown jugs aren't out of the DH's driveway in AUGUST (therefore, I WAIT til August to clean that mess up).
I am a die-hard procrastinator because I don't see the crisis in having things like deadlines (unless the IRS is involved), and rules that really are mere 'guidelines' for life in general. Sure, it would make things tidier, but until it reaches crisis-mode, there is always something that takes priority.
I have a co-worker that is a 'rule-keeper.' Her kids aren't allowed to step foot across the threshhold of her bedroom. If you need something washed, you start a whole load, and you OWN that load from start to finish, and you do NOT remove anything from the dryer without folding & putting away the entire load. Things like that. Me, I don't see the crisis in this. It's LAUNDRY! My family has clean clothes. The washer is rarely idle. If they are wrinkled because they didn't get folded & put away, we own an iron. It's really no big deal.
Crisis situations:
-"What's that SMELL??!!" (pretty much the definition of any crisis in my house)
-Laundry didn't make it to the dryer- it smells. Must rewash.
-Kid's room has no path to get from one side to the other.
-Walk-in-closet requires a zip-line.
-I own 2 bras, one of which didn't get (hand) washed yet, and the other just got all sweaty from the heat of the day. Must wash at least one.
-Having to go commando.
-Bathroom- this is about the only thing that I regularly clean. Both the main one, and mine.
-Taking the trash out, and there's STILL a smell. Requiring taking out the mop & Pine-Sol (we're a 50% of the time shoes-off household), vacuuming, total clutter cleanup (I do THIS about once a month, actually)
-Water in the basement
-No oil for heat/hot water
-The kitchen sink won't drain
-I have no room in the fridge for this thing (prompting an impromptu cleaning of THAT)
-Open fridge door "What's that SMELL??!!"
-Open ANY door: "What's that SMELL?!"
-Cat puked.
So you see, this is the problem. Until it/anything reaches crisis mode, it is likely that there is something that can and will take priority over housecleaning & cooking. I have often thought that it would be totally different if I was a SAHM...because on Saturdays, I usually AM in the mood to clean for a couple hours first thing in the morning. During the week, forget it.
Candyce, 17 rooms? My gosh. I thought I had
it bad with 13. I suppose you could say 10, actually,
if you consider the living room, kitchen and dining room
are all one giant room.
You all are making me feel much better. I'm not so nuts after all.
Yeah, wuvie (Karen), 17 freaking rooms!! We live in what used to be a bed & breakfast so it's huge! Each child has their own bedroom. We have a craft room, a kids entertainment room, a grown ups entertainment room, three complete bathrooms, even two rooms that are just for the adults to escape to when the kids get to be too much!!!
So, I HAVE to have some sort of a routine in place to keep it all under control. If there were no routines at all, I'd be in big trouble, because it can all get out of hand really quickly.
Yeah. I have 10+ rooms also. But I only make a mess in two rooms, with the overflow to 2 others.
Birds: Its a matter of priorities. If you are clear to yourself about your priorities, then there is no reason for guilt or scurrying to stay on a schedule. As for me, I would like to find a pair of shoes that match . . . without spending the whole morning making a pile of single shoes my puppy has ruined.
Good point, Gloria. I hadn't thought of it that way. Yes, there is ALMOST enough room for everything, but I still need a place for 'just my' crafting. The craft room is really an RC room with model car parts and engines all over it in various stages of repair and dis-repair. They kinda mess up my card making and scrapbooking supplies, you know?
So most of my crafting stuff is in my bedroom. I don't like it there at all because it takes up a whole lot of room. I am really wishing to make my bedroom, (which I share with no one BTW), into a real sanctuary. After three years in this house, I'm still working towards that goal!
Oh, and I still need a room that the cats can't get into for all of my early spring sowing for the garden plantings.
Birdsnblooms, I'm with you on this one; I was taught to be a fanatical housekeeper, but the older I get, the more I realize that there are many more important projects than a perfected house. But, hired help never did please me either. Every day I am asked by my dear mother, "Well, what did you do today?" Not interested in any other subject but merely how long did I scrub and on what? Life is too short not to enjoy the roses...and in regard to cooking: my dh tells everyone our oven was stolen. I've never met a sagittarian who liked cooking. :) :) But, my daughter-in-law says every item/object has its place; I agree with that and hate clutter as well; I guess we all just have to find our happy medium. :)
Candyce: Ive been in my house since 1987. Im still trying to get bathrooms upstairs repaired so I can move up there. I am still sleeping (by myself, well with Roscoe my dog) in a room I wanted to be my workshop. Well, at least I do own my own home. that's more than most people can say. Now just to be able to move into it and live in it!
I gotta agree about the priorities. Some things can just wait.
I don't mind a little clutter here and there. But at a certain point, I can't stand it. Being organized was never one of my best qualities, I generally have to work at it.
I get all stressed out when I get stuff so jumbled up that I can't find things. When I spend more time looking for my disorganized items, I know it would take so much less of my time if I could just get it all organized and where it is supposed to be. But, like I said, that's a big effort for me, it just dosen't come natural and I have to really work at it.
It's a never ending battle. DH grew up in a household with 7 kids, and his mom was a super-organized person. She had it all down to the T. Guess she had to with 7 kids. Nothing was ever out of it's proper place.
I have a super-organized friend. His desk is always clean. Where is his work? His whole life is this way. He owns a corporation with offices in 5 different states. Now all Ive got is this house on 2.5 acres.
I asked him once how he got so organized. He said, "My mother was a Nazi!"
I learned a lot from my Mom. But keeping a house and an organized life was not one of them. Im still trying, at 65+.
There must be a way when being organized was not part of your early-learning repertoire.
See this is where I don't get it...these super-organized people...do they not get MAIL??? Do they not have HOBBIES which require them to keep several issues of several magazines & catalogs...or go to the beach and need reading material? Do they not have insurance notices for medical & dental bills, bank statements, insurance policies, tax returns...all forms of paper that if the IRS DID decide to knock on their door, that they could provide it?
Gardeners have STUFF! We *need* catalogs. We *need* disposable tupperware for our seed-drying...
People who are paranoid that it's-been-a-REALLY-long-time-that-I've-been-on-the-planet-and-I-haven't-been-visited-by-the-IRS-yet have at LEAST 7 years of paperwork to justify their financial existence for this same period of time. Enough to fill up at least 1 30-gallon tote of file folders (because I really don't want to look at a file cabinet, so I put it in file folders in a tote, and hide the tote away in a closet...it's all organized, mind you...)
I often wonder what my DH's 92 year old grandmother does with all her paperwork. She lives VERY modestly in your stereotypical senior apartment with no possessions. No car, so no garage, and all that that entails. She's in the hospital often...you can't tell me that there isn't a plethora of paperwork from insurance companies, Medicare, hospitals, etc SOMEWHERE...records of prescriptions...that sort of thing. Get my point here? How is it that many seniors are able to live extremely modestly with no possessions, when a lot of us just plain have STUFF! Kids toys, kids stuff, several pairs of boots for whichever activity, coats the same, camping equipment, coolers, tools, household STUFF, a few knick-knacks, a computer table with computer STUFF...
I guess that's the part I need to get back to. I did find the "if you don't use it or love it, get rid of it" part very satisfying.
Until there was the "I know if I get rid of this thing that I never use, I'll need it the minute it's gone".
I'll admit to being a bit anal about my organizing. Everything has a place.
It all began when my kids were little. I could not stand a toybox full of
loose things. Lego blocks, marbles, playing cards, Cootie Bug arms and legs, ugh!
I began buying little plastic shoeboxes and labeling them.
The kids are older now, but I've never lost my lust for plastic. The pantry is
full of plastic organizers with drawers for everything, even a drawer just for instant
oatmeal and grits, a drawer for Ramen Noodles, tubs with lids for other things
such as gravies, soups and sauces. In the bedroom closets, same thing. Drawers
for handkerchiefs and head turbans, drawers for hair accessories, you name it,
it has a plastic container in this house. I've even injected myself into hubby's shop.
Plastic tubs for everything, and labeled neatly.
It really took off when I quit smoking years ago. Instead of buying cigarettes when
I went to the store, I would buy at least one plastic container of some sort. Anything.
A tub here, a tub there, and soon I'll have the pets labeled and put away, too.
Briefly, I had to move out of my house into an apartment. My apartment was like WUVIE describes. So was my office at work. But, then I moved into my REAL house. WAH! What do I need? What don't I need? I have no idea because Ive never really lived here yet. This is the rest of my life that I have to organize here.
Birds: It took me a while to figure out, but in some cases you don't have to pay income tax after 65. Buy a shredder. The IRS is not coming!
Oh my gosh, Gloria, if I had to move, I would cry. I hate to move!
"I've never really lived here yet." How true! It takes a long time for one's
home to become 'lived in', and even then, there is still moving around within
the walls. The longer we live here, the more organized I get, but I would still
like to convince hubby to get rid of many things.
Well I did cry when I had to move into that apartment. My house would probably be more livable than it is, if not for that diversion. Also, a lot of junk in my house is "apartment junk". It doesn't really belong here. One day, maybe it will all be sorted out. It is a major life accomplishment, sort of like getting married, to claim one's space and make it into a home that is a self-expression - - - instead of a mess.
I like to think of the things I do as giving extra hugs to my family. They all know I love them, because I sure say it often enough!! But when I take three minutes to clear off the kitchen counter, or throw away the junk mail on the way into the house, or even declare that Thursday night is leftover night - find what you want to eat in the 'fridge, even the smallest member (who will be one tomorrow) feels the extra love.
I don't look at what I do is any other way. If I did, I'd run screaming for the hills! LOL
candyce- thanks for that reminder...that's EXACTLY how I feel when the DH goes to the fridge and something HAS materialized since the last time he was there, or I change the tp roll, or the counters are clean...cuz I know he likes to see the tidy...
And, even if I KNOW that the other family members don't often notice what I've done - I KNOW. What's really funny is when they DO notice, and then go on to do something that they think will give ME a hug!!
Hubby and I are tossing around the idea of my going to work,
but I think deep down, he would rather have the house neat and
tidy than the extra cash.
His bed is made daily, the laundry stays done, the house is Hoovered
every day, and I do windows. I also mow, weedeat, dig ditches and
fix things. Ha! A full time job would take all that away and someone
has to do it.
I am the chief cook and bottlewasher for the family. OK, so I am really the grandma who stays at home and takes care of the younger children so that my daughter and her DH can work.
Some days it can be more than I bargained for, but then, I know I wouldn't be near as happy.
Hello there, have 13 rooms as well...enjoy making cleaning a challenge...each week I do my walk-around, cut up slips of paper and mark each chore and if it's a larger chore I break it down into components...I put them all into a jar and each day I get to pick one, NO PUTTING it back into the jar if you don't feel like doing it...amazing how much work gets done with little effort...then, when watching t.v. when a commercial comes on, I get up and do something ... regardless of how little i.e. dusting a cabinet...washing a dish, windex a window etc. before long..house is spotless...
I've never been able to train my kids to do things the way I do them.
Example. Son bends down to pick up a shirt from the floor. Right next
to the shirt is a candy wrapper, but they don't pick it up. My kids have
been known to take the shirt to the laundry room, come back, pick up
the wrapper then make another trip the same direction to dispose of
the candy wrapper. I have tried to no avail to teach them that while they
are down there, pick up other things. Geez!
Another of my habits is the five thing rule. If I enter the bedroom to put
something away, I find five things to do. Straighten the curtain, put away
jewelry laying on the dresser, remove empty hangers from the closet, etc.
Little things add up quickly, and as you mentioned, it is not long before the
house is spotless. Housekeeping is so much fun when you make it a game.
Using timers just for the heck of it, trying to get a certain room picked up or
cleaned before a certain song is over, etc.
LOL...exactly what I do...make it a game...I do not categorize it as being obsessive compulsive in any way it's just that I do like a clean house...never bothers me when someone drops in unexpectedly...but that's just me...doesn't bother me either to enter into someones kaos...each to their own...
I am often in my craft room working, but after several hours of using every space that's available to me, I must stop, re-organize myself and then I'm off to the races...
Alright, Betty, dear, is the paint alphabetized? :-) Just kidding.
On the note of stained glass, I must confess. I have everything
it takes and then some, yet still have not made a darned thing.
In thinking long and hard about why I haven't started, I can't help
but to think my work will be subject to criticism if it is not perfect.
The first time I tried to use the iron, it looked messy. I know it
takes time and no one's work is perfect, but the mere thought of
someone looking at my practice piece and thinking critically is
enough to make me hide. Admittedly, I realize I don't really care
what they think, I just don't handle criticism well and would rather
give it up than hear it, that way they have nothing to criticize.
My apologies, I didn't mean to turn a fun thread into therapy. LOL
Don't want to hijack the thread so will send you a d-mail after my lunch which is in a few minutes..lol..sorry everyone..you know how easy it is to get side-tracked...
I lived in a one-bedroom apt. for 20 yrs. (Traveled to 17 foreign countries, so all I needed was a bed, stove and toilet...). Then I bought my house in Dec 2004. Waited until the last possible day to move and nothing was packed up or sorted, so I had to move everything with me. (didn't want to throw away something important without looking through boxes/bins/bags, etc.) Well, the 3-bedroom home I bought (just for me alone) is my total little dreamhouse. I determined to live differently there. After I put my bedroom set in, and the desk and futon and rocker in the office, and the couch, dining table and entertainment center in the den, the furniture was in place. Everything else I brought fit into the huge garage. And I began there, bringing one box into the house at a time, going through it, sorting and keeping only what would have a place inside. Well, that would've put my life on track, except I met a man in January, got engaged in April, married in November, and moved out of my little house after 9 months...
My stuff stayed in the garage for the next 1-1/2yrs while my DH worked on the house (it was a fixer upper) for rental property. When the new tenants moved in, imagine my horror at discovering they had rights to the garage for their use, not MY storage!!!
So. Enter ------ the----------POD. Ya'll know how much a pod in your driveway costs for 89 days? Ya'll don't wanna know, either...
My DH is a packrat whose garage is packed from ceiling to floor, left to right and front to back, and determined that my stuff was junk. Well, since I had started buying all the groceries in that first 1-1/2 yrs., guess who ate only half as much for 89 days while the DW was paying for the pod?
I finally got him to clear ONE-EIGHTH of his garage so I could unpack the pod, which, by the way, sat in the driveway in front of the 24ft. boat that wasn't moving till the POD MOVED...and those early, wonderful springtime breezes were sure calling...
Well, I'm sure that had I STAYED where I was, I would have no clutter problem, and I wouldn't have even checked into this clutter clinic. Alas, I managed to get everything from the pod into the 1/8 space in the garage (DUH...) and the DH has totally blocked the pathway to my little area. So, not only can I NOT bring the rest of my stuff (that was never meant to go into a garage) out there, but I also cannot access the boxes that are already out there...
And the DH has decided he can secretly (does he truly think a woman does not know every pot, pan, and spoon in the kitchen) move what he doesn't want to see anymore, into places like the attic or the dumpster.
Which is driving me to a drastic measure, because I'm afraid he's gonna put his hands on some sentimental things and decide they are junk and can go...
I had to tell him if he moved something else that belonged to me, I was gonna have an open garage sale the next time he took the boat out, and sell everything in there for whatever was offered...
I think he heard me...
Thank you for sharing, ladies...
P.S. I like the 5-minute game the best, so far. Anybody else have any clean-up games for small increments of time, I would like to put those to use too.
P.S.S. Candyce IS the queen...Gloria125 and Bettypauze are the dutchesses...
Oh! Bettypauze! Please don't sneak off. This is just what we need to know! Where to put all those itsy bitsy parts when you are a doing creative person. Im sure once I get all my cupboards built, I will contain my tags, and eyelets, and knitting needles, and file all my sweater patterns of Peruvian sweaters. Oh. How tangled up we get trying to live our potential lives!
Oh, Candyce to have a old b & b in NH, I'd move in a heartbeat..I love your state...if hubby liked the snow we'd move tomorrow.
I'm kinda anal in the way that the kids toys are sorted by stuffed animals in 1 bin, legos in another, etc. I had to take my 4 yr olds small toys and put it all in his room when my daughter started to crawl. They have one side of the family room for their toys. I actually took all his clothes out of the dresser and put them on the shelves in his closet with his socks in bin baskets and now use the dresser and nightstand for his toys sorted by what they are cars, animals, etc. His room actually stays cleaner.
Current paperwork is in a file cabinet after 2 years they go in rubbermaid bin and go in the attic or garage(labelled by date) after 7 years they get shredded. Any new insurance policy you receive you can shred the old one.
The one thing that drives me crazy is in our old house we had a ton of built-ins and we've been here 3 years and have yet to buy furniture to equal what we had in built-ins. So I have no place at all for my books. I LOVE BOOKS. My hubby's going to kill me if I bring anymore in the house. And I'm waiting on him to either build me something or letting me buy some furniture(did I say let me???) I'm a stay at home mom and run the billing for my hubby's new side business so we have no funds except for things we NEED. I think furniture constitutes what we NEED but hubby disagrees. Anyway I rambled long enough. Sorry.
I found this place that is affiliated with Home Depot. They have furniture at very reasonable prices, but . . ..
The "but" is that it is 'assemble it yourself furniture'. the assembly is not difficult, but it can take an hour or two if you have interruptions. Usually, you just need a screw driver. There is sometimes an extra shipping charge for heavy pieces - usually 10 or 20$. The end result, though is you can get pretty nice furniture to meet your needs. This is what I have in my kitchen, since I needed cabinets. I used free standing pieces and cupboards until I can affort to have my kitchen remodeled.
This is worth a look, but one of those 'hubby must not be home while assembling'
occasions. LOL.
He and I learned long ago that we both accomplish the same idea, but approach
things entirely different. Poor hubby, he was born without a sense of
physics.
WUVIE: I once tried to hang wallpaper when I lived with one of those.
Oh. Me. I would suggest a secret cubbyhole someplace to keep a personal set of ratchet wrenches & acessories, and also a good screwdriver with a set of accessories. That way you can manage most emergencies and basic assemblies yourself without having a sociological meltdown.
If you only knew. LOL. In our shed (connected to the house, just step
out of the bedroom) is a toolbox. I put everything in there neatly and
even label the drawers. Hubby comes behind me, takes tools and
then I find them in his workshop outside in a pile, laying on the ground,
piled in a box, ugh!
I've tried to teach him to use the tools, and if he cannot put them back,
at least put them in a plastic bin until I come back to get it, then I will
put the tools where they belong.
One would think after all these years of "Honey, do you know where such
and such is?" always gets a prompt response of "Second shed shop, to
your right, big shelf, second row from the top, behind the WD-40, that he
would let me be in charge of this department.
If I don't know where it is, the kids took it, or he took it and doesn't remember
where he put it because he did not put it where it belongs.
Oh my goodness! And I thought I was all alone in the world!!!
I moved in with an entire set of tools. Ask me where ANYTHING is today, go ahead. You'd get all the money in my bank before I could tell you...
" would suggest a secret cubbyhole someplace to keep a personal set of ratchet wrenches & acessories, and also a good screwdriver with a set of accessories. That way you can manage most emergencies and basic assemblies yourself without having a sociological meltdown."
I'm working on rebuilding my set. Problem is, my DH CAN fix just about anything, and has a garage full of enough stuff to rebuild our entire house and yours, too. I just can't get into the garage, and I don't know what all is in there. He actually took everything out about 3 months ago, and FOUND the huge router buried under the stuff. And, he was about to go buy a brand new one, cause he forgot he had one...DUH...
Gym, that is just what hubby does. I finally learned to ignore his warnings
of 'Stay out of my shop' and began organizing his, uh, for lack of a better
word, crap.
Little by little, as I proceeded, I would inform him that he was not allowed
(in jest with truth) to buy any more sandpaper. It is now neatly stored in
a plastic box with a lid and labeled. SANDPAPER, SANDING BELTS, ETC.
You need paper? You know where to find it.
Same goes for tire and tube repair stuff. Tons of it, but spread out all over.
You guessed it, there is now a plastic box for it. Drill bits coming out of our
ears, but not an organizer case to be found. Plastic box to the rescue.
Hubby used to be the type to run to the store when he could not find something.
Thus we have five of this, six of that, etc.
These days we may spend more on plastic organizers, but we're not buying
repeats, and know where it is for once.
I just wanted to thank Mobi for starting this thread. I too have one of those rooms that seems to be a catch all. It is serving no real purpose other than storage. I am not blessed enough to have a large house, mine is quite small in fact. We moved to this one from another one that was double this size. Sad to say, but for some reason I had the same sort of catch all room there too. Something psychological going on here, me thinks.
Anyway, if there is anyone who cares to urge me on, and support me with my effort, I would like to begin straightening it, and giving it a purpose. I am thinking of putting my 17 year old son in to that room and using his smaller bedroom as a houseplant room. All of the houseplants are on the screen porch for the summer, but will need a home when I bring them back in.
I believe that I will be able to succeed if I try the ten minute at a time plan. It does seem too overwhelming to even begin. I will need to get in to the project a ways before I decide whether to change bedrooms with son, or to have it remain as just a spare room. You noticed that I didn't say spare bedroom. It is not currently set up for sleeping, but I am considering buying an inflattable mattress to have in case someone does need a place to sleep.
As I think about it, I realize that I am having a house guest on August 17. Another Dave's Gardener contacted me a month or so ago and asked if I would offer sleeping arrangments for another Dave's Gardener who lives in Virginia and will be visiting the world reknown medical center that I live near. At first I offered to just pay for a hotel stay for the other member, but she didn't want me to do that. After we talked and she wasn't turned off by three loud dogs and cigarette smoke, she will be staying here. She said that sleeping on the couch was fine, but that is where I sleep most nights. ha-ha
So, an inflattable mattress will probably be the answer here. But...before I let her in there I would love to have at least made a good dent in the clutter. I will need some encouragement and need you guys to hold me accountable, or I will still be talking about this after Christmas. ha-ha
Thanks to all others for tips on getting organized. The plastic bins are a good idea. I have purchased some of those, but need to find them. ha-ha A couple of months ago a friend and I rearranged and organized my outside storage building. After doing the organizing, it left a lot of open space. It is so nice to walk in there and not have to move things to have a path.
I am getting excited reading this. The room has been a big mess for too long. I feel as though now is the time to get it straight. Please wish me luck. Thank you.
Indeed you can do it, and we can help. You've made the first move by
expressing your feelings, getting it off your chest, so at least you can begin
the day without that note. :-)
If you can afford it, even the medium-ish sized tubs with lids run two to three
dollars at W-Mart. Buy as many of those as you can, as they stack together
until you use them. When I was tackling our big storage room, I began putting
everything into tubs. Once the room was picked up and boxed away, I began
with one tub at a time.
Pull an item out. What is it? Where does it belong? Why do I keep it, etc. It
won't take long. I still to this day have tubs of things to sort, but I have no idea what
is in them. That is a big clue to getting rid of the items to me. If I didn't miss it,
can't recall it and forgot all about it, it is time to go.
I'm just rambling right now, but will be more than happy, along with the rest of
these fine ladies, to assist in any way.
I like WUVIEs idea of into the tubs - then sort. Its a commitment. And, you could put all the tubs on one side of the room, and at least have room for the guest on the other side, if you don't have time to finish. Also, I think back to Mobi's ten minutes - no matter what. Its a great way to tackle something that is just a big mess and you don't to what to do with it. Wow. Do I ever have those.
In September, Alabama-Tennesee is participating in the biggest ever yard sale. The whole state and part of another state. Im trying to find 20 odd vacuum cleaners that I have, with their instructions and accessories for that sale. Maybe there is one coming up in your area. That way you have a goal for moving some stuff out of your way.
Wuvie,
Could you PLEASE post a pic of your organized garage with the boxes? I know for a fact that man has got to have at least FIFTY HAMMERS in that garage. I kid you not!!! When I said PACKED from ceiling to floor, left to right, and front to back, I was NOT exaggerating!
I could fill at least 10-12 clear shoeboxes with just nuts and bolts!
When he did make a pathway in there about 3 months ago, it was like walking through my long-dead great uncle's toolshed out back. I saw Tiffany-Style lamps, and bankers cubbiehole thingy, STROBE LIGHTS, BLACK LIGHTS, stuff I remember thinking was old, when I was 10 years old. My DH is 18 yrs. older than I am...
Anybody using the clear plastic storage tubs? And how're you guys labeling the tubs?
Please post PICS (only those worth a thousand words...)
I got some scrapbooking stuff for my labels. Foam sheets. A square punch to punch out the middle. And I found some metal frames - some round, some square that you can put the foam shapes into. I also have a label maker to stick a permanent onto the foam. I got different color foam sheets to color code the labels, but I haven't figured out what color for what yet.
I would love to post pix, and will, but at the present time I am moving
things around to make room for a kiln in the first shop. While I have made
great progress, there are temporary walls of tubs where they should not be due
to the rearranging.
I'll be happy to show you the difference between my methods and hubby's.
Now that ought to be worth two thousand words, LOL.
In all the years of buying tubs, I have discovered I don't care for the clear. Not
sure why, I just do. Maybe it is because we have many tubs outdoors, too,
and don't want folks knowing at a glance what is in the tubs, even if it is
labeled. LOL.
Ruby, another note, and as Gloria mentioned, you could tub up all of the stuff
to get the room ready for your guest, then when she leaves, you could apply
the ten minute rule to a tub. Or even twenty minutes, whatver you can spare.
Maybe you could even tackle one tub at a time in one day. Whatever you decide,
you can do it, and it will just take time. Take each day slowly and know that it
will get better.
:-)
Gloria, the multi vac thing? Me, too. I have a giant tub full of old vac attachments
to vacs I don't even have. Time to make a trip to Goodwill. Wish I could send them
your way for the sale.
We have a huge thrift store in Tuscaloosa - I think it services the battered women organizations here. Ive found lots of interesting vacuum cleaner accessories there. Some that actually fit the vacuum cleaners I want to use. I guess I thought if I had the perfect vacuum cleaner, all of the cleaning would get done. Part of it is an artifact of living in an apartment and trying to live in my house on my days off. Hah. That will make a mess if anyting will.
Required of our business, we have address labels that
fit right into the printer. I use the largest font that will fit
the label. For the outdoor tubs, I put a clear strip of packing
tape over the label.
I'm laughing my butt off right now. I was going to list a few
of the tubs, so I went to the shop for a bit of recollection. When
looking at the tubs, I realized just how many we have. LOL
One of the most important tubs is full of cords and cables.
Having two boys and a hubby who all love electronics, we have
more of that stuff than I can handle. But it is not all tossed into
the box, but put in ziploc bags. This makes it much easier when
they can't find a remote, a cord, etc.
Tape, wire and string. This is a great box to have because it
holds everything all in one place. Masking tape, duct tape,
scotch tape, packing tape, electrical tape, wire and string. This
is one of my favorite boxes, but we still hear "Mom, where is
the tape?" Uh, it is in the Tape, wire and string box, dear.
Mom's long sleeved shirts and sweaters
Rog's long sleeved shirts and sweaters
Chicken Rotisserie
Fireworks
Rag Rug making supplies (seasonal hobby)
Cross Stitch supplies (seasonal hobby)
Happy Meal Toys (been collecting for years for future grandkids) 4 tubs
Recipes (No one needs this many recipes, it is scheduled for a re-do)
Beeswax, molds, etc. (part of the business)
Candy and plaster molds (Time for a yard sale or Ebay)
Office supplies (we use a lot)
Pictures (a very long project, no time for it right now, tub it up)
Oh, my gosh, I could list all day long. The thing is, the items are kept
neat and clean. Mixers, blenders, etc. are all kept in their own tubbies
with lids with the instruction manual and such. No need to keep the item
in one place and the paperwork in another.
I could jabber about plastic tubs all day. They are what pulled me out
of the urge to burn the house down years ago. LOL.
Ok. So what size tubs do you use most and where do you get them? Are they the blue Rubbermaid type with lids from Big Lots? or the Sterilites? 18 Gallon? 48 Gallon? Do you use the clear shoeboxes at all?
oOOOOOOOOOhhhh.. I am DEFINITELY feeling that 'put it all in the tubs and apply the 10-minute rule to each tub' thing! Right now, I've got most everything in cardboard file boxes, and I can apply the 10-minute rule to each box, one at a time. I truly want to dismantle the bed in the guest bedroom so I put ALL my boxes in that one room to work out of. It would become MY personal garage, just so all my things will be in one place until I can get to them. Only, being inside with guests coming would be motivation enough to move 'em out in a hurry! Emptying out one box every two evenings is about all the energy I have when I come home from my demanding job...
Use most? Hmm. I would have to say the small gray Sterlite tubs and
the rounded shoeboxes.
Don't laugh, but have you considered putting your bed up on pedestals?
They have neat feet for your bed that will raise it up high enough to still have
a dust ruffle to hide things. This makes great storage room. If not, the gift wrapping
or under-the-bed boxes are superb. If you have a bed with six legs like hubs, you
will need two sets. They are cheap these days. When they first came out, they
were high dollar.
In the pantry, I use a lot of clear Sterlite, love those rounded edges, and they come
from the Dollar General. The bigger clear tubs are perfect for mixers, blenders,
toasters, etc.
Here is an example of the pantry, with boxes for various things such as:
Gravies & sauces, dry soups, etc.
Cookie, muffin, pancake & other mixes
Pasta
Drink mixes...Kool aid, coffee, cocoa, etc.
Popcorn & chips
Plastic ware (picnic stuff, basically)
Miscellaneous boxed foods
Along that line.
You can see the two boxes of cereal don't have a home,
only because my son eats it so fast. As soon as I put it into
a plastic jug, he empties it. LOL.
A little sandwich maker, a pizzelle iron, etc. all have their own home,
so I know exactly where to find everything at a glance, and it stays neat
and clean.
No one looks in the pantry, so you can see my Oklahoma style lighting.
A light strip duct taped to the bottom of the shelf. Ha!
Wuvie, you are my IDOL!!!!!!!!!!
Mobi, did you get the 10 minute idea from clean home journal by sc johnson? They had an article on that exact thing. It's a great idea.
[HYPERLINK@www.cleanhomejournal.com]
They have great cleaning and organizing tips on their web site
I have been doing the 10 minute thing for awhile but I don't remember where I heard about it. I just know it works. My DH has been using it to clean the garage and it's almost done!
Oh yes... I agree jen. I am getting excited too. You all just keep the ideas coming. I am getting some very helpful information here. Yes, tubbing things up for now and storing for bit will at least get the spare room to a manageable state for house guest. Then... employ the ten minute/20 minute rule to the tubs.
Oh yes Wuvie, fantastic job you have done there. Thank you for sharing the pictures. It makes it seem possible. I am sure that with everyone's encouragement, I will get this done!!!
Gloria mentioned the yard sale and that brings to mind a place that I will be donating my leftovers. The local SPCA has opened a thrift store that is open for the public. SPCA is a cause that I don't mind helping. I am a big sucker for dogs. ha-ha
Anyway, I will check in with progress reports from time to time. Thank you to all of you!!!
I have to admit that my largest problem is getting the motivation to actually sort through the tubs after I have put everything in them!! Once stuff is in a tub, it's kind of 'out of sight, out of mind' for me.
But, the 10, 15, or even 20 minute thing works for me!! I have been known to be absolutely ruthless when de-cluttering a room. It has taken quite a long time, but the major rooms of the house are pretty much clutter-free, and if asked, I could tell you where most everything 'lives'.
The kids' rooms, though ... that's another story!!
flowerjen: that is an interesting web site. The 15 minute decluttering session is part of the Flylady.net program. She sells timers for people to stop after 15 minutes. As a retired person, I really don't like clocks and timers anymore. I rebell against being a robot! But, I do like the idea of reclaiming my home, and that you don't have to finish a job, you just have to make some regular progress at it. My unit of measurement for decluttering is basically the 4 x 4 ft area. Start at the door and move along the wall. One of WUVIE's plastic containers could also work as a unit.
Do you know what ladies? This is day number three of me reading this thread and I haven't stepped foot in the room yet. I bad!!! It seems that I have a morning routine that I do and then forget about the room. Absolutely will begin on Monday morning. I will write it down on my list of things to do, so there will be no excuse of forgetting.
It is real easy to forget because I keep the door closed. If I didn't have three snooping dogs, I would keep the door open and that would certainly be a motivator.
Maybe if my husband sees me get serious about this room it will motivate him to straighten out his messy garage. Thank goodness for privacy fences. ha-ha
I have been reading this very interesting thread. I was wondering when someone would mention Flylady. I started with Flylady about 3 years ago and no, my house isn't always perfect but I know that I can have it company ready in about 15 min. I had surgery back in early may and haven't been able to do routines for a while. I've started back up again and its looking so much better. We are having a cookout today. Hubby told me yesterday so while cooking things for potato salad I cleaned my kitchen for 15 min. Then I did 15 min on the dining table which is my HOt Spot area. Thats where everything gets thrown. Good luck Ruby and others. Yvonne
My best days are Mondays, too. I seem to become more motivated on Mondays. I try to get as motivsted on Fridays, just in case we have week end guests, but it's not as easy. I wonder why that is? I certainly don't know!
One of the things that fly lady mentions that helps when i feel something is overwhelming for even 15 minutes is that house work doesn't have to be done perfectly to be done with love and to show love & with each go 'round it will get better...that helps as we have three young ones w/ the oldest 5yr dd special needs (we are trying to figure out how to secure chairs, etc so she and the younger ones don't get into everything...i've got to go to a mommy boot camp because i'm in no shape to keep up with them let alone get a step or two ahead!!), 3 dogs (2 great pyrenees & one mutt puppy who loves chewing), upwards of 10 "not our cats" that rotate through, 3 chinchillas, 6 goats (most feel they should be inside the house...not outside...i'm sure if we were taped it would be quite comical), a blind duck & a gosling that has neuromuscular issues...
for the last couple of weeks i've been trying to tame the kitchen & bathrooms as well as laundry...there is a lot more to do as we have scheduled my daughter's counselor and occupational therapist to come in the week before school starts to see if we can get additional suggestions for safety, etc...since i'm the type who panics at the thought of any one coming over this is a big visit and so far i haven't freaked out too bad :-)
my youngest daughter has finally given up the diapers except at night occassionally, so now we are down to one in diapers...whooooohooo!
i picked up some more storage containers, so today i need to toss in various toy pieces...i'm hoping i can tell what is what
the upcoming week is reclaim the dining room & kitchen table week to be followed by clean out rented storage unit w/o putting it all back in the dining room & kitchen :-)
i'm in ramble mode...it's hot and time for a beverage...
good luck to all :-)
I have an idea for a motivational accountability factor for our goal of "decluttering." Everyone participating should list their name, the decluttering goal/activity, and commit to expend between 15 and 20 minutes of energy toward that listed activity. The "decluttering" activity could be anything: picking up a room, sorting through a tub, cleaning a drawer, organizing a shelf, etc. List your name, the activity you wish to perform and the amount of time you intend to spend on it. We should do this first thing Monday a.m. and return to the thread on Tuesday a.m. to give account for our Monday goal and list Tuesday's new goal. How about it? I'll go first.
Gymgirl, emptying 3 boxes in the kitchen (20 minutes in each box).
Wow, this thing is taking off. There are so many of us with this secret issue. Well, not really secret, becasue it is there for all to see. ha-ha
Thanks for the encouragement Wuvie. Those of us who are participating in this "go round" of decluttering will need the cheers of those who have gone before. ha-ha
So...
Rubyw has a whole room to declutter and give a purpose to. I plan to start with just ten minutes a day and if I feel so inclined, I will add minutes. I have a dead line of August 16 due to having a house guest who will need sleeping arrangements. I at least need space for an air mattress by this date.
I thank each and every one of you who will be cheering for me. I will need it.
In school I always made a big mess when I was working on a term paper. The "day after" usually after staying up all night to finish it, was clean up day. Well I just turned in an article for Dave's Writers team. Boy, is this place a mess! So today is definitely, "clean up this mess" day.
Just my opinion, if you make a list and things go wrong, you
may end up feeling like you did not accomplish what you set out
to do.
Someone else may offer an alternative thought, but I think it would
be better to do what you can, with a thought in mind, but if it does
not work out well, you will still be able to list your accomplishments
and be proud of what you did get done. Otherwise, you will feel as
though you have to move the previous list's 'gotta dos' to the new
list.
Wuvie: I would disagree. I think lists are a basic tool for accomplishing work and setting goals. But, then I don't get nearly the amount of work done that you do. You are one of my role models.
Well, I have to admit that my list is pretty much the same as Fly Lady's list. So I don't feel at all pressured to make it a long, detailed list ... just one that has been adapted over about five years to work with almost any family contingency (sp?).
Oh, by no means should she follow my patterns, but I'm just
using my own experiences. When I make a list, I am so excited
and can't wait to mark things off. It never fails, in this house, the
cat has to go to the vet unexpectedly, the phone rings, the insurance
is due NOW, etc.
Glad you chimed in, because there are great alternatives for us all.
And, I honestly don't want to be 'queen'. Too much pressure!
Done so far:
Morning Routine
Downstairs swept and vacuumed
Dog walked and washed (still have to brush)
Third load of laundry going
Lunch prepared and eaten (now have to do dishes)
A still have things to do, so I'll get to them after what I call my 'lunch hour'.
I'll be checking back to see how everyone's doing!!
Ok, so I made the effort today. I had to make the bank run, so I collected all the junk papers on MY side of the car in the side bin, and all the junk papers in the passengers side bin...over the visor and on the seat & floor. Dumped all in the bank garbage as I went in.
Off to Target to pick up a couple things & a Stouffer's lunch: Back seat: More trash on driver's side...into the Target trash bin.
Back at work: Passenger's back seat: Filled up a plastic bag that was back there (how convenient that the 'trash' becomes useful at some point)...into the trash here at work.
When I get home, all I have is some towels from a recent beach visit, and the kid's back-pack.
i started sorting out flex spending account & insurance reimbursements...such fun but since my husband is changing jobs possibly by the end of the month we need to get everything submitted in case there is a problem
i took a step or two back on dishes when i forgot to lock the cabinet & my daughter used all of the bowls to slice up bananas...i did get all of the bananas off the floor (i think & hope!), so i'm raising the courage to go tackle the dishes
i'm intermittenly clearing off/straightening up our front porch...the local skunks have formed a social club with our cats and keep surprising my husband when he leaves at 4am...i moved the cat food to a different location away from the porch, but apparently they like socializing with the outdoor lights on the porch & with the blind duck...i really need pictures
have washed out a comforter and need to get that dried...another couple of loads and laundry will be caught up and after sorting & locking up in the dressers (yes, locked...) i will have room to move the ellipse runner upstairs (w/d will move downstairs soon...i hope) ... a biggie on my to do list is to add in some healthy routines to lose 30lbs of baby weight...i even broke down and bought a scale to see if that will help knock out some stress eating...
thankfully it rained last night so i don't have to go water which can be quite a chore :-)
You can do it, you are doing. One thing at a time.
Funny thing is, I've developed such habits that it is hilarious when
I have someone with me. Instead of cramming the papers into my
purse after the bank drive-through, I pull over to the side or stay in
the drive-through if no one is behind me to put away the paperwork,
record the transaction in my book and put everything back into
my purse, zip it up and move along.
I have to talk out loud to myself a lot, such as:
Don't put that there, that is not where it belongs.
No, you're not going to do it later.
Etc.
Well. This how my priority list is going. Instead of hitting the mess i made finishing my article, I had to go to Walmart, about 30 miles away.
when I got home my poor doggies were heat stressed, and a court officer was at the front door. I never use the front door. When I finally figured out what he wanted, Oh. I filed charges against this scammer in 2004. At last he has been arrested. A subpoena to appear . . .. The wheels of justice are finally turning. Well, maybe tomorrow I will have some time to get started.
Whew, Gloria, at first I misread your post. I thought you
were saying the court officer was at your door because your
dogs were outside in the heat or something.
Glad to hear things are going your direction.
And remember, tomorrow is another day.
Everyone's doing so well!!! It's almost 5:30 and my whole list is done - well, except for cooking dinner.
Now I have the whole evening ahead of me to enjoy!!
I like the idea of tossing all those papers while still at the bank. Great idea! Thanks for passing it along.
It has taken a few years, but it has become a family habit to clean out the car as we are exiting it. You brought it in - you take it out. I hate those flying missles when I have to slam on the brakes for some fool!
I was thinking a lot about what birds was talking about priorities. The number 1 priority, I think, should be to stay healthy. Some clutter especially in the kitchen and bath could cause lots of germs and illnesses. Kitchen should probably be top priority considering cleanup of dishes and trash. I just read that your dishes should not sit longer than 2 hours in the sink because it's just a breeding ground for bacteria. Towels should be washed every 3 days because of bacteria growing. Throw your sponge in the dishwasher at least once a week or switch to something disposable. I also saw that you should wash all your underwear in a separate load on the hottest water with bleach or bleach alternative line dry or dry on hottest setting to kill all the germs.
I'm not a real germaphob but I guess if this lessens any illness I'm for it.
My Dad had seen a show on tv several yrs ago, then informed me how much bacteria grew on dishrags, etc. I started doing dishes with 2 Bounty paper towels, folded together, then into quarters. When done with dishes, wash up the counter and stove, then throw it away. Like it this way, no greasy washclothes to wash.
Doesn't that feel good? I forced myself to process all the orders on my
desk, then take a last minute shower and make sure the house was clean
so that I could enjoy the evening.
Well, okay, so I'm downloading tax software, but it's on the list. LOL
Ya'll are soooooooooo funny! Ok. Here's what I did today. It's now 10:34 p.m.
**Unpacked FOUR boxes sitting on the kitchen floor (60 minutes)
**Found places for newly unpacked dishes, and removed some OLD dishes to make space
**Put together one box for the Resale shop on the corner
**Put together one box of stuff to take to a friend
**Put together a pile that goes back to the office
**Quick-sorted items from these boxes into their corresponding, individually labeled boxes to be sorted on the 1020 (that's the 10-20 minute rule -- aren't we getting good with our own shorthand!?)
**Washed and folded two loads of clothes
**Cooked tomorrow's dinner
**Transplanted rooted tomato cuttings for plantout next weekend
**Watered all the garden plants, mostly by bailing the water from a 100?gallon drum into a 5 gallon bucket. Did this for exercise til DH couldn't stand it anymore and showed me how to simply plug in the siphon pump that he uses...duh...good thing I didn't care cause I need the exercise...
MONDAY'S GOAL: Empty three boxes in the kitchen. I accomplished Monday's goal.
TUESDAY'S GOAL: Empty two more boxes in kitchen, empty car trunk. Deliver Monday's boxes to resale shop and friend.
You gals are awesome!! I am so proud of each of you!! And, thanks for being proud of me, too!
I have already:
made my bed
gotten dressed
walked and fed the dog
made coffee
prepared the baby's bottle
had breakfast and vitamins
swished one bathroom (there are three!!)
