I’ve found my New Year’s resolution for 2008.
Declutter, declutter, declutter.
This will be next to impossible for a pack-rat to achieve, but I have to do something. On a positive note, the NY Times had a link to an organization that assists people with “Chronic Hoarding”. Did you know such a condition ever existed, and that there’s an organization to help people with it? I didn’t.
Anyway, I took their quiz and I’m not in need of professional help in this regard. Quel relief. I’m a Level 1 which translates as “Household is considered standard”. Well, that’s fine and good for them, but I’m still living under too much stuff. Actually, I think I’m closer to a Level 1.5 because I had to check off “Limited evidence of housekeeping, vacuuming, sweeping”. But that’s pretty subjective. What is “limited evidence”? I dunno.
But I do know the solution is not to buy more storage bins and shelving units. The solution is to get rid of stuff. BUT HOW? (Yes, I’m whining now.)
These people who have neat homes, with closets that are not packed to bursting, with empty shelves, with beds that don’t have flat storage boxes underneath them, how do they do it? How do they get rid of stuff? Or how do they manage to not accumulate stuff in the first place? I just don’t understand. I need to know the secret.
12 comments:
...just talk to my sister-in-law about my brother (they might have to buy a second house soon)
...and then there's Anonymous (we'll call him Manly for blogging purposes)...has he ever parted with his Village Voice collection? Although to be fair, after hoarding magazines/newspapers for over 20 years, it is cool to look at them. I mean, it would be interesting to know things like when The B52s and Lene Lovich actually played New York...and read the reviews of the time. However, if these so-called VV's are products of the nineties, they should be destroyed now. No point in wanting to get nostalgic over the coming and goings of Nirvana and Salt n' Pepa.
JAW fan
hello hoarders!
1) there are flat storage boxes that can be shoved under the bed so you can hoard (I mean KEEP) more stuff??! cooool
2) why would anyone throw out their village voices? it makes no sense
3) reasons to clean are as follows:
a) family visiting (and ok, I have to admit a clean fridge looks kind of....good)
b) if evil MICE have invaded your house and you spend all night listening to them chew thru walls until they get to the motherlode of the pantry then you are FORCED to examine/dust/clean/clear out every single box, jar, can, and celo-encased object to see where the buggers have been
DEATH TO RODENTS everywhere!!
(no, I don't have a cat)
so I guess you are out of luck, ms nanuk since you have cats and therefore no mice to clean up after
o well
Alas, and may I add alack, all my Village Voices are now one with whatever landfill they put old newspapers in when you leave them to be "recycled". Hundreds and hundreds of them went out steadily last year until the fall when the last few were set free.
Not that I still don't have tons of stuff, but VV are no longer part of the pile.
My question: if one doesn't intend on keeping things, why buy them in the first place????
Then you end up living in a house like Tony Soprano's - no evidence of books, magazines, CDs - just Carmela's movie room where they rented (!) Citizen Kane when they were trying to watch great movies.
You guys are of no help whatsoever!
Mushrooms, Flat storage boxes under beds are great for keeping sheets, pillows, blankets and all those old skinny clothes you know you're going to fit into again one of these years.
HAHAHOHOHEHEHEHEHAHAHA!! (skinny clothes, indeed)
also, my condolences, anon., on the dead and buried VV's
And thank you, CITYOFMUSHROOMS, for the Xmas card/letter. once again, best inttentions to the contrary, we were not able one out. I blame the kids - too many school concerts and things leading up to the holidays!
that's the good thing about kids: you can blame them for things! why do you think I haven't climbed mt everest yet?
Coincedentally, I've just come from trying to declutter my wardrobe - one of those holiday projects....my rule with clothes if - if you haven't worn it for 12 months, it goes. I'd much rather throw out clothes than a book - hence the 4 bookcases cluttering up my small house!
And just think if you declutter, you can give all the stuff to charity and you are doing 2 good things at the same time!
Does that help?
And I will admit to a small collection of my favourite editions of Private Eye magazine.
I've been reading decluttering tips on various sites all day, and both your pieces of advice are often mentioned, susie. But 12months is such a short time, I can't throw things out in such rush!! (Thus my current situation.) I do give all old clothes to charity, though, when I fiiinally pitch out some stuff.
I am trying to declutter as well. I've made some progress (stack of books to ditch, bunch of stuff taken to Goodwill). I've made some non-progress (finding a bunch of stuff that I just determined would be better suited elsewhere in the house). And some anti-progress (deciding that beer was a better idea than confronting the hall closet).
The place does look marginally cleaner, but someday, somehow, I need to deal with the fact that having 3,000 books in minimal space doesn't work.
And you did all this despite having stigmata? I'm impressed.
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