Standing at the crossroads yet again....

[poltr1]

Once again, I get the itch to start cleaning my my hopelessly cluttered house. But I don't know where to begin. I don't have a clear spot to work. I should just pick an area, or a box, and start working.

And then there's this part of me that believes I'll be judged by the amount of trash I throw out. Hell, that's what I do.

Comments

[dragon-pet.livejournal.com]

Anyone who judges you on that isn't anyone who is worth worrying about. Who cares what they think. (okay yeah I hate that one because I care what everyone thinks, which is my downfall)

Just sit down on your fav seat in the condo and start cleaning around it.. start from your comfort zone and work out.

[dagonell.livejournal.com]

May I recommend the Fly Lady? (www.flylady.com)
Clean your house in 15 min a day.
-- Dagonell

[persis.livejournal.com]

Yes, Fly Lady is a good place to start, although I've heard of other sites as well, www.chorewars.com is one, but I haven't had time to look at it.

[persis.livejournal.com]

Just start. Period. Do it. (Maybe there's someone who can come over and just be there to help you focus?) You will feel SO MUCH BETTER when you have gone thru even only a few boxes. (*hugs* decluttering is a thankless, stressful task. Know that you have friends cheering you on and sending supportive thoughts your way.)

I can say this because David and I just cleared out some more floor space in my office, which was almost to the point of paths from one door to the stairs or to the file cabinets and office supply storage, by way of the computer... And, we moved some of the cruft in my bedroom *into* the nicely cleared office, stacked it well (I do love my geeks with Tetrising powers) and I now have FLOOR SPACE in my bedroom that I haven't had in years. Why, yes, I am expecting lots of people on Sunday for my 50th Birthday party, and I expect coats and other such stuff to go into my bedroom... but, it does feel really good, and I don't feel nearly as anxious as I did only just yesterday, before we found and removed to the garage, all the CGNE materials.

Re throwing stuff out: there are times when I have so much on my curb, between trash and recycling, that it goes on for 10-15 feet of curb. I usually am so relieved to see stuff GOING OUT that I don't even think of the neighbors. (Most of them work during the day, so they're gone by the time I get my stuff out.) Be strong. It's hard. *hug*

[hms42]

Recently the best excuse for decluttering I had was that my room was being painted after 10 years and when stuff was pulled, it was just boxed and removed.

Putting stuff back into the room (some of which still is in boxes from the cleaning that was finished in May 2008) was when I just said the heck with it and pulled anything I didn't want, put it into 3 basic piles... Keep, toss and donate to charity (interfilk got some stuff, my old scout troop got the rest for their annual fund raiser.)

As for a starting point, just pick an area and start doing it. Even a small amount per day adds up after a while.

Its amazing the space you find after you declutter. (And you usually don't notice the stuff after its gone either.)

[athenawindsong.livejournal.com]

Are you absolutely certain that worrying about what people will think of how much you throw out isn't just another concocted excuse to keep you from doing anything at all?

"Hoarding is a public health and safety risk. Hoarding increases the risk of fire because piles of newspapers, magazines, clothing and rubbish provide a plentiful supply of combustible material. At the same time, the piles make it more difficult to escape from a fire by blocking possible exits, as well as making it harder for rescue workers to reach you.

Hoarding also increases the risk of structural damage to the building, a consequence of the sheer weight of the hoarded items"

From: http://www.squalorsurvivors.com/squalor/hoarding.shtml

[athenawindsong.livejournal.com]

Also, http://www.socialworkblog.org/sections/index.php/2008/07/23/is-hoarding-a-big-deal/

[ladysoapmaker.livejournal.com]

I understand the feeling about not knowing where to start. When I was about 7 or 8 I was diagnosed with Sensory Integration Dysfunction. To this day I really don't have the medical definition however definition given to the 8 year old was "you have to clean your room, a person with the "normally" functioning brain will start on a pile and finish it until it's done. With your brain you flit from pile to pile and can't stay at one thing for long and so it feel like you never finish." So until I became an adult and developed the discipline to stay on that one pile it was hard for me to clean anything. (It still is, having children have been a god send)

So from the person with the very cluttered house, take it slow, try to stay focused on one thing at a time. In my case I try to keep the desk clear (or in manageable piles), my craft closet straightens (the oldest boy child wants to learn to crochet to make Harry Potter Scarfs so he's helping today), and the kitchen counters clear. I love my husband as he helps keep the clutter down in other areas and keeps me focused on. I will admit every so often I get the everything needs to be clean bug and then I tackle the bathroom (top to bottom) and am generally fine. Though I am proud of myself I got a box of 0-3 months clothes packed up that Lucille has outgrown. As I said slow and steady. Ian and I have 2 years before we move so I will be getting rid of things (that's the hardest, I think but I can use this or I might need this- it goes into a box and if I don't use in 6 months it's gone. I need to start a new box).