My clutter accumulates everywhere, I'm sure if I look behind myself I'll
see a tornado of clutter just following me around waiting to land
where-ever I do.
My clutter tolerance has been reached. It happened about a week ago.
Tonight the paper pit in the corner of the bedroom goes. Tomorrow the
dining room table gets dynamited. Thanks,
We run a business out of our home and many times I'm in the middle of
opening and sorting mail and bills and things that cannot be "caged"
anywhere when people stop in for a visit. If I tried to hide the mess,
I'd get frustrated later because it takes
me two hours to get back to where I was before I caged the papers, I now
just cover the dining room table (aka my office) with a table cloth.
The next emails are VERY, VERY PHILOSOPHICAL DEEP THOUGHTS, and a little
beyond my comprehension. I HAD to reply to the last one --- from the
Artist In Ireland. I always receive weird and goofy clutter comments
from Ireland. Methinks they passionately love their clutter.
Very, very philosophical deep thoughts on clutter
I find caging the wild stuff, even if in big not-really-categorized
chunks, helps me to--someday--approach it for the next step. Hmmm, is
this a progression: wild to caged to tame? In which case, am I/are we
acting out some internal wildness through our wild clutter that must be
served, if only by clutter? Wow, this stuff is deep--or else ... I'm
just procrastinating...
And now we hear from a
philosophical astrologer (I think)
I have been consistently eliminating & letting go, clearing out for the
past year now, a Pluto transit to my ascendant.
And now...a philosophical
artist in Ireland
Those people who have tons of clutter stored away are artists of some
sort - be they writers, painters, or whatever. Everything that is packed
away in boxes is just a reflection of what the artists have in their
minds. And those who keep these things - old magazines, bits of articles
and paper, ancient books, old toys, etc. - are aware that sometimes
amongst the boxes and dust, are stimuli to beautiful and interesting
ideas, which through constant shuffling and rummaging, can be
transformed into something very rare and precious. Well, that's my story
and I'm sticking to it!
A message to the artist from Rita
I agree that artists do have to collect SOME clutter for future
inspiration, but how does that explain all the papers on the kitchen
counter, all the unworn clothes jammed in the closet, all the rubber
bands on every single doorknob and all the junk in the trunk or bonnet
or boot or whatever it is you in Ireland call that junk-collector-thingy
in the back of the car. HA! Gotcha!
Rita
Tips For Getting Rid Of All Kinds Of Clutter
A tip for home....When I go through my mail, I stand by the trash can. I
pitch the junk mail and then open & pitch envelopes & enclosures from
bills. That way all I have left are the bills (which I resist pitching
also) and the "keepers" (magazines, books, letters, etc.). I then put my
bills in a magnetic clip (in order of due date) on my fridge in plain
view for paying.
I do have a solution.
When do people throw out or give away the most clutter? When they are
moving to a new home!
Therein lies my solution. I call it AIM, which stands for As If Moving.
When going through a bunch of clutter--caged or wild--with each item,
ask yourself: if I were moving, would I put this item in a box and send
it to the new place? Chances are, you will say "NO". So, even if you are
not moving soon, get rid of that clutter NOW!
AIM is my aim!
My biggest Wild clutter problem is the dining table. Mail, homework,
things from the teacher, activity sign ups, land there for me to go
through - where to put it when we actually want to eat??
I solved it - mostly - by buying a smaller, narrow side table - but with
baskets for the mail, homework, must-be-signed-and-returned, and
miscellaneous. When it's trash day, the miscellaneous that hasn't become
important goes in the trash.
I kept cents-off coupons in a kitchen drawer and they were never with me
when I stopped at the grocery store (besides being messy).
So I started keeping the coupons in a car door pocket. Now when I run
into a store to pick up a few things, my coupons can come with me. When
waiting in my car for something like a traffic light, I occasionally
sort through coupons and throw away ones that have expired. I have
greatly enhanced my use of coupons and saved many dollars at the grocery
store, while reducing clutter at home and in the car.
There are landmines all over my office floor with clutter bordering the
walls, bookshelves, file cabinets and desk.
The one philosophy I have which has helped us a lot is WHEN ONE THING
COMES INTO THE HOUSE, a SIMILAR ITEM HAS TO LEAVE. So, if I buy a new
blouse, shirt or something, one has to be given away.
I have the "caged" clutter upstairs in my bedroom closet --- old purses,
stacks of paperwork and old belts stuffed to the ceiling.
I have the "wild" clutter in my basement --- everything from outdated
exercise equipment to drywall to old stereo equipment. I just didn't
know where I'd find the time to start this enormous project of cleaning
and tossing.
The best way to start both projects is for me to stop thinking I need 8
solid hours of free time to do them. I can do 15 minutes a day - or how
much time I have available - and start organizing.
I've decided to give a lot of the stuff I have to AMVETS. They'll even
come to the house and pick up.
Rubbermaid is my best friend. I love going to my closet and seeing all
my stuff in neat boxes (I just recently did my shoes that way).
- Seasonal Selections: 4 X's per year: Spring,
Summer, Fall & Winter, have a seasonal selection party at your house.
Have every family member participate and have each person pick out
items they wish to give to charity, or second hand stores.
- Instead of the typical garage sale sign, use
your imagination: "COME ON OVER...OUR BEAUTIFUL TRASH, COULD BECOME
YOUR BEAUTIFUL TREASURE."
BUYERS BEWARE! BARGAINS GALORE!
- At your next garage sale, instead of tagging
and pricing everything, just put up a sign, MAKE ME A REASONABLE OFFER
I WON'T REFUSE!!! Both parties can negotiate.
DON'T DIE WITH YOUR JUNK. Gather all of the things you are saving from
your childhood or your kid's childhood. Make a box for each family
member and put appropriate items in each box. This includes bronze
shoes, clay hand molds, hand made valentines, holiday decorations and
cards, letters, toys, locks of hair, baby books, teeth, photos, etc. ...
Invite the kids over and make a big deal out of giving the precious
items back to them for safe keeping.
Also gather up household items that you are saving for sentimental
reasons, you don't use or are too good to throw away. Let the kids divvy
them up. If they don't want the stuff, call the antique dealer, donate
it to charity or put out on trash day. That's what the kids
would do if you died tomorrow.
The single best paper-clutter reducer is the computer. A piece of paper
can be tossed when it is either put on a computer "note" or calendar
item.
Take pictures of things with "sentimental value" that you should dispose
of. What would take up several cupboards is now reduced to a couple of
inspiring album pages.
Organizational tips:
-
Carry address labels for when that info is needed.
-
Put 5 plastic liners in the bottom of wastebasket
