Conquering the Clutter

The title says it all. And I've spent the better part of today, January 1, working to make sure that resolution sticks. The black couch in the spare bedroom is finally partially visible. A few storage containers from Target should handle the tax forms and newspaper front pages from when the White Sox won the pennant. And anything I haven't used in the last ten years I'm either donating, sending to the recycler or selling on Ebay. And Manny, you're getting your record albums back if I have to bring them to your house. Capische?

I'd still like to know where the people who live in perfect, uncluttered homes store their newspapers, magazines and books. But then, they probably haven't lived anywhere for almost 50 years, either. A living room without four days worth of newspapers and four months worth of magazines? A home office without sticky notes, scribbled reminders and clipped magazine articles and reference pictures all over the place? It just ain't natural;-)

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Chicago
• Illinois
• house
• New
• Years
• Year's
• Day
• resolution
• room
• bed
• bedroom
• living
• kitchen
• utility
• book
• books
• newspaper
• newspapers
• box
• boxes
• clutter
• junk
• clean
• uncluttered
• stuff
• cluttered
• pile
• piles
• tax
• receipt
• receipts
• paper
• throw
• out
• donate
• sell
• Ebay
• eBay
• mother
• mom
• clothes
• closet

[artistmac]

Well, I finally got almost everything out of the spare bedroom (the yellow one; video to come). Made a list of stuff to start taking pictures of and selling on Ebay. Time to start shredding tax and bank stuff older than 7 years, and going through 25 years worth of auto show brochures. Oy vay. Where's Niecy, Trish, Matt and Mark when you really need them?

[greathingsinstore4me]

Looks like a Board of Health and fire hazard to me.

[akush55]

have move to small 2 mobile home in this small midwest town stack an storing in bins an came with little yet have more then forty banker boxes

in the last 10yr ?

[artistmac]

Yeah, I guess they hire people to do those kinds of mundane things;-) Oh, to be rich.

[bobandkerstin]

PART IIII: Spare BEDROOM? HAH !! In '06 we bought a new mattress and box springs for that room; they are both standing against a wall amongst all the clutter -- my old 35 mm slides, journals written over many years, clothes, stuff, more stuff, junk, more junk, books, etc. A lot of it needs to go into my office. It's going to be a monstrous undertaking to sort it all out, but maybe your inspiring words and images will provide the needed impetus. Thanks!

[bobandkerstin]

PART III: I have had shelves from our old house that, after almost four years, are still in a closet. Once I get those up, it will be a bit easier to organize the office. My excuse has always been that I am so busy doing other projects for the wife -- but nothing is going on right now, so I have no excuse. It's just that the work seems so daunting. But hey -- if YOU can get started, so can I!

[bobandkerstin]

PART II: The first year we were here, 2006, both cars sat outside (including during the first winter) because of all the stuff we did not know what else to do with. Then I organized some things and was able to get one of the cars inside for the next two winters. This is the first winter I have been able to get two cars into our two-car garage. But the place is still a bit of a mess.

[bobandkerstin]

PART I: I concur with my brother (PDoggdadd) -- great inspiration! Yes, Brother Jimmy's place in Ohio is cluttered, but mine is not much better.  Here in the far NW exurbs of Chicagoland, where my wife and I share a good-sized house with our three pugs, clutter is an issue -- especially in three areas: (1) the garage, (2) my office and (3) the spare upstairs bedroom.

[PDoggdadd]

Wow, man...my clutter is worse...something has to be done! Thanks for the inspiration!

[idahodad1]

Good luck with the clutter removal.