OK, I hit bottom. My house is COMPLETELY unmanageable.
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 20,458
all old magazines are brought to the free medical clinics...the patients wait for hours and will be thrilled to have them...everyone steals their reading material anyway.
Congrats on the Hall Table! I do the 10 items a day in 10 mins act frequently...keeps my head above water.
Congrats on the Hall Table! I do the 10 items a day in 10 mins act frequently...keeps my head above water.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 4,719
Lexie, I've been following your thread here from first post to last. Good job tackling an overwhelming task and with such a great attitude!
I am more of a minimalist, and don't keep much. However, I do have several boxes of my kids artwork and baby things, plus a few boxes of my things that are mainly family heirlooms. But living with a Mom who keeps EVERYTHING and continues to add more...I think I've been scarred by her hoarding tendencies.
That said, everyone's suggestions are motivating me to do some spring cleaning, specifically in my garage which gets junky over the winter with sports equipment and gear. Time to re-organize!
Thanks all for the inspiration!
I am more of a minimalist, and don't keep much. However, I do have several boxes of my kids artwork and baby things, plus a few boxes of my things that are mainly family heirlooms. But living with a Mom who keeps EVERYTHING and continues to add more...I think I've been scarred by her hoarding tendencies.
That said, everyone's suggestions are motivating me to do some spring cleaning, specifically in my garage which gets junky over the winter with sports equipment and gear. Time to re-organize!
Thanks all for the inspiration!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Waterford MI
Posts: 4,202
Originally Posted by choublak 
I signed up for FlyLady, back when I used to care more. They flooded my inbox daily.
I had to stop the cheeriness.
I rather like the UFYH tone.
More my style.
I do not speak like that (anymore), but it is straight.
choublak,
I love the new avatar. coolest one I have seen in a long time.
Beth
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: W Washington
Posts: 11,589
ya think flylady is a wee bit codependent?? LOL i take what i like and leave the rest - swish and swirl (or is it swish and swipe?) in the bathroom, weekly blessing hour (usually on the weekend), LOVE the purple rags and the rubba scrubba, rubba sweepa, not so impressed with the swisha tho.
here's a before and after of what we accomplished this weekend in ONE small section of the yard. blame hank, HE started it!! notice you can barely see the car! and that's bucky in his "fetch" pose - i'm going to stand here, staring at you, with the ball IN my mouth, and wonder why you won't play with me. eventually he walks to the top of the steps and drops the ball, it then bounces down and rolls under the gate.
here's a before and after of what we accomplished this weekend in ONE small section of the yard. blame hank, HE started it!! notice you can barely see the car! and that's bucky in his "fetch" pose - i'm going to stand here, staring at you, with the ball IN my mouth, and wonder why you won't play with me. eventually he walks to the top of the steps and drops the ball, it then bounces down and rolls under the gate.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 490
I have an entire double garage stacked full of AXH's crap. Full of it. If he ever decided we didn't need something in the house, he would take it to the garage, open the roller doors and chuck it in. There is crap on top of crap on top of crap.
On Mother's day I went to the dump. Dumped "our" old mattress YAY! and another spare mattress that the cat peed on which he decided was easier to chuck into the garage to rot rather than clean.
I'm thinking about a weekly weekend trip to the dump to clear out the garage crap. It will be hard labour and cost $$ but I have to get rid of it all.
On Mother's day I went to the dump. Dumped "our" old mattress YAY! and another spare mattress that the cat peed on which he decided was easier to chuck into the garage to rot rather than clean.
I'm thinking about a weekly weekend trip to the dump to clear out the garage crap. It will be hard labour and cost $$ but I have to get rid of it all.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Back East
Posts: 704
Originally Posted by LexieCat
Anyway, as I said, I have hit my bottom with this situation. I feel better just for having made the call. I spent the weekend cleaning out my clothes closets and I took four HUGE bins to Goodwill. So that's a start. I gave away stuff with tags that I have never worn, as well as stuff I haven't worn in years. It's a start.
Thanks for listening--this has been a huge burden on me, and just as with the drinking, the insanity of living with an alcoholic, and a couple of other unmanageable situations, just getting it off your chest helps.
Thanks for listening--this has been a huge burden on me, and just as with the drinking, the insanity of living with an alcoholic, and a couple of other unmanageable situations, just getting it off your chest helps.
What works for me ("works" is using the term loosely -- after living here almost 7 years, our apartment is still pretty messy, and it's only if you compare to what it looked like 3, 4, 5, or 6 years ago that you can notice improvment) is basically her "27 fling." Whenever my wife (the primary mess-maker of the house) is out, I just grab a trash bag and fill it up -- with anything, it doesn't matter -- and take it out to the barrel.
Don't worry about "donating" stuff -- that's just to assuage your guilt for having bought stuff you don't use (i.e., thrown money away). They can't get peanuts for old clothes anyway, except certain kinds of vintage jeans and leather jackets. Just FILL THE TRASH BAG and THROW IT IN THE BARREL. That's how simple it has to be, for me to be able to do it.
And if nothing else, I do love the term CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome)! :-D
T
A work in progress
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
Oh, yeah, I use the term "CHAOS" all the time!
Actually, donating does do some good. The thrift stores provide jobs for a lot of people, and decent clothing for a lot of poor people. They don't make huge money off each item, but they also have other places that they ship clothing not suitable for sale in the stores. And it keeps the stuff out of landfills for a while.
If I had a little more time, I would have taken more of the work-worthy clothes to a place like "Dress for Success" which provides clothing for women re-entering the workforce. As it is, I think I donated a lot of stuff somebody can put to good use.
Actually, donating does do some good. The thrift stores provide jobs for a lot of people, and decent clothing for a lot of poor people. They don't make huge money off each item, but they also have other places that they ship clothing not suitable for sale in the stores. And it keeps the stuff out of landfills for a while.
If I had a little more time, I would have taken more of the work-worthy clothes to a place like "Dress for Success" which provides clothing for women re-entering the workforce. As it is, I think I donated a lot of stuff somebody can put to good use.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 168
Purging is cleansing. One magazine in, one magazine out. If I didn't have time to read the last issue laying on my coffee table for an entire month, I'm certainly not going to have time to read TWO magazines this month, or three the next month. I have a hard time with magazines too as I'm a photographer and my magazines are full for gorgeous photography, but I can't own all beautiful things.
Seriously studying simplicity changed my life several years ago. This book: The Simplicity Reader by Elaine St. James: The Simplicity Reader: Elaine St. James: 9780765116765: Amazon.com: Books, which is a bit dated now, changed my thinking on things. It's not just a how to get organized book as much as a how you value things, time, family book. And it's acturally three book bound into one. I highly recommend it.
Seriously studying simplicity changed my life several years ago. This book: The Simplicity Reader by Elaine St. James: The Simplicity Reader: Elaine St. James: 9780765116765: Amazon.com: Books, which is a bit dated now, changed my thinking on things. It's not just a how to get organized book as much as a how you value things, time, family book. And it's acturally three book bound into one. I highly recommend it.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Waterford MI
Posts: 4,202
Love, love, love the pictures Anvilhead.
ah, Bucky, drop the ball.
If you wait about a week, it should get to me!
That backyard looks great!
Mmm, my porch. could it be made into something lovely?
it is possible.
ah, Bucky, drop the ball.
If you wait about a week, it should get to me!
That backyard looks great!
Mmm, my porch. could it be made into something lovely?
it is possible.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: W Washington
Posts: 11,589
now that the Della issue seems under control and I have freshly cleaned carpet, our kitchen sink p-trap thingamajig started leaking before hank got home...the whole thing is now discombobulated, hank's made one trip to the hardware store, trying gamely to fix it - he HATES plumbing. we even called our plumber, and where is HE? ari-frickin-zona to go see his daughter graduate. oh like THAT is important???
kitchen is a disaster as we did have dishes soaking in the sink when it decided to start leaking for no reason. so poor hank, he's still in his work clothes, cussing up a blue streak - at times it sounds like there are three people under the sink. dinner isn't exactly an option at the moment, it's 7 pm, so his blood sugars are starting to wig out. dogs have recused themselves to the outdoors as they can't tell if he's mad at THEM. he's not, but he's not happy!!! YOU try and get him to stop now....the one doohickie won't match up and the threads on the sink thingie won't thread. obviously i'm of GREAT help?
so on the topic of unmanageable...yeah I get that!
is a week in bora bora TOO much to ask???
kitchen is a disaster as we did have dishes soaking in the sink when it decided to start leaking for no reason. so poor hank, he's still in his work clothes, cussing up a blue streak - at times it sounds like there are three people under the sink. dinner isn't exactly an option at the moment, it's 7 pm, so his blood sugars are starting to wig out. dogs have recused themselves to the outdoors as they can't tell if he's mad at THEM. he's not, but he's not happy!!! YOU try and get him to stop now....the one doohickie won't match up and the threads on the sink thingie won't thread. obviously i'm of GREAT help?
so on the topic of unmanageable...yeah I get that!
is a week in bora bora TOO much to ask???
A work in progress
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
Aw, poor Anvil (and poor Hank!). A couple years ago I made homemade tamales with dried cornhusk wrappings. I made the mistake of throwing the extras down the disposal. 
The disposal froze up, and the p-trap clogged. When I FINALLY got the disposal cleared, I tried to dislodge the crud in the p-trap with a coat hanger (see--Joan Crawford was wrong--they ARE good for something!), and the coat hanger poked right THROUGH the corroded p-trap. I had to run out to Home Depot and ran in the door about 30 seconds before closing.
Just another little fix-it project.
BTW, Anvil, I don't know about Bora Bora, but I AM going to Fiji next week for 10 days. I'll send you some pictures.
The disposal froze up, and the p-trap clogged. When I FINALLY got the disposal cleared, I tried to dislodge the crud in the p-trap with a coat hanger (see--Joan Crawford was wrong--they ARE good for something!), and the coat hanger poked right THROUGH the corroded p-trap. I had to run out to Home Depot and ran in the door about 30 seconds before closing. Just another little fix-it project.
BTW, Anvil, I don't know about Bora Bora, but I AM going to Fiji next week for 10 days. I'll send you some pictures.
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: W Washington
Posts: 11,589
oh you b*tch! FIJI???? please enjoy for all of us! how grand for you!
part of the problem is that hank has like gorilla strength in his hands from 20+ years in masonry....
ok, we just got the "I QUIT" and we are having a hissy fit. we won't bring up the number of times I said "honey, please just STOP".
part of the problem is that hank has like gorilla strength in his hands from 20+ years in masonry....
ok, we just got the "I QUIT" and we are having a hissy fit. we won't bring up the number of times I said "honey, please just STOP".
A work in progress
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
Yeah, believe it or not, the Fiji trip is a work trip. I won't be lolling on the beach every day, but I should get a little R&R. Actually, one weekend we are scheduled to go to a resort where we can hike in the rainforest and also snorkel with dolphins. I'm thinking about getting a waterproof case for my iPhone so I can take some Jazzman-esque pics.
Whenever Hank calms down, there are some great YouTube videos on plumbing repairs. I get a lot of DIY info online. The videos are great--much more helpful to someone like me than just reading about it.
Whenever Hank calms down, there are some great YouTube videos on plumbing repairs. I get a lot of DIY info online. The videos are great--much more helpful to someone like me than just reading about it.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: W Washington
Posts: 11,589
woo hoo! indoor plumbing, I HAS it! and in the words of Fly Lady I also has a very shiny SINK! plumber had it knocked back together in like 20 minutes...I said to hank, hey wait, that didn't HIM four hours....he told me to ZIP IT and grinned. $50 and we gave him all the extra parts and sent him on his way.
one small victory at a time.
one small victory at a time.
A work in progress
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
Ah, indoor plumbing. What a great invention.
One great thing about AA for me has been all the terrific tradespeople I've gotten to know. I have an AA buddy who is a plumber, one who is a carpenter--don't ELECTRICIANS drink, fer God's sake?
One great thing about AA for me has been all the terrific tradespeople I've gotten to know. I have an AA buddy who is a plumber, one who is a carpenter--don't ELECTRICIANS drink, fer God's sake?
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: W Washington
Posts: 11,589
just wanna say thanks for inspiring me to get off my duff and start decluttering! it's slow, I just attack tiny chunks, but each little chunk adds up!
today I even gave myself permission to get a whole new bed set...AND new pillows! when we took our post breakfast nap it was HEAVEN! I rounded up a trash bag full of "old" clothes to donate, even sorted thru the plastic ware drawer and got rid of any loose lids that didn't have bottoms. lil chunk here, lil chunk there.
I hope YOU are also having some success. carving out spots of ORDER. it helps me soooo much if I have places I can look that are nice n tidy.
just fyi, from left to right on my mantle we have:
an empty Skull vodka bottle (from our friend Jay), and Santa bartender jack in the box thing hank got from a yard sale, WITH a green bay packer #4 ball cap on it (brett favre's number), a pencil sketch of Della sent to us from hank's brother who is locked up - one of his prison buddies did the sketch, a Packers plaque, one of those wooden barrel thingie where you lift it up and the naked guy inside has his "thingie" wiggle, the framed Packers Owner stock certificate, two cheesehead coasters, a piece of pottery with incense, cool looking piece of driftwood, a small framed Van Gogh Starry Night, and small desk style lamp in a Frank Lloyd Wright style. continuing on is an aging "lucky" bamboo plant, and a standing floor lamp with dragon flys from which hangs the Packers SuperBowl banner!!! oh and I forgot, back to the left side, right below is the shelf on which the big screen sits and we have the football that opens and plays the Monday Night Football song!!!!
haute couture we are not! and that is totally ok!
today I even gave myself permission to get a whole new bed set...AND new pillows! when we took our post breakfast nap it was HEAVEN! I rounded up a trash bag full of "old" clothes to donate, even sorted thru the plastic ware drawer and got rid of any loose lids that didn't have bottoms. lil chunk here, lil chunk there.
I hope YOU are also having some success. carving out spots of ORDER. it helps me soooo much if I have places I can look that are nice n tidy.
just fyi, from left to right on my mantle we have:
an empty Skull vodka bottle (from our friend Jay), and Santa bartender jack in the box thing hank got from a yard sale, WITH a green bay packer #4 ball cap on it (brett favre's number), a pencil sketch of Della sent to us from hank's brother who is locked up - one of his prison buddies did the sketch, a Packers plaque, one of those wooden barrel thingie where you lift it up and the naked guy inside has his "thingie" wiggle, the framed Packers Owner stock certificate, two cheesehead coasters, a piece of pottery with incense, cool looking piece of driftwood, a small framed Van Gogh Starry Night, and small desk style lamp in a Frank Lloyd Wright style. continuing on is an aging "lucky" bamboo plant, and a standing floor lamp with dragon flys from which hangs the Packers SuperBowl banner!!! oh and I forgot, back to the left side, right below is the shelf on which the big screen sits and we have the football that opens and plays the Monday Night Football song!!!!
haute couture we are not! and that is totally ok!
A work in progress
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
No singing trout on a plaque?
Dang, now I know what to get you for Christmas!
I didn't get a whole lot of cleaning done this weekend, did decide to part with a few more pairs of shoes I have never worn (because I KNOW they would kill my feet--I really envy people who can grab a cute pair of shoes and actually WEAR them). I've gotta do a bit more downstairs before I go away, just so my neighbors don't call the board of health when they are taking care of my cats later this week. Spent most of this weekend trying to get various tasks/errands done before I leave for my trip.
Dang, now I know what to get you for Christmas!
I didn't get a whole lot of cleaning done this weekend, did decide to part with a few more pairs of shoes I have never worn (because I KNOW they would kill my feet--I really envy people who can grab a cute pair of shoes and actually WEAR them). I've gotta do a bit more downstairs before I go away, just so my neighbors don't call the board of health when they are taking care of my cats later this week. Spent most of this weekend trying to get various tasks/errands done before I leave for my trip.
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