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Thanks for this thread!!
I found most of the responses hilarious;
I used to be a perfectionist; I guess Army had a lot to do with the "tight ship"
that I ran at home, I was a clean and order freak; got help (counseling) with this.
And now I'm almost the complete opposite; i tried very hard for so long to stop the perfectionism. But as newagedredneck said; if I straighten things up I can't find a darn thing!!!... A lot has to do with age also (baby boomer) and a lot of hobbies, I'm a semi-pack-rat, but not a filthy unclean person. I use bleach in everything, Pine-sol , Mr.Clean. I abhor nastiness, but my house can resemble a crime scene" LOL when I'm working on my arts and crafts. Research. I'm stuck in the middle I guess..
The Oprah show about this was really fascinating. The expert said, rightly, that you can't just go clean out stuff for this kind of person because they will just do it again unless they get their head straight.
As for regular people who aren't totally nuts, clutter=stress. If you just clean out 1 drawer a day, or 1 closet a week, it is SO freeing and calming. Like the old joke, "How do you eat an elephant?" It is not overwhelming if you tackle it in little small bites.
The Oprah show about this was really fascinating. The expert said, rightly, that you can't just go clean out stuff for this kind of person because they will just do it again unless they get their head straight.
As for regular people who aren't totally nuts, clutter=stress. If you just clean out 1 drawer a day, or 1 closet a week, it is SO freeing and calming. Like the old joke, "How do you eat an elephant?" It is not overwhelming if you tackle it in little small bites.
Wasn't that show insane? That was something else to actually see it...the 10,0000+ sq ft warehouse filled with this couples "stuff" who had a 3,000 sq ft home.??!!
The mold issue was so sick. And the guy that was helping them sort it all out developed a fungus up his leg and to his scalp from being in contact with the mold. ....sheesh. I'm getting itchy just thinking about it.
Unreal....
Their home looked beautiful after all was said and done...I just hope they don't fall back into the pattern of living like they once did.
I have this program saved on my DVR and I can't wait too see it.
From what I remember about a similar show that Dr. Phil did, its about control when someone hoards stuff that way.
I just had a garage sale in order to make sure things NEVER get that bad. I think its a good rule to make a regular habit of going through things and if you haven't used it in the last 3 months then get rid of it. Of course things that are seasonal would be an exception.
With the stuff I got rid of, I feel alot more free, although my garage is a mess now from the garage sale and the things I wasn't able to sell sitting around. Oh well.
When we moved 3,000 miles across the US I had to definately go through my things (stuff). I was talking to a friend about this and she said something I'll never forget and it was so true. Many items you have saved may mean something to you but once you die and your children have to go through your things they are going to have to wonder why in the world you would hang on to so many of these items you have stored away. Yeah, guess I'll make it easier on my kids when that time does arrive--I'll just keep only the real memories and needed items today. I didn't even know what all I had saved up in many of those stored boxes in the attic. So I throughly went through it all and donated what may be useful or appreciated to others less fortunate and some items I just tossed away. I feel so much better knowing exactly what items I have in the boxes I moved with me!! And knowing that maybe someone else may be enjoying something I had stored away in a box!!!
I can relate to your move, because my wife and I made a 2000 mile move from Virginia Beach to Grand Junction Colorado about a year and a half ago. We sure did throw out alot of stuff in the process. Some of it we sold, some of it we gave away, and alot of it we just threw out. It felt good to lighten our load a bit. When we were cleaning out the garage, we found receipts from 1980 stuffed in a shoe box, and other useless can't-live-without-it items. Moving is a great incentive to lessen the clutter and lighten your load.
I went through this with my mom this past winter. She is way up there in age but she had this urge to keep on buying canned fruits and veggies and pack them away. Me and my sisters went over there and divvied up around 150. She had done a good job keeping her mind active after my dad died; always enjoyed working crossword puzzles, read books, etc. You get on the other side of 80 and things change. She has been put on antidepressants over my initial objections but am ok with it now. There is no doubt in my mind it links with depression. And I know a little about the subject. It is pretty damn brutal, depression is, to be honest with you. We have always checked up on her from time to time. I thought things were ok until I opened the pantry door and a case of creamed corn came down on my foot.
Speaking for myself and my husband we can't live with clutter and disorganization. But we have a family member that to go to her house is depressing and upsetting. You cannot see the top of her dining table as it's covered with mail (unopened), magazines, catalogues, old newspapers-and always in the same spots-never moved to dust. A bunch of artificial flowers in a plastic bag has been by her door for 8 months.
Her bedrooms consist of pathways. The bathroom is disgusting-countertops covered with junk, medicine cabinet overflowing.
Her kitchen counter has no room-every inch covered with crap and her cabinets-well forget it. She claims to be anal about cleaning her kitchen but I have yet to see a spare spot - sink is always overflowing. She'll ask us for dinner but no thanx.
I have noticed her thinking process has seemed to slow-forgetful always. She goes somewhere everyday-to me it's to escape. Can't understand why her immediate family hasn't broached the subject with her. I have offered my help-to no avail.
I used to have a spotless house free of clutter. Then I moved to the country and I was always dusting. Now I am older and moved to a country type area again, but we are also remodeling. So while part of my house is free of clutter sometimes, I have had to cram in furniture where it doesn't belong. I have two dogs that create dust and messes. I am having a hard time keeping up with everything, especially since I have been spending a lot of time in the yard pruning. I have learned to live with the chaos, but I think in my younger years it would have driven me mad. I still like things neat, but I can let things go. Sometimes the dust piles up after 3 days. but I don't have time for everything, nor the energy that I had years ago. After six hours in the yard, I come in and clean what I can and cook, etc. Plus computer stuff. So does it affect my health? No. In fact, working in the garden has improved my physical health. Mentally, I just believe that what is is. Someday my house will look great, now it doesn't except in places.
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....sheesh. I'm getting itchy just thinking about it.
