Gettin' Rid of Stuff~the fine art of downsizing

Beekissed

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I know! It takes tremendous discipline to maintain things in an orderly manner. I always admire those folks who have a place for everything and everything in its place....I've been places like that and it always makes me stare at it in awe and wish I had such a place.

I was just such a place not long ago, while picking up a load of manure that had been advertised for free. The people's garage was open and it was huge...I could tell it was where they went in and out of the house, so I entered tentatively, so as to knock on the door and announce my arrival. That garage was simply HUGE and every single wall was filled with shelving, hooks, etc. and all things in that garage was lined up neatly or hung up neatly....about 15 pr of farm boots on a shelf, farming implements hung neatly and categorized together, gloves lying neatly in pairs on a shelf...you name it, it had a place and was neatly in it. The whole floor was open for use!

I walked through that garage like I had arrived at Graceland, my mouth open in awe and wonder, my eyes bugging out like a kid in a candy store. I've been in workshops and wood working shops where the old gentlemen had every screw, nut and bolt in cubbies that were neatly labeled and all tools neatly stored, easy to hand and gleaming with cleanliness...you could tell someone had cleaned them after each use.

In each of these places I felt like this was a place someone actually cared about their things and used them quite a lot or they wouldn't need to know where everything was so completely. I've never been able to achieve that level of order, though it's always been a goal of mine. I'm thinking it would take a different mind than my own to be that disciplined and task oriented...I'm a very abstract thinker, a dreamer and a procrastinator.
 

Smart Red

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I have never been clutter free. My house, while clean and much better than 10 years ago when I retired, is not show house ready. Not even 15 minutes from ready.

I would put money on that gentleman being a military guy. Since I didn't get drafted, I didn't learn about putting things away from my Uncle Sam. That's my excuse! I have learned to "do it now". Rather than set something down to put away later, I have taught myself to put it away right away. Believe it or not, that doesn't really take all that much time and the time saved looking for whatever when it is needed again is amazing.

Of course, it doesn't help having other family members taking and using the same things. All of a sudden I'm back to wondering were it was last used. Sigh! I keep thinking that someday everything will have a place and be eminently findable. With my luck, by then I'll have recycled or decluttered what I'm looking for and need to purchase another.
 

NwMtGardener

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I have hoarding grandparents, and to a small degree helped clear up one household. It has really instilled an "anti-clutter" mentality in me, and my brother. I have a fairly organized garage, that I park in, and there's work and storage space also.

With my recent 1955 travel trailer project, I've started incorporating time at the end of a day working on it to put everything neatly away. It might just take 20 minutes, but all the screwdrivers go in one container, all my woodworking stuff in a different box, all my dewalt oscillating acessories together, all the garbage gets tossed. Its so much easier to start the next day and get things accomplished quickly when I can find the proper tools!
 

baymule

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Our DSIL is OCD. Our daughter is a total slob. What a match. She sure had to step up her game when they got married. He had to relax somewhat to be bearable to live with. As it often does, work and life gesture in the way and sometimes their house looks like an explosion. Anybody that could take my daughter and turn her into any semblance of neatness, deserves an award. LOL
 

Smart Red

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Like an alcoholic needs to have a serious reason to stop drinking, a disorganized person needs a serious, personal reason to want to make a change. There is a great site for helping those of us who need motivation for cleaning. It is called Flylady at Flylady.com.

Of course, she helps only if someone wants to make a change and keep a cleaner home. Step by step, (baby steps as she calls them) positive reinforcement, and short work sessions in training.
 

journey11

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My mom has been a fan of the Flylady for years. That kitchen sink thing really makes a huge difference. If I feel overwhelmed by a messy house, that is where I start.

The kids and I do several daily "fling-boogies" or "10-second-tidy" or whatever you want to call it too.
 

Nyboy

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Passenger seat of my car taken 5 mins ago
DSCF0216.JPG
 

Carol Dee

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OMG it looks exactly like DH's truck cab. I have to clean out before riding along. (Tires in front, no room in trunk?) @Nyboy
 
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