|
|
Post by gringa7ape on Aug 13, 2008 23:38:59 GMT -5
Well, I grew up in clutter. It was always around me! So I have never really learned to be organized, or clean, or whatever... My parents are super super crazy packrats, yet they think they aren't, and that they have to have all that in case someday .. you know, we've all heard it before. I mean, they have a whole semi trailer full of.. junk.. some of it is stuff they could easily sell (some of the stuff my dad bought specifically to sell.. that was about 5-6 years ago)... on top of that, the camper trailer that we used to go camping in is also loaded with junk.. and we're not even to the house... so it goes on and on.. they really have a hard time getting rid of anything.. so, growing up in that.... I am not a full out packrat like them. I am doing way better than I used to be. I have gotten rid of a ton of crap thru freecycle, and also thru garage sales. One of my main problems is that I always think "oh , i can make money off of this" which in many cases could be true, so i list it on Craigslist, but then have to have it stored somewhere.. so sure eventually maybe i'll sell it, but in the meantime I have to just have more junk. And I love to get things that people are throwing away and sell it. I figure hey, if I can make $5-$10 bucks off of something that I got for free, thats perfect! Plus it helps so things aren't going in the landfill! So I have a lot of junk. But lately I have finally been trying to come to grips with it, sort thru things and save only what I KNOW will sell, not the silly things like "well even if I make 25cents" etc.. to find that person to buy it for that price.. its probably better just freecycling it. anyways... my husband thinks our house already looks like my parents, but it doesn't at all. not at all. their house has a pathway to get thru, our house has rooms still  but i do need to get things organized better! so thats a little about me. I am loving this thread about accountability partners. it really helps writing things out, then I feel I NEED to do the things.. there are people expecting me to get those specific things done! It really keeps me motivated! thanks for an awesome site everyone! and now its time for bed! oh, and I should mention I have 2 kids, a 2 year old daughter named Ailani, and a 5 month old boy named Jaylen. -April |
|
|
|
Post by crazycatlady on Aug 14, 2008 8:58:50 GMT -5
Welcome, April! I'm so glad that you joined us! I'm not certain how anyone with a two year old and an infant can possibly keep a clean house, but I'm proud of you for trying. And...as a mother of 4, I can tell you that kids love space to play in. The more stuff that you let go, the more room your family will have to enjoy. The less stuff you accumulate, the less stuff you will have to deal with, giving you more time for your family and yourself.
I know that it is tempting to pick up the freebies when you find them. I still have a yellow bathroom sink that I picked up by the roadside. I never planned a yellow bathroom, but when I saw that "perfectly good" sink, I figured I could adjust to a yellow bathroom. DH saw it and grimaced. I finally realized that it was just a piece of junk. And the faucet attached to the top? DH showed me that it had been ruined when it was removed...all the lower pipes were mashed. (Maybe that was why it was sitting in the trash?)
Useful freebies are nice. But if you (or I) cannot use the freebie within a week or two, we should leave it for the next person that drives past. We are not in the business of recycling all the worlds trash, by making our homes a junk heap. We can live responsibly, and do our best to reduce, reuse, recycle. But locking up all the freebies in my storage room of doom (where I believe that yellow sink is!) will not help anyone, especially me!
Although it is hard at first, over time you will begin to get a victorious feeling when you leave some useful item for the next person. Give it a try! I think that you will like it! I do! 
|
|
|
|
Post by pegasus48 on Aug 14, 2008 13:57:56 GMT -5
Welcome aboard, Gringa! You seem to have the same problem as a lot of us here. Too much stuff and bringing more in,  !! I think rather than try to make money off of the extra stuff, it is better to just get rid of it as fast as you can. Donate, freecycle, toss as appropriate--just get rid of as much as possible. (I have gotten rid of lots that way, but I still have more to go.) Go for it!!  |
|
|
|
Post by humancrouton on Aug 14, 2008 15:36:58 GMT -5
I am new here, but I can relate!! A friend of mine asked if I was raised by depression-era parents, and indeed I was! ...they had a house FULL of things that 'might come in handy'... that third of fourth icepick later, you can't find a can opener- which makes you save those too, when you get your hands on them- and it goes on and on. :/ I know. I have several problem areas in my life- right now, recycling is one of my dragons- I know you need to recycle- but I am not very efficient at it, so I end up cluttering and hoarding and not actually /getting/ the things into the recyclers.  |
|
queenb
New Member
Joined: August 2008
Posts: 19
|
Post by queenb on Aug 14, 2008 16:51:28 GMT -5
April, it's nice to meet you. Thanks for sharing your introduction
|
|
|
|
Post by zinnia on Aug 15, 2008 21:02:00 GMT -5
There is an endless supply of "things"- and only so much time to deal with that stuff. Especially considering your two young children, your time is VERY valuable. Welcome! |
|
|
|
Post by creativechaos on Aug 20, 2008 11:16:39 GMT -5
One of my main problems is that I always think "oh , i can make money off of this" which in many cases could be true, so i list it on Craigslist, but then have to have it stored somewhere.. so sure eventually maybe i'll sell it, but in the meantime I have to just have more junk. And I love to get things that people are throwing away and sell it. I figure hey, if I can make $5-$10 bucks off of something that I got for free, thats perfect! Plus it helps so things aren't going in the landfill! So I have a lot of junk. But lately I have finally been trying to come to grips with it, sort thru things and save only what I KNOW will sell, not the silly things like "well even if I make 25cents" etc.. to find that person to buy it for that price.. its probably better just freecycling it. anyways... l Boy, April, could I ever relate to this! And good for you that you are doing something about it and recognize that tricky thinking as a potential problem. ( A lot of people think they can make a little money off of things, but it usually backfires and all that happens is that they collect a lot of things that are not worth the trouble. I say this because I am one of these people!) Because getting a handle on the thoughts that go with collecting (such as, "someone can use this" or "I can see a million uses for that cardboard toilet paper roll") while you are young will save you a world of heartache later, and it will also teach your kids better habits to grow up with ,something different than what you had to grow up with. I am a hoarder, so I recognize this way of thinking, but it took me until now (age 55) to get it! Thanks for being an example and for your intro. post. Challenging this kind of thinking, letting go of the extra stuff, and teaching ourselves maintenance skills is the key. You're well on your way! Thanks for mentioning accountability partners. I usually use working in 3s, but will check that out too. You can do it! |
|
|
|
Post by gringa7ape on Aug 20, 2008 23:26:02 GMT -5
thanks everyone for replying. I have been trying to sort thru things.. little by little.. what I need to do is take a pic of the garage that way once there is some progress (and there is some, I got rid of at least 4-5 boxes at freecycle last weekend- you'd just never know it!)- anyways, then it'll be neat to see the progress. tomorrow some ppl from freecycle are coming over for a box of kitchen items (it randomly got in my garage, someone gave them to my husband but we don't need any of them!), so, i am working on getting rid of things! the maintaining is the part that is so hard for me!!! at least i have really grounded myself and haven't went to many garage sales or thrift stores lately (and last weekend there was a bag sale- everything in the bag for $1)- but i didn't go b/c I went to my church camp! so that was probably a good thing!
i have also been really working on sorting thru baby/kid items to sell at this kids sale that is coming up in september. so thats motivation for me! thanks again for all your replies !
|
|
