ukinaz
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Joined: December 2009
Posts: 12
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Post by ukinaz on Dec 22, 2009 21:57:29 GMT -5
Sorry if I'm not following any of the proper blog etiquette - never done this before!  Sooo... who else out there gets 'stuck' when they're cleaning/organizing/de-cluttering??? I get about 65-70% done, and then I'm stymied because I can't figure out what to do with the rest!!! This happens in particular with paperwork, but it also happens with all kinds of 'stuff'! I hate that, because it kills my satisfaction of completing a task!!! And sometimes I wind up just moving stuff from one place to another because I'm not sure what to do with it.... I always get impatient, and either give up, or move on to something else, & never get that sense of completion. Very frustrating!! I'm guessing someone else can relate to this -- any suggestions how to handle it when this situation arises??? Thanks for your tips!! I'm so happy I found this site yesterday -- I'm looking forward to learning about all it - and YOU - have to offer!! |
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hopehope
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,815 
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Post by hopehope on Dec 22, 2009 22:53:29 GMT -5
you bet I do. Look forward to replies.
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Post by dailystruggle on Dec 23, 2009 0:15:30 GMT -5
I think everyone gets stuck.
I'm one of those people where the whole separate things into boxes to throw away, give away, or keep just doesn't work. I bag the trash and as soon as a bag is full, I take it out to the back door. The give aways go to the car or get thrown away if I don't take them to the charity within a specified period. The things that don't belong in the room, I take those things to the room where they do belong, but I don't put them away.
The thing that I get stuck with is when I don't have a place to put the things away in the room that I'm working on. I try to put them away if I have a place to. If not, I figure out what I need to put them away and get it if I can. Then I clean and vacuum if it's needed.
I'm just wired where I have to see progress pretty frequently, and this is the only way that I've found that works. Having boxes piled with trash, give aways, and keeps just looks like I've made more of a mess than fixed.
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Post by fluffernut - now Jannie on Dec 23, 2009 10:00:34 GMT -5
When things get bad, grab a big black trash bag and go thru every room of your house, pick up anything that's garbage or broken and just stuff it in that bag, bring it outside to your trashcan and heave it. Go back inside, it will look better, I promise.
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Post by Peach on Dec 23, 2009 10:10:46 GMT -5
I also get stuck. Especially with paperwork. It seems I have an issue with finishing a project. I do most of it, then stop for some reason, and never go back to finish. And, it just sits there.
I, too, look forward to suggestions on getting unstuck.
The question here is not how to get started. It is how to get going again with a specific project and follow through until it is finished. (Please correct me if my take on this is wrong, ukinaz.)
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Post by littleengine on Dec 23, 2009 10:24:16 GMT -5
you're getting stuck because some of the stuff you want to keep has no "home," right? so you just need to figure out where, logically, would be the best place to store each item, and then keep it there.
(i feel like a hypocrite posting about organizing right now, because my house is approaching sty status--major crisis cleaning about to start after i finish this post.)
i'll tell you what's interesting--my whole house is pretty messy/dirty right now--but the kitchen cabinets that i painstakingly organized two months ago have stayed perfect. know why? because i bought a ton of sturdy plastic boxes, and used them for storing *everything* that goes in the kitchen cabinets. one box for cereal (I take the bag of cereal out of the box, and keep it closed with a clip; a bunch of bags will fit in one box, it saves space). one box for snacks. one box for candy. one box for kitchen towels. one box for dishrags (so that when i need a new one, i just grab from the box). one box for vitamins and medicine. one box for arts and crafts supplies for the kids (they like to work in the kitchen when it's clean). one box for mailing supplies (envelopes, stamps, scissors, tape, etc.). now everything has a place, and it's all contained in the boxes, so this really has stayed organized with zero additional effort on my part.
i really need to do this in more areas of the house.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2009 11:30:09 GMT -5
I am another one who has to get the stuff OUT of the house as soon as the decision is made. Which brings me to another observation about my own home: All my clutter is the result of not being able to make a decision. I go through phases where my house is very neat and zen-like, and other times (like now) when it's cluttered. The thing that triggers cluttering for me is stress. When I'm under stress, I have trouble making decisions, and since decluttering is pretty much a series of decisions about STUFF... the stuff builds up when I can't decide what to do with it. EDIT: To bring this back to the topic, i.e., how to finish a cleaning/decluttering job. My personal approach is to keep the jobs small-- Clean a small area or set a time limit (5 minutes) and consider it done. I don't even try to tackle a whole room unless I have 2-3 days free. I still haven't figured out what to do with paper-- I seem to have an endless supply of papers to go through. Any suggestions are welcome. |
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Post by dailystruggle on Dec 23, 2009 11:38:15 GMT -5
My point, in my earlier post, was that the reason that I got stuck before was because when I separated the items into boxes to keep, donate, or throw away, it just looked like I made a bigger mess, so instead of keeping at it, I cried and stopped. Then, when I did the method that I'd stated earlier, I saw progress, quickly, and that gave me motivation to keep going. Not saying that it's right, but it works for me.
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Post by dailystruggle on Dec 23, 2009 11:43:34 GMT -5
On the old Squalor Survivors site they have info regarding paperwork, like what to keep, and what to throw away, and where to store it. I use poly envelopes. They're durable, come in different colors and sizes, and if I spill something on them, no big deal. Then I put them in a cheap filing cabinet with 2 drawers. You can get the envelopes on amazon for 70 cents each.
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Post by puppybox on Dec 23, 2009 11:57:44 GMT -5
I'm trying to follow the strategy of various professional organisers that you don't work from the stuff to organisation, you do it backwards-
-first you decide what is important to you and then you designate places for those things. if you end up with stuff left over, really consider letting it go entirely. or reducing it at least.
so, for example, I have designated places in the living room for tv and dvds, my laptop computer, books, dog toys and a few decorative items. anything that is not in thsoe categories I'm trying to throw away, give away, etc. some things need to percolate for a few weeks or months while I get used to the idea of getting rid of them. some of these thigns live in the closet and I take a few out and let them sit on a chair until they bug me enough that I throw them out. this is a very slow process but its working.
the point is to designate you important categories of your life that are relevant NOW (not your hobby from 10 years ago that you no longer do but "will get back to someday") and eliminate everything else.
that helps you clean by making it obvious what to do with any given thing. put it in its zzone or thow it out (or in the back of the closet, but onyl if you have room).
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ukinaz
New Member
Joined: December 2009
Posts: 12
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Post by ukinaz on Dec 23, 2009 19:59:25 GMT -5
All very helpful tips & information so far!!!! Some good tips for getting/staying motivated... I think it is generally paperwork stuff that I get stuck on and then give up because I can't decide & don't know what to do with it, so I will check out the old site for the article on paperwork. (-: I will try each of these things... Thank you all!!!
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Post by yearning4order on Dec 25, 2009 1:27:43 GMT -5
you bet I do. Look forward to replies. Same |
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Post by BetsyMarie on Jan 8, 2010 14:12:15 GMT -5
Same too.
I just now was working in a room that has too much stored in it, but it's all 'good stuff'. I had to stop because my mind went into grid-lock with just too many things pulling it in every which-way.
I would really like to just give it away to goodwill, but just cant quite yet. I dont want it here any longer, but it is. I'm hoping I'll decompress and be able to deal with it soon.
I too dont do what the organizers suggest. I do have recycling and garbage containers on hand, but things of value to donate get put into goodwill boxes by the front door and asap into the car. Things of greater value I might want to sell get put into boxes in one room. These can always be donated later. Things I want to keep get immediately carried into their final rooms. In other words, I walk alot when decluttering, which is ok by me. Inadvertant exercise.
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krebain
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Joined: January 2010
Posts: 30
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Post by krebain on Jan 8, 2010 14:30:57 GMT -5
I tend to stop for a beer and a cigarette, perhaps a bit of time with the computer, then get back to it in about half an hour with a fresh perspective, or, if it's paperwork, I shove it in a pile... Not good, I know.  |
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Post by success19 on Jan 8, 2010 21:12:18 GMT -5
I tend to be the marathon type - do alot in one day then nothing for a week. Gradually I am getting it done. Got some sabotage issues from people not collecting their stuff in a timely manner. But I do get stuck. It is hard to know how to file stuff and what to keep at times. Heavy stuff - how to haul it out the door to sell. That sort of thing.
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