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Post by lozzylooloo on Apr 19, 2011 4:51:52 GMT -5
Very timely bump here too so thanks for linking to it, Lioness. Am bookmarking so that I can keep revisiting it - thanks!
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Post by sunshineshouse on Apr 19, 2011 17:27:35 GMT -5
Yes, the recycling habit is a tough one to break (even temporarily) because of the guilt! In my county we recycle paper, metal and plastic. I am fine with putting paper and even some metal in the trash, but I still can't get myself to put all but the most gross plastic thing in the trash. Well, with no guilt about the paper and metal, I've at least given myself partial amnesty  Metal is big bucks these days. Many of the large trash haulers use heavy duty magnets to pull the metal items from the trash in order to sell it for scrap metal. Sooner or later, that metal will be reclaimed in some form or another. Love amnesty! |
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Post by yearning4order on Apr 19, 2011 20:51:49 GMT -5
This thread is still nothing short of amazing. Thank you!
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Post by ms.malamellow on Apr 20, 2011 12:51:13 GMT -5
Just read these posts yesterday and again today. This is one of my biggest obstacles to overcome. Throwing stuff out without thinking twice about it. It's still good...I should keep it...I should donate it...I'll just "put it over there" til I can get it to Goodwill. That just makes the clutter move from one area to another. It's stuff I never use. I like the idea of just clearing stuff out at this point, then maybe down the road getting into donating/recycling. I do not post much but I read and get so much out of this site. Thank you all!  |
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Post by canna on Apr 20, 2011 13:41:18 GMT -5
I do not throw out perfectly good things. There are so many, at least 10, driveable places to donate things in the area - Lots of shops that are run by different family service, church, educational charities and reuse centers (and some consignment stores). So everything that is in good condition, working, useable - I will donate!! I won't just toss.
Yes, It means keeping a "donate" box around. I have been donating a lot of things in the past few months. Lots of books, clothes, cookware, cds & dvds.
I do toss things that aren't useable, or are ripped or broken.
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Post by seashell on Apr 20, 2011 14:37:32 GMT -5
I love donating but was completely overwhelmed and had shut down, partly from the stress of trying to find good homes for my things. I discovered amnesty last night in the chat room. Keeping my sanity at this time is more important to me than finding homes for stuff.
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Post by gottaproblem on Apr 22, 2011 16:14:18 GMT -5
Big purge this weekend. Only a week to go before family comes in to finish it off for me, so I will have to have this mind set or it will take me forever. I also find it hard to not find proper homes for all of this and see where it has gotten me. Stuck with a bunch of homeless stuff. So think of me this week end and send thoughts my way so I can just let go and not worry about where it is going. Mind you, even though I said this I am sure I will take a load to the goodwill.  |
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Post by wynken on Apr 22, 2011 19:54:24 GMT -5
gottaproblem
many blessings - thinking of you
May you have claity of thought as you toss or donate or find some things with a new home to go to- within your home.
Its possibly not the right thread but I need join you today,
clearing things /making spaces
and operating cleaning equipment like mop or vacuum.
I have today to do this.
- dear god - I need clarity of thought too.
thanks in advance.
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Post by ClutterBlind on Oct 13, 2011 20:35:42 GMT -5
Time for the SOS Fairy Godmother to wave her Magic Wand of Amnesty again.  I have a big, old UGLY, useless piece of furniture to toss out. I am not saving the world by keeping it in my home. I am not in a place to be selling or donating it. I need to dismantle it and set it in the dumpster. I need to reclaim this space in my tiny apartment. I need to be able to do this for me without needing to take care of anyone else right now. |
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Post by BetsyMarie on Oct 13, 2011 21:47:12 GMT -5
I am another who does not throw out perfectly good things. It goes against my personal code. Same with recycling. But I understand why it is necessary for some in order to accomplish what they want.
We have 2 super simple drive up donation spots within 2 miles. For me donating has been a god-send. I can fill my car and get rid of lots of 'good stuff' in one afternoon that would have taken several weeks of limited trash-can space.
As to big, bulky ugly furniture and extra mattresses... I've tossed a few pieces like that too. Around here we can arrange for special trash pick-ups with our regular service for over-sized items. One per year is free, and any others are dirt cheap.
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Post by ClutterBlind on Oct 13, 2011 22:21:38 GMT -5
We have 2 super simple drive up donation spots within 2 miles. For me donating has been a god-send. I can fill my car and get rid of lots of 'good stuff' in one afternoon that would have taken several weeks of limited trash-can space. Not all of us have the capability to bring our stuff to donation centers. I don't have a car. I have literally kept stuff for years to a decade in this TINY studio apartment because of the guilt of tossing out perfectly good things. I thought I would be able to somehow magically cart boxes & bags to the donation centers - that is when they accept donations. Some places have cut offs when they get overloaded. The only way for me to donate would be by hiring a cab, dragging everything into the elevator, to the curb, paying the cab meter for the time of loading the trunk, the drive over and then the unloading, as well as tipping the driver. that was just for ONE trunk load. All this for stuff that really is not going to save the world if it ends up in a landfill one person sooner. It's going to end up in a landfill eventually. I realized I didn't need to be Mother Theresa for objects.I also have hypothyroidism which causes EXTREME exhaustion and brain fog. If I do not get out the stuff WHEN I have the energy, it would sit for perhaps another decade if I did not have amnesty to toss it. MY life is worth something, too. I will no longer be used to house 'useful' stuff for strangers who may not even take it from the donation centers. When I finally realized the belief and guilt about needing to pass on useful things to others, at the expense of my own life, peace and serenity, and came to terms with the likelihood of my ever realistically being able to take it all to a donation center, I was finally able to toss stuff. The first 4-6 huge industrial size garbage bags were very uncomfortable and guilt inducing. I think I held my breath for a long time. I waited for the great lightening bolt to hit me. It didn't.  I lived through the uncomfortability and made it through. I still sometimes need several times through a box to get rid of it all. But, the uncomfortability is getting a lot less. Now, I'm up to getting rid of this big, ugly, useless piece of furniture that is the size of a dead hippo. I think if I called up the zoo and asked what to do with their hippo that wandered into my apartment and died here, they'd tell me to get rid of it. It's worthless now. But, because it's furniture, I kept it all this time. It's not a piece I love or even use. Half or it has fallen apart. But, because it's still 'useful' to a degree, I've felt guilty and kept it all this time. I just keep thanking God (and this board) for granting me Amnesty! |
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Post by Freedom on Oct 14, 2011 0:45:46 GMT -5
I am another who does not throw out perfectly good things. It goes against my personal code. Same with recycling. But I understand why it is necessary for some in order to accomplish what they want. We have 2 super simple drive up donation spots within 2 miles. For me donating has been a god-send. I can fill my car and get rid of lots of 'good stuff' in one afternoon that would have taken several weeks of limited trash-can space. As to big, bulky ugly furniture and extra mattresses... I've tossed a few pieces like that too. Around here we can arrange for special trash pick-ups with our regular service for over-sized items. One per year is free, and any others are dirt cheap. We have 2 super simple drive up donation spots within 2 miles. For me donating has been a god-send. I can fill my car and get rid of lots of 'good stuff' in one afternoon that would have taken several weeks of limited trash-can space. Not all of us have the capability to bring our stuff to donation centers. I don't have a car. I have literally kept stuff for years to a decade in this TINY studio apartment because of the guilt of tossing out perfectly good things. I thought I would be able to somehow magically cart boxes & bags to the donation centers - that is when they accept donations. Some places have cut offs when they get overloaded. The only way for me to donate would be by hiring a cab, dragging everything into the elevator, to the curb, paying the cab meter for the time of loading the trunk, the drive over and then the unloading, as well as tipping the driver. that was just for ONE trunk load. All this for stuff that really is not going to save the world if it ends up in a landfill one person sooner. It's going to end up in a landfill eventually. I realized I didn't need to be Mother Theresa for objects.I also have hypothyroidism which causes EXTREME exhaustion and brain fog. If I do not get out the stuff WHEN I have the energy, it would sit for perhaps another decade if I did not have amnesty to toss it. MY life is worth something, too. I will no longer be used to house 'useful' stuff for strangers who may not even take it from the donation centers. When I finally realized the belief and guilt about needing to pass on useful things to others, at the expense of my own life, peace and serenity, and came to terms with the likelihood of my ever realistically being able to take it all to a donation center, I was finally able to toss stuff. The first 4-6 huge industrial size garbage bags were very uncomfortable and guilt inducing. I think I held my breath for a long time. I waited for the great lightening bolt to hit me. It didn't. I lived through the uncomfortability and made it through. I still sometimes need several times through a box to get rid of it all. But, the uncomfortability is getting a lot less. Now, I'm up to getting rid of this big, ugly, useless piece of furniture that is the size of a dead hippo. I think if I called up the zoo and asked what to do with their hippo that wandered into my apartment and died here, they'd tell me to get rid of it. It's worthless now. But, because it's furniture, I kept it all this time. It's not a piece I love or even use. Half of it has fallen apart. But, because it's still 'useful' to a degree, I've felt guilty and kept it all this time. This means the hippo is not part of that elite category "Perfectly Good Things." When I lived in Dallas, I could call up Salvation Army and arrange a pickup. All I had to do was get the stuff into a box and out the door. Soon, it disappeared! It was wonderful -- let them eat cake! Where I live now, no charity does this. If you want them to have it, you have to deliver it into their hands. Evelyn addressed this to Lost, but I say we are each included .... This is the the SOS Fairy Godmother, waving her Magic Wand of Amnesty over Lost:  (It may look like a feather duster, but what else would the SOS Wand of Amnesty look like?) As the Magic (and non-dirtying) Amnesty Dust falls gently and absolvingly over our un-lost Lost, the SOS Fairy Godmother invokes these words: "Unto Thee is Amnesty granted, to throw any object, "perfectly good" or otherwise, into the garbage. If, and only if, thou wisheth it; thou mayest place said object at the curb, with or without an attached sign bearing the magic word "Free," whereupon it may magically disappear. Be thou wary of the Evil Minons of Clutter, who may whisper to thee and seek to induce thee to take said object back into thy home; but know that amnesty is increased each time an object is returned to the Discard Pile. Go now ye forth, my dear un-lost Lost, to declutter and cleanse, with all Blessings of Amnesty upon thee." Thus has it been said, and thus is it now written. *editedtoadd* Great thread, thanks for the bump! [glow=purple,4,300]  [/glow] |
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Post by fluffernut - now Jannie on Oct 14, 2011 5:14:25 GMT -5
I've lived in the same house for 30 years. Early on, my Town allowed two general scrap throw out days. You piled anything unwanted (except heavy construction debris) at the curb and it would be hauled away. Then it stoopped, so I've had to be vmore creative. Cover things in black bags and sneak them into garbage. Donate if possible. And Craigslist to give away fairly big things. The one thing I recycled was an above ground swimming pool. Had a local guy take it apart and take it to the curb on saturday. Sunday a guy drove by, asked if he could take the metal pieces (a lot), Monday day the regular garbagemen took the plastic liner. Advertised on Craigslist, gave away 2 working filter pumps and extra chemicals. My best throw-out.
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Post by BetsyMarie on Oct 14, 2011 11:22:40 GMT -5
The goal in my opinion is to get rid of as much as possible in whatever way is both the most convenient and compatible with our own personal values. What works for me won't necessarily work for you. I have had great volumes of things to get rid of. Thus far 116 trash cans full - and that's conservative. Actually more, but I haven't updated my tally - there are at least 6 more cans waiting for 'the man' to pick up. And there is much more to go. In the time I have done that, my regular trash cans simply would not have been able to take away that much stuff, and when I decide something has to go, it's best for it to go fast. For me recycling and donations have been a very easy way to simply get rid of volumes of stuff. I know not everyone has the great curb-side recycling we do. I know not everyone has easy charity pick ups (we have several of those too - check the yellow pages) or easy drop offs, or ways to get things there. We each must live with the alternatives we have available without guilt. Perhaps there is also the question of what actually is 'good'. As a hoarder, what I consider 'good' most other normal people would consider trash. I've seen examples of that over and over on the hoarding programs. I do toss things that I consider 'good', but that a thrift shop would consider trash. That is my litmus test. As a long time thrift store shopper, I know the kinds of things they sell, and base some of my decisions about what THEY would consider good vs what I would consider good, and go by that. And finally, I think of decluttering and cleaning house as an integral part of a long recovery process and becoming more in tune with my true, authentic self. And that includes living according to certain personal standards of behavior that reflects a respect for both myself and my surroundings - not just my home, but my environment. I do not expect everyone else to make the same decisions I have. There is no such thing as 'the right way'. Do what works. |
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Post by Freedom on Oct 14, 2011 11:53:39 GMT -5
The goal in my opinion is to get rid of as much as possible in whatever way is both the most convenient and compatible with our own personal values. What works for me won't necessarily work for you. I have had great volumes of things to get rid of. Thus far 116 trash cans full - and that's conservative. Actually more, but I haven't updated my tally - there are at least 6 more cans waiting for 'the man' to pick up. And there is much more to go. In the time I have done that, my regular trash cans simply would not have been able to take away that much stuff, and when I decide something has to go, it's best for it to go fast. For me recycling and donations have been a very easy way to simply get rid of volumes of stuff. I know not everyone has the great curb-side recycling we do. I know not everyone has easy charity pick ups (we have several of those too - check the yellow pages) or easy drop offs, or ways to get things there. We each must live with the alternatives we have available without guilt. Perhaps there is also the question of what actually is 'good'. As a hoarder, what I consider 'good' most other normal people would consider trash. I've seen examples of that over and over on the hoarding programs. I do toss things that I consider 'good', but that a thrift shop would consider trash. That is my litmus test.
As a long time thrift store shopper, I know the kinds of things they sell, and base some of my decisions about what THEY would consider good vs what I would consider good, and go by that. And finally, I think of decluttering and cleaning house as an integral part of a long recovery process and becoming more in tune with my true, authentic self. And that includes living according to certain personal standards of behavior that reflects a respect for both myself and my surroundings - not just my home, but my environment. I do not expect everyone else to make the same decisions I have. There is no such thing as 'the right way'. Do what works. Oooo, what a great insight! I think would-Goodwill-sell-this is an excellent test. |
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