Fancy
New Member
Okay,okay, ...I'm dreaming! =)
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 19
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Post by Fancy on Oct 30, 2008 6:47:05 GMT -5
I found you from a poster on FlyLady. I'm very happy to have found you. I've read almost the whole Squalor Survivor home site. I could relate to so much. I'm very encouraged and hope to learn, be inspired and offer support to others. I'm one of those that's organized at work but doesn't apply the same discipline at home. I guess my attitude has been rebellious once I was off work, maybe even ticked off because there never seemed to be enough time. I'm off work for a little while so I'm tackling the problem; I'm not as tired or discouraged. I've been on my own decluttering mission and have made significant progress. But I never knew anyone I could share my daunting tasks w/ till now, that would actually understand. I'm a full fledged Level 2. I still have too much stuff! And it's so hard to get rid of perfectly good things, but I've been trying. I don't have the storage space. I've had many floods in my house so things would be gathered up and put in a pile. Two rooms I don't even use, but that's all about to change. I've just about completed the backyard except for the back porch and that will be finished in a couple of days. You know, I have to look/inspect every item and decide. It takes so much time to do that and I know it's a time killer, but I can't seem to help it. (The trash man comes tomorrow). Every room in my house needs work including organization and deep cleaning. And then there is the garage! Yikes! (((Huggs to all of you))) Fancy
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Post by iprocrastinate on Oct 30, 2008 11:07:18 GMT -5
Welcome Fancy, You are among friends here. Check out Listzilla and working in threes. Small goals and accomplishments can help you do something even when it doesn't seem like a lot. Little bits do add up. I find myself doing more cleanup tasks as habits rather than super heavy duty burdens. Again, welcome!!
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Post by metamorpha on Oct 30, 2008 11:21:59 GMT -5
Howdy Do!
As far as getting rid of things, I've been amazed at how easy it really is when the process is as easy as listing things on Craigslist. Great to meet you, Fancy, and good luck!
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Post by messymimi on Oct 30, 2008 12:04:41 GMT -5
Welcome, Fancy !
You have my sympathy on the flooding house problem. We have the same, and seemingly no way (yet) to fix it. So stuff gets moved to get it out of the way when water gets in, and no place to put it all. It's not a happy situation, and I hope yours does get resolved soon.
When you pick up an item to inspect and decide whether to keep or toss, keep in mind that if you can buy another at the second hand store, you can let them store it for you.
messymimi
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Fancy
New Member
Okay,okay, ...I'm dreaming! =)
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 19
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Post by Fancy on Oct 30, 2008 13:31:42 GMT -5
Hey there everybody, thank you for the welcome. I feel very comfortable here. I will check out Listzilla. I guess if I list something on Craigslist then I can bring the item outside rather than have someone come in. Is that how it works? And Messymimi, I will keep that in mind as far as deciding to keep or let something go. But I even go as far as taking out the screws and any usable parts before I throw something away. I even save the material from cutting off the collars, sleeves and bottoms of my t-shirts because I might need the material for a crafty project (which never happens because of all the other junk I've saved for other imagined future possible projects). See how bad I am? I have good intentions but oh my do these good intentions clutter up, and then some of it I can't even remember what it goes to. ...I'll work on trying to resist the temptation of seeing the possible value a certain 'part' might have. It's so silly when I think about what the actual value is of say 'a little screw'. A couple pennies, a nickle? But what it's really about is being a handy person and valuing that, however, it's causing too much clutter and it's a time waster. At least I'm here.
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Post by notsomessyshell on Oct 30, 2008 13:38:57 GMT -5
Welcome Fancy! You are off to a good start. I have a hubby with the same type of tossing stuff attitude. I can do an entire room in the time it takes him to do 1 corner! But as long as he is doing it I am OK. Then we go through the keep stuff 2 or 3 times and really break it down to is it really useful? Will you really honestly need this? It will then go down even more. Time consuming-yes, but if that is the way to do it to make him comfortable tossing stuff then it is time well spent. I would rather have it this way than have him the nervous mess when he just tosses stuff. So you do it however you need to. Then you can go back and reassess it.
And it is a fabulous place where I can admit what goes on behind my front door and no one judges me! This place is a lifesaver.
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baglady
New Member
makin' bags
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 33
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Post by baglady on Oct 30, 2008 15:42:36 GMT -5
Hi Fancy,
I am new here to. I have given things away online in the yahoo local recycle groups and always meet the person outside my fenced in yard or they can call me from the store down the road and meet me there. Nobody wants any of the stuff I have left so now I have to learn to let go.
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Fancy
New Member
Okay,okay, ...I'm dreaming! =)
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 19
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Post by Fancy on Oct 30, 2008 17:00:44 GMT -5
Hi Christinemarie!
Hi Baglady, you make a very good point. A lot of my stuff I've kept since college, some even from highschool. Geeezz, I guess that makes it pretty clear why I have so much carp. Anyway, yes some of it's out of style or back in style, and some of it's just plain old and I have sentimental feelings about them because I then 'remember when'.
Oh brother, right?! I need to lose this stuff. They aren't all good memories! =)
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Post by threeg on Oct 30, 2008 18:58:15 GMT -5
Hi Fancy. Welcome aboard. This site is a lifesaver, just as Squalor Survivors was. We are all in the same boat, and encourage/inspire each other not to drown in our possessions. (I just realized how many nautical terms I have used....sorry, but it all seemed to fit. .) 3g (That's me swabbing the deck! )
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Post by skatters on Oct 30, 2008 21:54:47 GMT -5
Hi Fancy! Many of us can relate to things you've said. It is nice to see that you have such a positive outlook!
Welcome! You are among friends... just jump right in!
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Post by crazycatlady on Oct 31, 2008 19:06:11 GMT -5
Hello, Fancy, and welcome. I like your name!
I was always much neater at work than at home, too. But I still carry a bag of "junk" back and forth to work each day. Sure, it carries my lunch, and bottled water. But it is always 1/4 to 1/2 full of useless crap.
Welcome to the boards. I hope that you find as much encouragement and help as I have!
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Fancy
New Member
Okay,okay, ...I'm dreaming! =)
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 19
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Post by Fancy on Oct 31, 2008 19:50:31 GMT -5
Hi crazycatlady, I'm a catlover too. I have 12, all fixed of course. I love them but I'm not adding any more, ...not if I can help it. Although, I'm off work for a little bit I always carried a tote into work too. It was like my security blanket. You know, stuff that I wanted to read if I had time, never or the never ending to do list for my house, ... I certainly always had good intentions but by the time I got home which was always late I just didn't care enough to keep working. Thank you so much for the welcome. I've been working on stuff today. I truly do feel like I'm among friends and we share a common bond. The more I read, the more encouraged and motivated I am. *waving*
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Post by crazycatlady on Nov 1, 2008 15:51:46 GMT -5
Yes, it truly does feel like a little security blanket, doesn't it! ! Although mine is often stuff from work, even interesting articles printed out to read later...I still never really get to it. At least I changed from carrying various gift bags or store bags which were re-used often, to a nice fabric bag that a dear friend gave me as a gift. (Sure, I had lots of fabric bags at home, but had always carried something tacky! !) Now I carry a bag that I chose to be my "carry to work" bag, and it makes me smile because it is beautiful. softexpressions.com/software/gift/Bags2.php#ind
Baby steps...we will all be at planet maintenance in time!
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OnTiptoe
New Member
Joined: September 2008
Posts: 13
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Post by OnTiptoe on Nov 2, 2008 21:09:13 GMT -5
But I even go as far as taking out the screws and any usable parts before I throw something away. I even save the material from cutting off the collars, sleeves and bottoms of my t-shirts because I might need the material for a crafty project (which never happens because of all the other junk I've saved for other imagined future possible projects). See how bad I am? I was actually proud of myself to get to the place where I could throw away old fabric. I used to save it all, thinking I would cut it up for quilts, or make purses out of old blue jeans, ect... And old clothes were saved to mend. But, when I realized that what appealed to me more was making something bright and new with NEW fabric materials, I decided I could part with the old, torn and, honestly yucky fabric stuff! Now, if it's holy or stained, I know that someone else won't want to wear it. So, instead of fishing old clothes out of the dumpster that others have thrown away, I am filling it with my accumulation! I know, we all have VERY altruistic, creative minds... wanting to keep from litering and always making full use of items we come across. It's like, we're not doing our full duty if we don't make full use of something. Until there is ALL too much, because we couldn't possibly have enough life to make full use of everything we have! Think about what really fuels your passions and if the item in question is NOT part of that equation, let it go! I was helping my new roommates move their household accumulation this past week. I thought about how we might save stuff and it gets water damaged or just dust and pest damaged from the years and years of storing it. Are we really doing that item any justice? My friend had a whole rack of clothing that she can't wear anymore stored in a basement where mold was growing. So, all those clothes smelled of the moldy surroundings. Having things sitting around gathering dust because we are unindated with too much of the same means that we are not really doing what our altruistic minds conceive of to "save" it! We're just letting it waste away and we are wasting with it because our spirits are being drowned in the clutter! It was a real breakthrough for me when I could throw away fabric. I hope you can too! Much love, R
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OnTiptoe
New Member
Joined: September 2008
Posts: 13
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Post by OnTiptoe on Nov 2, 2008 21:17:45 GMT -5
I need to lose this stuff. They aren't all good memories! =) I had to decide what I wanted to store before I left my old home. Even the stuff that I liked, I left behind because it would make me think of my ex. I just decided I wanted to make a fresh, NEW start of everything and get those bad memories behind me! Work through the feelings you might have while you get rid of it. And then consider that job DONE, and give thanks that you don't have to dredge that things and the negative thoughts about it again! Good luck! R
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