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Post by creativechaos on Jan 3, 2016 19:23:32 GMT -5
Hi razy; thanks for visiting! i am just so happy to be on the boards more, which helps me get things done. have not made a list for a couple of days. partly because i am too embarrassed that i am still resisting doing some of the things that have been on the list for days. i think i'll try another approach and stop mentioning those until i get them done. worked at the office supply helping with inventory for the past several days. i did not work all that many hours but am really both body and brain fatigued.. another almost sleepless night last night. stayed up too late and got a 2nd wind and then there was no turning back. to do tonight: dishes nap maybe? keep working on project A make list for tomorrow and what needs to get out in the mail do those things on the list - or at least some! bathroom sink toilet (did bowl only) i'll think of more later
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Post by razy on Jan 4, 2016 0:30:31 GMT -5
One of my favourite sayings is 'Don't let perfection be the enemy of good' Don't be embarrassed if you don't get to things on your list. I use list as reminders as well as things to hold me accountable and to feel good when I finally do tick things off. Some of my lists are mid to long term and some are short term. The most immediate lists I put up in WITS. I find it really motivating to state what I want to do (works for me, doesn't work for everyone) Anyway, it's good to see you doing things and thanks for stopping by my blog
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Post by creativechaos on Jan 4, 2016 16:55:44 GMT -5
aw, thanks razy! last night's project was just stacking boxes of fabric so i could make some inroads besides goat trails. that is part of project A. I have so much fabric now it's unbelievable, but at least i am getting it categorized more, so i know more what there is. nothing has been carted OUT of here yet, but i now have a sewing corner (have to put boxes on my bed to fit in there!) and a small area of the living room (where the thick "shag" throw rug is - shook that out last night) where i can lie on the floor and enjoy a bit of space. and now - today - i am going to enjoy a bit of SEWING! have some packages to send out and i have delayed, thinking i would sew a few small gifts. I get so anxious when i sew, because i have to learn all over again - that's how little I do it. i'm determined to change that in 2016. that is part of my "recovery" - making space for things i enjoy while i'm doing the other stuff like cleaning up and deciding what can leave here so more usable space will become available. in theory, i will be doing the same in the two storage units. this is what time off in winter is for.
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Post by razy on Jan 4, 2016 21:58:00 GMT -5
'Don't let perfection be the enemy of good' works for sewing too
If your anything like me you will be your harshest critic and struggle to see what is good because you focus on the things you think you have got wrong.
Before I even start I assume I'll get things wrong - which will ruin everything - it paralyses me so I don't even get started. However thinking/talking through my illogical thought process helps me get past it, especially when I realise everyone one gets something wrong pretty much all the time and it's still ok.
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Post by Unswamping on Jan 4, 2016 23:42:41 GMT -5
creativechaos on clearing a sewing corner and a space in the living room to lay down. You are doing awesome! I hope you got a bit of sewing done. I havent done mine yet after cutting the fabric and ironing it. Still no room to take machine out yet. Im glad to hear about the things going out and the fabric organization thats happening. I hope that this progress helps encourage you. I know for me, the bit ive gotten out so far this year is encouraging me. This is a great thread. Everyone here is doing great! Kepp up the good work! You can do it!
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Post by creativechaos on Jan 5, 2016 1:24:11 GMT -5
razy and Unswamping! thanks for your encouragement and support! although it is late and i am just reading your posts, i must have had you as angels on each shoulder, because something made me persevere through all the many mistakes and discouragements and feeling like a loser, without "losing it." it took me 5 hrs, on and off, to make a simple half-hour click it bag - but i DID it! i had made one years ago and another last summer for a gift. but i had forgotten everything. i made every mistake imaginable. did lots of seam ripping. tried this way and that with the tape measure tape. i got it all together the first time and realized i needed a thicker width tape - the 3/4 wide wasn't strong enough. ripped, and fussed and fussed and ripped some more with it - found some pieces of thicker tape...got it together and the tape was TOO strong. i somehow managed to turn the tape in the bag and now it is quiet and it stays shut. it is DONE! i decided i liked the "quieter" way of it shutting. there is a "noisy" way and a "quiet" way. it is for a gift. glad i stuck with it. was hoping to whip it out in less than an hour... ha! but at least now i can send off a package tomorrow with this inside! i revised the written instructions i had, so that it would be much clearer in case i don't make one of these again for a long time. as soon as i find some cheap tape measures i want to make more. my hope is that now they will go faster.
not sure if these bags are washable or if that will make the tape inside rust, since it is steel. probably not washable... will have to find out some way. Unswampy, the sewing area was only made possible because i moved a bunch of boxes onto the bed so i could pull out the chair. they have to go off the bed so i can sleep tonight. it's a temporary solution but it worked for the gifts i am still trying to get out. more to do tomorrow.
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Post by imamess on Jan 5, 2016 6:41:45 GMT -5
Great job CC on getting the bag done! I have never made one of those but have seen the instructions here and there. I have 4 pairs of boots bought at thrift stores that I need to get to work on to turn into bags. I like to make pictures of the boots before I cut them up and also pictures of the after. I had one bag that I carried for years and no one could believe it was made from a pair of boots.
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Post by grasshopper on Jan 5, 2016 15:22:49 GMT -5
Great work cc! I'm so proud of you! Soaking up inspiration to do some creative projects myself. See you on chat. Those sound super cool imamess!
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Post by jean on Jan 5, 2016 16:51:25 GMT -5
Glad to hear you got some of your material sorted. You did an awesome job getting a spot cleared in the living room and getting your bag made. You did great sticking with it till you figured it out. I need some inspiration as I have a lot of stuff in the hall and kitchen from stop and drop. My table has had stuff sitting on it for over a month. Somehow CC you have a way of getting me moving. I'm so glad you are back writing your blog. Thanks for starting this thread. Its definitely somewhere I belong. Together we can do this. Jean
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Post by Unswamping on Jan 5, 2016 23:45:49 GMT -5
creativechaos ive never heard of a click it bag, i will have to google it. Metal tapes? The retractable kind? Ill see what i can dig up. Despite moving boxes to the bed temporarily, it is still great! You can sew! imamess those bags sound lovely. I would love to see the before and after pix. jean this is an inspiring thread. You can do it! Start with just one bag. Thats how im getting through mine.
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Post by Ally on Jan 9, 2016 14:33:56 GMT -5
creativechaos, Thanks for starting this thread. I've been here several years, and sometimes get a very small area cleared and clean; part of the kitchen counter, the stove-top, the bathtub, the downstairs hallway, but it never fails that with in a short time it falls back into clutter and chaos again. I have been better at acquiring less and getting rid of things, so there are some small improvements. I like your list in the opening post. I have not purchased anything besides food and fuel since December 31. (Except for some books for DD, but they are not going to be in my house.) I have set a goal to go through one small box, plastic tub, drawer, etc. per week. I will attempt not to just sort and move things from one pile to another, but actually purge things. I will attempt to get rid of things that I have not used in the past year, unless it is something I plan to use in the near future. I don't plan to buy any food for a couple weeks, until I have used up stuff from the pantry and freezer. (I do get a couple of eggs a day from my chickens, and DH will buy food that he likes to eat, since he doesn't eat anything that requires preparation unless I prepare it.) I have a goal of getting the kitchen to a level 0-1 by the end of January. I am hoping to be able to keep that area at that level. I have learned that there is a therapist that specializes in hoarding disorder in my county. Her rule is that she comes to the client's home for the therapy sessions. I have been reluctant to do this. Why? I'm sure she's seen houses worse than mine, so that's not it. Am I scared that she will make me throw something away? I think that's it. I think she will ask me to discard something to show me that my world won't end w/o the object. I tend to be a very rational person in most areas of my life, but I also realize that I become very irrational when it comes to my hoard, and I realize that I haven't been willing to face this in the past. Recently I have agreed to participate in a hoarding research project which includes some interviews and me taking a video of the interior of my house. That will occur on January 20th. Yes, I'm starting to face my fears about my hoard. Over the past few weeks I have gotten rid of some things that have been in my kitchen for 20 years, and the world has not ended yet. If you've gotten this far, thanks for reading. Ally
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Post by Ally on Jan 9, 2016 15:31:59 GMT -5
creativechaos ive never heard of a click it bag, i will have to google it. Metal tapes? The retractable kind? Ill see what i can dig up. Despite moving boxes to the bed temporarily, it is still great! You can sew! I googled click-it bag and ended up with these two videos:
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Post by creativechaos on Jan 10, 2016 3:58:10 GMT -5
Hi imamess; i would love to see pictures of the bags you make from leather boots - both before and after. Hi Ally; i posted a response to your latest posts but it got lost. thanks for the click-it bags videos. i make mine different - all seams are hidden behind the lining because of how you fold the fabric before you sew it. there is also a "quieter" way to put the tape in if you don't like that loud click. 'course it took me many hrs to follow those directions but the end product is really nice. it's good to know that there are several ways to make a click-it bag. your prior post really resonated and touched me. i think your weekly goal is do-able. you may find you will pick up momentum as you go. please let us know, if you feel like it, how the interviews go for the study project. if that therapist in your area is any good, she will never tell you what to throw away - she will let you pick it yourself. how i'd LOVE to find a therapist who does hoarding issues and would come to my home! often a first session is free so you could ask her a bunch of questions on how she works. WTG and BRAVO on slowing down the acquiring! i'll plug back into this thread soon and try to keep you company. thanks for joining in here - come as often or as little as you want! it sounds like you are doing great work and facing things about the hoarding.
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Post by creativechaos on Jan 10, 2016 13:23:11 GMT -5
ok. i have been doing little bits... unfortunately so much of it is not desqualor-related. i've mainly been arguing with social security on the phone, in letters, collecting "proof" documents. but not enough in the apartment. i have inspection coming in FEb., i'm being recertified for subsidized housing now, and social security has royally screwed up with their estimates of 2015 net SE income, and projected 2016 income, so i'm working on all that paperwork. if ss doesn't fix it by the time my recertification is done (am stalling local mgr), my rent will skyrocket to beyond my means to pay it. should start a whole thread about that. yesterday's accomplishments:did the dishes, made my bed. tossed 51 papers. checked on the dahlias in storage - lotta lifting. but all look fine! did not divide. worked on my letter to social security. not done yet. big list today: (some will carry over)found a bunch of flower bulbs in storage. need to plant some in pots, some in garden. today i'll focus on the pots label pots of bulbs when finished - this project took 3 hrs ( i UNDER-estimated time and all the steps)finish letter to social security make up invoices for hours i just sent by email, so i have "proof" of those. un-decorate christmas tree, put ornaments and christmas decor into my Christmas tub. whatever doesn't fit into Christmas tub goes to donation box, or something else must go to make it fit. (worked hard on this so i think it will all fit). take tub and tree to storage 1/2 hour of sorting today or tonight - no excuses! work in my garden if my back and time and energy will allow (it was sunny and i needed it, and to be outdoors, for my psyche) take vitamins including Bs and B12 and D "light" grocery shopping start 2014 receipt sorting for taxes. work 1 hr on this. sort more winter clothing. hand wash some wool winter hats shower, wash hair
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Post by Ally on Jan 10, 2016 14:25:54 GMT -5
creativechaos, Sorry about the financial issues. I've been thinking a lot about what's been holding me back. About the fear of facing tough decisions, about the fear of looking at all of the stuff I've acquired, and facing the feelings of letting those items go. I don't want to keep living like this, and I need to get rid of stuff if that is going to change. DH's solution is to box it all up put it out int he shed, and go through it later, but I've been fighting that. I don't want to box up and store junk. At this point my plan is to keep pursuing the clean up with the help from this site, and then contact the therapist if I find myself not making adequate progress. The first visit is in her office and is free, but after that the therapy takes place in the client's home. She says that she has found that she has better success when she works in the client's own home. Progress thus far: On Wednesday I dumped out a drawer in my kitchen where I keep measuring cups and lots of random cooking and baking accessories. I cleaned out the drawer and put the measuring cups and a few other kitchen gadgets back in. I discarded a bunch of things and put other things in a box to be donated. The donation box is in my car. I will go though the remaining items today and plan to toss many of the items.
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