So, I've been thinking. Especially lately because of the construction going on and how un-scheduled and chaotic our home (we're renting, but this is home to us) is. Because my home has been chaotic, unorganized, dusty, and all those other things that come with construction, I have been feeling like my life is also these same things. Except for dusty. So here's my comparison:
If your house is chaotic and unorganized, does that mean your life is too? I just can't seem to grasp the feeling that I have things under control . . . and it's been driving me crazy the last few weeks. I know that I can't control everything. But those exact things I can control are out of my reach to control. Once the construction is finished today (I hope), I feel like I will be able to just reach out, grasp all those little pieces of my life that I haven't been able to do anything about and set them right.
The other night I was gathering things out of the bathroom so the workers would have counter space to work. We don't have drawers in our bathroom anywhere (which I HATE) so a lot of those things that we use frequently end up on the counter. As I was putting them in the basket, I thought to myself, "we don't even USE half of this stuff. WHY am I keeping it?" I mentioned that to Tyler and he looked at me like he had died and gone to heaven. Then he gave me hi-fives.
For those of you that don't know this, he is an anti-clutter freak!! Seriously. Every once in a while he goes through these moods where any and every single piece of paper/item that is within sight has to be put away in the right spot. Or thrown away. He's even gone so far as to try and organize my scrap-booking items. (that was a little too far!) :) I love him for that, though. I tend to hold onto things that I don't have a purpose for, but I always think, "maybe I will use this someday", and put it somewhere. I am trying to change this. My friend Brianne tipped me off to a blog called Clutter Control Freak. LOTS of great tips.
My goals for the next couple of weeks are to go through everything in this house, and throw away what we have not used in the last three months (besides holiday decorations). I'm getting kind of excited!
What are your 'rules' that you use to combat clutter and keep your house organized?
If your house is messy, do you feel like your day-to-day life is also strained?
10 comments:
When my house is messing.. my life is beyond strained.. mainly becuase I have a very inquisative 2year old who plays with anything in sight. I realize the messier my house gets the louder my voice has to get also. I find that it is usually my fault when my two year is acting up becuase I left a steak knife and the counter and he is now running across the room with it, or he found some breakable thing that I left out and he is just looking at it.. chances are he will drop it or through it and I somehow can't control the urge to scream at him for it. So I know exactly what you mean. And the best way I have learned to cope with it is to throw stuff away more often and give to D.I. I also have learned that junk mail gets thrown away the second it hits the house.. I won't even get the mail if i don't have time to seperate it out when I get back (mail stacks up fast) and my last tip (like I really know what I am talking about...lol) is to make Kevin clean up his own toys... helping him is fine... I usually make him start to clean up on his owna nd usually about the time he mind starts to wander I start singing the clean up song.. and start moving the toys closer to the cubard he has to put them in... Then he jsut throws them in( sometimes litteraly) and they are out of my way in no time flat! I don't know if that helps but I hope so... do you have any tips for me?
Bleh I know how you feel... I had to stuff all of mine and Ryans stuff into one measly bedroom while he was on deployment... talk about finding places to put things. I felt like those packer people at costco and how the play tetris with all of the items you buy while fitting them in a few boxes with only one are two sides to it.
As for me I am a little bit of a neat freak... I like things to be organized and if it has to be cluttered I try to make it ... an organized clutter. Plastic containers, hampers, boxes and what not and using all of the space I can that is out of view... closets, behind the couch, under the bed, under the sinks. lol... anywhere and everywhere that I can.
I also follow the rule of... if it is something that is supposed to get used daily and I havent used it in months... it goes. If it is something that you are supposed to use monthly and it hasnt been used in over 6 months or a year... it goes. As for clothes... If I cannot fit in it... and havent worn it in at least 6 months... it goes. I never throw anything away that I cannot give to other people and what I dont just give away I take to goodwill. I try cleaning the house about once a week... dusting and cleaning windows and what not... if it just sits in my way taking up space I either put it in a safe place (life if it is a collectable or keepsake) or get rid of it.
I had a big problem of getting rid of anything I didnt use... and regret not sifting through things a little better because there are things I wish I had kept and didnt.
I hope this helps! There are a lot of things you can make or buy that can help you organize your stuff. Filing has become my friend, you dont loose things as easily. Bins are always a good way to store shoes. Vaccum space bags... are amazing! I threw all of my sweaters and snowboarding stuff in there... our coats and heaving bedding are next, and then they just slip right under your bed or in the back of you closet... another good spot to hide things is behind your head board and dresser! Hahaha... I have this down to an art from living in such small quarters so many times.
Good luck hun and just ask if you need any more advice... I hope I helped. Trust me... getting your immediate life in order really helps you concentrate on the more important things. One wouldnt think it takes a toll on your well being and attitude... but it does.
I feel so honored to have been mentioned on your blog. Famous even?? I totally know how you feel. I am feeling similarly since most of my worldly possessions are in a big orange moving truck in Kent and then they will be in boxes all over my new house. Also, congratulations for the longest comments I have EVER seen in response to a blog post. High fives for you.
thanks all of you! A lot of what you have said really makes sense, and I do some of it. My biggest problem is just not throwing stuff away/donating it when I should.
And I need to get more containers to store things in.
What I've discovered is that you have to look at your space around you with a whole new set of eyes - like you’re looking at it for the first time. Because when things are left out for long enough, they become part of the scenery and we don't 'see' them anymore. Getting that fresh perspective helps you decide what should be there and what can go.
Thanks so much for the Clutter Control Freak mention!!
I love your kid’s quotes on your home page! I wrote all those cute things down when my kid’s were little, too – it’s priceless! Can I share one?? When my oldest son was three, Daddy called him from work one day. He took the receiver from me and said, “hello. Hello? HELLO??!” I realized he was holding it upside down, and when I put it the right way, he said, “OH! No wonder he couldn’t hear me! I was talking to his knees!” :)
Yes, you get the long comment award for this post. I'm glad you caught the anti-clutter bug. Ben and I got it in Wymount when we just didn't have the space to store stuff. I go through things about every 3-6 months to determine their personal value. If I don't need it, it goes to D.I. It's also really important to have containers for your stuff, and a way to organize mail, bills, etc. Paper is a easy way to clutter. When you go to Mom and Dad's are you going to de-clutter now? :)
This is Ben: You should read the Gospel of Thomas, it's an apocryphal document form early Christianity and it is commonly interpreted as being gnostic or mystic. The reality is that you have very little control over anything but according to the gnostic wisdom of the Gospel of Thomas once you realize truth (The idea of stability and security is itself a myth), you will be disturbed (the stage you're in now) and then the next step is to become one with it. The binary opposition of organized/disorganized is mystically fused and it won't bother you anymore. In fact you will realize that the binary of organized/disorganized is a cultural construct and then you won't worry so much anymore. Kind of like Dowd (Jimmy Stewart)in the movie 'Harvey' (Great film!!!!).
This probably didn't make sense but I thought I'd try to apply what I study to your situation. I'm writing a paper applying the ideas of The Gospel of Thomas to Don Quijote, it's pretty cool. I just wanted to add to the novelisitc comments.
I think you're about as normal as anyone. If your house is in disarray, your nerves are bound to be in disarray as well! I always have to have my house cleaned by Saturday night...it makes for such a peaceful and enjoyable Sunday! What are you doing construction on?
Remember the sign in the office?
"If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, what is the significance of a clean desk?"
Is this why the office is never clean?
Hi Nicole,
I'm glad you let me know about your blog...Kathy must have fowarded it to you. Our home is also under construction and has been since we moved in over 4 months ago. I have so many boxes I still haven't unpacked and I can totally relate to the CHOAS! I know the state of our home effects our mental state. My day-to-day life is very strained if my home isn't orderly and I have had to learn to adapt over the past few months. I am looking foward with great excitement to the day I can have my own kitchen and find a place for everything. Until then, I must press-foward and do the best I can. How long did you guys have to deal with the construction mess? As for suggestions on combatting clutter, I strongly recommend The Fly Lady. She has a website (www.flylady.net) and has written a great book called, "Sink Reflections". I suggest reading the book first, as the website was a bit overwhelming for me. I'm excited to keep in touch with you guys through this new found world of blogging. Tell Tyler hi for me.
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