Personal clutter demons (long)

[Trek420]

The best way to get rid of the junk mail is not to get it in the first place. Disclosure some of these links are Bay Area specific:

www.stopjunkmail.org

[Dogmama]

The best way to get rid of the junk mail is not to get it in the first place. Disclosure some of these links are Bay Area specific:

www.stopjunkmail.org

Thank you!

[Trek420]

Happy to save a tree

[malkin]

I wonder how I missed this; it's the story of my life!


I was watching some mystery/crime show recently and the perp had stashed some evidence in a duct behind a vent. I made me wonder if I could keep anything there. Every other place is full!

The best thing has been to find a local charity shop that:
1. takes donations 7 days a week
2. is an easy walk or bike ride.

We can load up a basket and drop it off before I start pulling stuff out and back into the closet.

Also best if I don't fill the basket up at the shop before returning home!

[shootingstar]

Ongoing challenge for some of us, including moi.

We actually have a large Salvation Army bin within our building..permanently. I think people do drop things down there. Since we live in a high rise building, some people are too lazy to go to the dump offloading some small furniture. Some of it looks decent.

But no we don't need it. In all honesty, I'm not an antique nor consignment nor used furniture person. Except stuff from family. I only value antiques/old for items that genuinely having family/friendship meaning attached to it. The only used thing I ever bought from a non-family member, was a nearly new Braun immersion blender. A real bargain that we needed to replace a well-used one.

I probably sound like a snob...but after growing up in a poor family, I got really tired of stuff looking old/used and siblings got tired of getting hand-me-down clothing from older sibs (like me ). I just live and use my/our own stuff ..for decades.

I mean keeping and using clothing for decades. At least 30% of my clothing is at least 10 yrs. old or older. I keep the stuff in good shape (and myself hopefully, to fit the stuff!). When I used to sew alot, I did completely makeover some clothing into a totally different garment.

But admittedly some clothing needs to be whittled down again.

[Dogmama]

My DH keeps all kinds of weird stuff. You know the plastic containers that tennis balls come in? We have a bunch. The garage is his domain and it's cluttered beyond belief. I told him yesterday that with the first of the year, we're doing a MAJOR de-clutter. I think I heard him whimper. He isn't one of those people on that show Hoarders (I can't even watch that show, I'm always afraid they'll find a dead pet under the garbage) but "neat" isn't his middle name. Alas, I knew what I had when I married him, having been to his bachelor pad. I made sure my tetanus shot was current.

[snapdragen]

He isn't one of those people on that show Hoarders (I can't even watch that show, I'm always afraid they'll find a dead pet under the garbage)

Slightly OT, but I did watch this show last week....2 cats. "She loves pets, when her cats disappeared, she thought they had run away...."


Back on topic, I'm in the process of purging "stuff". So far one Subaru full of clothing, books, a brand new never used VCR have gone to Goodwill.

[deeaimond]

oh god, i've been watching hoarders these 2 weeks since i got here (no hoarders or cable back home) and it is unbelievable. It's one thing to hoard because you don't wanna throw things away, but then to have **** everywhere and like.. feet high and insects... and dead animals... thats really just too much.

i thought my house is bad, but then the show... unbelievable.

I live with my parents and share a room with my sister, so all my belongings have to fit in my half a room. what i did was to get my dad to build a really high bed, so there is lots of room underneath it.

then i bought huge plastic boxes with covers and i categorise the things i keep. I have boxes of nat geo magazines, winter clothes/clothes i don't need right now, stationery, bags, shoes etc, all categorised like that. so when i need something i just pull the right box out.

it's still cluttered coz of the lack of space, but its still possible to keep it clean.

my mum doesnt like to throw things away but i do it secretly. She keeps worksheets from when i was in kindergarten.. more than 20 yrs ago! sigh...
fortunately my mother is not a shopper. she doesnt buy stuff. so that is the blessing. she bags things and puts them in the storeroom. I take out a few bags at a time go through them and throw the rubbish stuff away. ask my dad to drive the bags to the salvation army. even then, its an endless battle. I'm more grossed out my my disgusting brother. he's eat and throws wrappers behind the bed. he's 17. we can smell his room before we see it. many a screaming match has broken out over the mess he leaves ard the house.

hoarders is just freaky, if i had a home anywhere close to that i'd take a week off work and just throw things out!!

brrrr...