T'Mahk Too - Comments on Purging the Junk http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html Our church as an annual yard sale to raise money for the youth mission trips. Or something like that. Truth be told, I don't usually pay a lot of attention to what the money goes to, although I know it's... en-gb Tue, 03 Apr 2007 08:50:04 -0500 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:50:44 -0500 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=4.1 kim@andfam.net 180 By Polly Kim....sigh....SOOOOO with you on this one. Except my boxes have been in the garage. - we just burned a bunch of them...and still have some - and the SORTING! I can't talk about it..... http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c43262 43262:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ Kim....sigh....SOOOOO with you on this one.
Except my boxes have been in the garage.
- we just burned a bunch of them...and still have some
- and the SORTING!

I can't talk about it.....

]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2007 09:48:00 -0500 By Rosanne You really should read that book about decluttering that I blogged about....I DID blog about it... didn't I? *blushes and slinks away* Anyhow, it gets a lot more into the "why" of decluttering, as in, why do we cling to things? What do they really mean to us? It's not a quick-fix type of book, but one to read to help adjust our way of thinking about the things in our lives. Hey, did you know that the emoticons still show up on the comment preview box? I can't use them, but it's nice to see them again. LOL http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c43269 43269:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ You really should read that book about decluttering that I blogged about....I DID blog about it... didn't I? *blushes and slinks away*

Anyhow, it gets a lot more into the "why" of decluttering, as in, why do we cling to things? What do they really mean to us? It's not a quick-fix type of book, but one to read to help adjust our way of thinking about the things in our lives.

Hey, did you know that the emoticons still show up on the comment preview box? I can't use them, but it's nice to see them again. LOL

]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:37:32 -0500 By Mama Mia My husband wants to declutter too. I'm very much like you. I hate seeing the piles, but I'm so overwhelmed with the monumental task of sorting. He even wants to have a garage sale. I told him I would help him go through some stuff (I need to keep an eye on him as he is very much the we-haven't-used-this-in-a-while-let's-get-rid-of-it type, and I am more yes-we-haven't-used-it-for-a-while-but-you-never-know-when-we-might-need-it type), but the actual sale is his baby. I really dislike the thought of someone looking over my items thinking "boy, they have really lame stuff!" But I guess it is inevitable...or we get a bigger house... http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c43271 43271:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ My husband wants to declutter too. I'm very much like you. I hate seeing the piles, but I'm so overwhelmed with the monumental task of sorting. He even wants to have a garage sale. I told him I would help him go through some stuff (I need to keep an eye on him as he is very much the we-haven't-used-this-in-a-while-let's-get-rid-of-it type, and I am more yes-we-haven't-used-it-for-a-while-but-you-never-know-when-we-might-need-it type), but the actual sale is his baby. I really dislike the thought of someone looking over my items thinking "boy, they have really lame stuff!"

But I guess it is inevitable...or we get a bigger house...

]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:41:39 -0500 By Kim Mama Mia ~ That's totally why I do the church yard sale. LOL. I figure the stuff is mostly anonymous once it gets into the church, so no one will know whose lame stuff they're mocking. Plus hopefully they won't know which decluttering loser put that stained shirt that no one will ever want into the box, just because it was a really LOVED shirt before it got stained and surely someone more diligent could get that stain out ... Don't just get a bigger house, though, then you'll just have even MORE rooms to declutter and that's even MORE discouraging. Trust me on that. http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c43272 43272:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ Mama Mia ~
That's totally why I do the church yard sale. LOL. I figure the stuff is mostly anonymous once it gets into the church, so no one will know whose lame stuff they're mocking. Plus hopefully they won't know which decluttering loser put that stained shirt that no one will ever want into the box, just because it was a really LOVED shirt before it got stained and surely someone more diligent could get that stain out ...

Don't just get a bigger house, though, then you'll just have even MORE rooms to declutter and that's even MORE discouraging. Trust me on that.

]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:46:25 -0500 By Kim Here's another problem I'm running into: To declutter efficiently you need some semblance of order, so that you don't just make more heaps that need to be gone through later. But to get the space and storage to have that order, you need to declutter ... you need the room to work and the empty boxes to use and a plan for only going through things once. Which, if I had, I wouldn't need to declutter as much. I hate sorting. http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c43273 43273:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ Here's another problem I'm running into: To declutter efficiently you need some semblance of order, so that you don't just make more heaps that need to be gone through later. But to get the space and storage to have that order, you need to declutter ... you need the room to work and the empty boxes to use and a plan for only going through things once. Which, if I had, I wouldn't need to declutter as much.

I hate sorting.

]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:47:53 -0500 By For a Season Set up your independent big kids and call over one of your cleanie friends for the sole purpose of keeping you on task. That way, you'll have fun, condense your purge to one day, and have a personal coach as it were, to keep you motivated. Cleanies love this kind of thing and being able to organize other people's stuff is like a cleanies dream! Lol! Bless them! http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c43274 43274:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ Set up your independent big kids and call over one of your cleanie friends for the sole purpose of keeping you on task. That way, you'll have fun, condense your purge to one day, and have a personal coach as it were, to keep you motivated.

Cleanies love this kind of thing and being able to organize other people's stuff is like a cleanies dream! Lol! Bless them!

]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2007 13:03:44 -0500 By karen For a Season is right! Invite me over and I'll help! http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c43280 43280:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ For a Season is right! Invite me over and I'll help!

]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2007 16:55:05 -0500 By BusyHSmom I have certain areas of weakness...the fabric, fiber and other craft stuff that I might "need" some day. Books are hard to get rid of, and I am guilty of hanging onto games that no one plays. I have gotten a bit better with clothes although there are still some hanging in my closet that I think I might wear, but never do. (Or I might shrink to fit in again--HA!) I suggest you designate some area for all your give-away stuff and then haul it to the church as soon as you are possibly allowed. Once they start accepting donations you start hauling away...one box at a time if necessary. You CAN do it, Kim! I've got confidence in you! :-D http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c43299 43299:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ I have certain areas of weakness...the fabric, fiber and other craft stuff that I might "need" some day. Books are hard to get rid of, and I am guilty of hanging onto games that no one plays. I have gotten a bit better with clothes although there are still some hanging in my closet that I think I might wear, but never do. (Or I might shrink to fit in again--HA!)

I suggest you designate some area for all your give-away stuff and then haul it to the church as soon as you are possibly allowed. Once they start accepting donations you start hauling away...one box at a time if necessary.

You CAN do it, Kim! I've got confidence in you! :-D

]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2007 22:36:33 -0500 By Barbie Kim, I'm not one of those cleany friends. Don't invite me over to declutter, because we'll both just end up eating a huge plate of chocolate chip cookies and commiserating with each other. And that would be bad because then you'd be off-program and in a house full of clutter. http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c43300 43300:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ Kim,

I'm not one of those cleany friends. Don't invite me over to declutter, because we'll both just end up eating a huge plate of chocolate chip cookies and commiserating with each other. And that would be bad because then you'd be off-program and in a house full of clutter.

]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2007 22:53:19 -0500 By Linda I too agree with For a Season. And invite Karen over right away. When I show up, I will help if you want me to. There's no right or wrong about decluttering. If you are unsure about an item, toss it. Keep only what you are sure you want. If you throw something out that you later find you need, poll your friends and I guarantee someone will have what you need. What are your thoughts about my garden plan for you? Love ya. http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c43303 43303:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ I too agree with For a Season. And invite Karen over right away. When I show up, I will help if you want me to. There's no right or wrong about decluttering. If you are unsure about an item, toss it. Keep only what you are sure you want. If you throw something out that you later find you need, poll your friends and I guarantee someone will have what you need.

What are your thoughts about my garden plan for you? Love ya.

]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2007 23:18:59 -0500 By Linda Oh, one more thing. I once went to a decluttering workshop given by Karen Kingston where she gave us all permission to throw away books!! We were aghast, but she reminded us that they are just paper, and it's ok to throw away (or recycle preferably) paper. We clutterbugs need a bit of that ruthlessness. Or rationality. http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c43304 43304:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ Oh, one more thing. I once went to a decluttering workshop given by Karen Kingston where she gave us all permission to throw away books!! We were aghast, but she reminded us that they are just paper, and it's ok to throw away (or recycle preferably) paper. We clutterbugs need a bit of that ruthlessness. Or rationality.

]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2007 23:21:25 -0500 By Peggy You can have my books when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers. But for the rest of it, take one drawer. Organize it. Then celebrate! (NOT with a cookie.) You're half done! (Well begun is half done, right?) Now pick another place. NOT a room, just a spot. Stand back and enjoy how pretty that spot looks when you're done. Don't look at the whole job at once, don't think about the "junk room." Just do one teeny tiny spot at a time. Each success will give you a boost to tackle the next spot. And be sure you stop, have a glass of iced tea (or your cool refreshment of choice) and ENJOY the prettiness of the newly decluttered area. Take a picture, it lasts longer! http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c43331 43331:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ You can have my books when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers.

But for the rest of it, take one drawer. Organize it. Then celebrate! (NOT with a cookie.) You're half done! (Well begun is half done, right?) Now pick another place. NOT a room, just a spot. Stand back and enjoy how pretty that spot looks when you're done. Don't look at the whole job at once, don't think about the "junk room." Just do one teeny tiny spot at a time. Each success will give you a boost to tackle the next spot. And be sure you stop, have a glass of iced tea (or your cool refreshment of choice) and ENJOY the prettiness of the newly decluttered area. Take a picture, it lasts longer!

]]> Wed, 04 Apr 2007 08:50:31 -0500 By Polly don't invite me over...I'll just tell you how cool all your stuff is...and either talk you into keeping it, or take home stuff I don't need! LOL! http://andfam.net/kimblog/archives/000655.html#c44743 44743:655@http://andfam.net/kimblog/ don't invite me over...I'll just tell you how cool all your stuff is...and either talk you into keeping it, or take home stuff I don't need! LOL!

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