Hi, CASSANDRA AND PEGASUS,

There are some GREAT books out there by Sandra Felton about attacking the Mess / Organization problem. Just go to amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com and put "Messies" in the title search in the book category. I think her latest book is something like the new or revised messies or procrastinator's guide.

Anyway, I got one of her original books several years ago and tackled things one by one, following many of her suggestions. I started with something small - the drawer where I keep jewelry - bought a couple of plastic ice cube trays to hold the earrings and another plastic container for pins, etc. - and it has stayed neat now for years! Next I did the drawer in the kitchen that holds pencils, pens, scissors, rubber bands, etc. - I did the same thing - bought some inexpensive plastic trays of various kinds, sorted out the drawer and IT has stayed neat for years. I gradually went around the house in the same way - and lo! and behold! - while it isn't always Martha Stewart Perfect - I can usually find everything and the messes are largely kept at bay.

I was never one to pile up a lot, but, I can be very messy. Sandra Felton's books are practical and funny - you will enjoy them.

govt- guess where my books on organizing my house, First Things First, and how to stop procrastinating are? (in the piles of books in front of my bookcases that have no room for any more books) My sister gave me a couple of books on taming the messies in my house as a Christmas gift one year, but she knew that there was little chance I'd read them. We are ony 16 months apart (I am the elder)but have differed in this regard almost since birth. If I ever touched "her stuff" she always knew because I never put it back exactly the way she had it!
The problem is that I kind of like my piles. I have discovered over the years that I like the feeling of being surrounded by my stuff-kind of like the feeling you have when you're all wrapped up in a cozy blanket. When I am in someone's house that has no clutter and big empty spaces I wonder how thay can stand it! The other problem is that if things are put away in drawers or cabinets they cease to exist. There is a scene in an old WC Fields movie where he pulls out this piece of paper from a huge pile on a very messy desk. I have an almost photographic memory for where things are- I can usually find a book on a shelf or a paper in a pile without really looking for it- I can see it in my head. (why this doesn't work for me when things are filed away I don't know!) If the advancing years start to have some effect on this ability, I may need to rethink my entire "organizaional" system. But thanks for the suggestion- who knows? I may feel inspired to read one of those books someday!
Peg- I understand the sentimentality of being a pack rat. Right now I'm looking at my ticket stub from the XFiles movie premiere (June 19, 1998 1:35 pm)that is still taped on my monitor. I have had moments of throwing things away and they do produce a kind of liberating feeling- but we will always have too many books, videos, and photos. I guess our lifestyle is rather anti-social-we hang out in our little cave, surrounded by our stuff, and have no room for company-unless they don't mind picking up the pile of NY TImes magazines on the piano bench for a seat!

[This message has been edited by cassandra (edited 12-20-2002).]

Greetings!

I kinda fall in the middle when it comes to being organized vs. packrat. The packrattyness is definitely evident in my working/sewing area - I choose to think of it as creative inspiration.

Yes, I've tried the books, "Clutter's Last Stand" is my favorite. I think there is actually a volume two around somewhere too aackk ... I have a weakness for books!

Having all my floors replaced this summer caused me to have to pack up the whole house and closets and the "ruthless" bug got me then. I have sooo much stuff! It's not all gone but I do feel better about what's left (work/sewing area did not get much cleared out - I'm still attached).

Cassandra and Peg - you are lucky to have compatible people in the house. Usually one type marries the opposite an it's a never-ending battle.

argo
posting from under water and wondering if 4pm will EVER get here!

Which water are you under, ARGO?

CASSANDRA, I can certainly understand wanting to be surrounded by things that make you happy. But, explain to me why stacks of the NY Times magazines on the piano bench evoke that feeling? Do you look at them often or does the pile just grow? Maybe you could just keep the 2-3 most recent issues and toss the rest. Then as a new issue comes in you could toss the oldest issue.

You were wondering about people with "big, open spaces" in their homes. That makes me feel restful. Too much clutter makes me feel antsy and out-of-sorts. I really enjoy decorating (not that I'm re-doing my house day and night) and why go to all the trouble of hanging a picture or putting a decorative object on a table unless they stand out and contribute to the ambience? Lest you think I live formally, I do not. We have a lodge / outdoorsy theme going, so it is really quite casual.

I think it is just a matter of what makes an individual comfortable: for me, less makes me feel at ease; for you, being surrounded by lots of things important to you make YOU feel at ease. If you and your family are comfortable then those who visit you will be, too.

If you really need to move the stuff from the dining room, maybe you could get a few plastic totes, put Cassandra Jr.'s stuff in her tote and it could go to her room, and your office stuff could go temporarily to your bedroom.



[This message has been edited by govtlawyer (edited 12-20-2002).]

.... it appears to be strange wet stuff falling from the sky.

argo

CASSANDRA, Hi there! As an almost incurable slob (as Mr Ittot calls me, among other things, depending on his mood) I finally turned to Flylady.net to help me out, and it works! Flylady sets you up doing routines, 15 minutes at a time, you do what you can, and it DOES work.
I'd bought this book called "Stop Clutter from Taking Over Your Life", but I found it to be absolutely worse than useless. The guy who wrote it talks mostly about himself and how he conquered his obessessive-compulsive pack-ratting (though HE didn't call it that, I think). No down-to-earth suggestions for How to do WHat He DId.
Anyway, I have no company coming, no family in my neck of the woods...although I am following what's happening on "For Better or Worse", wondering if the s--t's going to hit the fan where it comes to the domineering, obnoxious mother-in-law. Thank heaven my m-i-l is nothing like Mira Sobinsky!

[This message has been edited by Ittot (edited 12-20-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Ittot (edited 12-20-2002).]

quote:

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Originally posted by govtlawyer:
... But, explain to me why stacks of the NY Times magazines on the piano bench evoke that feeling? Do you look at them often or does the pile just grow? Maybe you could just keep the 2-3 most recent issues and toss the rest. Then as a new issue comes in you could toss the oldest issue.

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Ah, so logical, but it just doesn't work. I've had moderate success on catalogs with that method but my husband has not with his many subscriptions to magazines. I finally conquered my personal magazine problem by simply not subscribing to any! You don't have the pack-rat gene so it's all quite foreign to you. Alas, I cannot really explain it either.

quote:

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You were wondering about people with "big, open spaces" in their homes. That makes me feel restful. Too much clutter makes me feel antsy and out-of-sorts.

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When we moved in to this apt (about 20 yrs ago) we had space. Unlike cass, I do prefer space to clutter but have been quite unsuccessful in having the space-loving side of me overpower the clutter side.

ITTOT- thanks for that suggestion. I will check it out and see if anything "clicks".
Govt- I have tried so many ways to keep up with things like mail, catalogs, magazines, etc., not to mention just about every household chore. Every August/September I come up with a "new" plan- I could actually write a book myself about how to be organized as I have some excellent ideas. My problem is that I am a combination of my dad (his bills are alphabetized and chronologically filed) and my mom (the same piles of NY Times magazines). In my nature coexists a person with the ablity to devise and begin routines that would impress even an anal-retentive person, and a person who abhors routine and soon begins to do things to avoid it at all costs. I know this is related to my ADDness, but I don't like to use that as an excuse- when I meet other people with ADD though, I find we share many of the same tendencies.
I can understand your love of open space in your home. My ex and my best friend from college were like that and thought my tendencies to leave things lying about was something that had to be "fixed". I am eternally grateful that my husband is not like that because there is nothing worse for a marriage (IMHO) than the feeling that someone is trying to change you for the better: in other words, more like them! We even wrote a wedding vow about it. But in the past, we moved alot and that sort of took care of the clutter. Now, we've been in the same place for 12 years and it's really starting to get a little too close- even for me!
Well, I have to get back to "Operation Christmas". Made some room in my living room yesterday for the tree- and now I have to tackle the dining room. Thanks to all for your suggestions and support. I'll probably be stopping by even though I have tons to do! ( and so it goes..)

[This message has been edited by cassandra (edited 12-21-2002).]

[This message has been edited by cassandra (edited 12-21-2002).]

Don't ask me about clutter...

Although I am better at home than at work. At work, I have very little room to put anything, so I have clutter. Things are better now that I have a flat-screen monitor - amazing how much more space that gives you!

I try to do the home clutter thing once every month or two. I too am a packrat for some things. Eventually I do pitch stuff away.

No white Christmas here, except for the hoar frost that fell on the trees, making them Winter-wonderland-like. No snow in the forecast, not even a flurry. We have had freezing rain and that's made the sidewalks particularly treacherous. I love to take long walks in the evenings at this time of year to look at people's lights, decorations, etc. But, not at the risk of injuring myself. Had hoped to take tomorrow off, but will go in for a day and then be off til Jan. 2!

Well, I can see by the calendar on the wall that we have passed the Winter Sostice. As we have also passed 200 posts, I guess this is as good a time as any to begin a new thread. See you there, hot chocolate in hand. Watch your step, x-ed!