I too decided this was the year to "get it together". I've let it slide far too long :( When I had my second son almost 6 years ago, life seemed to turn upside down. He had a double hernia operation at 4 months old so not sure if it contributed but he was extremely miserable for the first 4 months of life and he grew into a toddler with a very difficult personality (he's SO much better now). My personality wasn't able to cope very well with it. At some point during the difficult toddler years, we finished our basement. Everything that was down there had to come upstairs very quickly. Some of them boxes that hadn't been opened since we moved here several years prior. I'm sure I fell into some kind of depression. What I learned from Hoarders is that I think we do develop a sort of "clutter blindness". It's how we can survive living with stuff everywhere. I'm certainly not a level "5" or anything but I had stuff piled up in places and I was able to just live around it (like it didn't exsist). I also came to realize I hadn't thrown anything away in my many years. I still had stuff from when I was a teenager. I used to work in the beauty business and had SO much stuff I had acquired for free that wasn't being used. We started a couple years ago with a huge garage sale (sold $1,000). I had another one last spring (sold $500) but I still had stuff everywhere in certain spots. I'm keeping only certain things from my kids for the future. Who even knows if they'll need them? I kept a few special books and some special toys (like Playmobil) and that's it. I've stored them properly away and we'll see what happens with them. We save artwork for a year and then we go through it and pick only a special few pieces which I then store in special boxes I created for them. Like this one: http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/2010/11/school-paperwork-storage.html My Mom and I made a pact that this year we were going to get organized and help each other achieve it. That's been the best decision ever! It's so much better doing these projects with help. An outside eye that can help you make decisions and move forward. We tackled my lower landing which had become a catch all for stuff and my basement laundry room. My laundry room was new as part of our basement refinish and it's very large. It has a huge table in the middle on castors (ala Martha Stewart) and the kids and I can do crafts here, I wrap gifts here and fold laundry. It too had "caught" stuff and wasn't being utilized as I had intended. Anywho ... two full days of purging and cleaning ... one car load of stuff taken away to charity ... and they both look wonderful! I still have a few items in the laundry room that have significant value so I'm taking them to consignment this week and I have some laundry to work through. When we built the room, I had it wired for a wall mount tv so I'm finally going to get that set up. I'm excited about the possibilities now! I lie in bed at night thinking of what the next project will be. I have hope that finally this house will get in order. I think I may take your advice and hire a cleaning lady to keep things clean while I focus on getting things in order. Even if I just do it for this year, I think it would help a lot. I'm excited for my kids. I want them to grow up in organization and know how to do it for themselves when the time comes. I really think for some (like me) it's a skill you need to learn. It doesn't come naturally. I'll keep checking in to see how you're doing as I keep forging forward myself. My next project is at my mom's house. We are tackling her kitchen. She's already been out and bought some Oxo containers for her pantry and some other handy organizing pieces. We're going to whip her kitchen into shape! Best of luck! Looking forward to hearing how you accomplish your goals.

Thank you for a warm welcome! I hope to post pics soon. I have been quilting 6+ years and have done paper piecing, patchwork, applique (fusible, machine and hand) and a little free form with embellishing. I'm really a generalist- purses, totes, wall hangings, lap and bed size, table runners, etc. Current WIPS are bed quilt, purse and two stuffed cats. Of course, a few UFO's are safe in boxes! I am excited to try new things and appreciate all the ideas that are put forth here. I quilt and sew for my own satisfaction, not for competition. You all are inspiring!

Definitely go with your sales price. That is obviously what the house is worth, since that is all the sellers could get for it. Don't tell the assessor's office that other bids came in after yours was accepted -- that has nothing to do with the fact that the house actually sold for $546,000. Don't help them charge you more by giving them more information than they need. For the past few years, I made several appointments with our assessor to try and have our assessment reduced. She always pulls out these comps to show that our house is fairly assessed -- despite the fact that there really isn't a true comp for our home since all homes in our neighborhood are semi-customs and each one is different. I should have gone to the review board long ago, but the window for review always comes around the end of the year holiday time (how convenient for them) and we have generally been traveling or too busy to pay attention. This year we have our house on the market. We started our asking price at the amount for which we are assessed, which is 10% higher than last year despite a plunging housing market. We are told we have little hope of getting that price -- we'll probably have to come down another 8-10%. Believe me, when that happens I am sending her a letter showing the actual sales price. If I can't help us, I will at least help our buyers.

I have noticed a lessening of listings on Freecycle lately. I listed an item a couple of weeks ago and when I went back to the site to list another, my listing for the first item was still upfront. There have been so few listings after it that it was still in the queue. It could be because the cold weather has set in. I don't know. I have been reading articles about how, with the Tidying series running on Netflix, the consignment and resell venues have been swamped by people who are anxious to make changes in the level of clutter and unwanted stuff. This could possibly be journalistic hype, or be completely and absolutely true. We have just so darned much excess stuff!!!!!! I guess I really don't care what someone who replies to my offerings on freecycle has in mind for them. But, I do prefer to give it to someone that I don't suspect is looking for resell. There is one person that I have nicknamed "the hoarder". He replies to the most diverse of things and takes everything. I don't think that he is reselling. I have done a little cyber sleuthing on him and have reason to think that he is, indeed, a hoarder. He replied recently to a listing I had made and I replied with acceptance. I know that he did not really have a use these things, but I just wanted them gone and he offered to take both things, and he did. He and his significant other seem like they may be interesting and diverse people, but I recognized him as a hoarder the first time I met him. Anyway, I perceive a difference in the level of use of Freecycle.