Husband sabotaging decluttering efforts
mum4
13 years ago
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talley_sue_nyc
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agograywings123
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X-post Can't hide from it any longer....time to de-clutter!
Comments (3)Good luck, Lavender! I helped my Mom move from a large house to a small apartment last year, and watching her get rid of a LOT of stuff inspired me to do the same at my house (oh, and I had to make room for some things she gave me...) A lot of what I got rid of was junk. Keeping a cage, because my boys loved their pet rats, and maybe we'll get another one some day? Nope, we can buy a new cage if that happens (fat chance). I have cabinets in the laundry room that were black holes. I emptied them completely - and found quarts of paint that were decades old. Those walls have been painted over twice since then! Cleaning out those cabinets gave me space for things I need to keep - and now there's room to find those things! I'm sure you've heard all the tricks for purging closets, like put all the hangers in backwards, then turn it around when you use it. After X months, anything still on a backwards hanger goes out the door. Anything that doesn't fit is gone. And if you get rid of an outfit that had shoes to go with it - the shoes can go too. I completely agree with Lucille - if you give things to family or friends, or donate them where you know they will be used, it's a lot easier to part with things. And getting things out of the house (like in the back seat of the car, to go to Goodwill) helps too. Boxes from liquor stores make great packing boxes - sturdy, but not too big. Have you posted in the "organizing the home" forum? There is a nice bunch of cheerleaders over there who will help you celebrate your accomplishments (and sympathize with procrastination). Ann...See MoreYAY!! Made progress with cleaning and de-cluttering today!!))
Comments (58)Today "should" be Day 16---- Day 10 (October 17th) was the last time I posted here, so have a lot of catching up to do! Key phrase "self discipline"....I have been allowing myself to become side-tracked for the past few days and don't want to lose myself in this, so have come back to the boards for motivation. It's Tuesday (trash day)----the box my neighbor was to pick up a week ago Monday went out to the curb before bedtime last night. No wonder we've been friends for so long! LOL! She is into the procratinating mode too! But.......like I warned her before, if it IS NOT picked up on Monday night it gets kicked to the curb. Since I have been away for a few days and not checking in like I was doing before, things have gotten off track for me at home. No way to go back and explain what's taken place each day now as I don't remember what excuses I had for not doing my 15 minute routines. Anyone that has been following my posts here might recall that I was working on my tiny bathroom decluttering and cleaning. This job was started but not completed! During the times I did not post on the boards, things however were accomplished at home. We tossed an old radiator (had a short in it) from my dad's room, as well as the neighbor's box of goodie AND a huge trash bag of "junk", not to mention I started de-cluttering the bedroom (can see progress now). Still in the "de-cluttering and fluttering" stage, which means going from room to room with a trash bag in hand. Sometimes I don't always allow myself to see the trash from the functional items, or end up putting on the blinds because in my heart I'm not wanting to part with the item. This is why it takes so many trips with the bag in hand (fluttering)...LOL! What I view as being something necessary one day is viewed differently the next, so it's an on-going adventure for me. Since my father passed away last Thanksgiving, I am saving his room for last as I catch myself pondering over everything in there. This energy needs to be focused elsewhere for now (our living space to be exact). Today is Day 16-----I have to keep in mind my 15 minute routine and just do it! As I've stated before.....you can get a lot accomplished in 15 minutes and it also serves as a starting point since getting motivated is generally hard for me to do. There is still hope!! I have not lost the motivation...just took a break to deal with other things that needed my energy and time! BTW, at least I don't have to backtrack and redo anything that has already been accomplished! WOOT! Rules were laid down and now being followed both by me AND my DH! He knows that the mess causes stress=) Just wish he'd learn rinse the bathroom sink after shaving! Hate scouring anyone's stubble droppings! Will post results later in the day>>>>...See MoreHow to get your kid (young, or young adult, or adult) to declutter
Comments (14)Good ideas, Talley_Sue. I'd like for her to be able to make these choices and feel positive about it. Elbow room is one of those things I'm just learning to appreciate in a whole new way, and hopefully she will acquire that if I can pare down more and more and set that good example. She has been good about putting some things away- outgrown books, we've packed away. We had some toys that we boxed for storage overhead, and that seemed like a big step, but at the last minute she changed her mind and wanted them back in her room. For now, she fits fairly well in her room, providing things are in their place, but her closet is a feat in organization. This morning as we were heading out the door, I commented to her that I had gotten another couple of boxes of my stuff together and needed to arrange for another thrift store pick-up. She said, "Great! More room for me!" Um, no.... I think that is one of my biggest fears- that as I minimize my belongings, DH and DD's stuff will just filter into the elbow-room spaces and it will be as though the house only belongs to them :( So far, I've done well keeping open spaces open, but who knows what will happen in the future- stuff has a way of taking over if it's not wrangled....See MoreDo you declutter right before the housecleaners visit?
Comments (64)"Are there any readers whose husband or (male) SO handles the cleaning on a regular basis?" Well, he died 22 years ago, but my husband did most of the vacuuming and kitchen clean up, some of the cooking and shopping (with a detailed list), most of his own laundry and all of his own ironing. He drove me crazy when he'd "straighten up," meaning I'd watch him take a pile of anything that had accumulated on a counter or table and make a much neater pile of it instead of just putting it away. So our clutter wasn't too cluttery. :-) He also would clean the toilets, if I outlasted him (which I could easily do for vacuuming, I detest it so) - they weren't awful, but he'd do them before me. I'm a terribly messy cook - meaning lots of pans and dishes, so I miss his efficient and cheerful clean-up after me duty (he appreciated the good meals). He also would empty the dishwasher which I also hate. So, living solo, I try to just force myself to do the jobs I hate, but I still miss coming home to a freshly vacuumed floor. I did get a Roomba, which helps....See Morejannie
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