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Home > Bit by the organizing bug..but where to start and what to do?

Bit by the organizing bug..but where to start and what to do?

November 21st, 2012 at 01:58 am

Ok. I have read many of the blogs here about tackling organizing everything from a drawer to a house. I really am motivated..but I will be brutally honest and admit that my parents didnt check that box on my skill set when they created me. I am one of the most organized-challenged people I know. It doesnt come natural, I have to think and rethink how to do it...I have tried many times. Usually I move things from one location to a 'better' location and then forget where half of the new locations are. I am a 'perfectionist" to a fault and often stop mid jobs when I feel I cant do it perfectly.

In a nutshell, I suck at this.

But with my five days off, I am determined to tackle this. I bought several various sized see through tubs today. With all the Amazon shopping Ive done lately, I also have several large cardboard boxes. And I have a label maker and some big labels.

The cardboard boxes are for throw away trash and throw away recycle and give away. I know from watching hoarding shows that more needs to go in those three boxes than anywhere else...but OYE...is that tough for me. I have SO MUCH stuff from my parents. It is really hard to make those decisions. Knowing this, I am prepared for some of the tubs to be filled and placed up in the rafters in the garage for 'someday'. But I am going to try to limit those.

I have been at it for a couple of hours in the kitchen now. I have exactly 3 things in the give away box- an old pair of my moms eyeglasses, an old wallet, and a plastic flower vase. Of course a BIG clue here is that there were eyeglasses and a wallet in my kitchen drawers... :/

On a positive note, I have had to empty the throw away recycle box twice.

I took a break to have leftovers for dinner and regenerate my brain to push through the frustration of trying to turn on whatever part of the brain works during organization tasks. I CAN DO THIS.

I am not so sure you will see before and after pictures...but we will see. Wish me luck!!

4 Responses to “Bit by the organizing bug..but where to start and what to do?”

  1. FrugalTexan75 Says:
    1353474931

    Hi Ray,
    Good for you tackling something like this. One way to "keep" momentous which you don't want to forget but don't really have any usefulness is to take a picture of it. Better yet - take a picture of it with a digital camera, and then put it in several different places online and on your computer with annotations. (That safeguards against theft, websites going out of business, etc.) Then you can take a look at the momentos anytime you want, but they aren't taking up space/cluttering. For things you just *aren't* ready to part with yet, putting them in a box marked "Look at 1 year from now." (or something similar) and then actually doing that ... they may still have real sentimental value, but you may be ready to do the picture route by then.

    (I have the desire to do the decluttering, but find so many other things that I end up doing instead. So, I truly applaud you for actually DOING it!) Big Grin

  2. Monkey Mama Says:
    1353510353

    I think the #1 tip to organizing is not having a lot of stuff. Big Grin But, I don't envy you having to go through your parents things. I can't even imagine, but I LOVE the picture idea. Will have to remember that.

    But yeah, focus on the recycling and goodwill and purging as much as possible. I swear by manilla folders and large plastic tubs (or cardboard boxes).

  3. creditcardfree Says:
    1353510758

    My tip is that if your gut says get rid of it, but your mind gets in the way...get rid of it. You won't regret it!

    Laura, has a great tip with the pictures for some keepsakes, but I think your plans work also. I would put a reminder on the calendar to remind you to take a look next year.

    One drawer, one cupboard, on pile at a time. Good luck!!

  4. Tightwad Kitty Says:
    1353534711

    I have your problem too!

    I have over 40 years of stuff here! (Grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles plus my own stuff here)

    To downsize to unit, I could only take about 20% of stuff including clothes.
    I only think would I take this item with me if I moved house if yes then repack it or keep it out.
    So I have come up with question to ask ‘Would I take this item with me or it can stay and just enjoy it for now or recycled it now’

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