In the "Messies of the World..." thread in the Hello forum, a few people have mentioned an accountability or challenge forum where those of us who are at the very beginning of the uncluttering process can (1) get and maintain motivation and (2) share frustrations, hints, etc. Can something like this be created?
Overall Rating: 3 votes
-
Posted 2 years ago #
-
I guess you just did!
Posted 2 years ago # -
That sounds like a great idea for the new year. Posting photos of before and after might be very motivating too.
RST
Posted 2 years ago # -
I'm totally in. I've got some very specific areas I need to work on.
Posted 2 years ago # -
OH YAY! :o) I''m in, too.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I'll share a frustration and put it out there for accountability. My office desk at home is a disaster. When it is neat I love the way it looks. So why do I always dump things there?!? Ugh. Its a constant clean it up/trash it cycle that suggests what I am doing is not working. Files are off the desk and pretty organized, but could probably be streamlined or recategorized to accomodate what continues to collect on top. I'm an out of sight out of mind person, so anything creative I'm working on needs to be somewhat visible. Routine things are fine in the files- bills always get paid on time and deadlines are met, etc. I have a family history project in the early stages and thus need a system now before it expands. I also have two weeks off work and this would be a perfect time to get this mess under control. Help! Please. :-0
Posted 2 years ago # -
I also would like some help. I'm fairly good about getting rid of things ... but for some reason I'm balking at getting rid of two nice wooden picture frames, with glass. The small one has followed me through four cities; it's probably worthless now, and I don't have anything I want to put in it. The other was custom-made and expensive, for my daughter's grade school diploma, but the diploma was ruined when a cat peed on it (long story). I cleaned it up and saved the frame. It cost a lot then but ... I have nothing to put in it now. This should be a no-brainer. I have no specific plans for the frames, they're just clutter. But I have this nagging thought, "Suppose I need to frame something in the future?"
Help me resist!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Me too! We have to buy a bunch of new linens, so my linen closet will need work in January. Also, I'm trying to figure out a more permanent clothing storage solution than what we have now...
Posted 2 years ago # -
Mellie, I'm a visual person, too. I am the kind of person that likes open shelving in the kitchen, so I can see what is there.
Someone recommended an open filing system in another thread or forum. It involved colorful, rolling file holders with open files. I use pottery and baskets to hold pencils, pens, and other office supplies. (LOL! I just looked at my desk, and it is a wreck! I'm one to talk!) You might put some open shelving in the area to hold books and other items.
Examples of rolling file holders:
Posted 2 years ago # -
MsDasha, what is your current clothing storage like?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Mellie - I'm exactly the same & a bookkeeper. I work at home and have the mail for five different companies coming through me. I'm in the process of designing a new desk process and I'm using rolling cabinets / filing under the desk (similiar to what claycat posted). I'm also using clipboards to organize projects. I do that already, although not in a systematic enough way. Any other suggestions are appreciated. My 'office' sits in the back corner of my living room so I want it to both look nice and be super functional.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Mellie & Lehcarjt - I am the same, too! I feel so good when my desk is organized, but it goes back to messy in almost no time. Maybe we can challenge each other to try out a new system and report back about it? (I need to create some kind of "landing strip" for my work area, because the main problem is the stack of miscellaneous "things to process" pile that tends to just grow and grow. I'm brainstorming about it now...)
Posted 2 years ago # -
Claycat, we have a closet in the hallway outside our bedroom, two dressers and two nightstands. The dressers are next on the list of furniture to be replaced. I'm just not sure if I want to get a nice dresser/dressers, or build a custom Ikea closet. The pros of the former is that its easier to move and adapt (we are renters - but we aren't moving for another 4-5 years or so). The pros of the latter is that we can hopefully free up the hallway closet to serve as utility storage for ACs, vaccuum, etc... But I'm just not sure if I'll be entirely happy with either solution. Input?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Zora - that frame will always be the "cat pee frame" in the back of your mind. Don't your future frame-ables deserve better? Tell yourself if you have any future stuff to frame it deserves the honour of a beautiful new frame, and 8x10's are just not that expensive. :o)
I have Christmas dishes that my Mom gave me - probably 8 years ago...12 settings! I have other Christmas dishes that i really like and use every year, but these ones have never been out of the box. They are more wintery and hokey they just are not great quality. A cup from one setting broke and I sent that incomplete set to the thrift store, but I can't bring myself to get rid of the other 8 settings. My parents come 90% of Christmas Eve's to our house, and my Mom always asks about them. I wish I could just let them go and feel good about it.
Posted 2 years ago # -
@ MsDasha - I love the idea of a 'Landing Strip'. I have one metal weave basket where I dump everything that I don't know what to do with. It could be my Landing Strip though. Put everything incoming there until I divide it into it's proper slot. (What do you call the places where airplanes park for people to get on/off?) And maybe that would make me deal with all the stuff that is just sitting there. I kind of like the idea of an under-the-desk-open-filing cabinet, but I'm a little worried the baby would tear it apart.
One of the other things I want to do is copy an idea I saw on unclutterer. Remember the office where everything matched? http://www.flickr.com/photos/037/4131504359/in/pool-unclutterer/ I want to do the same using: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/44020 I can do labels, Mousepad, background for my clipboards...
Posted 2 years ago # -
I'm also an out of sight, out of mind person. This works for me for the really important things I shouldn't forget. Have a small statue of a water buffalo and I'll put a note under it only for the really critical stuff (on a small file card usually). The paperwork or file that it refers to can be in the file, don't need it out cause I have the note. I know automatically when I see the statue with a note under it that this, whatever it is, is really important, and I read the note and do it. The marker for urgent is what makes it work. Also, I flag the calendar religiously for follow-ups required. The trick, of course, is to check the calendar.
Posted 2 years ago # -
msdasha--Have you considered the freestanding closet "guts"? I have white laminated boxes that have cubbies for shoes and ones that have shelves for sweaters. I actually wish I just had the shelves--the shoes also fit on those, although I can't get as many as i can in the cubbies, but I find I can see the shoes better and I am more likely to return the shoes promptly to a space on a shelf than a cubby--for whatever reason! In winter, I have more sweaters and in summer more sandals, so the versatility of shelves would be a plus over cubbies.
Then I have a hanging rod for hanging clothes--the shelves fit underneath the hanging clothes because the rod is hung quite high, and I also have a tall stack of shelf-boxes alongside the hanging clothes.
Target sells them, as well as Lowe's I believe.
Posted 2 years ago # -
MsDasha, could you do some of each? I'm one that would opt for the nice dressers, but I love the idea of an organization system in the closet. Have you also thought of a cedar chest and/or a wardrobe? Also, might there be room in the kitchen to put a tall cabinet for utility storage?
Posted 2 years ago # -
How do people want to "do" accountability? One option might be to post a picture of whatever catastrophe we're trying to overcome, lay out a plan and timeline to do so, then give updates and (hopefully) a wonderful after pic. Other posters could offer suggestions after seeing the "before" pic and encouragement along the way. For those who are struggling more with a process issue than a physical place, they can post their dilemma and their timeline for changing the process, others can offer suggestions and encouragement, and the OP can report back on how it's going. Thoughts? and if I'm being way too anal about this, let me know. :-)
Posted 2 years ago # -
I love the Container Store's Elfa system, but if you're renting, it would be a hassle to de-install it and repair the closet walls. I agree with kbfebber, that freestanding units are the way to go--you could also get one of Ikea's wardrobes if you need more hanging space. In my daughters' playroom, I got a $10 (or so) rod that hangs from the top rod, creating two levels to hang clothes. This works great for kids, but also works for adults' shirts, pants, and even skirts (if they're long, I fold them over a hanger).
Before you buy anything, I would lay out your (and your SO's if applicable) wardrobe on the bed or other big space so you can assess (1) what you can get rid of; (2) what needs to be hung and the various lengths of different categories--when I did this, I saw that I had very few dresses, so I didn't need to allot a lot of room for full-length hanging; and (3) what can be folded vs what needs to be hung.
Let us know what you decide!
Posted 2 years ago #
Reply »
You must log in to post. If you do not already have an account, you can register here.
