DECLUTTERING IS HARD WORK!

Saturday, October 08, 2011

I would put decluttering up there with exercise and weight loss. If you do anything for a month, it becomes a habit. First you have to make up your mind to do it! I think I've decided to attack the clutter in my home but it is a constant effort to remind myself not to put something down to deal with later. To keep my piles under control, I need to put it away NOW!
Kaseycoff was my first friend here on Spark and she's had to hear me grouse about not being organized, not losing weight, not sleeping, and not exercising. That would have to be a good friend to listen to all of that grousing.

I've always said that I am organized out of disorder, able to juggle many things and still have a mess to plow through. But as I age, I find that this disorder is making me crazy and it is harder to plow through. Case in point, I've been talking about cleaning off my desk in my office but it is still not done. And yesterday, while I was dealing with the wrong cushion cover for the chaise lounge, I drove myself crazy looking for my client's folder and trying to determine what the solution was. I just had that folder in my hands but it disappeared somehow. That effort was so frustrating that it convinced me that I have to do something about it, finally!

I think it is time to call in the refinforcements for help! I'll have to schedule a time for Cassandra, my organizing friend, to come over and help me with this filing. I just can't go through another year like this, or month, or day or week. Next Friday we are going away for 4 days to see our youngest son and his family so this is a busy week. But I'm going to schedule a date with her before the end of October. See, I'm giving myself at least 3 weeks to get this done! Cassandra can you hear me?

The good part of this is that it has taken the emphasis on food and dieting away. What a relief! This doesn't mean I'm chowing down. It means I've got other things to tackle first. And if I relieve the clutter, the diet will follow! Right? And the exercise too! Right? Later.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LHLADY517 10/8/2011 4:02PM

It's good you have someone to help you. Report Inappropriate Comment

COLEENCOLE 10/8/2011 11:59AM

If I lived nearby I would love to help. I am good at helping others declutter. Report Inappropriate Comment

FCARMICH 10/8/2011 10:10AM

From a log-time rat-packer, yes its hard! Report Inappropriate Comment

KASEYCOFF 10/8/2011 10:03AM

...and KaseyCoff sez 'LOL!' The reason we click is because we have a lot in common, thinks me! Report Inappropriate Comment

PJBONARRIGO 10/8/2011 9:50AM

It sounds like a good plan- better than mine, but I am working on it LOL Good luck !! Report Inappropriate Comment

DECLUTTER YOUR ATTITUDE!

Friday, October 07, 2011

I reread my blog from yesterday and it was so petty. Bummed out over a cushion cover that didn't fit. It was partially my fault so I was more than a little mad at myself as well. And like I said, it wasn't brain surgery, just an embarrassment. Now, brain surgery is a bummer of a day. I use that term because I have a friend in my company who uses it to emphasis the silliness of some of our problems that we get so uptight about.

Many times when our attitudes stink its because we are mad at ourselves or have some issue with insecurities. We are avid church goers and there is much talk about forgiving others in the sermon content. This is so important for your health and well being but we must also learn to forgive ourselves for our shortcomings and indiscretions. That's not easy sometimes and our minds will race with talk about how bad we are or how fat or lazy.

Forgive ourselves for being fat? Now that's an issue that hasn't come up. Why are we fat? The answer is within us but we dont' want to see the real reasons. Mostly its because we eat too much. And stress causes us to eat too much. Does it? Eating too much is a personal responsibility and only we, ourselves, can control it.

I was seeing a therapist back in the 90's when I was wrestling with full blown depression. I was talking about how this person or that person affected me. She said, "We can't control other people. We can only control the way we deal with them." That was a very good lesson to learn. So if we get stressed out by another person and choose to eat to relieve the stress, we have chosen to deal with that issue with food. It's our choice. One of my favorite bible verses is Philippians 4:1-9. "Do not worry about anything but in ...prayer...let your requests be made known to god." I pray a lot when something is bothering me and it helps me to dump it out of my thoughts. It doesn't help though, if we pray to God for help and then pick up our pile of prayers and take them back. We have to give them up and mean it.

Life is so complicated isn't it? And at 63, I am still learning. I challenge you to pick something about yourself that has become an annoying pile of stuff and figure a way to dump it. You'll be much lighter! LAter.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

FIFIFRIZZLE 10/7/2011 1:11PM

Gee, Dog, you got a whole lot out of that cushion! Maybe you can keep it as a momento? Report Inappropriate Comment

KASEYCOFF 10/7/2011 9:38AM

That is really insightful - and helpful! Great blog, Carol... Report Inappropriate Comment

SOME DAYS ARE JUST BUMMERS!

Thursday, October 06, 2011

We all hav'em. Bummer days that is. I was so irritated today with a cushion cover that came in for a client after weeks of waiting and it was wrong. Oh, it's not brain cancer for sure but it is irritating just the same. And there is so much stuff going on somedays that you just want to spit! We deliver newspapers every other Thursday and what usually goes quickly, rolling and stuffing into bags, took longer than usual today because we had an insert. It seemed like we were rolling and rolling and rolling. My husband had to cancel an appmt and I had to drop everything to go and look at the cushion problem.

Needless to say, I didn't get much accomplished in the AAPT Club today and I haven't exercised since I joined the 10 min exercise team. Should just drop out of that club until I can get my act together. Started to say organized but since I am a team-leader in the Organized Life team, thought better of it. Sometimes the simplest of jobs are the worst messes.

Okay, I blew that off. Now I feel better. I'll go look after some piles and maybe do some quilting. Got to get away from my desk. Later.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

COLEENCOLE 10/6/2011 11:02PM

Days like that you wish you could just start over. Report Inappropriate Comment

TIRED49 10/6/2011 9:22PM

I had one of those days too! Tomorrow will be better. Report Inappropriate Comment

LHLADY517 10/6/2011 5:51PM

So understand this. Hang in there. Report Inappropriate Comment

NINAVEE 10/6/2011 5:32PM

Hope tomorrow is a better day for you. I have 'issues' too, but trying to hold on until all is back to normal (whatever that is)! Report Inappropriate Comment

KASEYCOFF 10/6/2011 4:00PM

Yep, you're right, tho - we all have 'em! Report Inappropriate Comment

HALEYSMUM 10/6/2011 3:53PM

I understand, some days are just a nightmare, still I wouldn't quit on your goals, so you didn't get any exercise in today, maybe try tomorrow instead? It's never a failure, just a chance to do better then before. It seems to me you have a pretty busy life. Just fit it in when you can & enjoy the ride! Comment edited on: 10/6/2011 3:53:22 PM Report Inappropriate Comment

FOR HEAVENS SAKE! WHAT AM I THINKING!

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

I'm not organized and I hate exercising. So all of a sudden I am a co-leader on the Organize Life team and I signed up the 10 minute daily exercise team. What's with that? I can do ten minutes and I have decided that I can walk around the block even though I am without a dog as Panda left us a month ago. I really miss her but walking around the block, I can revisit our old trail and see her dog friends. I will go out this evening with hubby and take a walk, even though short. He will be glad to take me.

On the organizing part. Something snapped a month ago and I am plowing through piles of stuff and trying not to create new ones. I desperately still have to get a handle on my desk in my office but at least I attacked 2 problems this morning that have been sliding. I've got another one sitting out waiting for me to take care of it. The dining room table is on its third day of no clutter and I have the kitchen counter reduced to just 2 piles of stuff that I need to find a home for. I've made 3 Christmas quilted stocking fronts using my donated stash and aim to finish more to take to guild next week.

I already did on drapery installation this morning, called another client and seeing another one this afternoon. At noon I have the Republican Women's Club luncheon and dinner planned for this evening. Ordered Tiliapia for lunch. The house is being cleaned by the cleaning lady as we speak.

Back in April I changed doctor's and medications. I think my new med is giving me more energy and concentration. Hate to think that I was walking around sedated for ten years but I guess I was. So with some personal direction and help from my spark friends, I guess I will press on! AAPT!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

AGILLASPIE60 10/10/2011 5:53PM

Way to make it all happen! You are setting a great example for all of us out here :-) Report Inappropriate Comment

FIFIFRIZZLE 10/7/2011 1:15PM

I want some of what you,ve got, LOL! Report Inappropriate Comment

LHLADY517 10/5/2011 10:11PM

And we appreciate your willingness to co-lead the Organized team. Thanks. Report Inappropriate Comment

QUILTINGB52 10/5/2011 6:45PM

Wow ~ what motivation you have!!! And here I thought I was doing good to get the plants watered & take out the garbage! LOL Report Inappropriate Comment

KASEYCOFF 10/5/2011 12:15PM

Attagirl! I thought maybe you'd end up leading a team, either the Organized one or a new AAPT one, lol... Report Inappropriate Comment

ILUVTOTAT 10/5/2011 11:44AM

Wow! You're doing awesome! Report Inappropriate Comment

MCKNIGHTKAITLIN 10/5/2011 11:25AM

Congratulations on finding the motivation to organize! You will feel great once it's all organized. Report Inappropriate Comment

CLUTTERED VERSUS DIRTY!

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

I have piles of clutter everywhere in my home but it isn't dirty. There might be parts of my home that are dirt, like near the trash can in the kitchen or the baseboards behind the bed. But all in all, clutter is my problem, not dirt. Last night I visited a relative and I was appalled. I won't go there and I won't say who but I can understand why the family is always sick. This leads me to want to clean up the clutter even more than ever. I started in on the kitchen counter this morning and stopped briefly to visit Sparkpeople. I have full intentions of returning to edit and toss.

I don't know what has gotten into me but I like it. I can understand how you can get overwhelmed with clutter and just leave it sit as well. It's so much easier to drop it into a pile and let it sit rather than deal wtih it now and put it away. I'm making a concerted effort to change and I hope it is a lasting change.

It would be nice to feel like I could have people drop over and my house be neat and tidy. Especially since I am a decorator and supposedly my home is beautiful! It would be even nicer to invite people over and the house would already be tidy.

Now to weight loss. I think there is a connection between clutter and pounds. Not sure how or what but there must be a connection. We eat instead of cleaning? The stress of moving piles around makes us eat? If the kitchen counter is cluttered, it makes us less likely to cook a healthy meal? This is all food for thought and mind. Later.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

KASEYCOFF 10/4/2011 2:30PM

I'm wondering if the 'old' meds the other doctor had you on were working against you - keeping you down, unmotivated, listless... now, you're more energetic, more upbeat, and doing the things you've been wanting to do. I'm thinking those were the problem, and now you're seeing light at the end of the tunnel! ...IMHO Report Inappropriate Comment

NOW2DAY 10/4/2011 9:16AM

The problem with clutter is we keep too much stuff and fill up all the drawers and cabinets. So clutter is the overflow. You hate to throw something away and so you hold onto it. Check out fly lady. Good Luck to you and all of us with clutter. I have a cousin whose house makes you want to come home and clean (declutter). I need to visit her more. Her house is really cluttered. Report Inappropriate Comment

PATTY267 10/4/2011 9:08AM

You are so right. According to the TV show host of "Clean House", Peter Walsh, there is a correlation between the two (clutter and weight). I am reading his book, "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?" It's been quite an interesting read and gives much food for thought (which, by the way, has no calories). Blessings to you as you get your house in order to have the ladies over for tea. ... Save me a cup! Comment edited on: 10/4/2011 9:09:46 AM Report Inappropriate Comment

GOOSIEMOON 10/4/2011 8:57AM

Great insight! I think you're on to something - I think our surroundings have an effect on how we feel, how stressed we might be and how we treat ourselves. Good for you! Have a great day! Report Inappropriate Comment

CLAYARTIST 10/4/2011 8:51AM

getting rid of clutter opens your mind to new and better opportunities... Report Inappropriate Comment

JADOREMOI 10/4/2011 8:50AM

I understand completely about the clutter situation. I sometimes feel like I'm drowning in a sea of clean or dirty clothes that never seems to be completely picked up off the floor/bed/bedroom chair, and yet I'm never done folding and hanging and putting them away either. With me it is laziness. I'm not sure if it's connected to eating issues for me, but cleaning my bedroom has always been one of those things that I dread and put off because it's so boring. It's a victim to my extreme laziness. Extreme laziness also tries to affect my workout times too, but I try to make up for it later on in the week if it does. I hope you succeed in solving your clutter woes! I need to do the same with my laundry clutter! Report Inappropriate Comment

REDROSEMARIE 10/4/2011 8:48AM

Good Morning, I fight clutter everyday and in my own experience clutter causes chaos, which in turn lead me to feel depressed and eat more. The way I look at it, if my house is cluttered I don't have people over and stay in the house and feel sorry for myself. Of course being an emotional eater this also causes me to eat because I am lonely. If my house is clean and uncluttered I feel better about me, this causes me to want to take care of myself and want to be around others. I think you are on the right track. I wish you a very successful journey in your weight loss and decluttering. Report Inappropriate Comment

HONEYFLOWER43 10/4/2011 8:48AM

Believe me I understand, my dinning room table has been cluttered for too long. I have to clean it off because I am having some work done at my house. This is a great opportunity to remove the clutter for good. Good luck to you with you efforts. Report Inappropriate Comment