Clearing out the clutter...

[63getelevision]

Hate to tell you how many times I have mentally sorted out all my posessions. I will switch into a rant about thrift stores for a spell. Victory Children's Home store (now defunct) had crap to creme de la creme. I asked them once if I could donate non-working items and they said yes, some people buy the stuff for parts or repair as a pastime. They had a large tray of hardware litter people would paw through for odd parts. They had some funky vintage wall ovens, and some so-so used kitchen appliances. They offered it all. I hate Goodwill's attitude and policy, if I want new things I'll go to Target. Mustard Seed I think is trying to develope a flossy department store image, but their Ft. Pierce store is reminiscent of Victory Children's home, thank God.

 

[sudsmaster]

"no human remains..."

Drat, there goes my plan to donate my uncle to Goodwill...

 

[sudsmaster]

Ralph,

I agree, there's nothing wrong in collecting things of intrinsic value; the problem comes when one starts accumulating all sorts of stuff for no better reason than a reluctance to winnow through it and toss away the worthless or redundant. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there is a fine line between collecting and, for lack of a better word, hoarding. Part of my current effort to clear out some space is for when I do find something I truly want to save and restore, I'll room not only to store it but also to work on it. Until recently that hasn't been possible due to an overabunce of stuff.

 

[sudsmaster]

"1 and 2 aren't valid. "

That's a bit harsh... I prefer to think of them as not being valid for anyone but myself... lol...

"You can go buy what you need when and if you need it. Why should you store it for a day that may never come. "

Yes, my thoughts on it also. I would just amend that to, if the item is readily replacable by purchase now and in the foreseeable future. But some things, being antiques, are not things one can just go out and buy when the need arises.

"3.& 4 are valid. With limits as you said.

When I accumulated like 70 major appliances in late 2002 and early 2003, it was too much. I realized something much more compact was sufficient for me. "

As I gather from your bio, you were forced to downsize from a move to smaller quarters?

"5. is lazy. like Steve said, divide the work. do a bit each day. "

No, not really. Quite often I will avoid doing the sorting and tossing in favor of something even more strenuous. Please believe that I usually do find it stressful to have to decide what to keep and what to lose.

"6. keep your mind on track of SORTING. if it needs to be fixed but your getting rid of it. it doesn't matter. commit to 1/2 hour or 15 minutes each day for sorting until done. You will be amazed at how fast it gets done. "

Probably good for future, but right now it's requiring a major concerted effort, just to clear enough space that I can see "light at the end of the tunnel", so to speak.

You garden looks great

Thanks. It's where I go to work when I don't want to reduce clutter! LOL!

 

[washertalk]

Hey Rich,

I did have alot of appliances that I accumulated in a quick amount of time. It was fun and I had the room. But, as anyone here who has accumulated alot knows they can be strenuous and time consuming to repair. (and grease/oil leaking messy).
I realized I wasn't so concerned about having all those. And yeh, it wasn't practical.

OK, here is an idea pretend you live in Oakland and the threat of fire is possible. Psych your self here. Play the role. You have an hour (set a timer) to pick thru and get out the stuff you want. Set aside, whatever you reserve is the stuff you mean to keep. Get rid of the rest.

All right now, GO! the fire is just over the hill! hurry.

 

[gadgetgary]

Today's Scorpio Horoscope

Still trying to get organized? Don't let it hold you back. There will always be some degree of clutter in your world. Accept it. Use chaos as the background for your formidable talent.

 

[toggleswitch]

Are they saying clutter = chaos? Imagine?

I thought that "chaos" in Greek meant "loss /lost" sounds like the same root. Can't prove it in the dictionary, though.

 

[peterh770]

Yes, I too have moved into a big purge phase. Maybe it's the planet alignment that has us all looking at our dwellings and belonging and wondering, "Hmmmm, do I really need this? I haven't touched it in 10 years..."

 

[toggleswitch]

There is always money, time and space for that which we WANT

No good shall come of this (habit) Miss Scarlet.
(There is a washing machine in this picture....truly... Can you find it?)

"IF" is the biggest word in the English language! But we all knew that, didn't we?

 

[toggleswitch]

...and for G-d's sake, the rent in that apt is LITERALLY $70 per month.

Paint the bottom half of the walls semi-gloss white.
Paint the upper walls in white with a matte /egg-shell (degree of lustre) finish and put down grey tiles or rugs. Add narrow black storage cabinets, and make the @#$%^-ing clutter-box a museum showplace.

Sorry heavy-flow day.

If nothing else, roaches love to be stimulated ("touched")and seek out bags and tight place to massage themselves. NO JOKE ! Methinks that mess has GOT TO GO! EWWWWW

Sorry. Heavy-flow day.

 

[toggleswitch]

.........and it has four rooms.

It includes water (hot and cold), heat and cooking gas. You pay electric and phone and cable TV.

 

[cadman]

I think this is one of those philosophical questions where there CAN be a middle ground. There was an unfortunate woman on TV the other day that had a mental disorder that manifested itself through hoarding. She had so much stuff in her apartment she presented a safety hazard, and when she couldn't clean it up after multiple warnings and the help of others, she was out on the street. What blew me away were the bins of unsorted clothes, literal trash, and broken trinkets stacked floor to ceiling. This is the one extreme.

On the other hand you have those with the bare minimum. True minimalists. I'd argue that if you have more than one vacuum cleaner or more than one washer, you can't fit this category. Maybe even owning a washing machine is extremem since there are laundromats.

The problem with minimalists is that they are continually purging "un-needed" items, then they spend time and money to replace said item when they need it, either driving to a store, or scanning eBay. This introduces a whole host of ethical questions about disposal and pollution.

Someone mentioned keeping something around that's broken instead of pitching or donating it is lazy. I'll play devil's advocate and say that tossing that thing out is the lazy solution. Like using paper plates to avoid cleaning and storing dishes. There's no guarantee the replacement (should you ever find whatever it is you pitched) will be the same color, equally prestine, operate as well as the old one, not have yellowed plastic, etc. Maybe someone stripped out all the chrome plated screws on your new find and the cord is ratty, and while the one you threw out had a bad motor, the rest of it was mint.

Lots of AW members have spare parts stashes and even parts machines and their homes are spotless. I think the trick is following through. Either salvage, sort and store, or strip what you need and recycle the rest. I doubt I'll ever find an RCA CT-100 at a yardsale, but if I came across the control "pencil box" at a sale, I certainly wouldn't pass it up. Even if I never own the set, I'd like to feel I'm doing my part for the next owner/restorer/collector.

If you have the space, the organization and the interest, why not do what makes you happy?

 

[sudsmaster]

Cadman,

I like your middle way.

Part of my problem is that I just have too many damn projects. Garden, house, cars (I collected them for a while too), old appliances. Part of the clutter is materials stockpiled for projects, mainly new flooring for various rooms in the house, wood for a new "roof" on the pergola over the pond (although I managed to stick that in the rafters of the shop), copper pipe to re-plumb the house (that was a good purchase, bought before the price really skyrocketed) etc. Another part is that I ran my own computer network business years ago, and never did go through a jettison all that is no longer needed. I'm doing it now ;-).

Then there was the treasure trove of weird old stuff that came with the house. It's taking up valuable cabinet and shelf space in the garage and workshop. I went through it once and chucked stuff that was useless, but I think I need to do it again and get rid of things that MIGHT be useful but not in my lifetime, lol.

Anyway, I've come to the realization that I must start dropping various projects and "interests" if I am to get anything done. Some of it, I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and horrors! hire someone else to do it (probably the plumbing). The charm of doing it myself kind of wore off after five years of home ownership. But first I have to clear out all the junk so at least I can have room to work.

 

[sudsmaster]

Toggles,

With rent only $70/month, you'd think that tenant could afford to rent a storage unit for all those shopping bags. What is she (assuming female here) thinking? And then like you say, some nice paint, flooring, cabinetry, to make the place a bit more livable.

 

[sudsmaster]

PS - it looks like the washer is under a green clothe (towel?) next to the fridge.

Do I win the prize?

 

[toggleswitch]

DING DING DING
You are a winner!

There was so much other filth, clutter and devastation going on I actually missed it on the way into the kitchen.
Caught it later though.

Anyone wanna guess where the clothing gets dried?

 

[sudsmaster]

Clothes dryer?

A line strung along the high wall of the hallway? Does the meetal hoopy thing in the foreground have anything to do with it?

I see the tenant has followed the advice of TV decorators and put storage shelving above otherwise unused space above the doorway. Unfortunately it wasn't enough!

 

[toggleswitch]

You not from NYC are you? *LOL*

HA HA HA HA!

In the kitchen window, on METAL (rustable) hangers near your gas (open flames) stove while you are making fish soup dinner.

I mean REALLY. That was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO easy.

Notice the plastic on the walls and the foil on the cooker? I mean WHY wash and paint wasll when you might break a nail.

 

[toggleswitch]

Now dont' those curtains ADD something to the room?

........or simply choose a random nail/spike on which to hang your laundry.

 

[toggleswitch]

or even your bedroom.

Notice the clothesline where the umbrellas are hanging?

Notice also the brown spots on ceiling from candles (electric or actual). I'll bet this place hasn't seen a can of paint in 30 years.

But, alas, what a nice collection of clothing in a plastic bag!