It is the issue of STUFF.
This is the current state of several areas of my house:
hat, apron, gift, Steele's money, paint sample, papers, 2010 Christmas cards
phonics readers, catalog, kitchen light, Xochi's jeans, money
fertility clinic info, tea, cds, pencil sharpener, seeds, mail etc etc
phonics readers, catalog, kitchen light, Xochi's jeans, money
fertility clinic info, tea, cds, pencil sharpener, seeds, mail etc etc
special card, Bible cds, necklace, tax stuff, Bible, sewing supplies, knitting needles,
external hard drive, coffee, jazzercise notes, hand salve, telephone,
receipt, air sprayer thingy, etc. etc. etc.
external hard drive, coffee, jazzercise notes, hand salve, telephone,
receipt, air sprayer thingy, etc. etc. etc.
knitting supplies out of reach of little hands,
adoption tax stuff, sunglasses a friend's son left here, more cds, lint stroller, pencil sharpener
frame waiting for picture, non-functional ipod
adoption tax stuff, sunglasses a friend's son left here, more cds, lint stroller, pencil sharpener
frame waiting for picture, non-functional ipod
Steele's shoes, miscellaneous toys, library book, advent notes
laundry, playmobile spear
sewing supplies, elastic thread, Netflix movie that they weren't supposed to send
since we downgraded, Knitpicks catalog, spring table runner,
National Geographic mag, Voddie Baucham cds
Do you see the trend here?? It's stuff!!! STUFF everywhere! Stuff that doesn't have a home, stuff that I want to keep, stuff I wish I could throw away, stuff that other people gave me, stuff I need to keep for a little bit, stuff that I'm working on, homeschool stuff, craft stuff, kid stuff, stuff that I left out, stuff that others left out. Too much stuff!!
It's driving me batty. I'm embarrassed by it. I'm irritated by it. I don't know what to do about it. I don't have the energy to do anything about it. It seems that every time I clear stuff off, it just piles back up again. And the worst thing? Sometimes I put stuff away and then when I need it, I can't find it again.
At the core of it all, though, is a desire to live simply. To have my life, my home and my brain uncluttered. To not live in excess, but to live contently. I do want my home to be warm and charming - I'm not a minimalist. But it is a difficult balance. Can you relate? A little? A lot? What have you done about it? What would you like to do about it? What do you do with all of it?
7 comments:
You need to do your own clean house. And, what that involves is involving an outsider. A friend. It doesn't look horrible. But, I know what you mean. Just grab a friend and have them go through each room with you and then you can figure out if you need to buy totes or organizing items. Just tackle it one room at a time. I'm sure you really want to get it done before that sweet baby comes along.
Cutzi-- I know it's bugging you but it really doesn't look bad. Don't stress about it! On an unrelated note -- the picture behind you knitting stuff brings back lots of memories... I love that picture. Have a GREAT day. Your cousin Doug!
oh Cutzi......I am right with you on this one!! My house is like this too! My family says I am the "Queen of Piles" and I don't mean hemorrhoids!!
It seems the more I try to clean them up the more things go missing or more piles appear? how is this?
I admit I am a saver/keeper/don't like to discard in case I might need the item for something!
Sigh......long pause......oh well - I am not on a TV show...not hoarding, not saving garbage, living in filth or totally miserable and no one is getting hurt.
It will be okay...you are not alone:-)
Cutzi,
Let's see... three small kids AND first trimester, right? Good grief, it looks pretty darn good if you ask me! And you know, you'll have more energy soon :D
But you know what? I was thinking what your first commenter said: Get an outsider to come in. Sometimes it helps to have someone who is not emotionally attached to the stuff look at it with you.
I'll offer myself if you think it would help, but I have to warn you - I'm ruthless. I'm NOT sentimental. Not a keeper. But I do love to organize. If my home is cluttered I just can't think straight.
But Cutzi, your place IS NOT BAD. It's a little clutter, not filth. Your kids are happy and well-loved, and they will remember a lot of things you do, but they won't remember that you had a spring table runner still sitting out when it's (gasp!) August ;D
Julie
It's so nice to know that other people have the same "problem". I was THRILLED to have a lot more counter space in our second home. In reality, it's just more flat surface to catch things. :( I just need to be sure that things have a home and then put them there right away. It seems that not quite knowing what to do with things or not wanting to make a trip outside/upstairs right then are my biggest contributors.
I hired a little house elf (really she's a middle school cousin)$20 flat rate 2-4 hours a week to work with me doing whatever. It helps me keep in check of my little piles, and teaches her some responsibility. Last week we empties cupboards and put away laundry. This week, more laundry, a junk drawer and the motorhome.
Cutzi. It's too late. Too many kids. They are too young. I can speak from experience about what NOT to do. Do NOT let this training time go by without training the little ones how to put the STUFF away. I did that. I thought I needed it done RIGHT, and so I did it for them. They are way to old to not be doing it, but I trained them that I would do it, and now I am doing it. This STUFF everywhere (I hate it too) era ends, but if you haven't trained the little ones to take care of it when they are big, then they won't. That is my two cents. I also had a friend help me to organize. It was the answer.I Love you! Hang in there Mama.
Kathy G
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