Clutter and Chaos

[JackieOnLine]

along with mood disorders and an eating disorder I have a trouble with clutter (stuff) and chaos (organization) - right now it's how many days until taxes are due and have I started them? I have not. do I have what I need to start them? not sure, probably some. :086:

what about the jewelry I'm going to start selling? uhmmm I do have a box but haven't finished unpacking it yet. started wearing the jewelry..signed up for a class online about selling it...

things have not been so bad for me that I need earth-moving equipment to get in the door, but I do have enough of a problem I chose to put this here - medical issues - rather than in the lounge.

I would guess I'm not alone, either, since there is a book called this

am I alone? anyone else fight this?

 

[brooklyngirl]

Oh, dear lord, I do too! Part of what I'm trying to work on in therapy, blargh :redface:

 

[JackieOnLine]

I used to claim it was because I lived in "Tiny House" - not enough room! can't get organized! - but I now live in a house with THREE bedrooms...and I can't get organized.

so much room I have even more trouble not buying more stuff to fill it.

 

[Kate]

Boy can I relate! I too have three bedrooms and a two car garage (with only one car that lives in it) and I still have problems with clutter! My goal for this year is to clean up everything I don't need and get rid of it...

 

[southernlady]

There ARE advantages to moving as often as we did all our married life. While I have clutter, it's no where NEAR as bad as it could be if we had spent the last almost 18 years in one house.

 

[brooklyngirl]

Yeah, that was one of the advantages of planning an 800 mile move in 2 weeks. We went through an entire box (25-30) of the giant black contractor sized garbage bags. We had to pack up so quickly that I didn't have the luxury of really weeding through things, it was a "if I don't need it now/haven't used it in a while then toss it" situation. I'm terrible with saving things because "I'll need it one day" but all it does is create terrible clutter.

 

[Terri]

Guilty! Not enough room, not enough time, etc. I think I have laze-i-tis! When I worked I only had x days and x hours to get things done so I did it. Now I don't work so if I don't do it today it will still be there tomorrow (because Lord knows no one else will do it). Also it is not fun stuff. Who wants to put things away, organize, go through the mail or do taxes.

Little funny story. My daughter is graduating college in May and this is the last year I am doing her taxes. I told my friend the other day that I am going to be in trouble when my daughter realizes it doesn't require the dining room table to be consumed with clutter from January to April in order to do a simple 1040 form. Not to mention she could have been getting her refund in February instead of May.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Yup. My entire physical world is in a constant state of whirlwind. Currently I'm missing my desperately needed math textbook. Very frustrating.

 

[JackieOnLine]

signed up for a class online about selling it...

and I forgot and missed the first half of the class.

 

[SHales]

I am a perfectionist and a procrastinator. Nothing gets done around here. First I put it off and then if I can't do it perfectly, it ain't happening.

 

[brooklyngirl]

I am a perfectionist and a procrastinator. Nothing gets done around here. First I put it off and then if I can't do it perfectly, it ain't happening.

Me too! So frustrating!!!

 

[Terri]

My husband is a neat freak! It pisses him off so much that the top of his desk is all straight and tidy and he can't find things he put away but I will shuffle a few piles of papers around and find what I want real quick like.

 

[k9ophile]

No, you are not alone. I have had discussions with both my therapist and PCP; they concur that mess equals stress. In fact this came up at my appointment today with my PCP. He suggested something that he and his wife had done to de-clutter: They took pictures of the things they really like then gave them away. He said they got as much pleasure from the picture as the thing itself. I know I can do that with a lot of my stuff. One of my big (and I do mean BIG) projects for my retirement is to keep my house from being the next episode of hoarders. It will also lessen the stress that exists between Mr. Clean and Ms. Slob. It's true that opposites attract for us on so many levels. I may never become a day person, but at least DH will be able to relax in a clutter free house while I sleep in.

 

[JackieOnLine]

interesting.

I am a perfectionist and a procrastinator

although I procrastinate like crazy I never thought of myself as a perfectionist since I do things all half-assed all the time.

but I do have delusions of grandeur - so maybe in my mind, it was going to be perfect. if that makes any sense.

so what do we all DO about this? @k9ophile is going to retire (soon?) and deal with it - what about everyone else?

because I seem to only lurch from crises to crises - that's no way to live. I'm going to do better....soon as I get my taxes done!

 

[JackieOnLine]

Yup. My entire physical world is in a constant state of whirlwind. Currently I'm missing my desperately needed math textbook. Very frustrating.

this surprises me, EN, when I know you do so well in school.