Hi all, I'm new here.
I was given a link to one of the stories on Leo's web site ( I think it was about traveling with only a single backpack ), and I started browsing around, and I've been spending the last two weeks devouring as many articles as I can.
It's like I've found this new great purpose in simplifying my life, and it's really helping my stress level (which has been a problem lately). What I worry about is what do I do when I finish? I've been decluttering the house one room at a time, one drawer at a time, and all I've got left now is the Garage and my 'office' room, which managed to acquire a lot of the clutter from other rooms in the meantime. I know that'll be the last big challenge, but I'll get to it eventually (probably this week). It doesn't seem to me that keeping clutter free is going to be as challenging as this initial purge, will I still feel the same purpose?
It all started with cleaning up my desk at work about two weeks ago, I actually had some comments from people wondering if I quit or was moving to another workspace :) Once I started, I couldn't stop, it moved on to the house, my google feed reader, my firefox bookmarks, my cell phone contacts, etc. I just dropped another load of old clothes off at goodwill this morning, and finished cleaning out the drawers and cabinets in the kitchen.
So anyways, that's my intro.
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Welcome! And congratulations on becoming an unclutterer! I'm pretty new in the forums too, but I've been reading the blog for some time now, and I have been focusing on uncluttering for several years.
When it comes to paring down possessions and uncluttering, I think that it does change once you have finished that first purge, but being uncluttered is an ongoing thing. You have to think about the new things you bring into your home, and to stay uncluttered, you have to pay some attention. Even if you are not doing that deep purging, there is still enjoyment to be had from being uncluttered :)
And don't get me started on how nice it is to come home after being at someone's house that it filled up with stuff!
One thing I did wrong is that I focused too much on the stuff. Once I had started I found it hard to stop, and I found myself nagging myself about having too much (even though I don't have much at all), and wearing myself down because of it.
So keep at it, but remember that it's not about the stuff, it's about being happy :)
When it comes to paring down possessions and uncluttering, I think that it does change once you have finished that first purge, but being uncluttered is an ongoing thing. You have to think about the new things you bring into your home, and to stay uncluttered, you have to pay some attention. Even if you are not doing that deep purging, there is still enjoyment to be had from being uncluttered :)
And don't get me started on how nice it is to come home after being at someone's house that it filled up with stuff!
One thing I did wrong is that I focused too much on the stuff. Once I had started I found it hard to stop, and I found myself nagging myself about having too much (even though I don't have much at all), and wearing myself down because of it.
So keep at it, but remember that it's not about the stuff, it's about being happy :)
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Welcome! And congratulations on becoming an unclutterer!-"grey"
Thanks. Once the 'purge' is complete I can probably best spend my energy on developing new habits, I like the idea of this challenge thing, so I'll get in on the April one. I don't worry too much about obsessing over the exact number of my possessions or anything like that, I will allow myself a few extravagances here and there such as my large tv, my S2000 for a sunny day driver, and my other car just for regular days. But that's because they've given me joy thus far. I'll probably get rid of that second TV in the bedroom though, I can't really say I use it more than 5 times a year, and that's usually to catch the last 10 minutes of some show before going to bed. I think getting rid of that will be a good idea.
Hopefully this site will continue to inspire me to simplify in other areas I'd never think of though. I mean I never would cleaned out my RSS feeds or firefox bookmarks before, maybe once a year, now things are that much nicer.
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I finished the first sweep of the office last night, that was the last room inside the house that needed it. There's still stuff that I can probably get rid of in the bookshelf, but I figure I can spend 10 - 15 minutes a day and take that a little easier.
I suppose the garage is next.
I suppose the garage is next.
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I've recently been on a de-cluttering roll too. I found myself actually creeping back out of bed at night, and wandering the house, opening drawers and cupboards, sometimes just to admire their insides, but also, just to see if I could spot any bit of clutter lurking still.
But I found, after I had totally finished de-cluttering and was till in the "mode" that I kind of changed gears into organizing mode. I began to think of how I could make my home function more efficiently, and how I could create simpler spaces and ease of use, and ways to save time. It was addictive, because I found it quite a mind challenge to think of systems and containers and space and movement... all this, just applied to a cutlery drawer? And then I began to label, not just label my things, but where they were to go.... To put it simply, I began with "A place for everything and everything in it's place", and then I moved on to " A label for everything, and everything on it's label".
But our home and office work almost by themselves now, and I love waking up in the morning to our house now, or coming home and walking in the front door. :)
And the very next day after I had finished de-cluttering the very last cupboard in the very last room, I found an item in the kitchen that I hadn't used for a year or more, and there was a piece of clutter... AAgghhh... I realised then that this is going to be an ongoing thing too, but never ever again will I have to do a "great purge". I found a good solid carton and put in in the bottom of a now empty closet. That is going to be my "perpetual clutter" box, and as soon as it's full it is going OUT OUT OUT! Even if it takes another year to fill it, I am putting stuff in there as soon as I recognize it as clutter, and boy, am I quick to spot clutter these days. :evil:
:D Daisy
But I found, after I had totally finished de-cluttering and was till in the "mode" that I kind of changed gears into organizing mode. I began to think of how I could make my home function more efficiently, and how I could create simpler spaces and ease of use, and ways to save time. It was addictive, because I found it quite a mind challenge to think of systems and containers and space and movement... all this, just applied to a cutlery drawer? And then I began to label, not just label my things, but where they were to go.... To put it simply, I began with "A place for everything and everything in it's place", and then I moved on to " A label for everything, and everything on it's label".
But our home and office work almost by themselves now, and I love waking up in the morning to our house now, or coming home and walking in the front door. :)
And the very next day after I had finished de-cluttering the very last cupboard in the very last room, I found an item in the kitchen that I hadn't used for a year or more, and there was a piece of clutter... AAgghhh... I realised then that this is going to be an ongoing thing too, but never ever again will I have to do a "great purge". I found a good solid carton and put in in the bottom of a now empty closet. That is going to be my "perpetual clutter" box, and as soon as it's full it is going OUT OUT OUT! Even if it takes another year to fill it, I am putting stuff in there as soon as I recognize it as clutter, and boy, am I quick to spot clutter these days. :evil:
:D Daisy
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