Posting from the library, on my way back from donating blood. I have a car on loan for a few days, so I'm planning to stop at my storage unit today or tomorrow -- I'll drop off some kitchen gear that I don't currently need at home, and pick up a lamp to improve the lighting situation in my room.

It is STILL snowing! 😀
Not making any snowman...
the snow is too wet and heavy
plus
the wind keeps blowing it all sideways as it falls.
Sort of a blizzard like condition. 🙂

LOL 😀

(((hugs)))

Space: the Final Frontier!

I cannot stop giggling and smiling. You are BRILLIANT!!

It Is SNOWING!!! 😀
The mountains may get as much as one foot of snow!!!

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

HI Tatoulia! 🙂
LOL your Mom has a billion friends in China 😀
You are doing a Wonderful job helping her (((hugs)))
I know too well how hard it can be.
I am glad she has such a compassionate caring Daughter.

Space = The Final Frontier

Diane 😉
How many times have I told you that you should post here even when you haven't done any decluttering/cleaning.
This thread is for connecting, sort of journalizing our days.
Post when we are happy, sad, mad or indifferent.
This is where we can all post "whatever" to stay connected with others who understand.
(((hugs)))

Today I will accomplish NOTHING.
It is snowing.
That is all the excuse I need to do NOTHING.
LOL 😀

O.K. maybe if the snow is good enough I might make a snowman.

TTYS 😉

Yay Diane!!! You are amazing! I always call my donations of unused stuff "boulevard of broken dreams" as a way of accepting getting rid of yarn or origami paper, etcetera. Have been working on mom's place. Her latest excuse is "a friend made that for me" when she won't let me donate something. I then find the " made in China" tag, point it out to her, and we have a big laugh about how many friends in China she has! I was a little cross with her about one thing but for the most part let her keep whatever she wants-- I only press on the cheap stuff that I don't know where it came from, why is it on the floor wedged behind piles of stuff, and now it's a treasure? The books, magazines, etc I'm being very understanding. I
Trying so desperately to get her apt better--really just a room with a kitchenette. She keeps falling and the rules of assisted living are they need to call fire dept to pick her up. Then there's no room for fire responders because of all the stuff. I'm working on it. Made sure her Easter basket was a brightly colored paper plate so there's nothing to keep or attach any meaning to. Poor mom. Such a struggle. I struggle with myself too but have learned to value "space is a thing" from our own dear Tillie.

Thanks so much Tillie, for your kind, wise words. I have a difficult time figuring out what I really want to keep that I find myself bagging up almost every thing. It crossed my mind that I won't have anything left when I want to sew or craft. You are right, I can go to a thrift store or regular store and buy what I need. Hopefully this nightmare hoard will remind me not to go overboard again. Today I really just want everything gone. I want to empty the room and paint it, and only put what I can really use in there. Not easy to explain the extent of the hoard, massive undertaking. Now that I have spent a year and a half, trying to organize my hoard, and your words, you cannot organize a hoard, I just want it gone. I am very aware I have difficulty making decisions, and that is why I am bagging up and donating almost everything. I have agonized over possibilities of using all of this stuff and wasted so many hours and years trying to figure it out. Never thought the day would come when I would be willing to bag it up and get rid of it. Remember a few months ago when helper and other friend loaded up a 4'X8' trailer and all vehicles with donations from rock room and I freaked out? Now I see it was necessary so I could see I can live without stuff from floor to ceiling. Thanks for your continued wisdom and friendship

Hi Diane 🙂

Having all that stuff in your craft room has been keeping you away from achieving your dreams.
Once you have the materials & supplies down to a reasonable amount you can then get in there and create.
You will be able to easily sew and make dog toys and all sorts of wonderful projects.
If you find that you need a specific crafting item you can go out and get exactly what you want instead of "making-do" with something less than your vision.
Keep a mental picture of your finished craft room and you in there having a blast. 😀

Almost everything I have has come from charity thrift shops.
My clothes, shoes, linens, curtains/drapes, blankets, furniture, kitchenware, beads, fabric, craft/sewing notions, hardware, etc...
and so much more.
I am forever grateful to everyone who has generously donated such lovely things.

THANK YOU! (((HUGS))) 🙂

Happy easter to you. Tillie I started to post yesterday but felt bad because I did next to nothing. This morning at 4am my mind was churning, anxious to get started on craft room, and even more fearful, of going in there. I am so overtired. When in there, put my emotions aside and just started bagging everything cloth, yarn, fabric, clothes, felted wool and on and on. It was an amazing accomplishment, filled a carful of stuff, we are talking hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of stuff. Just kept telling me someone will be really happy to have this and may even use it! Still a mess in there. I must have 12 gallons of buttons. Many many beads, costume jewelry. My goal is to clean out all cloth things before I get side tracked with the little stuff. I am praying for the courage to continue to be heartless and just bag the rest of fabric up today. The dreams of my creative adventures in there are being hauled out to the car, it hurts, hard to let go of dreams. Thank goodness I have clean rooms to show me that it is worth it to get rid of this stuff and not waste months going through it, the end result will be the same whether it takes 1 week or 2 months to clean it out, it will be empty enough to put sewing machine up and actually use it. By getting rid of it all now and not going through every little thing, I will be able to enjoy the room so much sooner. Thanks for your support, all I want for my Easter miracle is to have all the cloth out of there and anything else I can haul out today.

Good Morning & Happy Easter 🙂

Yesterday I did some easy stuff in the yard.
Then I also cooked some food.
Made ginger bread too 😀
Kitchen is all clean. Nice to wake up to a clean kitchen.
Planning to relax and play today & tomorrow I need to clean the house.
He refuses to remove his shoes when he comes in and has really trashed the floors. 🙁
He always says "I forgot". Butthead

Hoping you are all well.

AFK

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Diane 🙂
Wonderful update on all your progress!
WTG!!! 😀
Great you have some one there to see this in person and give you support and encouragement.
I really like her and she is so right, once you have made the donate decisions, move it out, don't save it for someone or a yard sale.
Holding on to it just mucks up all your progress and leads to other things not getting done, a road block.
Don't feel guilty about the other person wanting all your stuff. She is sabotaging your progress by being selfish and not concerned about your wellbeing and happiness.
Happy you have dogs to play with this weekend!
Enjoy your dog time. Do fun doggy things. 😀

So many things I want to accomplish this weekend but that would involve his participation.
Don't think that is going to happen. 🙁
The mornings start out very cold but soon it warms up nicely. Lots of sunshine, little breeze.
I should do yardwork.
Need to cook food, clean kitchen.
Will see which one wins. 😉

TTYS 🙂

Hi Tillie, so great to read your posts, always good info, so happy neighbor helped you, Took your advice, washed sheets this morning, no bed bug bites tonight!!! I do appreciate the clean rooms, and good advice not to focus on what is left to do. Helper came over today to drop off her dog for the weekend, I am dog sitting for free to help repay her for all she has helped me with. She has me email her daily on what is going on, goal wise, helps me be accountable for progress. She did a surprise walk through today, she took pictures, stating it looks better than ever, I vacuumed and cleaned up before dog got here, felt good for her to say she noticed all the little things I have improved since her Tuesday visit. Another dog is coming for the weekend, so probably won't get much done, which is ok with me. My friend on trip emailed me today and begged me not to take any more donations to thrift store, she wants it. I said depends on how much you will donate to my pickup canopy fund, that stopped her for a few emails then she said I will have a garage sale for you and haul off left overs. I do not want to have a garage sale. My helper agreed, just keep giving to thrift stores since friend is wealthy and can buy stuff from thrift store that I donate!! I did email and say, "bet you are sorry you said no, when I asked you to help me". She did not realize I had such good stuff, snooze you lose. She will be back from her trip on Wed. but I will have another load gone by then. I think I need to not feel guilty for giving stuff away before she gets back. Helper encourages me to just let it go now, sooner the better so I don't want to keep it after I see it sitting around.

Hello Everybody 🙂

Hi Diane 🙂
HAPPY DANCIN all over that cleared floor! 😀
WAY TO GO!!!
All those empty bins are there to show you just how much you have done, a progress report 😉
Make sure that you take the time to see how much you have done to improve your space.
Enjoy it!
Do not focus too much on all that you still want to get done, remember baby steps/one thing at a time and it will all come together very soon for you. (((HUGS)))

Well, it was a busy day here today.
Neighbor friend came over early to help me move some heavy stuff.
Then there was lots of other stuff I did.
Yesterday I went into town and bought food.
Tomorrow I might do some laundry if the winds behave.
I think the coyotes are around because everybody's cats have been acting real squirrely.
Turned on my computer a little while ago and read that a childhood friend of mine has died.
That's depressing.
Well, it's late and I am tired.

Good Night and don't let the bed bugs bite. 🙂

Good to hear from all of you, so happy you made it through Roxie. Thanks Tillie. Yesterday helper came, I was a nervous wreck until she got here, then she was so kind, we filled both cars and both went to thrift store and emptied both cars, both got receipts for her taxes. Last night and today I filled more bags and bins from craft room. Put them in the back seat of car, still more room. Garbage can almost full. Yesterday after we dropped stuff off, went to Costco and bought all the food I was out of plus some. The bosc pears are soooooooooo good. I pulled weeds today after I put donations in car. Put new bigger "for sale' sign in RV. Goofed off with rocks a bit, not enough. Tough to allow myself free time as long as the hoard is yelling at me. I stashed a bunch of empty bins and bags in my stuffed garage, so hard to just get rid of them still.
Tillie, would you believe there is a floor in the craft room? Can actually see more floor than I have in many years. Stacks are no longer taller than me that are still needing attention. Today was a good day for seeing that as great as the fabric is, I will most likely never use it and just packed it up for donations. It really is a miracle

Roxie!

"CLINK!"

Thank you for the update.
We worry about you when you are away too long. 🙁
Hope things get straightened out quickly.
Take care and post when you can.

((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))

Just a quick note that I went to the hospital via ambulance 3 times in one week. I'm home again and doing better but that was quite the adventure.

Love to all ::::clink::::

Hi Everybody 🙂

Hi Diane 🙂
Soooooo busy there! 😀
WTG!!!
Very sorry that your acquaintance was so rudely late without even a phone call.
Hope you are having a less stressful day today. (((HUGS)))

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
You sure have had a full week!
WAY TO GO! Especially for all the good thinking you've been doing.
Those small clutter monsters DO tend to grow bigger and then they have babies and try to take over everywhere.
Sort of like mold, kill it when it's still small. 😉

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
YEA!!!
HAPPY DANCE!!!
Wonderful to hear your good news.
Enjoy jogging in the wind in a long dress. 😀 HaHaHa

Was going to go get groceries today but decided the tire on the car is too low to risk driving it.
It has a very, very slow leak that takes weeks to let the air out.
Honest, it' the truth. Even if I am happy about not going out.
Will ask him to air it up tonight then go tomorrow.

AFK 😉

Today i am doing several loads of laundry in my new washer & dryer!!! YEA!!! Yesterday i cleaned the right side of my closet floor!!! It was aweful & now it is clean & empty, with only one small bag of clothes that, for now, make sense to keep!
The wind is crazy here today, so i may go jogging in a fun flowing long dress!!! ha ha ;D

Hello everyone - y'all are doing AWESOME. 🙂

Diane, good for you to not be the patsy about stuff for others. We start out with good intentions with that but it becomes a trap. Speaking for myself, I'm learning to tell people if they want it, they have to come get it by X time or I'll take it away myself. And learning to keep my mouth shut and just get rid of it without mentioning it to others in the first place more of the time.

Finally, I used to go out trolling the stores (regular or thrift) for stuff I usually didn't need, and in the process spying things that I would feel compelled to buy for other people! As if I'm some sort of Stuff Clearinghouse on two legs - rescuing the poor lonely stuff from a terrible fate, finding it a good home, and filling other people's "needs" that they might not even know they had! I realized one day that if the other people want those items, let them go out and look for them. That's not to say if I found a specific item that someone had made a point to tell me about, and would reimburse me for promptly, I wouldn't get it for that person, but that rarely happens.

I think we all have a struggle distinguishing self-care from selfishness, and again, we mean well. But it gets out of hand and becomes something that drags us down and drains us. Then we're not much good to ourselves or anybody in a meaningful way.

My own update - last week was super busy and crazy. My roommate was sick, and in need of a car. She's now recovering and has found a good car. And I was dreading facing cleaning my room for the bug man. But - I got the room done pretty well. I was amazed and thankful! There's a bit of fine-tuning before the bug man comes, but I'll know what day he's coming.

Post-decluttering maintenance is always key, I'm finding. My room is a small space, and even when decluttered and neatened, since it's where I live and have my essentials it can start to entropy really fast. Something falls over, a new piece of important mail comes and needs to be where I can see it (my ADD out of sight out of mind executive functioning issue comes into play if I put those things away before there's closure on a matter). And then there are the cats, walking on stuff, and the klepto one looking for something to steal!

So I've got to train myself to see where little clutter problem areas are trying to start and not let them get bigger. They are sneaky, like some kind of sci-fi aliens that you think you've killed and they regenerate when your back is turned! :O

Yesterday I figured out how to streamline a process for dealing with some paper backlog, and that makes me happy. It'll lead to faster going on a lot of the paper clutter in the long run. I'm learning to just apply butt to chair and do the data entry or the sorting and tossing or whatever it is. Put on some music, let my rabbits out to play in their pen, and just roll with it.

So all in all, can't complain. It's been windy here, too, and changeable. I guess that's just part and parcel of spring coming in for real. Hope we don't have any tornadoes or late winter nipping of all the budding and blooming things.

Good laugh, thanks Tillie!!! Great place to live for oh so many reasons-------------
Dog owner was 3 hours late to pick up dog, I was not happy about it. Like usual I get anxious when people are late, and not to even call, irritating. Tried to cancel helper tomorrow, since I was sick of people, she was so great and convinced me to relax and don't worry about cleaning tonight. My car is now loaded of donations, garbage almost full, busy girl this week. Wanted to get all donations out to car before rain hit today, so got it done. Took a lot out of me to wait and worry about friend being 3 hours late, guess friends don't do that to friends.
Tomorrow will be better

Hi Everybody 🙂

Hi Diane 🙂
WAY TO GO! for continuing on even after you have run out of sorting out steam. 😀
But sometimes we just have to take a little vacation from all that mental work.
Wishing you a fun decluttering session. (((hugs)))

Spring in this area is known for having raging winds.
Some years are worse than others.
Not much outside stuff gets done once the winds pick up.
They have been raging hard for the last seven hours today. 🙁
The house fills with dust and grit.
I get all itchy and sneezy from all the allergens and the cats get all freaky and ornery.
Static electricity levels get ridiculously high.
The top soil blows away and the sand dunes drift everywhere.
Otherwise, this location is a very nice place to live. 🙂

LOL TTYL 😀

Hi Tillie and gang
Thanks Tillie I have been tough on myself for running out of decision making energy. Filled another big bag this morning, then wilted. Getting second wind after reading your note, thanks. Fingers crossed to getting rid of car graveyard. Good day for movies and relaxing sounds like.
Loaner dog's owner will be here around 3pm today, so need to get dishes done and things cleaned up a bit. I really like to get through more of fabric before helper comes tomorrow, fondly named the hurricane, she seems to swirl things up and out of here before the hurricane emergency alarm goes off.

Hi Diane 🙂
FANTASTIC! WAY TO GO!!!
So much done! 😀
And, I am very happy you are not holding donations.
The sooner they leave, the better.
Frees up space and lets you see your progress.
Yes, those millions of little things to make decisions on are real boogers.
Our brains can only make just so many decisions in one day before we just can't do any more. (((hugs)))

Buyer will come by tomorrow to look at the truck.
This morning was lovely but by noon the wind started up.
By afternoon it was blowing real hard.
Supposed to be another storm coming in over night.
I spent a lot of time today watching movies since there was no doing stuff outside.

Hi Tillie, yes it is a trap to save things for others, such a people pleaser, if someone asks, hard to say no. Today I brought so much stuff out of craft room and bagged it up. Still some in living room but I am worn out. Once again it was easy to part with large pieces of fabric but difficult deciding on many of little things, frustrating. I did fill at least 4 large bags, they are on deck. I made a list of donations, took pictures, all day, will give to helper, since she needs deductions, she will take things to store and get receipt. She is coming Tuesday instead of Wednesday, she told me today, so asked her if she would take my list and pictures and donations with her, she said she would be happy to. Much better than saving all the stuff for 2 weeks. Since I get so distracted, she told me to just focus on cloth items this week, so every time I started going through other stuff, I went back to cloth only, and was able to get so much done.
Tillie thanks for the update on your day and all the fun you had, hope you will rest after all of that work! So happy he unloaded some of the junk, and that a potential buyer is coming.

HAPPY SPRING!!! 😀

Hi Diane 🙂
WOW!!! WAY TO GO!!!
You sure have been busy! 😀
Love reading how you are arranging your yard rocks. Sounds so pretty.
Please do NOT save things for others.
That is a clutter trap.
You need to do what is right for you, when you need to do it.
That is FANTASTIC that you are getting together with other rock hounds!
Hope they can teach you lots & lots of cool things! 😀
Plus they can tell you about good spots to find certain types of pretty rocks.

Well, yesterday he pleasantly surprised me.
He filled the truck and made a run to the dump.
Unfortunately, on his way back home he stopped at a thrift shop and bought a bunch of stuff he does not need.
Keep your fingers crossed for me today...
Have a possibility to unload a truck from this vehicle junk yard that I call home.
Hoping the guy comes and buys the truck and maybe I can interest him in a few other derelict vehicles too. 😉

Yesterday I burned stuff in the burn barrel. Love doing that! 😀
Unwrapped the insulation from the water spigot, hooked up the hose and got that all ready for watering.
Need to get some fertilizer.
Need to get some food too but for some reason I am very resistant to leaving the house lately.
Need to force myself to go out in public. LOL
Wish I wasn't always so scared of humans.

Everybody, have a wonderful SPRING day! 😀

Hi everyone. Tillie, how did today go? Sure hope he got some junk loaded up and to dump. Nice you have had warm weather.
I worked in yard all day today and yesterday. I hauled all of my big petrified wood up to display by steps. I feel serene when surrounded by my big petrified wood. Then decided to haul all of my lava bombs up to upper yard and put them all in one area, some are very heavy and awkward so much fun, any thing to avoid craft room. We started on craft room Wed., then I continued to get things bagged up. Yesterday and today I have not wanted to deal with new stuff to sort. My plan is to start on round 2 tonight and tomorrow morning. A friend wants my craft stuff but just went on a trip and won't be back for 2 weeks. I was trying to figure out where to store stuff for her, then realized, why trouble, just take to thrift store, she has been unwilling to help me, just wants to take stuff. She has picked up 2 SUV loads already. I still want to "people please" and save it for her, she needs tax write offs, I don't have enough income to need deductions. As I write this I see how silly it is that I stopped sorting because I ran out of room to store her stuff. Just put in car and haul it off Monday.
I had so much fun, went to my first rock club meeting on Wed. night then went to a rock hounds house in another town, Thursday, and spent the whole day, such fun.

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
Happy to hear you are enjoying your improved areas! 😀
Yes! Buy new socks and toss the old ratty ones,
your feet will thank you. 😉

Have no hopes that anything will get done around here this weekend.
Then if something does get done I will be pleasantly surprised.
The yellow jacket wasps have woken from hibernation and are starting to nest in all that driveway clutter.
Fun. 🙁

TTYL

Hey Tillie?! Im glad you have a free day! You deserve to treat yourself to something fun & luxurious! You are such a dear! I hope you realize that all throughout your day, today!!!
Im getting my new water filter installed today & am going to work on my bedroom closet floor. Just throwing obvious trash out, for now....my sock drawer project didnt go too well...ha ha....i think those years of poverty are what made throwing out socks that arent completely full of holes or stretched out super badly so hard...i need to buy new socks before i can let go of the older ones.
Im finding that liking the improved areas of my place is absolutely wonderful!!!
~Happy improvements to you all!!!~♡~☆~♡~☆~♡~

Hi 🙂

Today I am washing cat quilts and blankets.
Since it is not getting so freaking cold at night now, they don't need all these heavier things any more.
Today there is not a single cloud in the sky and I bet it gets up into the low seventies. 😀
Have no idea yet what else to do with myself today.

TTYL 🙂

Good Morning Everyone 🙂

Hi Diane 🙂
Thank You. 😉
Great plans you have for tidying up your home.
WAY TO GO!!! for all your maintenance!!! 😀
Hoping that today is not too stressful for you.
Hang in there (((hugs)))

Daylight savings time drives me crazy.
Wish they would stop doing it here.
I have done nothing all week except cat stuff.
Maybe today I will do something.
At least the wind has quit raging but now I need to rake some areas again.
Playing outside sounds like something fun I could do today. 😀

TTYL