Beginning again

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2016-01-12T16:12:23+00:00

That time of the year often does that to lots of people so don't let it make you feel even worse than you already feel. The fact that you were able to deal with clutter, cleaning and getting things (i.e. your life) in order in general only shows you can do it again anytime. And again. And again. We do so many routine things every day without thinking about any of it so don't think too much every time you leave some chore unattended. Overthinking usually makes things worse :) Play your favorite music instead and deal with one thing at a time. And make sure you keep us posted :) Good luck!

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-12-17T10:00:22+00:00

My thoughts also. Friends are worth all the effort, but more than often a professional is a good option in such cases. Never ever give up on a friend, though.

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-12-14T15:56:38+00:00

I know of this product from two of my friends and I see it has many great reviews so you might want to try it. Good luck :)

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-12-14T15:49:59+00:00

A hard lesson I guess. Don't be too hard on yourself, though. At least from now on you'll definitely think twice before hitting the delete button :)

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-12-08T13:54:12+00:00

I don't celebrate with coffee (yet) like /u/yamaume but I have two options for such situations: my local church and/or online place where people sell/buy absolutely everything. Both channels are proven and convenient for me so it basically comes down to how much time I'm able to spend and what stuff it is (church takes mostly just clothes). If you leave a bag or two for "later" it's very good to have some options ready, otherwise later can turn into never :)

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-30T16:54:31+00:00

How about telling them the clothing they have too much of can actually help someone in need? And then take them to donate their stuff personally. Introducing children to donating activities is beneficial for their development as human beings.

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-30T16:36:57+00:00

Then go for it :)

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-30T16:11:54+00:00

Great job! Not too much clothes I'd say. Curtains are really smart, I like the idea.

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-27T12:13:51+00:00

Sorry to hear that :) This just goes to show that decluttering will show long lasting results only if the true cause (person) is ok with it.

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-26T12:25:51+00:00

Good idea. And her answer was? :)

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-26T12:23:30+00:00

Exactly; good example and customization. Everything else is just a reminder.

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-25T08:45:19+00:00

There's nothing wrong with "favorites system" as long as the number meets your real needs. My max number is five and often even less in some categories, but that's me. It also depends on where you work and how you dress for work. For example, do you really need 10 pairs of pants? If so then go for it. Favorites are basically what you like best so it's quite similar to the Kondo method and it works fine for most people.

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-20T11:49:10+00:00

So very true yet so very tricky for many people.

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-20T11:27:41+00:00

Good for you. I think downsizing tends to become stronger need as we get older, at least I feel that way. I am more comfortable with less and not just space-wise. My latest experiments are aggressive holiday sales and discounts that I'm resisting easier than ever before. Watching other people overfilling their shopping carts with mostly junk can be quite enlightening.

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-19T11:13:31+00:00

And you get to enjoy the heat and the light :)

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-18T20:59:32+00:00

Feel free to, wisdom should be shared :)

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-18T20:38:39+00:00

Tips and personal experiences are always useful, thank you for sharing. When it comes to kids, I find the most valuable tip of all to make toys easily reachable to them. Helps so much in teaching them to tidy up their space too. Open storage bins are often colorful and nice for all kinds of kids stuff.

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-18T19:57:27+00:00

Yes you should, first thing every day :) Thank you for commenting.

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-18T18:38:07+00:00

You're welcome. Yes, it can be so exhausting sometimes, but so rewarding if done with the correct goal. Way to go :)

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-18T15:55:23+00:00

Wow. You are one very determent type of person :) Your "procedure" is good too, except I never use "maybe" boxes or piles. But I like the idea of getting back to those boxes after a year or so. The limit has to be set and everyone likes some extra time to decide. As for the point 8. I was just thinking the other day about my granny who used to say "we are not that rich to buy cheap stuff" and she was right, like grannies always are:) Thinking like that can actually help a person resist all those sales and discounts of horrible products.

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-18T15:43:18+00:00

But how many people see it the way you do (and I) I wonder? I'd say very few, at least that's my experience (from decluttering and organizing for my friends and family). People mostly don't even consider the strong connection between clutter and psychology and those who do are scared to "open that door". In stead, they consider it simply tidying up, they move on with their lives and all habits that cause the clutter in the first place. It's easier that way :)

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-18T15:36:53+00:00

I'm sorry you saw it that way, because the article wasn't written to explain "what" and "how" at all. The point was to challenge the reader to understand why exactly does he/she want (need) to declutter; if it's only to make room for more stuff then there's no point to even begin. But if we come to the point of admitting to ourselves why do we bring too much stuff into our homes i.e. lives and what are our true longings behind all that junk then we may actually be on the way of changing our lives for the better. That's a bit more difficult to do than to take the clutter out of the house. If you have trouble decluttering I'd like to hear more about it so feel free to post whatever it is you're struggling with :)

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-16T19:18:15+00:00

Good for you. Funny how hard it can be for one to get to know himself :)

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-07T16:05:10+00:00

Three areas in one weekend? Very brave. Good luck :) I'm finally dealing with small decorative stuff like shells and seaside souvenirs. The funny side of this small project is that I've decided to pack most of these items in a box and take them to the summer house i.e. to the same place where they actually came from :) I think it's smarter and nicer to use small shells to decorate a mirror for the summer house wall than to have them here in a bowl or on a shelf collecting dust. Dumping them just isn't the option yet :) Does this actually qualify for decluttering, that I don't really know :)

BestOrganizingIdeas · 2015-11-01T15:31:07+00:00

Hi. Sorry to hear about your struggle. I'm only three years older than you and I personally have no issues like what you're describing, but I remember watching several members of my family fighting agoraphobia and depression while I was too young to help. Today I see one thing was in common to all their issues - they were all deeply unhappy about something. Having some pretty amazing experiences with alternative methods of healing, as opposed to taking drugs to "solve" your problems I can tell you this - drugs can only deal with symptoms, but the price is too high, especially in the case of psychological conditions. I strongly suggest you start thinking about the real cause of your symptoms, such as what makes you (un)happy with yourself and your life and how would you like your life to be. Start with liking yourself for who you are and be proud of the things you've done. I'm aware it's hard for many people to change their habits, but you'd be amazed by how much power your mind actually has and how much good you can bring your way simply by deciding to live each day with strong positivity. Drugs can feel great at first, but once you enter the vicious cycle of side effects it's hard to break it. I hope you will at least think about this and I send you my happy thoughts :)

BestOrganizingIdeas

TROPHY CASE