Hi...Anybody Still Out There?



The Dream

Wow

I can't believe how long it has been since I've visited this site. Sorry. My life has been so hectic that dealing with my home and/or reading shelter mags and websites has gone by the wayside. You will not believe what my apartment looks like now. No, not good. Not good at all. Every single surface has something on it, most likely something that should be stored somewhere else.

I have been sewing so a lot of that stuff is pattern pieces, fabric, and in-progress garments. My living space has become the messiest garment workshop ever!

Not only do I want to corral this stuff to its proper place but I also want to eliminate the other non-sewing related visual clutter. Years ago, I embarked on the Apartment Therapy Cure which was only successful in theory. Then, I moved onto the exceedingly hopeful Throw Out Fifty Things... program, however I failed that one too. I still believe in the author Gail Blankes' book and hopefully will get back to it one day. My goal is to simplify my life and get rid of about 50% of the stuff I own. I can't believe I once lived in an efficiency! Now my 550 square foot apartment is packed to the gills with stuff I use now, I once used, and stuff I'm holding onto for the life I'll one day have. Um, yeeeeaaah...right.

• You might like to read an earlier post on my problem here: Could I Stuff My Stuff In A Little House
• Oh and here are pictures of my home in much better days, after the Cure (2006-10).

I hope that I'll be able to keep you up-to-date on my progress but that's something I can only say I'll work on. I do know that if I find articles that I think might be helpful to others I will be posting links to them here.

Here's an example of somewhere cute that I just don't think I'm capable of, in this New York Times article and slide show about living in a small space. Check out that under mattress storage!

Image: Martha Stewart Living via Blueprint magazine, March/April 2007.

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Do You Have Clutter To Clear?

In 2008, I wrote about a article in the 2007 April issue of Real Simple magazine*. I just found out that the article's author, Gail Blanke, has now released an entire book on the subject, Throw out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find your Life.

Even though I was greatly influenced by the article and definitely believe in the benefits she described, I still have quite a way to go in clearing out my clutter. There is definitely a reason that I can't seem to let it go. So I can't wait until the library gets their copy in so I can read this. For those of you with healthier paychecks, please go and buy a copy.

* For some reason, they've removed it from their website.

Status Report

Nothing much new going on at my personal shelter except some much needed cleaning and decluttering.

• I tackled the kitchen this weekend, including cleaning the inside of the refrigerator. Uggh!
  
  If you can, don't ever put off cleaning under the vegetable crisper. I had forgotten that my refrigerator back wall was curved. This means that anything that dropped onto the bottom shelf could then roll (or ooze!) down under the vegetable crisper bins. NOT pretty. I also wiped down the drawer fronts and cabinet doors. Yay, me!
  
  
• I have almost completed getting rid of the stacks of unneeded and unused magazines and textbooks (that the school will not take back!) that have been under my for months.
  
  
• Two loads of laundry were dealt with, including one of winter sweaters since that time has come for warmth in clothing. I also got the bathroom mat in this wash though I first soaked it and agitated it in the tub twice before throwing it in with clothes. GOOD call is all I will say about that.
  

So, progress has been made. Not as much as I would like, but, something is something, right?

Wisdom From Dr. Wende

Check out this comment from my last post about clutter, that just blew me away. This is even better than the Buddhist quote.

"If you're going to find out who you'll become, you need space in your life for who you are, rather than storing reminders of who you thought you were going to be."

Dr. Wende

Wow, Wende, just wow...

Is It Time For A Purge?

Note: I actually wrote this a month ago and forgot to post it. However, the feelings are still exactly the same.


One thing I've been thinking about is giving away or donating so much of the "stuff" in my life. I know I've talked about this before when mentioning the Apartment Therapy Cure, but I don't think I was really taking it seriously. I have a lot of stuff waiting for a different life than the one I am currently living. I feel I can't get rid of this stuff because what will happen when I do have an opportunity to use that thingamajig or that deeley-bopper?

Yes, I could force myself to use these things now; I could force my life to fit the stuff OR I could get rid of the stuff and the seemingly accusatory feeling I get when I see these things. Truly simplify my life so that I can just live my life without placing anticipatory pressure on it. You know all the One day...I will need this crap CRAP.

If I haven't needed it for the eight years I've owned it then why is it still taking up space on my shelves?

The thought of a brand new apartment with loads of empty spaces to fill with souvenirs of future trips and tchotchkes picked up along the way does excite me but it is far from what I live with on a daily basis. I think a lot of the stuff I have now gives either the feeling of a life unlived or of temporary place-holders for the "real" stuff rather than me being prepared for whatever might come. Of course I will still hold onto some things like my satin BCBG cocktail gown (I WILL wear that again) and my Maleficent Mardi Gras costume (you never know when you'll be invited to a Disney character theme party, right?) But the little things you just happen to accumulate along the way but wouldn't take with you if your dream home suddenly appeared, well I think I can get rid of them a little ahead of schedule. Maybe it can speed up the process.

Or hey, maybe without the baggage my journey will be easier and less hampered?

I Could Work Here...

yeah in my dreams. Somehow I always seem to need a surplus of desk space so I can stack "junk" all over my desktop. It's the way I roll.

However, someone else, especially someone with a laptop (I still possess a huge desktop monitor, not even a flat screen!) could really love this desk.

I just saw this cute setup, the Trovato Office-in-a-Box, on the New York Times website and saw that it was available at OfficeMax of all places for only $150. Compared to similar setups available (without the stool/storage cube) like the Jay desk & hutch available at West Elm for $330, this is a true bargain.

Does It Ever End?

Due to some last minute signatures needed from the VA State government, I had to stay home today from work. So, yes even more money I won't get paid this week.

So I am taking the time to get rid of some clutter and stuff around the house. There are so many surfaces, boxes, and closets that need to be dug through and pared down. For the longest time, just the thought of doing this could paralyze me. I've decided to work slow, moving from one area to another, and taking small breaks (like this one!) as I go. Wish me luck.

Could I Stuff My Stuff in a Little House?

Loring from Tumbleweed Houses

Sometimes I think I could conquer this clutter problem if I only had a smaller home.

You know, if I was FORCED to get rid of a lot of stuff. Because, volunteering to let some things go is NOT my strong suit. Even though I don't buy much at all, there is so much stuff stored for the future. I guess getting rid of it is hard because it might mean I don't expect to someday use the heart-shaped cake pan or pancake molds (for someone other than me or friends), five flower vases, a Shaft-like leather coat (I feel so dressy in it), the BCBG satin cocktail dress (ditto), or the large traveler's backpack from my 2002 trip to Ireland.

I would love to fit everything I own in something like this little house, but even if I get rid of all the aspirational things, I would still need my magazines, my photo albums (pre-digital), and my animated character figurines. Above all, I would also need storage for my fabric, patterns, supplies, and sewing machine. So I don't think I'll ever fit into this little gem...

251 Square Feet*

But a girl can continue to dream, can't she?

Of course, their much larger homes (680-840 sq. ft. ) are adorable too, like the Enesti, Sebastarosa, and the truly cool-sounding (and almost identical to the Loring) B-53!

* The loft is not officially included in the listed 251 square feet. With it, the house is actually over 400 square feet.

P.S. Explore their site, there is so much information there. The comments on every house design page are fascinating; especially when it comes to the customization requests.

Possible domestic Bermuda Triangle in my home

I lost a dress in my apartment.

Not just any dress but my favorite black knit dress with the awesome neckline.

It is a one-bedroom apartment and I live alone.

I noticed it was missing a month ago and really haven't done much about it. I know it has to be here somewhere. It's not like I went on a whirlwind trip around the world and left it at one of my swanky hotel stops. I just have too much stuff! Can you believe it? Losing a dress in a one-bedroom apartment?

Though I DO have eight-foot wide closets that ARE stuffed with so much stuff that I DO double things up on hangers (dresses under jackets) and I DID move a bunch of things to the hall closet as a makeshift Out Box. Also, the dress IS black and my closets ARE dark.

But still...this is getting ridiculous.

I feel a series of MAJOR de-cluttering sessions have to happen!

Dealing with 50 things

So when I currently think about my apartment, I just think clutter and "Must get rid of EVERYTHING! Really, this is a daily occurrence now. I would love to start over with a clean slate but that's just not possible right now. I'm usually looking at all the big stuff when it's the little stuff that's driving me crazy. I find I have loads of things for "One day, I will need..."

Things such as free address labels for mail; however, I pay almost all of my bills online and use USPS online postage system for all other mail. (Seriously, look into Click-N-Ship, I love it.)

Old college textbooks that were interesting (Psychology and Communications) that I think I might refer back to one day. So, how many times have I referred back to the books from my first go at college? NEVER.

Cookbooks for that time in my life when I will suddenly start making all of my meals and diligently use that Moosewood cookbook, the pasta one, the two vegetarian ones, and Martha's cookie book. In my last big purge, I donated the four other vegetarian ones I had received knowing full well that more than two would just overwhelm me. Hopefully, I will get to cooking from some of these one day. Especially the brunch cookbook I picked up a few years ago in California. Yes, it's just brunch recipes. Mmmm...

5 new items moved to the Out Box:

• Two necklaces given as presents that I never wore
  
• One of the shoes that I needed to replace (they were replaced by the Borns)
  
• One pair of elastic strap sandals, only wore them twice. They were too big, therefore, I didn't feel secure in them (Why I didn't take them back, I don't remember).
  
• Red fleece scarf, mittens and hat with Burberry plaid accent that I made from a pattern and rarely wore. I will probably give these as a gift. I just have to find the right person.

Lightening Up...

I realize as I go through this de-cluttering thing that so much I possess doesn't reflect ME. Most of my possessions are as such: a cute top that was on sale, a gift someone gave me, shoes that happened to be at the right price, right time.

To see me as I see myself you would have to disregard a few things or search through my closets to find ME. What happened to the individual I was in college who bought things she loved that rarely anyone else did? Having no money wasn't a good excuse back then either.

A while ago I made the decision not to bring things (or people, for that matter) into my life that don't fit in, but what do I do with the "stuff" that's already here?!

Every 6 months or so, I have pledged to declutter but I'm still having a really hard time doing it. Well, I read a great article in the April 2007 Real Simple magazine by life coach Gail Blanke about getting rid of 50 things*. You use this technique to not only get rid of stuff but also to get rid of any negative thoughts in your head that are holding you back. Obviously, if I still have all this stuff despite constantly saying I don't want it in my life then there may be something else involved. In the article, Gail mentions something that her mother taught her; " 'If you don’t know what to do with it, or where to put it, or why you ever bought it in the first place, or if looking at it depresses you, throw it out,' she’d say. 'Never keep anything that makes you feel heavy or weighs you down.' "

Apparently, I'm not the only person thinking about this, just a few days ago I noticed that Ana of Rearranged Design, is getting rid of five things a week and has even started a Flickr group for others who want to join in.

So, I'm going to do the "50 things". I just wish I had a separate space to put everything I'm discarding; otherwise, it's just me, making another unsightly pile in my home.

When I dropped off my rent, I inquired about our elevator that's been broken for three weeks. It turns out it may take a LOT longer (thanks for telling us!) being an older model. What all this means is that taking the accumulated things to the trash, or just to my car will be more complicated unless I can rope in some help. Oh, well, no excuses.

My 1st go at it:

• A nubby green basket weave blanket by Martha Stewart from K-Mart that has holes, dangling threads, and has not been unfolded for two years.
• A marble tray that I didn't know I still had.
• Four books, one I picked up at a library's "Please take one" table; a design book I didn't connect with (a gift); the DAR handbook (I used to work for them); and a Dilbert book I never look at anymore (another gift).
  
  

* According to Gail's rules, a group of magazines and/or catalogs only count as ONE thing. Darn!