How to ELIMINATE CLUTTER from your life forever!

[dr.declutter]

Hi everyone. I figured there had to be others out there in the millions of eBayers who want to eliminate clutter. So I decided to create a discussion thread and a "ME" page all about clutter and how to get rid of it and how to keep it out of our lives forever.

Personally I know my clutter problem took years to accumulate, and will take some time and effort to make things "normal" again. But I'm ready to dedicate myself to the effort. I'd like to discuss the tips and strategies necessary not just to eliminate clutter but to become the kind of person who does not ACCUMULATE CLUTTER in the first place! If you are interesting in creating a clutter-free life then let's talk!

[darlene*07]

OOps sorry somehow I made the screen go wide, I self reported it so they can delete it.

[skyye612]

I am on the same page as you. I have been working on my hoarding habit for 4 years now, and I have elimated at least 10 bags of stuff. The things I absolutely did not want (but were still usable) were donated to charity. The things I kind of, sort of want, but fear getting rid of, are the items I am fighting with. Most of them, I could only get rid of them if I gave them to friends. I know that I can move forward with my life once I eliminate things that I don't use anymore (or don't mean as much to me today as they did ten years ago). The thought of eliminating these items is easier when I'm outside my house, and imagining having these items out of my life feels rejuvenating. I've been reading articles to help me lose the sentimental attachment. It's almost like I need the "non-hoarding me" to tell myself what to do, how to cope with this because no one in the world would be able to convince me otherwise. One thing is for certain, the moment I read an article that identifies hoarding as a "neurological problem" that requires medicine to cure, I close the page. It's psychological, intangible. It needs to be treated naturally. Honestly, isn't is more genuine to cure a problem with your own will than to "cure" it with the assistance of a medicine, not knowing if you could do it without the medication.

[freshnewday]

Hello skyye!
Good for you eliminating all those bags! It is true how much easier it is to give away our treasures to friends. When I start thinking that way, I go ahead and part with the item and imagine a sweet family or person enjoying it. (Maybe that's a little silly, but it helps me a lot.)
There are all kinds of reasons that we hold onto our things. How much more free I will be if I have a beautiful open place to live in that is easy to maintain. I think about how much more time I will have to do fun things in life without all these things to take care of.
We are so blessed and truly have so much! I get stuck trying to decide what to keep and what to give away. I hope I will get better and better at this! It's fun decluttering together. Thanks for your post!

[queenoharts_media]

> I foresee a problem with Ebaying. I have just started,
> but, how do I keep organized, neat, and decluttered.
> I have items to be listed, items that I have listed,
> items waiting to be bid on, items waiting for people
> to pay, items to be sent.

I'm not sure where in which eBay board a similar thread would be, but in Half.com thread several of the bookseller shared how they keep track of books the list on Half.com (a book selling part of the eBay family that works different than the auctions going on here on eBay), and how they have a seporate area for items they have on auction. It was really great when people posted pictures to explain how they built shelves and put bins on them to get all the books off the floor and their family off their backs.

I started to sell a few books as an experiment in cleaning up the clutter because I had so many used books I bought and was done with. The few I have posted live in boxes that act as bins for when I list the rest. -

Queen O' Hart's Media
Visit my little bookshop at
http://shops.half.ebay.com/queenoharts_media

[freshnewday]

Here's what I did to keep my eBay items organized: I bought several large Rubbermaid tubs. With my label maker, I labeled them: LISTED, IN PROCESS, LIST NEXT.

Once an item is listed, it goes in one of the LISTED tubs. Each LISTED tub has its own category of contents.

The items that I have only taken photos of go in the IN PROCESS tub.

This really keeps me organized so that I can easily find something when it sells. I usually do not get out a sold item until it is paid for, and I have the shipping address. This also keeps all the items neat and safe.

I have my half.com books in a box.

I make a selling sheet for each item when it is sold. I put the eBay number, winning bid, shipping paid, eBay fees, Paypal fees, item cost, shipping cost and shipping address. I staple the shipping receipt to the page. Then, I can calculate what I made on each item and circle the amount at the bottom of the sheet. It makes it easy come tax time.

This system has really worked well for me! I hope this information will be helpful.
Rebekah

[freshnewday]

P.S. All of my sales sheets go in a cute 3 ring binder (stripes on the outside, polka dots on the inside). ~It just makes me happy.~ Once a transaction is completed, I filed them by the date they were sold in the back section of the binder.

[freshnewday]

Anytime you need encouragement to declutter,
go to flylady.net. Scroll down to the heading
THE FLY LIGHTS and click on:
FlyLady and Leanne on World Talk Radio

You will go to World Talk Radio, and you can listen
to her broadcast by clicking on one of the dates.

I go to this site every now and then.
The FlyLady, Marla, takes live calls from listeners
& gives advice on decluttering. Leanne gives
nutritional advice on easy ways to put healthy
dinners on the table for your family.

It really helps encourage me to keep going! I hope
this will be helpful to you as well.
Rebekah

[freshnewday]

P.S., I am going to start hitting enter at the end of a
short line of text, so that we don't have that wide
screen problem. Once we get to the next posting page,
that should go away. 🙂

[is_it_yesterday_again]

I can feel for each and everone of you. I too went through many of the problems mentioned and here are a few of the solutions I found helped.

Get rid of junk mail and newspapers daily.

I think I kept everything my kids made in school - they are now 35 and 36 - and they sure don't want any of it. I went through all of this and kept a few things from each year. This went into a trunk I keep in my bedroom. Also a few of their first toys and a few of their baby clothes.

My parents died many years ago and I found that I could'nt get rid of their stuff either. So I went through the things I REALLY wanted and Put them in my trunk.

I do keep a few things around the house that give me that special feeling whenever I see them.

I also organized all of my paper work throwing out old bills,etc. and now only keep bills and receipts for one year - except for taxes of course. It all fits in a decorative box I bought especially for this.

I went through ALL of my magazines and pulled out articles I wanted to keep - decorating ideas, recipes, holiday ideas, ets. and put them in binders. I am in the process of putting in a binder all important papers such as will, deeds, insurance forms, passports, etc. in case of a disaster (which we have never had, thank God) and all of this would be altogether. I am also thinking of my kids in case of the inevitable.

I must say this was after MANY sessions of therapy.

I also volunteer at the Library Bookstore where I can donate my books after reading them. Books are so cheap there I don't feel bad about getting rid of them. Also magazines are only 10 cents so again I can easly get rid of them. I find that if I spend a lot of money on a book or magazine I don't want to get rid of it so this solves that problem.

I also volunteer at a Thrift Store and usually bring a bag of things there weekly. I have found that almost anything can be replaced. I bought decorations for Easter at the Thrift Store (I have three grankids) and after the Holiday I just bring them back to the Thrift Store instead of storing them (and probably could'nt find them next year).

Now I do have problems getting rid of some of my collections and they are stored in my basement and in reality I have not looked at them, or for them since we moved.

This was a long post (sorry) but I hope some of my suggestions help.

Gook luck to all of you

Barb

[freshnewday]

Loved your post, Barb!
Thanks for all the great suggestions!
You are doing so great.

[sandrasacre]

The way that I keep organize is this way:

I keep everything in boxes!

Things I have bought goes into one box, until I have time to take pictures of them.

After the pictures are taken they go onto box two.

After I list them, I put the item number, name, date, etc on a spreadsheet on excel. I put the location, which is the box number of where I keep the item I just listed. So, it will go into e.g. box 042107. When that box is filled then I get another box and number it with its own distinct number.

After I sell an item, it is real easy to find it. I go to my excel spreadsheet, go to find, type in the item number, and whala there it is in e.g. box 041907.

I keep the boxes all in one closet. This system is working for me. And I don't have the mess that I used to have.


Hi! The easy way to shop. No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem!

[freshnewday]

Great system!

[1-flint-knapping]

Hello Everyone,
My health is not very good.I did something tonight.
I posted on several other boards. This is it.

I have had a good life though. I have worked for myself most of my adult life. I am financially secure and have been for most of my adult life. We raised six children and have had things a lot of people only dream of.

Anyway I am writing a book of my life. How I did what I did and how easy it was. Step by step I believe anyone can do it.

Any one interested please Email me through Ebay and I will gladly tell you about it for free.

I guess maybe I want to be remembered more for giving.

Depending on how many inquiry's I get. It may take a while to respond to each. Don't worry I will get to your Email just give me time.

Have a great life.

[freshnewday]

I am feeling discouraged trying to declutter and keep
the house up. My sweet little boy makes such a mess.
The latest is he got my address stamper and stamped my
couch. I cannot seem to get the ink out of the fabric.
He has been taking the lid off of his sippy cup and
spilling juice everywhere. I feel that I can't keep
up. I need to take my own advice and listen to a
flylady radio show online.

Am I ever going to succeed on this quest for a simple
and easy to maintain lifestyle?

[freshnewday]

Hello friends,
My last post mentioned how my sweet little ones spills
his juice everywhere. Even with the lids on, the sippy
cups dribble drops all over. My carpet needs to be
retired. Steam vacuuming and Spot Shot are amazing
tools, but this carpet is getting beyond that and a bit
worn.

So, I just bought 1,000 square feet of carpet on
craigslist for $100. I am pretty excited. It is used,
but it looks great. The only drawback is that it is a
light beige, but for $100, I could not pass up that
bargain to have fresh carpet through the house. I am
hoping I'll be able to carpet the whole house. We'll
see....

I've got a class tonight, so if I am going to do any
more decluttering for the truck coming tomorrow, I'd
better get at it.
Wish me luck!
Rebekah