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SeaStar
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| Posted: May 19 2011 at 6:25am | IP Logged
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One of my favorite decluttering books is
Cut the Clutter, Stow the Stuff
You can take a quiz to determine your "clutter personality", and the book offers strategies for different types (I am an accumulator  ).
Anyway- I pull it off the shelf from time to time for inspiration, and this week I reread an interesting part about how you can be "victim" of other people's clutter.
Some people are accumulators and feed their habit by buying things for other people. An example is grandparents who overybuy for their grandkids. Or they pass all their old stuff on to you so, while it is gone from them, it is still within reach. Or they like to shop and go to garage sales and buy stuff for *your* family.
Interesting... I have all that going on at my house! While I truly appreciate the spirit of generosity which I am sure motivates this behavior in my family, identifying the problem has really freed me up mentally to say "thank you" and pass a lot of this stuff on. All the ear muffs, extra hats, costumes, old lamps, school materials (including an incredibly old and musty set of encyclopedia-type book), clothing, etc.... it can just go, go, go.
Sometimes I get discouraged at the amount of clutter I have to deal with on an ongoing basis, and now I realize that a good part of it truly is coming from well meaning family. I can just say thank you and pass it on. Whew!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: May 19 2011 at 10:43am | IP Logged
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 good to realize that. I know we get a LOT of clothes that way. With this many kids over such a range of sizes.. well the odds actually are that we can use some of what's given. And it can be SUCH a blessing.. but you (*I*) have got to be ruthless and pass on the things we do NOT need to have.
But one of the reasons I don't discourage anyone from giving these to us.. my dh's aunt (asked permission) sent us some boxes recently. In those boxes.. without knowing our needs.. and she must have gotten the sizes from my MIL...
racing swimsuits for my girls. the one who had none to start this year got 2 suits, the other 2 got a suit each.. and they each started with a suit each.. and with them swimming every day having that extra suit is almost a necessity.
3 pairs of long pants.. in the size of the boy that has destroyed the knees in just about every pair he has.
there was a lot of other stuff.. and a lot will need to be passed on.. but believe me those things have more than paid for my time sorting and passing on. The suits the girls got retail for close to $40, I can usually find them around $20 clearanced. It's saved me a huge sum of money just when we really need that help.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Erin
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| Posted: May 19 2011 at 4:55pm | IP Logged
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I agree the 'stuff' from others can drown us at time, however I never say no for the reasons Jodie describes. But once you give yourself 'permission' to be a 'sorting house' it is all manageable.
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: May 19 2011 at 5:15pm | IP Logged
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oh I never gave a book.. well I don't have one for decluttering.. but I have one for organizing which helps me with decluttering. It's the "ADD Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life". It focuses on some of the problems that those with ADD (or those with just some of the tendencies) struggle with and how to help get around them.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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SeaStar
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| Posted: May 19 2011 at 6:44pm | IP Logged
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I never say no, either- many times I am thankful to have what is being given. It's just that sometimes the sheer volume can feel very overwhelming to me... no matter how much goes out, more is coming in. 
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Favorite Decluttering books
