"Too Much Stuff" Syndrome or How Decorating and Organizing Can
Help Your Sanity
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"Too Much Stuff" Syndrome or How Decorating and Organizing Can
Help Your Sanity
by Lisa DeClue
This area of home life is different from others in that it
involves all the senses and to that degree it is successful,
engendering varying emotions. Decorating isn't really a hobby,
nor is it merely an activity; it's a driving force of many
people to live in comfortable and pleasing surroundings while
they regenerate from a stressful world. Yet, decorating by
itself is not nearly as completely satisfying as having an
organized home that is rich in beautiful detail. Decorating and
organizing go hand-in-hand, like a one-two punch of home
completion.
In an effort to motivate you to action, use these suggestions to
help you on your way to an organized home this spring and summer.
Paper Clutter
1. If you're like my dear Mother and you still have newspapers
from 1978 because you haven't read them all: Don't walk, RUN to
the sanitation department and rent an industrial sized dumpster
to leave in your driveway for a week.
2. I'm giving you permission to touch your incoming mail and
papers more than once - only if the second "touching" is on the
way to the dumpster.
3. You know that pile of "things to file" that keeps growing?
Guess what - dump that too. You can always print off another
copy or send away for the info. over the Internet. (This, coming
from the daughter of a paper monster...)
Clothing
Twice a year, my mom would make me try on clothes for the
upcoming season. She would invariably choose cold mornings to
try on summer things and the hottest day on record to slip into
woolens and flannels... (If your kids give you flack for trying
on clothes in the comfort of air conditioning, you may use this
as your own example.) If you haven't worn something in the time
it took you to have your second child, it's probably not worth
hanging on to (unless, of course, the dumpster is full).
Use a great tip I just discovered: Pick three nights a week to
try on 5 items in your closet, then go to your dressers and do
the same thing. At this rate, the average American woman should
be able to go through all her clothes in about 3 years, 9 months
and 14 days. No need to worry, it'll be a different season then!
Kids' Toys
1. You could try to "limit" the number of toys they play with
each month and cycle them to and from the garage so your little
ones get variety.
2. That takes too much effort. I just threatened my boys if they
left toys out on their floor at bedtime, they would be in the
dumpster the next day (the toys, silly!). Do this twice, and
you'll have this hot spot under control.
I hope these points have given you some new ways to look at the
problem of clutter and refreshing methods to deal with them.
Given the fun you'll have with that dumpster, you might want to
consider renting a second one for the hubby's stuff.
I'll tell you what. If you really do rent a dumpster (okay, it
can be the smaller version) I'll have a reward for your
diligence. Ladies - Email me that you filled your dumpster to
the very tippy top and something funny that happened during the
process. I'll send you a coupon for a discount on a Fragrance
Lamp that will fill your home with lovely aromas. Gentlemen -
Email me the same (that is, that you actually rented the thing
and filled it, and an amusing related story) and I will send you
a Gift Certificate for your wife. Such a deal!