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The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was
retired in August 2007. It is being provided by
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From: MyGirlFriday
Date: 02-11-2005, 12:25 AM (1 of 20)
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Have any of y'all see the show on TLC....Clean Sweep?? I need those people to come to my house and help me!! I have so much "stuff" and am trying to stop collecting! Are there any other "pack rats" here that were able to declutter their space? I know that I need to go thru my stuff and have a huge yard sale but I'm finding it very hard. Alot of the stuff that I have was given to me by my parents....I have furniture from when I was a child. If my parents were getting rid of something it ended up at my house. Over the past 17 years of marriage I have aquired lot of "stuff" that is creating problems! My DH hates all of my stuff....and to be honest I am starting to as well!! I want to clean and go thru thing but when I start I get over whelmed and end up moving this pile to another area and am just spinning my wheels! Surely there are some "clutter busters" in the group.....how can I get started on this needed task?? HELP!! Please help! I am really getting discouraged...not to mention I'm unable to sew because I don't have any room....that alone you would think would get me to decluttering however I'm overwhelmed!!  I need some direction!Thanks~ mgf~ 
Blessings & Smiles
Frogs have it easy....they just eat what's buggin' them. |
User: MyGirlFriday
Member since: 12-05-2004 Total posts: 288 
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From: sable
Date: 02-11-2005, 01:50 AM (2 of 20)
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When I need to start cleaning out, I choose one small area to start with. If it's the sewing room I usually start with the top of the chest of drawers. Anything I don't know what I'm going to use it for gets put into a bag/box, anything that's rubbish (you know the stuff, 3" old elastic, bent pins etc) gets put in the bin. Stuff I want to keep gets put away where it should have been all along. I work my way from one side of the room to the other. The stuff I don't want but is too good to throw out I offer to friends and family first, then if it's saleable I'll try and sell it, if not I'll take it to the local recycling centre to be someone else's treasure, but not my clutter! One of the main things is to start small. If you start with a big thing you get overwhelmed and give up. Get rid of stuff as you go (to friends etc), don't hold onto them or else you'll end up weakening and putting them back in the place they came from. Most of this stuff will then go through the same process next time you clean up. Good luck and I hope this has helped |
User: sable
Member since: 01-10-2005 Total posts: 76 
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From: Mother in Law
Date: 02-11-2005, 02:10 AM (3 of 20)
I have problems with tossing out things also. The problem is when I toss it out I usually find myself needing that item the next day or so. I think if someone came in and tossed it out without me seeing it being tossed I'd do a lot better. My hubby did that to me years ago. While I was off somewhere I came home and the house would be totally straight, of course there was not much left in the house but it was straight. I broke him of that when I told him I was going to clean his shop out for him. That did it.  But seriously, I would love some advice on how to clean out my place I really have to start doing it if I'm ever going to be able to move. Which I hope is sooner than later. |
User: Mother in Law
Member since: Total posts: |
From: siwian
Date: 02-11-2005, 06:47 AM (4 of 20)
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Sounds like several of us have this problem. Here is a site that might help some. http://www.organizedhome.com/ I like reading the information and trying the ideas. But it never lasts for me. I get caught up in work and driving kids around and the "stuff" piles up again. One idea she has that might work for you is: Box and Banish. You put all the "stuff" in a box/bag, label it, and then put it away (somewhere accessible):basement, storage area, closet, etc. Then if you need something from one of the boxes you get it and NOTHING else. After 6 months or 1 year anything left in the boxes is disposed of (given away or trashed) Sight unseen. I've tried that but unfortunately my boxes didn't get labeled so I can't find anything (gee, now I have to buy more). Since my "sewing room" is also the laundry/utility room, everyone thinks it is the "dump site" at our house. So the "stuff" has piled up and I can't get to the sewing machine again. Maybe we need a support group here and set weekly/monthly goals. We can keep track of our progress or lack there of and support each other in the tasks. Peggy |
User: siwian
Member since: 12-27-2001 Total posts: 114 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 02-11-2005, 07:41 AM (5 of 20)
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My problem is my husband. When we first starting living together he said he wanted a house like Fred Sanford. It took me 20 years to realize he was serious. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: MaryW
Date: 02-11-2005, 07:49 AM (6 of 20)
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Peggy, that is an excellent idea. Fly Lady has her own methods too. Let's see if we can get a clean-up going here. What do you girls want to clean out, your rooms or just the sewing area?
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: carman
Date: 02-11-2005, 09:02 AM (7 of 20)
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i know the most important thing is to be MENTALLY and EMOTIONALY ready. when you watch the show that is the biggest issue with the couples and the guy really has to make them THINK, "what is the attachment to the item" or "if is is full of dust, why is it important" "if it has been hidden for 2 years why are you keeping it" i think the WORST place would be the sewing room, i started off in teh kitchen and then bathrooms then bedrooms and THEN the sewing room, by that time i was set mentally and it was really quite easy to do because of all the other rooms done prior. i really cleared out this past summer, had a garge sale and told myslef that NOTHING was coming back into the house, soafter the sale everything went into the cars and off to charity, i tell, it felt soooooooooo good. go for it ladies and really ask the tough question "why am i keeping it" and "because" is not acceptable  or i MIGHT use it later 
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User: carman
Member since: 04-17-2000 Total posts: 692 
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From: MaryW
Date: 02-11-2005, 09:15 AM (8 of 20)
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Carman, I bet you were surprised at the "stuff" you had to get rid of. I know I have just loads of it all over the place. My house is not cluttery though. Everything is neat, and the junk is neatly hidden downstairs. Which room should we begin with? MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: Hogmami
Date: 02-11-2005, 09:26 AM (9 of 20)
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I finally did clean out. Last summer when I was painting I had to take every thing out of the rooms as I painted them. As I took stuff out it when in piles, Keep, Toss and Sell. It worked for me. My mom was so glad that I finally got it done. I had stuff that my dad had brought to my house to safe so my mom couldn't throw it away. So my dad's and my stuff went. Now the only place I safe stuff is my sewing room.
Carolyn
Michigan |
User: Hogmami
Member since: 09-30-2004 Total posts: 800 
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From: MaryW
Date: 02-11-2005, 09:30 AM (10 of 20)
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One good thing to remember is if you haven't look at it, used it or needed it in the past two yrs., get rid of it. There are things you buy, you get them home and think "what do I need that for?" Get rid of it! MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: Pudge99
Date: 02-11-2005, 03:12 PM (11 of 20)
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I too am a pack rat! I love watching those shows. I have learned a lot from them. I have very little time to clean so what I do is take every thing from a room that doesn't belong there and throw it into laundry baskets then I cart all those baskets off to one room. Then on yucky rainy days I sit down and sort each basket. Toss, Sell, and then an individual pile for each person. The toss and sell piles get baged up and either tossed out or piled in the garage for a yard sale. Then I yell at the kids "If you don't want me to toss this stuff, get it to your rooms and find a home for it!" I am actually very proud of the progress I have made. Now if only I could stop bringing new stuff into the house all would be good. 
Gina
Pictures of my successes and failures Pfaff 2040 Janome Mylock 134D Singer Futura CE-100 w/ Autopunch Husqvarna Viking 3D Sketch |
User: Pudge99
Member since: 10-30-2001 Total posts: 1375 |
From: Magot
Date: 02-11-2005, 05:41 PM (12 of 20)
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I have inherited a lab full of old scientific equipment that the previous technician wouldn't part with even though the curriculum has moved on to the extent that the stuff is WAY out of date. I need to find a way to quietly chuck out the junk - there are three labs and all their cupboards and three storage rooms...I need to wait until she has moved on and isn't coing back to visit beofre I start spring cleaning in order to spare her feelings.
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: siwian
Date: 02-11-2005, 06:41 PM (13 of 20)
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MaryW, When I posted about starting a decluttering support group, I had forgotten about the group you have on the General Sewing Board-Sewing Room Clean Up. I read it either late at night or early in the morning and either time is bad for me to remember stuff for more than an hour or two. Peggy |
User: siwian
Member since: 12-27-2001 Total posts: 114
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From: Beneda
Date: 02-11-2005, 07:19 PM (14 of 20)
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To all interested in decluttering: Go to http://www.FlyLady.net Even if you do not follow Fly Lady's methods, you will get a lot of good information and ideas on how to start decluttering and reading some of the testimonials are very inspiring. I have been following a lot of her methods, although not strictly and believe I will get there. She reinforces the idea that we need to take baby steps to reach our goal. Our houses didn't get cluttered over night and we can't declutter overnight either. We have to go slow so as not to become overwhelmed. Hope you find it as interesting and helpful as I do. Beneda |
User: Beneda
Member since: 12-07-2004 Total posts: 4 |
From: Mother in Law
Date: 02-11-2005, 09:42 PM (15 of 20)
| Dorothy, I'm the Sanford in my house. I look at old shirts and see buttons and fabric. I never part with fabric and buttons. ROFL I just started looking through my stash and found I had plenty of fabric I forgot I had. What I'm going to have to start doing is pulling out fabric, finding a pattern I'd like to make with that fabric and make it. That way I can make things without buying fabric, buy just patterns on sale if I don't have anything that will work well with patterns I already have. I have enough canvas and duck fabric to make a purse factory. No joke. I better get started. |
User: Mother in Law
Member since: Total posts: |
From: plrlegal
Date: 02-11-2005, 10:02 PM (16 of 20)
I can relate to that Susie. By the way, every so often, I pull all of my scrap bags out of my closet and drag them over to the Senior Citizens Center here in Midwest City. They are always quite happy to see me. So, it's about time for me to that again and I will probably be surprised by what I find in my sewing room closet when I do that.  Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: Mother in Law
Date: 02-11-2005, 10:47 PM (17 of 20)
| I bought my #2 Granddaughter a sewing machine last night for her birthday she's 11 and she was so thrilled her Daddy, my son said she stayed awake last night making pillows with her new machine. She also told him she was going to get MawMaw to embroidery names on the pillow and flowers. I think I could probably donate some fabric to her cause. If not her Daddy will be at WalMart buying fabric. I love it!!!! |
User: Mother in Law
Member since: Total posts: |
From: MyGirlFriday
Date: 02-12-2005, 07:25 AM (18 of 20)
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I'm glad that I posted about this. Looks like several of us have alot more in common than just sewing! I went and check out that home organization site...WOW! They have a gallery of photos that show people before and after photos of their clutter and stuff! I'm now seeing that there is hope. I think that the first thing I needed to see is that I don't need the stuff around. I am up extra early this morning to see what I can get into. Maybe I will take a before and after photo as well. Not to show around but just for myself so I can see my accomplishment. I think that will be a huge encourager for me. I will be working today in the dining room/den. Maybe when I'm finished I will have a nice sewing area and a dining room. Cross you fingers!! Thanks again for the encouragement! mgf~
Blessings & Smiles
Frogs have it easy....they just eat what's buggin' them. |
User: MyGirlFriday
Member since: 12-05-2004 Total posts: 288
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From: Ann Belcham
Date: 02-12-2005, 09:57 AM (19 of 20)
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I usually do a major house clean once a year as I am only in the house on weekends and DH lives here all the time. Each summer it has been a big job but I think this summer it will be a small job. We have tried to cut down on our clutter and it has helped. When I clean a room, I try to get as much stuff out of the room as possible and work on it in the hall (crazy I am). Then I put back what is in the keep pile after I have thoroughly cleaned the room. The rest is boxed for the Girl Guide Thrift shop or the dump. It works for me. When I do my weekly house cleaning I start in the corner of any room and work across it. By the time I get to the door, all I need to do is Swiffer or vacuum. My sewing room is usually the best looking room in the house as I have all my stuff at school as I teach Home Ec. I will have to do some planning as this is my last year in that department. Everything will come home and I need to figure out what is to be kept and what is to be thrown out or donated to the Home Ec room.  I have learned a lot from Clean Sweep about the "emotional attachment" to items. I have kept a few things of my parents and have given our children some of their things. The rest I gave to charity. It is hard, but it can be done. One thing I haven't parted with is the pictures. I am slowly doing them into albums and love to add stickers, etc. My favourite part is writing about the pictures as the events bring a lot of good memories to me. Ann |
User: Ann Belcham
Member since: 05-17-2001 Total posts: 2 |
From: Mother in Law
Date: 02-12-2005, 08:09 PM (20 of 20)
I think another problem I have is motivation. Once I get started cleaning I'm on a roll. But it's getting to that point. Like last month. I had that baby shower so I had to clean for company that was coming from out of town. I amazed myself at how fast I got it done. My hubby said he's going to invite his sister over more often the house looked very nice he said. LOL 
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User: Mother in Law
Member since: Total posts: |
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