Clutter Control...

Sometimes I drift through my clean, cool spacious living room, listening to the birdsong outside and running a finger idly along the sparkling paintwork... then I wake up. The reality is grim; washing everywhere, toys underfoot, spilt bowls of cereal ("It wasn't ME, Mummy!"), screaming children who can't locate their pencil case, one lone shoe lying on the last stair, waiting to trip me when I struggle down the stairs with arms full of yet more washing...

Some comments from the bulletin board:-

•   Juliet: "you know it's time to tidy the toys away when the "baby" outgrew them 18 mths ago!"
•    "you know it's time to blitz the living room when the crawling toddler gives last month's fish fingers to the health visitor!"
•   Lynda: "You know its time to tidy up when you overhear your son (aged 9) apologising to his friend for the mess!"

Part of me KNOWS that life would be so much easier if I could always tell my frantic footballer exactly where his shinpads are, instead of rushing around emptying the contents of drawers onto the already-cluttered floor, thus creating yet more work for myself... and cheaper if I didn't have to buy another screwdriver because I can't find the first one... and happy & relaxed, if people knew that every blessed THING had a home to go to, where it would actually BE! It comes easily to some people; I suspect there is a Tidiness Gene that somehow passed me by.

But somehow there never quite seems to be enough time to sort it all out, or there's something better or more interesting to do, or I just need a quick cup of coffee before I get started...

I've got to the stage now where I've had enough. I would just like to know that there was a 50% chance that things will stay where I put them, or that the owner of said thing will take some responsibility for it, or even that we could get through a week or two without acquiring any more THINGS to take over my life... I have to admit that I have got myself into this situation as I am an inveterate hoarder and find it very hard to pass up a bargain; my husband can happily live out of a carrier bag for two weeks and only buys new clothes when the old ones have fallen apart. Unfortunately the children seem to take after me...

So I've been researching Clutter Control for a while, and am beginning to take action. It seems that what's needed is
1) Motivation! Got that...
2) An ability to Do It NOW,
3) Organise what you already have,
4) Don't get anything else , and
5) Utter, complete & absolute ruthlessness. Hmmm, I may still have some work to do here...

There are some excellent resources out there on the Web to help you bust that clutter; some are just lists of hints and tips, others demand a lot of participation from you - please let me know what's worked best for you!

•   Systems of Order - An investigation into the role of clutter in the lives of ordinary human beings... fascinating! But no solutions...
•   The Family Corner - useful & helpful, as ever
•   Organizing Solutions.net - Intelligent article from a professional organizer
•   About.com - About's collection of links on the subject
•   AllThatWomenWant - interesting article

and now for the BIG ones - they work, but only if you're really serious...

•   FlyLady - You either love her approach or hate it... I've signed up. She will fill your inbox with several daily reminders to motivate you!

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