Date: 10/10/2008 9:47:00 PM
From Authorid: 16865
Check out Flylady.net and The messies. I love them both. Just be forewarned, flylady tends to be a little "gung-ho" and "overzealous" sometimes. Take what you like, ditch what you don't. They are great though. Also, look up something about how to organized in the home. There are a LOT of helpful tips out there.  |
Date: 10/10/2008 9:51:00 PM
From Authorid: 10657
Why don't you do this any box that you haven't opened or looked at in a year put it in a pile on the front lawn and have a yard sale. Someone gets your old treasures that you haven't seen in years and you get a little money for doing it:) I do spring and fall cleaning and anything that I haven't opened since, say the last cleaning goes into a pile marked give away, throw away, and yard sale. But, I don't like much clutter around me. That might help you some. Good luck. Oh, and with money earned from a garage sale you could use that to have help come in:D  |
Date: 10/11/2008 2:48:00 AM
From Authorid: 42945
I don't like clutter either and every so often I pack up stuff into boxes and give to the Church hall....your Mother could have a massive yard sale....:)  |
Date: 10/11/2008 4:11:00 AM
From Authorid: 19871
Usually I'd move everything out to another room and make a mental note of the stuff that I want to put in the room, make note of what I'd like to keep, and the rest I'll either give it away or something like that  |
Date: 10/11/2008 5:28:00 AM
From Authorid: 10245
Use the 3 boxes system: keep, garbage, sell. Tote those sell boxes straight to the garage. Take the garbage boxes straight to the curb. Do one room at a time and REFUSE to put anything that doesn't belong in a cleaned room in the clean room. Put a time line on it. Have her treat herself to something nice with the proceeds from the garage sale and enjoy the feeling of a clean, organized home.  |
Date: 10/11/2008 5:39:00 AM
From Authorid: 15677
I am cleaning a ladys house today with these very same issues, she tv shops all day and has one completeroom filled with this and that from tv, magazines and catalogs. today the goal is too clean out the spare room and rid it off the junk. I am making a pile in the gargage for a yard sale and I also went to walmart and bought assorted sized containers to help her file paper work, shoes, and the rest. Id say take it one room at a time and pace yourself. it didnt get that way in a day so it will take time,just stick to your guns if it goes in yard sale it stays, if it goes in trash it stays and so on. maybe get a charity to come pick up some of the unwanted items right away. good luck an keep us posted. you can find me anytime to discuss ways to help.  |
Date: 10/11/2008 6:58:00 AM
From Authorid: 15228
I had a friend just like your mother. One time a friend of her and her husband offered to pay her 500.00 if she would let him haul away 12 truck loads of stuff...she could only bring herself to part with 8 truck loads and you never noticed a difference in her house! Her house was gorgeous by the way, but to small for all her junk and the house was trashed and dirty most of the time. For a time her favorite place in the world was a store called The Container Store, which is a store that features storage and organizational products. They also offer a space planning service. She was aware of her problem and attempted to organize, she just never could do it, but she never got help as your mother has. Maybe you could find a store like the Container store that will help you? Oh, and if you plan on moving out at some point in the future I don't understand why you should have to part with your stuff! You could ask your mother if she plans on furnishing your future house.  |
Date: 10/11/2008 7:58:00 AM
From Authorid: 28848
There are nonprofit orgs that will pick up unwanted usable goods, anything from furniture, clothes, books, to appliances and electronics. Good will is one, and The national kidney foundation is another. I'm sure there are lots more. Instead of hiring a maid, you should find someone that does organization, not just cleaning. I've heard of these agencies but I dont know of any off hand. And there is always that tv show Clean House! LOL. I think taking one box at a time is a good idea. You dont want to overwhelm her. You might think about having a yard sale too, if it wouldnt be too much for you to organize.  |
Date: 10/11/2008 8:29:00 AM
From Authorid: 15228
On the show Clean House they always force the homeowner to have a yard sale, anything that doesn't sell is taken directly to a GoodWill type of place.
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Date: 10/11/2008 2:02:00 PM
From Authorid: 4144
like kelly says on the show clean house they make you do it. have your mom watch a few episodes of clean house. i swear, that show keeps me from buying junk. i won't even buy a candle anymore! ok...if it's for a school fundraiser i will but that's about all the junk i ever buy anymore!  |
28767 Category:(General Advice) Created:(10/10/2008 9:31:00 PM)