Make your own space liveable first!

[swirt]

I need more time to de-crapify & I have to send my dh away somewhere, I've decided it's the only way. He's going to go out of town for the weekend in a couple of weeks. No guests are booked in & I'm tempted to block the weekend out. Let the major de-crapification begin! .

LOL are you saying DH's are impediments to decrapification ???

(DW just put me on a plan, if I keep something new, I have to throw something else out.)

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I couldn't believe it! I firmly stated these are going to goodwill today. He grunted, picked them up and took them out to the truck. WOW? That was easy. He knows I am at breaking point.
I then say, okay let's go drop the stuff off...No later on, he says, I have more stuff in the shop.
Me - Well we can take that tomorrow. (I am trying to get that stuff out of our hair).
I go out, the stuff is in HIS WORSHOP which he spent 7 hours cleaning out so he could see the floor. We have zero storage space available and there it all sits.
I told him If you want a yard sale, go right ahead, but I am not doing it.
So it was relocated. The decrapification relocation program.

 

[YellowSocks]

I couldn't believe it! I firmly stated these are going to goodwill today. He grunted, picked them up and took them out to the truck. WOW? That was easy. He knows I am at breaking point.
I then say, okay let's go drop the stuff off...No later on, he says, I have more stuff in the shop.
Me - Well we can take that tomorrow. (I am trying to get that stuff out of our hair).
I go out, the stuff is in HIS WORSHOP which he spent 7 hours cleaning out so he could see the floor. We have zero storage space available and there it all sits.
I told him If you want a yard sale, go right ahead, but I am not doing it.
So it was relocated. The decrapification relocation program..

I am very fortunate then, as my dh is the one who is pro-decrapification, and I'm the one who is the daughter of people who never threw anything away. [Two stories: once my dad needed to irrigate the garden and he went out to the barn, got an electric motor and hooked it up to the well. He was very proud of his work. I asked him how long he'd had that motor... oh, about 30 years. Then, when my mother died, I inherited almost all of the toys I played with when I was young... some antiques, some still playable, some that should have been thrown out years ago.]
So when I'm ready to get organized, I do best to have dh with me, who says, "What are you keeping that for? Get rid of it!" Everytime I go to an auction I end up with more crap, since sometimes I buy something I want in a box lot, and it comes with 8 more things I don't need (but hate to just throw out). But the part of me that is my Dad says, "I could use that sometime..."
I've finally gotten to where I just can't do a yard sale (having a big sign in the front yard is part of that), but all I have to do is pack it up for charity and it disappears... first to his truck, then it's gone.
=) Kk.

 

[Samster]

I need more time to de-crapify & I have to send my dh away somewhere, I've decided it's the only way. He's going to go out of town for the weekend in a couple of weeks. No guests are booked in & I'm tempted to block the weekend out. Let the major de-crapification begin! .

LOL are you saying DH's are impediments to decrapification ???

(DW just put me on a plan, if I keep something new, I have to throw something else out.)
.

haha! Only when it is related to their stuff You will understand this...he is a techie and you never know when you'll need that computer journal, cable, thingamajig, whatever. I have sorted that stuff & put it in boxes labeled "Phone", "Internet/Computer Cables", "TV/Cable Accessories" "Computer Software", "Computer Hardware", yada, yada. Somehow it gets jumbled up again. How does this happen?? Total mystery to me! It must happen when I'm sleeping...much like the cobwebs from the 24/7 spiders. So, in MY particular situation because this stuff resides in our office/den (which is not a large room by any means), I have to offer up a resounding, YES, Yes, yes! My dh is a major impediment to decrapification!! I can only hope that this is not the case with all husbands/spouses/significant others.
Pretty soon his stuff will become part of an Undercover Decrapification Relocation Program. The stuff will no longer be able to be in contact with its owner unless it goes through the agent who instituted the move

 

[Morticia]

After going into massive decrapification mode last night, I am here to attest that this is totally true!
Make your space livable so you have a NICE place to retreat to. Guests will comment how lovely your home is (and what they don't see is the part of it YOU live in) the part with boxes of brochures gathering dust bunnies under the beds and boxes of this and stuff shoved everywhere and anywhere it can be shoved.
I could be heard in the kitchen (yes the guests were out at the time) hollering "Don't give me no more junk!!! NO MORE!!!" People, I don't want family momentos that gather dust, please!! Box it up and I can keep it, but it DOES NOT have to be displayed.
I am majorly aggro about this right now. I was ready to strip our quarters down to nothing. Dh said "What, you want this place bare?" YES! I DO! I can't cope with all the cleaning and dusting of OUR OWN QUARTERS left alone this whole house.
So to agree 100% with this thread, make your quarters nice, don't do them last and hate them. I am still in the decrapification mode. How many boxes of crap do I need to the B&B when most (99% of guests) never even look at this stuff?????!!!!! I have to live here too, so for that I am stripping it all down..

Waiting for hubs to return from dr appt this AM, I decrapified my desk. We are painting our bedroom so I have 2 rooms in my space that are 'decent'...the bathroom and the bedroom. But, you're right, there's no time/patience with the 'stuff' that gets generated by this biz. And no time/patience/energy for keeping up with my space.

 

[swirt]

I need more time to de-crapify & I have to send my dh away somewhere, I've decided it's the only way. He's going to go out of town for the weekend in a couple of weeks. No guests are booked in & I'm tempted to block the weekend out. Let the major de-crapification begin! .

LOL are you saying DH's are impediments to decrapification ???

(DW just put me on a plan, if I keep something new, I have to throw something else out.)
.

haha! Only when it is related to their stuff You will understand this...he is a techie and you never know when you'll need that computer journal, cable, thingamajig, whatever. I have sorted that stuff & put it in boxes labeled "Phone", "Internet/Computer Cables", "TV/Cable Accessories" "Computer Software", "Computer Hardware", yada, yada. Somehow it gets jumbled up again. How does this happen?? Total mystery to me! It must happen when I'm sleeping...much like the cobwebs from the 24/7 spiders. So, in MY particular situation because this stuff resides in our office/den (which is not a large room by any means), I have to offer up a resounding, YES, Yes, yes! My dh is a major impediment to decrapification!! I can only hope that this is not the case with all husbands/spouses/significant others.
Pretty soon his stuff will become part of an Undercover Decrapification Relocation Program. The stuff will no longer be able to be in contact with its owner unless it goes through the agent who instituted the move

.

LOL I am allotted 2/3 of the basement ... but when the piles get too large down there... I get ...erm.... comments. So it is not an unlimited arrangment. But when something breaks and I don't have to buy anything in order to repair it, I don't hear any complaints

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Well this dude here had an announcement after he cleaned out his workshop alllllllll day on Sunday. He told me he actually threw away a motherboard. He is still in shock over it, as am I.

 

[swirt]

Well this dude here had an announcement after he cleaned out his workshop alllllllll day on Sunday. He told me he actually threw away a motherboard. He is still in shock over it, as am I..

LOL You don't understand...it takes time and effort for us "collectors" to agonize over throwing anything away. Every item you pick up you have to race through your brain "What could I, should I, would I use this for?"

 

[Morticia]

I couldn't believe it! I firmly stated these are going to goodwill today. He grunted, picked them up and took them out to the truck. WOW? That was easy. He knows I am at breaking point.
I then say, okay let's go drop the stuff off...No later on, he says, I have more stuff in the shop.
Me - Well we can take that tomorrow. (I am trying to get that stuff out of our hair).
I go out, the stuff is in HIS WORSHOP which he spent 7 hours cleaning out so he could see the floor. We have zero storage space available and there it all sits.
I told him If you want a yard sale, go right ahead, but I am not doing it.
So it was relocated. The decrapification relocation program..

I am very fortunate then, as my dh is the one who is pro-decrapification, and I'm the one who is the daughter of people who never threw anything away. [Two stories: once my dad needed to irrigate the garden and he went out to the barn, got an electric motor and hooked it up to the well. He was very proud of his work. I asked him how long he'd had that motor... oh, about 30 years. Then, when my mother died, I inherited almost all of the toys I played with when I was young... some antiques, some still playable, some that should have been thrown out years ago.]
So when I'm ready to get organized, I do best to have dh with me, who says, "What are you keeping that for? Get rid of it!" Everytime I go to an auction I end up with more crap, since sometimes I buy something I want in a box lot, and it comes with 8 more things I don't need (but hate to just throw out). But the part of me that is my Dad says, "I could use that sometime..."
I've finally gotten to where I just can't do a yard sale (having a big sign in the front yard is part of that), but all I have to do is pack it up for charity and it disappears... first to his truck, then it's gone.
=) Kk.
.

I can't THROW things away, but I can give them away. It's a matter of getting in the car and taking them some place. Plus, I have to sort it out. Very good goes to the community center for their store, good goes to goodwill or the homeless shelter, and junk goes out.
Good story for all those old house tinkerers...when we sold our 1850 house in VT, the barn had a ton or so of slate roofing shingles and slate floor. Also in the mix were some of the decorative finials that had been removed when a porch was added. Dimensional lumber from way back when, perfect for fixing an old house.
The soon-to-be new owner took one look at it on the walk-thru and said, 'I want all that junk out of here before the closing.' (In about a half hour.) Hubs tried to explain it was all 'good' stuff she would need if anyone came to work on the house. 'Out, I don't want it.' Her mother, bless her heart, said, 'Honey, don't worry about it, daddy will come over and take all of that over to our house.' She then turned to hubs and said, 'A goldmine! Thank you for leaving it!'
We have more bits and bobs in the cellar than you could shake a stick at. When the PO's moved out of the inn there wasn't so much as a spare nut or bolt anywhere. Which is why they never fixed anything...they had no spare parts.

 

[Morticia]

Well this dude here had an announcement after he cleaned out his workshop alllllllll day on Sunday. He told me he actually threw away a motherboard. He is still in shock over it, as am I..

My mother is trying to give me vases and baskets to take home with me. (The fire dept sent dad 2 floral arrangements and 2 fruit baskets in the past 3 months.) I passed. They were lovely, but no thanks. Mom is going to give them back to be reused for the next 'sunshine' basket they put together.

 

[Samster]

Well this dude here had an announcement after he cleaned out his workshop alllllllll day on Sunday. He told me he actually threw away a motherboard. He is still in shock over it, as am I..

LOL You don't understand...it takes time and effort for us "collectors" to agonize over throwing anything away. Every item you pick up you have to race through your brain "What could I, should I, would I use this for?"
.

I understand, believe me. Y'all need to realize though that if it's been there for x period of time, chances are that you don't need it. I hear that all the time, "If I throw (give) it away or sell it, I just know that I'll need it the very next day". Kill me now....

 

[swirt]

Well this dude here had an announcement after he cleaned out his workshop alllllllll day on Sunday. He told me he actually threw away a motherboard. He is still in shock over it, as am I..

LOL You don't understand...it takes time and effort for us "collectors" to agonize over throwing anything away. Every item you pick up you have to race through your brain "What could I, should I, would I use this for?"
.

I understand, believe me. Y'all need to realize though that if it's been there for x period of time, chances are that you don't need it. I hear that all the time, "If I throw (give) it away or sell it, I just know that I'll need it the very next day". Kill me now....
.

But that is so true LOL I'll need it within 5 days of the time I get rid of it...it is practically guaranteed

 

[Samster]

Well this dude here had an announcement after he cleaned out his workshop alllllllll day on Sunday. He told me he actually threw away a motherboard. He is still in shock over it, as am I..

LOL You don't understand...it takes time and effort for us "collectors" to agonize over throwing anything away. Every item you pick up you have to race through your brain "What could I, should I, would I use this for?"
.

I understand, believe me. Y'all need to realize though that if it's been there for x period of time, chances are that you don't need it. I hear that all the time, "If I throw (give) it away or sell it, I just know that I'll need it the very next day". Kill me now....
.

But that is so true LOL I'll need it within 5 days of the time I get rid of it...it is practically guaranteed
.

Yep, your dw is saying "kill me now", too...haha!

 

[swirt]

Well this dude here had an announcement after he cleaned out his workshop alllllllll day on Sunday. He told me he actually threw away a motherboard. He is still in shock over it, as am I..

LOL You don't understand...it takes time and effort for us "collectors" to agonize over throwing anything away. Every item you pick up you have to race through your brain "What could I, should I, would I use this for?"
.

I understand, believe me. Y'all need to realize though that if it's been there for x period of time, chances are that you don't need it. I hear that all the time, "If I throw (give) it away or sell it, I just know that I'll need it the very next day". Kill me now....
.

But that is so true LOL I'll need it within 5 days of the time I get rid of it...it is practically guaranteed
.

Yep, your dw is saying "kill me now", too...haha!
.

LOL No she is saying..... "Sears called and that bandsaw you ordered just came in. What are you going to throw out to make up for this new incoming thing?" Fortuantely I managed to change the subject quickly

 

[Samster]

Well this dude here had an announcement after he cleaned out his workshop alllllllll day on Sunday. He told me he actually threw away a motherboard. He is still in shock over it, as am I..

LOL You don't understand...it takes time and effort for us "collectors" to agonize over throwing anything away. Every item you pick up you have to race through your brain "What could I, should I, would I use this for?"
.

I understand, believe me. Y'all need to realize though that if it's been there for x period of time, chances are that you don't need it. I hear that all the time, "If I throw (give) it away or sell it, I just know that I'll need it the very next day". Kill me now....
.

But that is so true LOL I'll need it within 5 days of the time I get rid of it...it is practically guaranteed
.

Yep, your dw is saying "kill me now", too...haha!
.

LOL No she is saying..... "Sears called and that bandsaw you ordered just came in. What are you going to throw out to make up for this new incoming thing?" Fortuantely I managed to change the subject quickly
.

Haha! Well, my dh has a 3 car garage and has no room for anything else without a major clean out! I have banned him from putting anything in the one car garage attached to the second house. Trust me...he's tried to get some stuff in there! As it is, what I thought would be my area for a "potting" shed and all my gardening stuff now has a stack of ds24's boxes that he hasn't taken yet, a Queen size mattress, boxspring, and bed frame, and the lawn mower (because I couldn't get it in & out of the other garage easily because of all his stuff).
Sigh...dreams die quickly when you're married to a pack rat....

 

[swirt]

Well this dude here had an announcement after he cleaned out his workshop alllllllll day on Sunday. He told me he actually threw away a motherboard. He is still in shock over it, as am I..

LOL You don't understand...it takes time and effort for us "collectors" to agonize over throwing anything away. Every item you pick up you have to race through your brain "What could I, should I, would I use this for?"
.

I understand, believe me. Y'all need to realize though that if it's been there for x period of time, chances are that you don't need it. I hear that all the time, "If I throw (give) it away or sell it, I just know that I'll need it the very next day". Kill me now....
.

But that is so true LOL I'll need it within 5 days of the time I get rid of it...it is practically guaranteed
.

Yep, your dw is saying "kill me now", too...haha!
.

LOL No she is saying..... "Sears called and that bandsaw you ordered just came in. What are you going to throw out to make up for this new incoming thing?" Fortuantely I managed to change the subject quickly
.

Haha! Well, my dh has a 3 car garage and has no room for anything else without a major clean out! I have banned him from putting anything in the one car garage attached to the second house. Trust me...he's tried to get some stuff in there! As it is, what I thought would be my area for a "potting" shed and all my gardening stuff now has a stack of ds24's boxes that he hasn't taken yet, a Queen size mattress, boxspring, and bed frame, and the lawn mower (because I couldn't get it in & out of the other garage easily because of all his stuff).
Sigh...dreams die quickly when you're married to a pack rat....

.

Our first house had a giagantic garage. 4car plus workshop and storage room. Our home now has no garage....I miss the garage

 

[gillumhouse]

I couldn't believe it! I firmly stated these are going to goodwill today. He grunted, picked them up and took them out to the truck. WOW? That was easy. He knows I am at breaking point.
I then say, okay let's go drop the stuff off...No later on, he says, I have more stuff in the shop.
Me - Well we can take that tomorrow. (I am trying to get that stuff out of our hair).
I go out, the stuff is in HIS WORSHOP which he spent 7 hours cleaning out so he could see the floor. We have zero storage space available and there it all sits.
I told him If you want a yard sale, go right ahead, but I am not doing it.
So it was relocated. The decrapification relocation program..

I am very fortunate then, as my dh is the one who is pro-decrapification, and I'm the one who is the daughter of people who never threw anything away. [Two stories: once my dad needed to irrigate the garden and he went out to the barn, got an electric motor and hooked it up to the well. He was very proud of his work. I asked him how long he'd had that motor... oh, about 30 years. Then, when my mother died, I inherited almost all of the toys I played with when I was young... some antiques, some still playable, some that should have been thrown out years ago.]
So when I'm ready to get organized, I do best to have dh with me, who says, "What are you keeping that for? Get rid of it!" Everytime I go to an auction I end up with more crap, since sometimes I buy something I want in a box lot, and it comes with 8 more things I don't need (but hate to just throw out). But the part of me that is my Dad says, "I could use that sometime..."
I've finally gotten to where I just can't do a yard sale (having a big sign in the front yard is part of that), but all I have to do is pack it up for charity and it disappears... first to his truck, then it's gone.
=) Kk.
.

Unfortunately I come from a long line of pack rats. Most of my crap though is not THINGS - I de-crapped those long ago. Mine is documents and the fear that if I throw it away I will need it next week as proof of something. That is why there is a tub of City Council stuff in the attic - off Council since 1999. I also have rails-to-trails, MABB, B & B, family, and Council of Churches plus Blueprint Community, WV Collaberative, museum, and assorted Conferences.
Every time I go on a tear and clean it out, it takes a week or two at the most and it is back! I swear it reproduces when my back is turned. Plus I have also experienced the found what I needed because I did not pitch what I should have. Ferinstance - we were doing a history of our organization and I found a newsletter I had kept from just after we joined with all the info plus the list of Standards - the darn newsletter was over 10 years old!

 

[hawley]

Well this dude here had an announcement after he cleaned out his workshop alllllllll day on Sunday. He told me he actually threw away a motherboard. He is still in shock over it, as am I..

My husband has a large gun safe. Needless to say, it is full, but he says he can get another couple of guns in there. That is the only way he can get another, it has to fit in the safe.
Other things, I can see I am not going to use it, I put it on freecycle or craigs list to get it out. Make sure my kids don't want it first, then it is gone.
My husband says my stuff is junk and his isn't.

 

[swirt]

Well this dude here had an announcement after he cleaned out his workshop alllllllll day on Sunday. He told me he actually threw away a motherboard. He is still in shock over it, as am I..

My husband has a large gun safe. Needless to say, it is full, but he says he can get another couple of guns in there. That is the only way he can get another, it has to fit in the safe.
Other things, I can see I am not going to use it, I put it on freecycle or craigs list to get it out. Make sure my kids don't want it first, then it is gone.
My husband says my stuff is junk and his isn't.
.

My husband says my stuff is junk and his isn't.

LOL Junk is in the eye of the beholder....and if I be holdin it, it isn't junk.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Dh finally got framed the little octagon window he put in our room almost a year ago. He got the drywall all put in around it and mudded. So right now we have the ladder, the bucket, the tooks, teh shop vac and all the rest to "give it another coat" he said when I asked about putting it all away.
His dresser sits in front of this window - below it. All the crap from his dresser is in a box. Ahhhhh you can feel the stress melt away...I quickly placed a vase of flowers on his dresser and said "Now, doesn't that look nice!" He grunted and backed out of the room.
I found this up there today...instead of the flowers.

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2ywtgtx&s=3
http://i26.tinypic.com/2ywtgtx.jpg
http://i26.tinypic.com/2ywtgtx.jpg
One of these has to work! APPRENTLY NOT. Hm. Back tot he old method