The Great Decluttering Experiment
Just so you don’t think I sit around all day every day watching Oprah, let me remind you that I just finished my new novel a few weeks ago, and I am ON VACATION. I will continue to be on vacation for the next two weeks, at which time I will be going to New York for events that will be discussed then. After which I will come home and be ON VACATION for another few weeks before something really huge that will be discussed in due time as well.
So when I say I caught yesterday’s Oprah, I will hear none of your scorn or have to see any eye-rolling, agreed?
Okay. So yesterday’s show featured Peter Walsh, an organizational expert (and a man with one of those accents to melt for), helping us all get to the bottom of why our houses look the way they do. Because it’s not just a matter of the visible clutter, but also the mindset behind it: I’m too busy, I don’t matter enough to live in a nice home, the kids matter more than the parents, etc.
Walsh offered a lot of practical suggestions, including ones we already know but don’t do, such as giving away all those clothes we haven’t worn in the last six months. But he had an even more horrific way of bringing that message into clearer focus: he had one of the families take out every single item of clothing in the entire house and lay it on top of tarps on the front lawn. Until they did that, the people didn’t realize how much clothing they owned and kept purchasing. Really a shocker. Then Walsh set up a few containers per person to refill with clothes. Once those containers were full (since they represented how much could fit in the closets and drawers), everything else had to go.
The other suggestion he had that I thought was great was to look at each room and ask yourself what words you want it to represent. For instance, the master bedroom: sanctuary, peace, romance, whatever. And then decide if the things you have in there support or defeat that theme.
The whole show made me face some cruel facts about my own house. Clutter is my main and persistent problem here. We get busy, we set things down, don’t bother to pick them up again, and soon there are stacks and heaps and all these ugly pockets of mess that we just avoid seeing.
But hey, I’m on a declared vacation, right? And I always claim to myself that I’ll finally get around to some real, deep, and lasting organization when I have the time.
But I have to make the time. Make this what I’m doing for the next few days (or, gasp, weeks) instead of anything else.
As with the Tuesday Book Club, I think the incentive of having to report in is what will keep me going. So even though I’m thoroughly ashamed by how messy my office is, I’m going to show it to you so that I know I’ll have to finally do something about it. Here it is, in all its glory:
And here:
I asked Bear to pose beside my desk, but he was too ashamed and turned away:
Can’t blame him.
Okay, so that’s my plan. Anyone else feel like playing?
Technorati Tags: Oprah, Oprah Winfrey, Peter Walsh, Organizing, Decluttering, Organization, House Organization, Home Office
February 8th, 2007 at 7:34 am
robin,
tmi with the photos of your office–i had to run for my inhaler.
closet cleaning is my hobby, my passion. the trick i have found is to go deep like mr. walsh did, taking out ALL the contents of whatever and then make sure you have a schedule of regular maintenence. the other is stop the damn hording.
RECYCLE, right now, every x-mas gift box, all the bubble wrap and cookie tins in the house. the few, or for that matter, many, times a year you mail something you always use a fed-x box anyhow–right.
old school papers–keep the precious few poems, “what i did last summer” stories, and throw out the rest.
photos–there is no law (i checked) that says that out of a roll 36 with only 10 that are decent you have to keep all the rejects (and of course because it was a bargain, you got duplicate prints)–pitch the uglies!
sports trophies–i miss the good ole days when all the pee wee soccer players got was a ribbon. if your kid is over the age of fifteen, get rid of the stupid sports memerobilia and while you’re at it purge your house of ALL things barbie (i don’t care what someone might have gotten on e-bay for the 1982 malibu doll).
stop shopping at costco–again just an invitation to end up with a bunch of well priced sh** that you couldn’t use up if you lived ten life-times, robbing you of precious space.
now get in there and alphabetize the contents of your freezer!!
(robin, we need to communicate privately. i will e-mail you my specific concerns).
February 8th, 2007 at 8:22 am
Annette, please please please HELP ME. You are obviously a professional.
February 8th, 2007 at 8:31 am
Peter Walsh is a great organizer;he’s one of the stars of Clean Sweep on TLC and I stocked his book,How To Organize Just About Anything,at my former job. That book sold well,let me tell you!
My mom’s been attempting to straight up our art room,so that she can get to her crafting supplies and set up a home office as well. Your office doesn’t look as bad as some that I’ve seen but I’m sure that you(with Annette’s help)will conquer it:)
February 8th, 2007 at 8:56 am
Wow, Robin. Just…wow. (I can’t get ANYTHING done unless I start with a clear desk…I have three desks, actually, all clean and fairly well-organized). Can’t wait to see the after pictures!
February 8th, 2007 at 9:15 am
I found this meme, and was considering participating. I think I’ll join you instead.
I’m in. Totally.
Will there be a specific check in day?
February 8th, 2007 at 9:15 am
Dumb me. Here is the meme link. lol.
http://www.5minutesformom.com/category/blogging/meme/tackle-it-tuesday/
February 8th, 2007 at 9:36 am
Laura, I’m certainly not proud of it. I only post those photos to shame myself into action. Shame appears to be a frequent motivator for me.
Heather, if you’re playing, too (yay!) let’s just check in when we’ve made progress and have photos to prove it.
February 8th, 2007 at 11:49 am
1-800-molly-maids
http://www.iRobot.com
Of course, they do need a vaporizing robot which will determine that something is junk and vaporize it.
February 8th, 2007 at 11:55 am
robin, reference your need for shame as a motivator. uh-oh. does this mean we’ll be seeing some snaps of your b donka donk anytime soon?
heather, i’m here for you girl.
February 8th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Annette, what is a b donka donk? Do I want to know?
February 8th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
i will leave it to patrick to explain.
February 8th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
annette, I prefer not to see anyones b donka donk on this blog thank you.
February 8th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
Baby got back?
Junk in the trunk?
Back tha’ thang up?
Dumper?
February 8th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
This blog is so educational.
February 8th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
I am so in! I swear it is fate that leads me to each and every person thru blogging. I wanted to read more…BAM here’s a Tuesday Book Club….I want a cleaner house…BAM.again here it is….motivation to write, help on writing, compassion, understanding….BAMBAMBAMBAM! I will put up some pictures on my blog of my crazy cluttered and messy house. Now I should go before I start sounding too much like Emril. . . ok one more for the road…BAM!:)
February 8th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
herb, you’re lyin’-ya know ya do. where to start…?
February 8th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Danne, I am so so happy about that!
February 8th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
I have to save things for at least 12 years before I can get rid of them. Some are coming up for review now, but because I am packing to move I’m just throwing most of them into boxes and sparing myself the pain of throwing them out until maybe someday when they are unpacked. What is a b donka donk? Are they Breyer horses on your shelf?
February 8th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Oh, Deborah, you’re good. Those are Breyer horses. They were my gift to myself several years ago when I was writing a novel that involved horses. I bought those two so I’d always have a visual.
Good eye!
February 8th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
a b donka donk, deborah, is what you most definitely do not have.
February 8th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
I’ve got an idea. Everyone take a picture of their b donka donk. Post the pictures . We can then guess whose b donka donk is whose. I’ll use a wide-angle lens.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Herb, no offense but, out of all the commentors here, yours is the last that I want to see.
February 8th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
herb, wide-angle lens? that’s kinda sounding like a dare.
patrick, be a sport. i say you and herb post first and then i promise all the rest of us will (except deborah who is b donka donk-less, unless of course she wants to to prove that i am correct). deal?
February 8th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Patrick, No offense taken. It was just a thought.
February 9th, 2007 at 10:12 am
Annette, you want to see my b donka donk? I’m flattered.
February 10th, 2007 at 8:23 am
I only have ONE thing to say . . . Yes.
Saying Yes to Mess
February 10th, 2007 at 10:18 am
BJ, just when I’m all prepared to ride myself hard about my office, you send me such a compassionate, forgiving article like that?
This is why I post my meandering ideas, because someone out there will always rein me back in.
Heather and Danne, I’m still going to work on decluttering, but read the article BJ links to and maybe we’ll all feel better about our situations to begin with.
Balance, huh?
February 10th, 2007 at 11:53 am
Yup. Balance.
I also must admit to liking the idea that the current (and normal) appearance (or lack of it) of the surface of my desk states that I have an INCREDIBLY creative mind! *wicked grin* As do you, Robin!
February 10th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
bj,
i just got off a six foot ladder where i was happily swiffering the blades on my ceiling fans, thinking all is right with the world. i decide to treat myself with a visit to robin nation and see your link.
that was TOTALLY UNCALLED FOR! this is war girl! i’m takin’ off the gloves–no,no i mean i’m putting on the playtex rubbers.
months, maybe years of constructive guilt finally coming to worthwhile fruition and (to quote danne) BAM, all undone. shame, shame, more shame.
now robin, heather, danne, please pay no attention to bj, okay. she’s jealous, that’s right jealous. she wants to derail you from the righteous path. i think we all know what is next to godliness (and it is not clutter).
so let’s see photos of your progress and of herb and patrick’s b donka donks (amid insanely well organized garages, would be sooo sexy–just a suggestion, work shop or garden shed, again insanely well organized, could do it too).
February 10th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
I went out with a guy once. We had a great time out dancing, but before we went to the club, he wanted to show off his house. It was one of those McMansions on 5 acres, brand new, huge, and immaculate. He had to give me the guided tour. Not a single dustbunny to be seen, no dirty coffee cup in the sink, the surface of every piece of furniture shined to a dazzle . . . and it looked so sterile I felt like I was in a doctor’s waiting room. Then he showed me the garage and bragged about how he had MOPPED THE GARAGE FLOOR before coming to pick me up.
So anyway, we went out to dinner, and then dancing, had a blast. He opened doors for me, held my hand, hugged me affectionately and sweetly, but . . . I never went out with him again, never returned his phone calls or emails after that first night. There is something VERY SICK about mopping a garage floor. And no way was I going out a second time with that psycho.
February 10th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
BJ, that story may qualify you to be one of my favorite people.
February 10th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
bj, did you by any chance keep his number?
February 11th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Robin, I commend you for your courage and raw guts to put your office pictures out there for the world to see. Not to worry, I know you know every pile by heart and what it contains, sorta your own style of filing system. I also know you can spic and span this room up in 2 hours. You ARE on vacation. Close the door and blinds to your office and enjoy your time off. No one is coming by to inspect, this has nothing to do with your marketing tour. In fact, you should be seeing more daytime movies. Dust and clutter have nothing to do with slowing down the creative juices. Be free, you deserve it!!! Burn those photos—no more guilt trips—is anyone yelling at you?
February 12th, 2007 at 5:43 am
Robin, I’m glad we’re both members of the human race.
Annette– Nope. Lost that sucker as soon as I could.
February 12th, 2007 at 9:19 am
Thanks, MJG! You and BJ are such clutter-compassionates. It’s nice to hear a voice other than that scoldy one in my head.
February 12th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
it’s over, isn’t it? there will be no follow up photos, will there? they’ve gotten to you, robin, haven’t they? and by the way the scoldy voice was not in your head–it comes to you with love from yours truly.
bj, mjg–peace out.
February 12th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Settle down, it’s not over yet. I’m cleaning away here.
February 14th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
This is great. If I posted my office, you would feel so much better! Same idea, just a bigger space of stuff!
A few years ago I read Sanda Felton’s Living Organized and it really helped me get control for a few years. I think I could use a refresher. I’d love to join you but I can’t imagine where I’d find the time right now. Maybe summer? UGH!!!
February 14th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Thanks, Franki. Good luck!