Mission Organziation HELP? #3

Yes! I have a hard time getting rid of anything. I used to always say 'I may need this when I get a house'. Well, guess what? I have a house and I don't need 4 irons, 6 sets of dishes and 3 couches LOL. But, still it is hard to get rid of it.

Today my brother told me that he and his friends have sponsored a family from NO that literally have nothing but the clothes on their backs. They live in WV so that is too far for me to send stuff (I sent $ for clothes), so I am trying to find some people who have migrated here. I know that I could part with my things if it was going to a cause like that.

As far as the junk goes, well that is another story. I should be able to say 'I don't need this and I would be too ashamed to give it to anyone' and just throw it away, but so far, nope. Hopefully, some day.

Rachel

Rachel, that's my point too. I have 2 large closets of beautiful clothes that are beautiful clasic sportswear to very dressy cooler climate clothes. I think I will bring the cold climate things up to your neck of the woods to donate them. My mother dressed to the nines and I wear her size. I need to give those clothes to someone that can use them while they are still timely.;)

Same here, I used to work in an office and now I wear 'pajamas' as my dh calls them to work, so I would love to find someone my size who needs these nice suits. I would just like to find someone by myself instead of putting them in the donation bin a local church has. I want to make sure they go to someone who needs them and not get trashed like I read some other donations did before. I just don't know how to find someone.

Rachel

keeping magazines is my clutter problem. I have stacks of them in almost every room. I like the idea of tearing out a page and putting it n a binder. Did give several bags to Sal. Army (along with lots of cothes) last month. Of course I had to go thru the mags before bagging them up. Ladies have you thought about praying and asking God for help with the smoking???? We all know how damaging the smoke is! I have several friends that attributed their early death to smoking.

Exactly!! Mine are all 10, 12, & 14s. I am 5'11" tall, so mine and DM's slacks can be shorttened to any length. I know there has to be some one that can wear them.
sidney

aye aye aye we are about the same height and my pants are twice your size lol. I have 20's-24's, ugh.

You know this brings up an interesting subject. Does anyone else say 'When I get my house clean, I will...lose weight...quit smoking...start volunteering more...have people over more...have Christmas for the whole family...etc etc'? I have several conditions that I will work on AFTER the house is clean and sometimes I wonder if that is why I don't get the house clean lol.

Of course. Many times I don't do something I like because I couldn't enjoy it cause I should be home cleaning.
;)

Oh my Mother always thought she couldn't do anything if the house wasn't clean. I have that tendency too - but I'm overcoming it. Life it too short to wait until your house is clean to do something you love. Remember too - it doesn't have to be "sanitary" clean. As Flylady says - "Somes better than nothing". And yes - I think we all use that as an excuse to put off things we might not really want to face - like losing weight and stopping smoking. What's more important - your health or a clean house? That's a no brainer.....

To me - a spotlessly clean house is rather sad.....to me - that person has no other hobbies or more fun stuff to do. Sad. That's why I'm striving for "sorta" clean - clean enough to not freak if someone rings the doorbell. That and some system to keep it that way. That's good enough.

Try to think of it this way - you're always going to have laundry, dishes, floors, etc that need tending to - but you may not have that creative spark tomorrow, or the chance to spend time with loved ones, or the courage and drive to kick that bad habit - or pick up a new one. Act on those things - the house will wait.

Hope that helps....I have to keep telling myself the same thing and it's been helpful so far!

M.

Butterqueen can you take them to a local shelter? Those sizes are harder to come by and anything past a 16 is priceless. The clothing checks should be going out in a few days but the less these poor people have to spend on outer clothing the more they can spend on other things such as personal hygene etc. I bought up most of the larger sizes in my local thrift shops etc of the nicer things and took them to a local shelter and went in and found ladies they would fit and brought them "shopping" in my trunk. I still have a few larger ladies that only wear skirts or dresses that I couldn't give much to as well as a few larger size bra's that I didn't have enough to give everyone who needed one.

Another idea for nice dressy clothes suitable for work, is you local community action council or Dept of Jobs and family services. They have training programs for people on public assistance to try to get a decent job to get them off welfare, but alot of the people don't have the clothing necessary to start a job, or the means to get the clothing. I know for a fact that donations like that are used and much appreciated :)

Janis

Hey you guys, the lady at the local women's shelter knows my size and if they need anything she will call me. I have taken things over there before, but since I am gung ho about cleaning out my closet, I imagine I will have 6 or 7 trash bags of nice clothes before I pass out that I am getting rid of it.

Saint I will d-mail you in a bit and see if I can send some things for your ladies.

Rachel

Will shine my sink ,as soon as i check and see if I still have one .
Hate to do any thing in house ,
Was a clean freak till 89 ,
and then went to stash that trash and forget it ?

Ok here is my own little message about flylady.com....

Ive always and I mean always been a clutterbug. This has been a bane to me and dosnt make my DH too happy either. Ive only been using Flylady for about 2 maybe 3 weeks now but I can see the difference in how its helping me to declutter and stop being the Queen of Cram. LOL.
For over a week now my kitchen sink has been shiny before I go to bed each night, that makes me very happy to get up in the morning and not have to move a bunch of dirty dishes around just to fill my coffee pot. Yesterday I actualy cleaned my bedroom, now that is an accomplishment for me. I swear there was 2 inches of dust all over the place, and my love of Murphys oil soap is renewed(dang but that stuff smells good). I even practicaly kicked my DH out of the room, he came home very early from work and turned the tv to a different station(I was listening to VH1), so there goes my background noise that I can really work to. I finaly figured out that I feel the same way he does when I bother him at work and explained to him how I felt about him being in my work area, Oh I love that man, he turned my tv back to my station and headed for the living room without one bit of complaint except to give me a rasberry, LOL.
Today I have planned to clean my bathroom and then clean off the counters in my kitchen so I can see them again. The bathroom isnt too bad but I do need to wipe down the shelves and the walls so that I can look at it and think "WOW, its actualy clean"
Poor DH did ask me at one point what was wrong because usualy the only time I clean like this is when Im super angry about something. When he asked me about this it made me say WOW again, I was cleaning, I was happy and I could "see" that I was actualy accomplishing something and can still see it all today.
Thanks to you guys for letting me know about this site and thier gentle reminders thoughout the day, DH and my determination to get off of my butt and do what Ive been wanting to get done for years it really feels like a weight has been lifted off of my back, hands, feet, and I think Ive even gotten in a little better shape since I started because Im not sitting on my rear all the time talking to myself about I really should do that but not yet.
Sorry this is long but its really made a difference for me and my family too, I even have the time to help my kids with homework since Im not so busy running thru the house trying to get things just picked up. The stress levels are down so far that the kids balk less at doing what I ask them to do wich means Im not raising my voice anywhere near as much as I used to. This is so very cool.
Keep up your baby steps guys, Im not flying yet but dang it feels really good. ☺

Dravencat: Ditto to everything you just said!☺

I've been doing this for about three weeks and the difference is stunning! I keep surprising myself every time I walk into the kitchen--I think "I wonder who lives here?"-- 'cause it sure as heck doesn't look like the kitchen from the same people who lived here a month ago. My kitchen counter is so clean, you could eat off it! ;p

Little by little, stuff is getting tossed out, donated, put away or on display. Both my husband and I look forward to Wednesday for "anti procrastination day" so that we have a time to do all the things we've been putting off forever. So far, we've put up shelves, hung mirrors and painted over the plaster spots on the walls where we had to repair some holes (two years ago!) My house is feeling like my *home* now.

I can't thank you all enough for introducing me to FlyLady!

Rhonda

Wow, Rhonda, I was reading your post and I got goosebumps!
You guys, this is great! Just think, if everyone in the world started feeling good about the state their homes are in, maybe we could solve the world's problems. LOL. Well, maybe that's a little overboard.
I know for myself, I am spending less time surfing and more time on my *real* life and it's really making a difference. It's helped our finances because I am paying bills on time instead of letting them settle to the bottom of a heap of paperwork, and I am not spending so much shopping on the web. I have a box next to the front door that I toss donatable items into. I was so thrilled to be able to donate clothes and household goods to a local family who is sponsoring a family from Miss. - the day they asked. My 3 1/2 year old is learning too. Yesterday, he put on a pair of shorts and said, "these dont fit me anymore!" and he tossed them in the donation box! It was really cute.
How is everyone else doing?

Oh WOW - I'm so proud of you guys! I've back slid a bit because of work and allergies. I'm also turning over my chorus librarian duties to another lady and that's taken time to get that stuff together and train her. BUT - you guys have given me such a lift that today - or tonight rather - I'm going to do something even if it's just 15 minutes worth.

Just remember - don't over do and get burned out! You need to pace yourself "it didn't get dirty in one day and it won't get clean in one day either!".

Dravencat - I know what you mean about the "weight being lifted" - because just telling myself some of the things I've learned on Flylady - like - some is better than nothing, baby steps - I don't feel so guilty for not getting every last detail done in one sitting! And it's made a big difference.

Everyone keep at it! We're flying!!!!

Marcia

Oh yeah! Just to be able to know that half my battle is won is mindboggling. I still backslide of course but I am still getting so much cleaned up and out. Absolutly worth every little effort.

Good posts, Rachel, Rhonda, D'Cat, and BB.

I've been a huge backslider since August 10 when I had to start the process of letting my mother go. It was a huge emotional hit, followed by her death Sept. 2 and then the news this week that I need to see a lung specialist.

I think the only way out of this emotional blackout is to start doing my 15 minutes a day again, starting with my kitchen sink.

That's the spirit Darius - do something - it's better than nothing. Plus - keeps you occupied....

I just found this site. All I can is wow! I'm in the same boat to. In the morning I need to go on to the site and learn more about this 15 minutes a day thing.

darius, I'm sorry to hear about your Mom. I've lost both my parents so I do know what you are going through. Please keep us posted about your doctor's appointment. If you need to talk, I'm here.

Hugs, Donna

Welcome Donna - yes - go check out flylady - I think you'll find it interesting. One thing to note is that she makes a point of saying this is your schedule/plan/etc. Make it your own and make it work for you and you'll probably get better results. So - happy baby stepping!

I have to say I've not done much this week. I've definitely got a sinus infection and will be going to the doctor on Monday. So - hopefully I'll start feeling better and can get back on track.

Ya'll keep at it!

M.

Donna, try it out and see what you think. I was sure I'd hate it, and that it wouldn't work, just like everything else I've tried. All I can say is, if you had seen my house a month ago, you wouldn't think it was the same place. I wish I had taken "before" pictures, but I was too embarrassed!

I had always said if I could just find someone to hold my hand and teach me what I needed to know to get my "act" together, I was sure I could do it. But how could I lay that responsibility on another person? I'd end up feeling guilty, and they'd be resentful. Now I have someone who CAN take that responsibility, and I don't feel the slightest bit guilty about it! : )

Also, by truly accepting the fact that I needed to be directed, and allowing myself to be, I am learning more about how to be self-directed, which is a totally new experience for me. I can decide to do something, and then figure out how to do it, instead of throwing my hands in the air and saying "it's impossible!"

I'm still new at this, so I'm sure I'll get to the point where the "newness" rubs off and I'll find it more difficult. So far, though, I'm not stressed out about it. Cleaning up used to be very stressful because it was so much work to get it done; now, I clean and feel good about it. I really feel good! It's like a whole new world to me.

I just finished a week of 15-minute periods in the extra bedroom/plant nursery/junk room. It was horrendous in there! Today, I finished up--most of the "junk" is gone (although there are still six boxes that have things I can't part with--yet!), my potting table is clean and clear, the luggage is stacked at the back of a little "alcove" in the corner, and the guitars are lined up along the wall where they can be easily reached without crawling over boxes and excavating! There was enough room to put a small table and chair for my husband to work at so that he doesn't have to use the dining room as his "studio" and the floor space is sufficient to put out our queen-sized air mattress, should we have guests. Because now we COULD have guests if we wanted to.

It's not perfect, but it's definitely more "normal!"

Sorry to ramble; I'm just so thrilled with everything that I can't shut myself up about it! I've been spreading the FlyLady message to anyone who will listen! ; )

Rhonda

This message was edited Sep 17, 2005 5:14 PM

Thanks, M & Rhonda! It shucks to have a sinus infection...you get better, M! Now Rhonda it sounds like you are proud of yourself and you should be! Go girl!!! I hadn't gone to FlyLady yet. To chicken...lol
:) Donna

LOL PerennialGirl, Ive known about the site for months and it took me this long to get in there. Go your own pace in getting there and youll be just fine. I had to look for stuff to do in the house yesterday wich was such a great feeling. I ended up cleaning all of my cieling fans and tightening up all the screws on the blades. That took maybe an hour or so becuase I was taking my time and listening to some good music. Even with DH home I got this done, LOL. I then went and cleaned my shower curtain and saw a hole in the plastic so now I know I need to go get a new one. Amazing that I didnt notice it before. I love to shop!!

Darius, your still in my thoughts hun.

Rhonda, Ive been doing the same thing, even told my mother who is a bigger pack rat than I am. I know she gets disgusted with herself alot when she cant walk thru her living room because of the mess so Im hoping she takes the time to at least check the website out and get a few pointers. I think that was hers and mine biggest hardship is letting it all go for so long and then feeling that we "had" to get it all done "right now". That method is so discouraging that it makes you put off even trying.

Im off now, Im going to go get stuff to make a boatload of spaghetti for the family tonight with enough sauce left over to dip our garlic bread in until we feel like bursting. Can you tell Im hungry?

Dravencat, you just made me more hungry than I am....talking about spaghetti and garlic bread....yum.
:) Donna

Yeah, I'm ready for my "first of Fall" spaghetti, too. Made with Italian Sausage.

Mmmmmmm Italian Sausage. DH and I luv them. Do you have a recipe for your sauce?
:) Donna

Donna, yes and no, LOL. I cut the links into maybe 3" ppieces and cover them with water, prick the skins and boil slowly until browned in the fat that has cooked out.

Then, I brown onions and garlic and tomato paste. I add 3-4 jars of good canned commercial spaghetti sauce of different flavors ( I like Classico) and the sausage and cook on low for several hours. Slow cooker works good for this.

Yummmmmmy! Thanks for the recipe. Is there a certain type of Italian Sausage you pick up?
:) Donna

I like the sweet Italian, not packaged but by the pound from the butcher at the Fresh Market or Earth Fare. Doubt you have those chains there.

Nope...lol.
:) Donna

Darius - you have Fresh Market over there? We do here and I LOVE it.....specially for meat and speciality things.......yummy

M.

Not here, Marcia... but when I lived in Asheville, 100 miles from here.

I was wondering....anytime you want something I can send from them - let me know!

How ya' doing? Ok I hope...been thinking a lot about you.

M.

I'm happy to report that I have a shined sink and all dishes are done - did that yesterday! DH will unload the dishwasher later and we can start over. My goal is to keep the sink shined and kitchen picked up for one solid week. Then I'll add another room/goal on top of that. Baby steps......

Marcia

YAY Betsy!!!

I have another good story about Flylady, DH actualy helped me clean up the kitchen after dinner last night, make lunches for the kids and he even cut up a watermelon and put it in a covered bowl in the fridge, thats after he cleaned up his mess. WOW, I asked him why he all of a sudden felt the need to help out and he said he wasnt sure but that maybe it was because he saw me getting it in gear and it made him think of how much he dosnt help around the house. WOOHOO!! Now that is a reason to fly.

Dravencat, give that guy a hug!! So seldom they offer to help, at least in my experience.

Well have procrastinated about cleaning carpets. Well today was the day. Cleaned 3 bedrooms, hallway and family room. My back is killing me, but I have clean carpets now!!

I do cleaning in "spurts" whenever it gets to the point it is bothering me, I clean. Not a good plan, wish I could be motivated to do something everyday.

I am going to start cleaning windows, as they are to the point, it's easier to go to the door and open it to see outside!!

Good stories girls.

That's really great, Dravencat. Your good habits are rubbing off on him!

I'm getting mixed reactions from my DH: he likes that the place is cleaner, and he helps to keep it that way, but he gets a real look of fear in his eye when I set out on a "27-fling boogie!" I think he's afraid I'll throw out all his stuff. Ha! He should be so lucky! That's his mess; he can get rid of it. I just keep shoving it aside. : )

Defoecat: I know where you're coming from! (sigh) It all ends up being such a struggle. The whole idea behind FlyLady is that she guides you through doing the little bits each day, so that you never have to do "crash and burn" cleaning, where you run around like a Tasmanian Devil trying to do everything at once, then fall into a grumbling heap and can't really appreciate how nice it all looks because you are so exhausted you have to spend three days recovering and by the time you feel better, it's a mess again. Does this sound familiar? ; )

And now for something completely different. : )

If you all think you have dust bunnies, check out this little fella I found lurking behind a bookcase:

LOL looks like a dust bunny with a drinking problem

ROFLMAO